September 2012 Weddings

Dress a LITTLE Tight!

Whoops... guess I should have been paying more attention!  It fits just fine, but a little snug.  Any suggestions for how to lose some bloat in less than 2 weeks?

Also, I'd love to tone my arms up just a bit more.  I feel like I took a week off and they lost all muscle tone.

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Re: Dress a LITTLE Tight!

  • edited August 2012
    Cut out starches/gluten.  It is the quickest way to lose the bloat because starches cause you to retain water.  Also, don't drink anything but water.  Avoid salty foods when possible. 

    And, to solve both problems, try a hot yoga class.  I did it for the first time last night in a while and not only did I get a great leg, ab, and arm workout but I sweat out a pound of water weight when I weighed myself this morning (and I ate a steak and ice cream after my workout...oops...so I probably would have been lighter).  Also, using heavier weights for less reps creates more definition and muscle tone than doing a ton of reps with less weight.  Cardio will also help you lose whatever fat is sitting on top of your muscles to let the muscles show through.  I hate cardio so this is always my struggle too!
  • The Jillian Micheals detox water also works great to flush out excess water and bloat. I lost 5lbs in 3 days. Just that last little nudge.
  • I'd also suggest trying to cut back on salt a bit (if you happen to eat a lot of salt). it causes you to retain water.
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    The Whimsical Wifey
  • Ditto what PP said about the cutting out carbs and salt, along with drinking lots of water. For a quick arm tone up, just do some push-ups twice a day.
  • Cut back on salt a bit and try and eat cleaner and avoid processed foods, etc.  Also, toning will be hard to come by in two weeks.  You might notice slight changes but nothing significant.  I tend to do (when I actually do it) typical bicep, and tricep exercises using about 10-12lbs for 12-15 times per arm.  I will do all of the exercises in a little circuit and then repeat 3-4 times.  I'd really like to firm up my arms a bit for the wedding as well as for the rest of my life so I'm just going to start now and see how it goes and continue after the wedding.
  • Ditto PP on how to help with bloat.

    I have to give a big second to the poster who recommended push-up.  They are really hard, but seriously the most effective.  A push-up done properly will also work your abs.
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  • I second the cutting out salt. Water retention can cause a BIG difference sometimes!

    Also if you eat multiple smaller meals it helps the body to be able to maintain a more steady blood sugar and as a result makes it easier to burn fat. Blood sugar spikes cause fat retention and the burning of muscles.
  • Green Tea!  Drinking a few cups of day can help bloating and aid digestion and all that.  I also agree with eating 6 smaller meals throughout the day rather than 3 big meals to avoid that blood sugar spike and potential bad cravings.
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  • I second the push ups! Just do a few every day and you will DEF see results. I like those pilates videos too that they have streaming on Netflicks.

    I second no carbs! I lost about 10 pounds by cutting out them plus extra salt. And I still eat great! I eat eggs and bacon for breakfast (I make the bacon like twice a week in big batches), salad with some kind of protein on it for lunch + fruit and nuts, and some kind of meat for dinner plus veggies. Nuts, seeds, fruits, and veggies for snacks. You don't even really need to count your calories either this way- I just eat until I"m full and I still lose weight. 
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  • Reduce carbs and sugars, along with monitoring your sodium intake. Drink water, water and more water. It'll drop right off.

    As far as your arms, if you don't have any free weights, use some canned goods and do plenty of repitions of basic arm moves (curls, etc.)
  • drink lots of water with a 1/4 fresh lemon squeezed in it.  Eat foods that are high in water content, like salads, and fruit.  Make sure you stay near a bathroom, because you will need it every 10 minutes. 
  • Push-ups are really great for toning (though it is tough to make huge strides in 11 days) BUT make sure you do rows to go with them!  Do the same number of reps as you did push-ups to complement (think of how you wouldn't do biceps without doing some triceps).  Over time (not in 11 days but just somehting to note) if you do push-ups without rows you will cause imbalances in your back and eventually start to hunch!  Not cute!
  • I just went for my dress fitting expecting it to be perfect since I have actually lost weight since I bought it but the over the dress pudge showed up out of nowhere! I've been working my arms, chest etc but it's worse than when I was heavier. I hope cutting out salt and some carbs from my diet will help because I am having an impossible time trying to tone that area.
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