How do you lose weight without losing curves?

Hey everyone! So, I am really curvy and I love being curvy, but I would really like to 'tone u'p but I don't want to lose my curves. Can it be done? I don't care about my weight or even my dress size, I just want to have less flab. I'm not sure if you can lose flab without losing your curves, so can anyone help me out?

Can I keep my curves and what exercises would be good for me?

Thanks in advanced!

I think, in general, your body type will not change whether you lose or gain weight. But if you do lose fat, you'll lose it all-around, including your breasts and hips. I don't think there's any way to prevent that...

I hope I'm making sense! I don't know if I explained that very well. lol!

P.S. You should try pilates! It's all about strengthening your core muscles, giving you better posture and giving your muscles a long lean look (as opposed to bulking up).

My curves (which are in all the wrong places) always stay no mater how much I exersize.....

You could do targeted excercises. I think you first have to lose the weight then target the muscle groups that you want to be leaner, or bulkier with weight and rep changes. No clue how it's done further than that. Oh and the diet changes depending also.

I think it would be more about building the muscles other than losing the fat. I mean yeah weight lifting you'll lose fat but cardio works faster right? Idk. Like cardio really helps in losing the fat but building muscle tones things up. Right? So...pilates, as Stereogirl said sounds good. I'm gonna try that too because I'm happy with my weight and curves like you. I don't want to lose weight at all just tone up too. I do know crunches work great on my stomach.

Oh, I tought this was about body sculpting. Totally missed the boat on this one.

I'd go with pilates too.

I am in the same position Roxy!

As a girl who has an hourglass figure, I do not want to lose it... as I find that the curves of my waist and my boobs really look nice on me, I also know that being too thin is not for me. I do however, want to tone up. So yes, we're in the same boat!

I have been doing resistance training, cardio as well (I've always done cardio because it next to burning energy also makes me feel real good, happy), and stretching exercises. I am a big fan of "The Bar Method", as it is verrry toning, but yes I do not want to end up looking like the typical yoga/pilates/ballet instructor! So I try to judge the exercises in the exercise dvd's I do, and see how I can use them to my own advantage, if you know what I mean. I don't think my bodyshape will suddenly change completely by doing some Callanetic or Pilates exercises but I do think you can lose the curves if you do too much Pilates. Pilates is all about the core, which is great, because having a strong core is good for many reasons! But what Pilates has the capability of doing, is bulk up that mid section with abs, and kind of create a ruler shape. It is about what fits each individual, but that is not for me, so I try to avoid the exercises that bulk the abs on and focus more on stretching and leg/arm toning.

Dumbbell training is wonderful! I also advice to do lighter weights but more repetitions (but not overdoing it) and matt workout.

Do you know what areas you want to target? Like inner thighs for example, or are you just looking for an all over toning?

Originally Posted by Seraphine /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am in the same position Roxy!As a girl who has an hourglass figure, I do not want to lose it... as I find that the curves of my waist and my boobs really look nice on me, I also know that being too thin is not for me. I do however, want to tone up. So yes, we're in the same boat!

I have been doing resistance training, cardio as well (I've always done cardio because it next to burning energy also makes me feel real good, happy), and stretching exercises. I am a big fan of "The Bar Method", as it is verrry toning, but yes I do not want to end up looking like the typical yoga/pilates/ballet instructor! So I try to judge the exercises in the exercise dvd's I do, and see how I can use them to my own advantage, if you know what I mean. I don't think my bodyshape will suddenly change completely by doing some Callanetic or Pilates exercises but I do think you can lose the curves if you do too much Pilates. Pilates is all about the core, which is great, because having a strong core is good for many reasons! But what Pilates has the capability of doing, is bulk up that mid section with abs, and kind of create a ruler shape. It is about what fits each individual, but that is not for me, so I try to avoid the exercises that bulk the abs on and focus more on stretching and leg/arm toning.

Dumbbell training is wonderful! I also advice to do lighter weights but more repetitions (but not overdoing it) and matt workout.

Do you know what areas you want to target? Like inner thighs for example, or are you just looking for an all over toning?

The areas I want to tone up are my arms, inner thighs, and lower stomach area right below my bellybutton. My midsection is fine above my bellybutton, but just not below my bellybutton! I can grab a tyre of flubba - that is what I would most like to get rid of. My mum is a zumba instructor and so I am gonna start her classes, do you think they are any good for toning, but keep a curvy figure? How many times a week do you think?

Hi Roxie!

I do not know enough about Zumba but from what I gathered it is a dance type of workout, which I doubt will make you straight/flatten out, it might even lift those curves and pronounce them, like dances such as salsa, samba, tango could do!

I think starting out once a week is good, if you love it, maybe 2 or 3 times? I think it's important to do what you love!

As for the toning of the arms, use light weights (2-3 lbs) and do some tricep kickbacks, front raises, bench presses, those kind of exercises.

I recently found a real nice inner thigh workout that I started incorporating into my routine, it is this one; YouTube - Leg Exercises & Workouts : How to Do Inner Thigh Exercises

Try these out and let me know what you think! If done right you definitely feel the burn, I love how they make me feel actually. It's all about small movements but focussing on form and repetition.

I am thinking what exercises are good for that lower stomach, below the bellybutton, I think when you lay flat on the floor and then raise your legs straight into the air and then drop them (keeping them straight) slowly, and hoover them a few inches above the floor, and do repetitions of that, will help strengthen the lower stomach area!

Good luck!!

Try the Little Jack workout seen Youtube videos to lose tons of weight