Cardio 3x a week, body pump 1x and yoga 1x will do the trick

1200 calories a day is too low. Your body will start to break down muscle to conserve energy (if your body thinks it's starving, it will eliminate the most calorie-consuming tissue). If you lose muscle, your body will need fewer and fewer calories to survive--meaning that you will NEVER be able to eat normally again without gaining weight. This is called damaging your metabolism. You should probably be eating closer to 1600-1700 calories a day. It creates a smaller deficit, but at least your body won't freak out.

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely not. Attendance will do nothing to improve your physical health. On the other hand, if you participate, that should work perfectly.

Haha. But it is true. Some of the classes are easy to 'mimick', and only if you pay attention to form/self-inflicted resistance and don't give up until your arms are spaghetti will you see the best results.

Personally I have started taking dance, because there is no mimicking. If you try to half-ass it, someone will knock you over or the instructor will 'guide' you. Sometimes that's what I need!

I'd also recommend looking into some of the barre classes or pilates. Those kick your butt.

Below 1200 calories??? That's really low. And if you're nursing or pumping, it's starvation since you're burning about 500 calories a day.

Absolutely not. Attendance will do nothing to improve your physical health. On the other hand, if you participate, that should work perfectly.

I can't see keeping your calories below 1200 and exercising 4x a week. I could barely move if I ate 1200 calories.

How can you eat fewer than 1200 calories a day and not be starving? My resting metabolic rate alone is 1600 calories. Wow!

Dance, yoga, body pump 4x a week will definitely give you the same exercises benefits as running, no doubt. And if you can really commit to eating well (not just keeping your calories below 1200 but eating whole foods instead of processed junk) you'll see results quickly.

Yes, absolutely, classes are much better than doing it on your own. Aim for 5 classes per week while you're losing weight, and try to go to at least 3 high-impact ones to burn calories.

Background: I have always hated working out. I hate running and machines. I never had a problem keeping a healthy weight until pregnancy. Now I have 15 post-partum pounds to lose. I'd also like to tone up my arms a bit, as they now appear a little jiggly (probably the extra weight I have on, coupled with my now over 30 age...).

Can I do this just attending say, dance classes, yoga, and body pump (or similiar, where you lift weights)...say 4x a week? Or do I need to run and lift, etc.? I am keeping my calories below 1200, which is the appropriate range for my height (5'5).

What do we think?!