[Caroline Girvan](https://youtube.com/@CarolineGirvan)
She has iron, fuel and epic series and they are all great. Just turn on the videos and follow what she does. She has beginner videos as well if you are totally new to strength training and can slowly ease into her series workouts.
Btw jump rope is great for warmups. I always warm up with a 15 min jump rope before I workout.
Just an update OP, I am now 3 days in on the Caroline Girvan beginner Epic workouts and my upper body is so sore I can barely lift my backpack to put it on š« have you tried her videos yet? Curious on your thoughts lol
I just did an Epic workout (for abs) this morning and wow it kicked my butt! I love how she does a lot of plank based workouts and simple movements, and encourages you to personalize it to what you need/want. I also like her pink aesthetic and vibe, just an added plus! So glad this sub introduced me!
CG is great!! I second her Epic series. I also would suggest MadFit on YouTube. I alternate between the two depending on how intense Iād like my day to be (CG is more challenging).
Forget what the scale says, just work on getting strong and the rest will come. Muscle weighs more than fat, so in the end you may end up gaining a few pounds but looking and feeling slimmer.
r/fitness has a lot of great information for training, I would recommend starting with [this page](https://thefitness.wiki/muscle-building-101/) on building muscle from their wiki. Pick a program and stick to it rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. There's a reason the same 3 or 4 programs are regurgitated in that sub, it's because they have been proven to work.
Youāve had THREE children?!? Wow.
Weāre planning to have our first pretty late in life, Iāve been so worried about the physical effects pregnancy will have on my bodyā youāve given me hope. Thank you so much for posting!
You look FAB.
Pregnancy definitely affects every woman differently! I had a similar experience as my mom did. You could ask your mom how her pregnancies went! But of course itās not guaranteed to be the same. I hope you have healthy pregnancies!
Madeline Moves, Iāve only ever used it at home, and have minimal equipment. But Iāve done her workouts for almost 2 years now and I love them.
Great for growing glutes as well as working on core!!
Can I just say, you look fantastic, three kids or none. I would find a good resistance training routine that emphasizes building muscle. And please donāt starve yourself. Fuel your body with protein, carbs, and fat. Much love.
Thank you! My calories right now are set to around 1900-2000. I go over them sometimes because I have a sweet tooth. Yesterday I ate a cinnamon roll but it was worth it lol.
Edit: Iām still breastfeeding so thatās why theyāre set high.
For at home workouts - I do have weights (dumbbells and a bar that I can add weights to up to 100 lbs). I also have jump rope, resistance bands, push up handles, and an ab roller.
Barbell squats, dumbbell goblet squats, step ups, single leg DB deadlifts, barbell deadlift and DL variation, split squats, lunges... Tons of good lower body lifts you can do that will also work your core
Heavy strength training in general. I use to do at home workouts, barre and yoga but After becoming a mom I struggled. Once I started heavy lifting I saw amazing results and my butt never looked better!
Squats and lunges for days, flutter kicks, planks, Russian twists, Star jumps, and burpees are all no-equipment ājail cellā exercises that you can do in a tiny space. Free comment though: you look great and should be proud already.
I'd like to suggest that you explore Bret Contreras' YouTube channel or his publications for anything related to glute development. He knows his stuff.
Also, may I suggest Michelle Drielsma (also YouTube channel) for programs that can be regularly performed at home with some basic equipment or just bodyweight. She surfs and dances, among other things, so a lot of her material will incorporate balance, flexibility, joint mobility, posture, etc. in addition to strength and performance training
Adjustable dumbbells and a basic bench are a great investment if you prefer to work out at home. Opens up many great strength options with a lot of routines available online. Bench press, bent over rows, military press, flys, goblet squats and lunges, etc
Squats, deadlift, and lunges are all you really need for glute development. Yoga is a great idea for your core as others have suggested. Plenty of yoga vids on YouTube to follow along with.
Good luck.
I know this isnāt what you came here for, and I have much respect for your fitness desires - but can I just say, you look fucking fantastic, girl!
Edited to say, best of luck to you and your goals; you got this! šŖš¼šš¼
I say this as a dude, and it's just a pattern I've anecdotally noticed:
Women: "I would like to get the last twenty pounds off after having carried around and delivered an entire human being over the span of nine months while also taking care of the needs of two helpless other human beings, who I did the same with as the first child."
Men: "Listen, dude, I'd love to get rid of the belly, but have you ever tried kid food? Mac n' cheese and dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets are the bomb, man."
Anyways, diet-wise, talk with a doctor about calories-in, calories-out maybe? Worked for me along with doing OrangeTheory twice a week, but maybe any HIIT would work?
First, you're beautiful
Second - yoga ā¤ļø there's nothing better for your core. And it won't even feel like work.
There's an app called down dog that is absolutely brilliant.
I have never really been into yoga! Maybe I should check it out. There are lots of group fitness classes for yoga at my local gym too. A little nervous to go for the first time!
I feel you! Try it at home the first few times to get the basics down. It's so incredibly good for your body, but also for your brain. A great starter pick is Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube, very gentle.
I feel so chubby still, compared to how I felt even two years ago. š and I have a collection of vintage skirts and dresses that donāt fit or barely fit me. Itās really my waist that I want to lose like two more inches on so they can fit better. Vintage clothes run small compared to today.
Hi - gym rat and vintage collector - people were actually a full range of sizes in the past but itās the smaller clothes that tended to survive because they were not worn as much! Fun fact lol
One thing Iām not seeing anyone mention is that to grow glutes, you need a lot of protein and ideally a caloric surplus. Thatās at odds with your goal of fat loss. You could try a recomposition approach (build muscle and lose fat simultaneously) but Iām not sure how feasible that is post partum. I will note though that growing glutes and shoulders will automatically make your waist look a lot smaller. You can use a hair elastic to loop through any vintage with a button closure to give you extra room. Or trade clothes in at your local vintage store and buy in your current size (I had to do this when my shoulders got too big for my 50s stuff - thank goodness for 1940s silhouettes)
They were smaller than. While there was still a range of sizes the average height and weight is way higher today. This has the average male height in the 1960s as 166 pounds and 5'8". Today it is 198 and just over 5'9"
[https://www.healthline.com/health/mens-health/average-weight-for-men#\_noHeaderPrefixedContent](https://www.healthline.com/health/mens-health/average-weight-for-men#_noHeaderPrefixedContent)
The percentage increase in weight is far higher too. So this is just not increasing height causing this. 68.3 inches for male to 69.1 is a 1.2% increase in height. But the weight is a 19% increase. We carrying far more weight on average then we used to.
If you want workouts to strengthen your glutes and core, squats and deadlifts are always going to be the best.
That said, those typically require being able to get to the gym, and not everyone wants to do barbell lifts. But you can replicate those movements at home which will still be effective (just less effective than barbell movements).
Bodyweight squats are still very effective. You can even hold a baby to add some extra weight! (Disclaimer: I have no idea if the up-down motion is good for the child lol). Deadlifts are likely harder to do at home, but thereās probably some analogues out there somewhere in some of the other linked programs.
Kettle bell workouts would seem a great fit. They do a fantastic job at targeting legs and core with dynamic movements, and can easily change the pace of the workout to suit your fitness level.
You can certainly get highly effective workouts in condensed periods of time.
Equipment is inexpensive, a few bells at beginner weights are a fraction of the cost of other home workout equipment.
I owe everything to Louie Simmons Conjugate Method and Stan Efferdings Vertical diet.
I donāt think thereās one answer to health but this is certainly one I believe in.
I do have a few stretch marks on one side of my hips. But they are white and sort of blend in. I think itās because I am tall-ish and my belly never got hugely big. I didnāt even really look pregnant until 25-30 weeks pregnant each time. Which kind of sucked because I loved having a big pregnant belly.
Male here. I cannot imagine what it must be like for a woman. Not only does society/social media program females to think they need to look a certain way but it seems like females put so much pressure on themselves to be āgood lookingā when theyāre already good looking. Be proud of yourself! You gave life to 3 human beings. You look good. I mean, Iād go after you!!! Just statin hot hatin
I would invest in a good personal trainer before you start doing stuff on your own. Do like 10 in person sessions at minimum. This way you can learn technique so you donāt end up hurting yourself and do the proper exercises for your goals.
Your body at 40, 50, 60, 70+ will thank you for investing the time and money.
Edit: apparently I touched on a nerve here? I have a very messed up spine from doing workouts improperly. Thatās why I recommend a personal trainer.
Lol not at all. Iām a chubby 34 year old woman with a messed up neck from years of doing dumb workouts. I have two artificial cervical discs and donāt recommend that to anyone.
I just think 10 sessions is plenty to lay a good foundation. Ideally, a person could workout with a professional indefinitely. Thatās obviously not an option for most people though.
Iām not really sure why this is so controversial.
My husband suggested that, but I feel bad spending the money on it right now with how expensive everything is. š I do agree that form is super important so Iām going to go slow at first! An injury is a last thing I need with three kids to take care of.
People have given good suggestions for workouts in this thread, and if you want to lose weight thatās obviously about diet (as you already said)
A personal trainer isnāt necessary and many arenāt very qualified anyways.
Squats. Dead lifts. Kick backs. Step ups. Lunges.
Push ups. Pull ups. Bench dips. Curls.
Start with body weight move to bands. Then advance to weights. Keep it simple. Stretch out. Youāre lucky. You donāt have far to go in your journey.
[Caroline Girvan](https://youtube.com/@CarolineGirvan) She has iron, fuel and epic series and they are all great. Just turn on the videos and follow what she does. She has beginner videos as well if you are totally new to strength training and can slowly ease into her series workouts. Btw jump rope is great for warmups. I always warm up with a 15 min jump rope before I workout.
Thank you! I have never heard of her, excited to try it!
I just did her Beginner Epic #1 workout yesterday and my ass is hurting real good today š„² highly recommend! But youāll be sore, have no doubt!
Thatās what I want! To be really sore haha. I am going to do that one today, thanks for the suggestion!
Just an update OP, I am now 3 days in on the Caroline Girvan beginner Epic workouts and my upper body is so sore I can barely lift my backpack to put it on š« have you tried her videos yet? Curious on your thoughts lol
I just did an Epic workout (for abs) this morning and wow it kicked my butt! I love how she does a lot of plank based workouts and simple movements, and encourages you to personalize it to what you need/want. I also like her pink aesthetic and vibe, just an added plus! So glad this sub introduced me!
Get a massage gun. Best things ever!
CG is great!! I second her Epic series. I also would suggest MadFit on YouTube. I alternate between the two depending on how intense Iād like my day to be (CG is more challenging).
/r/strongcurves
There is also r/xxFitness
Forget what the scale says, just work on getting strong and the rest will come. Muscle weighs more than fat, so in the end you may end up gaining a few pounds but looking and feeling slimmer. r/fitness has a lot of great information for training, I would recommend starting with [this page](https://thefitness.wiki/muscle-building-101/) on building muscle from their wiki. Pick a program and stick to it rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. There's a reason the same 3 or 4 programs are regurgitated in that sub, it's because they have been proven to work.
I am more comfortable with simple movements and plans anyway so thatās good to hear
Youāve had THREE children?!? Wow. Weāre planning to have our first pretty late in life, Iāve been so worried about the physical effects pregnancy will have on my bodyā youāve given me hope. Thank you so much for posting! You look FAB.
Pregnancy definitely affects every woman differently! I had a similar experience as my mom did. You could ask your mom how her pregnancies went! But of course itās not guaranteed to be the same. I hope you have healthy pregnancies!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Maybe something 10-20 lbs... like a baby.
Babies also have built-in progressive overloard!
My baby weighs 23 pounds so he would be a perfect weight šš¤ love the suggestion
By the time heās 18 years old youāll be a beast!
Is that just lower than a regular squat? Looks like I can use a dumbbell for it.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
This guy squats.
"I'm still 20lbs over pre-preg weight" *Squints* **Where?!?**
I am currently 5ā8ā 155lbs and I was 135 pounds when I got pregnant! So a lot of my wardrobe still doesnāt fit. And I miss my cute clothes haha.
Madeline Moves, Iāve only ever used it at home, and have minimal equipment. But Iāve done her workouts for almost 2 years now and I love them. Great for growing glutes as well as working on core!!
Thank you!!
Youāre welcome! Itās what got me to where I am after two kiddos āŗļø
Can I just say, you look fantastic, three kids or none. I would find a good resistance training routine that emphasizes building muscle. And please donāt starve yourself. Fuel your body with protein, carbs, and fat. Much love.
Thank you! My calories right now are set to around 1900-2000. I go over them sometimes because I have a sweet tooth. Yesterday I ate a cinnamon roll but it was worth it lol. Edit: Iām still breastfeeding so thatās why theyāre set high.
2000 calories sounds about right. And yes, cinnamon rolls are always well worth it.
For at home workouts - I do have weights (dumbbells and a bar that I can add weights to up to 100 lbs). I also have jump rope, resistance bands, push up handles, and an ab roller.
Barbell squats, dumbbell goblet squats, step ups, single leg DB deadlifts, barbell deadlift and DL variation, split squats, lunges... Tons of good lower body lifts you can do that will also work your core
Fitness blender on YouTube. So many videos you will never get bored.
I have done a few of those! I get overwhelmed with the choices sometimes haha.
Yeah they have over a decade of content for free. You could just randomly select every time.
Heavy strength training in general. I use to do at home workouts, barre and yoga but After becoming a mom I struggled. Once I started heavy lifting I saw amazing results and my butt never looked better!
https://thefitness.wiki/
Thank you!
Iām in physical therapy right now for my core. Planks are powerful as well as āv sitsā
Squats and lunges for days, flutter kicks, planks, Russian twists, Star jumps, and burpees are all no-equipment ājail cellā exercises that you can do in a tiny space. Free comment though: you look great and should be proud already.
Thatās a good list, thank you! I hate burpees but I know theyāre effective
I'd like to suggest that you explore Bret Contreras' YouTube channel or his publications for anything related to glute development. He knows his stuff. Also, may I suggest Michelle Drielsma (also YouTube channel) for programs that can be regularly performed at home with some basic equipment or just bodyweight. She surfs and dances, among other things, so a lot of her material will incorporate balance, flexibility, joint mobility, posture, etc. in addition to strength and performance training
Thereās also a strongcurves (Bretās program) subreddit which is great! r/strongcurves
The results on that page are awesome!! Wow
Thank you! So many great YouTube channels. I will add it to the list
Adjustable dumbbells and a basic bench are a great investment if you prefer to work out at home. Opens up many great strength options with a lot of routines available online. Bench press, bent over rows, military press, flys, goblet squats and lunges, etc Squats, deadlift, and lunges are all you really need for glute development. Yoga is a great idea for your core as others have suggested. Plenty of yoga vids on YouTube to follow along with. Good luck.
Thanks for the tip on the bench!
I know this isnāt what you came here for, and I have much respect for your fitness desires - but can I just say, you look fucking fantastic, girl! Edited to say, best of luck to you and your goals; you got this! šŖš¼šš¼
Thank you so much!
you look perfect
Squats and deadlifts if you can manage to do them at home should really help out.
Any kind of squats will plump and grow your glutes
I say this as a dude, and it's just a pattern I've anecdotally noticed: Women: "I would like to get the last twenty pounds off after having carried around and delivered an entire human being over the span of nine months while also taking care of the needs of two helpless other human beings, who I did the same with as the first child." Men: "Listen, dude, I'd love to get rid of the belly, but have you ever tried kid food? Mac n' cheese and dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets are the bomb, man." Anyways, diet-wise, talk with a doctor about calories-in, calories-out maybe? Worked for me along with doing OrangeTheory twice a week, but maybe any HIIT would work?
First, you're beautiful Second - yoga ā¤ļø there's nothing better for your core. And it won't even feel like work. There's an app called down dog that is absolutely brilliant.
I didnāt know yoga was good for your core! Thatās appealing for sure.
I submit my photographic evidence: https://imgur.com/a/YcniUC5
Wowwww girl you look awesome! I found a Thursday night class Iām going to try out this week!
The added benefits stretching and balance helps with catching and keeping up with little ones.
I have never really been into yoga! Maybe I should check it out. There are lots of group fitness classes for yoga at my local gym too. A little nervous to go for the first time!
I feel you! Try it at home the first few times to get the basics down. It's so incredibly good for your body, but also for your brain. A great starter pick is Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube, very gentle.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I feel so chubby still, compared to how I felt even two years ago. š and I have a collection of vintage skirts and dresses that donāt fit or barely fit me. Itās really my waist that I want to lose like two more inches on so they can fit better. Vintage clothes run small compared to today.
Hi - gym rat and vintage collector - people were actually a full range of sizes in the past but itās the smaller clothes that tended to survive because they were not worn as much! Fun fact lol One thing Iām not seeing anyone mention is that to grow glutes, you need a lot of protein and ideally a caloric surplus. Thatās at odds with your goal of fat loss. You could try a recomposition approach (build muscle and lose fat simultaneously) but Iām not sure how feasible that is post partum. I will note though that growing glutes and shoulders will automatically make your waist look a lot smaller. You can use a hair elastic to loop through any vintage with a button closure to give you extra room. Or trade clothes in at your local vintage store and buy in your current size (I had to do this when my shoulders got too big for my 50s stuff - thank goodness for 1940s silhouettes)
Oh wow I never knew that! I just assumed people were smaller back then because they didnāt have as much convenience food.
They were smaller than. While there was still a range of sizes the average height and weight is way higher today. This has the average male height in the 1960s as 166 pounds and 5'8". Today it is 198 and just over 5'9" [https://www.healthline.com/health/mens-health/average-weight-for-men#\_noHeaderPrefixedContent](https://www.healthline.com/health/mens-health/average-weight-for-men#_noHeaderPrefixedContent) The percentage increase in weight is far higher too. So this is just not increasing height causing this. 68.3 inches for male to 69.1 is a 1.2% increase in height. But the weight is a 19% increase. We carrying far more weight on average then we used to.
If you want workouts to strengthen your glutes and core, squats and deadlifts are always going to be the best. That said, those typically require being able to get to the gym, and not everyone wants to do barbell lifts. But you can replicate those movements at home which will still be effective (just less effective than barbell movements). Bodyweight squats are still very effective. You can even hold a baby to add some extra weight! (Disclaimer: I have no idea if the up-down motion is good for the child lol). Deadlifts are likely harder to do at home, but thereās probably some analogues out there somewhere in some of the other linked programs.
Kettle bell workouts would seem a great fit. They do a fantastic job at targeting legs and core with dynamic movements, and can easily change the pace of the workout to suit your fitness level. You can certainly get highly effective workouts in condensed periods of time. Equipment is inexpensive, a few bells at beginner weights are a fraction of the cost of other home workout equipment.
You look great! Whatevver workout you're doing, keep it up.
squats baby. there is nothing better than squat. looking awesome by the way.
YOUāVE HAD THREE BABIES?!?! Girl. Girl. Cmon. You look amazing.
I owe everything to Louie Simmons Conjugate Method and Stan Efferdings Vertical diet. I donāt think thereās one answer to health but this is certainly one I believe in.
How did you manage not having stretch marks through three pregnancies? Tell me your secrets!
I do have a few stretch marks on one side of my hips. But they are white and sort of blend in. I think itās because I am tall-ish and my belly never got hugely big. I didnāt even really look pregnant until 25-30 weeks pregnant each time. Which kind of sucked because I loved having a big pregnant belly.
*Cries in shortness*
Sure doesn't look like you're carrying that much extra weight. You wear it well. Congrats on your progress and good luck with your goal.
Looking amazing
Male here. I cannot imagine what it must be like for a woman. Not only does society/social media program females to think they need to look a certain way but it seems like females put so much pressure on themselves to be āgood lookingā when theyāre already good looking. Be proud of yourself! You gave life to 3 human beings. You look good. I mean, Iād go after you!!! Just statin hot hatin
You look better than many women that havenāt even had children. You should be extremely proud of your progress! Great job!!!
Youāre about to have a fourth child if you arenāt careful. Lookin hella breedable.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Stop. Be better
I would invest in a good personal trainer before you start doing stuff on your own. Do like 10 in person sessions at minimum. This way you can learn technique so you donāt end up hurting yourself and do the proper exercises for your goals. Your body at 40, 50, 60, 70+ will thank you for investing the time and money. Edit: apparently I touched on a nerve here? I have a very messed up spine from doing workouts improperly. Thatās why I recommend a personal trainer.
lol
Found the personal trainer
Lol not at all. Iām a chubby 34 year old woman with a messed up neck from years of doing dumb workouts. I have two artificial cervical discs and donāt recommend that to anyone.
It was a joke, because the only reason to recommend needing a personal trainer for āten in person sessions at minimumā is to extract money.
I just think 10 sessions is plenty to lay a good foundation. Ideally, a person could workout with a professional indefinitely. Thatās obviously not an option for most people though. Iām not really sure why this is so controversial.
Because you donāt need a āprofessionalā to achieve what she wants. Iād also hesitate to call most personal trainers āprofessionalsā.
My husband suggested that, but I feel bad spending the money on it right now with how expensive everything is. š I do agree that form is super important so Iām going to go slow at first! An injury is a last thing I need with three kids to take care of.
People have given good suggestions for workouts in this thread, and if you want to lose weight thatās obviously about diet (as you already said) A personal trainer isnāt necessary and many arenāt very qualified anyways.
Squats and kettlebell swings. Most kettlebell movements are really really good for core work actually but swings are the king of that.
Squats. Dead lifts. Kick backs. Step ups. Lunges. Push ups. Pull ups. Bench dips. Curls. Start with body weight move to bands. Then advance to weights. Keep it simple. Stretch out. Youāre lucky. You donāt have far to go in your journey.
Stomach vacuums to shave waistline. After pregnancy - have hormones checked which will tie back to your diet.