Progress: My first month lifting, and what it means

bunnerfly

I'm a 33 (almost 34) y/o female. I currently weigh 196.2lbs, and I'm 5'2" tall. I'm getting married in October, so my fiancé printed off some workout he found online, and we started in the beginning of January. I lift "light" to avoid building a lot of bulk. I do cardio on my non-lifting days. I'm starting to see some progress in my arms and shoulders.

I worry about bulking up, but I can't help but love the new definition.

This pic is almost exactly one month to the day. ☺️

Actually, never mind, my phone isn't cooperating with photo uploading.

bunnerfly

HERE IT IS!! ☺️

x311Tifa

Bravo so far! Keep up the good work!

*side note* You don't have enough testosterone in your system to bulk. You have to ACTIVELY work at bulking to get "bulky." A typical gym go-er like you or me won't suddenly become Jay Cutler (the BB) from lifting heavy.

ZambiNan

Your shoulders definitely look more defined! It's crazy what you can accomplish in just one month of dedication! Great work.

erickirb

You cannot build any noticeable amount of muscle while in a deficit, so you will not bulk up. Bulking takes a caloric surplus (eating to gain weight), and a structured program to do so.

I would suggest lifting as heavy as you can as you will retain more of the muscle that you already have while losing fat, meaning you will be a lower BF% at every weight during your loss. Find a structured program such as new rules of lifting, strong curves, starting strength, etc. Heavy is best for the results you are trying to achieve.
heavy lifting =/= bulking. bulking range is caloric surplus lifting 8-15 reps, best for strength gain is 1-5 rep range

sgthaggard

Echoing what others have said - keep lifting, and up your weights/lower your reps! You won't bulk unless you are eating at a surplus

hoyalawya2003

Please read:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/903628

Swanson83

Nice work! You are definitely on the right track! As they all said you won't get bulky by lifting on a deficit. So keep adding weights! You'll love the results even more!

JoJo__Fit

Keep pushing you doing great!

Sumiblue

You are not going to get bulky. Bulky means bigger, right? You need to eat at a surplus to build muscle. If you up your protein to 1g/lb of LBM, eat at a reasonable deficit and lift weights (I suggest heavier) you will lose fat. I've lost 20lbs doing just that. 137-117. I've lost inches. In other words, I didn't get bulky I got smaller. I love my muscle definition! Since you are enjoying your new definition I say go with it. Check out the thread titled "lifting made me supah bulky" or something like that. You will see what actually happens when you challenge your muscles.

McCloud33

Lift heavy for you. Get on a full body lifting program like NROLFW, Stronglifts 5x5, Starting Strength, etc... And read this forum...you're not going to get bulky. It's a lie the fitness industry has told women in order to keep them hating the way they look. If you don't keep the muscle you have while lifting weight, then you generally just end up the same exact shape as you were before and just a little smaller version of it. Lifting weights will actually change the shape of your body. As long as you're losing weight on a deficit YOU. WILL. NOT. GAIN. MUSCLE. You may expose some muscle that you already have, but you're not going to become some bodybuilder by accident.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/977538/halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky

sjohnny

CollieFit

The definition is due to some fat loss. Light weights while eating at a deficit is highly unlikely to be building any noticeable amount of muscle. You lost fat so you can begin to see what's underneath the layers. Keep at it.... and slap some proper weights on.

SonyaCele

contrats on your progress. Don't be afraid to lift heavy, You aren't gonna bulk, and heavy is really good for you and your bones and body and spirit and mind.

TR0berts

Here, give this a read, too.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/weight-training-for-fat-loss-part-1.html

bellaa_x0

you won't bulk up.. lift heavy and thank me later.

affabletoaster

Good for you! I'm also 5'2", and a similar weight, and have started lifting for the first time! I've been doing circuit training with 5-15lb dumbell weights. I use the 15lb weights as often as I can, and I love pushing myself with the higher weight! (I hope that someday 15lb dumbells sound ridiculously easy to me!)

bunnerfly

Thank you all so much!!!! I love lifting heavy! I'm only at about 100lbs on the shoulder press max, and I've just been using the bar for bench press. IM ADDING WEIGHTS!

singingflutelady

Are you squatting and deadlifting? Fun stuff. You should try a program like stronglifts

peaceout_aly

Try lifting heavy! I promise it isn't scary and you won't get "manly" or bulk up too much. It will improve strength and definition. You look fabulous! Congrats on staying motivated!

bunnerfly

singingflutelady wrote: »

Are you squatting and deadlifting? Fun stuff. You should try a program like stronglifts

Yeah. We alternate days and do legs and back, arms, and chest. Fun stuff.

ASKyle

Congrats!

I am 5'2" as well- START LIFTING HEAVY, more in the 10 rep range. You will not bulk.

nordlead2005

bunnerfly wrote: »

singingflutelady wrote: »

Are you squatting and deadlifting? Fun stuff. You should try a program like stronglifts

Yeah. We alternate days and do legs and back, arms, and chest. Fun stuff.

split routines are typically best for intermediate/advanced lifters. You typically get more bang for your buck (stronger faster) with a beginner full body workout, like stronglifts.com, starting strength, fierce 5, and so forth.

callsitlikeiseeit

youre not going to bulk. LIFT HEAVY!

lisalsd1

I lift heavy, and I don't think I look "bulky." I'm also 5'3 and dropped from a size 8 to 2 with heavy lifting (took close to a year though)...so yeah, you won't likely get bulky either. Do whatever you prefer and will stick with, but definitely don't buy into the "bulky lady" thing.

Sumiblue

FWIW I am also 5'2". I love lifting. So.Much.

AnvilHead

In the meantime, every male in the world who's eating like crazy, gulping down protein shakes and lifting until their eyes bug out of their heads WISH it was so easy to "accidentally" get bulky.....

bunnerfly

Part of the reason it worried me about the "looking bulky" thing, is that I DO have a hormonal imbalance. Nothing major. But I've always ended up with big thighs and arms, and I'd like to avoid it if I can help it. However, big and muscly beats big and flabby for me, so I guess we will see!

bunnerfly

AnvilHead wrote: »

In the meantime, every male in the world who's eating like crazy, gulping down protein shakes and lifting until their eyes bug out of their heads WISH it was so easy to "accidentally" get bulky.....

It hasn't been accidentally in the past. My arms and legs are (and have been since I was a teen) very muscled. My shirts never fit in the upper arm area, even when fit, and my pants are always tight in the thigh. I'm trying to slim them down.

But I feel blessed that I don't have to go all eye-buggy. I do enjoy my protein shakes though...

arditarose

You should lift heavy. You won't bulk up. Especially in a deficit. All you're doing is maintaining lean body mass, and possibly getting a little bit of newbie gains. If you look in my profile there is a side by side, the picture on the left is me at my slimmest--the results of lifting heavy *kitten* weights in a deficit.

bunnerfly

arditarose wrote: »

You should lift heavy. You won't bulk up. Especially in a deficit. All you're doing is maintaining lean body mass, and possibly getting a little bit of newbie gains. If you look in my profile there is a side by side, the picture on the left is me at my slimmest--the results of lifting heavy *kitten* weights in a deficit.

Thanks. I started lifting at my max today. I'm doing 3 sets of 5/5/5 (not sure how to put it) at 130lbs on rows, 2.5 sets of 5/4/2 (I tuckered out lol) at 110lbs on pull downs, 3 sets of 12/10/8 at 80lbs on back extensions, and then a bunch of ab work. I didn't do a whole lot as far as lifting goes because my partner wasn't there and the weight room was crawling with high school boys just hanging out on the equipment (so annoying, but I didn't really have the guts to chase them off), but I will be lifting more tomorrow when my fiancé will be there to spot. Thanks for all your help and input!