"The girls" are gone
Sumiblue
Posts: 1,597 Member
My body fat has been dropping steadily and I'm seeing all kinds of muscle definition. I've got some nice tricep & ab definition that I love. My upper body looks super lean but my lower body has very little definition despite a year+ of squats & lunges. I'm still trying to lose fat because from my Google research it seems like women that hold lower body fat have to be fairly lean on top before the fat begins to come off the butt & hips. So I soldier on. Yesterday I noticed that my breasts look like they shrank overnight! I've never been big, 34B, but I had a nice bust. No more, Wah!! I'm okay at my weight-114-117 range at 5'2". But I want my glutes to shape up. I don't need to build a butt but need to lose fat there. On Eat Train Progress, Sidesteel once told me that if I have fat to lose then I need to stay in deficit. But I'm so lean on top I can see my sternum, veins in my chest when I lift, and have visible veins over my hips. I don't want to be shriveled in top but with a still too-big booty. Not sure what to do here. Any other lifter women who have had a similar issue?
I might be having a hormonal issue, too. On the cusp of 47 & last TOM was unusual. RIP, boobs
I might be having a hormonal issue, too. On the cusp of 47 & last TOM was unusual. RIP, boobs
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If you feel like you're too lean on top, you could switch to maintenance and recomp your lower half. You'll also recomp your top half, but you won't lose fat as fast and feel like you're shriveling away up top.
I'm similar in that I carry my extra weight in my bottom half. Most of my weight is focused between my belly button and knees. Lifting has changed my shape, but it's taken the better part of 3 years to finally start seeing/noticing the changes. I'm pretty sure I'll probably never be super lean on bottom. Even when I was borderline underweight, I still had thicker thighs.
In other words, I don't have much words of wisdom but I can commiserate with you
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Thanks,@xcalygrl. I'm already doing 16:8 fast and have been playing around with Leangains macros for cut. Less calories on rest days and more on lifting days. I could switch to the recomp macros. It's a lot more calories! But I was planning on doing a reverse diet to get my calories up. I'm also thinking of having a designated glute exercise day. I have Strong Curves and have incorporated glute bridges into my PHUL workouts. Sigh. You'd think the fact that I was a figure skater in my youth would mean I'd have some muscle in there! I have seen some inches lost off hips/Glutes and off thighs. It's just so slow.
I sometimes feel like my lower half is not being as challenged by my lifts as my upper. I was not doing squats or DLs with good form until recently. I've been working on it and maybe this is why I didn't get the results I wanted.
Too bad I can't just move fat from my Glutes to my chest0 -
Haha! I feel ya there! I wish I could relocate some of the thighs/booty to my biceps/delts/boobs!
You could still do a reverse diet up to maintenance for a recomp. You don't have to just jump up there, especially if it's a pretty decent increase. You'll probably notice a HUGE increase in your lifts if you do bump up the calories.
The not-so-good form may actually have a lot to do with it. I noticed when I first started SL, that my form was so-so. It took a bit of work to get form down for me. Once I did, things seemed to start progressing more than when I was lifting with so-so form. You may notice a pretty good change soon if you've finally gotten good form down.0 -
This is totally antidotal however I noticed a similar thing when I first lost the weight, although I didn't get quite as lean as you have.
I lost a lot of weight pretty much from my bra band up. I could see a lot of definition (and a bit too much bone for my liking). However from bra band down I was still quite fluffy. I switched to maintenance and I noticed that my body slowly redistributed the fat a bit, so I leaned out somewhat on the bottom and filled out a little bit more on the top. Although it was something that took half a year or so and was very subtle.
And you will probably notice that with better form you can safely lift more and get to a point where it is more challenging. Good luck!0 -
Ok, this all making me feel better! Recomp it is. I have no idea what my body fat is now but it's low. I do want my lifts to increase cuz I'm weak in deficit.
Thanks!0 -
Llamapants86 wrote: »This is totally antidotal however I noticed a similar thing when I first lost the weight, although I didn't get quite as lean as you have.
I lost a lot of weight pretty much from my bra band up. I could see a lot of definition (and a bit too much bone for my liking). However from bra band down I was still quite fluffy. I switched to maintenance and I noticed that my body slowly redistributed the fat a bit, so I leaned out somewhat on the bottom and filled out a little bit more on the top. Although it was something that took half a year or so and was very subtle.
And you will probably notice that with better form you can safely lift more and get to a point where it is more challenging. Good luck!
This is me!!! Too much bone up top and lotza of fluff below.
Wow, if anything hit home - it's this!
So many people recommended recomp, couldn't understand why, have you ever seen my thighs lol.
@Llamapants86 - thank you!0 -
I'm in this boat, too. My fluff is definitely hips/thighs/butt - and my boobies always shrink away when I lose weight. It's a sad truth - the only real downfall of losing weight that I can think of. I didn't start with a heck of a lot to begin with, so I'm really sad when any of them leave LOL.0
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My bust measurement is the same at circumference. I lost fat on the top slope, lol. I was just looking at cross section drawings of the breast and it's all fat on top. I know I had a "whoosh" recently because I felt that my abdomen was flatter and felt harder. I was so busy admiring that I didn't notice what else I had lost!
I'm going to try recomp with calorie cycling. Let's see what that does for me.0 -
Unfortunately, it's rather common for the girls to go. There was even an RIP type forum post over on bodybuilding.com for them. Some who compete get implants and others just go with the padded tops, from what I've seen so far.
Mine are definitely smaller than before. Though the girl at Victoria's Secret said I was still a D, ummm I don't quite fill out those cups and honestly part of what makes those bras D is the padding involved (or so it seems to me). I have some C and B bras that I struggle to fill out too so guess bras aren't consistent either in their sizing and such. Pesky clothing inconsistencies. Though it is nice to have my band size smaller. At least it's easier to find stuff in stores now beyond Lane Bryant where even then I struggled cause I wasn't a really big cup size, just wide around. So far my leg measurements aren't changing much but eh, I'm okay with that. Wish the front muffin top stomach would go though. *grumbles*0 -
Thank the gods for padded bras, workout tips & bathing suits!0
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Last time I lost weight, the same thing happened to me, a 5 lb whoosh in a month and a cup size smaller!!!!
Thanks for starting this discussion @Sumiblue, I've been struggling on what route to take after my knee heals. Because of this, the nutrition side has been decided, now on to the program, definitely one of Strong Curves programs...while waiting I can spend the time reading the book...at least I'll feel somewhat productive.0 -
Llamapants86 wrote: »This is totally antidotal however I noticed a similar thing when I first lost the weight, although I didn't get quite as lean as you have.
I lost a lot of weight pretty much from my bra band up. I could see a lot of definition (and a bit too much bone for my liking). However from bra band down I was still quite fluffy. I switched to maintenance and I noticed that my body slowly redistributed the fat a bit, so I leaned out somewhat on the bottom and filled out a little bit more on the top. Although it was something that took half a year or so and was very subtle.
I had the same thing happen. In a deficit toward the end my breasts were like Ziploc bags with a little sand in the bottom, but when I went into maintenance they got perkier looking. Even the skin looked papery and strange when I was in a deficit. Age/perimenopause definitely has impact, too (or at least it has for me). The first time I skipped a period, I noticed the change immediately.
It's funny because I've always teased my mother (who's very slim) and called her Skeletor (lovingly, I swear!) because of her very prominent breastbone. It turns out I look exactly like her up top--I just had fat covering it up all those years.
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@scrittrice OMG, ziplock bags, lol! Aargh0
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My post got cut off. I went into a whole story about loose skin and doing planks. Don't look. Don't!0
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Oh I hear you, I really do! I'm a definite pear and generally have at least one dress size between top and bottom, but quite often 2 sizes, which is no fun. I don't care if booty's are big (so to speak) right now, I would just like mine to be smaller, along with my hips and thighs, which are like tree trunks wrapped in bubble wrap due to the amount of cellulite I have !
My stomach is pretty good for my age, I can see definition, I have flat bits where I want them, but my boobies are small (34B at best) and like you, I notice they are no longer filling the cups I have, and I sure don't want to be buying anything smaller there!
But, I do think that I am slowly but surely evening out - not perhaps in the way that I would like, and at 74kgs, I still have some definite padding I can afford to lose, if only I could work out how to lose it from where I need most! But I think the lifting is helping my upper body change shape a little too, and perhaps I could start to think of myself one day as being "hourglass" more than "pear" (with a bit of the correct styling etc!).
Ho hum!! I am in very good company with you all though - thank you for the confirmation that I'm not the only one struggling with it!
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kimiuzzell wrote: »Oh I hear you, I really do! I'm a definite pear and generally have at least one dress size between top and bottom, but quite often 2 sizes, which is no fun. I don't care if booty's are big (so to speak) right now, I would just like mine to be smaller, along with my hips and thighs, which are like tree trunks wrapped in bubble wrap due to the amount of cellulite I have !
you have described my body! I hate my hips and thighs and have been trying to walk 30 minutes a day (if it rains I get on the elliptical) along with lifting to see if that helps with all of the cellulite. The top of my body is so much smaller than the bottom. I sure hope that lifting + walking slims my bottom half down eventually.
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I hear you! I'm lucky to fill an A cup, and that's only at the right time of my cycle! Building muscle on my chest has kind of helped, but after having three kids things are a lot lower than I'd would like. To be honest I find most elective plastic surgery vain, but after the changes in my boobs from having kids, I can understand why some people would choose to have alterations.0
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The only reason I'm still a 32dd is the fact I'm long in the boob if it weren't for that I'd have nothing left. But I'd rather have less if it means the rest of my body is a bit trimmer.0
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@ninenines , never again with the bare midriff planks! I had only one child but I had her at 42 yrs old. Then breastfed for 17 months. I guess I'm lucky I've kept 'em as long as I did!0
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My post got cut off. I went into a whole story about loose skin and doing planks. Don't look. Don't!
Ha! I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror the other day as I rewrapped my towel and I was leaning over in an unfortunate position. I quickly shut my eyes. I think it is the same as the loose skin people have on their stomachs, but you can't really build muscle to fill it out. I lost it all in the cleavage.
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The past couple of years I've been complaining that my boobs were gone...well, they were there, but deflated and when I wore a sports bra I was completely flat. Just thought it was because I'm getting "old"
Well, gaining 15lbs over the past 6 months has really filled them out, so I guess the problem really was how lean I had gotten...now that I'm going to lose the extra fat, my bust is the first place I'll lose
I'll just have to enjoy them while I can, and then go back to my push-up bras0 -
I went below an A cup at my lowest weight. I'm at my heighest weight right now and really hope I keep some boob this time. I read somewhere that you gain extra breast tissue with each child you give birth to, so I have some hope0
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it makes me more understanding of what men must feel like when their hair starts abandoning them. i don't mock that distress any more
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Ziplock baggies with sand! lol! Omg - that is me. This past week I officially switched from deficit to maintenance. I so hope this pumps some life back into the girls. Haha!0
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You guys make me wonder what I will look like when I reach the point of maintenance. I'm a D or Double D depending on the bra. So I look forward to the decrease. I can't even imagine them ever getting below a Real C but I will gladly sacrifice for lean everything else.0
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At least you'll have something left. I totally get it now why physique competitors often get implants.0
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guess i'm kind of on the opposite side . . . except not really. it is true though that since i learned how to bench press i've come closer to having a cleavage than ever before in my life.
i don't think my upper rib cage has ever been this well padded
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I have that pec cleavage, too. But it's not the same as filling out my B cups. I'm an A now. One day I was doing curls and I actually saw a vein in my chest.0
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You guys make me wonder what I will look like when I reach the point of maintenance. I'm a D or Double D depending on the bra. So I look forward to the decrease. I can't even imagine them ever getting below a Real C but I will gladly sacrifice for lean everything else.
I was a D or double D, and I still am, but with a smaller band size, which I guess implies a smaller cup size, too (i.e., the cup on a 32 D is smaller than the cup on a 36 D). Honestly, for the first time in my life (pushing 50) I can wear "cute" bras, and I have to admit that while I am so not a lacy lingerie kind of person, I get a kick out of it.
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