Sarahstrezo's bulking Log
Replies
-
I'm incredibly impressed with you and your experience with this process so far. You're attitude is good, your gains are good and you just seem to have found an excellent place for you! Keep up the fantastic work - you are a great role model for so many of us trying to go through this with our heads screwed on straight.
Thanks, Kim!!!0 -
Week 11:
Weight 130.2 .....down 0.4 lbs from last week
I find this super discouraging. I haven't been logging on the weekends as we've had a ton of parties and I didn't see the point. Maybe I wasn't taking in as much as I though. Not sure.
Boo
As I sit right now, I'm definitely going to continue my bulk through the end of February. Once I get there, I'll see how my gains abs been and decide about March.
Oh...and I completed my deadlifts last week at 3x5x195 so ....moving up to 200 this week
0 -
By chance do you weigh yourself just once a week or more? I wouldn't stress too much about it if you only weigh once as you know all about those fluctuations. Good job on the deads, keep pushing!0
-
Holly, it really just depends on the week. Usually I try to weigh 2-3 times throughout the week to see trends, but I don't think I weighed more than just the once last week.
I'm hoping next week doesn't show the same thing….I doubt it will. Plus, next week is time for another set of measurements. So, I'm excited to see that.0 -
Week 12 update:
Intake: around 2600-2700…again, have been slacking on the logging during the holidays and all the parties we've had. But, I've been pretty much eating whatever the hell I want on those days, so I'm sure I'm over 2700 on a few days.
Weight: 132….thank god! When I had that loss of .5 lb last week, I was discouraged. But, the scale cooperated this week and showed a nice gain. 12 weeks in means I was also due for measurements. I'm happy to see that pretty much every measurement has gone up from 0.25-0.5 inches….yay for growth! (even if it includes my tummy).
Waist: 25.5
Belly Button: 28.25
Hips: 35
Bust: 31….yay, the girls are filling out a tad
Chest (under arm pits): 32
Thigh: 21.5
Calf: 13.75
Bicep un-flexed: 10.75
Bicep flexed: 11.5
Shoulders: 39.75
Body fat: 19.6% ( I will admit….it's sort of scary to see this number increase, even though I know it has to. But….the LBM increase makes it all worthwhile)
LBM: 106.13
In the past 4 weeks, I have gained a total of 2 lbs. 1 lb was fat and the other was LBM….yay!
Total from the start of my bulk, I have gained 3 lbs of lean mass and 2.5 lbs of fat mass.0 -
I honestly don't know if you could be doing this any more perfectly!!0
-
You rock girl! Such amazing numbers!0
-
Week 14:
haven't logged in here for about 2 weeks. Last week we were on a family vacation in Disney. I ate a ton, but also walked a TON!!! It is a fun but TIRING place (especially when you take 3 small kids). The week before, was only 1/2 productive since mid week, my oldest and I both got a nasty stomach bug
So….things have been off for about a week and a half. I have no idea where my intake our output was in that time.
Weight: 131.8….which is down 1/2 from 2 weeks ago. The good news is I'm super hungry today and decided to up my cals to 2700 to try to increase the weight a bit more. At 14 weeks in, I'm up less than 6 lbs total….so, I need to buckle down with the gains if I'm going to even come close to my end goal of 140lbs. I'm sure I won't reach that before I decide to begin cut, but I'd like to be closer.0 -
Great job and great plan girl!0
-
You go girl!
And I had the experience of the stomach bug just before Cristmas... definitely helps with eliminating water weight... the nasty way0 -
Yeah, at 14 weeks in I've gained less than anticipated but that just motivates me to go harder! You're doing an awesome job--well done with the LBM gains!!!0
-
You're doing so great! I want to be like you when I grow up. 0
-
Week 16:
Weight is 134 on the dot….2 lb increase for the past month which is perfect.
Average calories 2740….going to keep them there as the scale finally started to move up again.
Measurement time again:
Waist: 25.75
Belly Button 28.5
Hips 35.25
Bust 31.5
Chest (under arm pits) 32.25
Thigh 21.5
Calf 13.75
Bicep unflexed 10.75
Bicep flexed 11.5
Shoulder 39.75
According to the same measurement I've been using, body fat % is still at 19.6%.
total fat mass 26.26
total lean mass 107.75
So….from the beginning of my bulk, I have gained:
2.88 lbs of fat mass
4.5 lbs of lean mass gained.
Again…not sure exactly how accurate these numbers are…but gains are gains!
I'm going to continue this bulk (as of right now) through the second week of March…which should give me 7 more weeks of a surplus. For a total of 23 weeks of a bulk. I never thought I'd bulk this long, but it's going well so I'm not in any huge hurry. I I'll take the second 2 weeks of March to eat at maintenance and then start to cut the first week of April.
I am starting to feel fluffy around the middle and my *kitten* is definitely getting bigger…which is not necessarily a bad thing i guess But I love the way my arms are looking and I can't wait to see how they look once I lean up and get more definition. 0 -
You are doing so great!! Such an awesome inspiration on how a bulk can be for a woman. So damn impressive!0
-
Awesome LBM gains!0
-
You're doing really good! I'm also surprised at myself for the length of bulk that still feels good. I'm now at 17 weeks and still going strong.
Really wondering what is hiding under that fluff!0 -
Once again, great job lady! Damn proud of you!0
-
Awesome - very impressed! :happy:0
-
You're doing really good! I'm also surprised at myself for the length of bulk that still feels good. I'm now at 17 weeks and still going strong.
Really wondering what is hiding under that fluff!
I agree….I'm excited to cut and see the new definition. But, am so loving the bulk and all the food
I just assumed I would feel 'fatter' than I do. Don't get me wrong…I definitely notice the fluff around my middle and my thighs, but I don't seem to care as much as I thought I would.0 -
Week 17:
Average cals - 2750 + (I'm really slacking on measuring and just sort of plopping food on my plate so it's probably higher)
Weight…down 1/2 lb. F@CK!!!! I'm so very sick and tired of eating, it's not even funny. I am so full feeling all the time and nothing is sounding good or appetizing any longer.
I was planning on bulking through mid March, but the idea of that is making me want to quit now. So…I'm going until the end of the month and then I am DONE! I'm really still enjoying the progress in my lifts, but I just can't continue to eat this way when I'm hating all things food.
The end of february will give me 5 solid months at a surplus. I'm hoping for a solid 10lb gain….we shall see. it's not looking likely at this point.0 -
Ugh, losing weight i"m sure is frustrating but as women, we tend to go up and down anyway so hopefully it's not a real loss. You're still doing great though and I'm loving following you in this!0
-
Week 18: Average cals around 2900
Weight 134.8 - finally an increase!
Keeping my cals right around here. All my lifts are going well and I'm having a little bit of an easier time getting the food in. I'm still sick of eating, but I'm not finding it as much a challenge as I was a few weeks ago.
Ideally, I'd like to hit a solid 136 on the scale as that would give me a total 10 lb gain. So…I'm willing to keep at this surplus unit I get there. I'm close, so maybe it will only we an additional week or 2. We shall see…
lifts are still progressing well.0 -
Great job! I was at a point where I was sick of eating as well, but got over it. Still liking forward to cutting, but I'm staying with the bulk until March 14. You've got this!0
-
Week 19….
average cals…in between 2900 & 3000
Big jump on the scale today at 137. I'm sure some of it is water weight as I wasn't drinking nearly enough water this weekend and too many cosmos
This morning I weighed exactly what I did when I started MFP almost 2 years ago. At that point, I had already lost about 3-4 lbs on my own and was about 27-28% body fat. Today, I would guess that I am around 20-21% .Score 1 for LBM gains!
Eating enough isn't really a struggle anymore mentally, but I am looking forward to cutting. I'm feeling fatter than I like and my clothes are definitely getting tight (especially the jeans). And…I'm definitely noticing the loss of definition in my body.
I'm looking forward to feeling lean again and to see some of this new muscle pop out with a cut!0 -
I'm pretty much at the same point as you--same weight as when I joined MFP over two years ago and my pants are TIGHT. First time I've had a muffin top in a long, long time. I'm just feeling doughy. I'm trying to stick it out for 4 more weeks.0
-
I'm pretty much at the same point as you--same weight as when I joined MFP over two years ago and my pants are TIGHT. First time I've had a muffin top in a long, long time. I'm just feeling doughy. I'm trying to stick it out for 4 more weeks.
I think I'm done Feb 28th. Then I'll do maintenance for 2 weeks before I start an actual cut. I'm happy with my gain so far and am anxious to cut some of this fluff. 21 weeks is a long time.0 -
As always great job lady! Can't believe that it's almost over! Feels like we just started....0
-
It does, doesn't it, holly?!?
I noticed something else the other day in regards to time flying by. When I first started lifting, I always had short term goals in mind. Like "I'm going to do this 16 week program" and then I'd finish and think "I can't believe I just finished 16 more weeks of lifting". And….now my midst is totally on the long term. Maybe it's because I'm doing a program with no end date, or maybe lifting is just becoming such a part of who I am. Either way…I thought about how I've been at a bulk for almost 5 months now and never once counted the weeks/months that I was lifting….it's just part of my routine.
I don't know if that even makes sense to anyone else … lol0 -
It makes sense to me! I feel like lifting has just become a part of who I am too. It's not a means to an end - it just is. It's part of my life and not something I'm trying to try and lose weight like it was at first. I can't wait to get back to it every time over the last 18 months that I've had to back off from it and I can't imagine this ever not being a major portion of my fitness life.0
-
It makes sense to me! I feel like lifting has just become a part of who I am too. It's not a means to an end - it just is. It's part of my life and not something I'm trying to try and lose weight like it was at first. I can't wait to get back to it every time over the last 18 months that I've had to back off from it and I can't imagine this ever not being a major portion of my fitness life.
Yes, I think that's exactly it. I no longer look at it as a means to an end.0
