what is the alternative to "not gaining muscle"

monjacq1964

I don't get people who want to lose fat, but not have muscle. Isn't that the goal? to have "toned" body and limbs and(read "toned" as have muscles, not fat)

susannamarie

Some of them are worried that they will lose weight and suddenly end up looking like a female bodybuilder who is on steroids. They don't understand quite how much work (and steroids) go into looking like that.

And some of them really do want to look frail and helpless.

MissB46

I don't get people who want to lose fat, but not have muscle. Isn't that the goal? to have "toned" body and limbs and(read "toned" as have muscles, not fat)

From women I hear it all the time....'Oh no I can't lift more than that 2lb weight or I will end up looking like Arnie...' unfortunatley there are still too many misconceptions about women and weighttraining - I blame the celeb culture myself, skinny women that live on a lettuce leaf per day....

I think muscle is really sexy whether on men or women and I'd rather have muscles and know I have worked hard for them than look skinny (or even ill)

Mia_RagazzaTosta

I think most people are misinformed about what "gaining" muscle actually is.

Holly_Roman_Empire

Yes, some of them are afraid of looking like body builders if they weight train, and some even say "I do 3 bicep curls and I get super muscles! How do not get muscles?!" I think these ladies in particular have a distorted perspective of what is muscular and what isn't.

DeltaZero

I hope someday, someone, does a radical surgery to remove all the muscles from their body, then does a photo shoot.

Just to show what "no muscles" really looks like.


*eye roll*

MissB46

I think most people are misinformed about what "gaining" muscle actually is.

Well some women say ' I only want to tone up'

....but thats gaining muscle, love!

Mia_RagazzaTosta

I think most people are misinformed about what "gaining" muscle actually is.

Well some women say ' I only want to tone up'

....but thats gaining muscle, love!

Not exactly.

Gaining muscle means actually building new muscle tissue. That requires a calorie surplus and heavy weight lifting. The context in which "toning" or "gaining" muscle is usually thrown around here is that body fat has been reduced, therefore exposing existing muscle, not that new muscle tissue has been grown.

JoRocka

I think most people are misinformed about what "gaining" muscle actually is.

Well some women say ' I only want to tone up'

....but thats gaining muscle, love!

Not exactly.

Gaining muscle means actually building new muscle tissue. That requires a calorie surplus and heavy weight lifting. The context in which "toning" or "gaining" muscle is usually thrown around here is that body fat has been reduced, therefore exposing existing muscle, not that new muscle tissue has been grown.

this.

for some reason- god help our gender- the concept of gaining size (bulking) and visible muscle through loss of body fat- is completely unfathomable- it makes me head hurt that women struggle to get this much. Sometimes I'm embarrassed for my gender- seriously.

AllanMisner

Sad that I see a woman with no muscle tone in her arms and legs and she is what women want to look like. If you want to lose weight without gaining muscle, have someone bury you neck deep in the dirt. Then have them feed you a balanced diet at 1200 calories. Stay this way for one week per two pounds you want to lose. Once you're done, have them dig you out, shower off, and you should be your ideal weight and have won't have added an ounce of muscle mass.

You will also lose the functional strength necessary to do normal daily living. But small price to pay to lose fat without gaining muscle.

fishgutzy

I have no allusions of ever looking like Aahnold. Too old for that. But I am happy that I can wear a V-Neck shirt and see deltoids instead of my chin sitting on my collar bones.
Still have to lose more fat, about 25#, before my six pack can be seen but it is there now and ready for a reveal.

There is a women at my why who is much smaller than I am be she benches more than I can. THAT IS INSPIRATIONAL, not threatening. She works out with her husband.

Women shouldn't let idiots decide what is an acceptable body image. Strong is cool.
Angela Basset is a H-Wood example of a ripped and feminine woman. She is awesome this season on American Horror Story.

Poofy_Goodness

Don't worry about them. They'll get what they want some day.

Matiara

If a woman doesn't want visible muscles, it doesn't bother me. It's a personal choice and it doesn't affect my body. I just think most women (in the general population) want to be thin or fit into a certain size/be a certain weight and don't necessarily want to look muscular/ripped. I don't think the majority of them can be convinced to change their minds any more than the lifting loving ladies here can be convinced to give up strength training and go for the Twiggy look.

And yes, I know that getting to the point of muscular/ripped takes hard work and dedication, but the American public is so grossly misinformed about fitness in general that it's easy to see why a lot of women think that picking up a weight of any kind is going to have them competition ready in a month. With so many celebrity "fitness experts" telling them that's true, it's an uphill battle to make them believe otherwise.

Speaking for myself, I'm satisfied with my muscle base and just want to expose it to a certain extent. I like having some definition, but not the deep definition of a very low percentage of body fat. That's just my preference and it's not due to a negative perception of the bodies of women who don't share that preference.

JoRocka

and to actual answer the OP

"the alternative to not gaining muscle is..... being not fabulous"

:P

msf74

I hope someday, someone, does a radical surgery to remove all the muscles from their body, then does a photo shoot.

Just to show what "no muscles" really looks like.


*eye roll*

Or you could show someone with muscular dystrophy.

It's a sad state of affairs.

NeverCatchYourBreath

I don't get people who want to lose fat, but not have muscle. Isn't that the goal? to have "toned" body and limbs and(read "toned" as have muscles, not fat)

From women I hear it all the time....'Oh no I can't lift more than that 2lb weight or I will end up looking like Arnie...' unfortunatley there are still too many misconceptions about women and weighttraining - I blame the celeb culture myself, skinny women that live on a lettuce leaf per day....

I think muscle is really sexy whether on men or women and I'd rather have muscles and know I have worked hard for them than look skinny (or even ill)

You stated there is a misconception among women regarding women and weight training then in the same paragraph turned around and gave a misconception about celeb culture and living on a lettuce leaf... srsly? Biased much.

ninerbuff

Some of them are worried that they will lose weight and suddenly end up looking like a female bodybuilder who is on steroids. They don't understand quite how much work (and steroids) go into looking like that.

And some of them really do want to look frail and helpless.

THIS. Misconception and lack of knowledge is the main reason.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

theopenforum

yep I agree with my MFP homies, its just simple misinformation. Some people, especially in women, feel if they even touch weights they will begin to look like body builders and loose their femininity. But their is also a toned aspect to strength training that is just as achievable. I blame the supplement industry >.< That is like my default response to everything lol

Cheers,

Tof

Bankman1989

I think most people are misinformed about what "gaining" muscle actually is.

Well some women say ' I only want to tone up'

....but thats gaining muscle, love!

Not exactly.


UMMM NO! You can lose weight and body fat (see Biggest Loser, Extreme Makeover) and increase your muscle mass! It's simple your body has either fat or muscle. Take your pick!

Gaining muscle means actually building new muscle tissue. That requires a calorie surplus and heavy weight lifting. The context in which "toning" or "gaining" muscle is usually thrown around here is that body fat has been reduced, therefore exposing existing muscle, not that new muscle tissue has been grown.

MstngSammy

.bump.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Some women like the "smooth" look they see on Victoria's Secret models or on Jessica Alba, which is fine. But what they don't understand is those women have never been heavy and have awesome genetics. It's going to be really hard to look like that after losing 50lbs and not lifting. You'll lose muscle, keep random small deposits of fat, etc. And those women probably do some for of strength training.

Also, I just read an article how doctors are concerned with older women who technically are not obese on BMI but would be using bodyfat because they have little muscle and have lost a lot with age. Though they look fine in clothing they are still at risk for a lot of body fat related problems. If you maintain or even build muscle while you are young, keep lifting as you age to keep it, you'll end up a much healthier older woman. Strength training also means less broken bones, and lower chance of osteoporosis as you age. So to me it's dumb to sacrifice your future health for a small atheistic consideration now.

BossLadyDSimp

Me PERSONALLY I have soooooo much fat that gaining muscle doesn't sound appealing ... mainly because I can't see any of it under the layers, and layers, of fat that I have on top ... I LOVED lifting in high school and college ... right now I love it less but I am doing a little bit of both ...

Fullsterkur_woman

Me PERSONALLY I have soooooo much fat that gaining muscle doesn't sound appealing ... mainly because I can't see any of it under the layers, and layers, of fat that I have on top ... I LOVED lifting in high school and college ... right now I love it less but I am doing a little bit of both ...

And the flipside is, I have so much fat I don't see a downside to gaining muscle. More muscle = more calories burned = I get to eat more! I work freaking hard in the gym... where is this "bulky" I keep hearing so much about? I get swole after a workout... is *that* what they're complaining about?!

Mia_RagazzaTosta

I think most people are misinformed about what "gaining" muscle actually is.

Well some women say ' I only want to tone up'

....but thats gaining muscle, love!

Not exactly.


UMMM NO! You can lose weight and body fat (see Biggest Loser, Extreme Makeover) and increase your muscle mass! It's simple your body has either fat or muscle. Take your pick!

Gaining muscle means actually building new muscle tissue. That requires a calorie surplus and heavy weight lifting. The context in which "toning" or "gaining" muscle is usually thrown around here is that body fat has been reduced, therefore exposing existing muscle, not that new muscle tissue has been grown.

Lol...

WVprankster

I guess one alternative would be to lose a bunch of fat...and be a stick figure.

Someone help me out with a "they said I could become anything..." meme picture.

TeaBea

Some women like the "smooth" look they see on Victoria's Secret models or on Jessica Alba, which is fine. But what they don't understand is those women have never been heavy and have awesome genetics. It's going to be really hard to look like that after losing 50lbs and not lifting. You'll lose muscle, keep random small deposits of fat, etc. And those women probably do some for of strength training.

Also, I just read an article how doctors are concerned with older women who technically are not obese on BMI but would be using bodyfat because they have little muscle and have lost a lot with age. Though they look fine in clothing they are still at risk for a lot of body fat related problems. If you maintain or even build muscle while you are young, keep lifting as you age to keep it, you'll end up a much healthier older woman. Strength training also means less broken bones, and lower chance of osteoporosis as you age. So to me it's dumb to sacrifice your future health for a small atheistic consideration now.

Thank you for bringing up the look of today's models. I look at a Victoria's Secret model & some of them look so "swrawny" ......not a single muscle in sight.....just plain skinny. Lots of women think this is the epitome of feminine.

You're right it's a "dumb sacrifice"......so much smarter (and healthier) to at least maintain muscle mass.

WendyTerry420

yep I agree with my MFP homies, its just simple misinformation. Some people, especially in women, feel if they even touch weights they will begin to look like body builders and loose their femininity. But their is also a toned aspect to strength training that is just as achievable. I blame the supplement industry >.< That is like my default response to everything lol

Cheers,

Tof

The supplement industry is to blame? :laugh:

FrnkLft

It comes down to a lack of knowledge on the subject. I remember when I started (and I'm not even a woman who are hit with even worse fitness BS info), I was worried about bulking up too much.

Now I know A LOT more about all of this, and that bulking up will never happen by accident, because it happens so goddamn slow lol

waldo56

It comes down to a lack of knowledge on the subject. I remember when I started (and I'm not even a woman who are hit with even worse fitness BS info), I was worried about bulking up too much.

Now I know A LOT more about all of this, and that bulking up will never happen by accident, because it happens so goddamn slow lol

To even suggest the concept of getting "too bulky" for yourself suggests a gross misunderstanding of how hard it is to do.

Adding 10 lbs of pure muscle to your current body is every bit as hard, if not harder, than losing 100 lbs is for an obese person (especially a woman, goodness). And 10 lbs of muscle doesn't nearly make you as big as it sounds like it would.

WendyTerry420

<snip> I get swole after a workout... is *that* what they're complaining about?!

I think that may be the case for some. I freaked out the first time I swelled up, like "How am I *bigger* now?" :laugh:

FrnkLft

It comes down to a lack of knowledge on the subject. I remember when I started (and I'm not even a woman who are hit with even worse fitness BS info), I was worried about bulking up too much.

Now I know A LOT more about all of this, and that bulking up will never happen by accident, because it happens so goddamn slow lol

To even suggest the concept of getting "too bulky" for yourself suggests a gross misunderstanding of how hard it is to do.

Adding 10 lbs of pure muscle to your current body is every bit as hard, if not harder, than losing 100 lbs is for an obese person (especially a woman, goodness). And 10 lbs of muscle doesn't nearly make you as big as it sounds like it would.

Rofl, exactly. At least 1-2 lbs of that are going to be in your "hip flexors" and other **** nobody can see anyways lol