OMG please help me.

jlneibauer

What workout should I do?! I keep hearing such great success stories from women that do heavy lifting, but I don't want a muscular body (although it looks awesome on the women that are built that way.) I want more of a natural looking body I guess. I just don't know how to get it! I'm doing Jillian Michaels workouts with cardio. Is that enough? Should I try heavy lifting? I'm also dieting. I don't have much weight to lose and really I'm more worried about the look than the numbers on the scale. I'm 183lbs as of this morning. I'm a 5'11 female. So I may need to lose like 15-20lbs. Help meeeee! lol
Weightloss is so annoying lol.

leslisa

I do what I like. I like running so I do that. I'm OK with abs every morning so I do those. I watch what I eat and when I see a beautiful day and think "What a nice day to ____________ ". I do whatever it is I thought it would be nice to do. Maybe run or walk on the beach. Maybe ride my bike to get milk instead of driving. Maybe work in the courtyard garden.

I have been doing the same since I was about 12. I have gained weight occasionally - if I stop for even a few days I'll gain - but overall I'm pretty consistent. The hardest time I had was after surgery (which was also during the holidays!). That was my highest weight ever. I started out trying too hard and getting frustrated. Then I went back to the old program and bam! I lost the weight I wanted. It took a while and I might never be the 118 I was but then again, I'm older now and I'm more concerned with B/P, cholesterol, and diabetes than I am being a size 1.

jlneibauer

I do what I like. I like running so I do that. I'm OK with abs every morning so I do those. I watch what I eat and when I see a beautiful day and think "What a nice day to ____________ ". I do whatever it is I thought it would be nice to do. Maybe run or walk on the beach. Maybe ride my bike to get milk instead of driving. Maybe work in the courtyard garden.

I have been doing the same since I was about 12. I have gained weight occasionally - if I stop for even a few days I'll gain - but overall I'm pretty consistent. The hardest time I had was after surgery (which was also during the holidays!). That was my highest weight ever. I started out trying too hard and getting frustrated. Then I went back to the old program and bam! I lost the weight I wanted. It took a while and I might never be the 118 I was but then again, I'm older now and I'm more concerned with B/P, cholesterol, and diabetes than I am being a size 1.

Well you look great so I'll take your advice thank you! )

BreeJaxon

Eat right, lift weights with some high intesity cardio!

chivalryder

Try out various things. Even go out and try squash, swimming, rowing, skiing, etc. you never know what you might enjoy.

When you find something that puts a huge grin on your face, while keeping you active, that's the exercise you should do.

Life is far too short to do something you don't enjoy.

arghbowl

You won't explode into some muscle machine just from lifting heavy.

Lift heavy, eat right. Repeat & continue.

emdeesea

Someone's probably already said this but if you are a woman, you cannot possibly get big and bulky like men. (Unless you take some steroids) You do not have the testosterone to build big bulky muscles.

Weight lifting for women is essential for things like building bone mass (and avoiding osteoporosis later in life).

BreeJaxon

Yep what she said~!

neandermagnon

do strength training but keep your body fat percentage above 22%. How defined and muscular you look depends on your body fat percentage (provided you have strong muscles, because low body fat % + no muscles = emaciated). Most women will see muscle definition somewhere between 15-18%. For a "softer" look, more like a bikini model, as in a nice shape, firm body, but not actual muscle definition, that's what you get usually around 20-22% body fat. Don't cut below that and you won't look defined.

big, bulky muscles won't happen to women without steroids, and certainly don't happen by accident. Even the above thing about muscle definition doesn't happen by accident as it's hard to sustain 18% body fat. 20-22% body fat is easier to maintain, so if the look you want is from that amount of body fat, then it's win-win for you. But yes do strength training, for health reasons and also it ensures your body's firm, not flabby.

InForBacon

You won't explode into some muscle machine just from lifting heavy.

Lift heavy, eat right. Repeat & continue.

This. NO woman is going to get that muscular look very easily. Takes a lot of work and possibly steroids or testosterone or years of bulking and cutting.

Wilhellmina

Someone's probably already said this but if you are a woman, you cannot possibly get big and bulky like men. (Unless you take some steroids) You do not have the testosterone to build big bulky muscles.

Weight lifting for women is essential for things like building bone mass (and avoiding osteoporosis later in life).

This!

MireyGal76

The ones that look really ripped, look that way not because they are necessarily HOOOOOGE, but more because they have a low bodyfat and you are able to see the muscle definition better.

I have a low body fat and look pretty ripped, but if I gained 10 pounds, it wouldn't be as noticeable.

Also, if you started lifting heavy (provided you WANT to), you wouldn't go from flab to fab in a week. You would see gradual changes.. Waist would nip in a bit, legs get a little trimmer, back and shoulders feel stronger.

Take progress pics and stop when you are happy.

But above all... find something you love and do that.
I don't lift weights right now, but I love my boxing. So I do that, and it works for me.

What kind of stuff interests you?

cgarand

Lifting heavy things is my least favorite work out, but I can't deny the benefits. Muscle increases your metabolism and gives you a nice contour to your shoulders and legs, and the results can start quickly. The first week I did push ups I could barely do three. The next week it was so much easier, and every week I do it I can do more and do it more gracefully (instead of swearing, sweating, wimpering and begging....yeah, not pretty) And, it makes things a lot easier to do, like carry heavy bags of wood pellets for the pellet stove (40lbs) etc. So, as much as I hate lifting heavy things, and I wish I could say don't do it, I think that it can add a lot to your fitness routine without you having to make it your only workout. I found some good, free workouts on bodybuilders.com (Jaime Eason's Live Fit program is awesome) and ChaLean Extreme from Beachbody. You can always give it a try, like doing the 13 week Jaime Eason program and if you hate it and don't like the results then you know. (ps-if you do it take before and afters!)

skullshank

You won't explode into some muscle machine just from lifting heavy.

Lift heavy, eat right. Repeat & continue.

troof.

check this thread out: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/977538-halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky

then join this group: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/12919-girls-who-lift-the-guys-who-spot-them

read, learn, lift, read, learn, lift.

pfgaytriot

This

You won't explode into some muscle machine just from lifting heavy.

Lift heavy, eat right. Repeat & continue.

this (unless your genetics allow for it, which is not likely)

Someone's probably already said this but if you are a woman, you cannot possibly get big and bulky like men. (Unless you take some steroids) You do not have the testosterone to build big bulky muscles.

Weight lifting for women is essential for things like building bone mass (and avoiding osteoporosis later in life).

and this

The ones that look really ripped, look that way not because they are necessarily HOOOOOGE, but more because they have a low bodyfat and you are able to see the muscle definition better.

sleepingtodream

I guess I look at it as what do you have to lose? If you start strength training and you get more muscular or your shape changes in a way you don't feel comfortable with then you stop. You may find that it changes your shape you in a way you love or that your really enjoy it as a form of exercise. I'd say give it a try...some dedication... and see what happens. In any case it obviously is going to take time for results.

Personally I do a combination of cardio and strength training. I'm finding that I love running (much to my suprise!) and I really love lifting weights (I'm a bit of a beginner). My body shape has never been curvy...I'm either boxy and squishy or look more muscular/athletic. I'm ok with that because I personally like the look but I agree it's not for everyone.

juliemouse83

I have been lifting since February of last year. With the exception of exactly two Zumba classes and a couple of 5K's, my workouts have been lifting.

I submit to you what happens when you get all strong and stuff from weights...



This was taken in late October...I don't think I look all that muscle-y...Or at all muscle-y. I want to look all wonderful and muscle-y...but let me tell you...that chit's some work, and I'm nowhere NEAR close...It won't happen by accident.

Just sayin'...

If you are interested in it? Give it a try. And hey...you might find that you like it and don't WANT to do anything else.

TribeHokie

Someone's probably already said this but if you are a woman, you cannot possibly get big and bulky like men. (Unless you take some steroids) You do not have the testosterone to build big bulky muscles.

Weight lifting for women is essential for things like building bone mass (and avoiding osteoporosis later in life).

This exactly. The women that you see with the big bulging muscles on the cover of weight lifting magazines? They've spent years lifting extremely heavy and eating ungodly amounts of protein followed by months severely cutting down their body fat (past the point that you would naturally go when you are maintaining your weight) to look that way. And when they aren't competing they eat normally again and have a "softer" body as shown in the pics that were posted a few responses up. There is no way you will end up accidentally looking like that if you start lifting. Promise.

Fullsterkur_woman

Someone's probably already said this but if you are a woman, you cannot possibly get big and bulky like men. (Unless you take some steroids) You do not have the testosterone to build big bulky muscles.

Weight lifting for women is essential for things like building bone mass (and avoiding osteoporosis later in life).

And joint health, and retaining your muscle mass. That is, your calorie burning engine. Otherwise, you will have to eat progressively less and less to maintain the same weight. No thanks!

Also, I don't see what's unnatural about having muscle, so I don't really get "natural looking". Your looks are going to be a very subjective thing that you're not really going to convey in words. A picture would be more helpful.

Bret Contreras drives me up a damn wall, but one of my friends has this link, that might be of interest to you:
http://bretcontreras.com/how-to-attain-a-slender-look-like-jessica-alba-zoe-saldana/ .

knt6742

Do what you will stick with. I personally don't like lifting so I know I won't stick with it. I lost 37 pounds (140-103) by watching what I ate and doing Jillian Michael's dvds. I enjoyed what I was doing and was able to incorporate it in to my daily life.

I gained a bit back when I changed jobs, moved cities, and had health issues. But I'm back on track and plan to do the same I did before. I liked how I looked at 103 and hope to get down to that or a bit lower (I'm super short only 5'1).

Escloflowne

You won't explode into some muscle machine just from lifting heavy.

Lift heavy, eat right. Repeat & continue.

troof.

check this thread out: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/977538-halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky

then join this group: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/12919-girls-who-lift-the-guys-who-spot-them

read, learn, lift, read, learn, lift.

QFT