Weight training making me bulky? What else do I do?

nastasyk
nastasyk Posts: 16 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello

I've been weight training for a year and a half now. I am naturally toned and I build muscle quite easily. I want to look slim, but weight training makes me look bulky. Yes I know everyone is going to say that muscle looks good on women but I do not like the look of big legs. My quad muscles stick out and because I have very tiny calves, it looks out of proportion.

I have tried a full body circuit 3 times a week, with 40mins cardio a day in the days between, and I have also tried a 5 day split with some cardio after. It all makes my muscles bulgy. I want to look skinny and slim.

Should I just stop weight training altogether? If so, what other cardio should I do? Normally I either power walk for 40-60 minutes, or do a 45 min circuit with 15 mins on each (treadmill, bike and elliptical)
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Replies

  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    The burden of proof is on you. What are your actual measurements?
  • Ashes_To_Beast
    Ashes_To_Beast Posts: 378 Member
    Hello

    I've been weight training for a year and a half now. I am naturally toned and I build muscle quite easily. I want to look slim, but weight training makes me look bulky. Yes I know everyone is going to say that muscle looks good on women but I do not like the look of big legs. My quad muscles stick out and because I have very tiny calves, it looks out of proportion.

    I have tried a full body circuit 3 times a week, with 40mins cardio a day in the days between, and I have also tried a 5 day split with some cardio after. It all makes my muscles bulgy. I want to look skinny and slim.

    Should I just stop weight training altogether? If so, what other cardio should I do? Normally I either power walk for 40-60 minutes, or do a 45 min circuit with 15 mins on each (treadmill, bike and elliptical)

    If you want to try something different try adding more protein and lowering your carbs. You'll get more benefits from your weight training and will probably loose that bulkyness.. Strive for at least .8g to 1.2g/lbs
    Good Luck
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    You say in another post you're at 18% body fat. Is that accurate still?
  • nastasyk
    nastasyk Posts: 16 Member
    Yep I am still at 18% bodyfat
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    And are you still doing a VLCD?
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
    If you have big thighs and small calves, more than likely you have bodyfat that you need to lose.

    How many calories are you consuming? Are you weighing everything you eat? Have you had your body fat percent checked or are you guessing?

    Post a photo of your legs and/or body in workout clothes so we can see what you're talking about.

    You're very likely not 18% bodyfat. That takes training combined with targeted macros and discipline with food. 18% will not happen by accident on a woman. Most women who look relatively fit are between 22 and 25 percent body fat. If you were 18 percent, your upper body would look wiry.
  • Squamation
    Squamation Posts: 522 Member
    Focus more on your calves and less on your quads.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
    I would like to see photos....
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Yep I am still at 18% bodyfat

    Not if you are "bulky" you're not. Pics or it didn't happen. More likely you have body dysmorphia.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Sigh.

    th_sigh.gif
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    If you want to be skinny as a string bean, why did you start lifting in the first place? You clearly don't like the look of muscle on women, so stick to cardio.

    I, for one, would love to see some muscle on me. For now, all I've got is blah.
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
    In for the pics that will never happen. They never appear to prove the op is actually bulky. :noway:
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    Why does every person that makes this claim ALWAYS have a gray face???
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Why does every person that makes this claim ALWAYS have a gray face???

    It proves their point...it's bulky..do you see that shoulder width???? jeez...definate bulk there.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    Yep I am still at 18% bodyfat

    Then you are not gaining fat.

    You have a very low BF% and are in a healthy weight range. It definitely sounds like you have a distorted body image and tend to be obsessive.
    Try to focus some of your energies on something other than the scale or how you look in the mirror.

    Are you in school? Do you have a career that is fulfilling? Do you have healthy family and social relationships?

    The size of your body is fine. I would take a guess and suggest that you are not happy with other parts of your life, or you feel out of control in those areas and therefore are trying to control your weight to make up for that.
    A counselor might be of some help to you. Best wishes :flowerforyou:
  • Escloflowne
    Escloflowne Posts: 2,038 Member

    If you want to try something different try adding more protein and lowering your carbs. You'll get more benefits from your weight training and will probably loose that bulkyness.. Strive for at least .8g to 1.2g/lbs
    Good Luck

    amazing-gif.gif

    I.C.E. Cream Official Tester
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    Been in fitness for about 2 years and have studied kitty-gif-ology, nutrition and Dinosaurs
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    OP I see two possibilities here.

    Either you're not really at 18% body fat and what you're seeing on your legs is fat (you say it's fat in another post). What method did you use to find your body fat %?

    or

    You're not seeing yourself as you truly are. Given the history of extreme low calories and the fact that you're thinking of taking phentermine despite being at a healthy weight, this is the option toward which I'm leaning.

    The weights routine you're doing is already low weight, high reps, which is unlikely to result in a lot of muscle growth when paired with a severe deficit (1000 calorie days).

    However, you also haven't been tracking. It's possible you've unintentionally been bulking. In which case see option 1.
  • Miska_
    Miska_ Posts: 84
    Sigh.

    th_sigh.gif


    This is exactly what I did when seeing this.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Pics or gtfo. But seriously... pics for science.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    jiFfM.jpg
  • tomomatic
    tomomatic Posts: 1,794 Member
    I could try to write something smart but people have already beat me to it.
    I'm a big fan of this article about Staci from Nerd Fitness. I think I've posted this link at least a dozen times.

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    There's a lot of personal failure and success that went into her journey. I hope you find it useful and write an awesome article like this some day. Best of luck.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Hello

    I've been weight training for a year and a half now. I am naturally toned and I build muscle quite easily. I want to look slim, but weight training makes me look bulky. Yes I know everyone is going to say that muscle looks good on women but I do not like the look of big legs. My quad muscles stick out and because I have very tiny calves, it looks out of proportion.

    I have tried a full body circuit 3 times a week, with 40mins cardio a day in the days between, and I have also tried a 5 day split with some cardio after. It all makes my muscles bulgy. I want to look skinny and slim.

    Should I just stop weight training altogether? If so, what other cardio should I do? Normally I either power walk for 40-60 minutes, or do a 45 min circuit with 15 mins on each (treadmill, bike and elliptical)

    If you want to try something different try adding more protein and lowering your carbs. You'll get more benefits from your weight training and will probably loose that bulkyness.. Strive for at least .8g to 1.2g/lbs
    Good Luck

    dyel
  • Operation_Shred
    Operation_Shred Posts: 173
    ... dafuq? :indifferent: :huh:
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    I have tried a full body circuit 3 times a week, with 40mins cardio a day in the days between, and I have also tried a 5 day split with some cardio after. It all makes my muscles bulgy. I want to look skinny and slim.

    I have a really hard time believing that a full body circuit 3x per week combined with cardio is causing you to get bulky legs. Generally circuit training is considered great for burning fat, but not for maximum bulking Don't think that you're getting bulky just because your muscles get pumped up with blood flow right after weight training.
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
    OP I see two possibilities here.

    Either you're not really at 18% body fat and what you're seeing on your legs is fat (you say it's fat in another post). What method did you use to find your body fat %?

    or

    You're not seeing yourself as you truly are. Given the history of extreme low calories and the fact that you're thinking of taking phentermine despite being at a healthy weight, this is the option toward which I'm leaning.

    The weights routine you're doing is already low weight, high reps, which is unlikely to result in a lot of muscle growth when paired with a severe deficit (1000 calorie days).

    However, you also haven't been tracking. It's possible you've unintentionally been bulking. In which case see option 1.

    All of this.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    This:

    http://bretcontreras.com/how-to-attain-a-slender-look-like-jessica-alba-zoe-saldana/


    But I'm also hesitant to believe you.
  • iPlatano
    iPlatano Posts: 487 Member
    It might be fat? lol. Sorry but you have no pics in your profile!
  • nastasyk
    nastasyk Posts: 16 Member
    http://i62.tinypic.com/r0vxx2.jpg


    That is a photo. To me it looks bulky because I have very slim calves. My calf muscles don't build muscle though, I already train them and my job requires me to work 40 hours a week in heels so they definitely get a workout -_-
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
    Hi

    Thanks for posting a picture.

    Honestly it is very hard to tell due to the angle of the snap in that picture one thigh looks big BUT the other does not. I suspect it's just a very bad pic.

    Do you have a pic of your legs straight on?
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    Hi

    Thanks for posting a picture.

    Honestly it is very hard to tell due to the angle of the snap in that picture one thigh looks big BUT the other does not. I suspect it's just a very bad pic.

    Do you have a pic of your legs straight on?

    This.

    But based on just that picture I'd say keep eating at a calorie deficit and keep lifting and over time your legs will lean out.

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