Stop demeaning female bodybuilders

rml_16

My goal is to drop my body fat so I'm in a healthy bmi, then my goal after that is build some good muscle all over. I admire women with a lot of body muscle it looks great and shows a lot of dedication and will power

Just throwing this out there....

Rather than getting to a healthy BMI first....do the work now to maintain the muscle you have now rather than sacrificing it to TRY to build muscle later. It's a whole hell of a lot easier to maintain muscle than it is to build it........for males. It's exponentially harder for women.

After 50 mins of cardio I do 10 mins of resistance alternating upper and lower each day, I do this 5 times a week. I have been upping the weights over time.

I should have been more clear sorry. What I meant was after I drop a good amount of body fat I will be doing mostly weights and reduce my cardio. By weights at this point I mean some serious deadlifting. :happy:

You should consider flipping those. 50 minutes strength 10 minutes cardio. Actually I would do 40/20. 10 minutes 5 times a week isn't going to do much to preserve your lean mass. I started seriously lifting when my body fat was still high and it was a really good decision. You won't accidentally look like me.

Thanks, that's a good idea, I'll increase my strength at the gym then. I just thought any muscle I gained might not be visible under my body fat. I'd love to have your muscles !

Muscle helps burn the fat, so it's win/win. As long as you have the fat, no, you won't be able to see it. But once you lose the fat, it'll be there already and you won't have to do double the work.

Serah87

Now days It seems to be ok to demean, belittle fit people "fit shame". Look at what happened to "Fit Mom" or the pregnant crossfitter. Just read an article about a pregnant woman getting nasty comments while working out at the gym. Since when is being fit and healthy a bad thing? I don't get it a lot, but I have gotten more negative comments being thinner and fitter than I did when I was 100lbs overweight? When I was overweight no one said boo about what I was eating, now people have no qualms about commenting about my eating choices. I get comments when I decline unhealthy foods, but then get comments when I do eat so-called unhealthy foods. Can't win.

Totally agree!!!

pettychia

Lions do not concern themselves with the opinions with sheep.

Period.

I'm going to try to remember this. Thanks!

jvsghost

Also I would like to point out that contrary to popular belief you can cut weight and build muscle at the same time. Now don't get me wrong, you won't make the muscle gains you would from bulking, but your muscles will grow as you lose fat. I know as I've dropped 30 lbs of fat and increased my muscle mass exponentially as well as my lifts.

wheird

I agree. I like a woman with strength and muscle. And while I do not see the shredded look as particularly attractive, it is a short phase in any BBs competition season. And you get to appreciate the results of their hard work and marvel st the human form. Most of the year they have a nice, strong physique that is just yummy.

wheird

Also I would like to point out that contrary to popular belief you can cut weight and build muscle at the same time. Now don't get me wrong, you won't make the muscle gains you would from bulking, but your muscles will grow as you lose fat. I know as I've dropped 30 lbs of fat and increased my muscle mass exponentially as well as my lifts.

Did you start fairly recently?

rml_16

Lions do not concern themselves with the opinions with sheep.

Period.

I'm going to try to remember this. Thanks!

You look FANTASTIC!

ValGogo

I'm not a huge fan, BUT, I love to see the differences in Ab plcement. I think abs are like fingerprints....they are all different.

rml_16

My goal is to drop my body fat so I'm in a healthy bmi, then my goal after that is build some good muscle all over. I admire women with a lot of body muscle it looks great and shows a lot of dedication and will power

Just throwing this out there....

Rather than getting to a healthy BMI first....do the work now to maintain the muscle you have now rather than sacrificing it to TRY to build muscle later. It's a whole hell of a lot easier to maintain muscle than it is to build it........for males. It's exponentially harder for women.

After 50 mins of cardio I do 10 mins of resistance alternating upper and lower each day, I do this 5 times a week. I have been upping the weights over time.

I should have been more clear sorry. What I meant was after I drop a good amount of body fat I will be doing mostly weights and reduce my cardio. By weights at this point I mean some serious deadlifting. :happy:

You should consider flipping those. 50 minutes strength 10 minutes cardio. Actually I would do 40/20. 10 minutes 5 times a week isn't going to do much to preserve your lean mass. I started seriously lifting when my body fat was still high and it was a really good decision. You won't accidentally look like me.

Thanks, that's a good idea, I'll increase my strength at the gym then. I just thought any muscle I gained might not be visible under my body fat. I'd love to have your muscles !

Muscle helps burn the fat, so it's win/win. As long as you have the fat, no, you won't be able to see it. But once you lose the fat, it'll be there already and you won't have to do double the work.

Makes sense. It's just so confusing when you read up on it, so much conflicting advice. I watched a you tube video from a well known PT who suggested to lose the fat first, then build.....so I guess being so confused I just went along with that really

I've been struggling like crazy the last few years (BC change screwed me up something terrible). I don't overeat and have been doing quite a bit of cardio and looking worse and worse every day.

In January, I bought a dress to wear to a concert and I couldn't wear it without something over it because the fat on my hips was sagging down so much (like saddle bags, only on the hips instead of thighs). I was incredibly frustrated. I was thin most of my life without even trying and the first time I had to lose weight, it came off super easy and stayed off for years and years.

Finally, at the end of February, I rejoined my gym and committed to learning to use free weights. I've been working with a trainer twice a month to give me a good foundation and also going at least twice a week, sometimes three times. I've cut back on the cardio, too.

I gained 5 pounds and my pants got a little tight and I was feeling REALLY frustrated again, like nothing was going to work. Then about two weeks ago, I put that dress on and I looked in the mirror and that hip fat, while not gone entirely, had shrunk enough that I could leave the house without throwing a wrap over the dress.

I know my story isn't as dramatic as others', but it's been eye-opening and seeing that one small change has kept me going. So now I'm a converted believer. :-)

Cliffslosinit

Also I would like to point out that contrary to popular belief you can cut weight and build muscle at the same time. Now don't get me wrong, you won't make the muscle gains you would from bulking, but your muscles will grow as you lose fat. I know as I've dropped 30 lbs of fat and increased my muscle mass exponentially as well as my lifts.

Could it be the fat is gone and now muscle is more visible??

BusyRaeNOTBusty

A lot of people only work out so they will look more attractive to others. So when they see people who are taking physical fitness to such an extreme they can't understand why they are doing it if it is not making them more attractive to others. They just don't understand the goals and motivations of a bodybuilder.

Note: To clarify I do not mean to say that bodybuilders are not attractive in general, but the competition/stage look with the thick glossy tans and the lights and the hiked up swimsuits and the low body fat levels that are not normally maintained, that look, while I understand it has its purpose, is not attractive to many people and is kind of freaky. So when average people see it on a poster or wherever they make rude comments even though they shouldn't.
I have a friend at my gym who does figure competitions and I think she looks really good every time I see her person, but I did see some of her competition pics one time and in my head my initial reaction was 'yikes!'

I would say most people DO NOT work out to look more attractive to others. It's an added side benefit but not the main motivator.

KatissimusDorsi

Oh hey there. I wrote this article!

I'm glad some of you enjoyed it and that it's provoked some conversation. Love seeing some of the responses for this.

I agree it's just as wrong to body-shame someone who is overweight as much as someone with a bodybuilder's physique - I like that someone pointed that out. They're very different situations, but the principle still stands.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Oh hey there. I wrote this article!

I'm glad some of you enjoyed it and that it's provoked some conversation. Love seeing some of the responses for this.

I agree it's just as wrong to body-shame someone who is overweight as much as someone with a bodybuilder's physique - I like that someone pointed that out. They're very different situations, but the principle still stands.

LOL. Hi! That's funny.

beertrollruss

I love the female bodybuilders. I miss the bodybuilding contests in the 80's when it was just male and female bodybuilding without the fitness, figure and bikini events. When I watch female bodybuilding, I judge the physiques the same way I judge the males. Most female bodybuilders have the same objectives as males, to see how far they can push themselves. Unfortunately, I'm guessing many of them have a hard time trusting and meeting new people because so few people will just talk to them like they're a normal person. I have a son, but if I had a daughter, I would still show her how to lift weights. I wouldn't push her to be a bodybuilder but I would be totally supportive if she was one.