Lifting, gaining weight, losing curves, getting bulky?

LorinaLynn

Hope this helps some women's qualms about weight lifting. Yes, you may weigh a little more. Yes, some parts of your body might get a little bigger. You're not going to turn into a man, though, and you won't lose your curves.

Back story for anyone who doesn't know... I lost 25 pounds doing mostly cardio from Dec 2010 to June 2011 and got to my inital goal weight. Started strength training in July 2011, using machines at the gym. Between July and October 2011, I lost about ten more pounds. Took a break from logging when I got to about 125, and gained a little back, but my clothing size didn't change so I didn't care. Continued running and strength training. Quit the gym in July 2012 and bought a weight bench for home, and was amazed at what a difference free weights made. Putzed around for a few months and started Stronglifts 5x5 in late September. Just finished week 8 on Friday.

Here's comparison photos from one year ago to now. I'm benching 85, deadlifting 135, squatting 127, rowing 95 and overhead pressing 65, and still running 2-3 times a week. I think I might have been a little less than 130 in the 2011 pics - maybe 128? -but I wasn't keeping good records of my fluctuations then.... I didn't log any weight change from October to December 2011.







My legs, particularly my quads, are bigger now. Sometimes that's a bit of a pain when finding jeans that fit properly. But personally? I think they're hot. My husband loves them. I love that I can lift and carry heavy things, and run up steep hills. And I'd much rather have bigger, stronger, firm legs than thinner, weaker and jiggly ones.

And I can't get over how my waist has shrunk. I was never one to believe that weight lifting would make me look like a man. I knew that any woman who looks extremely muscular has worked very, very hard to look that way and it wasn't going to happen accidentally or overnight to me. But I did think that losing body fat and getting muscular might make me lose my curves and look more boyish. I never thought it would give me MORE curves!



In particular, having lost weight through severe calorie restriction in my mid 30s, and being so disappointed that at my goal weight, I still had back fat rolls, double chins, and a cellulite ridden droopy *kitten*.... looking like this at 40 is particularly sweet.

But best of all, I used to be sooooo accident and injury prone. I'm hypermobile, and I was always spraining a wrist or ankle, or twisting my back weird and end up walking hunched over like a question mark for a week. I was afraid of lifting at first because I thought I'd hurt myself. But strengthening my muscles has made me into Iron Man... err... Girl. I haven't had any problems since lifting. Ok, one little tiny stress fracture, but that was a running problem, not a lifting one.

Edited to add: Best of all part two: Eating 2000-2300 calories a day.

mogletdeluxe

You look absolutely incredible, and thank you for posting this - since I started lifting regularly over the past few months, the change to my shape has been very significant. I have to constantly convince my girlfriends that they shouldn't be scared of the weights section - maybe I will point them at this thread!

catsinbooks

You look fantastic! I'm the same as you - no misconceptions that you'll get bulky without putting in lots of effort, but was worried about looking too "straight up and down".

And I agree - your thighs are amazing! You look healthy and lovely.

Thanks for the inspiration!

SarahCW1979

Ya know its reading your blogs and seeing your progress that made me try the whole scary lifting thing! Ive been using an aerobic step as a bench (dont laugh... some of us really are clueless ) but Im going out this week to get a bench! The weightloss has stalled but the shrinking all over hasnt so I guess something is going right.
Fabulous at 40 is a complete understatement for you!

All_Out_Attack

Excellent post, and excellent work! You look great!

Vailara

But best of all, I used to be sooooo accident and injury prone. I'm hypermobile, and I was always spraining a wrist or ankle, or twisting my back weird and end up walking hunched over like a question mark for a week. I was afraid of lifting at first because I thought I'd hurt myself. But strengthening my muscles has made me into Iron Man... err... Girl. I haven't had any problems since lifting. Ok, one little tiny stress fracture, but that was a running problem, not a lifting one.

This was one of the reasons I took up lifting, and I've noticed the same positive results as you. I was a little hypermobile and was always falling over and dropping things. Lifting seems to have really improved my strength and balance. I was worried about it because I do get joint pain, but if anything, the lifting seems to have helped my bad back/hip/knees. I'm still obese so haven't had the visual results that you have had, though. You look great!

edennew

Holy crap you look great!

firstsip

Lorina, I've been reading your posts for close to a year now... but it still amazes me the progress you're always making. You kind of set the bar for the, "Once you reach your goal... there's a new goal to be met!" whatever it might be.

Plus I can't even believe you ever had cellulite anywhere on that body! That's the REAL hope!

BusyRaeNOTBusty

You look awesome. You've successfully accomplished a body "re-composition" which everyone says is really hard to do.

julielittlefish

You look great!

Thanks for the perspective. I've been doing CrossFit for 7 months and was just texting my BFF last night about the good news/bad news from my closet--my booty will rock some skinny jeans this week, but a different, smaller sized pair probably won't fit again. I'm loving my muscles though so it is definitely worth it!

Keep up the good work!

Redheadllena

Great job! Loved reading your story

renatka13

You look great! well done!
just one question - are you driniking any protein shakes?

LorinaLynn

Thanks, everyone!

Plus I can't even believe you ever had cellulite anywhere on that body! That's the REAL hope!

I wish I had better before pictures of my backside... I was down 20 pounds and about 140 when I took my first progress pics from the back. And... holy F... I just compared some of those photos to now and I can't believe it's just five pounds difference. Granted, five pounds and more than a year and a half, but still... five frickin' pounds.





I have a few dimples in my *kitten* still (especially in Kohl's dressing rooms!!!) but less now than I did as a 110 pound teenager. :drinker:

pen2u

You look even more amazing than in 2011. Thanks for posting. I much prefer lifting to pounding out hours of cardio, lol. I will focus more on it in addition to boot camp, mtn biking, and stationary bike. Who knows what curvy changes will happen to this 60 year old bod?

coopersmom2006

YOU ROCK!!!

nexangelus

Lorina, you are an inspiration to many, thanks for your posts and your determination...you sure look sassy lady ; )

LorinaLynn

You look great! well done!
just one question - are you driniking any protein shakes?

Rarely. I have some powder that I have once in a while, but I'm most likely to use it mixed with milk and poured on breakfast cereal. I love cereal, but like getting a little more protein than a typical bowl has.

I do like protein bars. They satisfy my desire to eat candy. :laugh:

danc3oflife

You look amazing.... It is possible, thanks!

Febgirl

You look fantastic!

CraigCooke

Super stuff!!!

TinaDay1114

I'm a big fan of weights myself — like you, I ran for a time, did some races, got addicted, then injured, then switched it up with circuit training. Now I'm CrossFitting, and loving every lift, every WOD, every crazy day.

My biggest conundrum has been figuring out where my "maintenance" calories should be. I fell to my goal weight when I was injured, but as soon as I started circuit training and doing weights, it bounced back up 5-8 lbs. And that's where I've stayed for 10 whole months. My clothes still fit in the right places, my waist is tighter, so I'm happy. But I find myself STARVING every Friday through Monday after doing 4 days of CrossFit, and I'm beginning to think I'm just not getting enough calories in per day to carry me through.

So how long have you been doing 2,300 calories/day? And I assume you're not adding back in exercise calories w/lifting (so that's your maintenance #)...?

P.S. CrossFitters (at least where I am) don't focus on #s (except heavy weights), so they keep telling me "don't worry about calories, just eat clean." And I get that...but I'm a little anal. I need a number to guide me, at least for a while.

VeganZombie13

You look absolutely incredible,

lizapettit

Thank you for posting this!!!! First of all--you look amazing! And second, it serves as a reminder to the rest of us that the scale shouldn't be the only way we measure our results!

LorinaLynn

So how long have you been doing 2,300 calories/day? And I assume you're not adding back in exercise calories w/lifting (so that's your maintenance #)...?

I always ate my exercise calories but I didn't like having 1800 calorie days followed by 2500 calorie days... my appetite doesn't always match my exercise. I switched to going by my TDEE in August, I think, starting at 2000 calories.

I was around 2100-2200 since late September-ish. I started to look a little too bony in the chest and took two weeks off from logging entirely (and went through quite a few bags of Halloween candy), and now I just have 2300 as my goal on weekdays. As long as I'm close to that, I'm not going to fuss. On weekends and holidays, I eat whatever I want without thinking about calories or macros at all. Some days I'm probably over my goal, some days close or under.

I know I lose at 2000. If I get to where I can't zip my pants, I'll go back to that.

VelociMama

Looking great!!!

jetscreaminagain

Its important to have a thread like this every so often. This whole process can be fun.

Cranktastic

Excellent.

mfpcopine

You look great. The only thing I would say is that every woman is different and may not get the same results. I'm pear-shaped and as a result don't use direct weights on my lower body because I don't want to get even slightly bigger in that area. It would defeat the purpose of my trying to balance my silhouette.

When you start a strength training program it's important to know what you look like, your goals, and to watch how you develop.

When I first started reading exercise books, I thought that everyone would end up looking the same. Eventually, I realized that such books feature exercise models, people who have the right physique for weight lifting. I recall a book and a magazine that showed people who were strong, but whose musculature was not aesthetically pleasing. In the next edition of the book and the new version of the article in the magazine, the models were conventionally attractive.

If you don't start out with a build like the fit models, you won't resemble them no matter how hard you work. If your goal is aesthetics as opposed to strength, it's important to know how to train for your body type.

jetscreaminagain

^^^^^ just as an fyi my giant calves got smaller because they weren't as muscular as I thought. Lifting and fat loss made them hot. Same with my thighs but slower and not as far along. Plus, with lifting my *kitten* is high and perky rather than spread as my pear self would do pre-lifting.

mfpcopine

^^^^^ just as an fyi my giant calves got smaller because they weren't as muscular as I thought. Lifting and fat loss made them hot. Same with my thighs but slower and not as far along. Plus, with lifting my *kitten* is high and perky rather than spread as my pear self would do pre-lifting.

That makes sense. But if you have body parts where your body likes to hold fat no matter how much weight you lose, you might want to be careful about using direct weight resistance. I have thin calves and I like to do calf lifts with a dumbbell. I have very little fat in my upper body, no problem there either.

darwinforyou

You look fantastic!!! I do stronglifts 5x5, too, and I love how it makes me feel! You are a total inspiration and motivation to keep up with it! I agree on how weights give you more curves not take away - My waist has become more apparent since I've started lifting weights. Plus it's such a high when you can lift heavier than you did the previous time.

Great job and thanks for posting!