Not convinced (Give me proof)-Women & Weights

Otterluv

We weigh close to the same weight right now, but I'm down 54 pounds. I started lifting a few months ago. Here is what I can tell you about what lifting has done for me:

I am still very feminine looking, but I can lift heavy grocery bags without a second thought.
I feel stronger in everything I do.
Cardio exercises are easier now that I have stronger legs.
Even as my body shrinks, my butt is lifting rather than sagging (making me look curvier instead of blobby).
My arms have some definition (even with some flab still on them).
My balance is better due to increased muscle strength - very important as we age.


Best of all, I can lose weight while eating. I have a lot of weight to lose, and I know that I cannot subsist on 1200 calories a day long term. Forget it. But, because I have more muscle mass my body burns more even when just sitting around doing nothing. I mix cardio along with weight training. I love hiking, etc. and to be able to enjoy those activities I need to have endurance as well as strength. But, strength and cardio build off each other, balance is a good thing.

If you want to, you can friend me to look at my diary and see that because of balanced exercise, it's possible to lose weight at a good clip while eating close to 2000 calories a day.

yoovie

Hi there

I started lifting in a plateau id been in for a year. I am really tall and I have broad shoulders and big legs so I was really scared that adding any muscle at all would transform me into a linebacker. I didn't really change my eating except to cook without butter and put less sugar in my coffee and I just made up a program of low impact cardio like walking for forty minutes a day, a couple half hour lifting sessions a week and some pushups and stuff at home.

I didn't become a linebacker, instead I stopped being one. My arms and back and thighs got tight and slimmer considerably slimmed down. I lost about 9% of my bodyfat since April and I only lost 9 pounds this year, but in actuality I probably lost 20 of fat and replaced it with smaller, tighter stronger me.

Im not special. I didn't do this on a hazing type schedule. I didn't revolutionize my eating. I picked things up and put them down. It was me, inspiring myself, every week when I could see, with proof, that I was a little bit stronger. It changed me, changed my life.

I didn't expect to get so much stronger mentally and emotionally through lifting, but that happened too.

Im so much smaller, more feminine, curvier, more confident. Lifting has taught me healthy pride and self love.

mfpcopine

I'm 5'2" and currently 103.5 pounds (the holidays and some family stress have had their effect). I'm also pear-shaped: I have a very lean upper body, but much of my weight goes to my butt, and more recently, as I've aged, my hips.

In the past, when I've worked out, and we're not talking super-heavy weights, my arms and shoulders have gotten noticeably bigger, not gigantic, but sometimes to the point where I could no longer wear my old jackets. I didn't have a big problem with that. If anything, it balanced my silhouette.

I would, however, have had a problem with my hips and butt getting bigger, especially since I'm already disproportionate by conventional standards. I'm at a pretty low weight for my age and ability to exercise and unlikely to be able to take off large amounts of fat because my body wants to deposit that fat in those areas. As a result, I don't use direct weight on most areas of my lower body. They would only look bigger, because I'd be putting muscle on top of (or interspersed with) fat and that fat isn't going anywhere. You can't spot reduce.

If you look at some photos of women with figures like mine who work out they have very large hips, thighs, and butts, which is fine if their primary goals is, say, being able to squat the heaviest possible amount. There's nothing wrong with that. It's a choice. But if that's not your goal and looking a certain way is a concern, you should be aware that different women develop differently.

In any event, no one develops heavy musculature overnight. It takes time and a lot of hard work and you'll notice. Your jackets and pants and boots (from the development of your calves) will feel tight.

You won't look like the Incredible Hulk, that would be very difficult for a woman without taking testosterone, but you may develop to a greater extent than you like.

Edited to add:

I think one reason for the constant assertion the weights slim down everyone everywhere is that some people here started out at a high body fat percentage. As they lost weight, they lost fat, and added muscle, which is denser than fat and the effect was slimming. But if you're someone who already is at or close to her goal weight and have a normal body fat percentage AND your body likes to put fat certain places, there's not much you're going to be able to do short of liposuction. If you add muscle in the same area, where's it going to go? Out. You're going to look bigger. Fat does not convert to muscle.

yoovie

Dup

MoreBean13

With ideal diet and training, (meaning a calorie surplus), without testosterone, an average woman could expect to add 4-6 lbs of muscle in a YEAR. That's this much muscle, distributed over your whole body:


As soon as you are in a deficit, muscle building potential is much, much smaller. Getting bulky is very unlikely without steroids.

yoovie

Im sorry if there any oddly placed words in there as im trying to type this in the rain on the street corner cause I heard someone was worried to try and that breaks my heart. If it hadn't been for lifting, id have given up on ever having a body id love naked.

Now I have it

Please join the club ...

DiaryOfaThickFitWoman

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

I actually want to be a Staci at 170lbs- that is more of my preference and body type. My goal weight is 168lbs.

Then lift

No, it looks to me like she prefers the look of a "softer" woman at a healthy body weight with NO muscle tone. Right?

Yes, I most defiently want a soft, curvy physic. I'm satisfied with my shape and curves, I just want to be a smaller more toned-me. (not sure if tone is the correct terminology or not). My start weight was 247.6 and I probably looked about 215-220. I would say I carry my weight well and I'm solid. Since dieting I have noticed a difference already. My target areas are my arms, stomach/back and face (which I know will shrink in time). The smallest I have been as a adult is 176 and I was a 9/10 then.

I so appreciate the advice/tips, feel free to add me it you can offer anymore support.

Most recent stats below just to give you more detail:

formula= start/current/goal

1 Month
11/22/2012
235.8lbs
**************************11.8lbs lost
Neck: 16/15/13
Body Fat: 94.43/93.08/N/A
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18/18/N/A
Bust: 44/44/42
Rib: 37/37/26
Waist: 41/40/28
Waist line: 49/45/30
Hips/Butt: 51/51/42-45
Arms:18/15/8-10
Cabs: 18/17.5/10-12

DawnieB1977

Sooo, I've heard weight lifting/training DOES NOT bulk women up (cause we don't have testosterone, etc.,) and I can believe this- to an extent, but I'm still not totally convinced. I see alot of women on here lifting, but it always seems that their already at the goal weight or within 10-15lbs. I never see any transformations from someone who HAS lost +65lbs or needs to lose +65lbs.

I'm very scared to utilize weights at such a large size, how would it NOT bulk me up? I just need some solid information on how to go about this, and some pics would really help!

I have no desire to be bulky, or even muscular, at all- I just want to be toned and defined at my goal weight.

SW: 247
GW: 168
HT: 5'5 1/2
Frame: Curvy

Thanks in advance (no negativity, please)

Hi, i've gone from 220lbs to 167lbs and still have another 10-15lbs to go to be where I want to be. I've been working out with weights since last July when I started losing weight after having my 2nd baby.

My current profile pic was taken today, and i've got one in there of when my daughter was a small baby.

I'm neither bulky or muscular!

Sarauk2sf

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

I actually want to be a Staci at 170lbs- that is more of my preference and body type. My goal weight is 168lbs.

Then lift

No, it looks to me like she prefers the look of a "softer" woman at a healthy body weight with NO muscle tone. Right?

Yes, I most defiently want a soft, curvy physic. I'm satisfied with my shape and curves, I just want to be a smaller more toned-me. (not sure if tone is the correct terminology or not). My start weight was 247.6 and I probably looked about 215-220. I would say I carry my weight well and I'm solid. Since dieting I have noticed a difference already. My target areas are my arms, stomach/back and face (which I know will shrink in time). The smallest I have been as a adult is 176 and I was a 9/10 then.

I so appreciate the advice/tips, feel free to add me it you can offer anymore support.

Most recent stats below just to give you more detail:

formula= start/current/goal

1 Month
11/22/2012
235.8lbs
**************************11.8lbs lost
Neck: 16/15/13
Body Fat: 94.43/93.08/N/A
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18/18/N/A
Bust: 44/44/42
Rib: 37/37/26
Waist: 41/40/28
Waist line: 49/45/30
Hips/Butt: 51/51/42-45
Arms:18/15/8-10
Cabs: 18/17.5/10-12

If you keep your body fat a little higher you can keep more 'curves' but still lift. Its basically about how low your BF% is as to how much muscle you will show.

I lift really heavy weights - still got my badonkadonk and it has actually made me look curvier as I am not at a very low BF% (its about 20% in my avi).

Slightly higher BF% than I am now (sorry for the graininess of the pics):



whoa - taken the second one out - image is too big

WandaWoman41

Flagging for later

denezy

I lift heavy. Started at 220 And am down 20 lbs so far, another 20 to go. I looked larger when I was larger BECAUSE I WAS LARGER.

Profile picture is from this week.

aloranger7708

Hi, I can't offer photo proof, but I thought I'd provide some input.

A few months back when I was losing weight and going to the gym every day, I did weight machines. I didn't get bulky whatsoever, however, I did get toned. I was still losing weight and my clothes got bigger, but I had tone to my thighs and they tightened up as opposed to being jiggly. I'm "bigger" but in a curvy way. I'm 5'11 and weighed 220 around then. I really loved my body then.

If I could, I'd go back to the gym in a heartbeat JUST for the weight machines!

etynda6116

I lift weights but its takes an excessive amount to look bulky. I'm already down 11 lbs. I started on september 1, 2012. But then really just started focusing on it more recently and have lost more than a lb. a week because of it. Just make sure you are eating a minimum of 1200 cal. a day if you are lifting. Otherwise it won't help. Usually on days I lift, I eat a little more than 1200 cals to make sure I have enough energy for it.

BinaryPulsar

To the ladies that posted their photos, I just want to say those are some amazing and beautiful transformations!! Gorgeous!!

Edited to add that I also lift heavy. No major transformation for me because I'm a dancer and have always been a fitness enthusiast and very active. But, as I am getting older the weight lifting is an excellent help to keep me super trim, firm, and to maintain my curves.

madworld1

I lifted weights while I was losing. I started tracking calories on January 30th this year and the first time I tried weightlifting was February 22nd, although I didn't take it as seriously for the first couple months. I still left my exercise cardio heavy until I dropped more weight.
I did lose the last 20-25 pounds with the majority of my exercise focused on weightlifting and kept cardio to sports only. I stopped getting on the treadmill, elliptical, etc and spent the entire time I was at the gym lifting. I got calorie burns from running around on the softball field.
I liked what lifting was doing for my body. Please remember it doesn't happen overnight. You really have to stick with it.

Me in December last year:


12311 by JenniferSPalmer, on Flickr

Me in March, I had lost about 15 pounds already, notice the amount of fat on my legs:


Image03182012180601 by JenniferSPalmer, on Flickr

Me in June after a total weight loss of around 35 pounds and more focus on lifting:


62012 012 by JenniferSPalmer, on Flickr

Notice how much less fat was on my legs.

A pic of me after I had lost about 5 pounds:


16473868_7658 by JenniferSPalmer, on Flickr

A pic of me from a couple days ago, maintaining weight loss of 50 pounds since July, then lost 5 pounds while trying to figure out the right calories, have been able to remain steady since October.


12412 010 by JenniferSPalmer, on Flickr


I am 5'6" tall and went from 190 pounds to 135 pounds.

Amazing transformation!!! Very inspirational.

Cranktastic

<---- coming along...lifting heavy.


also:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/815749-ladies-don-t-be-afraid-of-lifting-heavy-pic

pastryari

To the ladies that posted their photos, I just want to say those are some amazing and beautiful transformations!! Gorgeous!!

Muscles_Curves

This is what really happen

funkycamper

Switching to lifting heavy/less reps from lifting light/more reps caused me to lose a pant size without losing any scale weight. Still have 20-40# to lose (it all depends on how I look once I get there) and loving the changes in my body from heavy lifting. While I do a wide variety of exercises, if I could only do one thing, it would be heavy lifting.

As someone else mentioned, one of the best things is that my butt, while it still has more fat on it than I want, is lifted and no longer resting on the back of my thighs. Oh, it looks so much better.

And heavy lifting makes everything easier, both chores and other types of exercising.

Troll

I lift super heavy, eat nearly 5000 calories/day-its taken me three years of this to gain any muscle. it takes serious effort.