Sorry, but I *am* getting bulky from lifting heavy....

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Replies

  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    still worried this post is going to keep other girls from lifting at all.
    The problem is OP is confusing low bodyfat with large muscles. She has the first of those two options - not the second. If she gained a few pounds as per her Dr's recommendation, she'd suddenly look a lot less 'bulky'.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    still worried this post is going to keep other girls from lifting at all.
    The problem is OP is confusing low bodyfat with large muscles. She has the first of those two options - not the second. If she gained a few pounds as per her Dr's recommendation, she's suddenly look a lot less 'bulky'.

    i know darlin, cause her legs aren't even really muscular, they are just showing the natural muscle shape. her arms are big but she is flexing, i didnt see them not flexed.

    Im just making sure to start posting this periodically so that this post does not undo all the hard work that all of us girl lifters have been doing, trying to help women see that it wont happen.

    One girl says bulky and suddenly she is Jesus to every woman looking for an excuse to never lift.

    it breaks my heart.

    every time.

    all the hard work we put into the forums. just gone.

    just POOF

    no one is going to be willing to even listen to us til next month now. IF this thread is allowed to die.

    I know people have questions here, and want help- but people who post in these forums regularly know what workds like *BULKY* in a title will pull from the masses and Id love to think that she didnt do it on purpose, that she really does know the difference - but those of us that are trying really hard to roll back this kind of thinking - well... we know she just ****ed us over.

    :sad:
  • DJ2120
    DJ2120 Posts: 407 Member
    still worried this post is going to keep other girls from lifting at all.
    The problem is OP is confusing low bodyfat with large muscles. She has the first of those two options - not the second. If she gained a few pounds as per her Dr's recommendation, she's suddenly look a lot less 'bulky'.

    i know darlin, cause her legs aren't even really muscular, they are just showing the natural muscle shape. her arms are big but she is flexing, i didnt see them not flexed.

    Im just making sure to start posting this periodically so that this post does not undo all the hard work that all of us girl lifters have been doing, trying to help women see that it wont happen.

    One girl says bulky and suddenly she is Jesus to every woman looking for an excuse to never lift.

    it breaks my heart.

    every time.

    all the hard work we put into the forums. just gone.

    just POOF

    no one is going to be willing to even listen to us til next month now. IF this thread is allowed to die.

    I know people have questions here, and want help- but people who post in these forums regularly know what workds like *BULKY* in a title will pull from the masses and Id love to think that she didnt do it on purpose, that she really does know the difference - but those of us that are trying really hard to roll back this kind of thinking - well... we know she just ****ed us over.

    :sad:

    I'm sorry, but I was just stating how I was feeling about my body & this was totally rude & uncalled for. Saying I "****ed you over" Are you serious coming with some stuff like that? Wow!
  • DJ2120
    DJ2120 Posts: 407 Member
    Thank you everyone for giving me great advice & some tips about what I might look into changing. Thank you also for the sweet compliments. The main reason for this post is because I couldn't understand why if I'm dieting & lifting heavy, why are my legs getting bigger & making my clothes fit tightly around my quad area, I just wanted advice on how to make them more lean basically. But, the above post really was so uncalled for that it makes my blood boil. I'll *Let this post die* now so I don't **** anyone over with my concerns about my body.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    WOW- considering my post on your topic was a BIG GIANT I SUPPORT YOU - this was way uncalled for.

    i show up and support you, you ignore me completely, wait til Im talking to someone else and then bite my face off?

    good job there. nice way to thank me for standing up for you. appreciate it sincerely.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    Do YOU like how you look?

    Isnt THIS the question?

    My latissimus dorsi are starting to fan out way more than I would like, so this tells me that I have one of two situations happening.

    1. They are stronger than my other back muscles and are growing because of them compensating for my other back muscles which have not caught up yet, and it will all balance out if I am consistent

    OR

    2. They are weaker than they should be and are growing and SEEM really big because they are jumping to catch up with the level of strength in all my other muscles that are already working together.

    Either way, I know that because Im a new lifter, almost all of my muscles are out of whack. My quads and hamstrings are way off balance, my back is not as strong as my abs so my posture is off, anywhere I find myself hunching I know to work on the flexibility and stretching.

    But if my muscles are looking BIG, I take that as a compliment. the pump is only temporary anyway. Each time I work them out correctly, they are bigger for a couple days- then they unswell as they move through repair stages. Im not going to sweat it- Im just going to keep being consistent.

    I know I have the genes that would allow me to become a serious she-hulk body builder, but I dont have the desire, nor do I have the 12 hour/day dedication it would take, or the money for that kind of weekly training, or the nutrition required or the protein supplements or the blah blah blah... so it wont happen to me.

    ^ this was my god-awful response to you

    im so damn sorry

    I have no idea what I was thinking- just being so horribly unbelievably awful to you

    you should murder me in public. seriously.

    :drinker:
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    I would like to see some pictures

    Yes, bring on the "bulk" pictures.

    You have a body that most women on this forum would die to have and you start a thread complaining about it?

    It's about the body that *I* want though.

    applauds

    ^ my second response on this topic, agreeing with you - just shameless and mean and awful and how ****ing dare i?
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    right? die in a fire, yoovie.
  • DJ2120
    DJ2120 Posts: 407 Member
    right? die in a fire, yoovie.

    I thanked everyone & said that I couldn't get to everyone (which included you) with a response because I was at work. I'm sorry, but saying that I some how screwed you over was really uncalled for.
  • brenda4life
    brenda4life Posts: 65 Member
    I think those that suggested working in some yoga or other lengthening, stretching move will help you. And it is said lift less weight and more reps to slim, more weight and less reps to bulk - it is the story I have always heard. Good Luck!
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    right? die in a fire, yoovie.

    I thanked everyone & said that I couldn't get to everyone (which included you) with a response because I was at work. I'm sorry, but saying that I some how screwed you over was really uncalled for.

    did you read it in context?

    I was supporting you and I even said I hope you didnt do this on purpose - but of course - instead of trying to understand for one second what exactly I was saying, and knowing that I agreed with you that it is about your body and what makes you happy, I lamented that the wordage was undoing alot of our hard work, which of course makes me your mortal enemy.

    because OBVIOUSLY:

    me supporting you lifting,
    supporting you knowing your body
    supposrting you understanding your preferences
    offering up advice as to why muscles may swell and then go back down and why some areas may get bigger than you like
    while throwing off the idea that just because these people think you look awesome doesnt mean YOU should be satisfied

    ALL means that I am the enemy.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    If you gain muscle too easy and want to stop gains or lower them, simply drop your calories. You can't build or maintain a fortress without rock (e.g. calories in).
  • DarthH8
    DarthH8 Posts: 298 Member
    No worries OP. Not bulky. Just very lean with good tone. Don't let people say you are far from bulky either, that's crazy. Those muscles are looking ****ing GORGEOUS. But you are very lean with some killer muscle definition. If you wanna soften up, stop adding weight. Just stay where you are at, maybe kill out 25-30% of your workout time, eat more, watch that fat roll on while you keep giving the muscles plenty of attention. Pretty simple. In fact most people strive to get into the position you are in. You have two choices in my opinion. Add muscle/fat. Because to be honest you are lean but not too lean in any way. You could use both. And that's just my personal opinion on the best route to improve your attractiveness. Second, gain fat and stop gaining muscle. Don't stop lifting, it's good to keep stimulating the muscles and maintain good tone. Just take it down a notch if the tone you have REALLY bothers you that much. And only if it's bothering YOU. That dude you were talkin about is just jealous of how well you are doing. He ****ed up millions of times trying to get into shape and is super jealous cuz you obv figured that **** out quick. :-D
  • DarthH8
    DarthH8 Posts: 298 Member
    Also, I <3 yoovie. Lol
  • Im scared this post might scare other girls away :(

    seriously.
    put on some fat OP if you want to look softer, but knock it off with the bulky.

    And also don't flex if you don't like the flexed look.

    This isn't bulky. It's cut. Do what your doctor says and add some fat for the doctor's reasons and also so you don't spread misinformation about lifting.

    Agreed. I see no Bulk! :)
  • IcassI
    IcassI Posts: 248 Member
    I would like to see some pictures

    Yes, bring on the "bulk" pictures.

    You have a body that most women on this forum would die to have and you start a thread complaining about it?

    Wow really?! Unless you are overweight and are talking about losing weight you can't post a thread on this forum. That's nonsense. She has a valid concern for HER and she should be able to come here and get the feedback she is looking for or just to vent.
  • brassballa
    brassballa Posts: 81 Member
    So many haters up in here why do people have to get so hot headed when someone has a ligitamate concern ...I have read way too many boards with negative feed back what a bummer. Myfitnespal is about being fit and keeping up with that. Not everyone is about weight loss......and to original poster girl...ur body makes me think of Jessica beil in the vampire movie she was in...:happy: u have had some good advise on her maybe lighten weight training and find a good balance may take u a little time to figure it out good question for a personal trainer as well...good luck ...merry Christmas!!!
  • DJ2120
    DJ2120 Posts: 407 Member
    No worries OP. Not bulky. Just very lean with good tone. Don't let people say you are far from bulky either, that's crazy. Those muscles are looking ****ing GORGEOUS. But you are very lean with some killer muscle definition. If you wanna soften up, stop adding weight. Just stay where you are at, maybe kill out 25-30% of your workout time, eat more, watch that fat roll on while you keep giving the muscles plenty of attention. Pretty simple. In fact most people strive to get into the position you are in. You have two choices in my opinion. Add muscle/fat. Because to be honest you are lean but not too lean in any way. You could use both. And that's just my personal opinion on the best route to improve your attractiveness. Second, gain fat and stop gaining muscle. Don't stop lifting, it's good to keep stimulating the muscles and maintain good tone. Just take it down a notch if the tone you have REALLY bothers you that much. And only if it's bothering YOU. That dude you were talkin about is just jealous of how well you are doing. He ****ed up millions of times trying to get into shape and is super jealous cuz you obv figured that **** out quick. :-D

    This is really, really great advice & I appreciate it. I have no intentions of not lifting anymore, but maybe just not as heavy & also maybe incorporate some different exercises that other people mentioned like yoga. Thanks again to you & everyone else :smile:
  • DJ2120
    DJ2120 Posts: 407 Member
    So many haters up in here why do people have to get so hot headed when someone has a ligitamate concern ...I have read way too many boards with negative feed back what a bummer. Myfitnespal is about being fit and keeping up with that. Not everyone is about weight loss......and to original poster girl...ur body makes me think of Jessica beil in the vampire movie she was in...:happy: u have had some good advise on her maybe lighten weight training and find a good balance may take u a little time to figure it out good question for a personal trainer as well...good luck ...merry Christmas!!!

    Thank you, Jessica Beil's body? What a compliment! I agree that I just have to find the right balance, I have only been serious about working out for maybe around 6 months now so I am still learning & that's why I come here to get advice. I have one trainer at my gym who always comes over & helps me with my form & makes general small talk with me. I'll ask him about this too next time I see him.
  • DJ2120
    DJ2120 Posts: 407 Member
    I would like to see some pictures

    Yes, bring on the "bulk" pictures.

    You have a body that most women on this forum would die to have and you start a thread complaining about it?

    This ^
    Wow really?! Unless you are overweight and are talking about losing weight you can't post a thread on this forum. That's nonsense. She has a valid concern for HER and she should be able to come here and get the feedback she is looking for or just to vent.
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    Post pics of hyooge muskels.

    This. Muscles are secksy!!!
  • momofthreesons
    momofthreesons Posts: 162 Member
    Lighten the weights/ increase the reps! You must be blessed with muscle gain ability. It has taken me 6 months of light lifting every day to every other day to get definition!
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    I'm aiming for muscle growth, but if you are really unhappy with your results, maybe replacing some lifting days with cardio will help. I like both.
  • iulia_maddie
    iulia_maddie Posts: 2,780 Member
    I think we probably have very different ideas of what "bulky" looks like. If you don't like what lifting does for you body, you can always stop?
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
    right? die in a fire, yoovie.

    I thanked everyone & said that I couldn't get to everyone (which included you) with a response because I was at work. I'm sorry, but saying that I some how screwed you over was really uncalled for.


    Look chick, this BS "oh I'm so bulky" and I don't eat much and I've been told by doctors to increase my body fat, but instead I do an hour of cardio every day and lift 3 times a week (or something to that effect) and by golly lifting is making me bulky REALLY DOES discourage others and it isn't cool.

    A million and a half people just said you're hot. What do you need here? You're not bulky. You just aren't, and it isn't cool to title it this when it may well be the cardio and under eating that have your body fat so low that you are defined. So knock it off really. And your response to Yoovie, when she was talking about how hard it is around here to counteract the under-eating cardio bunnies seeking perfection and instead hurting themselves is where stuff go out of hand.

    For clarity here is where it got out of hand. It was when you came up with this BS:
    I'm sorry, but I was just stating how I was feeling about my body & this was totally rude & uncalled for. Saying I "****ed you over" Are you serious coming with some stuff like that? Wow

    You're hot. Use less eye make up and don't flex and it will decrease the chances someone calls you mannish.
  • KayteeBear
    KayteeBear Posts: 1,040 Member
    I started to get bigger when I did mainly strength with little cardio (not even just lifting weights, a lot of it was bodyweight exercises). I was taking measurements and I gained inches. Especially on my stomach! It seems like the muscles under my stomach fat bulk like crazy. Even my boyfriend said he noticed I was getting bigger.

    My shoulders are quite wide and large and I know I can't do anything about that since part of it is to do with my bones. I wouldn't mind my arms getting bulky. I don't like the rest of my body bulking, especially my stomach.

    Within a few weeks of switching to mainly cardio with only a bit of strength I lost inches. So I don't what anybody says, I know, PERSONALLY, from experience that I do bulk when I do mostly strength and little cardio. I know it's not like that for most women, but some of us do bulk. That's a fact.

    One nice thing is I've always gained muscle really easily...probably because I produce more testosterone than most females (due to PCOS)
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
    I have to second everyone who has said you are not bulky. To make it clear though, we don't mean this in a "being muscley isn't a bad thing, I hate the word 'bulky', you're just muscular" type of way. You literally ARE NOT BIG. Measure your bicep with a tape-measure. My bet from looking at you is that your actual measurements are relatively tiny compared to most girls your height. You have definition with low BF covering it.... Also your legs are also not remotely big or bulky or even particularly defined. You are less skinny than before when you were quite skinny. The fact you have people here telling you to start competing in bodybuilding just goes to show how skewed people's perceptions are...

    Also for the record, I do not understand why so many people are prescribing lower weights at a higher rep range. That is the opposite to what you want. The bb rep range (12-15) is what builds muscle SIZE, low reps (1-5) of really proper HEAVY weights will build strength without necessarily building the same size. Not that I think that is particualrly relevant here given that your issue is low BF% and warped perspective.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,749 Member
    Yeah I'm not seeing it.

    IF you were truly very muscular ie:"bulky" then you wouldn't have needed to flex your bicep to show your muscle and your legs would be super muscular which, sorry, but they're just not.

    Go check out the other thread about bulky women and look at the pictures. You do not look like any of them. You're just very thin.
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
    I started to get bigger when I did mainly strength with little cardio (not even just lifting weights, a lot of it was bodyweight exercises). I was taking measurements and I gained inches. Especially on my stomach! It seems like the muscles under my stomach fat bulk like crazy. Even my boyfriend said he noticed I was getting bigger.

    My shoulders are quite wide and large and I know I can't do anything about that since part of it is to do with my bones. I wouldn't mind my arms getting bulky. I don't like the rest of my body bulking, especially my stomach.

    Within a few weeks of switching to mainly cardio with only a bit of strength I lost inches. So I don't what anybody says, I know, PERSONALLY, from experience that I do bulk when I do mostly strength and little cardio. I know it's not like that for most women, but some of us do bulk. That's a fact.

    One nice thing is I've always gained muscle really easily...probably because I produce more testosterone than most females (due to PCOS)

    Did you change your diet when you changed your training syle?
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    Also for the record, I do not understand why so many people are prescribing lower weights at a higher rep range. That is the opposite to what you want. The bb rep range (12-15) is what builds muscle SIZE, low reps (1-5) of really proper HEAVY weights will build strength without necessarily building the same size.

    I think the half of my FL who are body builders would disagree with you from experience on that one.