Starting to look too bulky

danasings

Define bulky? Based on the pics in your profile, you don't even look athletic let alone bulky. This isn't an insult; I'm just trying to give my perspective. When you say bulky, are you just referring to the size of your body? Usually when you hear people complaining of bulk, they're referring to having a muscular look, which you don't have in your pictures. I dunno, I guess I'm over thinking it but I'm not sure what you're seeing when you look in the mirror because in your pictures you look thin with room to cut your body fat %.

I agree 100%.

Lupercalia

Not buying it.

I don't see how that would be possible, either. Perhaps you are some sort of very special superhuman? If so, doctors should definitely be alerted because many people will be eager to study you and write papers about how a woman can gain 10 lbs of muscle on 900-1700 calories per day.

I have to agree with the person who said you don't really even look "athletic". You look very soft, to me. I don't mean that in a bad way...just that your body fat % is higher than what one usually sees on an athletic person--well beyond where you can actually see much in the way of muscle definition, so I don't understand where the "bulky" thing is coming from at all. Do you mean your body fat % is beyond what you want it to be? You can sort that out by continuing to lift, eating at a caloric deficit, and perhaps doing a bit of HIIT here and there.

hfester

Well, I suppose it's up to you to judge if you're looking/feeling too bulky, so I'm not sure why your choice of words has everyone riled up.

...Anyway, have you considered researching how gymnasts or maybe wrestlers train and eat? They are typically high in muscle mass and low in body fat. Just an idea. Good luck!

jonnythan

I've been steadily working out for 8 months or so, I've lost a lot of weight but gained back in muscle. I still have about 10 pounds of extra fat, and now I'm up about 10 pounds of muscle. Instead of looking lean and fit like I wanted, The extra fat on top of my new muscle makes me look really bulky. Strong, but bulky.
I want the muscle, so I want to continue lifting but do you think I should cut it back and up my cardio? Or just do cardio and light weights for while? Cut weights completely until I lose this weight?
I do about 30-45 mins of cardio every weekday right now.
I appreciate any suggestions.

You need to lose some fat to get that lean look. You're looking bulkier because you're gaining weight.

ichorica

Perhaps an explanation of bulky is needed. Maybe your definition is different from others. I don't really see any pictures of your whole body just your midsection.

jonnythan

I'm up about 10 pounds of muscle.

The extra fat on top of my new muscle makes me look really bulky.

Guys, it's not the muscle that's making her look bulky. It's 10 pounds of extra body mass.

I want the muscle, so I want to continue lifting but do you think I should cut it back and up my cardio? Or just do cardio and light weights for while? Cut weights completely until I lose this weight?
I do about 30-45 mins of cardio every weekday right now.
I appreciate any suggestions.

You want the muscle. You don't want the fat.

Therefore, run a calorie deficit and continue lifting weights. Keep the muscle and get rid of the fat. Boom, lean.

VorJoshigan

I would like to see better pictures, but I would say that you're looking neither bulky nor stout.

ninerbuff

This isn't 100% true, I just cut for 18 lbs over 11 weeks and my arms and back have built up, though very slowly. You can build muscle while dieting, it's just a grind compared to when you're eating excess cal.

Broscience. Unless you're one of the exceptions (returning athlete after long layoff, very overweight/obese, newbie who's never lifted before) the probability of building muscle of any significance is pretty nil. You don't build muscle reducing calories. Muscle is mass. To ADD mass you surplus.
Do your arms and back LOOK better? Probably because there's less fat on them giving the appearance of more muscularity, but that doesn't mean you built it back up (unless you increased your calories after cutting).

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ninerbuff

To the OP, you're still just at a high body fat range. Continue lifting and burn more calories off to reduce the fat.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

BusyRaeNOTBusty

So you think you GAINED 10 pounds of muscle? How do you know this?

jonnythan

This isn't 100% true, I just cut for 18 lbs over 11 weeks and my arms and back have built up, though very slowly. You can build muscle while dieting, it's just a grind compared to when you're eating excess cal.

Broscience. Unless you're one of the exceptions (returning athlete after long layoff, very overweight/obese, newbie who's never lifted before) the probability of building muscle of any significance is pretty nil. You don't build muscle reducing calories. Muscle is mass. To ADD mass you surplus.
Do your arms and back LOOK better? Probably because there's less fat on them giving the appearance of more muscularity, but that doesn't mean you built it back up (unless you increased your calories after cutting).

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

People think their muscles and arms are getting larger when they get more definition. If you actually measure them though, they are of course not.

cmcollins001

You gained 10 lbs of muscle in 8 months on a calorie deficit? OP, please correct me if I misunderstood this.

Sweet_Potato

I' m having the same problem, especially in my midsection. I do barre, which builds muscle, and alternate it with cardio, but my waist in particular is getting thicker. I don't think I can cut calories much more either.

Edited to add: My picture is over a year old so don't refer to that to determine if I'm bulky or not.

auddii

Hey. I just profile creeped you -- If that's a recent picture of you at 142, I don't see that you look "bulky" girl! I also looked at your diary. Not sure what you're actually eating, because it looks like you only logged yesterday and a little today. But -- if yesterday is true... I'm going to give the unpopular response that, you CANNOT gain muscle eating at that much of a deficit. In order to GAIN muscle, you have to eat at a surplus, and train hard for it. Even people that WANT to gain muscle have a hard time doing it.

If you'd like help, and you want fat loss, I'll help you out. I'm part of the roadmap. I eat between 1600-2000 calories every day. I'm losing steady and feeling great.

Let me know.

I've gained about 5lbs since then, all in my arms and middle. Which isn't a lot, but I don't look as lean as I did there. I'm kind of short, so I feel like any amount of gain makes me look stout.
I am terrible at logging all of my food, yesterday I stopped logging after lunch. I usually eat around 1700.
Thanks for the input!

You aren't logging accurately (and mostly not at all). My guess is you are eating more than you think.

marypatmccue

Hey. I just profile creeped you -- If that's a recent picture of you at 142, I don't see that you look "bulky" girl! I also looked at your diary. Not sure what you're actually eating, because it looks like you only logged yesterday and a little today. But -- if yesterday is true... I'm going to give the unpopular response that, you CANNOT gain muscle eating at that much of a deficit. In order to GAIN muscle, you have to eat at a surplus, and train hard for it. Even people that WANT to gain muscle have a hard time doing it.

If you'd like help, and you want fat loss, I'll help you out. I'm part of the roadmap. I eat between 1600-2000 calories every day. I'm losing steady and feeling great.

Let me know.

I've gained about 5lbs since then, all in my arms and middle. Which isn't a lot, but I don't look as lean as I did there. I'm kind of short, so I feel like any amount of gain makes me look stout.
I am terrible at logging all of my food, yesterday I stopped logging after lunch. I usually eat around 1700.
Thanks for the input!

You aren't logging accurately (and mostly not at all). My guess is you are eating more than you think.

Sometimes you just can't help people...

mrscapamerica

Jeez people. Only like one of you understood what I was saying.
YES. I need to lose the weight, that's what this was about. The best way to lose the weight and keep my muscle definition.

The photo you are all referring to is over 6 months old.
Maybe I used the wrong term. I didn't mean bulky like huge muscles bulky, I meant bulky as in too thick, but not fat.

mrscapamerica

You gained 10 lbs of muscle in 8 months on a calorie deficit? OP, please correct me if I misunderstood this.

Yes, I didn't state this very clearly. I eat a deficit NOW, because I am trying to lose this extra weight.

carrieous

eat less.

mrscapamerica

eat less.

gee, thanks.

This was about the exercise. Not my diet.

marypatmccue

eat less.

gee, thanks.

This was about the exercise. Not my diet.

Cardio is arguably optional. Lift weights, build muscle, lose fat and extra mass... Simple!