A LADY WHO LIFTS - 1 year of progress! (pics)

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  • Elle408
    Elle408 Posts: 500 Member
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    Wow, well done, you look amazing!

    I'm prone to injury due to hypermobility so keep stopping and starting a lifting regime. I'm starting physio sessions soon so I hope they can devise a 'safe' lifting programme for me, I want your strength (and physique!) so bad!
  • LittleMissLisa
    LittleMissLisa Posts: 11
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    Bump for later
  • aliciab307
    aliciab307 Posts: 370 Member
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    Hey, this looks AWESOME, I really want to start lifting heavy on some sort of program...I've done Body Pump for a few months and worked with free weights alone a few times but no real program, and it's all been while eating at a deficit, and doing lots of cardio. Now I'm at about 135ish lbs (I'm 5'7) and I thinkkkk I'd like to be somewhere between 125 and 130...but I'm more worried about how I look than a number on the scale. My question is would you recommend starting a program while eating at a deficit (knowing that muscle gains will be tiny or nonexistent) until I'm at the weight I'd like? Or just eating at maintenance and starting a program before trying to cut down any more weight? Or (scary - I don't think this is the best idea but it's what other people have told me) eating at a slight surplus for a while to start lifting? Basically, what calorie levels will change my body composition faster?

    Thanks so much! I went to a body pump class once, it was tough! Im not used to the high rep work like the class ha! Changing body composition is a VERY slow process. It's been a year for me and it's still changing. Personally I would recommend eating at maintenance while lifting for slow body recomp like I did, but you can eat at a slight deficit, no more than 200 calories less than your maintenance, if you feel you need to. But honestly the number on the scale really doesn't matter when you get to the last 10 lbs or so, you'll see a lot better results from changing your body comp with lifting. Make sure to eat high protein too!

    One can eat at a surplus and do a "bulk" and then a "cut" but I have not yet done that and it's definitely a possibility but it's not a fast process. I think the basic suggestion is a 6 month bulk then 6 month cut. I personally haven't done it because I am also not sure I could mentally handle gaining weight on purpose.

    I am a huge proponent of just starting lifting right away! Why wait! It won't hurt your progress, only help it! A lot of people find that lifting makes them very hungry so you may find you want to eat maintenance anyways!

    Congrats on your progress and success, you have really done well! I have a question, you state "the number on the scale really doesn't matter when you get to the last 10 lbs or so, you'll see a lot better results from changing your body comp with lifting". I'm currently lifting while in a deficit and wanted to know when I get to the last 10 lbs should I slowly go up to maintenance then to focus on recomp? Thanks!
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
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    Firstly congratulations, you look fab, there is a lot of hard work there and it has so paid off!

    I have just started strength training in the last 3 weeks and whilst I am definitely not heavy lifting (yet!) I have doubled what I am lifting. I like it, and I am noticing changes. However i am so hungry! I cannot stop eating, everything and anything (this is the worry...) Is this normal? Will it even out. I am 5ft2, 113lb and have been scoffing between 1400 to 2000 a day (ahem and some days 2500) given before strength training I was around 1300 I am bit concerned I will balloon.

    Hey! So at 5'2" 113 lbs you're not eating enough at 1300 cals so that's why you're really hungry! A lot of people find they are very hungry when they lift and that's cuz it's tough on your muscles, your body needs food!

    Check out this link to calculate how much you should be eating while lifting:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538943-how-to-calculate-calorie-goals-according-to-nrolfw

    Your weight will move around when you first start lifting/eating more but it'll balance out in a month or so.
  • Helenacabral1
    Helenacabral1 Posts: 89
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    You look great!!Best bodies are made from lifting!!!:)
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
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    Hey, this looks AWESOME, I really want to start lifting heavy on some sort of program...I've done Body Pump for a few months and worked with free weights alone a few times but no real program, and it's all been while eating at a deficit, and doing lots of cardio. Now I'm at about 135ish lbs (I'm 5'7) and I thinkkkk I'd like to be somewhere between 125 and 130...but I'm more worried about how I look than a number on the scale. My question is would you recommend starting a program while eating at a deficit (knowing that muscle gains will be tiny or nonexistent) until I'm at the weight I'd like? Or just eating at maintenance and starting a program before trying to cut down any more weight? Or (scary - I don't think this is the best idea but it's what other people have told me) eating at a slight surplus for a while to start lifting? Basically, what calorie levels will change my body composition faster?

    Thanks so much! I went to a body pump class once, it was tough! Im not used to the high rep work like the class ha! Changing body composition is a VERY slow process. It's been a year for me and it's still changing. Personally I would recommend eating at maintenance while lifting for slow body recomp like I did, but you can eat at a slight deficit, no more than 200 calories less than your maintenance, if you feel you need to. But honestly the number on the scale really doesn't matter when you get to the last 10 lbs or so, you'll see a lot better results from changing your body comp with lifting. Make sure to eat high protein too!

    One can eat at a surplus and do a "bulk" and then a "cut" but I have not yet done that and it's definitely a possibility but it's not a fast process. I think the basic suggestion is a 6 month bulk then 6 month cut. I personally haven't done it because I am also not sure I could mentally handle gaining weight on purpose.

    I am a huge proponent of just starting lifting right away! Why wait! It won't hurt your progress, only help it! A lot of people find that lifting makes them very hungry so you may find you want to eat maintenance anyways!

    Congrats on your progress and success, you have really done well! I have a question, you state "the number on the scale really doesn't matter when you get to the last 10 lbs or so, you'll see a lot better results from changing your body comp with lifting". I'm currently lifting while in a deficit and wanted to know when I get to the last 10 lbs should I slowly go up to maintenance then to focus on recomp? Thanks!

    That's a great question! I hope the deficit you're at now isn't too big, shouldn't be more than 250 calories max, because lifting is so intense on your body it's really important to eat. And yeah I would guess that when you get to the last 10 lbs you could start working your way up to maintenance. Honestly, even though we try really really hard to be super specific with calorie counting, it's always plus or minus 100 cals depending on either us logging wrong, not measuring, estimating, or the database being incorrect, or even the nutrition labels not being perfect! So you could slowly decrease your deficit, like 100 cal deficit, then maintenance, and see how you feel. I shift around a lot, I'm pretty sure my maintenance is 1950 cals (net) but I sometimes eat 1800 for a couple weeks if I'm feeling fluffy ;)

    Just go with what feels right for you!
  • jaxxie
    jaxxie Posts: 572 Member
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    Totally bumping this one! You ROCK!
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
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    Totally bumping this one! You ROCK!

    Thanks!!! :)
  • InnerConflict
    InnerConflict Posts: 1,592 Member
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    Too bulky. Should have used the pink weights. :tongue:
  • Acnwgirl
    Acnwgirl Posts: 14 Member
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    Just bought the book, I've been looking for something like this! Can't wait to get started! Thanks for sharing your success with us!!
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
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    Too bulky. Should have used the pink weights. :tongue:

    LOLZ. nope. I'm like the least bulky person ever Hah
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
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    Just bought the book, I've been looking for something like this! Can't wait to get started! Thanks for sharing your success with us!!

    That's so great!! Glad I could be of help :) let me know if you have questions!

    Man the author of nrolfw should start giving me a commission with all the buyers I inspired :P
  • becca2911
    becca2911 Posts: 149 Member
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    you look amazing hun!
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
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    you look amazing hun!

    Thanks!!
  • Bikini27
    Bikini27 Posts: 1,298 Member
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    Bumping for info!!
  • Barbell_Jules
    Barbell_Jules Posts: 358 Member
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    You look AWESOME!!!! Just awesome!! :drinker:
  • michelejoann
    michelejoann Posts: 295 Member
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    I failed to read the whole forum, but I would like to start lifting. I'm not quite to the point where I am so totally skinny YET but I'm thinking that I need to start adding some lifting/training in so I don't become skinny-fat.
  • michelejoann
    michelejoann Posts: 295 Member
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    And you look awesome BTW!

    Adding you now. :)
  • juliemouse83
    juliemouse83 Posts: 6,663 Member
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    Bump for later. (can't see images at work, which SUCKS!)
  • nnoifeld
    nnoifeld Posts: 116
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    Great job! You look amazing. Love the muscle definition!

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