Stronglifts 5x5 for Women

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  • kellrell
    kellrell Posts: 31 Member
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    I'm fairly new here and just recently started heavy lifting. I do some isolated workouts on top of stronglifts as i work out with hubby.
    For some reason I only measured myself after the first week and not at the whole start of the program.

    I have no pictures yet but I am super excited!
    After week 4 (and measuring after week one), I am already down 7 inches over all.

    Im so thankful for being able to measure though because the scale has not moved one tiny bit and it is super frustrating. But seeing those numbers made me very very happy!!!

    I just had to share. I am hooked on heavy lifting even more now... its super addictive.
  • megalin9
    megalin9 Posts: 771 Member
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    I've been doing SL5x5 for a few months. I had to take about a 5 week break because my job was temporarily moved, and I no longer had access to a bar. That did terrible things for my strength, and I had to do a major deload. I'm back up to my top squat weight of 130#, and I have exceeded my previous PR on bench at 90#.

    I cannot speak enough to what heavy lifting has done for my body composition. People tell me all the time that I must be solid muscle and that I look so much smaller than I actually weigh. I weigh less than I ever can remember weighing once I stopped growing, but only by a few pounds, yet I'm wearing a very comfortable size 14 instead of the 16s and 18s I used to wear at the same weight. I actually LIKE my legs now and no longer hide them, and I occasionally catch myself grabbing my butt cheeks. :drinker:

    What heavy lifting has done for my confidence and even my ego cannot be put into words. Feeling strong, BEING strong, knowing that I can physically do something - is the most empowering feeling I think I've ever had in my life. It's made such a positive impact that I even get emotional talking about it.

    I think this is the first time I've actually seen such a visible difference in my body in my pictures. I've always been able to see the difference in my face, but not as much in my body. So here goes:

    209 pounds
    ry%3D480

    191.5 pounds - I don't know if you can tell much, but it appears to me that while my bicep isn't much bigger, it is way more defined, and my shoulders are much rounder. Also, those shelves on my hips in the previous picture are pretty much gone. :bigsmile:
    ry%3D480

    Just for kicks because I'm loving my arms and shoulders and collar bones and neck and...ya know. :)
    ry%3D480

    Looking forward to the day I can post my full success story in the main forums - about 22 pounds to go!

    ETA: My starting weight was 253 pounds, so I'm down 61.5. I've pretty much done some form of strength training from the beginning (October 2011), thank goodness. My goal weight is about 170 pounds, at which point I SHOULD be about 25% body fat if my LBM remains about the same.

    Thanks for reading!

    Megan
  • lwoodroff
    lwoodroff Posts: 1,431 Member
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    What a fabulous change Megan!
  • zanyzana
    zanyzana Posts: 248 Member
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    Here's my latest photo collage (if it works. I don't think it will, but I'm gunna try!)

    [img]*http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a591/zanyzana66/MyPhotoWall_zps329c8e0a.jpg*[/img]

    I can't do it! I've edited 6 million times but can't get it to work. Dammit. Maybe somebody clever can tell me what to do.

    Here's the address, if you can tell me what to do, I'll do it!

    http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a591/zanyzana66/MyPhotoWall_zps329c8e0a.jpg
  • zanyzana
    zanyzana Posts: 248 Member
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    Meanwhile, I'm loving your arm definition, Megan. It's enviable! I've been chubbers for so long that my skin in the arms is unshrinkable. So my goal is to fill it with muscle. It's a long term plan as there is a LOT of excess skin there!
  • jogirlruns
    jogirlruns Posts: 45 Member
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    Here's my latest photo collage (if it works. I don't think it will, but I'm gunna try!)

    [img]*http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a591/zanyzana66/MyPhotoWall_zps329c8e0a.jpg*[/img]

    I can't do it! I've edited 6 million times but can't get it to work. Dammit. Maybe somebody clever can tell me what to do.

    Here's the address, if you can tell me what to do, I'll do it!

    http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a591/zanyzana66/MyPhotoWall_zps329c8e0a.jpg

    I can't help with the picture posting, but i wanted to say you look fab!! You can really see how things are tightening up all around!!
  • jogirlruns
    jogirlruns Posts: 45 Member
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    Nice work Megan - so excited for you and your transformation!!!

    Joanne
  • Rays_Wife
    Rays_Wife Posts: 1,173 Member
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    You ladies ROCK. I can't wait to post some progress pics in here!!
  • hilaryhill
    hilaryhill Posts: 156 Member
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    12dc4a19-da7b-42f5-858e-0ad4d171987f_zps202275cd.jpg

    This is a "before" pic and "during" pic, haha. The first pic was taken June 2013 and the during was taken a couple days ago. Ive been dieting (though it doesnt feel like it, I eat 2200-3000 calories a day... but Im also breastfeeding) and I do cardio 3x a week for fun. I do SL 2-3x a week right after. So Im only at the gym 2-3x a week, not too shabby!

    I just cant believe how much my posture has improved and how much my stomach has been "pulled in." You cant tell with these pics but my arms also have a lot more definition. Ive had 3 babies in 4 yrs, just had my youngest in December so hes only 8 mos and I gained a lot of weight with him. My goal weight is 155 because that's what I was when I got married :) but I dunno, Ill just see how this weight lifting goes. I love it!

    Cant wait to post an "after" picture. I hope to lose all my weight/fat by my baby's first birthday in December! I think I can do it. :)
  • zanyzana
    zanyzana Posts: 248 Member
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    Wow, Hilary, you look fantastic. Your tummy has disappeared! And you really do have such better posture. You're really doing well with this. Inspiring!
  • megalin9
    megalin9 Posts: 771 Member
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    @Hilary, the difference in your stomach is incredible!
  • zanyzana
    zanyzana Posts: 248 Member
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    It's the 1st of September and the 1st day of spring. I've worn shorts to the beach when walking the dog today, waded calf-deep in the water, and it's been mighty fine. It's time to move the winter pudge, though, so here's a couple of snaps of what I look like in today's shorts. By summer (1st December), these shorts will have no muffin top spilling over the top of them, and plenty of room between the fabric and the thighs! It's going to happen...

    IMG_0312_zps469e1827.jpg
    IMG_0313_zps03fac494.jpg

    Let's see if these pics work... I'm not good at this business!!
  • zanyzana
    zanyzana Posts: 248 Member
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    Wow, that worked! They're huge, but that's better than not working at all. I wonder if I can make the other pic work, the one I tried to post last time?

    76400b4f-0a20-47e1-95f0-f84ef5f729a7_zps756aeb45.jpg

    Oh cool! It worked. I don't know what I did wrong last time! Anyways, this shows the difference between June and August (I think!). I'm being buff in these pics, but in the shorts ones, I'm letting it all hang out!
  • lwoodroff
    lwoodroff Posts: 1,431 Member
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    Good job zz! You'll be posting svelte summer pics in no time!
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
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    This motivates me to take pictures! Been sick for a few weeks, so maybe at the end of this month, after I get back to lifting!
  • mamdore
    mamdore Posts: 14 Member
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    hey, you look great! muscles look good on you! :drinker:
  • mimi337
    mimi337 Posts: 107 Member
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    Congrats Zanyzana!! I'm so proud of you. Great job!
  • linski24
    linski24 Posts: 155 Member
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    Hi all ...
    You've all done so well ... The pics are amazing ..!!
    I'm suffering insomnia so I thought I'd post my pic ...
    The picture on the left is before and the right is after ... It's taking me longer to recomp ... Been at weight lifting since January ... And my weights aren't huge and increasingly weights takes along time for some reason ... But I love it ..!!! And actually look forward to it :-)
    I'm going to keep going and I will be ripped ..!!

    Oh I can't post pic .. :-(
    I don't know how .... Any clues anyone ..???? Pretty please .?
    Xxxx
  • zanyzana
    zanyzana Posts: 248 Member
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    Hi all ...
    You've all done so well ... The pics are amazing ..!!
    I'm suffering insomnia so I thought I'd post my pic ...
    The picture on the left is before and the right is after ... It's taking me longer to recomp ... Been at weight lifting since January ... And my weights aren't huge and increasingly weights takes along time for some reason ... But I love it ..!!! And actually look forward to it :-)
    I'm going to keep going and I will be ripped ..!!

    Oh I can't post pic .. :-(
    I don't know how .... Any clues anyone ..???? Pretty please .?
    Xxxx

    I followed the instructions on how to post pics from the stickie at the top of the "Success Stories" thread. It was well explained. I had to create a Photobucket account, but it's free and worked, so worth the effort!
  • inkysmurf
    inkysmurf Posts: 168
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    Just jumping to say - you all look amazing - I love how motivating these are!

    Muscles jumping out ahoy xx

    (zany - love your phone case!!)

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