HALP! Heavy Lifting Made Me SUPAH Bulky!!!

danasings

In for more photos of gorgeous ladies who lift heavy :flowerforyou:

Can't wait to post my pics someday

ME, TOOOOOOOOO

mrsmustgetmuscles1

DAT BACK!!! Inspirational!!!

*nods*

I didnt get back to this thread to thank you all for the nice comments. Glad that it rolled. All you ladies are so inspiring.

amyhoss

Now this should work!!!

PHOTO BOMB ALERT! Not wanting to be a total attention *kitten* so please excuse all the pics but I think they tell a story pretty well. I posted in the first part with a before/during picture...but I had a little more time on my hands this morning. Again, I want to reiterate - I didn't follow a huge caloric deficit during this period, I started too (eating around 1500-1600) but quickly fell off track (lifting makes me hangry!). Since December I've pretty much averaged maintenance calories or maybe even higher (~2000-2200+) as I've been battling depression and funky meds. So my progress is slower than others but I want my point to be that heavy lifting has allowed me to maintain my weight while still working on body recomposition (and eating junk food, nomz!). I would have lost more fat had I ate less.
Also note - I do not do cardio unless walking my dog for .5 - one mile at a leisurely pace counts, haha!

Before starting a heavy lifting program I weighed 175 and was pretty flabby. I'd also like to mention I was 220 lbs when I first started losing weight and I lost that weight through deficit and walking. Once I got to 180# I started more intense cardio.I had been doing Jillian Michaels 30 DS and Chalean Extreme during these photos (I started with New Rules of Lifting for Women in March 2013):

You are awesome. I just started NROLFW this past Sunday. Did you lift 3 days a week like the program suggests? Being a reformed cardio junkie, I feel like lifting 3 days a week for 30 minutes is not much workout for the week.

toomuchbootyindapants

First of all - thank you SO much for the nice comments. You have no idea how much they mean to me as I've been in a bad place the past few months and I'm looking for all the positive I can right now! So thank you, thank you!!!

You are awesome. I just started NROLFW this past Sunday. Did you lift 3 days a week like the program suggests? Being a reformed cardio junkie, I feel like lifting 3 days a week for 30 minutes is not much workout for the week.

When I did NROL4W - I did follow the program. In the beginning the workouts were pretty short - I recall them taking about 25 mins. I thought to myself that was strange as well but I did it anyway. I will say that these workouts eventually get longer...some were starting to take me up to an hour to complete with all the rests and such. As the weight gets heavier, you need longer to recover in between sets so the workouts take a bit longer. I abandoned ship in stage 5 though...I was sooo over it. I then did Starting Strength - which I *highly* recommend to anyone looking to start lifting. Awesome program and really helps you build strength fairly quickly!! My body changed the most while I was doing SS!!

usmcmp

Shamelessly reposting my pictures. If you look bulky it's the fat, not the muscle.

12 weeks of pure heavy lifting and TDEE-20%:

First all natural bodybuilding competition (second place):

Laurayinz

extraordinary_machine

I'm too lazy to post pics, but my MFP blog has pics in it. I found a few pics from last June--I weighed about 140ish, then compare them to the pics from this past March--still about 140.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/extraordinary_machine

I eat around 1800-2000 cals day, little cardio (if any.) Any and all changes were from lifting and yoga, so to say that Lea, or anyone else, for that matter, could have made that change through just cardio...PU I call BS.

parias1126

You ladies are beautiful! This post has inspired me to start lifting again. Thank you!!

ASaxe23

LOVE THIS THREAD!! I plan on starting a heavy lifting program myself! Question ladies should I get down to close to my goal weight and then start lifting or just start lifting heavy now? I had planned on trying to lose another 20lb before I started lifting heavy but who knows! Also any recommendations on heavy lifting plans? Looking up 5/3/1 and I've also heard of new rules for weight lifting...bring it on ladies !

juliemouse83

Bumping again because, AGAIN, I am stuck at the office and can't see the amazing pictures that you all are posting!!!!

toomuchbootyindapants

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/978665-yes-i-think-you-re-bulky-congrats-anyway

No, I haven't "missed the point." I have a different opinion. Rather than fill your thread with more drama, I started my own for people who aren't on the NROLFW bandwagon.

So congratulations to you for reaching your personal goals. I am happy for your success, and wish you the best of luck in maintaining your ideal body.

Now I'm off to do some fun cardio and work toward my own.

How's that cardio working for ya?

toomuchbootyindapants

LOVE THIS THREAD!! I plan on starting a heavy lifting program myself! Question ladies should I get down to close to my goal weight and then start lifting or just start lifting heavy now? I had planned on trying to lose another 20lb before I started lifting heavy but who knows! Also any recommendations on heavy lifting plans? Looking up 5/3/1 and I've also heard of new rules for weight lifting...bring it on ladies !

I'm still about 20 lbs away from goal weight to be honest. I've been lifting since I was 20 lbs heavier. START NOW!

Also - google Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength - best beginner program I've seen!

BurtHuttz

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/978665-yes-i-think-you-re-bulky-congrats-anyway

No, I haven't "missed the point." I have a different opinion. Rather than fill your thread with more drama, I started my own for people who aren't on the NROLFW bandwagon.

So congratulations to you for reaching your personal goals. I am happy for your success, and wish you the best of luck in maintaining your ideal body.

Now I'm off to do some fun cardio and work toward my own.

Cheers for pursuing your objectives! Cheers for congratulating others on obtaining theirs!! :-) Personally I love cardio AND lifting, and the results I get from each. Just my preference :flowerforyou:

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

Here is me about mid-way into losing weight. I was still very fluffy but willing to put on a bikini. I think I was somewhere close to 160, size 12.



Then, same swimsuit and 125 pounds and a size 6-8, lost weight dieting and doing only cardio. My bf% was in the mid-30s.



March, 2013, 129 pounds (4 pounds heavier than the photo above) and a size 4. My bf dropped to the low 20s, right around 22% here.



Now, late April 2013, 126 pounds, size 2-4, and bf% right around 19%.



And these last 2 were taken within a day of each other. The first one is flexing and trying to look all bulky (HA!) and the second is what I look like when I'm not flexing.





I'm 40 years old and I've had kids. My body looks better now than it has looked since I was a teen. I wasn't at all kind to my body in my 20s and 30s, but it bounced back with heavy lifting.

mustgetmuscles1

DAT BACK!!! Inspirational!!!

*nods*

I didnt get back to this thread to thank you all for the nice comments. Glad that it rolled. All you ladies are so inspiring.

Sup sexy. : )

caseythirteen

I deleted the real "before" picture I had a while ago before I really started making progress and I'm of course annoyed about that now. But here are some comparisons. I lift 3x a week and do some cardio but not a ton.

Before:




After:

Mainebikerchick

Here is me about mid-way into losing weight. I was still very fluffy but willing to put on a bikini. I think I was somewhere close to 160, size 12.



Then, same swimsuit and 125 pounds and a size 6-8, lost weight dieting and doing only cardio. My bf% was in the mid-30s.



March, 2013, 129 pounds (4 pounds heavier than the photo above) and a size 4. My bf dropped to the low 20s, right around 22% here.



Now, late April 2013, 126 pounds, size 2-4, and bf% right around 19%.



And these last 2 were taken within a day of each other. The first one is flexing and trying to look all bulky (HA!) and the second is what I look like when I'm not flexing.





I'm 40 years old and I've had kids. My body looks better now than it has looked since I was a teen. I wasn't at all kind to my body in my 20s and 30s, but it bounced back with heavy lifting.

You look AMAZING!!!! I hope I look that good when I'm 40, you give me something to strive towards!!! :flowerforyou:

BurtHuttz

I'm 40 years old and I've had kids. My body looks better now than it has looked since I was a teen. I wasn't at all kind to my body in my 20s and 30s, but it bounced back with heavy lifting.

You look marvelous and are inspirational, and . . . not remotely bulky despite resistance training.

darwinforyou

I love lifting and what is has done for me! I've lost tons of inches, specifically from around my waist and cardio would NOT do that..... I've lost sizes in clothing - and I'm not even to my goal yet. I'll get there - but I love how I'm getting there. More women need to lift and this thread is awesome to show that women look awesome when they do!

weloveourboys

You all look amazing!

3dogsrunning

I debated sharing these (I've posted before) because my after pics were at competition so I didn't want to get into the whole "bulky" thing. I've spent forever looking for another after picture to show that isn't how I look all the time. I wish I had taken pics to show at different body fat levels.



The best after pic I could find at a higher body fat.

BurtHuttz

GASP! You look so amazing.

I think people have a hard time seeing through the tan and the pump. Even at the competition you do not look bulky. I'll bet two weeks after that competition you looked soft and feminine and people wouldn't even know you lifted unless you were wearing extremely tight clothes and flexing.

DontStopB_Leakin

Here is me about mid-way into losing weight. I was still very fluffy but willing to put on a bikini. I think I was somewhere close to 160, size 12.



Then, same swimsuit and 125 pounds and a size 6-8, lost weight dieting and doing only cardio. My bf% was in the mid-30s.



March, 2013, 129 pounds (4 pounds heavier than the photo above) and a size 4. My bf dropped to the low 20s, right around 22% here.



Now, late April 2013, 126 pounds, size 2-4, and bf% right around 19%.



And these last 2 were taken within a day of each other. The first one is flexing and trying to look all bulky (HA!) and the second is what I look like when I'm not flexing.





I'm 40 years old and I've had kids. My body looks better now than it has looked since I was a teen. I wasn't at all kind to my body in my 20s and 30s, but it bounced back with heavy lifting.

You look effing amazing. Seriously...I'm totally swooning over here.

DontStopB_Leakin

I debated sharing these (I've posted before) because my after pics were at competition so I didn't want to get into the whole "bulky" thing. I've spent forever looking for another after picture to show that isn't how I look all the time. I wish I had taken pics to show at different body fat levels.



The best after pic I could find at a higher body fat.

WHY DIDN'T YOU SHARE SOONER?!


Holy effing mother of GOD you look AMAZING!

alsunrise

I debated sharing these (I've posted before) because my after pics were at competition so I didn't want to get into the whole "bulky" thing. I've spent forever looking for another after picture to show that isn't how I look all the time. I wish I had taken pics to show at different body fat levels.



The best after pic I could find at a higher body fat.

Your legs are AMAZING!!!

_chiaroscuro

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/978665-yes-i-think-you-re-bulky-congrats-anyway

No, I haven't "missed the point." I have a different opinion. Rather than fill your thread with more drama, I started my own for people who aren't on the NROLFW bandwagon.

So congratulations to you for reaching your personal goals. I am happy for your success, and wish you the best of luck in maintaining your ideal body.

Now I'm off to do some fun cardio and work toward my own.

Omg seriously there is no getting away from you! You don't like it! We know! Nobody cares!

Elzecat

bumping even though I don't know how to post photos and don't really have good pictures to post yet anyway, but I like seeing all of your awesome results!

I need a more positive thread than the other one I just read (the anti-bulky ladies thread. ugh.)

ZoeLifts

I debated sharing these (I've posted before) because my after pics were at competition so I didn't want to get into the whole "bulky" thing. I've spent forever looking for another after picture to show that isn't how I look all the time. I wish I had taken pics to show at different body fat levels.



The best after pic I could find at a higher body fat.

WOW!! I have never seen these before! You look amazing!

Barbellerella

Love all these beautiful strong women..

Oh and BTW, chicks who dead lift are AWESOME!!:drinker:

thecanface

YAYYY!! for being bulky!! i love it. and i love this thread. and i love lifting weights.