Don't want to get bulky!

daniproulx
daniproulx Posts: 7
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all, I've been eating healthy for so long that I think I've got it down... but I want to start toning up. I've read that the best way to get the lean toned look that I love - not a 6 pack, but the stomach lines (I sure hope you know what I mean intsead of thinking I sound crazy) - is to lift heavy weights.

Currently, the program I'm looking at doing encourages a month of lifting 4x/week with NO cardio... and then adding cardio afterward to get rid of the fat and reveal the muscles.

My question is: will this work? How can I slim down and tone without bulking up?

Any help is appreciated! :)

Replies

  • tacguy
    tacguy Posts: 196
    You won't bulk up unless you’re taking drugs.
    A program that address all of the four components of fitness would be ideal:
    Muscular strength
    Muscular Endurance
    Cardiovascular
    Mobility/flexibility.

    People always seem to get caught up in “looking good”, instead of being fit. Looking good is a by-product of being fit and it’s much healthier.

    Good luck!!
    Joe
  • shaywallis
    shaywallis Posts: 165 Member
    What is this "bulky" that you speak of? I lift heavy. Its good for the soul :-P
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    First off, that program assumes you are at a surplus of calories? Are you? If the answer is no then you have nothing to worry about as you can not build appreciable muscle at a deficit. If the answer is yes, then you still have nothing to worry about because getting "bulky" takes an incredible amount of dedication...way more than a few hours per week in the weight room, a dialed in body builders diet, good genes. Not to mention, you are female and generally lack the testosterone to "bulk."

    People who actually get "bulky" really work hard to get that way...it doesn't happen accidentally lifting some weights a few nights per week. It is very difficult, even for a guy...if it was as easy as picking up a few dumbbells and lifting a few hours per week, every dude on the planet would be yolked.
  • daniproulx
    daniproulx Posts: 7
    First off, that program assumes you are at a surplus of calories? Are you? If the answer is no then you have nothing to worry about as you can not build appreciable muscle at a deficit. If the answer is yes, then you still have nothing to worry about because getting "bulky" takes an incredible amount of dedication...way more than a few hours per week in the weight room, a dialed in body builders diet, good genes. Not to mention, you are female and generally lack the testosterone to "bulk."

    People who actually get "bulky" really work hard to get that way...it doesn't happen accidentally lifting some weights a few nights per week. It is very difficult, even for a guy...if it was as easy as picking up a few dumbbells and lifting a few hours per week, every dude on the planet would be yolked.

    I guess my main concern isn't that I'm going to somehow transform into a dude - my dad was a body builder for many years and I know the kind of work it takes to get to that point - my worry is that I'm already a bit on the "big boned" side... I am very curvy and even at my lightest weight, not "skinny". My concern is that without doing the cardio for the first month, am I just going to get bigger? I want to lose inches and see muscle tone... I just don't know what the best strategy is to get there.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    You won't bulk up unless you’re taking drugs.
    A program that address all of the four components of fitness would be ideal:
    Muscular strength
    Muscular Endurance
    Cardiovascular
    Mobility/flexibility.

    People always seem to get caught up in “looking good”, instead of being fit. Looking good is a by-product of being fit and it’s much healthier.

    Good luck!!
    Joe

    Pretty much agree. Bulking is a function of weight training volume + EXCESSIVE calories + adequate testosterone level over extended period of time. A basic strength training program couple with good conditioning will give you the best overall results. Oh, and most women don't have the testosterone level required to bulk. Female bodybuilders (not fitness models, although some are) are on steroids and if you know one and they tell you they're not, THEY LYING. LOL
  • Bettyeditor
    Bettyeditor Posts: 327 Member
    Hi all, I've been eating healthy for so long that I think I've got it down... but I want to start toning up. I've read that the best way to get the lean toned look that I love - not a 6 pack, but the stomach lines (I sure hope you know what I mean intsead of thinking I sound crazy) - is to lift heavy weights.

    Currently, the program I'm looking at doing encourages a month of lifting 4x/week with NO cardio... and then adding cardio afterward to get rid of the fat and reveal the muscles.

    My question is: will this work? How can I slim down and tone without bulking up?

    Any help is appreciated! :)

    That silly myth about a woman getting "bulky" from lifting weights just won't die! LOL Most women who start to lift heavy get TINY and go down a couple of dress sizes. They seem to lose the most inches from their waist, but arms also get smaller too.

    The only way to get bulky from weight lifting is to devote your life to weight lifting, eat gallons on protein and supplements every day, get so dedicated that you compete as a body builder, and devote all your waking hours to upping your weights and optomizing your nutrition/calories/protein/carbs for maximum muscle mass and even THEN it will be easy to hide your nice definition under a sweater and skirt. And getting "too bulky" doesn't happen overnight. It takes YEARS and many cycles bulk/cut to get "too bulky" and you will have a million opportunities to scale back on the workout. Building muscles is hard work, you will not suddenly sprout gargantuan bicepts overnight.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I guess my main concern isn't that I'm going to somehow transform into a dude - my dad was a body builder for many years and I know the kind of work it takes to get to that point - my worry is that I'm already a bit on the "big boned" side... I am very curvy and even at my lightest weight, not "skinny". My concern is that without doing the cardio for the first month, am I just going to get bigger? I want to lose inches and see muscle tone... I just don't know what the best strategy is to get there.

    Fat loss, fat gain, and muscle gain are primarily controlled by diet. Don't eat to much and you won't "get bulky" regardless of weather you do cardio or not.

    You might however see some swelling in your muscles, and some water and glycogen retention on the scale. This is temporary. Don't let it freak you out. You might be able to gain a small amount of muscle while on a deficit but it won't be much.

    But if you want to do cardio do it. I'd suggest a program like Stronglifts 5x5. It's 3 days a week. You can easily do cardio 2-3 days a week on your off days.
  • daniproulx
    daniproulx Posts: 7
    Thanks everyone. I appreciate the feedback. Hopefully, I'll have some "after" pictures to share in a few months.

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