Female Bulking Advice Needed

sorry, don't know anything about bulking but if you're adding casein at night - ON 100% casein chocolate supreme is amazing with milk, microwaved for hot chocolate

you look amazing btw

I do this every night religiously, but not to bulk. Same flavor, too! Eta: only with water & no microwave, lol.

Yeah, I can't drink that stuff with just milk. It gets wayyy too thick. I use half water half almond milk. It's a good flavor though.

You look great and good luck with your bulk. I just wanted to point out that women who post about their concerns in regard to getting bigger usually don't have your body type. They can be goal weight or even low weight but still look relatively stocky: added muscle in the wrong places would not make them look better.

In your opinion.

Everybody is entitled to work towards their own ideal aesthetic. They may, in their own opinion, look better with added muscle, regardless of their body type.

Curious...

you intending to just bulk or are you intending to to widen the shoulders and back to make your waist look more in proportion ?

You look great and good luck with your bulk. I just wanted to point out that women who post about their concerns in regard to getting bigger usually don't have your body type. They can be goal weight or even low weight but still look relatively stocky: added muscle in the wrong places would not make them look better.

I don't understand what you are saying. Is my body type advantageous or disadvantageous to adding muscle? Are you saying that you agree that I have room to add muscle to my frame?

She is against strength training and muscles.....don't mind her.

You look great and good luck with your bulk. I just wanted to point out that women who post about their concerns in regard to getting bigger usually don't have your body type. They can be goal weight or even low weight but still look relatively stocky: added muscle in the wrong places would not make them look better.

I don't understand what you are saying. Is my body type advantageous or disadvantageous to adding muscle? Are you saying that you agree that I have room to add muscle to my frame?

Some people don't think women who are naturally "pear shaped" or have naturally big legs should add muscles to their lower body. Some people even advice these women to avoid lifting lower body all together even when in a deficit.

I am pear shaped, with naturally big legs. I did a bulk start at higher body fat than normally advised. Due to lack of motivation, I haven't successfully accomplished the "cut" that was supposed to follow. Even though my legs are an inch or so bigger than they were before my bulk I do not regret it. They may be bigger but they look better. Yes, they still have some fat on them but they did before as well, since that's of course where I store my excess fat. But now they have fat AND muscle making them look better. My butt is higher, tighter and rounder. You can see the "lump" of my quads just above the knee, and the line down the side of my thigh. The backs of my thighs are tighter and you can occasionally see some hamstring definition. When I sit in shorts instead of squishing out my thighs hold their shapes, staying rounder.

In to follow progress

ETA: And for tips!

Curious...

you intending to just bulk or are you intending to to widen the shoulders and back to make your waist look more in proportion ?

I actually just started working with a personal trainer who is also a physique competitor two weeks ago. He is going to have me start working more on my back soon. He's added some shoulder/arm work already, the back is the next focus.

Chris, I'm switching to a four day split routine starting next week. The rep range will be in the 6-10 area, somewhere between hypertrophy and strictly strength. I started lifting in late June, so I'm sill pretty new, and still making very nice gains each week.

Sounds perfect...
post a pic when the jobs done at 48 !

You should talk to Sarauk2sf of the EAT, TRAIN, PROGRESS group. She is around your age and currently bulking and cutting with great results. You can find her here:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress

PS You look fantastic. Gives me hope for my own progress.

I'm surprised I haven't posted this link here, yet.


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/940668-ladies-who-have-bulked

In to follow and for all the great info here. I still need to get my body fat down, but this could be in my future.

You look fantastic, OP.

Following because OP, you look incredible! I've been thinking of bulking too but think my bf% is too high (22%) and I've just gotten back to feeling really good about my weight and I don't want to feel "fat" again! Head trip. Anyhow, looking forward to following your progress.

bump

I'd say you are a tad leaner than that barbell girl. Closer to about 18%.

It's always subjective when one thinks they should start a bulk (or a cut) as we hold fat in different areas so 22% on one person could look totally different to 22% on another. For the best nutrient partitioning you should be fairly lean before bulking. I've never seen specific recommendations for females but below 15% is the norm for males so that would correspond to around 25% for females I'd say.

Looking good Haven't read whole thread, but I just finished my first bulk. I aimed for a max of 1/2 pound a week gain since we can't gain muscle very quickly. I prefer to use formulas to work out my protein and fat, and just fill the rest of my calories with carbs, so only my carbs really move up and down, rather than use a straight percentage split.