Muscles that are NOT wanted :-( Don't want to be ripped

Charlea1981
Charlea1981 Posts: 72 Member
edited September 25 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys

I have noticed I am gaining a lot of muscle especially on my arms and shoulders, I really don’t like this, it makes me feel masculine.

I don’t want to look hench, I don’t do any weight lifting this is purely from Turbo Jam, Fire, Gym-Cardio and Gillian Michaels Shred and Boost metabolism.

How can I prevent this muscle look, or cant I? I want to tone up but I don’t particularly want to be ripped?

Thank you

Replies

  • TeamLeela
    TeamLeela Posts: 3,302
    I'm interested in the answer to this too. I used to have very broad shoulders like a linebacker, and now they are more slender, but they are starting to get muscular and I just want to look sheek not bulky. Maybe we should use lighter weights or do less reps. I have been strength training a lot more lately, so maybe I will just cut back my time or cut out some days.
    Any advise would be appreciated.
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    You won't get very bulked unless you have a TON of testosterone in your system. But being toned = having a "muscular look" You arent going to look like a body builder, but you will have muscle tone, hence "toned"
  • jsmjboertlein
    jsmjboertlein Posts: 267
    I'm interested in the answer to this too. I used to have very broad shoulders like a linebacker, and now they are more slender, but they are starting to get muscular and I just want to look sheek not bulky. Maybe we should use lighter weights or do less reps. I have been strength training a lot more lately, so maybe I will just cut back my time or cut out some days.
    Any advise would be appreciated.

    I'm in your shoes. If I gain an ounce of muscle I look like a tranny cause of my broad shoulders and straight tall frame
  • TeamLeela
    TeamLeela Posts: 3,302
    You won't get very bulked unless you have a TON of testosterone in your system. But being toned = having a "muscular look" You arent going to look like a body builder, but you will have muscle tone, hence "toned"


    Well I have been on mirena since October and I know it has a small dose of hormones. I don't know if its enough to make me bulk up.
  • Newmammaluv
    Newmammaluv Posts: 379 Member
    I've been told I wont "bulk up" either but the people who say that don't live with me or my body and probably don't even understand my aesthetics. Don't listen to those people. I have this issue in my legs, not my upper body but I know how you feel!!

    P.S. I don't know how to change this. It might just come with the territory of losing weight for your personal body. Something you will have to live with. It sucks to hate being fat and want this spectacular body only to find out what you WANTED isn't what you are going to GET even after all your hard work.
  • Hillary1234
    Hillary1234 Posts: 17
    muscle is good! it gives you the toned body! just losing weight wont give you the nice toned look!
  • hotpickles
    hotpickles Posts: 639 Member
    You won't get very bulked unless you have a TON of testosterone in your system. But being toned = having a "muscular look" You arent going to look like a body builder, but you will have muscle tone, hence "toned"

    Everyone will have bodies that respond differently to weight lifting. Some ladies will build "bulkier" muscles in areas they don't want. My quad and calf muscles are huge, while my arms are puny lol.

    I think it just all boils down to what an individual prefers. There's ladies who like the larger muscle look, and others who don't. It's just a matter of personal preference, so what might appear to be bulky to one person may not be to another.
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    Ok fine - it looks bulky to you, stop working out or at least stop doing such intense workouts. But then you don't want to be toned, you want to be thin. Those are different. Thin doesn't require much exercise- and certainly not JM type workouts.
  • TeamLeela
    TeamLeela Posts: 3,302
    muscle is good! it gives you the toned body! just losing weight wont give you the nice toned look!

    muscle is also good because it burns more calories at rest than fat. I am embracing my muscles, esp in my legs, but I just dont want to have big arms.
  • Charlea1981
    Charlea1981 Posts: 72 Member
    Thanks everyone, glad some of you share my concerns, I dont want to be skinny, or thin, I do want to be slim and toned, ideally with my breast and bum still the same size. But unfortunately I appear to be losing weight in these regions lol
  • ChelseaRW
    ChelseaRW Posts: 366 Member
    Muscles are a good thing when it comes to overall calorie burn...and doing those videos will definitely cause them to be more "cut" not necessarily big. My only suggestion would be to throw in a rotation of yoga and pilates as the instructors seem to say that the moves "lengthen and stretch the muscles" for that lean dancer look.
  • jessrdh819
    jessrdh819 Posts: 16
    i was looking at your pics and i think you look great. i wouldn't be concerned if i were you...but everyone has their own opinion ;)
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    You seem to have clearly set goals, and this is good.

    For now, the simple solution would be to keep doing what you are doing but with less weight. Or maybe even no weights. You could also switch to jogging, biking or something like that.

    Do a Google search for 'body sculpting' workouts. There is a huge difference between body building and sculpting.
  • biggiwig
    biggiwig Posts: 76
    I heard, Pilates trains the underlying muscles, that don 't show so much, just tone. Maybe that's something for you.
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
    As you lose weight your muscles become more defined. It's cos they aren't covered by fat anymoe!! :bigsmile: You probably always had those muscles lurking under there!! As people have said, its very hard for ladies to build muscle if they're not particularly body building, and even harder when calories are in deficit.

    It's your body hun, get to like it for its never going to be perfect! No point in wishing for bigger boobs or smaller bum or less muscle here or more muscle there! You're built that way you are built! Lose the fat, that's the unhealthy bit. The rest is unique and wonderful and makes you who you are! :flowerforyou:
  • glfprncs2
    glfprncs2 Posts: 625 Member
    From my own experience (as a 5'9" woman who has always been of a bigger frame), I always got quite scared whenever I strength trained because I thought I looked bulky and 'mannish.' Over the past two years, though, I have committed to strength training 3 days each week, and I'm lifting to fail. In the first 6-9 months, yep, I thought I looked bulky, but I kept trying to eat as clean as possible and I kept lifting heavy. In time, I was able to lower my body fat percentage enough that I'm finally looking lean and toned rather than big and bulky (and yes, my lean muscle mass is a lot more than a year ago, but man they look good). The key, IMO, is to keep working long enough that your body has a chance to lower your body fat enough that the muscles are pushing the extra layer of fat (regardless of whether it's a thin or thick layer) out to make you look bulkier.

    Don't know if that makes sense or not, but one of my favorite quotes is, "Muscle doesn't make you look bulky. Fat makes you look bulky."
  • kasmir8199
    kasmir8199 Posts: 507 Member
    Thanks for starting this thread, as I've learned quite a bit from it. I'm kinda in the same boat. I do Turbo Jam, TurboFire, and JM's Ripped in 30. I also meet with a trainer multiple times a week for weight lifting. I'm starting to notice some bulk, but I know once the fat burns down even more, I'll look more lean than masculine. For me, it's about being patient, because I've been on this journey once before and know the stages my body goes through during weight loss, etc.

    One thing you could do if you really want a lean, non-toned look, is up your cardio. Lots of cardio burns both fat AND muscle tissue. It's non-discriminating...just needs lot of fuel! :o)
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