From a size 20 to a size 8 with strength training, in one year! PICS!

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Replies

  • lily1972
    lily1972 Posts: 375 Member
    Thank you so much for sharing your amazing transformation! And I'm thrilled for you that your husband decided to improve his health and lifestyle too! Your children are very fortunate to have such positive role models :) Your story is an obvious reminder that I should re-incorporate weight lifting to my weekly routine (I have two 90-mins kick boxing workouts per week which I love and need)... I want to develop hamstrings and glutes like yours! (Wowza!) I really needed this motivational shove!
  • dimeda78
    dimeda78 Posts: 44 Member
    Congratulations!!! I have been on week 9 of a 12 week strength training program and I am seeing similar results. You have inspired me to not give up. I like what you said about form. Lately I have been focusing more on form than increasing weights and I do notice a difference. My body even responds better.
  • GenElizabeth
    GenElizabeth Posts: 291 Member
    That's awesome, ladies! :blush:

    Proper form and really focusing on the muscles you are working at that moment are so important. I've been really concentrating on muscle/mind connection over the past few months and I feel like it's really helping.

    When I focus during my work outs, I can now feel the muscles waking up and working. Before I felt most of it in my quads and just an overall "warm" sensation everywhere, but now I am able zero in on the glutes and other areas when I need to.

    The glutes are very dense muscles and tend to be a bit stubborn so when we sit on out behinds all day, we are basically ironing them flat!! :open_mouth: Have to work them everyday. For me, not lifting overly heavy allows me to do just that. :wink:
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    edited May 2015
    GenElizabeth wrote: »
    That's awesome, ladies! :blush:

    Proper form and really focusing on the muscles you are working at that moment are so important. I've been really concentrating on muscle/mind connection over the past few months and I feel like it's really helping.

    When I focus during my work outs, I can now feel the muscles waking up and working. Before I felt most of it in my quads and just an overall "warm" sensation everywhere, but now I am able zero in on the glutes and other areas when I need to.

    The glutes are very dense muscles and tend to be a bit stubborn so when we sit on out behinds all day, we are basically ironing them flat!! :open_mouth: Have to work them everyday. For me, not lifting overly heavy allows me to do just that. :wink:

    This may be a stupid question but...what do you mean when you say "focusing on the muscles you are working at the moment & focusing during your workout" I know what focus means of course, but somehow I'm wondering what you mean/do to "focus".


    ETA: Because when I'm working out...honestly, what I'm mainly (desperately) "focusing" on (a super thinking about) is dreading just about every second of my exercising and the pain I feel while exercising and getting done with the exercising and I know I've got to change that.

  • terizius
    terizius Posts: 425 Member
    NewLIFEstyle - what Gen is describing is called the "mind-muscle" connection. As you are reading this right now, think about and tighten your stomach muscles. Really focus on making them tight. You'll do the same thing when you are working out if you want to emphasize a muscle or muscle group during your compound exercises. When doing squats, your glutes, hamstrings and quads do the majority of the work. But, you can emphasize one over the other by focusing an contracting and using that muscle, like you just did with your abs. (studies show that this is high effective for increasing the number of muscle fibers recruited) Hope that explanation helps!
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    edited May 2015
    terizius wrote: »
    NewLIFEstyle - what Gen is describing is called the "mind-muscle" connection. As you are reading this right now, think about and tighten your stomach muscles. Really focus on making them tight. You'll do the same thing when you are working out if you want to emphasize a muscle or muscle group during your compound exercises. When doing squats, your glutes, hamstrings and quads do the majority of the work. But, you can emphasize one over the other by focusing an contracting and using that muscle, like you just did with your abs. (studies show that this is high effective for increasing the number of muscle fibers recruited) Hope that explanation helps!

    Helps? It's a HUGE blessing and a super "light-bulb" moment. This is going to (and IS) helping me tremendously already (as I'm tucking my tummy in as I type and thinking about it/my ab muscles too, while I'm typing).

    w <3 w THANK YOU EVER SO VERY MUCH!!!!!!! B)

  • terizius
    terizius Posts: 425 Member
    haha, its rare that my lengthy and somewhat scientific explanations are so enthusiastically received. My pleasure :)
  • sweettea925
    sweettea925 Posts: 10 Member
    Thank you so much for posting this. We both started at the same weight and we are the same height. I have been really discouraged lately. I began the weight loss journey in October following my neck surgery and while I have made some really good progress, I am stalled at a plateau and no matter how much I change up I am not seeing much movement in the direction I want to go. Your post has given me light at the end of the tunnel!!

    Thank you!!!! <3
  • meryl135
    meryl135 Posts: 321 Member
    Fantastic physique!
  • laureenrs
    laureenrs Posts: 9 Member
    Mother's Day Inspiration, thanks for sharing amazing! Super accomplishment :)
  • Foursthemagicnumber
    Foursthemagicnumber Posts: 32 Member
    I would love to do this
    I am only 132lb and uksize12 and im stuggling with how to get started
    I own some weights and a kettlebell
    If i ciuld change butt n stomach ill b happy !!!
  • playadelcarmen2
    playadelcarmen2 Posts: 38 Member
    Absolutely fantastic!! What a great job you and your husband have done! Congrats
  • GenElizabeth
    GenElizabeth Posts: 291 Member
    Thank you all so much!! Happy Mother's Day everyone! :blush:
  • GenElizabeth
    GenElizabeth Posts: 291 Member
    Foursthemagicnumber wrote: »
    I would love to do this
    I am only 132lb and uksize12 and im stuggling with how to get started
    I own some weights and a kettlebell
    If i ciuld change butt n stomach ill b happy !!!

    Just start by picking them up and setting them back down!! :wink:

    Lifting weights should NEVER hurt so if it ever does, double check your form and be sure you always stretch. You can do it!!
  • JillianRN527
    JillianRN527 Posts: 109 Member
    You're an inspiration! My goal is to go from an 18 to a comfortable 12. You're amazing! Keep up the good work!
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    Damn girllllllll!!!!
  • ktdid626
    ktdid626 Posts: 185 Member
    Wow! Thanks for the inspiration!
  • snowyne
    snowyne Posts: 268 Member
    Great work! What an inspiration! :)
  • snowyne
    snowyne Posts: 268 Member
    Great work! What an inspiration! :)
  • GenElizabeth
    GenElizabeth Posts: 291 Member
    Thank you ladies, appreciate it. :blush:
  • smkondy
    smkondy Posts: 583 Member
    You look so good & healthy!! Congrats on your tremendous success in a year-that's truly amazing
  • smkondy
    smkondy Posts: 583 Member
    Can you share with us about how many calories per day you started with and where you are at now?
    Appreciate you sharing your story--very inspiring!! :)
  • oedipa_maas
    oedipa_maas Posts: 577 Member
    GenElizabeth wrote: »
    Here is the revised, more detailed version of my story, if you guys want to read it! I hope you find encouragement from it, and the motivation to either start living your dreams or to continue pushing towards them!

    If I didn't answer a question that someone might still have, please ask me and I'll respond as best as I can to help. :blush:

    Thanks to Terry for all the work invested on the site, I love it!

    http://www.realbodiesrealresults.com/blog/gen-revisited-a-detailed-review-of-her-weight-loss

    Thank you so much for sharing. That site is wonderful, and you are a true inspiration!
  • jdb281
    jdb281 Posts: 7 Member
    Congratulations on your transformation! I also love weight lifting because I notice results way faster than doing cardio...and lifting is just fun! Keep up the great work...hard work definitely pays off in big ways!
  • katya_be
    katya_be Posts: 227 Member
    You look amazing! And you did the workouts from home which proves that you can't make excuses!
  • GenElizabeth
    GenElizabeth Posts: 291 Member
    smkondy wrote: »
    Can you share with us about how many calories per day you started with and where you are at now?
    Appreciate you sharing your story--very inspiring!! :)

    Thank you! From Jan - Dec of 2014, I was eating 1200-1300 (that gave me a 500 cal/day deficit). I am currently eating 1300-1400 calories/day with a reefed day once a week or so (a high calorie/high carb day, of all healthy foods) and I'm still 5'3"... Height matters! The shorter/smaller the machine - the less gas required. It's important to reevaluate your calorie needs every 10lbs lost also. :wink:

    Thank you all so much for the kind words, it's very motivating to me back. :blush:
  • GenElizabeth
    GenElizabeth Posts: 291 Member
    edited May 2015
    Jesslosingweight wrote: »
    Congrats! What an inspiration...I am just starting my journey this week and hope to lose about 60 pounds, what types of weight exercises do you do most often? thank you for sharing your transformation!

    Here is another, different example. Just finished this routine this morning, took about 45 mins. They are all great exercises and some of them can be done with no added weight, if you are just starting out. :smile:

    *Squats 4x10 @ 0, 14, 25 & 32lbs

    *Step Ups 1x15 (21 inch step, bodyweight), each side

    *Step Ups 4x10 (11 inch step) @ 32lbs, each side.

    *One Legged Deadlift 3x10 @ 30lbs, each side

    *Curtsy Lunge 3x10 (bodyweight), each side

    *Over Head Press 3x10 @ 30lbs

    *Clean & Press 1x10 @ 32lbs

    *Shoulder Pull Ups 3x10 @ 25lbs

    *Over Head Tricep Extensions 3x10 @ 5lbs, each side
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    GenElizabeth wrote: »
    Jesslosingweight wrote: »
    Congrats! What an inspiration...I am just starting my journey this week and hope to lose about 60 pounds, what types of weight exercises do you do most often? thank you for sharing your transformation!

    Here is another, different example. Just finished this routine this morning, took about 45 mins. They are all great exercises and some of them can be done with no added weight, if you are just starting out. :smile:

    *Squats 4x10 @ 0, 14, 25 & 32lbs

    *Step Ups 1x15 (21 inch step, bodyweight), each side

    *Step Ups 4x10 (11 inch step) @ 32lbs, each side.

    *One Legged Deadlift 3x10 @ 30lbs, each side

    *Curtsy Lunge 3x10 (bodyweight), each side

    *Over Head Press 3x10 @ 30lbs

    *Clean & Press 1x10 @ 32lbs

    *Shoulder Pull Ups 3x10 @ 25lbs

    *Over Head Tricep Extensions 3x10 @ 5lbs, each side


    BOOM! See, if I was tempted to think you got that body by awishing and ahoping--nope! That's some kicking tail and taking names workout there--thanks for sharing.

  • efrensgirl2015
    efrensgirl2015 Posts: 480 Member
    Hottie alert!
  • rebeccaEsmith
    rebeccaEsmith Posts: 1,136 Member
    Great job

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