Lost weight, looking great with clothes on...bikini, not so much!

afcgirl wrote: »

arditarose wrote: »

Because looking like a body builder/getting bulky is easy...right.

Yes, eat at maintenance. Lift or do a body weight program.

afcgirl wrote: »

jennifershoo wrote: »

You need to lift heavy weights. Don't worry about looking like a bodybuilder, that will never happen.

I keep seeing this repeated but how do you explain the women I see in real life at the gym or in internet photos who look more muscular than I want to look (and are clearly not on steroids)? I am not saying you are wrong, I am truly curious. Perhaps we all have different ideas of what a bodybuilder looks like?

You have no idea what those women are doing. They could be eating in a surplus and have been bulking all winter, getting ready to cut. Or they love the way their bodies look and feel and work HARD to get the look they desire. You don't get that way from simply lifting weights and eating maintenance.

Where did I say it was easy? We all work hard at fitness, whether it is a barre class, ballet, running or heavy lifting. And I assume they do want to look that way, it is just not my aesthetic. And that is exactly, my point, I don't know what they are doing, so I was looking for an explanation. I was just hoping it would be more polite. Oh well live and learn not to ask questions on these forums.

Well, I did not mean to be rude. I just get tired of hearing women say they don't want to get bulky. The truth is, unless you really really want to gain that muscle, you won't. But you can get a little and work on your body composition.

Do you think you are going to try from home, with body weight or join a gym? The beginner's bodyweight program on www.nerdfitness.com is often recommended.

afcgirl wrote: »

jennifershoo wrote: »

You need to lift heavy weights. Don't worry about looking like a bodybuilder, that will never happen.

I keep seeing this repeated but how do you explain the women I see in real life at the gym or in internet photos who look more muscular than I want to look (and are clearly not on steroids)? I am not saying you are wrong, I am truly curious. Perhaps we all have different ideas of what a bodybuilder looks like?

You're not the OP so it doesn't matter as far as this discussion goes.

This is what heavy lifting does...note my profile pic do I look bulky? do I look too muscular? as well as this thread
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1096001-halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky?page=13#posts-19366042

mom2ava07 wrote: »

I think I should clarify my statement regarding was running and not toning so I quit.

I didn't quit just because of that and truly MISS running. I am am accountant who was pulling 60 hour min work weeks and with 2 young children. Total excuse I know that. However, when you have that much going on, and it's not giving the results you want it's easy to stop, step back and say I need to re figure out my long term plan. It's May, tax season is over, and I'm using the time to find a plan that I can fit in my schedule. Give me the results I want, make me healthier, and make it a lifestyle change :-)

Big congrats on losing the 40 lbs. Now just find out how to keep them off. Lost pounds always seem to find someway back home.

This is using dumbells and most women will see results from this type program that can be done in your home.
A set of dumbells is cheap, handy and you can even use them while watching tv, etc.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/902569 using dumbells only no bar.

Look, if you don't want to bulk up, what you can do is lift to tone (build up the muscle under the fat), until you see the changes in shape you want, and then just maintain that (i.e. keep lifting but stop adding weight or reps). It's so hard for women to add muscle that I doubt you'll get to the point of needing to stop progressing, but you do have that control.

The muscles that, I would say, when they really pop, look less classically "feminine" are the lats and traps on the upper body, and the inner quad (vastus medialis obliquus, vmo in this pic).

You can just work on your lower body doing exercises that don't ask for too much from those muscles. (You don't want to completely ignore the VMO, though, because you need balanced development for your knees to work properly.)

Strong Curves is one lifting program that is designed to create a classically feminine shape, you could look into that.

I really enjoy 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels, I lost 10 and 1/2 inches my first week with this programs. Easy 27 min workout (actually it's not easy) but is an awesome workout! You can find them on you tube