Females only - lifting/weight training results?
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Sorry, your profile says Manhattan NY.. But TX is good too lol.
I have bulked while lifting. It's a thing. But not in a deficit
And I didn't look bulky. Just super soft.
Um, had one weirdo on here start to stalk me, so I entered a random zip code. Sorry for the confusion.
Oh I know, my trainer & I have a running joke that I was just "bulking" for 20 years. We did a massive cut at the beginning, but now when we're bulking, I don't see the fat, I see mass gains (also when I hate him the most as my everything ends up sore). We do 90 cut, 45 day bulk now (because I still have a good amount of excess fat to lose). I was joking about when people try to tell me (and probably you), that lifting weights will make women bulky.
You look amazing btw.5 -
VeronicaA76 wrote: »
Um, had one weirdo on here start to stalk me, so I entered a random zip code. Sorry for the confusion.
Oh I know, my trainer & I have a running joke that I was just "bulking" for 20 years. We did a massive cut at the beginning, but now when we're bulking, I don't see the fat, I see mass gains (also when I hate him the most as my everything ends up sore). We do 90 cut, 45 day bulk now (because I still have a good amount of excess fat to lose). I was joking about when people try to tell me (and probably you), that lifting weights will make women bulky.
You look amazing btw.
You see gains in a 45 day bulk as a female? You must have mad genetics.
I also have to question a trainer who 1. runs 45 day bulks and 2. has you bulk at all when you still have a lot of excess fat.3 -
VintageFeline wrote: »
You see gains in a 45 day bulk as a female? You must have mad genetics.
I also have to question a trainer who 1. runs 45 day bulks and 2. has you bulk at all when you still have a lot of excess fat.
My goals include being extremely muscular for a woman. Natural bodybuilder size, so I don't mind the bulking process because we cut a bit more fat than we bulk every time. Looking at old photos of my mom, grandmother's (both), aunt's, and one great grandmother, they were all pretty strong women. Especially my maternal grandmother, at 60, she had a very muscular upper body. So I do have a genetic disposition to build muscle, as long as I actually do the work (some people don't understand that even with a predisposition for something, it's not magic, I still have to work at it). My sister is the only one that was ever little (but that's because she was anorexic - she's recovered now FYI). Even at her smallest though, she still had a wider build.
I put a lot of trust in my trainer, seeing the results (I have actual traps! Biceps, lats, triceps) and am leaner, it's easy for me to just go with the plan. To be honest, during those 45 days, the lifting is brutal!!! I am always sore, at least one part of my body is just sore at any given time. I also end up significantly stronger after those 45 days. The difference in weights from day 1 to day 45 can be quite big.
A lot is about personal goals, I don't want to be "thin" or "skinny" which is very different from most women. I really do want to be massively muscular with a lower body fat percentage. I want to have visible pectoral muscles without flexing.
Everyone is different, this is working for me to get me to where I want to be. It's working, I'm healthier, I'm closer to my goals. So I just stick with it.11 -
VeronicaA76 wrote: »
My goals include being extremely muscular for a woman. Natural bodybuilder size, so I don't mind the bulking process because we cut a bit more fat than we bulk every time. Looking at old photos of my mom, grandmother's (both), aunt's, and one great grandmother, they were all pretty strong women. Especially my maternal grandmother, at 60, she had a very muscular upper body. So I do have a genetic disposition to build muscle, as long as I actually do the work (some people don't understand that even with a predisposition for something, it's not magic, I still have to work at it). My sister is the only one that was ever little (but that's because she was anorexic - she's recovered now FYI). Even at her smallest though, she still had a wider build.
I put a lot of trust in my trainer, seeing the results (I have actual traps! Biceps, lats, triceps) and am leaner, it's easy for me to just go with the plan. To be honest, during those 45 days, the lifting is brutal!!! I am always sore, at least one part of my body is just sore at any given time. I also end up significantly stronger after those 45 days. The difference in weights from day 1 to day 45 can be quite big.
A lot is about personal goals, I don't want to be "thin" or "skinny" which is very different from most women. I really do want to be massively muscular with a lower body fat percentage. I want to have visible pectoral muscles without flexing.
Everyone is different, this is working for me to get me to where I want to be. It's working, I'm healthier, I'm closer to my goals. So I just stick with it.
I'd be really curious to see pictures of your progress. I don't understand bulking while you still have excess fat or how you're able to even bulk effectively in 45 days.
I know you've posted pictures before, but your Photobucket isn't playing nicely with MFP. Just upload them here. It's really hard to visualize how this kind of training program plays out because it's so counter-intuitive.3 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
I'd be really curious to see pictures of your progress. I don't understand bulking while you still have excess fat or how you're able to even bulk effectively in 45 days.
I know you've posted pictures before, but your Photobucket isn't playing nicely with MFP. Just upload them here. It's really hard to visualize how this kind of training program plays out because it's so counter-intuitive.
I don't have a paid photobucket account, so I can't post pictures other than on my home page. I know it's counterintuitive, I had to fight the urge to quit a few times, before seeing actual results (now I just trust him without being concerned about the method, if it works - it works) But, for some reason it's working for me. I haven't figured out how to upload pics to the boards from my phone. I also have a Body Space account. VArmendariz which has a lot more of my progress photos.0 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
I'd be really curious to see pictures of your progress. I don't understand bulking while you still have excess fat or how you're able to even bulk effectively in 45 days.
I know you've posted pictures before, but your Photobucket isn't playing nicely with MFP. Just upload them here. It's really hard to visualize how this kind of training program plays out because it's so counter-intuitive.
Yeah, I'd be curious too. Even the genetically gifted with perfect programming, nutrition maximised, everything very carefully and tightly managed would be very very lucky to gain 1lb of lean mass in a surplus in a month. I can't imagine how that would be visible at all, particularly when adding fat to an already overfat base (not saying that in an insulting way, by your own admission you have excess fat).
And anyone wanting to look like a gifted builder when starting in their 40s is going to have a hard enough time getting visible results never mind when they haven't got lean enough to see what base they're working with. I don't know how you can effectively assess progress and tweak your training.3 -
VintageFeline wrote: »
Yeah, I'd be curious too. Even the genetically gifted with perfect programming, nutrition maximised, everything very carefully and tightly managed would be very very lucky to gain 1lb of lean mass in a surplus in a month. I can't imagine how that would be visible at all, particularly when adding fat to an already overfat base (not saying that in an insulting way, by your own admission you have excess fat).
And anyone wanting to look like a gifted builder when starting in their 40s is going to have a hard enough time getting visible results never mind when they haven't got lean enough to see what base they're working with. I don't know how you can effectively assess progress and tweak your training.
1. Look up "Ernestine Sheppard" to see what starting late can look like. Just WOW!!!! Seriously, she is absolutely inspirational!
2. I haven't figured out how to upload photos on these threads , I don't have a paid photobucket account.
3. I do have some progress pics on my home page, a whole bunch more on my BodySpace account.
4. My trainer is the one that tweaks my workouts, based on my input (amount I lift, how I'm feeling, flexed/unflexed photos and so on). And these are weekly tweaks in response to daily updatea. My legs build a lot quicker than my upper body, but are slower on losing fat... He tweeked my workouts to help even me out for better proportions and to maximize my potential. (I know spot reducing fat is a myth - we just work on overall fat reduction and hope my body responds the way I want it to, if not, oh well)
5. Sometimes it really sucks, I want results so I stick with it. You have no idea of how much I am tired of plain chicken and fish and plain vegetables (lightly steamed or raw) and rice. But, I want the results more.
My BodySpace account is VArmendariz FYI.1 -
VeronicaA76 wrote: »
1. Look up "Ernestine Sheppard" to see what starting late can look like. Just WOW!!!! Seriously, she is absolutely inspirational!
2. I haven't figured out how to upload photos on these threads , I don't have a paid photobucket account.
3. I do have some progress pics on my home page, a whole bunch more on my BodySpace account.
4. My trainer is the one that tweaks my workouts, based on my input (amount I lift, how I'm feeling, flexed/unflexed photos and so on). And these are weekly tweaks in response to daily updatea. My legs build a lot quicker than my upper body, but are slower on losing fat... He tweeked my workouts to help even me out for better proportions and to maximize my potential. (I know spot reducing fat is a myth - we just work on overall fat reduction and hope my body responds the way I want it to, if not, oh well)
5. Sometimes it really sucks, I want results so I stick with it. You have no idea of how much I am tired of plain chicken and fish and plain vegetables (lightly steamed or raw) and rice. But, I want the results more.
My BodySpace account is VArmendariz FYI.
I looked up your bodyspace account. You've had tremendous results from fat loss, and I can see what look like apparent results of lifting in a deficit, but nothing that would be indicative of muscle gains (bulking).
It's generally accepted that even in ideal conditions, a woman can only gain a pound of muscle in a month, though there are some exceptions, and you might have gained some muscle tissue as an untrained newbie, though those gains have likely plateaued at this point.
Your strength gains will likely continue at the point, so keep going, because you will continue to look smaller at a higher weight for lifting.
I still don't understand the point of bulking until you reach an ideal body fat, but I'll leave that to you and your trainer.4 -
Before: 49kg / 2016
After: 47 kg / 201730 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
I looked up your bodyspace account. You've had tremendous results from fat loss, and I can see what look like apparent results of lifting in a deficit, but nothing that would be indicative of muscle gains (bulking).
It's generally accepted that even in ideal conditions, a woman can only gain a pound of muscle in a month, though there are some exceptions, and you might have gained some muscle tissue as an untrained newbie, though those gains have likely plateaued at this point.
Your strength gains will likely continue at the point, so keep going, because you will continue to look smaller at a higher weight for lifting.
I still don't understand the point of bulking until you reach an ideal body fat, but I'll leave that to you and your trainer.
I don't really post my bulk pictures. Just the cutting results (some of it is vanity - not gonna lie) Even if the results aren't very visible (women have a higher strength/muscle mass ratio - we don't have the sheer mass of a man, but strength is really good compared - relative). Also, there is no way I went from failing on 6lb preacher curls to 25lb preacher curls without some muscle gains. That much of a difference cannot be due to muscle memory alone.
I hired someone to get me somewhere. I'm getting there, sometimes I don't understand his methods either. They are working though, so that's what counts. I guess it's like the saying: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Some people swear by keto diets, some do intermittent fasting, some people swear a bowl of oatmeal every day is what works. If it works for them, that's awesome! But we are all different; goals, methods, body types, so I just go along with - if it's working for you: keep doing it, and great job!
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I may have posted some photos in this thread in the past but I'm just finishing up this years cut with 2kg to go. The first pic was about 20 pounds down from my heaviest (235 maybe 215 here) and there were a couple of bulk and cut cycles between the second and middle picture. I weigh about the same in both middle and right pics (140-143lbs). I lifted from day one of losing the weight.
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Keladelphia wrote: »
I may have posted some photos in this thread in the past but I'm just finishing up this years cut with 2kg to go. The first pic was about 20 pounds down from my heaviest (235 maybe 215 here) and there were a couple of bulk and cut cycles between the second and middle picture. I weigh about the same in both middle and right pics (140-143lbs). I lifted from day one of losing the weight.
Oh hey boo. Fancy meeting you here. You make me want to cut after I just decided to stay fluffy
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Do you have a before pic? You look AMAZING and are such an inspiration!Tattooedmom44 wrote: »
Dream it......Believe it........Then work towards it!!
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Girl, you look ridonculous! Super inspiring!!Keladelphia wrote: »
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You make me want to cut after I just decided to stay fluffy
@bbell1985 I've seen your photos. There is nothing fluffy about you! You look fantastic!
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Oh hey boo. Fancy meeting you here. You make me want to cut after I just decided to stay fluffy
Hey girl heyyyyyyy. I had decided to stay a little fluffier myself until my coach told me I was doing a meet at the end of October so I had to cut. I wasn't happy about it but i'll be honest, now that i'm a little leaner than i've been in quite a while I realized I did miss it a bit. If you can enjoy staying a little fluffier for a bit girl DO IT!
Also "creep alert" I just wanted to tell you your pics were some of the most motivating ones I saw as I was losing my weight initially. 3 -
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Ditto - glad to hear you're getting your disease under control and doing well! But I wanted to add that I just love your smile in that second photo...
Aww, thank you so much! Seriously, these words of encouragement from everyone is bringing tears to my eyes. I also feel like my smile is returning to its old self, and some friends and my sister (who is visiting this week for her wedding on Saturday yay!) noticed a major difference in my overall attitude and energy.4 -
Oh hey boo. Fancy meeting you here. You make me want to cut after I just decided to stay fluffy
Okay, shhh @bbell1985. both of you ladies look absolutely phenomenal! I personally am looking forward to having more fluff.
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i can't wait to have a before and after on this thread. you are all amazing
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My LAWD @RoxieDawn !!! Please tell that isn't your BEFORE before on the top right? Because if it is, you were smoking hot and looking fit as heck even then. The amount of muscle you have put on your upper body is amazing. Those biceps!!!
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mom23mangos wrote: »My LAWD @RoxieDawn !!! Please tell that isn't your BEFORE before on the top right? Because if it is, you were smoking hot and looking fit as heck even then. The amount of muscle you have put on your upper body is amazing. Those biceps!!!
Thank you as always girl!
I lost 29 pounds and I did start lifting 6 months before these 'before pics" as you can see not a great deal of progress during a calorie deficit.
These pics are my lifting only! The before pic top right (Feb 2015) and the after right pic (Sept 2017).. as you can see skinny fat is the foundation I had to work with! lol
The bicep pictures are the same date as well. When I did my bicep pic Feb 2015, I thought I had something to show off... Not really... Next bulk starts October, its glute/leg focus, looking for some improvements there for sure!!
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I lost 29 pounds and I did start lifting 6 months before these 'before pics" as you can see not a great deal of progress during a calorie deficit.
These pics are my lifting only! The before pic top right (Feb 2015) and the after right pic (Sept 2017).. as you can see skinny fat is the foundation I had to work with! lol
The bicep pictures are the same date as well. When I did my bicep pic Feb 2015, I thought I had something to show off... Not really... Next bulk starts October, its glute/leg focus, looking for some improvements there for sure!!
I don't know what you've been smoking, but that's a HUGE amount of difference. What a great transformation and a fantastic example of what weight training can do.2 -
@RoxieDawn your biceps are my hero
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More progress photos. Counter-clockwise.
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Crossfit (lots of lifting) and clean eating. Determined to bulk up as I melt the rest of this fat off of me53
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