Week 1 lifting: soooo nervous about "bulking" more (pic)

First of all unless you have measured your arms, you cannot really tell if they are getting bigger. They may be more defined and so you perceive them as bigger. Second, putting muscle on is not that easy, even for men. I have a male MFP friend who is in a bulking phase and after several weeks of it her has seen no increase in his arms. The odds of you putting on a bunch of muscle in a week is next to nil unless you are using steroids. Don't worry about bulking unless you see it actually happening based on measurements.

Unless you're injecting testosterone and/or plan on getting to single digit body fat percentage numbers, you're not going to get "bulky."

I think your arms are hot and you should keep up the great work - especially as you're loving the way it makes you feel! You won't turn into a young Arnold Schwarzenegger, I promise!

But will I get much bigger than I am? I know I won't get bulky like a guy, but I don't want to much bigger.

You have to be eating a calorie surplus to gain weight, and thus gain much muscle. I've read beginner lifters gaining some muscle while losing fat, but that's just anecdotal evidence, and is kind of a debated subject. Your diet will typically determine your size.

Even at beginner gains, it is not going to be significant enough to make a large difference. You will not get much bigger. Keep in mind water retention in the muscles when you first start working out may cause them to appear bigger, especially right after working out.

I am going to quote a post by Tangal from another thread. It explains it well.
First page on this thread is the original post
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/466344-legit-question-regarding-building-muscle-and-calories?error_user_id=11867214&error_username=3dogsrunning

"Usually this scale change - and "puffed muscle" or "more visible muscle" change you see when first starting a new training program, or upping weights, or increasing exercise regiment is NOT muscle gain or growth. If you are at a low bodyfat level - this will be very visible, especially right after exercising. You will see more pumped muscle, more definition. (looks pretty hot too)

Also - right after working out - the blood flow is increased in the muscle you are working - this also adds temporary fullness, and inch gain.

It is water, fluids, and Glycogen storage in the muscle. When muscles are first used, or stressed in a new different way, or weight is increased - they are damaged, and have tiny tears, This is good, as its key to encouraging your body to keep, repair, and with time build on new muscle tissue.

But to do this, the body fills the area with extra water, and glycogen pools in the tissue, making them look "puffier" then normal, or more defined. This can last a few days, even a week or two."

use less weight, more reps to tone, more weight less reps to bulk... make sure when you do your bicep curls to fully extend your arm as well. this makes sure your muscles work entirely, thats why you see guys walking around like apes with their arms half bent... they dont fullly extend... hope this helps!

use less weight, more reps to tone, more weight less reps to bulk.

I'm sorry, but this isn't true. Low rep/high weight doesn't make you "bulk." Those women who are getting definition and "toned" are using higher weights. They're not doing 100 curls with a 3 lb. dumbbell.

use less weight, more reps to tone, more weight less reps to bulk... make sure when you do your bicep curls to fully extend your arm as well. this makes sure your muscles work entirely, thats why you see guys walking around like apes with their arms half bent... they dont fullly extend... hope this helps!

Again with the don't buy this. Those guys walk around like that mostly because they want to appear like guys who have big muscles and walk around like that. HEAVY LIFTING, low reps unless you have all the time in the world. Do NOT buy into the ahem girly-bro-science above.

To the OP, if you look at my current profile pic you will see what has been called by one of my friends "ridiculous" calves. They have been a source of several compliments since I changed my profile pic and added the same pic to facebook. I have very defined calves now. Here's the thing, I'd been climbing for about an hour at least when that shot was taken and they were as flexed as can be (I'm a little afraid of heights and badly wanted to reach the next handhold--in a word, motivated). That makes them look even bigger.

HOWEVER, they are 2 inches smaller than they were when I started this whole thing six months ago. I've been lifting the whole time, included weighted calf raises for the first 3 months. In the last 2 months or so, I've been doing New Rules of Lifting for Women.

Again, my biceps, when I'm working out, damn, beasts. Even a little vein-y if I'm trying really hard (which I generally am). In my sleeves on a regular day? Soft and curvy and not taking up much space (1.25" down). The defined nature of my calves would imply that my quads and hamstrings are also getting developed. Yet, more and more, my pants have more room, including my skinny jeans today (and they were right out of the wash!)

I'm of the opinion that my muscles have increased and my fat has gone a-way a-lot. Just an opinion, no proof. I know, though, that I can see my muscles more because I've gone down 6 percentage points in body fat. Also because the cellulite dimple I discovered in 7th grade and has been prominent all my life, I have to search for now.

So, make your choices. But, before you abandon what makes several other MFPeeps the sexy beasts they are, take some measures of where your arms, legs, waist, and hips and calves are now, so you don't mistakenly think they have grown and quit what may be the best thing you've started: lifting heavy.

I've said for quite a while: lifting heavy doesn't make me bulky: being fat does!

use less weight, more reps to tone, more weight less reps to bulk.

I'm sorry, but this isn't true. Low rep/high weight doesn't make you "bulk." Those women who are getting definition and "toned" are using higher weights. They're not doing 100 curls with a 3 lb. dumbbell.

sorry, the trainer that I hired at my fitness center directed the patrons this way. The way he explained it to my customers was higher weights = ripping...

Unfortunately there's a fair amount of trainers that were taught this myth, and perpetuate it. High reps are generally used for endurance athletes. I do believe bodybuilders have volume days, but that is something that's beyond the scope of my own knowledge or what would be recommended to a beginning lifter.

I would say you already had that muscle before you started. I have been lifting pretty religiously for over a year and I finally can see the results in my chest and back. For me it was a combination of losing weight so I could see my muscles and just time. You already had that muscle, maybe you burned a little fat and now you can see it. By the way your arms look great.

Could the low rep/high weight vs high rep/low weight thing be a fast twitch vs slow twitch muscle fibers thing?

I believe it is. It's like the difference between a sprinter and a marathon runner.