Question: How to lose weight and NOT gain muscle!

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13

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  • kierstin1976
    kierstin1976 Posts: 123 Member
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    If you want to avoid gaining muscle, don't take steroids. When you're eating at a caloric deficit, putting on appreciable amounts of muscle is nearly impossible. The muscular women you see have made a conscious, dedicated effort to building that muscle and have fought hard for every ounce of it...eating at a caloric surplus to "bulk up", then "cutting" (losing fat while making every effort to sustain lean muscle mass through very precise eating and supplementation) to get that "ripped" look. The female bodybuilders with massive amounts of muscle have (in many cases) done all the above plus 'supplemented' with anabolic/androgenic steroids. It's not easy and won't happen "accidentally", even if you lift heavy weights as part of your weight/fat loss regimen.

    Totally agree!!!
  • ZoobityBop
    ZoobityBop Posts: 22
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    Yeah, it sounds kinda tough to do those two things at once. What helped me out though was what's called the Diet Solution Program. Lost a lot of weight and managed to not get all bulky. See for yourself what it can do: http://fantasticfitnessreviews.com/the-diet-solution-program-review/
  • tasiamere
    tasiamere Posts: 233
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    I'm not expert on the subject but I know what's been working for me. I do cardio about 85% of the time and for strength training I do like Yoga, Pilates, or arm workouts with the resistance bands. A lot of Reps but no weights though. The only weights I use are the ankle weights. I suppose I'll start with weights once I get to my GW. But so far this has worked for me. Good luck.
  • rocketpopsicles
    rocketpopsicles Posts: 170
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    THANK YOU.

    I really wanted to read that - as that made more sense than most on here.



    SO EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS:

    I understand we all have different views on what looks good.
    And no, I was not talking about huge massive weight lifiting muscled women.. I was talking about thin, but "fit/athletic" type build/muscled look. I don't like that, and I naturally prefer the look of no muscle deffinition.

    Thank you
  • Sofithomas
    Sofithomas Posts: 118
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    Why not lift heavy and if you dont like it...stop? Trust me you can - after a couple weeks no bench press i am weak again; its very easy for your muscles to get 'smaller' again.

    Not tooting my own horn - just tryna convince ya hehe - but I model, particularly swimwear and underwear and obviously that means having a lean yet thin physique. Trust me, if I didn't do weights' I would not have any work
    - before I used to do mainly fashion and was the same size as I am now but WAY flabbier. Weights were my miracle!
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
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    I have always wondered how to do this!
    I have a lot of weight to lose,
    and I really don't want to gain muscle.
    It might sound weird, but I dont find a lot of muscle on girls attractive.
    I ESPECIALLY don't want my claves to bulk up anymore.

    Any suggestions?

    Calorie deficit. Don't exercise.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    I feel like nobody has totally answered your question. The answer is yes you can lose weight without becoming cut or having standout defined muscles. The answers that you have gotten are good - don't take steriods, don't eat too little, keep your water intake up, etc.
    But do lift weights - lower weight amounts and more reps increase your tone and therefore help you lose more weight and don't build the muscle up - they tone what you have. When you lift heavy weights you actually tear muscle fibers and as they repair they build up. Therefore smaller weights, more reps, no damage just tone and you will see the resulting feminine form you are looking for!

    Wrong, no such thing as "tone" and low weight high rep just increases endurance, it will not strengthen you muscles very much, for that heavy weight low reps.

    What eric said. You are totally incorrect unfortunatley. Additionally, lifting heavy does not cause muscle growth without being in a calorie surplus. But it mostly increases strength and burns fat. You are confusing neuromuscular adaptation with hypertrophy. The training for hypertrophy is higher reps, 8 to 12, and moderate weight. This stimulates muscle growth but is still unlikely to produce much in a woman due to lack of testosterone. As others have said, it is really, really hard to grow new muscle tissue. It does not happen by accident and it's next to impossible in a calorie deficit even when trying to train for it!
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    THANK YOU.

    I really wanted to read that - as that made more sense than most on here.



    SO EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS:

    I understand we all have different views on what looks good.
    And no, I was not talking about huge massive weight lifiting muscled women.. I was talking about thin, but "fit/athletic" type build/muscled look. I don't like that, and I naturally prefer the look of no muscle deffinition.

    Thank you

    This is more a function of body fat than exersice program. If you stay above, say, 20%, you are probably going to get the look you desire. Lower than that and you will reveal more muscle tissue definition and that sounds like the look you don't want.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I was talking about thin, but "fit/athletic" type build/muscled look. I don't like that, and I naturally prefer the look of no muscle deffinition.

    Thank you

    I don't understand this, but okay, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

    It's really easy to lose weight without gaining muscle, and while losing muscle actually. Just diet. Maybe do some light cardio. Don't eat a whole lot of protein.
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
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    Just because you are losing weight, it doesn't mean you automatically become fit/athletic looking. Just do low impact cardio, like walking, and eat at a deficit.
  • merzback
    merzback Posts: 453 Member
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    I am sorry that you believe these myths that women bulk up if they work out or even lift weights. Check out women trainers from Beachbody like Chalene Johnson- she's anything but BULKY and she lifts weights.
    And please listen to the people here. 5lbs of muscle and 5lbs of fat weigh the same- but the 5 lbs of fat is a lot bigger in size. That's why 2 people can weigh the same and be 2 different sizes.
    Muscle burns fat- and keeps your metabolism faster.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    This should not even remotely be a concern
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
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    Lift lighter weights with higher reps. That builds skinny lean muscle. Heavy weights that you can only lift 5-6 times into muscle failure will build the bulky muscle.
  • iwantahealthierme13
    iwantahealthierme13 Posts: 337 Member
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    You won't bulk up.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    Lift lighter weights with higher reps. That builds skinny lean muscle. Heavy weights that you can only lift 5-6 times into muscle failure will build the bulky muscle.

    This is completely the opposite of what you should do and what results you should excpect. See the post back a couple that says heavy wieght don't build bulk but build lean muscle. How many time in one thread is the same myth going to be repeated. To this poster, did you even read the rest of the thread where this was addressed multiple times??
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    Lift lighter weights with higher reps. That builds skinny lean muscle. Heavy weights that you can only lift 5-6 times into muscle failure will build the bulky muscle.

    Complete myth.

    Lifted heavy weights (<6 reps) for well over 2 years straight now. No bulky muscle yet, I'm actually getting leaner. I know several other women for whom this has been true for as well.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    Don't worry about it.
    Nobody gains muscle while losing weight.
    That's absurd.
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    Lift lighter weights with higher reps. That builds skinny lean muscle. Heavy weights that you can only lift 5-6 times into muscle failure will build the bulky muscle.

    This is bullsh!t
    This gives you better endurance. for running, etc but does NOT help you to build muscle!

    You know what WILL build bulky muscle though? Steroids.
  • suziecue66
    suziecue66 Posts: 1,312 Member
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    THANK YOU.

    I really wanted to read that - as that made more sense than most on here.



    SO EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS:

    I understand we all have different views on what looks good.
    And no, I was not talking about huge massive weight lifiting muscled women.. I was talking about thin, but "fit/athletic" type build/muscled look. I don't like that, and I naturally prefer the look of no muscle deffinition.

    Thank you

    The thing is with that much weight to lose if you don't try and limit muscle loss you risk becoming very flabby with saggy skin.,
  • samntha14
    samntha14 Posts: 2,084 Member
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    I feel like nobody has totally answered your question. The answer is yes you can lose weight without becoming cut or having standout defined muscles. The answers that you have gotten are good - don't take steriods, don't eat too little, keep your water intake up, etc.
    But do lift weights - lower weight amounts and more reps increase your tone and therefore help you lose more weight and don't build the muscle up - they tone what you have. When you lift heavy weights you actually tear muscle fibers and as they repair they build up. Therefore smaller weights, more reps, no damage just tone and you will see the resulting feminine form you are looking for!
    Wrong, no such thing as "tone" and low weight high rep just increases endurance, it will not strengthen you muscles very much, for that heavy weight low reps.
    THank you! I was waiting for someone to say this. You can lift a barbie weight until the cows come home and gain very little from the exertion. Not even "tone" Which I agree doesn't exist. Then there are some people who think "tight lean" women don't look good. Think about how they will look when they are 60 or 70 without loose skin hanging off them and without the hunch backs of osteoporosis. YOU MUST build muscle to be healthy and keep your bones safe. I'm building muscle now and my body is WAY SMALLER than it ever was doing cardio alone.

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