SilentDrapeRunners Member

Thanks guys! Yeah I highly recommend bulking. For example, I have this pair of jeans I ordered back in Jan and wasn't sure if they would fit or not. They didn't fit at all- way too tight. But I kept them anyways. Then I tried them on again last week and they fit perfectly...and I'm 3 lbs heavier than I was in Jan.! Bulking…

Thanks! Yeah it was hard work for sure, but I just kept thinking 'gotta get thru the cut so I can put on some more muscles!'

Fabulous indeed! :smile:

If you want to build muscle, lift more, and increase your BMR, bulking is the way to go. But you have to be ready to step on the scale and see gains. Or you could just forgo weighing yourself if seeing your weight go up is bothersome. But it will be difficult to track your progress if you're not weighing in (especially if…

Congrats with the results and good luck with the continued losses! Yeah, for me I found out that cardio is an essential component for loss (as opposed to just diet alone). Fasted HIIT cardio seems to really help me with losing fat.

Thanks! I didn't have any definition anywhere before I bulked- pretty much just skin and fat. The bulk was crucial in order for me to put on muscle- so I highly recommend bulking! And I was worried about losing all my muscle during the cut, but I don't think I lost much at all.

Progress update! I ended my bulk back in June, maintained until end of July and then did a cut end of July-now. Gained 10 lbs during the bulk and lost 7 during the cut. The lowest I had to go calorie wise was 1500, so I was pretty happy about that. I don't think I lost much muscle and my workouts really didn't suffer too…

Congrats on gaining 10 lbs! Whether or not you decide to cut now is up to you. You may get to a point (if you haven't already) where your fat gains may start to surpass your lean gains, so bulking becomes counterproductive. That's what I noticed with myself at least. I think it really depends on your BF%. If you continue…

Here is an article that cites studies that indicate that it may be better to do a more aggressive cut as opposed to a slow one. So something to consider. Bottom line is that it's up to the individual and you should do what works best for you. Personally, I started my cut end of June, and I did it very gradually. I've…

I agree with what's been said above. When you're skinny fat, you really have to ignore the number on the scale. Use it as a means to gauge progress, but don't use it as a goal to shoot for or a final number to aim for. Aim for changing body composition which can be done by lifting heavy weights and doing bulking-cutting…

True this! Getting in shape, living a healthy life, and feeling good is important on one level, but you have to look beyond that level to find true happiness.

I think there is the mental aspect that can be a hurdle (to love your body at whatever weight you may be and whatever size, shape ect). So there's that. But there's also an additional component that often gets overlooked by women, which is weightlifting. The media teaches women that they need to diet and do tons of cardio…

Yes, completely unhelpful (the people who said gaining weight is easy and comes naturally). What Jo said is helpful. To those who said gaining is easy, I know this may come as a shocker, but what's easy for you isn't easy for everyone. Gaining weight is difficult for me, but losing is easier. So do I walk around telling…

Appetite is a tricky thing...it can be affected by many different things (physical, mental, emotional). And of course how much you're eating, what your macro ratios are, etc. can affect appetite as well. My appetite is most affected by stress and medications and usually decreases when I'm really stressed. Sometimes I won't…

Very inspirational and true! I can definitely relate

Well you know my story, but just to add to the compilation....about 5 months and gained about 10 lbs.

I would probably focus on consistently eating 1400 calories every day for a couple months and see how that affects your body. And definitely keep lifting :smile: Since you were sometimes below 1400 previously (and you were doing a ton of cardio), it's going to take a little while for your body to adjust. And the last thing…

Yeah it seems kinda fast....how much did you have to drop your calories in order to lose the weight in that period of time? Is 100 lbs uncharted territory for you, or did you weigh that much in the past? The reason I ask, is because if you suddenly dropped 18 lbs in 5 mths by severely cutting calories (like below 1200 or…

I hadn't heard about what freckles suggested, but it makes sense and is worth considering. Also keep in mind that you lost 18 lbs in 5 months, which is fairly fast IMO (but it depends on a lot of factors, like what your weight was before that, for how long, etc). But I think if you do a slow and steady bulk (about a 1 lb…

All I can say is, being that I'm almost a thousand miles away from ALL of my family members (except my bf), I have come to really value the time I do get to spend with my family (holidays, etc). I know I'm also fortunate that I still have my grandparents (being that I'm almost 30). I guess what I'm trying to say is,…

Lol, look above- your reply incorporated into mine. So at least it's not out there in cyberspace, hehe Yes, I weigh myself daily for the science too. Sometimes the low numbers are just as bad as the high ones, cause I'm like 'oh no, I'm losing my muscles!' Or 'oh no I'm packing on the fat!' But the numbers really don't…

Yes, rest days are very important. I should also mention that after every 8 wks or so of lifting, I take a whole week off from lifting. This has usually been coinciding with times I have to go out of town, holidays, etc. so it works out. This week off every so often has really helped me (both mentally and physically). In…

Jo- do you weigh yourself am & pm every day? Intriguing. I weigh myself every day in the am. First thing when I get up after I pee. I like to be as consistent as possible. As far as will you ever reach a point of no longer feeling fluffy? That's a good question and one that I've wondered myself. I would venture to say that…

I really applaud you ladies who get up at the butt crack of dawn (and commute!). I'm definitely a night person, hands down. I think I function best on a 1am-8am schedule. Luckily my work schedule is kind of flexible and variable (since I'm in a veterinary residency/PhD program). But there were a couple months last year…

This is something I struggle with, but it's really important (because for me, getting enough rest really makes or breaks me). I struggle with getting to bed at a reasonable hour, because there's not enough hours in the day to get done what I need to get done (but in actuality it's more like I get distracted and get on…

Thanks guys! I definitely understand and agree with what you're saying. I took more pics yesterday, and my BF has definitely increased. Let's just say that if I were to post the pics of my behind, they might get flagged for indecent exposure, lol. The pics from April are definitely my best by far. I also did some…

Actually now I'm rethinking the bulking to 120 lbs. I'm thinking that if I do that, my BF% is going to go up too much. And I've read that as body fat levels rise significantly, insulin resistance drops, and ability to burn fat decreases. And this would also impair muscle growth, which is something I definitely don't want…

Reached 110 lbs! I've been doing a lot of debating on where I should go from here. Originally my goal was to hit 110 lbs. and just maintain for a while. But I'm thinking that I need to bulk some more. Ideally I want to decrease my BF%, and in order to do that, I need to lose fat (and weight). But I can't really cut at only…

Thanks!

Hmmm well I don't have much to offer in terms of advice, because I'm kind of in the same boat. Although, I'm currently still on my 1st bulk (started bulking in Jan. at 102 lbs.). Originally I just wanted to bulk until 110 lbs., but that's what I'm currently at now, and I don't think it's enough. Now, I'm thinking I should…