How did lifting weights change your physique?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have noticed very little difference to my body from lifting other than some minor improvements in posture and muscle tone. Certainly none of this "bulkiness," although it could also be a combo of body type and the fact that I also run a lot. One thing I have noticed is I tend to get running injuries far less since I started doing some lifting. I also don't lift super heavy.

Translation: sometimes I do a few curls with those pink plastic 2lb dumbbells.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have noticed very little difference to my body from lifting other than some minor improvements in posture and muscle tone. Certainly none of this "bulkiness," although it could also be a combo of body type and the fact that I also run a lot. One thing I have noticed is I tend to get running injuries far less since I started doing some lifting. I also don't lift super heavy.

You're not lifting heavy and you run which is why you don't notice differences. You can only put on muscle and change your physique with heavy lifting.

Probably true, but I also just don't have a body type that tends towards bulking (probably why I like running). I used to swim in high school competitively, and it was really interesting how different girls' bodies would change. Some girls really bulked up in their upper bodies as they got stronger, and others just had a leaner build.

This. There's only so much you can change about your genetics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have noticed very little difference to my body from lifting other than some minor improvements in posture and muscle tone. Certainly none of this "bulkiness," although it could also be a combo of body type and the fact that I also run a lot. One thing I have noticed is I tend to get running injuries far less since I started doing some lifting. I also don't lift super heavy.

You're not lifting heavy and you run which is why you don't notice differences. You can only put on muscle and change your physique with heavy lifting.

Probably true, but I also just don't have a body type that tends towards bulking (probably why I like running). I used to swim in high school competitively, and it was really interesting how different girls' bodies would change. Some girls really bulked up in their upper bodies as they got stronger, and others just had a leaner build.

This. There's only so much you can change about your genetics.

Not to mention differences in diet.

[Anonymous]

I'm 5'4" and 130-135 and muscular. When I wear street clothes I get called skinny and in gym clothes get called bulky. I wear an extra small in tank tops, but in suit jackets typically get an 8 or Medium for the shoulders and then have to have the waist tailored. Same with pants, I need room for quads so get a six and have the waist taken in. I enjoy having a more muscular build and lift heavy 6 days a week and eat a protein and carb heavy diet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have noticed very little difference to my body from lifting other than some minor improvements in posture and muscle tone. Certainly none of this "bulkiness," although it could also be a combo of body type and the fact that I also run a lot. One thing I have noticed is I tend to get running injuries far less since I started doing some lifting. I also don't lift super heavy.

Translation: sometimes I do a few curls with those pink plastic 2lb dumbbells.

Nope, I do squats, deadlifts, bench press, leg press. Just around or under my body weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Man here.

I go to a powerlifting gym, and the women who work out there are quite impressive: today I saw one deadlifting 315, another one benching 195, and another one squatting 275.

Obviously, they looked fit, but they did not look grotesque or "too bulky". Their thighs looked pretty big and strong. Still had breasts (yay!).

So women should not fear that lifting will make them look like a weirdo. Most men don't need to fear this either, frankly. To get scary-weird looking, I think you have to use steroids. (Don't do that.)

And no I did not hit on them, I minded my own business and did my own workout.

True, I don't know why some people want to scare women into thinking they will get big from lifting. Adding mass doesn't just happen it takes a lot of work even more so for women.

[Anonymous]

People are right, don't worry about getting bulky. It takes a lot of work to gain muscle mass. Think of it this way, the single biggest calorie furnace your body has is your resting metabolic rate, meaning your burn the most calories just doing its basic functions. Lifting and increasing muscle percentage will increase you resting rate, they muscle will burn more calories just to function 24 hours a day. If you body composition changes to increase lean muscle you will lose fat easier, require more food and look leaner even sitting in on your couch. Don't worry about bulk, just get a good routine and do it right and be safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have noticed very little difference to my body from lifting other than some minor improvements in posture and muscle tone. Certainly none of this "bulkiness," although it could also be a combo of body type and the fact that I also run a lot. One thing I have noticed is I tend to get running injuries far less since I started doing some lifting. I also don't lift super heavy.

Translation: sometimes I do a few curls with those pink plastic 2lb dumbbells.

Nope, I do squats, deadlifts, bench press, leg press. Just around or under my body weight.

You bench press your body weight? Squat and deadlift aren't so impressive at body weight, but bench press is!

[Anonymous]

I went from just doing a lot of cardio (running) to running + lifting 3x/week + yoga. The combination made me pretty ripped, to the point that strangers would approach me in bars and ask me if I was a professional athlete of some sort. "swimmer" was their usual guess.

The only downside of being more muscular is that as I got older and my metabolism slowed a bit, it was harder to keep the fat off. So I look bigger now because I have the muscle with a little fat on top. I feel like i look a bit too beefy in sleeveless shirts, though my clothes fit fine.

On the bright side, I can move my own furniture. So I've got that going for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have noticed very little difference to my body from lifting other than some minor improvements in posture and muscle tone. Certainly none of this "bulkiness," although it could also be a combo of body type and the fact that I also run a lot. One thing I have noticed is I tend to get running injuries far less since I started doing some lifting. I also don't lift super heavy.

Translation: sometimes I do a few curls with those pink plastic 2lb dumbbells.

Nope, I do squats, deadlifts, bench press, leg press. Just around or under my body weight.

Meaning you squat and deadlift with your body, or you add additional weight that is equal to your bodyweight? Big difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went from just doing a lot of cardio (running) to running + lifting 3x/week + yoga. The combination made me pretty ripped, to the point that strangers would approach me in bars and ask me if I was a professional athlete of some sort. "swimmer" was their usual guess.

The only downside of being more muscular is that as I got older and my metabolism slowed a bit, it was harder to keep the fat off. So I look bigger now because I have the muscle with a little fat on top. I feel like i look a bit too beefy in sleeveless shirts, though my clothes fit fine.

On the bright side, I can move my own furniture. So I've got that going for me.

Aw man! I was hoping that being naturally muscular would help keep the fat off later in life. Sigh.

But it's nice to know I'm not the only one approached by strangers and quizzed on my athleticism!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have noticed very little difference to my body from lifting other than some minor improvements in posture and muscle tone. Certainly none of this "bulkiness," although it could also be a combo of body type and the fact that I also run a lot. One thing I have noticed is I tend to get running injuries far less since I started doing some lifting. I also don't lift super heavy.

Translation: sometimes I do a few curls with those pink plastic 2lb dumbbells.

Nope, I do squats, deadlifts, bench press, leg press. Just around or under my body weight.

You bench press your body weight? Squat and deadlift aren't so impressive at body weight, but bench press is!

Lol, no, not bench press, leg stuff is where I tend to go around my body weight (which I know is not impressive). I just trying to make the point that I tend to lift in that middle area between 2 lb pink dumbells and super heavy. I mostly lift to supplement running and prevent injury, so I don't really worry about "impressive" weights or PRing my squat or whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went from just doing a lot of cardio (running) to running + lifting 3x/week + yoga. The combination made me pretty ripped, to the point that strangers would approach me in bars and ask me if I was a professional athlete of some sort. "swimmer" was their usual guess.

The only downside of being more muscular is that as I got older and my metabolism slowed a bit, it was harder to keep the fat off. So I look bigger now because I have the muscle with a little fat on top. I feel like i look a bit too beefy in sleeveless shirts, though my clothes fit fine.

On the bright side, I can move my own furniture. So I've got that going for me.

Aw man! I was hoping that being naturally muscular would help keep the fat off later in life. Sigh.

But it's nice to know I'm not the only one approached by strangers and quizzed on my athleticism!

It will to a degree, her post didn't make much sense to me. More muscle means a higher calorie burn rate, particularly your base metabolic rate (BMR). Your BMR accounts for most of the calories you will burn in a day. So more muscle mass burning calories at BMR helps keep fat of not adds it. Muscle increases your metabolism there is no doubt about it. If the previous poster hadn't lift she may have a lot higher body fat percentage than she does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went from just doing a lot of cardio (running) to running + lifting 3x/week + yoga. The combination made me pretty ripped, to the point that strangers would approach me in bars and ask me if I was a professional athlete of some sort. "swimmer" was their usual guess.

The only downside of being more muscular is that as I got older and my metabolism slowed a bit, it was harder to keep the fat off. So I look bigger now because I have the muscle with a little fat on top. I feel like i look a bit too beefy in sleeveless shirts, though my clothes fit fine.

On the bright side, I can move my own furniture. So I've got that going for me.

Aw man! I was hoping that being naturally muscular would help keep the fat off later in life. Sigh.

But it's nice to know I'm not the only one approached by strangers and quizzed on my athleticism!

It will to a degree, her post didn't make much sense to me. More muscle means a higher calorie burn rate, particularly your base metabolic rate (BMR). Your BMR accounts for most of the calories you will burn in a day. So more muscle mass burning calories at BMR helps keep fat of not adds it. Muscle increases your metabolism there is no doubt about it. If the previous poster hadn't lift she may have a lot higher body fat percentage than she does.

Exactly. I'll never be skinny, but would hope that this muscle will stave off some age-related hormonal changes. And I'm curious to see whether menopause affects my ability to build muscle. So much to look forward to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have noticed very little difference to my body from lifting other than some minor improvements in posture and muscle tone. Certainly none of this "bulkiness," although it could also be a combo of body type and the fact that I also run a lot. One thing I have noticed is I tend to get running injuries far less since I started doing some lifting. I also don't lift super heavy.

Translation: sometimes I do a few curls with those pink plastic 2lb dumbbells.

Nope, I do squats, deadlifts, bench press, leg press. Just around or under my body weight.

Meaning you squat and deadlift with your body, or you add additional weight that is equal to your bodyweight? Big difference.

The latter