Sports/Tennis Nutrition

Hi all! I would love to get a couple of tips on how to get stronger for tennis, especially my core and wrist/forearms, along with any nutritional tips that will accelerate this process.

I eat fairly healthy and do some yoga but not much else physically besides play.

Thanks!

by TennisCook via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Jiggly Soft and Annoyed

I'm 45... 5' 5.5" .... I use to weigh 288pds... over the last 5 yrs of yo yo dieting and cardio I've managed to lose over 60 pds. I'm now down to 220. The problem is I'm so jiggly and soft. I want to start building muscle so I joined this website hoping to learn what I need to know. Instead I'm more confused now more than ever....i want to build musle but not look like a muscle bound man. My goal is to have a six pack nice arms thick thighs and enhance the butt I already have. I don't know if I should bulk up ..lean out ..cut up body build.. transform become a fitness model or a fit girl... do I increase calories or decrease...do I gain weight to gain muscle.... I've read so much and still have no answers... and when I ask I'm advised to follow a basic thread that I've read 5x's already....😩😩 so frustrated

by aishafaze via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Worried about putting fat on with such high calories. Help?

Hi I am new to the bodybuilding I have just started a few days ago as a newbie I want to make sure I am doing it right first time. I am current following The Female Training Bible: Everything You Need To Get The Sexy Body You Desire! on the bodybuilding website.

This is the training plan I have just started.

(20 min treadmill being hiit with sprints and rest, etc)

Weeks 1-4: Day 1

1
Peroneals-SMR

2
Front Box Jump
1 set, 20 reps

3
One Leg Barbell Squat
5 sets, 5 reps

4
Barbell Hip Thrust
3 sets, 8-12 reps

5
Calf Press
3 sets, 8-12 reps

6
Jogging-Treadmill
1 set, 20 minutes

Weeks 1-4: Day 2
1
Medicine Ball Chest Pass
1 set, 20 reps

2
Pushups
5 sets, 5 reps

3
Dips - Chest Version
3 sets, 8-12 reps

4
Flat Bench Cable Flyes
3 sets, 8-12 reps

5
Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension
3 sets, 8-12 reps

6
Jogging-Treadmill
1 set, 20 minutes

Weeks 1-4: Day 3
Print
1
Jogging-Treadmill
1 set, 35-40 minutes

Weeks 1-4: Day 4

1
One-Arm Kettlebell Swings
1 set, 20 reps

2
Romanian Deadlift
5 sets, 5 reps

3
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
3 sets, 8-12 reps

4
Bent Over Barbell Row
3 sets, 8-12 reps

5
Incline Dumbbell Curl
3 sets, 8-12 reps

6
Jogging-Treadmill
1 set, 20 minutes

Weeks 1-4: Day 5
1
Medicine Ball Rotational Throw
1 set, 20 reps

2
Standing Dumbbell Press
5 sets, 5 reps

3
Face Pull
3 sets, 8-12 reps

4
Plank
3 sets, 20 seconds

5
Bottoms Up
3 sets, 8-12 reps

6
Jogging-Treadmill
1 set, 20 minutes

Weeks 1-4: Day 6 & 7
rest

These are the exercises I am doing.
On a website I worked out my calories and macros. I did it for a female at 137 pounds, age 19, with a sedentary job training hard 3 times a week and doing some cardio. I used to just do Hiit classes, but haven't been to the gym in a while. I do not have lots of muscle and I am a bit unfit. The calories they recommend is 2329 calories :110 grams protein, 82.2 grams fat and 278 grams carbs. Does this seem about right or should I be lower my calories everyday or on rest days, etc? Do more hiit/cardio? Is this the right calories and plan to build muscle and not fat, because I feel like I might just get bigger, which I do not want. Any advice would be much appreciated.

by Nikitarose via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Help!! Was 288 now 220 and flabby

Im 45 year old woman...5' 5.5".. I've been up and down with my weight for the past 15yrs. I started running and shed 60pds in the last 3yrs... however I'm flabby. I would like to lose my tummy .. I already have a nice size butt and want thick thighs. If you look at my pics you can see my flabby cottage cheese legs and floppy boobs...and my turkey neck arms. How do I achieve what I want... Do I do HIIT training like Insanity and add weight training ....Shoukd I try Intermittent fasting...I get confused because everyone has a different opinion. How many calories should I eat...what weight program should I follow....I'm just clueless....help me please.

by aishafaze via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Skinny fat??

Hey guys! I need some help...so I’ve lost over 50 pounds from exercising and calorie deficit.. now I’m skinny fat and I can’t really tell if I’m losing fat. I’ve been skinny fat for a while now. Should I increase my calorie intake? I do resistant training but am I not working out hard enough? I’m so lost!! I feel like I’m at a plateau.
My BMR = 1527.28
And TDEE = 2100

by bananajoannaa via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

How to get really lean? Not satisfied with my weight loss results.

I'm 5'6. I started at 190 pounds and a size 11-12. When I was at my highest weight, I actually ate quite healthy and nutrient-dense foods. Unfortunately, I often felt deprived eating gigantic salads, omelets, whole wheat products, giant bowls of fruit, etc. Added/refined sugar and refined/non-fibrous carbs were "off-limits" because I'm PCOS (insulin resistant) and reactive hypoglycemic. No weight was lost though because I was eating too much, despite everything being nutritious. I didn't start losing weight until I reduced portions of my food. I began eating whatever I wanted while continuing portion control which finally got rid of the deprived feeling. For example, some days I would have a slice or two or pizza for a meal, other days a small salad followed by some ice cream, or maybe a pack of sushi if that's what I was in the mood for. You get the idea. I felt great (mentally). I also began to do some weight lifting and cardio during my weight loss. Within a year and a half, I lost around 70 pounds. Sadly, I didn't get the physique I was hoping for. I'm a size 2 now but I'm still very "soft". My muffin tops remain as well as my lower belly bloat (hard to see without a side picture). The back of my thighs are covered in cellulite. My butt is very soft and kinda sags. And when I tense my arms, I don't really see definition. I ate healthy during the entire time I was overweight and I lifted weights while losing the weight. I'm not sure how else to lean up my physique better. Any suggestions?

PS- I recently had an updated insulin test and glucose tolerance test. I still have reactive hypoglycemia and my insulin levels are still high despite losing 70 pounds.

Before (left), After (right). Sorry for the blurriness.

by YoungYetWise via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Looking for tall women to follow with short torso, long legs

Hey everyone! I am looking for some tall women (I am 6’0 tall, 145 lbs) to use as inspiration. If anyone is following anyone on IG or FB that is a tall women fitness model with a short torso and long legs any tips are appreciated. Thank you xxx

by Katesaunders via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding, Crossfit or Powerlifting? Which is best for my goals

Once I am medically cleared, I want to get back into fitness. I'm very interested in crossfit but can't pay the monthly cost to workout at a box so I would have to do it on my own.
My main goals:
- lose weight (currently around 185lb)
- gain muscle
- compete

I have a rough picture in mind of how I would like to eventually look body wise and attached some example photos.
I participated in sports my whole childhood and miss competing. I don't think I would want to compete in bodybuilding though.

What about combining styles of workout? Crossfit x Powerlifting or Crossfit x Bodybuilding?

Only concern with powerlifting is I've been reading that powerlifters tend to not be lean.

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by bri53 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Getting back to it.(Scheduling)

I will start by apologizing if this is in the wrong area, I didn't really see where this would fit in.


I took a break from the gym due do summer vacations I wasn't able to make it. Now that I am trying to get back to going I am finding I really have limited time to commit.

Monday-Friday I am up at 5:30a.m. and in bed around 10p.m.
Monday- Friday I work a full time job from 7a.m.-4p.m.
Tuesday-Friday I work another job 5p.m.-9/9:30p.m.
Saturdays I work my second job from 8a.m.-5p.m.
My travel time is around 30minutes between home and work

Sundays are my day that I do all of my meal prep from the week, usually takes 3 hours or so. (Cooking for two) and then I do my chores around the house. Then I have some free time to just relax <3

So truly I feel Monday, Saturday and Sunday are the only days I have time to work out. I know I shouldn't work out three days and then rest for four but I am not sure how to make it more staggered. Plus if I can make it work I am not even sure how to make a program for my availability. If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

by Sheepalie via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Nexoplanon and cutting

Nexoplanon and cutting
Hi everyone!!! New here just wanted to ask has anyone had any issues with cutting, stripping body fat low for competition prep? Whilst on the Nexoplanon implant thanks

by nicolabb via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Fat gain on a bulk...

For female-bodied individuals.

From what I understand there is only a max amount of muscle your body can create each week, and that this is approximately double in male bodies what it is for female bodies. So to stay as lean as possible, only a small caloric surplus (250 or so) is necessary. So since males gain more muscle, does that mean females have a more unfavorable fat : muscle gain ratio on a bulk? Would a female, given the same amount of a surplus (a lean/clean bulk) and training, be unable to stay as lean as as male would? Do they require a smaller surplus?

by coeur via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Doing bulking wrong?!

I went through a bulk last winter (about 250 calorie surplus) until about april this year. I gained 3kg and added some cm to my muscles (I measured myself) then I went back to maintanace and added a bit more cardio (just extra 5min) and a bit more evening walks. Now I measured myself and reslized that my numbers were the same as befor the bulk?! So it seems I only gained fat on a bulk and then lost that fat when going back to maintanance?? I am just so confused... I thought I trained really hard on that bulk but it seems I didnt... or did I just hit somekind of muscle growth plateu? Any ideas what this is?

by Sara444 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Hanging fat at bottom of glutes

I've been on a calorie deficit for some time now prepping for my bikini competition in a few days. I went from 140lbs to 107lb in about six months. Everything is looking tight except for my Glutes.

I have this weird flab of fat hanging below the bottom of my butt. When I stand up straight you can see a crease form at the bottom of my butt. When I do my transition poses, you can see the skin fold on the side. I'm freaking out because I'm only a few days away from competing. I told my posing coach and she advised to just stick my butt out at all times to hide this flaw. Anyone else have any other advice?

by Victoria4951ct via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Glute medius concern - pls help!

Hi,

Would love some advice on this. I'm slightly concerned that building my glute medius up could potentially not suit my body shape. I think my hips are fairly high, and I have a bit of a 'hip dip' scenario going on.

I feel like it may just be making me look broader and almost giving me more of an appearance of 'love handles' particularly when i tense that area. When I tense I can feel that the muscle sticks out further than the width of the outside of my thighs if that makes sense and it exaggerates the hollow bit on the side of my glutes below the glute medius.

So firstly could this be the case? Or, is it a case growing my glute maximus more and it will all balance out more? I've definitely felt more growth in the upper bit of my glutes which is higher up my torso than I expected and in a way doesn't seem that flattering at the moment as it's almost making my waist look wider. I have a low body fat percentage but I do store most of my fat around my legs and hips, though there's really not much there so that could be emphasising it too if I have gained muscle but not lost weight...

I've been weight lifting twice a week with a trainer for the last 8 months, generally doing one upper body day, and one lower body day which is very glute focused. I'm an athletic 5'5", 56kg, body fat % around 17%. Athletic body type with fairly broad shoulders, pretty small waist and fairly narrow hips.

Bit of a newbie to this so any advice much appreciated! Thanks =)

by desiree66 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Olympia 2018 chat

Let's gossip about the Olympia 2018 ladies. What did you like, what didn't you like, what suits looked good, which not so much, what stuck out, etc. I'll start.
What I liked: flat chested women did just fine in Figure. It has always bugged me when I get the impression that if you don't go under the knife for something that has nothing to do with bodybuilding, you don't score. Pretty sure the winner doesn't have implants.

Suits that stood out to me:




Award for the blingiest shoes:


Award for the smallest waist:

by sy2502 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Getting back into working out after mental health issues? HELP!

A bit of background on me: 20 year old female, who has suffered with disordered eating/binge eating disorder since 14. Unlike the typical image, my lowest BMI was 21.8 (so I was never actually very critically skinny/small), hence why I never got taken seriously by professionals. I am 100% one of those people who gains weight after merely sniffing chocolate, so weight loss is difficult. I'm 5 ft 2 and currently weigh about 59kg, 3kg of which I have put on in the last 2 months.

Due to my eating disorder type thoughts I had to take a break from all things weight lifting/exercising/calorie counting since about June, consequently leading me to gain a lot of fat, and lose a lot of the muscle I had gained in the prior 6-9 months of weight lifting. Because of these personal circumstances, I went cold turkey on exercise and nutrition as I simply couldn't do it in a healthy way - it was very much obsessive and for the wrong reasons.

Now that leaves me in a bit of dilemma. This month I am starting a full-time job in an office (extremely sedentary), and I am planning to go back to the gym about 3x a week (1 x glutes, 1 x upperbody, 1 x legs) and eat in a deficit. However, based on my weight/height, I am recommended to only eat about 1300 calories at most, which I personally think is ridiculous, and as soon as my calories drop that low, I start getting very unwell, not to mention it feeding my eating disorder.

So where do I go from here? How do I get back into the gym and healthy eating, with reasonable results? Shall I go on a cut and follow the ridiculously low calories? Or do I start off with maintenance whilst I reintroduce myself back to the gym? Also, is it best to jump straight back into it, or ease my way in (e.g. start off with lower weight/high reps, and less frequent, and build up) so my muscles don't go into shock?

Ultimately my goal is to lose my belly fat (my love handles absorb anything I eat), but also build up my glutes and legs (they're pretty big naturally). Currently my goal is to shed a bit of weight/fat (just how much I gained in the past two months, which is 2-3kg) as i HATE the way I look and feel currently. I just don't know how to mesh it all together, and how to get from A (now) to B (back in the gym, gaining muscle etc). Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated, as all that my brain is telling me to do is not eat and do excessive cardio, which I know isn't the way forward.

by danuutka via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Lifting straps vs. grips

Hey ladies, I think I'm going to get some lifting straps or grips. Sometimes I feel like i could go heavier on a certain exercise but my grip gives out. I was wondering which you think is better... straps or grips...

Something like these
https://www.bodybuilding.com/store/v...d=VERSA4570037

vs.

something like these
https://www.bodybuilding.com/store/h...Id=HARB1700362

I would be using them for dumbbells too, not just deadlifts. From what I've seen, straps (the second link) are mostly for deadlifts whereas grips (first link) can be used for deadlifts AND dumbbells.

What do you guys think? any recommendations?

by fitfanatic123 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Would working out to YT videos at home be effective for building muscle?

Hey there,

I'm a 26 year old woman, and I'm skinny fat. I have pretty much no butt and my stomach sticks out to where it makes me look 2 or 3 months pregnant. I haven't done any exercise in a long time, except going on almost daily walks, but I want to be more active. I also want to build muscle all over, grow a butt, get a flat stomach, and be healthy. I already eat a pretty healthy diet, although I need to work on adding more veggies to it.

I don't have access to a gym or any personal trainers, and my only option right now is to workout at home. I was thinking I could workout to videos on YouTube, but I'm not sure if I could really get results doing that. I found a full body dumbbell workout on YT that I'd like to start doing... The workout consists of these exercises:

8-12 Bulgarian Split Squat
10-12 Overhead Press
8-12 Romanian Deadlift
10-12 Chest Press
10-12 Hip Thursts
8-12 Dumbbell Row
10-12 Froggy Hip Thrusts
8-12 Bicep Curls
12-15 Calf Raises
8-12 Overhead Tricep Extension

And it's 3 sets

I have some questions:

1. Can I really get results doing YT videos 3 x's a week?

2. If yes, for how long can I do the above workout until I need to switch to a different routine, so I can continue seeing results?

3. How do I know if I'm doing the moves correctly without having anyone to watch my form? Will my body give me any signs?

4. How do I figure out how many lbs I should be lifting? I have no muscles and I'm weak.

5. How do I figure out how many grams of protein I need to be eating to grow muscle?

6. I already know I need to be at a surplus for muscle growth, but how much more do I need to eat exactly?


Sorry for all the questions, but I appreciate any answers given! :)

by LilFlower2 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Booty Building

Wasn't sure where to post this.
I'm 160lbs 5'3" and I'm in the process of losing body fat. My goal weight is around 130. I have a really flat square shaped butt and I'm wondering if it possible to work on lifting and adding mass to my butt and losing body fat at the same time? There is a lot of conflicting information out there. Some articles say you can't gain a booty without eating more calories but since I am already overweight I don't want to do that.

So would I need to just keep cutting until I get to my gw and then start trying to build my booty or can I do both at the same time?

Thanks!

by kkxi via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Workout Injury Research

Hello, my name is Ethan Hiscocks, I'm a junior in Industrial Design at Iowa State University. I'm working on a project focused on reducing/preventing injury from weight lifting. This can range from a cut on a machine or barbell to a broken limb or torn muscle. I'll be taking the data and designing a product to help prevent said picked injury. Your completion of this survey is greatly appreciated.

Survey: https://iastate.qualtrics.com/jfe/fo...xmVkwPx8TR38Mt

by RiotLifting via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Hello Everybody

Hello I am new here :)

Would like to be here and hopefully it will more motivate me to start and continue the my way for fit and healthy lifestyle.

My goals to begin with is 1) right diet 2) get extra fat off me 3) become more athletic , not too much muscular so I will not become man :) I don't have a desire to compete with them. Just very nicely fit , hard muscles but not over done. Slightly visible Abs.
And I would like to build butt bigger. In that area I can go for some extra :)

I am 5'9 and weight today (no clothes ) 136.4 pounds.

All advices about diet plan, and how to make butt up , rounder and bigger super welcome. AND of course abd and legs. lol
I will exercise regularly and post pictures of my progress here.

Here is my picture , you can see I have to build some areas :)

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by SYFY8 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Feeling weak/exhausted during workouts

Hi, I'm a newbie to this whole forum. Briefly, I fell off my health and fitness journey when I met my boyfriend a couple years ago. In that time I somehow allowed myself to gain 30 lbs!!! I've been trying to get back to my usual standard of training and eating habits for the past couple of months and felt like i was making progress. No such progress however ... and lately I've noticed a complete feeling of weakness in my muscles and general exhaustion during my workouts. I feel so drained and weak I find it difficult to give my workouts 110% of my effort.

How do you combat muscle weakness and exhaustion during workouts? Or rather, how do I keep my energy levels up? Feeling a little more than frustrated at this point. Any tips or words of encouragement would be much appreciated!

by delic8rose via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Stubborn Belly Fat/ Bloating

Hey Everyone
I need help!
I train really well, I'm a newly qualified PT myself and so i know what i am doing is intense enough etc..
however when it comes to nutrition i think i must be doing something wrong. I feel as if i eat relatively healthy, with the odd treat here and there if i need it. however my stomach seems to have no definition and always stick out a bit. I naturally have quite smaller legs so i usually tell myself that it just looks that way as my legs look smaller in comparison to my tummy, but i was jus wondering if anyone else felt the same or had some tips on what it could be?

oooh, i also had a baby 2 years ago, so perhaps its just something i am going to have to live with now that i have had a child?
I don't know

any help will be great!

by dlbfitness via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Am I plateauing?

hey!

I think I am plateauing and tipps on how to progress in this situation would be very much appreciated.

Long story short: I've gained 6kg (13lbs) one year ago and now want to drop it but could not challenge the number on the scale since one year.

currently I weigh 71kg (156.5 lbs), I'm 170cm (5'7')

I started out with changing my nutrition first, but didn't get any results - so, november until april, I did cardio 3 times a week (running 6km outdoors (3,7 miles)) and I noticed that I got hungrier but was not confident enough to weigh myself.

Since May I measure everything and track it all, my current routine is Natacha Oceane's CUT program - currently, I'm in week 5, I do one hour of plyometrics, upper body, lower body and full body, one day of cardio (cycling) + 20 minute HIIT sessions – I'm not afraid of lifting heavy, I work out as hard as I can. I'm planning on continuing with this program until I reach my goal (either GW (~62kg / ~135lbs or I want to fit in a specific pair of pants of mine (a 90s mom jeans for people with no butt :p).

I have lost several inches, my measurements at the moment are:
waist: 66cm (26 inches)
chest: 74cm (29 inches)
hips: 92cm (36 inches)

My weight still is the same (71kg / 156.5 lbs) and I am afraid of gaining more weight. I track my food intake since 60 days (with "Lose it!") and my daily calorie budget is 1.670, I'd say 90% of the time I remain under. I know you should not pay too much attention to the number on the scale but I am so frustrated and ashamed. I really want to at least go beneath 70 kg. I thought about adding more cardio to the routine I am already doing and increasing my proteine intake / starting to track my macros.

What are your thoughts about this? Any other tips?

All the best,
F

P.S. I'm 22 - no idea why my profile says 48 :)

by eff1995 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Getting stronger, but not smaller?

26F, 167cm, 56kg

The issues: For 3-4 weeks straight my hips and leg circumference have remained the same. Strength has progressively increased, but I've not lost any cm. I know for a fact, that I'm not eating more than I'm spending, so what's going on?
My Barbell back squat has been more and more difficult to do, which has even led me to not enjoy the workout anymore. I used to love squat day, now I'm all meh about it. Am I not eating enough? Am I pushing too hard? How do I best achieve the endurance of 5x10x55kg when I know I can lift 55kg?

Some (hopefully) helpful info:

I started weight lifting 2 months ago with 2 clear goals in mind:
1. Squat my body weight for 5 sets of 10 reps of 55kg.
2. Deadlift at least my body weight for 5 sets of 10 reps of 55kg.

My goals have been to increase my strength, reduce body fat (become smaller), and make sure I can use this strength consistently (endurance, hence why the 5x10x bw).
I've been consistently weight lifting for the last 2 months, and I've seen an increase in strength. I also do other exercises than what's shown here, but as my goals were as mentioned before, I'll only be discussnig these. My current stats are:
Deadlift 8x6x60kg (Tuesday, Friday)
Barbell back squat 5x7x50kg and 2x8x45kg afterwards (Monday, Thursday)
My lat pull down has increased to 40kg (Tuesday, Friday)

Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday, are cardio. I vary it, sometimes it's high intensity, other times it's low, depending on what I feel I'd benefit most from.
I eat a high protein diet of about 110g protein per day, and I try to keep it around 1200kcal per day. I want to lose some fat tissue.

by fancifulplots via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Thoughts on my programme please! Want muscle and curves!!

Hi all, hope its ok to get your thoughts on my programme.

I'm female, 38, 6ft/182cm and weigh 10stone 2/65kg.

I have been doing the following programme for 8 weeks. Before that I had been doing some SL 5x5 for about 2 months. Very new to weight lifting.

The programme was made for me by a personal trainer with my goals being - get some curves!! Get muscle in arms and legs etc (not just toned) grow glutes, get away from the straight up and down boy figure I have always had.


I workout 3 days a week (have 4 children so unfortunately just can't fit in anymore)

Monday:

Bench Press (2 warm up sets) 8 x 10-12 (really struggling to get past lifting the empty bar! Think I'll have to write a separate post for any advise on that!)

Incline Dumbell Press 5 x10-12 (have worked up to 10kg db)

Cable crossover 5 x 10-12 (15kg)

Tricep rope pushdown 5x 10-12 (20kg)

Close grip push up 3x to failure (can barely do 3!)


Wednesday:

T-bar row (2 warm up sets) 8 x 10-12 (10kg)

Inverted low cable row 5 x 10-12 (35kg)

Seated bent over flye 6 x 15-20 (4kg)

EZ bar bicep curl 6 x 6-8 (bar+5kg)

Seated incline bicep curl 6 x 6-8 (5kg)


Friday:

Barbel squat (2 warm up sets) 8 x 10-12 (50kg)

Hex bar Deadlift 5 x 10-12 (hex bar + 20kgs)

Hip thruster 5 x 10-12 (barbell + 30kgs)

Seated overhead press 5 x 10-12 (9kg dumbells)

Lateral raise 5 x 20 (4kg db)

Upright row 5 x 12-15 (empty EZ bar)



As you can see I have weak arms!! I also have a shoulder injury plus a long history of pregnancy related issues that are definitely improving with the weight lifting.


I have put on a few pounds since I started training I used to under 10 stone and even as low as 9 stone 10 at times over the last few years. I now stay around 10 stone 1 or 2 pounds.

I can see quite a difference in my arms and lots of people commenting on them and my booty is definitely a lot rounder!


I'm afraid I don't count macros and maybe I should start. I eat very healthy foods, very little processed food and have increased my protein but really just by eating eggs, turkey and protein yoghurts!

The personal trainer did the programme for me but other than that I have no access to him and work out in a small local gym where I am nearly always the only one there!

So I would just love some feedback on the programme, the progress I'm making and if there is any way that this programme will give me what I am looking for! I just need to be patient I'm sure!!

Thanks so much for reading it all!

by Mamer4 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

IFBB pro - once overweight?

I was wondering, anyone know of a ifbb pro who was once overweight before getting into the sport?
More specifically in the bikini division but figure is cool too.

I feel like so many of these girls come in already quite petite to begin with.

by Scarielle via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Realistic glute measurement goals? Tips for growing glutes?

Hi guys, I have been training glutes for a couple months now and I was wondering what rate of growth I should expect/ aim for? Like how many extra cms and I expect to agin around the hips per month? or 6 months? or year? I have honestly no clue whats realistic but would like a general idea of what I might see if I work hard and stay on track.

I am a 17 year old girl, with a predispostion to gaining mucles relatively easily (high testosterone) and a history of national level rowing and football. I currently weigh 57.5 kg (127 lb), but im trying to stop weighing myself... it makes me be mean to myself....
I train glutes 4 times a week - exercises most commonly done (but are not limited to) are barbell hip thrusts, single leg RDLs, barbell good mornings and heavy kettle bell swings. I do incoperate the classic squats and deadlifts, I just dont love them. My nutrition is pretty good, however im recovering from some very restrictive eating behaviours so my calories arent probably in a surplus optimal for muscle growth :/ we will get there.. My protein intake is pretty decent tho; at least one gram per kilo of body weight per day.

Currently my hips measure at 95cm (37.5 inches). What do you think my goals should be? I work better when it comes to short term goals, however I know its a slow process. A long term goal I have set myself is to have a fine ass when I leave to uni in march next year hehe. Also any tips on increasing the booty gains? Thanks, anything can help :)

by CHBR via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Skinny fat after anorexia recovery, what should I do?

I have struggled with anorexia ever since I was 12 years old. Today I am eighteen years old and still struggle with disordered eating. I have decided to try and be healthier, and one of my goals is to try and look toned. My problem right now is that although I am underweight, I am very very skinny fat. I suspect this is because I have been hospitalized numerous times for weight restoration, and have been gaining all of my weight back in fat instead of muscle. My BMI isn't as low as it has been in the past: currently it is 17.8, or slightly underweight. I am 5'3" and weigh 100.2lb, but most of that seems to be fat. I look like I weigh twenty more pounds than I actually do, and this frustrates the hell out of me. In the past I have tried to become more fit looking by starving myself and running obsessively, but I guess I've been going about things the wrong way. I have never lifted weights before in my life, but from what I understand that is what I need to do in order to get the toned and fit look I desire.

Since I am really new to this, I have a lot of questions. I apologize in advance if some of these questions get asked frequently. I have done a little bit of research here on the forum looking for answers, but would appreciate some opinions based on my specific situation.

1. What should be my first priority - losing more fat or building muscle? I still have a lot of fat, especially on my lower body.

2. Do I really need to eat more calories in order to build muscle? I'm not going to lie, the concept of bulking makes me cringe and is terrifying to me. I am currently eating 2200 calories a day to maintain. My metabolism is really fast right now, although my dietician said it might slow down once my body gets used to eating normally. I feel uncomfortable eating more, because I feel like I already eat a lot for a woman of my size and height.

3. Does it really matter what I eat? Do carbs, proteins, fats really matter that much when it comes to building more muscle? I am not looking to be a professional body builder or athlete. I just want to look and feel better.

4. Will getting toned make me smaller or bigger? I hate how big my lower body is right now and really want to look smaller. Since I am replacing fat with muscle, will this reduce the size of my butt/thighs/calves or make the problem even worse?

Thank you for reading this! Sorry again if this is repetitive :)

by xvxpunk via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding