i'm scared that i'm gonna start looking like a man...
 

One of my greatest fears of weight lifting is that i'll put on to much muscle and will end up looking really masculine. I seem to build muscle quickly and I keep adding more weight when i do upper body lifting. Is this a valid concern? I want to be toned... not to look like a football player, lol.

How is your eating when you are doing weight lifting? I've only heard of women getting 'bulky' if they are eating too many calories and weight lifting... and the bulk is fat, not muscle.

As for your concern, when you first start weight lifting, your body is able to increase strength phenomenally. Increasing strength doesn't mean increasing bulk though. Our body has muscles but those muscles are greatly underused.

As for looking like a football player, it won't happen unless you start taking steroids or something. And even then you have to eat excess calories, lift weights for hours every day for years.

My diet is generally around 1250 calories a day.... Which I think is pretty good for me. And I'm definitely not gonna take steroids. So I guess I should be ok. Thank you for the response. :)

The heavier I lift, the smaller I get as the muscle replaces fat. And I lift really heavy.

Not going to happen unless you have serious hormone issues.

I have serious hormone issues (really high testosterone, which has its own side effects) and I can tell you, don't worry about bulking up.
The only time I ever bulked up was years ago when I was eating too many calories.
I now lift much heavier than I did back then and am far less bulky. Just really strong. :)

I started lifting about a year ago with a trainer and he doesn't believe in the "pink weights". :D I have lost 4 inches off my chest, so quite the opposite of bulking up has happened to me. Yes I have muscles in my arms now, as well as my back but I'd personally rather have those than the fat. My legs are have nice long muscles in 'em now.. no big bulky things and they've also gone down a couple of inches each.

you have no chance in heck of bulking up - especially with 1250/cals a day.
i lift pretty heavy (atg squat my own body weight and deadlift l.5x my body weight) and i never bulked up. in fact, i've gotten smaller as i leaned out. i have less body fat (then when i started out) and more lean muscle. my clothes or fitting more loosely. weight training for the win!!!

You can't bulk up on 1250 calories (and many would argue you can't gain any muscle on that either). I've been working out heavy heavy (ie. deadlifting more than my bodyweight) for about 3-4 years now and eating 1800-2200 calories per day and I still can't get much muscle! It's being female.

Women, wieghts and bulky bodies.
 

Hi folks, I just joined today. I wanted to help support my wife in her efforts and this forum looks like fun. I am 61 years old, I have been lifting for 40 years and 20 of them as a powerlifter. I have not taken steroids, but still at 5ft. 8in. I still weigh over 200 lbs. By the way, that is 204, down from 220. I had to give up my beloved beer! More aerobic activity and higher reps are helping too.

In reply to the worries of too much bulk and muscularity, not to worry. The female hormone mix won't permit it and any steroid use will have some very visible and unfunny side effects. However, please be aware that as you get slimmer and tone up, what you see in the mirror will tend to delude you into thinking, "Oh my god! I'm getting huge!". That is definitely not the case, in fact what is happening, is that the muscles are becoming more shapely and rounded.

No way will you bulk up on 1250 cals a day! There was a point in time in HS when I started to bulk up in the arms and chest but I was eating massive amounts of protein, swimming laps daily in a wave pool with the waves on, and power lifting with the boys. It takes a lot for most females to start looking 'manly'. I'd take manly over my current squishy self, though ;).

Welcome pme!! :wave:

Don't worry about the bulking, lose the fat on top of the muscle then you'll be nice and toned :yes: ... I was going to give Mel as the perfect example of heavy lifting and a small body, but she beat me to it... Thanks Mel!!

I have been doing p90x for 6 weeks just started my 7th week. I am doing doubles with the classics which means you do weight lifting lots of push up and pull ups or[ bands with the pull up bar which is what I do] along with cardio plyo and yoga and ab work. I have seen alot of change in my mucsles they have gotten MUCH more defined and would appear much larger but I believe it is because I am becoming leaner I also eat about 1200 calories aday high protien and lots of vegs and fruit some kashi go lean sometimes oatmeal. But defintly not manly looking.

Welcome devadiva! Sounds like you found the perfect combination for yourself!

Mel

I sometimes look bigger before I look smaller. I'll buff out a little before the water and fat come off and temporarily I'll look bigger.

Also realizing if I wanted to be a body builder, I have the right shape and ability to build muscle for it. (although no desire to do the leaning out diet) Unfortunately my passion is running, which I do NOT naturally have ability for . :dizzy: