This right here is such a TREMENDOUS benefit of weight lifting. As a high school student I was a bit of a pear—a slight one, but it was there nonetheless—but when I started lifting weights, my bottom half slimmed and my shoulders and upper back widened, and I became an hourglass.
I also built myself a bottom. Seriously. And, if you already have one, don't worry: I chose exercises specifically designed to make mine rounder. Within reason, you can resculpt yourself into pretty much anything you want to with lifting. Long before I dropped to 108, when I was hanging out at 129 for years, I tried on a dress I made in college, when I also weighed 129, and found that it fit nowhere. It was too tight in the shoulders and back, but too loose in the hips and thighs. It looked like it had been made for a completely different person—I was honestly shocked that it had ever fit me perfectly—and my weight was unchanged.
That's interesting! I started out as a pear and as I lost weight I wound up as an hour glass or an upside-down pear (my measurements are 37/25/35). I don't know what I would have been had I been normal weighted before lifting (as opposed to obese when I began lifting) but I'm guessing that I wouldn't be the shape I am now.
I always find it interesting how lifting can completely change one's shape but leave weight stagnant. I remember when I dropped a dress size without losing any weight when I began lifting, and I found that things didn't quite fit the same way they used to.
It is totally interesting! I haven't dropped a pound since I started lifting but I have jeans that used to fit comfortably that literally drop off me now!
Ok so I started today and WOW, I am embarrassed. I did not realize how out of shape I am. I have always thought myself to be athletic and have lots of muscle but I am out of shape. I always thought body weight exercises looked so easy and thought "no problem, I can do that". Boy I was wrong. I hope I didnt get lazy though by cutting it too short. I only trained for about 20 minutes. :/ I did take your advice and ate more today since it was a weight training day. I have decided to eat 1300 calories on non exercise days and about 1500 on workout days. Tonight for instance, I added a protein shake with a cup of grapes for my afterwork out meal. What do you all think?
Indiblue What an awesome outlook on health and fitness. I need to get in a better mindset. I think Im just stuck in that "ugh Ive let myself go so bad and cant stand my body" type mindset that I just want to get smaller! SO I am focusing less on the health and fitness side of it; which is not a good thing. Thank you for the reality check I think Ill put the scale away for awhile until I know FOR SURE that my clothes are fitting looser. So happy for you that youve come to love your body!
Philana I will def. keep you posted on my progress and how I am feeling. I feel like I will be a true testimonial if I end up liking this because like so many others, I have been skeptical, scared and not a huge fan of lifting. So I hope to change my mind and attitude about it and have great results to report back
Valrock I lOVE that you just said you have gotten so much energy from lifting. I have been complaining about lack of energy for soooooooooo long now. It would be AMAZING if weight lifting helped out with that. Also, you said you didnt lose weight but you lost inches..How many calories were you eating when this happened? Were you eating at maintenance or over or a deficit? What was your caloric intake around when you were losing inches but not weight?
Petite and Sontaikle I too am a pear!!!! But you know whats interesting, when I did a diet one time that I actually stuck with for 5 weeks (sounds pathetic I know), where it consisted of low carb (so I was burning mainly fat), my body completely turned hourglass. My hips were completely vanished. Makes me wonder what my "true" shape is. I have never given my body a chance to show me. As of now with my body fat (id say my percentage is around 25-28..ahhh), I am a pear. I am excited to hear you both say you werent pears anymore after weight lifting because it gives me hope I too can reshape my body (not saying pears are bad, but just the idea of reshaping is nice). Petite I know youve been lifting for years. So when did your body get in its tiptop shape? What were your workouts like?
Last edited by Dianne042425; 01-19-2012 at 08:09 PM.
This has all been so helpful and interesting so far! I haven't got the book yet (still waiting for it to arrive) but I'm ridiculously curious to read the answers to your recent questions, Dianne. Thanks for starting this thread.
edit: Erg, just realized this was in the featherweight forum. A featherweight I most certainly am not. Don't want to annoy anyone by my posting here but I gotta say it's still great info and I'm grateful for it.
Last edited by Thistleberry; 01-20-2012 at 10:09 AM.
Valrock I lOVE that you just said you have gotten so much energy from lifting. I have been complaining about lack of energy for soooooooooo long now. It would be AMAZING if weight lifting helped out with that. Also, you said you didnt lose weight but you lost inches..How many calories were you eating when this happened? Were you eating at maintenance or over or a deficit? What was your caloric intake around when you were losing inches but not weight?
I've been eating at maintenance for about a year now. I don't count calories but I do a modified version of IF with mostly whole foods with lower carbs. Not because I really need to lose more weight... but because it makes me feel better . I wish I had a better answer for you!
A typical workout day for me is: Workout first thing in AM & Protein shake with 26 grams of protein directly afterwards. I'm literally running like a chicken with my head cut off until about 5pm after that (with college, running kids around, volunteering etc) and I'm truly not hungry so I don't eat. I eat a big dinner and a big dessert that usually consists of fruit and a protein like greek yogurt. Sometimes I'll snack on something else if I'm hungry in the evening. I estimate my calories around... 1800? Some days more some days less. All I know, is it works for me so I'll run with it . Keep tweaking your plan until you find what works for you too!
ETA: I'd probably continue to lose weight if I didn't splurge on the weekends and eat total crap at times .
Val I just wanted to pop in and say that I think you really are onto something when you talked about how lifting made you more proportional. We are so conditioned to thinking smaller EVERYTHING is better and that bigger ANYTHING is worse.
In reality, some of our perceived flaws are really just tricks of the eye. I have saddlebags, which are really not that terrible, but are highlighted because my waist is really narrow. I look better in low pants that hit me at my wider lower waist than show how thin I am at my upper waist. A slightly thicker waist (from muscle, not flab) would actually probably make my saddlebags less noticeable.
You know, I'm kind of curious and I posted about this in the weight training forum, but I wonder if you ladies have some input.
We're told that to build muscle you must eat at a surplus. To lose weight (but maintain muscle) you must eat at a deficit and strength train.
What happens if you eat to maintain while weight lifting? Do you just stay the same? I'm reminded of a story about a woman who started and ended at 155lbs, but went down several pant sizes and had quite a dramatic transformation. So can you build muscle and lose fat while maintaining your weight?
I don't know what her diet was and I can't quite remember where I read the post...
I'm not quite sure how much I would have to eat to build muscle, and I'm thinking of just working to maintain for now while I get used to my new body.
Val I just wanted to pop in and say that I think you really are onto something when you talked about how lifting made you more proportional. We are so conditioned to thinking smaller EVERYTHING is better and that bigger ANYTHING is worse.
In reality, some of our perceived flaws are really just tricks of the eye. I have saddlebags, which are really not that terrible, but are highlighted because my waist is really narrow. I look better in low pants that hit me at my wider lower waist than show how thin I am at my upper waist. A slightly thicker waist (from muscle, not flab) would actually probably make my saddlebags less noticeable.
Totally! I have saddlebags too and at my lowest weight I'm 27" at my most narrow part. I built some obliques and that measurement is close to 30" now and even though my thighs are about the same size they were, (though more firm ) they look smaller. There isn't such a dramatic difference between my middle and my hips/thighs.
In my experience, a thicker waist—muscular, but thicker—made me appear more pear shaped. I was narrow on top—pretty much straight up and down—and my bottom half was clearly the largest part of me. By losing inches off the middle and increasing my breadth at the top, I ended up making my bottom half look proportional as well. It is still wide, but wide in a good way now. And, of course, I lost weight in the bottom half. Genetically, it is just the last thing to change on me.
Years ago I started out doing the wrong exercises, and my waist did thicken. I learned along the way not to go this route, and when I did, my waist got much smaller. I have incredibly defined abs, but I have managed to whittle down my waist to a size I never expected, and I prefer it that way.
Last edited by Petite Powerhouse; 01-25-2012 at 04:09 PM.
Valrock Thats so great that you can intuitively eat and not overeat. Do you feel less stressed not being so overobssesive about calorie counting?
Are you saying you only eat a protein shake and then dinner? How does that get you up to 1800?
Yes, MUCH less stressed!
I totaled my calories for yesterday
Protein Shake: 180
Dinner-
Boneless Skinless Chicken breast: 300
Breaded with egg/coconut/coconut oil: Estimated 300
Dipping sauce made with raw honey and home made orange marmalade: 100
Small Baked Yam: 150
2 cups greens with orange infused vinegar: 15
Seriously. And, if you already have one, don't worry: I chose exercises specifically designed to make mine rounder. Within reason, you can resculpt yourself into pretty much anything you want to with lifting. Long before I dropped to 108, when I was hanging out at 129 for years, I tried on a dress I made in college, when I also weighed 129, and found that it fit nowhere. It was too tight in the shoulders and back, but too loose in the hips and thighs. It looked like it had been made for a completely different person—I was honestly shocked that it had ever fit me perfectly—and my weight was unchanged.
.
and at my lowest weight I'm 27" at my most narrow part. I built some obliques and that measurement is close to 30" now and even though my thighs are about the same size they were, (though more firm 
