I am one who tells any woman LIFT! You will not bulk up. And it's true! It's very, very difficult for a woman to bulk up with lifting.

So why am I?

My arms a flipping huge! I thought it was fat. I keep waiting for them to shape up. I caught a glimpse of myself doing the pec fly this morning and holy shoulders, triceps, and biceps. HUGE! I want small very defined arms, not muscle man arms.

My friend laughed at me. She agreed it's all muscle. She's noticed it for a while apparently. She said less weight. Yeah, sure. I get that. One, I don't wanna. Two, how do I undo what I've done? Wait for them to atrophy? That's insane.

You are not alone Eliana! If I had a nickel for every time someone told me that women do not bulk up, I'd have enough saved for lipo, a boob-job and a trip someplace warm to show off the work! When I was doing a lot of lifting (and by a lot, I mean 3 or 4 times a week for an hour) my pecs actually became square like a guy's. Freaked me right out. I think your friend is right: the theory is less weight more reps will tone without adding to the muscle body. I have a friend who complains that are arms are too skinny. 8) Ya' gotta learn to love what you've got.

BTW, good for you for having all that muscle! It keeps your bones strong!

There are different types of fat, fat that surrounds muscle and fat that is interwoven with muscle. So you may still need to lose the fat that is interwoven in the muscle. Also, when you lift weights, your arms tend to retain water for a period of time. And lastly, you should realize that flexed muscles definitely look bigger so if you are working your muscles, then yes they will appear bigger than at rest.

You still have 20 lbs to go, I don't know, I'd just go with it to see what happens and yes you could lower the weight and let them atrophy.

Flippy-- can you define "tone" for me?


You can do 2 things to a muscle--- make it bigger, or make it smaller. You cannot change the SHAPE, or the length of the muscle...its part of your genetics. "toning" is a made up magazine word that appeals to women who fear "bulking".

Definition of "tone" :

tonus
[tō′nəs]
Etymology: Gk, tonos, stretching
1. also called muscle tone. The normal state of balanced tension in the body tissues, especially the muscles. Partial contraction or alternate contraction and relaxation of neighboring fibers of a group of muscles hold the organ or the part of the body in a neutral functional position without fatigue. Tonus is essential for many normal body functions, such as holding the spine erect, the eyes open, and the jaw closed.
2. also called tone. the state of the body tissues being strong and fit.
Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. © 2009, Elsevier.

Kind of true, but certain types of exercise are more likely to create short fat muscle. Pilates and other exercises for dancers and gymnasts are designed to strengthen muscle without making it bulky so that you get a long, lean muscle mass. A ballet dancer needs to get strong and still look like a gust of wind might blow her down, so they tend to concentrate on things like pilates.

I want to be strong and look like a gust of wind might blow me down!! Sign me up!!

LOL!

Too bad I have the grace of a cow.

This is body fat levels, not "short" muscle. Muscles are the same on everyone, you can't lengthen it anymore than you lengthen your leg. The difference is that people like ballet dancers keep their diets diet and have much less bodyfat

Eliana -
Can I vote for loving yourself for what you can do and not being to stressed about size? You've said you love to work out and feel strong, so go with that and see where it takes you. You are making good progress, weight-loss wise and increasing fitness and health-wise, so I say count your blessings and be happy with the awesomeness that is you.

I concur, I am a bit wary of showing pictures of people online without their permission but there is a girl at my CF gym who looks like she could be a ballet dancer. She has a very low body fat and lifts heavy. I was mad last night because I used 83 lbs for our back squats and saw she used 93 lbs. If only I had known, I would've tried 93 lbs. Anyway, she lifts a lot of weight and is one of the stronger female members at our gym but she is very thin. Low body fat.

Awe, thank you. I WAS really proud of my arms until this morning. I guess I thought I had melting fat and that once the fat was gone I'd have these small but muscular arms. So when I saw all muscle I was quite taken back. I have these size small shirts I want to get into and with muscle arms like these it isn't going to happen.

Probably the smartest thing to do is just keep on doing what I am and see what they look like at goal. 20 pounds may well make a difference.

thank you sacha

Sorry, keep their diets in check, not diets diet, LOL. YW girls, I know this is a myth that's hard to break and keeps people from lifting!

It does, and I agree! I hesitated to post this because of that. I will still tell any woman who asks that women simply do not build muscle the way men do. But I swear I can really pack on the muscle.

Eliana, i hesitated to even bring up the "toning" myth.
Most of the time i keep my mouth shut--- ignorance is everywhere and i cant save the world lol!
But for you, i feel there is hope...... didnt want to take the chance of letting you linger in ignorance