Am I actually making progress?!

el27

Hi, would appreciate any advice y'all have.

I'm a woman who's started strength training the past month, following a programme given to me with a mix of machines and free weights. Trying to lose a bit of fat, but am not overweight (BMI is 21 and I weight around 53kg). Even though I go to the gym at least 3 times and have been progressively adding a bit more weight to the exercises, I've lost a max of 2kg, and in the past week 1kg has gone right back on. Can see a little bit of muscle (yay!), but am I wrong in thinking the numbers on the scale should be going down a bit more? I weigh myself about 4 times a week so these don't seem like weird fluctuations.

I eat about 1700 cals a day, probably slightly less than my maintenance amount. Am a bit frustrated because the past week I ate more protein, drank way more water, no alcohol - yet seem to be going in the wrong direction! Don't mind being this weight, but am afraid it might keep going higher as I continue to add weights...any thoughts?

househero

el27 wrote: »

Hi, would appreciate any advice y'all have.

I'm a woman who's started strength training the past month, following a programme given to me with a mix of machines and free weights. Trying to lose a bit of fat, but am not overweight (BMI is 21 and I weight around 53kg). Even though I go to the gym at least 3 times and have been progressively adding a bit more weight to the exercises, I've lost a max of 2kg, and in the past week 1kg has gone right back on. Can see a little bit of muscle (yay!), but am I wrong in thinking the numbers on the scale should be going down a bit more? I weigh myself about 4 times a week so these don't seem like weird fluctuations.

I eat about 1700 cals a day, probably slightly less than my maintenance amount. Am a bit frustrated because the past week I ate more protein, drank way more water, no alcohol - yet seem to be going in the wrong direction! Don't mind being this weight, but am afraid it might keep going higher as I continue to add weights...any thoughts?

Girls are obsese by numbers.

If you are obsessed with numbers, check a measuring tape not scales. See if your thighs, waist or belly is smaller.

If you were muscly 10 stone. You would look a lot smaller than 10 stone and fatty. Muscle is more dense than fat.

el27

Thanks. Measurements are more or less the same size but can see some new muscle.

It's not about being obsessed with numbers. When you are a relatively small person, seemingly small changes are more noticeable. I'm just wondering if I'm likely to continue in an upward direction or if the weight will stay around the same.

seefin

snap! I posted similar a month ago. I've added more weights week on week and my weight hadn't gone up any more. I've googled and a lot of sources say when you start strength training, your muscles store extra water and glycogen in order to repair which this can show itself as an increase on the scales. I was worried like you but seeing as it's not an upward trends and stabilised at 2 to 3 lbs over my starting weight and my clothes feel same, I'm going to continue what I've been doing and assume it's this extra water as my muscles repair ( from the aches I have most days is had to do a fair amount of repairing!!) . I hope someone more knowledgeable doesn't come along and scupper my theory though!!

el27

seefin wrote: »

snap! I posted similar a month ago. I've added more weights week on week and my weight hadn't gone up any more. I've googled and a lot of sources say when you start strength training, your muscles store extra water and glycogen in order to repair which this can show itself as an increase on the scales. I was worried like you but seeing as it's not an upward trends and stabilised at 2 to 3 lbs over my starting weight and my clothes feel same, I'm going to continue what I've been doing and assume it's this extra water as my muscles repair ( from the aches I have most days is had to do a fair amount of repairing!!) . I hope someone more knowledgeable doesn't come along and scupper my theory though!!

Hey, good to hear this! Been reading more about strength training for women who want to look lean (rather than aspiring bodybuilders, no disrespect to female bodybuilders, I know it takes incredible work) and it seems that doing 5 sets of 6 heavier reps is better than 3 sets of not so heavy 10. I was given the 3x10 routine but the last couple of sessions have one 4x8 on squats and it was only then I began to see some muscle. Any thoughts on that?

seefin

I haven't a clue. still fumbling around! ! Am enjoying it though and love being able to add a little weight every week. There's so much info online is confusing- did see alot of sites mention doing higher weights and less reps. I might look at this option in few months if not happy with progress. lifting is so much easier for a guy - none of these worries about getting too bulky in the legs!!

househero

el27 wrote: »

Hey, good to hear this! Been reading more about strength training for women who want to look lean (rather than aspiring bodybuilders, no disrespect to female bodybuilders, I know it takes incredible work) and it seems that doing 5 sets of 6 heavier reps is better than 3 sets of not so heavy 10. I was given the 3x10 routine but the last couple of sessions have one 4x8 on squats and it was only then I began to see some muscle. Any thoughts on that?

Heavy weights and less reps will promote muscle growth. You should rotate your routine every month, one month of big weights, low reps, one month of high reps lighter weights. High reps will compact your muscles and reduce any bulky gains, but for the best results you must do both.

Your body gets used to performing at a certain level you asked of it, so you need to change

househero

seefin wrote: »

I haven't a clue. still fumbling around! ! Am enjoying it though and love being able to add a little weight every week. There's so much info online is confusing- did see alot of sites mention doing higher weights and less reps. I might look at this option in few months if not happy with progress. lifting is so much easier for a guy - none of these worries about getting too bulky in the legs!!

See what I wrote above about rotating your reps.

If you think you are making your legs bulky, you are overtraining them. Your routine should be split in to major body parts, you can train one maybe two parts a day.

Back
Chest
Legs
Shoulders
Arms/abs

If you ache it could be due to a lack of dietary protein.

Alf Veedersane

househero wrote: »

Heavy weights and less reps will promote muscle growth.

Higher reps (6-12) for maximal hypertrophy (size)

househero

By the way girls, its great you have started lifting. The most feminine looking women I know lift and lift big. They also train cardio very very very hard.

A lack of testosterone stops women from bulking like a man.

househero

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Higher reps (6-12) for maximal hypertrophy (size)

Yea I should have made it clear was I was talking about when I said less. 6 to 10 (or 12 if you like) is less reps. We won't get into 1/rep max.

15 to 30 is more reps

seefin

I'm doing up to 12 reps. When hit that on all sets I add a little weight. is this the best way? Again don't want to bulk too much

gymfreak

There's a load of bad advice/myths in this thread.

Rep ranges 1-5 are primarily used to gain strength

Rep ranges 8-15 are primarily used for muscle hypertrophy (muscle size).

Reps above 15 are used for muscle endurance.

I'm a strength athlete so usually only work in the 1-5 rep range for the likes of squats and deadlifts. When I'm doing accessory work cos I want to add a bit of size I'll generally do reps in the 8-12 range.

There's a good few women who have logs in the 'fitness log' section (myself, ninamc, bluewolf, stenchblossoms, petmca,whoopsadaisydoodles...sorry if I forgot anyone)...might be an idea to read through some of the logs

BTW, I was 55kg when I started strength training 4years ago, I now weigh between 55 and 57 depending on how much chocolate I've eaten...and I'm much leaner than I was starting out.

seefin

so we should be doing upto 5 reps to minimize bulking?

Fantasy_Suicide

gymfreak wrote: »

There's a load of bad advice/myths in this thread.

Rep ranges 1-5 are primarily used to gain strength

Rep ranges 8-15 are primarily used for muscle hypertrophy (muscle size).

Reps above 15 are used for muscle endurance.

I'm a strength athlete so usually only work in the 1-5 rep range for the likes of squats and deadlifts. When I'm doing accessory work cos I want to add a bit of size I'll generally do reps in the 8-12 range.

There's a good few women who have logs in the 'fitness log' section (myself, ninamc, bluewolf, stenchblossoms, petmca,whoopsadaisydoodles...sorry if I forgot anyone)...might be an idea to read through some of the logs

BTW, I was 55kg when I started strength training 4years ago, I now weigh between 55 and 57 depending on how much chocolate I've eaten...and I'm much leaner than I was starting out.

I just had a quick look through your logs, holy cow I am impressed! How did you start out strength training? That's kind of where I'm lost, how do I start? How do I learn what the different exercises are? How do I know if I'm doing it right? I'd love to learn how to do a deadlift properly, or a bench press.

conzy

seefin wrote: »

so we should be doing upto 5 reps to minimize bulking?

You will not "bulk" look at any female athlete, they have small petite physiques and they are very powerful but will never look "bulky" or "too muscular" it is not possible.

You will not end up looking like Mrs trunchbull if you train hard in any rep range

Hanley

conzy wrote: »

You will not "bulk" look at any female athlete, they have small petite physiques and they are very powerful but will never look "bulky" or "too muscular" it is not possible.

You will not end up looking like Mrs trunchbull if you train hard in any rep range

100% this.

Very good advice.

househero

seefin wrote: »

I'm doing up to 12 reps. When hit that on all sets I add a little weight. is this the best way? Again don't want to bulk too much

There is no best way.

When you stop progressing change. But its best to already build regular changes in to your workout as by the time you realize you made no progress, its too late.

Do 1 month high reps low weight followed by 1 month of low reps high weight. You can add weight during each month. If you want to bulk, no cardio. If you want to trim, lots of mixed cardio (not always the same machines) or sports.

househero

seefin wrote: »

so we should be doing upto 5 reps to minimize bulking?

No. Strength athletes look like crap. The sole point if their training is to lift an elephant. The worlds strongest men are strength athletes, it comes hand in hand with excess fat storage.

Alf Veedersane

Jesus wept.

gymfreak

househero wrote: »

No. Strength athletes look like crap. The sole point if their training is to lift an elephant. The worlds strongest men are strength athletes, it comes hand in hand with excess fat storage.

Sorry, you are very misinformed.

I am a strength athlete and have been for the last 4-5 years and I am not fat by any standard. In fact I am quite proud of my body shape. I've competed as a powerlifter and am currently an olympic weightlifter. The main priority of my training is not to lift like an elephant, it is to lift like an athlete.

When you speak about these strength athletes who 'look like crap' you are highly misinformed and are talking about a minority of strength athletes (which is found in every sport) who decide that mass moves mass and are quite ignorant to the fact that the majority of strength athletes are not.

Girls please do a google search of the top level olympic lifting ladies. The majority of the girls are in tip top shape.

gymfreak

Fantasy_Suicide wrote: »

I just had a quick look through your logs, holy cow I am impressed! How did you start out strength training? That's kind of where I'm lost, how do I start? How do I learn what the different exercises are? How do I know if I'm doing it right? I'd love to learn how to do a deadlift properly, or a bench press.

Hi,
I was very fortunate to attend a 'Ladies Learn to Lift' workshop run by some posters here on boards. They taught me how to squat and deadlift. After a month or so, I decided that I really liked it and was quite good at it and joined a strength and conditioning gym so that I could be monitored and coached.

Fast forward 4 or so years and I've competed at National/World Powerlifting Competitions before making the switch to olympic weightlifting. Currently still training and competing in weightlifting.

The best advice I can give you is to go and find a good coach/ personal trainer or join a semi private strength and conditioning gym that will teach you the lifts, programme you and monitor you at the beginning. It will save a lot of time and heart ache in the long run. Think of it as an investment, and invest in learning how to do these exercises and how to create a training plan so that you are not spinning your wheels.

Hanley

househero wrote: »

No. Strength athletes look like crap. The sole point if their training is to lift an elephant. The worlds strongest men are strength athletes, it comes hand in hand with excess fat storage.

I've been playing basketball for years. Never got tall.

Been strength training for almost a decade too. Still not fat.

Must be doing something wrong.

Alf Veedersane

Hanley wrote: »

I've been playing basketball for years. Never got tall.

Been strength training for almost a decade too. Still not fat.

Must be doing something wrong.

Not lifting enough elephants.

el27

seefin wrote: »

so we should be doing upto 5 reps to minimize bulking?

Hi, so the last couple of days my weight has decreased ever so slightly (maybe stabilised?) yet I've been going hard at it in the gym and eating close to/at maintenance calories :-) I suggest trying 4 x 8 or 5 x 6 sets of reps. Weights I *couldn't* do 3 x 10 on are doable in the other two ranges and, even better, the last set or two I *add* more weight so am really sweating! This is especially true of leg work and am starting to see something resembling muscle shape there the past few days.

On the 'bulk' fear: fellas, we always hear that we can't bulk, but I and probablyother ladies know from experience that some training seems to create a kind of 'pumped' look when we'd prefer arms and legs to look long and lean.

And strength training feels great! Nearly the cardio bunnies I see in the gym, looks so boring in comparison.