cutting without bulking? and other queries :)

[mini_mouse]

I'm seriously considering trying to build up some lean muscle mass (yeah, yeah, laugh! ), especially on my stomach and upper arms, but I know very little about the actual process of cutting and whether bulking is actually a necessary 'evil' (as it would be for me right now) in order to see some results.

I was looking at hardbdygrl's photos and I'm really liking her abs! Could it be remotely realistic for me to aim for such definition without incorporating a bulking diet? If so, what's the best workout for ab cutting? I'm hoping the focus is more on lifting than it is on cardio...

Also, regarding upper arms: I'm looking to tighten them and strength them but, in so far as possible, without bulking them up. I'm thinking more along the lines of courtney cox biceps (so shoot me! ) and less along the lines of randy savage biceps I imagine this will just require a straight-forward schedule of light lifting ... ?

I've found out about a reasonably priced, well-equipped health club nearby me and I am going to go along on monday to take a look around and hopefully sign up I'm planning on going 3x a week initially and then see whether I want to buy some free weights to use at home for the other days in the week. I'm getting quite excited about this actually!

Oh, one last thing ... are there any classes that you consider worthwhile trying out? Like Pumpclass or a body conditioning class or something. I know they're the BB's version of playschool but seeing as I'm joining a club that has a bunch of free classes, and seeing as I'm not exactly Miss Buff anyway, I thought they could be of some benefit?

Thanks!
- mini

 

[Temple]

Mini -
I will try to get back to you in the morning - am too tired to type right now. You are taking a step - that in and of itself is a big accomplishment.

 

[thin]

I think (maybe... maybe...ughh) I wanna do my arms.. so I'll be reading this thread too.

 

[thin]

naaaw I think mini & me were wonderiong of you HAD to bulk-- or what it would be like or something...

 

[mini_mouse]

temple01 - thanks for your encouragement

thin - glad you're considering building some muscle too (just as long as you don't start posting britney pics on the trigger board, right?! ). Seeing as you already do a bit of lifting I'm curious as to what your upper body is schedule like? I think we have similar-ish goals: like you I don't want to build up my legs at all (my quads stick out too much for my liking in profile as it is), but I do want to get some more separation in my upper arms ... and I wouldn't sniff at a six-pack either I saw a photo of your sixpack the other day actually: tabcan, sweeet!

spatterson - thanks for replying. I realised that the bulking cycles and the cutting cycles are separate and that fat cannot be miraculously transformed into muscle but the actual process was still not clear to me. I think you've managed to clarify it for me anyway though. I'm now thinking of the pre-cut body like a piece of unmoulded clay: you get a certain amount of clay for moulding - to which you first add more clay, depending on the final size you desire - and then you chisel away at it until you get to the shape you like. So that must mean that, somewhere inside of me, there's a muscular woman just waiting to come out, right?

 

[Temple]

you get a certain amount of clay for moulding - to which you first add more clay, depending on the final size you desire - and then you chisel away at it until you get to the shape you like. So that must mean that, somewhere inside of me, there's a muscular woman just waiting to come out, right?


Yes and no, in order to get the shape that you seek you must first have the raw material (muscle) to work with then you can remove the fat that resides over the top of it. In an emaciated state your body will not allow you to remove that fat. It will let you die before it gives up those fat stores. The only way that it can be done is by
Nourishing the Body
Doing the thing that cause the muscles to grow.
Proper hydration - the lasix is probably the biggest enemy you have right now.
Weight training without proper nutrition will only result in the further breakdown of your body and I am concerned that with the amount of lasix that you take it could easily result in a major cardiac crisis.
If you truly want a 6 pack and some biceps I think a safe first step would be to get yourself some protein powder and some skim milk. Mix a scoop of the powder (chocolate is my favorite)with a cup of skim milk in the blender 3x per day and drink it.
Get some dumbells and do some bicep curls only in the beginning
and drink water. You really need a doctors supervision for the lasix/potassium thing that you have going on - an imbalance in this area will kill you - the doc also needs to know that you are taking the lasix although I am sure that he suspects from the way your labs turn out.
Keep reading the board
Keep looking at the pics on here
Control what goes into your mind and you will control your body.

 

[KBgrl]

yea man! what temple said!!

MM.. thats so funny that you mentioned you liked courtney cox's look. I was just watching "friends" the other day and she was wearing this low cut sleevless red dress and ALLLL I could do was say "OMG, how disgusting!!" you could see EVERY rib and her arms were just freakin nasty! eeewww. Jennifer Aniston looks 100 times better than courtney cox right now (and that doesnt say much!) hehe.. sorry , it's just my humble opinion..

I think it's cool you guys are thinking about lifting weights. Listen to what temple said! oh and MM-- See if your gym has has "tone" classes or something like that. Sometimes they have just upperbody ones or abs classes. I think those types of things would be cool for you to start with!

Thin -- I thought you lifted already?

 

[thin]

grrrrrr

I do. But it's to prevent atrophy and stay stong and so I can look more uh "ripped" I wanna look like jackie chan after a two week fast, man. Yeah!

er-- but I was thinking about building more muscle, you know. Like not just stronger muscle but 'eh "bigger" muscle... MAYBE.

Oh, and I think "toned" is a gross word. grrrrrrr

 

[KBgrl]

LOL... I think yall know why I used the word the "tone" here so stop giving me shit wise assessssssss...

Mini wants to "tone" up. You start saying things like... "yea man.. lets bulk you up to around 130-140 by pumping iron" ... she'll run away .

Let her "tone" for gods sake!

as for you thinny... jackie chan after a 2 weeks fast.. that was VERY funny! what are you smoking little one?? I think its a verrrry good idea ya got going on when you said you think want to get a little bigger. a little size would look maaaahvelous on ya!

 

[Temple]

KB - I have a concern with a "tone" class or any other class at this point due to the lasix issue. I think this is one of those cases where cardiac failure is a very real possiblity - not a doctor and I wish to hell someone with a phd or some knowledge would jump in here. Just don't want her dying on the gym floor because we told her it was okay. Nothing in her system is functioning properly right now.

 

[rez]

for spatts..and others who are carb rotating..

at the moment, im carb rotating through the week and zero-20g carbs on sat and sunday. This weekend i had to wake up at 630am i was so hungry..even though i ate before bed...is this becuase my metabolism is used to eating early b/c i train early during the week and is speeding up?

also my muscles look 'flater' on these days..does the same thing happen to you guys?

 

[KBgrl]

KB - I have a concern with a "tone" class or any other class at this point due to the lasix issue. I think this is one of those cases where cardiac failure is a very real possiblity - not a doctor and I wish to hell someone with a phd or some knowledge would jump in here. Just don't want her dying on the gym floor because we told her it was okay. Nothing in her system is functioning properly right now.

Im an ass! I totally wasnt thinking of any of that when I typed my response. I forgot that mini was taking that shit. Thx for pointing that out to me T.

hey -- why are you taking that anyway?? its not making you lose fat... you know that right?

 

[KEL]

My .02
I was prescribed lasix - I held on to even more water... felt like crap!

The racehorses can keep it as far as I’m concerned.

 

[wyst]

KB - I have a concern with a "tone" class or any other class at this point due to the lasix issue. I think this is one of those cases where cardiac failure is a very real possiblity - not a doctor and I wish to hell someone with a phd or some knowledge would jump in here. Just don't want her dying on the gym floor because we told her it was okay. Nothing in her system is functioning properly right now.

Yeah, this is a woman who has written on a recent thread that she has 8.5 inch biceps. 8.5! As much as I think it's a good idea to help people through their various disorders and weaknesses, I think advising her on adding more exercise to her lifestyle without eating more could be tantamount to assisted suicide. Lasix for a person with 8.5 inch biceps? Weight workouts for a person with the stated goal of not gaining size past 8.5 inches and the goal of looking like Courtney Cox?

I just find this very troubling, and the whole thin thing that is all over the boards now is even more frightening (this part here is in general, mini, and not aimed at your specifically). I've lived with people who thought this way before, in school, and I really really think that if you look carefully at what they're asking, it's really how to burn off *more* fat without getting any bigger. That's dieting in my book, death dieting. Once you've hit the fat-destruction wall and aren't eating anything already, and you're on lasix, and binging and purging, sometimes the only way you can cut out more fat is to add more exercise. When you're that skinny, it's a BAD idea to add more exercise to your life, unless you add more calories, more protein, more carbs, and more fat. Otherwise it's just a tool for self annihilation.

I was looking at hardbdygrl's photos and I'm really liking her abs! Could it be remotely realistic for me to aim for such definition without incorporating a bulking diet?

I'm pretty surprised that no one here has said:

NO!

The same with your upper arms. You won't be building muscle if you don't eat more, you'll just be burning fat. Your clay analogy doesn't hold up. If you add more exercise without adding more calories, you'll end up getting smaller overall, discarding clay, not reshaping it. Sure, you'll get the separation you're looking for, but not through building muscle. That is *not* fitness or bodybuilding. It's a classic anorexic strategy.

This isn't a flame against the Thin Forum folks, or against the people trying to help them -- I believe you're all good people, on both ends. I hope I'm just being the drama chick I sometimes am, but I'd be very sad if my suspicion -- that some of these people just want to use the tools of bodybuilding for bodydestruction -- turned out to be true. Am I beating a dead horse? Maybe. But better than mourning a dead woman, and knowing that this site contributed to the death.

 

[rez]

I wake up hungry at 4 am, even on non-training days...funny how your bod doesn't py attention to the day of the week, huh?

Yes, you will be flatter. Carbs make ya look GOOOOOOD!

Rotating during the week and nothing on the weekend? Why isn't the weekend part of the rotation?

well it kinda is i guess...
saturday is cardio FTITM (like everything else), so ill have some low gi carb and pro as my post workout meal. After that its just green veg and salads as the only carb sources.

sunday is rest day..so i see no point having carbs here. On this point... i was wondering what you thought may be the best workout for monday morning? cardio...no carbs for 2 days..burn more fat? or get preworkout carbs and pump iron??

 

[new@gettinbig]

First of all Courtney Cox is like a twig w/ no definition in her arms at all....that would take no training or hard work at all to have your arms look like that. Women I think have this fear of hittin weights and getting too bulky etc...you WILL NOT GET BULKY..yes if you eat shit..you will get fat..but w/ clean eating and a good training program you will only improve your body...Weight training is SO important..and it should be your primary focus..I would possibly hook up w/ a trainer to get you set on a solid program..have someone show you the ropes and get you comfortable....it would be worth the investment.

 

[Temple]

Wyst - you just said everything I have been struggling with as far as this issue goes. No, I do not think you are being overly dramatic.

 

[mini_mouse]

Thank you for all your responses

I want to say, before I pick up on any specific points, the training I am discussing here is part of a 'trial run' recovery/maintenance exercise for me. I would be eating larger quantities of food (balanced around 40:40:20) and re-framing my weight goals for weight maintenance rather than loss. I am hoping that the additional training will justify for me the increase in food and that it may even teach me how to take pride in developing a stronger form. I have reached (or perhaps I should say, returned to) a point where I WANT a healthy perspective and I know that the only way to achieve this is to engage healthier behaviours. I wish it could work the other way around - it would be far less difficult - but it rarely does.

Re: lasix. Firstly, I really don't take it as often as you seem to think. I probably take it less than a lot of ppl here in fact. At most I take it 3x in a week, more often only once or twice. However, I am still going to make sure that my lab results give me the all clear before going ahead with any new training plans. I re-scheduled my dr. appt. for this coming wednesday, so I'll have blood work done then and will find out the results, hopefully, before next weekend. If my potassium is low then I will improve it next week and have another test done to ensure it is back within range. I will then continue to have weekly/fortnightly checks so that it stays that way.
One thing I am curious about though is why, when so many BBs take lasix, my use of it makes you think I'm not eligible for lifting. How come it's more ok for them to use lasix than it is for me? The level of potassium/sodium in your blood is not correlative with body mass

Yeah, this is a woman who has written on a recent thread that she has 8.5 inch biceps. 8.5! As much as I think it's a good idea to help people through their various disorders and weaknesses, I think advising her on adding more exercise to her lifestyle without eating more could be tantamount to assisted suicide.

Maybe 8.5" sounds smaller than what it actually is? Your average person would perhaps think me "slim", but by no means would they think me sickly or emaciated. I don't have 'anorexic' stamped on my forehead .... or my bicep for that matter . I think some of you must think me to be far smaller than I actually am and I think that that, in turn, makes you think I am less physically healthy and capable than I actually am. I have half a mind to show you a photo so that you can see for yourself

It's funny but you guys actually make me feel embarrassed to be thought of as "too thin" when, for years, I have strived to be thought of as such. This is a good thing. A weird thing but a good thing

Thanks for your patience.
love mini

p.s Ok, so poor Courtney didn't get a very good response, did she?! But what d'ya think about ... Madonna? (and, just to warn you, I may be puny but I'll still whup your sorry ass if you breathe one bad word about her - I'm an obsessed fan )

 

[thin]

I just wanted to say that I was thinking about getting bigger. Like in volume ppl like 10" arms to maybe 12"? But that is scary. So I wanna read some more first.

I don't know if it is too scary for me, but I'm thinking it'd be nice to have bigger arms to go with my big legs.

As for you mini-- are you gonna eat more to pick up the slack for your new work out? You could do it 1:1 like for all the extra excercise you do you eat some more protien? I did that for a week and it improved my (bad) race time (it's still bad, but it's better) and my thighs are a bit nicer looking (and no more massive than before, can still get two hands round the big part)

So, maybe try the shrimp thing?

 

[Temple]

Madonna - okay that's a start, at least she has that whole yoga thing going on.
I'm just going to cut to the chase.
8.5" biceps on a grown woman = emaciated and I don't care how you try to sell it to me. Hell, even got out my tape measure just to see what it looks like and I have an 8 year old with bigger arms.
To meet ANY type of a fitness goal you have to EAT
NOT NEGOTIABLE
Lasix is a dangerous drug PERIOD OVER AND OUT AMEN and it is not something that I have ever heard of anyone on this board using except perhaps those that are competing at the upper levels of the sport and only then for very very short periods of time i.e. possibly a day or so before competition.
Actually I think the best advice I can give you is if you are serious about getting past your ED then you need to see a doctor, give him the full details and procede under his/her supervision. As much as I want to help you I cannot in good conscience give you advice beyond my knowledge when the end result could be fatal.

 

[wyst]

Thank you for all your responses

I want to say, before I pick up on any specific points, the training I am discussing here is part of a 'trial run' recovery/maintenance exercise for me. I would be eating larger quantities of food (balanced around 40:40:20) and re-framing my weight goals for weight maintenance rather than loss. I am hoping that the additional training will justify for me the increase in food and that it may even teach me how to take pride in developing a stronger form. I have reached (or perhaps I should say, returned to) a point where I WANT a healthy perspective and I know that the only way to achieve this is to engage healthier behaviours. I wish it could work the other way around - it would be far less difficult - but it rarely does.

Re: lasix. Firstly, I really don't take it as often as you seem to think. I probably take it less than a lot of ppl here in fact. At most I take it 3x in a week, more often only once or twice. However, I am still going to make sure that my lab results give me the all clear before going ahead with any new training plans. I re-scheduled my dr. appt. for this coming wednesday, so I'll have blood work done then and will find out the results, hopefully, before next weekend. If my potassium is low then I will improve it next week and have another test done to ensure it is back within range. I will then continue to have weekly/fortnightly checks so that it stays that way.
One thing I am curious about though is why, when so many BBs take lasix, my use of it makes you think I'm not eligible for lifting. How come it's more ok for them to use lasix than it is for me? The level of potassium/sodium in your blood is not correlative with body mass




Maybe 8.5" sounds smaller than what it actually is? Your average person would perhaps think me "slim", but by no means would they think me sickly or emaciated. I don't have 'anorexic' stamped on my forehead .... or my bicep for that matter . I think some of you must think me to be far smaller than I actually am and I think that that, in turn, makes you think I am less physically healthy and capable than I actually am. I have half a mind to show you a photo so that you can see for yourself

It's funny but you guys actually make me feel embarrassed to be thought of as "too thin" when, for years, I have strived to be thought of as such. This is a good thing. A weird thing but a good thing

Thanks for your patience.
love mini

p.s Ok, so poor Courtney didn't get a very good response, did she?! But what d'ya think about ... Madonna? (and, just to warn you, I may be puny but I'll still whup your sorry ass if you breathe one bad word about her - I'm an obsessed fan )

I took out my tape measure and checked out how big 8.5 inches is, just to be fair. It's tiny. It's not healthy, that I can imagine. I try to be open minded, but it's pretty hard given the stats I've seen published around here in the past little while. I think you should post your picture. I really do. And I think you should also get your BF checked too, and post what that is. If I missed it before, sorry.

Maybe I'm missing something from an earlier post, but unless you are taking lasix for some real medical reason, it does make you ineligeable for bodybuilding, because it could easily kill you. There are bodybuilders who take it to cut the water in their bodies, but I think you'll find it rarely shows up on the women's board. A quick search on the men's board finds that in fact many references to it are to how it can kill you, how it can actually really cut your strength, and how people wouldn't take it. The guys who take it tend to be huge -- well over 200 pounds, with tons of water weight to shed before a show they have been fine tuning their bodies for for months. Not to sound sarcastic, but I really doubt that is the case, here. If you are small enough to have 8.5 inch arms, you really don't need to cut your fat or water, as far as a I can tell.

Good for you if you are going to rejigger your diet. I don't mean to sound negative as far as your goals go, but even a casual read of the first post on this thread is pretty frightening. IN my opinion, unless there is some other pressing need, get the hell off the lasix if you are going to be working out. It makes our 300 pounders weaker, and they have plenty of strength to spare. You don't.

Spend a week or two on your new diet before you start lifting, otherwise the shock to your system is going to be something fierce. I don't know if the ppl on here can remember the first time they started lifting, but I bet most of them felt pretty awful for the next few days, and I bet most of them didn't have bodies reduced to such extremities. I'm sure it will be hard, but look at it as an investment. Eating now to be able to work out better (and non-fatally) in a week or two.

Madonna does have some nice arms- that much we can agree on.

Wyst

 

[mini_mouse]

Thanks for your replies again

About my eating - I did say I'd increase my diet accordingly. If you scan my last post again you'll see I acknowledged the need for that. I have maintained my present weight, give or take a few lbs fluctuation, since the new year, so I am confident that boosting my calorie intake a bit more will keep me on an even keel while I incorporate some light weight-training.

As for getting under a dr's supervision, my GP already knows about my history (ED, lasix et al.) and, when I see him this week, I'll tell him about my fitness plans. And then there's my therapist, who actually recommended I start doing a bit of exercise a couple of times a week. She thinks it will both help my mood (boosting endorphins) and give me the encouragement to improve my diet. And then there's also my consultant who keeps an eye on my weight, my bloods, squat tests and other such like. So, all in all, I am more than covered .

I'm just going to cut to the chase.
8.5" biceps on a grown woman = emaciated and I don't care how you try to sell it to me.

I'm a bit frustrated by this whole bicep issue though . I wish I never mentioned that stupid measurement because it appears to have distorted people's impression. I've attached a photo to this post so you can see for yourself. It's a yr and a half old so I look a little different now but I think my arms are basically the same.



Thin - yeah, I'd probably bump up my protein on training days, and maybe add in an extra portion of complex carb (new fixation: boiled bulgar wheat with splenda and cinnamon ).
And as for you being able to get your hands 'round your thighs: your thighs must be about the same size as my stupid biceps!


take care,
(not so) mini



[edit: oh shit, I didn't know it would show as an inline image!!]

 

[FitFossil]

I believe you don't have to add a lot of body fat while adding muscle. I've done it, and yes it was slow-going, but it can be done. (Granted I wasn't trying to add a LOT though.) Recovering from an ED myself, the thought of adding a lot more bf was not an option. (Of course this depends on your starting bf. If you're in the single digits, then adding muscle might be next to impossible.)

You DO, however, need to increase calories and nutrients sufficiently to accomodate training and muscle growth. You should be extra vigilant to keep increasing calories as you add lean mass, and that's just so you hold on to it. Warning, there may be times you feel "bulky" . DON'T let that scare you, and don't start on a drastic cutting spree. Once your body has attained sufficient lean mass (which isn't necessarily "big"), it will be more willing to drop bodyfat and keep it off.

The book Ripped 3, by Clarence Bass, talks about muscle gain with minimal or no fat gain. While Bass isn't the biggest BB, he's probably one of the leanest, and stays consistently lean. I don't follow this book by the letter, but there's a lot of good information I've applied to my lifestyle. BTW I think Madonna has some very fine arms!

Unless you have a medical condition and are under a doctor's supervision for Lasix, please don't take it. BB's typically use strong diuretics for competition only. Dehydration makes them EXTREMELY weak. Screwed up potassium levels can be deadly without warning.

 

[Gladiola]

Like in volume ppl like 10" arms to maybe 12"? But that is scary. So I wanna read some more first.

I don't know if it is too scary for me, but I'm thinking it'd be nice to have bigger arms to go with my big legs.

Cuz we all know how that nasty muscle stuff creeps up on you and attaches itself in unsightly heaps all over your body
Then it proceeds to SWELL in the most hideous manner and simply will not go away. Scary stuff indeed!

KBgrl - I agree on the Courtney Cox body. She doesn't have biceps, she has a humurus which attaches her radius & ulna to her shoulder.

Regarding those "Sculpt" or hi rep/low weight classes - search the women's board for BODYPUMP or BODY PUMP & you'll find info.

 

[Temple]

I think many times what we have is a communication problem when it comes to gaining fat while gaining muscle. That tends to be interpreted as getting pig fat which is not true and like you said there is the time factor - muscle faster means probably more fat gain, adding muscle slower means less fat gain. It also seems to me that we sometimes folks try to apply advanced principles to beginning bodies.

 

[fitnesschick_1]

Mini,
I'm encouraged by this step you are taking to want to build muscle I agree Madonna looks good too but Courtney Cox looks unhealthy imo and as she's gotten thinner the past couple of years she has aged in her face by 10 years to me. Anywho, I just wanted to say about Lasix I've read a TON of boards and the only time BB's take em is RIGHT before a comp to cut out any excess water and it IS dangerous and there have been BB's die from it. So it's just silly. Not necessary girl. Anyway I say don't do any cardio for now at all. Increase caloric intake and protein to healthy levels and start with basic arms movements (bicep curls, tricep pushdowns, etc). You should definately hire a personal trainer to teach you the basics and guide you. That will assure you are doing proper form. Don't be afraid of getting big! You won't build any muscle without eating food. I came from a similar mindset though I didn't have ED before I started lifting. I wanted to be thin and all and thought I"d get big eating lots of food and lifting heavy. But I learned that is just silly I eat more now and I lift heavy. I have gained lean body mass all while dropping 2 sizes since I began working out. BF% has also dropped. But I was packing on muscle. Also, hardbodygirl does have an AMAZING body and she only wears like a size 2 or 3. She's not BIG. But, ask her what she eats. She doesn't skimp and she lifts heavy. Her abs will take time to get. You'll have to build muscle. Don't worry about cutting. Good luck to you!

 

[Arioch]

Mini, if I may give a slightly different perspective.

My wife is only 5' tall, and at her last full competition weighed in at a huge (note sarcasm) 103 pounds. Her arms were 12.5 inches cold. She is not big by any stretch of the imagination, although she is quite muscular. When wearing normal clothing, the only way to easily tell that she has been lifting for 13 years is by the muscularture of her forearms. At her size, she avoids wearing blue or people will guestimate her height at "three apples high." It is quite possible for a women to make a significant change in body composition without getting "too big." My wife has done so, and, as a general rule, the only way to really tell is when she is wearing something skimpy.

Food is your friend.

I do not like Madonna either. Yes, I am adding this just to be annoying.

 

[KBgrl]

It's funny but you guys actually make me feel embarrassed to be thought of as "too thin" when, for years, I have strived to be thought of as such. This is a good thing. A weird thing but a good thing

bingo

 

[mini_mouse]

fitfossils writes:
I believe you don't have to add a lot of body fat while adding muscle. I've done it, and yes it was slow-going, but it can be done. (Granted I wasn't trying to add a LOT though.) Recovering from an ED myself, the thought of adding a lot more bf was not an option.

It's so reassuring to hear this, to know that it can be done Congratulations on your success! Have you found your sense of body image has improved since you started to channel your energies into weight training?

The book Ripped 3, by Clarence Bass, talks about muscle gain with minimal or no fat gain. While Bass isn't the biggest BB, he's probably one of the leanest, and stays consistently lean. I don't follow this book by the letter, but there's a lot of good information I've applied to my lifestyle. BTW I think Madonna has some very fine arms!

Thanks for the book recommendation - I'll check out the bookstore to see whether they have it in stock. I've also been looking up a few beginner's lifting exercises for biceps/triceps/delts and so will start out with those and see how I go. I'm glad you appreciate Madonna's arms too! Especially seeing as my previous mention of Courtney Cox went down like a pork chop in a synagogue I've seen her in concert for two of her world tours (1993 and 2001) and on both occassions she looked incredible!

Gladiola writes:
Regarding those "Sculpt" or hi rep/low weight classes - search the women's board for BODYPUMP or BODY PUMP & you'll find info.

Thanks for the tip - I'll do a search.

temple01 writes:
...there is the time factor - muscle faster means probably more fat gain, adding muscle slower means less fat gain. It also seems to me that we sometimes folks try to apply advanced principles to beginning bodies.

It's true that I have the tendency to be rather impulsive once I've got an idea in my head but I realise that with something like this I do have to go slowly. Not only will it probably not be healthy for me, physically, to throw myself into lifting with wild abandon, but it won't be beneficial to my mentality either. I'll let you know what comes of my fitness assessment when I get gym membership - hopefully the trainer there will be able to help me find a schedule that meets my needs while taking everything into consideration.

fitnesschick_1 writes:
Anyway I say don't do any cardio for now at all. Increase caloric intake and protein to healthy levels and start with basic arms movements (bicep curls, tricep pushdowns, etc).

Yes, this is what I've been planning on I won't do any cardio apart from, possibly, one or two pump/martial art classes a week and I'm going to be aiming for a 40:40:20 balance to my diet. My calories will go up too although I am going to push them up gradually so I can adjust to the increase. The basic arm moves I have so far are curls, pushdowns, pressups, deadlifts, "side lifts" (I don't know the proper name for them? i.e. dumbells held in surrender position --> dumbells above head and down again...). I'll probably add in 4 or 5 more exercises and will start with 3 sets of 12 for each. Does that sound reasonable?
Thank you so much for your encouragement .

Arioch writes:
Food is your friend.

Indeed it is

 

[fitnesschick_1]

I think mini is slowly on her way to a healthy recovery I know it's not that "simple" but I'm happy you want to put on muscle. You told us your 40, 40, 20 ratio which I think is a good ratio. How about telling us your planned caloric intake? I know you prob didn't do this on puprose before, cuz it's low and you don't want to get flamed. I don't ask this so you can get flamed just want to be safe ya know. Don't want us all telling you to do all this body pumpin' only to have you pass out at the gym or anything.

And, one more thing. I know you say you only do lasix once or twixe a week - sometimes three times. Before you start this program can you make a commitment to stop it completely? Please just this small step for right now??
If you feel REALLY bloated and are pms'ing or somehting you can use dandelion root or a natural dieuretic and also drinking lots of water a day will help too.

Cool? cool!

Now eat some grub and get yo ass to the gym sista!

 

[mini_mouse]

bingo

smarty pants

 

[FitFossil]

Have you found your sense of body image has improved since you started to channel your energies into weight training?

Most definitely, and not just my body image, but my whole self-image. The really weird thing is I always thought overcoming my ED would mean settling for mediocrity - meaning accepting a body I didn't like. But it's not like that at all.

With the ED, I was always trying to control my body by not eating, but it always fought back and won. Then I thought I could beat it into submission with weight training and cardio (but still bad diet). My results were disappointing - my body still won, even though I was working my ass off. Not until I got the diet right did things really fall into place. I started seeing results. Here I was eating more food than ever, never feeling hungry, not even training as hard as I used to (at least that's how it felt w/ some nutrients in my body), and my body was changing into something I liked. Once I decided to join the winning team (my body) and work WITH it rather than against it, it was more than happy to turn the controls over to me.

Thanks for the book recommendation - I'll check out the bookstore to see whether they have it in stock.

Go to http://www.cbass.com/index.htm - this might not be in a regular bookstore. Lots of interesting articles to read on this web site too.

 

[mini_mouse]

How about telling us your planned caloric intake? I know you prob didn't do this on puprose before, cuz it's low and you don't want to get flamed. I don't ask this so you can get flamed just want to be safe ya know.

hehe, I had no idea the reason behind my omission was so transparent! Well I'm planning on around 1200 (104lbs x 12 = 1248). I am almost certain I'll maintain on that but I'm increasing my intake gradually so I'll be able to see where my set-point is.

And, one more thing. I know you say you only do lasix once or twixe a week - sometimes three times. Before you start this program can you make a commitment to stop it completely?

I am trying to cut down at the moment but it's hard. I can't just stop suddenly because of the water-rebound effect that has. A fortnight ago I had the most horrible case of edema as a result of suddenly cutting down on the lasix. In the space of TWO DAYS I shot up by FIFTEEN POUNDS!! My feet swelled so much I couldn't get them into my shoes, my fingers looked like chipolata sausages and as for my face, it mutated into a freakin' blancmange! As you can probably imagine, the sheer shock of holding that much water weight had me back with the lasix in a flash. I'm now really nervous of going through that again. I am seeing my dr. today so I'll ask him whether he knows the least painful method of coming off long-term use of lasix. I'm taking less of it but I'm scared to go cold-turkey completely.

fitfossil writes:
Once I decided to join the winning team (my body) and work WITH it rather than against it, it was more than happy to turn the controls over to me.

I love this line. I tend to feel very separate from my body so it's hard to care about what I do to it. I am trying to stop thinking of it as apart from the rest of "me" though - training should help me with this, hopefully.
Thanks for the link - I'll check it out later today

- mini

 

[fitnesschick_1]

OMG Mini Mouse I had no idea that after you get "used" to lasix and then try to stop your body freaks out on you - 15 pounds of water IS major! Holy shit! I don't know if gradually dropping off will prevent that but I still say you need to get off them. So try to do that asap K? I know the temporary edema will be hell..... That will be hard. But the temporary feeling of bloat from water is better than the long term effects of lasix. But drinking lots of water usually takes care of bloating - eventually that will be all you need - and of course low sodium diet.

1200 for right now i think is a good start for you considering your weight at 104 pounds. You'll need to gradually increase it though. But for now I think that's a good start. Keep us posted girl!

 

[KBgrl]

smarty pants

I do try