I'm ready...I want to train for female bodybuilding

[misslady]

Peace everyone!

I am brand new to this forum and I mainly joined as a way to reach out and ask questions before I embark on this new journey into female bodybuilding/fitness training.

I have wanted to do this for a long time but thanks to media influences and constant concerns over "what would people think" I have held myself back from doing something that I have been interested in since I was 16.

I am 22 years old, 5'10, 160 pounds and I am a trained dancer. I am not as lean as I should be, I'm a very hippy and thigh kinda girl with a small waist and upper body, and my body fat percentage is in its 20's but I am now willing and ready to work! I just would like advice and ideas on what I can do.

I have absoutely no clue as to where to start. I am entering this fitness boot camp class around my town in MD/DC in January and I start training students in African Dance around the same time. After that jumpstart I really want to get in and stay in. I want to stay as natural as possible and if I decided to persue seriously then I will examine my options. If anyone has suggestions or comments please feel free to contact me via email at [email protected].

I am ready, steady, and dammit IM PUMPED to go

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Let's start by listing the EXACT diet and training you are doing now.

 

[The Shadow]

Read AS much as you can in older post on this board:

Anything by:

Sassy69
Daisy
Velvett

 

[Sassy69]

Welcome aboard & congrats on your new endeaver. One thing to keep in mind - diet & training go hand-in-hand when you are looking for results. When you start talking about "getting toned" or leaning out or whatever, you are primarily talking about diet, with some excellent resistance training & cardio as needed.

And let's not forget The Shadow as an excellent info source as well

 

[misslady]

The Details

Well as for activity... I am minimal active right now. I work full time as a junior high school teacher and I have another part time job that I am letting go in order to persue this.

I dance three times a week (Bellydancing, West African, Hip Hop). Its mostly cardio and has helped me maintain my current weight. I haven't gained or lost any weight/fat/muscle with this at all and considering that it isn't really doing much for me in the sense of actual fitness, I'd say that its not as effective as it should be. I go to the gym occasionally and used to have a personal trainer 2 years ago.

As for eating...I do not eat pork or red meat. I am willing to incorporate red meat back into my diet but as for PORK...hell no. I mostly eat breads, poultry, fish, vegetables, and fruits. Starches and breads are my biggest downfall but I try to keep these in moderation. I did that stupid Atkins diet a 5 months ago (when I reached 175 pounds *eeeek**) and I've mainly been trying to eat good carbs (whole grains, bran, and veggies like broccoli and carrots).

I realize that I need to be in the gym 5 times a week/strict diet but I would mostly benefit from some personal training and/or buddy system. I like to get told what to do but once I have that down I'm mostly independent. With this I imagine that I solely have to be responsible and be my biggest support and at this point in my life I truly feel that I can do.

All in all I think that my activity/diet is just something that keeps me sustained with all my "thickness" and what not in place. In essence its not all that great in my opinion. And I'm also my biggest critic

Breakdown

5'10
160
Chest 36
Waist 27
hips 40

 

[Sassy69]

I want to stay as natural as possible

What do you mean by this? The place to focus if you are new to the fitness thing is on understanding how nutrition & the body's biochemistry works and learning good training form & habits. Wtih this you have the keys to the kingdom!

 

[misslady]

"Natural" meaning

When I use the term "natural" I am just inferring that I do not want to use any serious muscle building supplements. I wouldn't mind using something basic but I read up/hear about so many different types of products and supplements being used that I just get confused or discouraged.

I would like to persue fitness modeling/bodybuilding but right now I just want to do this for me. Since I am just starting research options and ask questions I guess I should be open for anything.

All I know is that I need some advice and a bit of guidance.

 

[Sassy69]

Well I suppose the best place to start is where you are at now!

Training-wise - you said you are sporadically in the gym -- what gym resources & time do you have available right now? Do you prefer to train in the AM or PM? Do you have access to full free weights, etc.? Do you have any physical limitations to consider (e.g. rotator cuff, joint issues, etc.)? How comfortable are you with basic training form & how to use the equipment?

Diet-wise - post up what & what time you eat on a typical day? In detail. This will give us a chance to see what your current situation is & also for you to see the types of things we usually suggest & what we focus on. This will help you identify areas that maybe be new information to you or that you want to explore in more detail on your own. There's huge amounts of info on the EF boards -- and don't forget to spend time perusing the Training & Diet boards as well. HUGE pieces of excellent information!

Also on the side, if you are seriously interested in competition in either BB, figure or fitness, I highly recommend you go see some shows so that you get a feel for what exactly are the expected results to compete.