Leg issues
So I started increasing my carbs from 100g going to 225g since last week. I know I am gaining weight already…I haven’t weighed myself though. My issues are my legs. They are growing or retaining water and I can’t fit in my jeans already.Uggg….I want my back to grow…no change there of course. I feel like I am fighting against genetics and losing this battle. I was always bottom heavy growing up and very small up top. I hope this doesn’t continue…I want my shape to even out, not become more off balanced.
I also have to deal with the issue of loose skin in my legs. I used to wear jeans size 13 and now I wear a 5. All the pregancies added major weight ups and downs with them So in order for them to look ripped like my arms kinda do…I would have to gain a ton of muscle in them . As you get older, the skin does not have the same abilities to recover. So I have to figure out how to deal with this too. I don’t want to be overly muscular….
June 30, 2008 at 9:20 pm
One of most women’s greatest fears is of "getting overly muscular". I hear it and see it over and over. Unless you have a full natural beard, you’ve nothing to worry about. Size/hypertrophy is directly related to how much weight you can lift in a certain rep range so that the fibers grow, but also directly related to your muscular tissue make-up (genetics). Without artificial growth stimulants and hormone therapies, your growth is limited to your genetic potential. As a feminine woman (and darlin’ you ARE that) you can lift as heavily as you can push yourself to lift and grow to your frame’s potential. In short (too late, I know) lift heavy where you want to grow and don’t even worry an ounce about "too muscular"!
July 2, 2008 at 3:20 am
I just started adding for carbs to my diet and my energy level when up but it is starting to show up in my mid section so need to cut down on the carb to find a happy medium. As for your leg they look great andmuscule and very feminine.
July 8, 2008 at 12:38 pm
hey, i had the same problem when i started cutting. when i dropped my carbs i started to loose the muscle that i wanted to keep, so i increased it and the weight loss was slow but kept my size. so i talked to a friend of mine who’s a bodybuilder and he said to replace some of the calories that you get from carbs to calories that you gain from protein(pretty much to almost do a 50/50 carb protein). so i did that and i havent lost any size(even put some on) and am getting more cut. so you might want to try that, cut ur carbs a bit and increase ur protein a bit. maybe it will help
July 9, 2008 at 12:40 am
Get bigger Amy. Don’t do more than 8-10 reps per exercise and have SUPER strict form. Think about it Amy….you have badass legs already. If you’re happy with your quads, just build up your hamstrings. Vice versa but definitely grow whichever is lagging. That’ll help "stretch" the skin and keep it tight.
Also get a good skin firming lotion. I’m actually looking for a good one for men (not too sure it’s gender specific but I do notice different brands for men) so I can tighten up the skin on my abs.
As for your back, try not to even look at your back for a couple of weeks. Hit it hard and heavy…..take consistent pictures and see how it grows. One of the main exercises to grow the back is deadlifts. That’ll give you awesome thickness and since your legs are already strong, you should be able to do them pretty heavy. Alternate between straight leg and bent. Between this, heavy bent over BB rows, DB rows and tons of pullup variations, there’s no reason why your back won’t grow.
July 9, 2008 at 12:58 am
I am glad I read this…I love working out my back!!! I love love love it! What are you currently using as a back routine? Are you going for width, thickness or both? I only ask because back workouts can very big time. The back is like your legs meaning it is a lot to work out at one time. Trying to fit everything into one workout with all out intensity is a recipe for overtraining and then all of that blood, sweat, and tears will be for nothing. From your current profile pic, your quads look awesome! May I suggest adding deadlifts into the mix? Not only will it work your lower back, middle back (back thickness), traps, shoulders and forearms…it will also target your hamstrings and hit your quads too. A nice symmetrical physique has to be able to work as a whole, not just by independent body parts. You do look fantastic. It is easy to be critical of yourself….trust me, I know. Good luck and I hope I can help or have helped. If you have any questions about deadlift for and varieties of it, let me know
July 10, 2008 at 10:27 am
Firstly, Amy, you look OUTSTANDING! When I look at your photos, I often do "double-takes" as you are making tremendously fast progress and your transformation is really terrific
Secondly, we all have areas that pose more of a challenge than others; However, I still commend you on your remarkable change(s). Currently wearing a size 5 compared to the 13 of the past is quite a difference. You’ve had half a dozen children (lol)!!! Goodness, grant yourself some credit, will ya?
How much rest are you getting? Sure, if you want to build muscle you need to eat and work the body parts, but [just as you have advised me], adequate rest is necessary for change and growth.
You probably can’t see the incredibly strong, well-developed physique that we (your supporters) see, but it’s all very apparent. Please know that self-critique is horribly common and while there is always room for improvement, you look great!
I will PM you as soon as I have the chance as I have a few ideas that might interest/be of help to you. All my best~
July 10, 2008 at 9:21 pm
If you’re anything like me….carbs just LOVE me. So when I up my carbs for bulking, I also keep on doing cardio to help keep my bf lower. Obviously, your bf will go up a bit, as will your weight and out growing clothes. But, with carb cycling, cardio, and weight training, you’ll see great results. 100g to 225g is a big leap. I would suggest you give yourself a high carb day, medium carb day, and a couple low carbs days, then repeat. Perhaps 225g, 175g, and then 2 days of 150g. Since you’re trying to put size onto your back, train it on your high carb days to insure you have the energy for a good butt kicking in the gym
Keep training hard, you look fab!
July 14, 2008 at 10:43 am
I think your legs looks awesome, but understand what you are saying about wanting them to fit into your jeans! I am going through that same issue and have a long way to go. I want to develop more muscles in my quads and hams, but feel like the fat is not melting off quickly enough. Keep up the good work.
July 25, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Amy, two ideas may help you. One is to not train your legs as often and not as hard when you are "bulking" so they do not get overly "muscular" or "big" if the "jeans" problem is bothering you.
The second is to use different rep ranges for the upper and lower body. You want to build your back? Train it heavy and use a low rep range like 6-8 or 8-10. Shoulders too if you wish. Legs, use a much higher rep range such as 15 or 20 and don’t train them heavy. This may help counteract your apparent genetic tendency to get "bigger" in the lower body. And based on your concerns about building lower body size, you SHOULD NOT do deadlifts under any circumstances. Its a back exercise, but it can also thicken your middle and lower body parts. Not what you want?