Because of my training, my clothes are starting to no longer fit
- Thread starter countrygurl32
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@countrygurl32 Lifting (heavy) can be compatible with any body size and shape. Lifting in and of itself won’t make you bigger. You need a calorie surplus for that. And when you’re eating in a surplus, you’ll get bigger with or without lifting. All lifting does is make sure the surplus goes to muscle (assuming enough protein) and not just fat.
I’ve been weightlifting for over 3 years, ramped up intensity to heavy weights and frequency to 4x week now. I’m a size 0, was a size 2-4 before. In total I only lost a few kgs, but the visual difference is astonishing. With more muscle and less fat, everything looks just right. I have abs, look strong etc.
I don’t see any reason at all to stop lifting. I’m recomping (lowering BF%) now - mostly for kicks and giggles since I’m already at 97% of my ideal body and anything past that is gravy.
I’ve been weightlifting for over 3 years, ramped up intensity to heavy weights and frequency to 4x week now. I’m a size 0, was a size 2-4 before. In total I only lost a few kgs, but the visual difference is astonishing. With more muscle and less fat, everything looks just right. I have abs, look strong etc.
I don’t see any reason at all to stop lifting. I’m recomping (lowering BF%) now - mostly for kicks and giggles since I’m already at 97% of my ideal body and anything past that is gravy.
countrygurl32
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@whroll I'm 5'8" and when I was size 0 I had very little body fat and was generally at the lower edge of healthy weight and I would generally just eat when I felt hungry. With very modest workouts and just a lot of walking from college plus my PTJ that required me to walk all over campus. My lifestyle is just significantly different from that time, which I think is most of it. But it may also be possible that, at my height, being size 0 and strong might not be as realistic since it seems like you're 5'4".
But yeah, it's not exactly the number of my size that matters to me. On the aesthetic front, it's more that I feel confident and sexy (and currently, I feel bigger than I'd like to be, but still attractive). But it is encouraging to see that you were able to achieve that. So even if for me that doesn't mean going back to 0 specifically, I can probably achieve similar results (i.e., recomp). So thank you for sharing!
But yeah, it's not exactly the number of my size that matters to me. On the aesthetic front, it's more that I feel confident and sexy (and currently, I feel bigger than I'd like to be, but still attractive). But it is encouraging to see that you were able to achieve that. So even if for me that doesn't mean going back to 0 specifically, I can probably achieve similar results (i.e., recomp). So thank you for sharing!
@countrygurl32 But you kind of buried the main detail there -- when you were a 0, you were at the lower edge of being healthy versus being underweight. Running some numbers through a BMI calculator, it sounds like that 20-pound gain brought you to a solidly healthy weight.
It's not that your training made your clothes not fit. It's that you are finally at a truly healthy weight that makes you require new clothes.
Do not feel like your clothes NOW need to accommodate your nearly underweight previous self.
And just because you are at a healthy weight NOW that is solidly healthy -- and nowhere near being overweight -- doesn't mean that you can't do yoga and you shouldn't lift. You just need to adjust (and work with a therapist if this is truly gnawing at you) to come to accept what a healthy body looks like.
It's not that your training made your clothes not fit. It's that you are finally at a truly healthy weight that makes you require new clothes.
Do not feel like your clothes NOW need to accommodate your nearly underweight previous self.
And just because you are at a healthy weight NOW that is solidly healthy -- and nowhere near being overweight -- doesn't mean that you can't do yoga and you shouldn't lift. You just need to adjust (and work with a therapist if this is truly gnawing at you) to come to accept what a healthy body looks like.
@countrygurl32 I've been dealing with the EXACT same issue so thank you so much for making this post. For me personally, I found dropping my calories a little bit helped me feel less... bursting out of my skin/ clothes lol. Still lifting a lot and I'm seeing changes I enjoy! As another commenter said too, it's time to stop seeing "smaller" as being better
@countrygurl32 Clothes are just pieces of cloth. THEY serve YOU, not the other way around. If they don’t fit, that’s a clothes problem, not a you problem.
Other folks have addressed the other parts of your post, but I wanted to add that.
Other folks have addressed the other parts of your post, but I wanted to add that.
countrygurl32
New member
@countrygurl32 That’s annoying to be sure. Thrifting helps.
@countrygurl32 Well it’s all about what makes you happy! I will say when I changed from PPL to L three days a week and PP the other two, my clothes quickly stopped fitting so I went back to PPL. I know it took me over a year of trial and error to find the program that felt right for me so it just takes time. But it’s amazing that you’re taking care of yourself so how you choose to do it is all up to you.
countrygurl32
New member
@cmoby Honestly I never used gym equipment before the 6 months of personal training I've had (solely body weight exercises like pilates, yoga, and running before then). By PPL do you mean push-pull-legs? Maybe I don't know enough about it to understand the differences but I'll ask my trainer about it!
@countrygurl32 Yeah exactly! Push days tend to focus on chest and shoulders, pull is back and biceps and then legs. I’ve kinda accepted that I probably won’t ever be one of those girls with a big round butt like I want to be but I’m okay with that because I enjoy having a lot of upper body strength. If you’re wanting to get stronger in yoga it might be a better idea to have an even split of upper and lower body days.
And just to relate to your post a little more, I completely stopped doing deadlifts because it just never felt quite right for me so again, it’s all about what feels right and I’m sure if you talk with your trainer they can tailor a program that better matches your goals.
And just to relate to your post a little more, I completely stopped doing deadlifts because it just never felt quite right for me so again, it’s all about what feels right and I’m sure if you talk with your trainer they can tailor a program that better matches your goals.
countrygurl32
New member
@cmoby Oh yeah, I find the movement of deadlifts to be really weird and unnatural. Even when my trainer will say I did some perfect reps, it feels weird. Maybe I'm just too used to the type of movements of yoga/pilates (where something like that this completely foreign).
Even the concept of bracing is really challenging for me, since in yoga/pilates we're always told to pull in the belly button and tighten the core on an inhale (which feels like the opposite of bracing). That's all the more reason I don't like to lift outside of my weekly training session... I don't want to fuck up on that
Even the concept of bracing is really challenging for me, since in yoga/pilates we're always told to pull in the belly button and tighten the core on an inhale (which feels like the opposite of bracing). That's all the more reason I don't like to lift outside of my weekly training session... I don't want to fuck up on that
kane4luv21
New member
@countrygurl32 Measuring tape will give you a better idea of your actual size than clothes. And when you're small/thin... any progress will be in the form of gains. 
kurtschultz
New member
@countrygurl32 I will say the following. Building strength is great. It’s good for your health and goals. You can build strength without hypertrophy. Look it up. A lot of athletes do it usually because they have to fit into a certain weight class. Don’t stop working out. Just modify so that your training doesn’t have a strong hypertrophy focus. I wouldn’t try to lose muscle mass if i were you. You can continue improving without putting on more mass.
countrygurl32
New member
@kurtschultz Interesting! I'll look it up and ask my trainer about it.
@countrygurl32 It’s great that you’re working out to improve your health, but it’s important to remember that being healthy doesn’t necessarily mean having a smaller body. Growing muscle is healthy too. In certain circumstances, gaining some fat can even be healthy. It all depends on context.
I can see how a certain level of muscularity could make practicing yoga more difficult, but it seems like that would apply more to someone with a competitive bodybuilding physique, not just someone who puts on muscle and keeps up with their yoga practice. I don’t think he does yoga, but jujimufu is an example of someone who’s pretty huge and is also incredibly flexible and mobile. For every anecdote, there’s a counter example.
You’ll only get “too heavy” for inversions and balancing if your strength doesn’t keep pace with your weight.
With protein, it’s more important to prioritize your daily allotment. You only take creatine once a day if you choose to take it at all.
Doing more yoga is probably the best way to train for yoga, but you can supplement your yoga practice by focusing on strength in specific areas. So if you want to strengthen your back, work on pull ups, pull downs, rows, etc.
I can see how a certain level of muscularity could make practicing yoga more difficult, but it seems like that would apply more to someone with a competitive bodybuilding physique, not just someone who puts on muscle and keeps up with their yoga practice. I don’t think he does yoga, but jujimufu is an example of someone who’s pretty huge and is also incredibly flexible and mobile. For every anecdote, there’s a counter example.
You’ll only get “too heavy” for inversions and balancing if your strength doesn’t keep pace with your weight.
With protein, it’s more important to prioritize your daily allotment. You only take creatine once a day if you choose to take it at all.
Doing more yoga is probably the best way to train for yoga, but you can supplement your yoga practice by focusing on strength in specific areas. So if you want to strengthen your back, work on pull ups, pull downs, rows, etc.
@countrygurl32 Remember that most clothing sizes are inconsistent across the board. The same pair of pants might be a size 8 in one store and a size 12 at another. Even within the same brands. I once had four dresses from the same brand and they were ALL different sizes (sizes 6, 8, 10, and 14). Focus on how the clothes feel and fit, not the number on the tag.
Yoga and lifting can definitely go hand in hand as well. Lifting can make you stronger for various yoga positions, and yoga can improve mobility making lifting form better, making you stronger for yoga, and so on.
Protein is necessary for bodily function whether you lift or not. If you decide to stop lifting just make sure you are still consuming enough!
Finally, it's ok to take up space! Don't shrink yourself into a smaller body because some YT guy was going on about something. If you enjoy lifting, keep at it. If you really like/trust your trainer, you can also express some of what you said here to them. You two could take a look at your current program and reassess how that aligns with your goals.
Yoga and lifting can definitely go hand in hand as well. Lifting can make you stronger for various yoga positions, and yoga can improve mobility making lifting form better, making you stronger for yoga, and so on.
Protein is necessary for bodily function whether you lift or not. If you decide to stop lifting just make sure you are still consuming enough!
Finally, it's ok to take up space! Don't shrink yourself into a smaller body because some YT guy was going on about something. If you enjoy lifting, keep at it. If you really like/trust your trainer, you can also express some of what you said here to them. You two could take a look at your current program and reassess how that aligns with your goals.
countrygurl32
New member
@gomikey89 I only lift with my trainer for 1 hour each week. He wants me to do more than that, but honestly, I don't really like lifting that much. It's not exactly fun for me (in fact, I find it pretty boring), even if I sometimes do feel really good afterward. My trainer is just a fun guy so that helps.
Also for financial reasons, I'm trying to determine if/when there would be a good stopping point to lifting with my trainer to just focus on the things I actually do enjoy. My goal was to balance out my weaknesses in ways I don't normally do from my usual yoga and pilates workouts
Also for financial reasons, I'm trying to determine if/when there would be a good stopping point to lifting with my trainer to just focus on the things I actually do enjoy. My goal was to balance out my weaknesses in ways I don't normally do from my usual yoga and pilates workouts
@countrygurl32 This might be an unpopular opinion with some around here, but if you don't enjoy lifting, then stop. You're more likely to stick with exercise/movement if you enjoy it. Do you have a yoga/plates instructor, or do you have routines you do on your own? If you do, asking them for advice on how to fill those gaps could be helpful. If not, there are plenty of bodyweight exercises you can do at home for free that can aid in it.
@countrygurl32 Do you feel healthy and strong? Do you like what you see in the mirror (ignoring clothes tag #s).
At 28, I'll make an assumption that the size zero body you first discusses was a teenage body? My friend, it is not normal or expected for women to stay as they were as teenagers. You are a grown woman now with a strong healthy body as earned by your hard work!
Is there a boundary of "two big to be flexible", yes, but 6 months of lifting won't have that effect. Your goals are yours and of course adjust as needed to do what makes you happy.
At 28, I'll make an assumption that the size zero body you first discusses was a teenage body? My friend, it is not normal or expected for women to stay as they were as teenagers. You are a grown woman now with a strong healthy body as earned by your hard work!
Is there a boundary of "two big to be flexible", yes, but 6 months of lifting won't have that effect. Your goals are yours and of course adjust as needed to do what makes you happy.