@zeromega How has such a strict cut affected your lift #s? I've been waffling about cutting vs recomping away the 7-10 lbs I want to drop, cutting sure seems a lot faster, but I'm so competitive with myself, I don't know if I have the determination to keep going if my lifts decline substantially (stall is fine).
[PROGRESS] I was told I should x-post this here from /r/progresspics. 7 months of dirty bulking
- Thread starter zeromega
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- female fitness
@erickem My rule is to never take weight off the bar. Part of the reason I've been playing around with my reps/sets is because I lift my max at least once every couple weeks for my bench, squat, and dead lift. It's fine to decrease volume but you never want to lose strength. So many people see losing strength as a natural part of cutting but it can definitely be avoided. However, more than likely your lifts will stall. But think about it this way, keeping lifts constant and weight down still boosts your Wilks score.
@zeromega Not sure if you replied elsewhere, but you'd mentioned you were vegetarian. What are your macro goals within 1200 cals and how do you manage to consume sufficient protein?
With 1600 cals to play with, I don't have many issues hitting ~140g, although I do eat fish (rarely). However, lowering to 1200-1400 definitely increases the challenge so I'll take any advice I can get!
With 1600 cals to play with, I don't have many issues hitting ~140g, although I do eat fish (rarely). However, lowering to 1200-1400 definitely increases the challenge so I'll take any advice I can get!
@erickem I made some good recipes that are egg white based. I posted a few to /r/fitmeals like a coconut cake recipe and chocolate or maple cinnamon crepes. Pizza is also good. I just put a little sauce on a low carb pita (which is already 40% calories from protein anyway) and load it up with reduced fat cheese so the calories/protein ratio is better. Plus, all of these things are delish.
Normally I try to aim for 40-30-30 but sometimes I get lazy about it. I've still seen progress even when I'm sloppy with my macros. On a crappy food day, as long as I get a bare minimum of 45g protein and 30g fat I don't stress too much if the rest of my calories are from carbs. I usually lift better the next day anyway after a carb load.
Normally I try to aim for 40-30-30 but sometimes I get lazy about it. I've still seen progress even when I'm sloppy with my macros. On a crappy food day, as long as I get a bare minimum of 45g protein and 30g fat I don't stress too much if the rest of my calories are from carbs. I usually lift better the next day anyway after a carb load.
@zeromega Thanks for the tips, it's always reassuring to see someone with good progress who isn't super strict about ultra high protein. I saw an improvement in performance increasing from ~80 to ~130/day so I have been trying to stick with it, but it's so incredibly boring and I am not that fond of eating tons of refined foods.
Speaking of refined foods, if you've never tried it, I recently found vegan dream jerky and it is fucking delicious stuff. 80 cal, 13g protein, 7g carbs. Awesome snack.
Speaking of refined foods, if you've never tried it, I recently found vegan dream jerky and it is fucking delicious stuff. 80 cal, 13g protein, 7g carbs. Awesome snack.
truthtroll
New member
@iwish Thanks. I don't remember my exact lifts at the time but I had started lifting about 4 months before my first pic so I'll just post my starting and current numbers.
Before lifts
Bench: 55lbs
Squat: 95lbs
Dead lift: 135lbs
Current lifts
Bench: 105lbs
Squat: 215lbs
Dead lift: 205lbs (shitty grip strength so squat > DL)
Bulking is much better than a recomp. If you've just started lifting you should use up your newbie gains before bulking, but past that it takes much less time to bulk and cut than it does to recomp. Plus, bulking just feels good. You see the scale go up, your measurements go up, your lifts go up, and you just feel like a champ.
Before lifts
Bench: 55lbs
Squat: 95lbs
Dead lift: 135lbs
Current lifts
Bench: 105lbs
Squat: 215lbs
Dead lift: 205lbs (shitty grip strength so squat > DL)
Bulking is much better than a recomp. If you've just started lifting you should use up your newbie gains before bulking, but past that it takes much less time to bulk and cut than it does to recomp. Plus, bulking just feels good. You see the scale go up, your measurements go up, your lifts go up, and you just feel like a champ.
audentials
New member
@audentials Recomposition, gaining muscle while losing fat
audentials
New member
jamesburke
New member
vidasolitaria
New member
@vidasolitaria Thanks. I started out lifting because I had lost weight and realized I had no muscle. If I can get leaner (and bigger) I'd consider competing. I wouldn't want to do figure since those girls are pretty tiny, but I could get down with bodybuilding.
@zeromega You're one of the first women I've seen on here with the goal to get big. Good for you for being independent!
Question though: there's so much talk (in life, online, on reddit) about what it feels like to go from big to small or from flabby to fit, but not a lot about how it feels for a woman to go from thin to bulked up. I'm curious what its like - from the POV of how clothes fit, how you feel about your body, differences in how people treat you?
Question though: there's so much talk (in life, online, on reddit) about what it feels like to go from big to small or from flabby to fit, but not a lot about how it feels for a woman to go from thin to bulked up. I'm curious what its like - from the POV of how clothes fit, how you feel about your body, differences in how people treat you?
@sakiturn It's funny, I still picture myself as 135lbs of skinny fat (before both of those pictures). I often underestimate my size in relation to other people.
Clothes are a gigantic pain in the ass. Nothing fits well. Shirts are always too tight around the armpit and slim fit is out of the question with my arms and shoulders. Jean will never fit over my quads without being way too big everywhere else. You can go into a lot of stores and find a plus size section but never a swole size section. I wear a lot of leggings and wife beaters.
Women seem to be more friendly now. Men can vary, some think I look great and some thing I look gross and unfeminine. This usually affects how they treat me.
Clothes are a gigantic pain in the ass. Nothing fits well. Shirts are always too tight around the armpit and slim fit is out of the question with my arms and shoulders. Jean will never fit over my quads without being way too big everywhere else. You can go into a lot of stores and find a plus size section but never a swole size section. I wear a lot of leggings and wife beaters.
Women seem to be more friendly now. Men can vary, some think I look great and some thing I look gross and unfeminine. This usually affects how they treat me.