Progress Update! Maintaining 2+ yrs 30F | 5’0

[lapinot]

Cross posted to r/xxfitness

Progress Pictures

Prior Post on lower progress

Original Post

Numbers:​

5’0 SW(Feb 2021): 110.9

Weight at first DEXA In Aug 2021: 97lbs

CW: 99lbs

GW: To maintain around 95 - 98lbs

Starting bf % 24.5% (late April 2021)

Aug 2021 bf%: 19.8%

Aug 2022 bf%: 20.7%

Bf% numbers from DEXA scans.
Did not feel it was necessary to get an updated DEXA this year!

About Me:​

Been working out since Feb ish 2021. Started with Adjustable weight and got a tonal in Sept 2021. Refer to prior posts for more details.

I’m currently maintaining at around 96-99lbs and am generally happy here. Happy with my current physique and the small gains I’ve had in my glutes and quads. Let me know if you can see any changes! Have also had decent strength gains in my major lifts as well!

Current Diet:​

I’ve been successful at roughly maintaining the same weight over the last year. I no longer track regularly but will check in from time to time to ensure I’m on track. I eat roughly 1500-1700cals daily with a protein goal of 100g. I still eat pretty much whatever I want within the confines or my calorie goal with an abundance of ‘junk’ foods and sweets! I do not nor have I ever gone on any ‘diet’ or any sort of fast/time bound eating schedule.

Regular things in my diet include 0% fage greek yogurt, barebells protein bars, and popcorn.

Current Routine:​

I lift a minimum or 3-4 days a week on the tonal, 1 dedicated cardio (run) day and I try to do 1 incline walk day a week most weeks. I pole dance 2-3 days a week as well and my step goal is to avg 7k steps for 2023 (on track!)

Im continuing to progressively overload to continue to build muscle and strength. I follow an Upper/Lower/Full (x2) format. My lift days are usually 30-60mins. I typically hit 2-3 compound lifts and a few accessary or core movements. For example, on leg day I might do 3x8 goblet squat, 3x8 RDL, jump squats, and 3x10 calf raises in addition to some weighted core work.

For abs, I try to do at least 1 core focused workout a week OR ensuring I get sufficient weighted ab volume in my other workouts. My faves include cable crunches and pullover crunches.

I run about 5k on run days, and walk 7k steps every day!

Currently deadlifting 1.5x my bodyweight, squatting .66x, and benching .5x.

Going Forward:​

I say this every year but I want to continue to build lower body, quads and glutes. I recognize I probably need to lean gain for this so may seriously consider this in the next few months.

Otherwise I’m pretty happy and my goal would be to continue to maintain and build overall strength while maintaining my lean-ness.

I firmly believe it’s about 75% diet and 25% workout for me to get to this physique and maintain it. I fight for my body every day and I am so thankful I am able to move and lift and workout the way I do!

Take Aways​

I’m thrilled that I maintained without too much difficulty over the last year despite lots of things going on in my life! Im loving my movement and routine and continuing to try new activities is important to me and is key- to love my movement!

Open to any thoughts, feedback, or questions! Let me know if you see any changes or if it looks like I mostly maintained! Would love to hear from anyone who has grown lower significantly in a short-ish amount of time!

 

[meteorstorm]

@lapinot I remember you because you are a pole dancer and you mentioned before you prefer to be at this weight and petite because it’s easier on pole. I believe so for us petites that certain moves on the pole like those that involves deadlifts are easier on smaller sized people.

I can definitely see more muscle definition in the recent pic so good job. Although I will say if you do plan to lean gain, then you have to be prepared to eat a bit more and be open to gaining some weight.

As for myself mine is the opposite problem. I have built a pretty good base for myself in terms of strength and muscle since I weigh 110lbs( 4ft11)and have been told that I am pretty strong. Except that years of lifting have left me rather inflexible( I never stretched for warm up or cool down) so I’m dealing with having pretty stiff muscles which is hindering my progress. I’m looking to go for flexi classes next year which meant that I only have 2 days for lifting just to maintain.

Edit: You might want to check out Anete Blaua. She is very muscular and her physique looks like a gymnast so being heavier doesn’t mean less likely to do those challenging tricks.

 

[lapinot]

@meteorstorm Ty!! I will check her out! I definitely follow a few more muscular polers too but im scared that will mean i’ll have to significantly get stronger too in order to lift myself! And yes! I stretch regularly in order to maintain my mobility while lifting. I have absolutely found that im definitely more tight in certain areas since i started lifting!

 

[meteorstorm]

@lapinot I just noticed that you eat 1500-1700. Pole dancing makes me very hungry and I am eating beyond 2600 nowadays ever since I installed my own home pole and am doing more pole than lifting.

Despite maintaining the same weight and eating more(actually I can’t help it because I’m hungry and I just heck it) my physique has continued to transform. I developed 6 pack abs after starting pole and am surprised. My husband has also commented my back being more shredded.

Anyway that always been my intention. To make use of the strength I have built before into pole and the aerial arts. Now is just working on my flexibility and I expect to make leaps and bounds in progress once I nail that flexibility.

 

[bornagain2day]

@lapinot Great progress! I am 5’0 and about 110, trying to get back to 95-100ish. Glad to see it’s possible, sometimes I get discouraged but this is inspiring for sure.