Putting my "fat" into perspective... and other comparisons...
Posted on 10/24/2012 by stephanielynn76
So in my efforts to encourage people to BULK (especially women) I thought I'd share some comparison photos. Lean muscle makes all the difference in the look of a person's body. More of it will allow you to eat more and look good while carrying more weight... even more FAT.
First up... an 18-month comparison from the "fat" me to the stage (the figure show I did in June).
FRONT:
BACK:
So back in my "fat" pictures I weighed about 140lbs. Well guess what... I'm bulking now and I'm about there again. Oy. Does it freak me out a little to once again see my "fat weight" on the scale???? ... uhm... yeah... just a little. But you know what, the scale doesn't really tell the whole truth. You can't get attached to a number. The lean mass I've gained has made HUGE improvements in my body. I haven't by any means met my goals for myself either, I've still got growing to do! If you want to grow... you've got to train and EAT! Otherwise you will spin your wheels and not see progress. The biggest obstacle when bulking is accepting the extra body fat that comes along with the gains. It sucks but you can't let it freak you out. Right now my thighs (my main problem area) are thickening up and the dimples I hate so much are now reappearing. :( Good thing the cooler weather is coming because I'm going to be opting for jeans (or at least burmuda shorts) from here on out. LOL
To put in perspective how different 140lbs looks on a body with less muscle/more fat (on the left) versus more muscle/less fat (on the right)... check this out:
^^Have I convinced you yet??? :D Winter is coming ladies. You'll be covered up anyway so why not make good use of your opportunity to add some muscle! Up your calories and train hard. Your strength will likely improve with the extra food... and if you are like me... you will be stoked to reach some of your own new personal records in the weight room. As for how to get in the extra calories... well, I've never had a problem doing that. I like to eat! For added fun, acquire a bulking buddy and splurge together! Then you can complain about your butt dimples over cookies! By the way, cookies give you super powers... true story!
@Bridget... thanks girl!
Congrats on all of your hard work!
I think the biggest issue with talking about bulking and cutting is what it takes to get there. I would love to see a post on what you eat (macros and calories) when you are in a bulk and cut stage. Everywhere I look there is emphasis on eating more. But what is more? One woman's low calorie day is another woman's feast day. There are tons of workouts out there for how to bulk and cut, yet even with the bodybuilders it sounds like when they are cutting they are down to 1400 per day and lots of cardio. What are your thoughts and experience on this?