Frustrated with body changes

[Elaine Lippmann]

I'm a woman and I've been doing crossfit for a while now, and I'm frustrated with what's going on with my body. The more heavy lifting I do, the more I'm bulking up, particularly in the glutes, which is where I tend to carry my weight. I understand that it's muscle, and that's great, but my goal here is not to get bigger. I love looking muscular and I'm not going for a string bean super model body, but I also don't want to bulk up. I want to be lean and strong. I was told that women don't bulk up like men do because we don't have the testosterone. What am I missing here?

[Ted Apollo]

Your not really giving us much to go on. What's your diet like? How often do you strength train? Are you doing metcons and endurance work also? Etc..... Muscle hypertrophy is not that dramatic and if you have been working out long enough to make the gains then how has your WOD performance improved? Are you getting in better shape? If you goal is to loss weight maybe you need to reasses your programming and diet?

[Nik Nichols]

Good points all Ted. First though is Diet. dropping weight is mostly diet. Strenght traing builds more muscle then metcon faster, though, hitting the big muscle groups heavy should burn ALOT of cals to recover. What is you programming?

[Rebecca Roth]

You aren't going to get bulky like a man, but you are going to have muscular development, and for some women that is more "bulk" than what they would like. Have you seen a crossfitter who looks like what your ideal is? or could you link an example picture of your goal look?

The definition of "bulky" varies from person to person, no matter what people have told you they can't tell you you are not going to get "bulky" if to you "bulky" is just having visible muscle contours. The reality is, if you are wanting your thigh to be a narrow straight line and your butt to be flat, frequent squatting and crossfit in general is not in the interest of your aesthetic goals.

To add to the points of the others, usually the ladies in particular who come complaining about getting too bulky simply aren't very lean. Having excess fat surrounding the muscle you are putting on is plain and simple going to make you look much larger. Are you eating appropriately to drop or maintain a healthy/lean bodyfat? Have you have your BF% tested, and what is it?

[Brendan McNamar]

I request my women use a tape measure to prove said bulkiness before we get too deep into this conversation. The results tend to be very small changes if at all. I find measurements tend to add facts to these conversations.

The issue is almost always excess body fat combined with an unrealistic perception of one's body. Simply put they think they are bulking up but it isn't proven by the tape measure.

How we see ourselves and reality are not always the same. This is true for both men and women.

[Blair Robert Lowe]

Dunno, but some female weightlifters have some epic asses from squats. Sight to behold.

However, if you want a flat skinny butt, best not do weighted squats. Seriously, go do some Brazilian Butt workouts. Basically a crapload of air and lunge squats, bodyweight only.

[Elaine Lippmann]

Okay, sorry I didn't provide enough information. My diet is basically paleo, although I do drink wine in the evenings and have dessert once in a while. But my diet, I think, is quite good. I really don't have much extra fat. The only place I would say I have more than I'd like is my butt, although even there we're not talking a lot. My programming has been a bit off the traditional crossfit track recently. I did the "Starting Strength" program (Rippetoe) for three months, so I was lifting three days a week and doing crossfit metcons inbetween. That's when I really noticed my pants not fitting anymore. So I dropped the straight strength training and now I do more metcons and occasional strength days. I guess it's hard to have this conversation without sharing pictures of my body and pointing out what I don't like. But I think I'm too self-conscious to do that... Basically, I just feel like with a good diet and crossfit type exercise I should look more trim.

[Rebecca Roth]

yes, but what do you consider "trim"? find someone you see as comparable to what you hope to achieve online and link it, we can tell you if that is reasonable.

"paleo" also tells us little to nothing, what is your typical caloric intake and normal macronutrient breakdown? Are you eating below/above/at maintenance calories for your body & activity level? etc.. "don't have much fat" again relative, does that mean 10% bf or 25% bf, I don't know without some specific piece of information to tell me what it means to you. What are your measurements specifically in the areas you see as problematic?

[Mekenzie Lewis]

Originally Posted by Elaine Lippmann

Basically, I just feel like with a good diet and crossfit type exercise I should look more trim.

heard that, girl! for 3 months Ive got little to show except that my technique is better and Im stronger, as illustrated in my lifts. Ive increased my cardio also, to try and focus on fat burning. I'd like for it show more aesthetically, as well. Im pretty much paleo, but struggle with sweets still. I know thats my down fall. Burning more than taking in- counting calories, every last one is what we must do. Which sucks because who wants to take time to measure their food? dammit.
But I guess if it were easy, everyone would be doing it.

[Brendan McNamar]

Originally Posted by Mekenzie Lewis

I'm pretty much paleo, but struggle with sweets still.

No your not. Figure 3 meals and 1 snack a day time 7 days = 28 food interactions a week.

28 out of 28 equals 100% Paleo
26 out of 28 equals 93% Paleo
24 out of 28 equals 86% Paleo
22 out of 28 equals 79% Paleo

Keep a log and put a real number on it. One of two things will happen. You will either tighten up enough to see your desired results or you will have documentation of why you are not getting the results you desire.

The only thing you should need to watch on Paleo is the amount of fruit and nuts you are consuming if weight lose is your goal.

Every time one of my ladies goes from "pretty much Paleo" to strict Paleo the body fat just starts melting off. I see it over and over.