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This is a discussion on more progress pics/questions within the Share Your Physique Photos forums,----- It's been a full month since my "bulk blows" thread... one month since I quit cardio (gulp!)other than a little ...
It's been a full month since my "bulk blows" thread... one month since I quit cardio (gulp!)other than a little incline walking now and then. I decided to take some more pictures tonight, and again I'm not seeing progress. I have been considering competing again in April, but I don't want to make a fool of myself. My options are:
1. keep trying to bulk and postpone for another show
2. keep trying to bulk through January, then cut and see if I see progress, and then decide about the competition
3. start cutting on schedule the second week of January - 12 weeks out -- see if I see progress and then decide
What do you ladies think? (And sorry to revisit the same topic, but I need to know if you see something I don't. I cut out cardio and I've been lifting as heavy as I can, and other than the week I was sick, I'm eating! It's frustrating.)
You are not going to see a lot of changes within a month. I honestly think if you take a full year and really hit the weights hard you will see massive changes. I know waiting a whole year sounds really difficult...I took 2 years off to gain some size. I just took up another sport to focus on and let it happen. With that being said, if competing makes you happy and its something you want to do this year, dont let it stop you.
Second..I do think you should delay your competition plans. I know it sucks but if you were to cut now, you would look really tiny and possible stringy on stage. You havent been bulking long enough to make any significant changes...If you just want to compete for the fun and experience, then go for it...but if you want to make progress and be competitive then I would wait.
second - muscle takes time. It really really does. What's your caloric intake at right now? You can't be afraid to add a little fat in the process. I'm not talking "blowing up" fat gain, but your body needs the fuel to grow. You are still incredibly lean. And nothing wrong with that but you do have a classic ectomorph body (nothing wrong with that, just need a extra umph to gain muscle).
Hang in there darlin. I know it's hard. Just remember...muscle takes time
I echo what is said above in the fact that adding addition, very noticeable muscle takes time. I am taking 8 months off dieting right now to add some. It took me quite a bit to get where I am at and even after a short bulk last year I knew taking time off was key.
I say if you want more muscle than take more bulking time...if you want to compete..compete. what ever is in your heart
Bean babe -- what sport did you take up while you were bulking? It really helps me to have a goal, so maybe if there's something else I can aim for in the short term instead of a figure comp...
Nic - thanks! I have been working really hard, so any improvements are something to celebrate. For my first comp I just wanted to be able to say I did it -- but I don't want to look exactly the same, or worse, if I hit the stage again. I may not place, but I'd like to at least see progress.
Talnaj - awww thanks! I think this is the longest my hair has ever been.
I am afraid to gain fat... which is why it was really hard to lay off the cardio. I haven't been counting calories since my comp. I just try to eat healthy in general, except for Christmas week when I ate fast food, pizza and sweets! In my head, I just want to gain muscle and stay lean, but that doesn't seem to be possible. I loved competing, but the demon is that it showed me what I look like at a dangerously tiny and dehydrated 100 pounds, and I wound up with that image as my goal. Not healthy, I know. But when the scale says 105 I'm disappointed.
dbroncofan - thanks! Do you have a specific eating plan when you bulk? Again, I felt contest prep eating was easier. I had specific meals planned every day, no cheats, and that's what I did. Now it's just - bulk. Eat more. I don't exactly know what to do with that. I do eat, and I eat a lot of protein, carbs and fat too -- I'm just sort of winging it with the diet and lifting as heavy as I can. I wish I had a better plan.
Still undecided about April... but leaning toward not competing. I put on the shorts I wore for my comp "theme wear" performance today and they're snug. Of course they are...Why did I do that??? Off to the gym to try to kill my legs.
Last edited by stablesgirl; 01-02-2010 at 09:25 AM.
I know how scary gaining weight can be, but you can say lean and gain weight..I just suck at it Your bulk should have a plan in place just like during contest prep...it will help you stay more focused when there is a plan.
I too am 105lbs on stage and as much as I LOVE the look...that is not healthy or realistic to maintain. You are still very tiny in your pics, so you have no worries about getting 'fat'...stick to eating clean, healthy, muscle building calories and hit the weights!
dbroncofan - thanks! Do you have a specific eating plan when you bulk? Again, I felt contest prep eating was easier. I had specific meals planned every day, no cheats, and that's what I did. Now it's just - bulk. Eat more. I don't exactly know what to do with that. I do eat, and I eat a lot of protein, carbs and fat too -- I'm just sort of winging it with the diet and lifting as heavy as I can. I wish I had a better plan.
After my show it took me a few weeks to work up to my maintenance calories. Now what I do is follow the 90/10 plan. So I have a small cheat/treat on Wed. nights and a cheat meal on Saturday nights. I think it is important that it is a cheat meal...not a cheat day! It is too hard to work away an all out binge and you will end up gaining much more unneeded weight than you want.
As for how I currently do things...we it is a sort of carb cycle. I eat carbs every morning for breakfast (oats). If I am lifting that day I eat carbs in 4 out of 6 meals. If it is a cardio only day I eat carbs in about 2-3 meals and if a rest day than I only eat carbs at my morning meal.
I don't eat carbs for dinner, unless I lifted at night. I believe in carbs post work out no matter what time a day it is.
So...I think just set up a plan that may work for you and going with it for 2 weeks. If you gain too much weight adjust...mostly carbs. Make sure you are getting enough protein (1-1.5g per lb of weight) some good fats, especially on low carb days and eating enough carbs post workout to support muscle growth.
Personally... I've stopped focusing so much on stayling lean or getting leaner... and more on getting stronger.
I've never competed but I have wanted to for the last year. I just dont have enough muscle to feel like Im worth putting up on stage yet!Going from trying to stay lean a year ago, ive seen some wonderful muscular gains, particularly in myshoulders which I could never quite seem to get grow.
And I feel like I have an awesome goal, just trying to get stronger, you know? Not just 'stronger' in general... but specific goals. Bench 135lbs for reps: 135lbsx6... met last May. Squat 140+ ... 155lbsx5 met last October. Those kinds of goals. BIG goals.
Well, if you obsess about how you look... every reflective object you pass is going to scream at you how fat, how small, how 'horrible'... whereas if youre focused on strength, youre not going to pay attention so much to how big/small/lean you are. Or how big your quads/lats/shoulders aren't. Just... i feel stronger today. Or heck yes, I OWNED those weights yesterday.
And you'll get a sense of pride from accomplishing those goals as well. And we all know that hypertrphy comes with strength, hand in hand.
thanks for the specifics - that helps! I need to come up with an eating plan so I can stick to it. Some days I think I do really well, but others I end up eating badly (fast food!) or not nearly enough. I know that all of you have busy schedules too so I have no excuses. I find that if I cook a bunch of meals at once and then put them all in containers I do alright -- but when I don't my eating is a mess.
And as long as I type this I might as well admit, I haven't cooked for today, and there's a snow storm here and roads are a mess, and the newsroom is ordering pizza for us. Yup, I'm having pizza for lunch, and I had to work early so I didn't even make it to the gym today! I know I'm gonna feel ick about this later. The key will be stopping myself from running my legs off as punishment.
thanks for the specifics - that helps! I need to come up with an eating plan so I can stick to it. Some days I think I do really well, but others I end up eating badly (fast food!) or not nearly enough. I know that all of you have busy schedules too so I have no excuses. I find that if I cook a bunch of meals at once and then put them all in containers I do alright -- but when I don't my eating is a mess.
And as long as I type this I might as well admit, I haven't cooked for today, and there's a snow storm here and roads are a mess, and the newsroom is ordering pizza for us. Yup, I'm having pizza for lunch, and I had to work early so I didn't even make it to the gym today! I know I'm gonna feel ick about this later. The key will be stopping myself from running my legs off as punishment.
Its clear that you know where your problem lies...PREP! Try to make it a point to plan and prepare your meals for the week that way it will make it easier to stay on track. Also, you could keep protein powder and maybe some nuts in your car or at work, so that way in the event that you are dealing with today...you will have a better option.
I know its much easier said than done but once you get in the habit, it will just become part of your routine
more progress pics/questions
Your bulk should have a plan in place just like during contest prep...it will help you stay more focused when there is a plan. 
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