It’s an all-too-familiar story. You’re doing BodyPump, 30 Day Shred, Circuits, Bootcamps, the works…killing it. The scale is dropping, and you start to see some nice muscle definition. You’ve never seen this before, so you get excited. You’ve always wanted to have that look, and now you’re on your way. You can just imagine the look on everyone’s face when you strut your stuff at the beach this summer. So you keep going, because things can only get better from here, right?
Wrong.
Somewhere along the line, your body begins to change, and not for the better. You’re flexing hard, but it’s a strain to see the muscle definition that was so apparent not long ago. In some ways, you even look…fatter! You’re doing the same thing as before, so you know that it works. It’s been months, maybe even years, shouldn’t you look better? Shouldn’t you be ridiculously ripped by now?
2 yrs & 10lbs later, still looked ok, but definition is gone & tummy is growing
In my experience, women (and some men) will often develop a mentality of “more is better” when it comes to cutting. They get addicted to the leaning out process and stay in cut mode for far too long, to their own detriment. The mistake is made in thinking, “When I did this before, my muscles were so defined, so the longer I do it, the more definition I’ll have.” This could not be farther from the truth. What really happens, is they begin losing what they thought was muscle/definition and develop a skinny fat look. This is why you will see some women working out all the time, seemingly doing everything right, yet appearing to not progress or even go backwards.
I admit to getting tripped up in this way of thinking as well. When I first began incorporating weight training into my regimen, the results were amazing. I did all the different routines in the fitness mags, and later moved on to trying out circuit routines as they became all the rage. My body begin to change like I never imagined. I was so BEAST. You couldn’t tell me a thing. LOL. I was on a lot of fitness/bodybuilding forums at the time, and would see all these things about bulking/cutting, blah, blah. But what did they know? I was breaking all of their “rules” and seeing phenomenal results. I didn’t need those cycles. Circuit training WORKED for me and was gonna be my claim to fame. I got my hands on a copy of 30 Day Shred and loved the first 30 day results so much that I did another cycle. And another. And about 4 more. I was gonna look like Jillian if it killed me.
It didn’t kill me, but I didn’t look like Jillian, either.
Perhaps I should just bulk – what do I have to lose at this point?
I looked up a year later, had gained about 5 -10 lbs, and looked completely different. There was absolutely no muscle definition, and I was even starting to get a slight belly pudge that had completely disappeared the year before. I was devastated. I couldn’t understand how things had gotten that far when I was doing everything “right.” So I gathered my courage (fitness forums can be harsh places!) and posted a question on one of the forums, titled: “What happened to my muscles?!” I briefly rehashed what I’d been doing over the last couple of years, and attached pics of the differences that had taken place, and one of how I wanted to look.
The answers were mean, nasty, rude, numerous and unanimous: “Newbie gains…Stop doing that circuit $%@& and bulk!.. You lost definition because you lost muscles…and you didn’t have much to begin with!”
And they were absolutely right. The small amount of muscle I’d “gained” as a newbie, was gone, so to speak. I had never really put on a decent enough amount of muscle to have the look I wanted. I had simply reduced my body-fat so much that it appeared I’d gained muscle. Now, due to my excessive circuits (cardio)/under-eating lifestyle, the body-fat level was rising again. I was trying to “cut” what wasn’t even really there yet, and I went way too long without changing my routine. I knew enough about bulk/cut cycles at that point (even though I’d ignored them, thinking I was exempt) and decided to put them into practice. I also went back to my heavy weights and assigned the circuits/high reps to specific phases (cut/maintenance).
1 yr, and 2 “mini” bulk cycles later
I’ve been lifting heavy like this for about 7-10 years now, so I’ve since learned just how much muscle I really have (I used to have a much more exaggerated view of how much “muscle” was under my fat, lol). I’ve learned how long I can stay in cut mode before the results appear to reverse on me (around 12-16 weeks, MAX for me). Our bodies are essentially always either building (hypertrophy) or tearing down (atrophy). So after too long in either one, you begin to see the pros/cons of it (both phases have them). Stay in bulk too long, you’ll just look fat…stay in cut too long, you’ll be smaller, but with no muscle (skinny fat). It will always be an on-going process. You will never look the same, changes are always happening. Maintenance (as in staying exactly the same) is just a theory. That’s why I just give myself 3-4 months in each phase, and that sums up my year, if that makes sense. It’s the constant changing up of the phases, that actually gets you where you’d like to be.
Anything works short term…nothing works forever.
Newbie gains are awesome. You can do everything “wrong” and still get results. However…when the time comes, don’t be afraid to move on, and take it to the next level.
Q: Why do you want be able to eat so much? Why would a woman purposely go through “bulking phases” trying to gain weight for the sake of adding muscle? I mean, you are a woman, why do you want to eat like a man and look like one too?Just sounds like gluttony to me. I’m completely content eating less than my husband, and having less muscle.
A: I’m sorry that you see it that way, or that I come across as a muscle-bound “glutton” to you. It’s not just to be gluttonous …OK, maybe a little, lol…but more so because I know how much our metabolism slows with age. Weight goes up, muscle and bone mass decrease, and we have to eat LESS just to accomplish the same results. Everything that I do, is to DEFY that trend. So my aim is build as much muscle, and eat as much food as I can now. Then, when I get to the age where my peers are hardly eating, getting “softer,” and at higher risk for bone/muscle loss – I can still enjoy my life and have enough bone/muscle/brain strength to have as much independence as possible. This is very important to me, as I watch my own grandparents age and lose all independence. I am a very “future” focused person, in case that isn’t obvious.
I just grew up originally thinking (as did my grandparents) that the changes we deal with as we age are inevitable. While some of them may be – and we will never be immortal – studies are proving that much of what we’ve attributed to “the effects of aging” over the years, are simply the effects of being sedentary. I WISH my grandparents only had known that they needed only to eat a bit more, move a bit more, and lift a little weights. Heck, I wish they’d even try a little now. I watched them give up at the first sign of “aging” almost 20yrs ago! My grandpa plopped on the couch in his late 50s and basically said “that’s a wrap, I’m too old.”
Unfortunately, he has stayed there WELL into his 70s.
Grandma has followed his lead and she’s still in her 60s. It makes me so sad. I don’t expect them to be flipping cartwheels or anything, but they’ve incurred more muscle/bone loss since they STOPPED moving/eating, than they had up until that point. I didn’t think they had a choice, but now that I devour studies on aging, I hurt knowing what they don’t. It’s tough to know, yet not be able to say anything out of fear of being disrespectful. But all of the kids/grand-kids talk. They talk to one another about how much it hurts to see Papa just decide that he’s “done” and constantly reference his mortality when we are with him. Its very depressing. I mean, if you still have to be here, why not try to make your life the best it can be?
I’m not afraid to leave this earth, but I don’t want my grand-kids to watch me “give up” on life 20, 30, 50 years before my time.
But, that being said, I do know that a lot of people believe that if they are comfortable with their calorie intake/level of muscle now then why bother? On some level, I get that. Without the long term aspect in mind, it does kinda seem pointless to some people to raise their calories/build muscle if they feel “satisfied” now. My issue with that standpoint is that what satisfies me now, may be too much 10 years from now. So if I’m already eating a miniscule amount, it will need to be decreased even further. The muscle that I have now, if left as is, will be but a fraction of the current amount, when I need it most. So, for me, it all comes down to being safe rather than sorry, and getting those calories and muscle mass to a decent level…now.
MRI cross-section of a male thigh – notice how the muscle/fat ratio changes as the decades pass? Males carry MUCH more muscle than women.
How about you? Do you feel that EM2WL is just an excuse for gluttony? Is it greed to want to eat more, when your body has adapted to a smaller amount of food? Should women leave the “muscle building phases” to the men?
Q: I’ve just been so confused. I have been shrinking and really don’t want to get any smaller but my lower half of my body is still very squishy and not toned. Would that mean I need to do cardio or just lift more on my legs? I have those dreaded saddle bags that stay on me till I weigh as much as a toothpick. I weigh 110 right now with around 20% body fat. I don’t know if I could handle a month cut? Sorry for all the questions. I am just tired of not seeing any results.
A: Wow, you are so small already, cutting doesn’t sound like it will help with the look you’re trying to achieve. I’d say it’s time to up the weights in the leg work. Doing more cardio at this point will just create the “skinny fat” look, which is what you’re trying to avoid/overcome. Building muscle will firm the legs up quite nicely. So you could go straight into a bulk, and develop some lean muscle under the layer of fat that may be there now. Because of this your legs may feel like they’re getting bigger at first (because muscle is developing under fat), but pay close attention to the firmness. When they seem firm enough (or if your pants get too tight) cut for 3-4 weeks (or until pants fit again, lol) and then go back to bulking. This will slowly get rid of the “skinny fat” and give you firm, shapely legs and glutes.
A few must-haves in your leg routine would be heavy squats, lunges and deadlifts. Stick to free weights/compound movements, don’t even bother with the weight machines, if you can help it (unless you’re very new to weights and still learning proper form. But eventually wean yourself, or sprinkle into your free weight routine).
Also see if you can incorporate 2 leg days into your routine, 1 heavy and one light (the lighter weight/high rep day can replace a cardio day — or, alternatively, use a cardio machine like the stair mill on cardio day).
Even if you choose not to bulk now – opt to eat over maintenance (~ 200-300 cals) on leg day.
Q: Yes! It’s that awful skinny fat on my legs! Everyone says cardio, cardio to get rid of it. My thighs are 19 1/2 inches and still fat. One of my friends refuses to lift weights and tries to get me to run with her a few days a week. I hate it! She wants me to run a 5k with her but all I can ever think about is how it’s cutting out my time at the gym.
A: Nooooo! Now is NOT the time for a 5k, ROFL. Excess cardio is what creates the skinny fat, not what heals it. Not to mention the fact that you say you “hate it,” why torture yourself unnecessarily? As you develop the muscle you desire in your legs, you can carefully use your runs (or preferred cardio) to help with extra fat. But too much will tear down the muscle that you’re trying to build and become counterproductive. If you force your body to choose between building muscle and endurance, endurance will typically win. This is especially important — unless you are training for a marathon/triathalon/etc. (in which case you would want some muscle atrophy in order to run faster- too much muscle makes you slower) — since you actually want muscle in your legs. If you wanted to incorporate cardio that will help you reach your goal, shoot for things like the stairmill, bleacher runs, sprints, etc., NOT long distance running (at least not right now).
Girl, adding squats, deadlifts, etc. was the best thing that ever happened to my cellulite, lol. Weighted leg work is the real deal when it comes to shaping the legs.
A common thread that I find as I engage on different fitness/diet forums, and even conversations with friends and family, is randomness. One particular area of confusion seems to be with fat loss and training goals. I often have women (and a few men!) tell me that because they are in a fat loss phase they don’t need to lift weights, or at least not heavy ones. For some reason there has been a general consensus over the years, that the only way to “cut” is to ditch the heavy weight and move to strictly circuit routines and 3lb Barbie weights, while OD’ing on cardio. While the addition of a little cardio can certainly assist in fat burning, I think that somewhere along the line confusion has set in as to methods on how to cut (aka shed fat).
When cutting, you won’t purposely be lifting lighter (I hope!), though, you may lighten the weights (slightly) on occasion to accommodate for moving faster in certain workouts, when applicable. It is harder to lift heavy during circuit work (if you choose to incorporate such workouts), but that does not mean you drop the 30# and head for the 3#. Because cutting is all about the eats, a person who is in a caloric deficit for any length of time may begin to lose strength, thus having to lower the poundage. This is, again, only as low as necessary to complete the amount of reps, yet still hitting failure toward the end of the set.
Many men (and some women!) even take it a step further and NEVER want to cut, feeling it will undo all of their muscle building efforts. They’ve heard that muscle loss comes with cutting territory, and they fear it almost as much as the ladies fear the fat gain that comes with bulking. While this is true, it is the same that I addressed in the post on fat gain when bulking, these “side effects” are minimal when done correctly, and neither will “undo” the other unless we go too “extreme” in either phase (meaning grossly over eat in bulk w/minimal activity or grossly under eat in cut w/too much activity). If we are careful not to hit extremes, there are only a few tweaks here and there needed that will allow us to receive benefits from both phases.
It’s the extreme combo of cardio/deficit eating that will possibly cause muscle catabolization. Muscle is extremely hard to build on women, so we have to take extra care when doing the things that oppose muscle growth (i.e. eating in a deficit, doing excess cardio). It’s basically the equivalent to eating cheesecake and a diet coke, or a salad w/a milkshake (or any of the other quirky things that we do where one thing we’re doing is cancelling out the other)… So when you’re in a mode like that, getting lean while sparing as much muscle as possible, is the goal.
OK, enough rambling…back to the training goals…
As I began to truly focus on my goals, my bulks got progressively longer each year, because I was realizing that my body was willing to let go of more muscle than I wanted/had (I realized that I didn’t have nearly as much as I assumed, but that’s another ramble). So my training goal became to build as much muscle as possible, so that when I added in the cardio/deficit, I wouldn’t lose as much. But I also chose to keep lifting the same, regardless of the mode (not exactly the same, but more on that later). So assuming that one had a similar goal, doing that, plus eating properly (and getting enough protein) will aid in keeping the muscle you’ve built, until you head into your next muscle build mode.
Your changes should come from your eats whenever possible, cardio comes second. Remember this:
Building muscle requires eating at a *slight* surplus, lifting heavy, and going easy on the cardio
Losing fat requires eating at a *slight* deficit, lifting heavy, and burning more calories than you’re taking in
Maintenance requires “maintenance” calorie eating (obviously), lifting heavy, and enough cardio to stay healthy/maintain your current physique
As you can see, the only factor they have in common is the lifting. Everything else is total opposite, that’s why we need to choose which one is the most important, and go with that. Once we switch to another phase, we have to keep in mind to not look for the effects/benefits of a phase that we are not in. So, when building muscle, it’s inevitable that you will gain even *slight* amounts of fat along w/it since you’re eating in surplus…when burning fat, it’s inevitable that you could lose *slight* amounts of muscle since you’re eating in a deficit- they’re just two opposite ends of the spectrum- but *slight* does not mean all.
Think of it as getting your hair trimmed, you trim some, so that it will grow longer, and healthier. You’re not cutting it all off, just enough to keep it healthy. So if you wanted to grow your hair out, you’d let it grow a lot, trim a little, & repeat, until it was at the desired length, right? So the best thing is to use each phase to our advantage, get in, and get out (unless it’s a phase that we choosing to linger in for whatever reason – like maintenance…)
So pick your fitness cycle, as if you’re heading to the salon. What are you going for? Are you headed for growth (just need a little trim, just enough to get the splits)? Are you looking for a shock, whatever the cost (new color, chop it all off)? Or are you just getting regular maintenance / upkeep (good deep condition, color touch up, wash & style)?
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Many people make the decision to follow the EM2WL lifestyle, and then head out to seek a local Certified Personal Trainer to assist them on their journey. However, merely days into the training (sometimes even after the first session) they will come back to us in a state of confusion, because they have received conflicting information and don’t know which to follow. As a trainer, I’ve made a couple of observations of how some (including myself) do things differently from most. Knowing the different schools of thought can help you to interview & pick the personal trainer that is best for you.
Work Harder
Most trainers know that they have a limited amount of time to make an impact. The client needs to see results, and they need to see them fast, or else they are quickly moving on. Most of the “stay the course,” “be consistent,” “trust the process” lines that we throw out there are not often used in mainstream training, because, quite frankly, clients don’t want to hear it. A personal trainer that wants a client to keep coming back for more has to achieve a LOT in a small amount of time, or at least enough to make an impact. So one way to do this is to work you very hard within the first few sessions, so that you can see that you work much harder with them, than you did before they came into the picture. Often, a bit more cardio than necessary may be thrown in for good measure, to make sure that you feel “worked.”
Eat Less
Another way a personal trainer can make that impact, is by telling you that your current cal intake (whatever it may be) is too high. This lowering of cals is almost a guaranteed drop in lbs within the first week or so, simply because the cals were high(er), and now they’re not. Having such a significant drop in lbs within the first week or so will buy the trainer MUCH more time with that client, because they have earned their trust. If they can quickly get you to drop weight, then long after you’ve stopped going to them, and gained the weight back, (because you’ve gone back to eating normal, and working out in your regular manner) you’ll always remember how you had “better” results when you worked with them. You’ll go back (at your higher cal intake) they will have you drop calories (again), while kicking your butt with the workouts. So as long as you stay with them, and dependent on them, you both “win.”
Business is business
I can’t knock the trainers that use these methods, because, quite honestly, they are very lucrative. But, ethically, I just can’t do it. I don’t mind showing a person that they can work harder than they have been, but I’d never recommend more exercise, or less food, than is necessary. My goal as a trainer (and the type of trainer I suggest you look for when interviewing) is to allow a person to develop a plan of attack that will fit into their lives, and that will apply long after our session is over. A client needs to become self-sufficient, and know what to do when the trainer is no longer around. I have no desire to become a persons fad diet.
The true cost
Although it’s harder to look a client in the eye and tell them to do the opposite of everything that they’ve read, and that they shouldn’t expect any results from working with me for at least the first month, it sets the standard for our relationship right off the bat. I let them know that I will not withhold any “secrets” from them in what they need to reach their goals, my tactics are simple: fuel your body, work hard, and stay consistent.
The client needs to be committed to a lifestyle, not just trying to fit into their skinny jeans by next Friday.
There are enough trainers out there that can help them accomplish that, but I am trying to help them fit into their skinny jeans for the rest of their lives. They will leave our sessions armed with info to help themselves and others around them. I may lose a bit more peeps that way, who aren’t willing to wait, but that is fine, because I need to see that the person wants what I’m trying to give, with the same passion that I give it.
Find a personal trainer that empowers you to make your own decisions in due time, and has former clients that have had long-term results, not just *fast* results….. unless that is what YOU want.
Q: I heard you guys discuss cutting and bulking, so I Googled it. I wonder if so much of what I read regarding separating “bulking” with “cutting” is for the bodybuilding, “big muscle” guys/girls. I am a 47 year old, who just wants to lose fat and show definition in my muscles so my body has a nice shape, not be a body builder. As I am working out, I keep wondering, okay, am I suppose to be in “building” mode here? But I still have fat I want to lose. I am more regularly checking the body fat % on my scale (28.2 now).Based on my goals do I need to be eating more?
A: Googling the words “bulking/cutting” will definitely bring up bodybuilding type sites, and visions of men gorging themselves in the name of “building muscle” which is why most women shun it. However, this is not the image that we should first think of. At EM2WL, we often use the terms “bulking” and “cutting” synonymously with “building muscle” and “losing fat,” respectively. These terms are not to be feared, but understood, even if only on their most basic level. Certain goals have an environment in which they thrive best, and yes, “normal” folk (especially, women) would greatly benefit from using such precise strategies. Even in basic personal training studies for how to train “normal” people the exact same process is discussed (it is referred to as “periodization”).
Most women want a certain “look,” but fail to realize that they are not eating enough, or doing the type of workouts required to build muscle. Others, don’t even realize that the “look” that they want requires muscle. Don’t let the terms confuse you. The simplicity of it all is what makes us think there has to be more to it. It doesn’t matter how old you are, in order to build muscle, you have to eat more. The muscle you build will burn the fat 10xs faster than the “mainstream” methods basically spinning your wheels, keeping cals low, and exercise high. You probably already know that you won’t get bulky from lifting weights. But, we also have to remember that it is seriously, excruciatingly, hard for women to pack on muscle, and most highly overestimate how much they have. Seeing as we can only gain a max of .25 lbs of muscle per week, it takes a while to pack on a serious amount of muscle, & most of the “bigger” muscle women have done the bulk/cut process for over a decade to pack on that amount of muscle w/o steroids.
The added benefit of being a “recreational” lifter, is that you “bulk” or “cut” at a schedule that works for you, not according to a contest.Which means that you could bulk a month or a year, depending in what you’re comfortable with (realizing that even a whole year of bulking would still barely put on a MAX of 12lbs of muscle). Plus remember the other benefits, when you go through a bulk, it also helps to reset your metabolism, which means when you go back to your “cut” the weight loss process is much easier (& comfortable due to being able to cut at higher cals than before) and because of the muscle that you were building (that is now scorching fat) you typically don’t have to lose anywhere near the same amount as before.
So fuel properly, and don’t be afraid to lift heavy…you won’t turn into a body builder. Promise. No one ever went to sleep and woke up “too” buff.
How to Pick a Personal Trainer…
Another way a personal trainer can make that impact, is by telling you that your current cal intake (whatever it may be) is too high. This lowering of cals is almost a guaranteed drop in lbs within the first week or so, simply because the cals were high(er), and now they’re not. Having such a significant drop in lbs within the first week or so will buy the trainer MUCH more time with that client, because they have earned their trust. If they can quickly get you to drop weight, then long after you’ve stopped going to them, and gained the weight back, (because you’ve gone back to eating normal, and working out in your regular manner) you’ll always remember how you had “better” results when you worked with them. You’ll go back (at your higher cal intake) they will have you drop calories (again), while kicking your butt with the workouts. So as long as you stay with them, and dependent on them, you both “win.”
Although it’s harder to look a client in the eye and tell them to do the opposite of everything that they’ve read, and that they shouldn’t expect any results from working with me for at least the first month, it sets the standard for our relationship right off the bat. I let them know that I will not withhold any “secrets” from them in what they need to reach their goals, 
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