To be so upset that exercise has effectively ruined my figure?

[MyBodySucks]

I was a size 6-8 until about a year ago, when I started Pole Fitness classes, as well as a few other classes at the same club, things like Body Pump.

I've eaten the same as always (clean!) but the exercising has given me a body that I hate and I'm so upset about it.

Basically my thighs and upper arms have beefed up, for want of a better expression. I can barely even get size 10 jeans over my thighs now, and my arms look like men's arms. My waist, and tummy look good I suppose but everything else is just horrible and I hate how I look!

I'm quite short at 5ft 4 inches and so in clothes I just look large and stocky.

Has anyone else found the same thing? I am stopping classes and going to just walk and do pilates in future and hopefully my muscles will shrink and I'll look ok again.

AIBU to be upset?

I sympathise OP. I am now 64, and 5'4" (actually I've been 5'4 since I was 15). I used to run, but my knees went wrong at 55, so I ramped up my Pilates. I think you should dump any heavy weights but I train once weekly with 2kg, purely for strength and bone health. And as I have a dog, I walk a minimum 45mins every single day, rain or shine. And I do intermediate level Pilates twice a week. If I may congratulate myself, I don't look like a body builder, or a model. I look like a fit healthy 64 yo woman; not skinny, and not fat, apart from the pads under the armpits (any advice for eliminating them gratefully received). I have a longish and fairly supple torso, and have been very fortunate to avoid serious injury. I think a yoga class would be good if you don't have a good Pilates teacher locally.

apart from the pads under the armpits (any advice for eliminating them gratefully received) breaststroke and front crawl! lots of it!

Warning massive generalisation ahead: Bodypump is always dominated by women, as it uses very low weights, so it's seen as not likely to "bulk" them up but won't go near the heavy weights in the gym. Actually they're taking a similar approach to Bodybuilders, using lower weights for high reps to build muscle, which is the exact opposite to what they are aiming to achieve. That's why if you compare professional bodybuilers versus powerlifters side by side, visually the bodybuilder will "look" stronger when actual fact the powerlifter will normally be stronger.

By all means add pilates in to your schedule but don't abandon weights entirely. Learn to lift heavy, just for lower reps, as it is very important for women to maintain muscle and bone density as we age to stave off osteoporosis.

I apologise to the Bodypump fans, I just have a bee in my bonnet after watching far too many dodgy classes when walking through the gym.

Probably great advice, but I'm not keen on pool swimming. (no nice pool near enough to be convenient) but I will bear it in minfd.

I am 62, 5’10 I walk 1 hour a day, then back home I lift dumbbells for 30 minutes. The walking has given me great shaped legs. It keeps my weight down. The weights have strengthened and shaped my arms. I can recommend it.

I really like the look of muscular thighs on women, I wish I could achieve that look!

Building muscle won't have happened overnight - you must have noticed the changes, should have your exercise regime sooner,

Weights are really important work for your body but you can always do more reps with light weights; my teacher would prefer that. Weights are really good to stimulate osteo plasts, which keep bones healthy as we age.

If you look tubby then you've probably gained fat rather than muscle. Women don't bulk with muscle the way you describe from pole fitness I think you've probably gained fat and are in denial about it.

@Thunderbolted

Hahaha

😂😂 this comment

The poster who says they wish they’d never started body pump- why?
I literally only do spin and body pump. I love finally having defined calves. My arms and shoulders have some shape. I love the shape of my quads.
I’m 5ft 9 with Big boobs and hips, and don’t put on muscle particularly easily. This has been during lockdown. I guess having a bigger frame means I carry the extra size differently.
But very interested to know why pp thinks pump is so awful.

I do 3 or 4 x 60 min mat classes and then cycle for 3 hours a week (Commute of 6 x 30 min rides).

A lot of jealous, snide remarks on this thread.

I sympathise with you, OP. I build muscle really easily too.

Forgive me if i wrong - but what did you want to achieve with the classes you were doing? I would have thought you wanted the body you have gained from it? Or did they mis-sell something? I have a friend who does body pump and she sounds exactly like the body shape you have but she was aware that doing that class would have beefed up her arms/thighs. Sorry you feel that way though OP.

I completely don't get women who dread having muscles

The skinny emaciated look is so 90s anyway

how can having muscles even be "masculine"

sorry but it's all so strange

@YellowandGreenToBeSeen

Pilates. Long, lean, toned muscles. I have defined thighs, arse, arms and stomach but no bulk. I am not a fan of the big arse, thick thighs look currently being peddled as ‘the ideal’.

That's the look I admire too. Do you do the Reformer machine thingy or just floor work?

I'm currently doing Callanetics because similar to pilates, it claims to create 'long, lean' muscle with out the bulk, seeing as how it 'lengthens' the muscles.

Does it work? Only time will tell tbh! But I've started a thread on here called 'Callanetics Countdown for Christmas' and the countdown started today!

I have always had thick thighs and arms naturally - which I've always hated! But now I'm also a fatty to boot There was a point in time where I lifted weights - and tbf it didn't make any difference to the 'bulk' of my arms/legs, as I was eating a restricted calorie diet, however I'm in search of a more streamlined body come Christmas, so I thought I'd try callanetics, which I believe is based on balet moves; but which I find to be very similar pilates...

Just switch to a new regime althogether - or ditch the one you've practiced most recently and I'm sure you'll be fine!

Btw, your body sounds like a blinking dream to a flabby heffer like me!

You're well within your rights to feel the way you do but have you tried getting used to your strong and toned new figure for what it is?

It might be a question of trying out different clothes- I'm a bit overweight at current although it is coming off- but when I am fit I am a muscly hourglass rather than long and lean. currently I am a slightly chubby muscly hourglass. I am actually so glad big thighs and bums have come into fashion!

I dont know what styles you wear but high necklines, shell tops and anything baggy or square (not waisted) look terrible whereas wider necklines to balance out the hips and shoulders, pencil skirts and cuts that show my narrowest bits (rolled up jeans, 3/4 tops), accessories drawing attention to my neck, look great. It might just take a bit of wardrobe tweaking to learn to love and feel proud of your body again!

I sympathise. I started HIIT and I hate my shoulders, they have really beefed up too. They genuinely look out of place and out of proportion. I avoid tank tops for this reason. Even my trainer seemed taken aback when she saw me in a vest. So not too sure what to do about it! I do Pilates and yoga too, hasn't helped!

It's not a bad thing to put fitness above aethetics - weight baring exercise is an innoculation against premature morbidity/death.

I am the same height as you. I build muscle very quickly when I am doing strength exercises and I feel like my small limbs add to the bulkiness, so I know what you mean.

It’s fair enough to feel this way.

Unfortunately walking will just maintain the muscle tone you already have. I walk a lot and my legs are very toned and muscular (I have more muscle than fat)

Maybe just start squatting and lifting weights etc to give the illusion of a more curvy bum/hips to make you feel more feminine?

I think toned arms look really nice. It’s really easy to lose muscle definition on your arms tbh

5 years of martial arts I ended up built like a brick shit house

Had an amazing bod

I sympathise with not being happy with the way you look, but I wish I had your problem gaining muscle easily!

I seem to find gaining muscle impossible!

Pole and body pump are about building muscle, I'd you want tone you need gentler, more aerobic exercise. All aerialists are muscly, it takes a huge amount of strength. Maybe try different exercise types which are about tone and not strength and you may find your shape changes again