Clothes don't fit after weight training

[Gobstopper1]

I've always been a runner, been at the gym for over a year to start lifting weights which I love. But I'm finding it a struggle to fit into my size 10 jeans and feel I look stocky. I've always had a big bum and it has got bigger as has my thighs. I'm 46 and 5ft.

Current routine is gym 2/3 times a week. Cardio for 35min, 90min weight training. Arms - 8kg free weights/15kg pully machine. Weighted lunges and squats - 15kg/20kg. Weighted hip thrusts - 15kg, weighted leg extensions - 10kg.

I eat protein bars after my workout and really watch what I eat. When I'm not at gym I'm on a calorie deficit of 1350 calories. Then I don't have any energy, get headaches etc. I cba to keep watching what I eat.

I love how strong my body, I love weight training but I do want to fit into my clothes. I want to be strong and lean.
I've decided to get some sessions with a PT.

Definately recommend a PT. I love mine ! Although diet isn't something all of them are qualified to delve in to.

1350 is very low though. You dont need to reduce calories on a rest day. You grow muscle in your sleep and recovery. Your body needs just as many calories to recover and repair muscle as it does to work out.

Clothes sizing is well off anyway. Some shops a size 10 will vary within the same bloody store. Stop chasing skinny. Chase strong. I've had to come to terms with the fact that I can't healthily get below a certain weight. And if I want to feel good and be strong and beat all my lifting pbs then I need to accept a couple of extra pounds.

We put far too much energy chasing the bodies of people who have all the time and money in the world for programmes and training and meal preparation etc and sometimes even surgeries and procedures . It's never gonna be achievable with jobs kids homes and responsibilities. We just do the best we can.

Bet you look fab op looking and being strong is great. And its good for us lomg term. Bone density etc.

Congratulations on your muscles! Just buy some new clothes and celebrate the curves that come with being strong.

What kind of jeans are we talking here - skinny jeans? If so then give up on that. I live in straight or wide leg jeans, more room for muscles!

Why are you chasing being petite? Being petite is not a goal to aspire to. Being healthy and strong is the ideal which it sounds like you are. I think women need to retrain our brains to view muscles as attractive on women rather than just slimness. Personally I think arms, legs, shoulders all look better on women when they are shaped by muscle rather than just having low body fat.

Drop the weights to 1-2 lbs, make more reps than you can believe, go for Pilates and Barre exercises.

You will be muscled, toned and lean.

Machine exercises were created to bulk up muscles appearance for bodybuilding by working them in isolation, not to maximise strength.

A bigger muscle is not a stronger muscle, you don’t have to be bulky to be strong.

That's the kind of thing DM would say.

I got told off a few months back... I showed her a photo of some cute alpacas in a field while I was running then got told off for running on my own and that I should stop it (which would mean quitting running due to logistics 🙄) I am in my mid 40s FFS.

i haven't dared tell her about my barbell squats

She has an unfortunate combination of a being a war child, aspiring to look like Twiggy in her 20s and not being very flexible with adapting her world view in general. In terms of her own health, her generation was shafted by life getting more sedentary with cars and labour saving gadgets as mid-life set in with loss of muscle and bone density. Also awful diet advice to stay impractically thin. Cabbage soup diet?

I wouldn't attempt to convince her that it's desirable and healthy to be building muscle in my 40s (now that our age group has better quality information)

Yes, this is exactly my DM. She's always been active - loves walking, swimming, but she's always chased being very thin rather than strong. She's always questioned my running and seemed pretty mortified when I told her I was lifting weights.

I went back to the gym today and loved it. I can't give it up, I love how I feel afterwards. Just wish I could love my body more!

I have ended up with massive quads but tbh I quite like them now they have literally grown on me! I look strong and it’s not a bad look in my book

Combine weight with mat/ reformer Pilates yoga and Callanetics