Wow, this thread went somewhere interesting. Are bodybuilders trying to maximize genetics or fight them? I mean, a skinny guy who eats 6,000 calories a day and takes steroids is clearly fighting nature. He wants to be Dorian. But is that bad? Or is it the essence of what we all do? That’s pretty interesting.
I think everyone at one time has to accept their genetics. If not you will end up pretty miserable. Case in point, I used to weigh 242 pounds and lost 87 pounds but could not lose those love handles. I tried everything and got down to 8% bodyfat but still had a little love handles. It’s something I have to live with unless I get lipo. Now you might say that I never tried everything, but you don’t know me and believe me if you knew me than you would have realized this. I am also 5’7 and I cannot change this. Everyone has to work with what they got. You can improve something greatly, but it still might not be what you want it to be. I used to run myself miserable with keto diets and it wasn’t worth it. Now don’t get me wrong, I haven’t given up but I just learned to work with what I got.
Since everyone is getting huffy here, I will sum up what everyone can, or should agree is true:
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Low intensity aerobic activity will burn calories but not encourage muscular growth like weight training or HIIT will. Therefore, Jess would be better off not traing her legs with weights or HIIT (blasphemy, I know).
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Jess should train her upper body with weights using basic movements as well as isolation. If she finds that she gets too muscular, which only she can determine, she could then lower the intensity, or change the routine, but cross that bridge when you come to it.
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Resistance training will help burn calories, so will cardio. Use both, to varying degrees, to acheive your own individual goals.
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Genetics are genetics. Through weight training and cardio, as well as optimum rest, nutrition, and supplementation (as well as mental attitude), you can acheive dramatic results. However, you cannot change your genetics; but you can improve yourself, and doing so is a constant, continual state- you never just ‘reach’ your potential and stop. Otherwise you will regress. And you can’t know your potential in advance. But, unfortunately, your genetics are what you are stuck with.
Hopefully Jess is not so confused now that she doesnt listen to any of what has been said Best of luck.
The Specialization Periodization article has a section devoted to losing muscle. It should point you in the right direction. I personally don’t think dropping 8 pounds is asking for new set of DNA, but hey. Good luck.
You all are misunderstanding my last post about genetics. I was NOT talking about genetic potential. It is my opinion that without training and whatnot that your genetics are going to determine what you look like. And don’ve give me this “but diet blah blah blah”. Genetics for a large part would determine what you look like w/o exercise. I have a friend who eats at least 8 scoops of ice cream a day and maybe gains a pound a year. So IMO by us working out were are trying to do better than what our genes dictate. Follow me here? I’m not talking about genetic potential.
~karma~: You wanting a longer waist and my girlfriend wanting to lose some muscle is a terrible comparison.
Patricia: She is 5'1" and 21years old. I don't have a clue about %bf. I don't know anything about that number, mainly because i could careless what mine is (to me it doesn't matter, if i or someone else looks good what diff does it make). But i understand you are trying to just understand more of her situation. And yes, she is very much her father's daughter. I don't know what she wants to look like. Last night she said she wanted to "tone up". Be nice, she's still learning. I explained that that is an asinine term that doesn't mean anything. I don't know exactly what she wants to look like.
She dropped 5lbs rather quickly in the middle of the summer. She noticed she was starting to plateau so i started making suggestions to her about HIIT and diet. Both of which i'm sure that she'll start doing soon. She went back to school this morning, i'll be going back tonight. At school it'll be easier for her to eat well and train hard than at home.
I think that she's going to lose a lot of weight in the next month due to that she is back on antibotics because she still has Lyme's Disease and Bartonella (tests came back monday). The antibotics she takes tend to...um...let her meals leave rather quickly and only partially digested. Obviously i'm worried about malnutrition and the only advice i knew of to give her was to make sure she takes a multi-v everyday and yogurt. Anyone else have any suggestions? She's not allowed to drink milk or take antacids.
D Rock: so I take it that everything be kewl wit us, then? I’m glad my posts haven’t been misread as being overly critical. They weren’t meant that way at all. Sometimes I can be very “up front” with my opinions. But I mean well.
I had posted on a thread sometime ago, to someone who also didn't know their BF% and wanted to embark on a diet/exercise program. I'll say something similar here: First things first: she should find out what her BF% is. That way you (and Jess) can monitor composition changes during this time. So adjustments, to diet or routine, is planned accordingly.
It's good that she'll listen to you. I know you're also a forum regular, so you'll point her in the right direction - like for instance: dropping the word "tone" from her vocabulary *wink*.
Oh, and I read the T-Mag article that was posted by sdp. Good one. I think it's what you and Jess are looking for.
Well firstly, looking at the fact that you’re near 110 pounds should give an indication that your overreacting, 110 lb is incredibly small, even for a woman. Likely, hardly anyone notices muscle on your legs (i think my legs are bigger than they are). Besides, many guys, including myself, LOVE muscley legs on a women, how unattractive are skinny shapeless legs? - very.
Solution? Get a boyfriend who likes your slim self (you cant be fat if your <50kg) because there will be ques blocks away. It’ll be very hard and unhealthy to lose any leg muscle, so get some confidence with having sexy legs. Actually, ask guys you know what they think, I bet you’ll get a positive response.
Jesse: Where did i say i that i wasn’t attracted to my gf Jess? SHE wants to get skinnier legs. I had her post the original message so that i wouldn’t come across as an asshole. Again, these are her goals, not mine for her. I’m just trying to help get her started.
Patricia: IMO we weren't "not cool" at any point. I tend to be a very "to the point" person myself. We'll probably check out that article soon. I don't have my room finished yet and therefore my stuff isn't hooked up and she's not getting her cable (modem) connection for a couple weeks.