Like Sookie Stackhouse circa season 2.
August 20, 2013 5:22 PM Subscribe
So I'm about to embark upon a year that will be chock-full of free time. I'll be working an 8 to 5, but other than that I'll be in a small town with few leisure options. I've decided that my chief self-improvement goal for said upcoming year is to get a body like this (NSFW-ish). Help me totally crush this.
Relevant facts:
- I'll have access to a nice gym with a pool and a bike trail, but I'm not sure what sorts of classes will be offered.
- I'm in my late twenties, 5'11'', and I presently weigh around 165 pounds.
- I'm ambivalent about working out at home, but I'd do it if there was a compelling reason. However, I tried P90X years ago and found it extremely hard on my wrists.
- I tend to become easily overheated (to the point of passing out) if I do strenuous exercise outdoors, so I'd like to keep things indoors unless outdoor suggestions involve bicycling.
- I really love things that are both mentally and physically challenging; Bikram yoga is one of my favorite workouts of all time.
- Workout time is alone time for me, so I don't want to play group or paired sports.
Assume I've got the diet angle totally covered. Go!
Relevant facts:
- I'll have access to a nice gym with a pool and a bike trail, but I'm not sure what sorts of classes will be offered.
- I'm in my late twenties, 5'11'', and I presently weigh around 165 pounds.
- I'm ambivalent about working out at home, but I'd do it if there was a compelling reason. However, I tried P90X years ago and found it extremely hard on my wrists.
- I tend to become easily overheated (to the point of passing out) if I do strenuous exercise outdoors, so I'd like to keep things indoors unless outdoor suggestions involve bicycling.
- I really love things that are both mentally and physically challenging; Bikram yoga is one of my favorite workouts of all time.
- Workout time is alone time for me, so I don't want to play group or paired sports.
Assume I've got the diet angle totally covered. Go!
Lift heavy weights. Starting Strength or The New Rules of Weightlifting for Women would both be appropriate programs.
Notice how lean her abdomen is while her butt and thighs are still pretty sizable? Her body fat percentage is quite low (that's the diet bit that you've got totally covered), but she keeps that voluptuous look by being rather jacked. The "tell" is in her boobs, which, if you look beyond the push up ruffle bra, are pretty small.
posted by telegraph at 5:57 PM on August 20, 2013 [6 favorites]
Notice how lean her abdomen is while her butt and thighs are still pretty sizable? Her body fat percentage is quite low (that's the diet bit that you've got totally covered), but she keeps that voluptuous look by being rather jacked. The "tell" is in her boobs, which, if you look beyond the push up ruffle bra, are pretty small.
posted by telegraph at 5:57 PM on August 20, 2013 [6 favorites]
To clarify -- it's a tell because having a low body fat percentage means your boobs get smaller. Boobs are made of fat. You want a low body fat percentage to get the flat stomach, big muscles to make the curvy body shape (pronounced butt and thighs, and enhanced shoulders to balance them), and, I suppose, a nice push up bra.
posted by telegraph at 5:59 PM on August 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by telegraph at 5:59 PM on August 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
I do ashtanga/vinyasa/pilates-fusion yoga every damn day and I like to think this is slowly happening. Add some weight training and running and you'd be golden.
posted by Marinara at 6:00 PM on August 20, 2013
posted by Marinara at 6:00 PM on August 20, 2013
Definitely lifting heavy weights. I did the Strong Lifts 5x5 program for a few months and it did more to transform my body than any other exercise I've tried. I lost a little weight, but more than that I could tell I was losing body fat. I went from having a pretty flat and flabby butt to having a relatively substantial ass and my waist was smaller and leaner.
I liked 5x5 because it was free and simple, but Starting Strength or any program that focuses on compound lifts (squats, dead lifts, bench press) and sets with higher, continually increasing weights and fewer reps will work. To get the lean look that you want, you have to be careful with what you eat. It can be tough to get enough protein and calories to lift without gaining body fat, but it's definitely possible and probably easier as a beginner without high body fat to begin with.
Also, most lifting programs take maybe an hour 3-4 times a week, and you can add in yoga and/or whatever cardio you enjoy. Lifting is also indoor, can be solo although having a good trainer to work with you on form is a good thing to have when you start, and someone to spot so you don't end up stuck under the bar if you fail on a bench (ask me how I know). I also think it's mentally challenging in the sense that you have to be very aware of your form if you want to avoid injury and get the most out of your effort.
And finally, you may know this already but a lot of people don't: lifting DOES NOT automatically make women bulky or huge. Some women can totally get bulky by lifting but it's fairly rare and you won't get huge overnight (teenage boys dream of this and can't make it happen). You can always change what you're doing if you start to see changes to your body that you don't like.
posted by MadamM at 8:20 PM on August 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
I liked 5x5 because it was free and simple, but Starting Strength or any program that focuses on compound lifts (squats, dead lifts, bench press) and sets with higher, continually increasing weights and fewer reps will work. To get the lean look that you want, you have to be careful with what you eat. It can be tough to get enough protein and calories to lift without gaining body fat, but it's definitely possible and probably easier as a beginner without high body fat to begin with.
Also, most lifting programs take maybe an hour 3-4 times a week, and you can add in yoga and/or whatever cardio you enjoy. Lifting is also indoor, can be solo although having a good trainer to work with you on form is a good thing to have when you start, and someone to spot so you don't end up stuck under the bar if you fail on a bench (ask me how I know). I also think it's mentally challenging in the sense that you have to be very aware of your form if you want to avoid injury and get the most out of your effort.
And finally, you may know this already but a lot of people don't: lifting DOES NOT automatically make women bulky or huge. Some women can totally get bulky by lifting but it's fairly rare and you won't get huge overnight (teenage boys dream of this and can't make it happen). You can always change what you're doing if you start to see changes to your body that you don't like.
posted by MadamM at 8:20 PM on August 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
Not to totally plug - I don't sell the stuff - but I am pretty converted to all of the Beachbody program stuff. I also get Shakeology and it really works for me. I'm a person who needs structure, hates leaving the house to go to the gym and likes to keep it in about an hour time frame. P90X is sort of evil - I did that and just couldn't. Currently just doing P90 and that's enough for me.
posted by ashtabula to opelika at 9:52 PM on August 20, 2013
posted by ashtabula to opelika at 9:52 PM on August 20, 2013
The secret to abs like that, which should be obvious once you look at that clip again, is sucking it in. Not even ballet dancers have abs that flat when at rest.
posted by sexyrobot at 11:40 PM on August 20, 2013
posted by sexyrobot at 11:40 PM on August 20, 2013
It might be worth considering dropping ten bucks on a somethingawful.com membership and investigating their (charmingly named) fitness subforum 'You Look Like Shit'. It's a great source of supportive but robust advice.
I've seen a lot of women in that subforum and, while SA goons have a ... mixed reputation, they're very supportive of their own and assholery is not in the slightest bit tolerated. This thread, on women and weightlifting, is a good one to scope to see if you like the goon style.
If you think you will have motivation problems you can make a thread to chart your progress and 'Toxx' (bet your $10 membership fee) on whether you will accomplish your goals.
posted by Sebmojo at 3:54 AM on August 21, 2013
I've seen a lot of women in that subforum and, while SA goons have a ... mixed reputation, they're very supportive of their own and assholery is not in the slightest bit tolerated. This thread, on women and weightlifting, is a good one to scope to see if you like the goon style.
If you think you will have motivation problems you can make a thread to chart your progress and 'Toxx' (bet your $10 membership fee) on whether you will accomplish your goals.
posted by Sebmojo at 3:54 AM on August 21, 2013
Assume I've got the diet angle totally covered.
Well, but the thing is that diet is pretty much the name of the game here. Judging from that image, she's rather lean and just moderately muscular, relatively speaking. The lighting is making her abdominal definition look more dramatic, though she doesn't look as cut as e.g. a bikini competitor would get on stage, and she doesn't seem to have a whole lot of upper body mass. Which is all well and good, since it makes the goal more achievable.
Anyhow, I have no idea how you're built or what your body composition is currently, but starting from 5'11" 165, if you're not already very athletic, fat loss is probably going to be your main priority in achieving this (though you probably won't have too far to go), and again that's going to be almost entirely diet along with some type of intense full-body exercise (to preserve and potentially build some muscle), the minutia of which are not really the most important thing. But yeah, consistent lifting + diet is generally going to be the most efficient way to go.
Starting Strength/Stronglifts et al are good enough basic templates in that they're simple, full-body programs, but you're going to have a rough time trying to steadily progress in weight if you're maintaining a calorie deficit (or at least not maintaining a surplus), so running them without modification may not work for you. I'd recommend reading through this and this for ideas and links to more resources.
posted by ludwig_van at 7:23 AM on August 21, 2013
Well, but the thing is that diet is pretty much the name of the game here. Judging from that image, she's rather lean and just moderately muscular, relatively speaking. The lighting is making her abdominal definition look more dramatic, though she doesn't look as cut as e.g. a bikini competitor would get on stage, and she doesn't seem to have a whole lot of upper body mass. Which is all well and good, since it makes the goal more achievable.
Anyhow, I have no idea how you're built or what your body composition is currently, but starting from 5'11" 165, if you're not already very athletic, fat loss is probably going to be your main priority in achieving this (though you probably won't have too far to go), and again that's going to be almost entirely diet along with some type of intense full-body exercise (to preserve and potentially build some muscle), the minutia of which are not really the most important thing. But yeah, consistent lifting + diet is generally going to be the most efficient way to go.
Starting Strength/Stronglifts et al are good enough basic templates in that they're simple, full-body programs, but you're going to have a rough time trying to steadily progress in weight if you're maintaining a calorie deficit (or at least not maintaining a surplus), so running them without modification may not work for you. I'd recommend reading through this and this for ideas and links to more resources.
posted by ludwig_van at 7:23 AM on August 21, 2013
Starting Strength and 5X5 are good suggestions, but the most important thing when doing so-called "Olympic Lifts" is excellent form. When you're putting 200 lbs on your shoulders, you don't want to mess around.
Find a top-notch trainer who is familiar with squats, deadlifts, etc. (not someone with a two-month certification), and ask hard questions. If you're in a small town, it may be harder to find someone - consider looking nearby. Also note that just because someone appears really buff does not mean they have the knowledge to teach you how to exercise safely.
Also, this link is aimed at men but works just as well for women.
http://refinedself.com/blog/post/make-your-workout-count-get-a-plan
posted by 4midori at 3:55 PM on August 23, 2013
Find a top-notch trainer who is familiar with squats, deadlifts, etc. (not someone with a two-month certification), and ask hard questions. If you're in a small town, it may be harder to find someone - consider looking nearby. Also note that just because someone appears really buff does not mean they have the knowledge to teach you how to exercise safely.
Also, this link is aimed at men but works just as well for women.
http://refinedself.com/blog/post/make-your-workout-count-get-a-plan
posted by 4midori at 3:55 PM on August 23, 2013
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posted by supercres at 5:26 PM on August 20, 2013