Muscles Not Firm

[TG007]

(I thought I posted here but in fact it was in STS forum)

I've been working out with your videos for almost 10 years. I work hard, lift heavy, eat well. However, my muscles are not hard and not defined.

A friend who never works out has very firm arms.

I'll be 50 next year.

What are my problems? What have I done wrong?



Thank you,
TG

 

[Jane Royse]

I don't have the answer for you, but I saw a similar post awhile back that mentioned she was diagnosed as estrogen dominant, & that once she got her hormones in balance, she was able to build muscle. You might want to do a search of the threads regarding estrogen dominance.

 

[nkhansen1]

I hear ya! I've been athletic all my life, and a Cathlete since 2005. I eat incredibly well, I put all the hard work in, and I still look like mushy crap. I'm 35, but even in my 20s I never looked like what I should have with all my training. It's extremely frustrating. I cry about it often. My husband has been saying for years that I should see a doctor because with all the work I put in, I should look like a bombshell. There must be something wrong. However, all my bloodwork is normal from my yearly physicals. It's so tough to stay motivated when you don't see changes. My husband reminds me of all the good I do for my body with all this training even though I don't outwardly see any results. I've done STS three times, Insanity twice and P90X in addition to years of Cathe rotations and running. Nada!

 

[Stebby]

I think that people who are not natural mesomorphs are going to have a harder time building muscle. TG007 and nkhansen1, I bet you both look much better and more fit than you think you do, and worlds better than you would look if you didn't work out!

I don't look as fit as I would like, even though I work out like a fiend too. But then I compare myself to my family members who don't work out, who are similar to me genetically, and they are 50+ pounds overweight. I try to remember that and remind myself that I am doing my best with the hand I've been dealt. I am way ahead of where I would be if I didn't exercise. It took me a long time to get to the point where I can believe and appreciate that. (I will be 51 in a few days and have been working out since my teens - I would say the first 30 years of that I was focused on my appearance rather than the other benefits of healthy habits.)

Also, it counts for a lot to be healthy inside, regardless of what you look like outside! Your body can do things that most people would not be physically capable of.

Stebby

 

[nkhansen1]

So true, Stebby! No matter what my outside looks like, I'm in good shape with a strong heart and I can keep up with everything I have to and want to do.
If I have any motivation at all, it's that I cringe to think of what I would look like if I stopped training if THIS body is apparently the best I can achieve! Yikes!

 

[Cosmo Mom]

Wow - what a timely post! I'm turning 50 in a few weeks and workout hard..I eat pretty healthy, but I'm beating myself up about anything I should not be putting in my mouth, etc.

I, too, have been working out for years and try to figure out what works. I just did STS and while I usually don't actually lose too much weight on that series, I always feel stronger. This should build definition! My arms aren't too bad and my legs are always kind of skinny (as well as my butt). My problem is my mid-section is where I gain and I sit at a desk all day
Some times I workout after work (second time) to un-do the sitting damage. Help!!

I figure I really really need to eat clean to see results. At least I feel fit, just want to look more fit for all this work I put into it. Sweat Equity!!

 

[Brenda Orth]

I have never, ever posted on this forum before, even though I have been working out with Cathe for 15 years and have gone to this cite every day reading posts and using the work out manager.

I turned 50 last year and I have thought many of the same things you all are saying. I have worked out with Cathe almost every day, am on my second round of STS, but I am always disappointed in myself with the way I look. I am still approximately 17 pounds over weight and have not been able to budge from this weight. I eat fairly clean and am faithful at working out. I often think "what if I quit" and know that is not the answer. I am fighting genetics and some times it is a losing battle. I can't imagine what would happen if I did. I am diabetic and know for sure that Cathe helps me keep my blood sugar in (reasonably) good control. I am thankful for Cathe and her encouragement to "work, work" and be the best we can be.

 

[Cosmo Mom]

It sure is nice to hear others have the same problem. Definitely not the answer by not working out because when I don't, I don't feel good and I start putting on weight. I have about 5 lbs. to lose, but it never budges. I just keep losing/gaining the same two lbs. I probably workout 25 of the 30 days in a month! Of course, I hear my little elf on the shoulder saying "well, if you didn't drink that wine this weekend"...but sorry I can't give everything up

Last summer I did really good, about two lbs. away from my goal weight (which to me is HUGE!). Funny thing is when I look at my yearly Cathe calendars to see, okay what worked and what didn't - I didnt do anything extraordinary for workouts. It wasn't cuz I did alot of cardio, or alot of weights. So, when someone figures this out...without foregoing the wine...let me know!

 

[Stacy]

Not sure if this is "the answer" but thought I'd share. My sibling and I have the same build, sortof a meso-endo and couldve written the same post. I do have muscle but with too much fat. I eat fairly clean as well, workout hard. But, my sib joined a CrossFit gym, revamped the diet and looks SO incredibly lean and defined in just 6 months time! So when reassessing things, I realized the "fairly" clean diet wasnt working and I wasnt pushing myself as hard as I thought with my workouts. Doing workout dvds was part of the trouble I'm afraid but not b/c they're bad. I just realized that I needed to up the ante. Instead of always rotating thru workouts I had to pick out just a few and make sure that each time I did that workout I had to change something whether it was going up in weights, or pushing myself longer during a cardio drill. I did away somewhat with the I have to do so many strength workouts a week, so many cardio to, I need to make each workout feel hard and winded. Cutting out alot of starches, and fruits were helpful too. I did just that and dropped 4 lbs fairly quickly which was good seeing as I only have about 15 to lose. I have slacked off b/c I had a work project to do, but I'm getting back into things and starting to see progress again. I'm not joining a Crossfit gym but I have found some Crossfit workouts I can do at home and I've started tacking on some of the beginner ones onto my regular workouts. Just some things to consider. I wanted to blame hormones and genetics (and I'm not saying that that isnt the case for some) but for me it really came down to realizing I needed to push myself harder out of my workout dvd comfort zone.

 

[nkhansen1]

Not sure if this is "the answer" but thought I'd share. My sibling and I have the same build, sortof a meso-endo and couldve written the same post. I do have muscle but with too much fat. I eat fairly clean as well, workout hard. But, my sib joined a CrossFit gym, revamped the diet and looks SO incredibly lean and defined in just 6 months time! So when reassessing things, I realized the "fairly" clean diet wasnt working and I wasnt pushing myself as hard as I thought with my workouts. Doing workout dvds was part of the trouble I'm afraid but not b/c they're bad. I just realized that I needed to up the ante. Instead of always rotating thru workouts I had to pick out just a few and make sure that each time I did that workout I had to change something whether it was going up in weights, or pushing myself longer during a cardio drill. I did away somewhat with the I have to do so many strength workouts a week, so many cardio to, I need to make each workout feel hard and winded. Cutting out alot of starches, and fruits were helpful too. I did just that and dropped 4 lbs fairly quickly which was good seeing as I only have about 15 to lose. I have slacked off b/c I had a work project to do, but I'm getting back into things and starting to see progress again. I'm not joining a Crossfit gym but I have found some Crossfit workouts I can do at home and I've started tacking on some of the beginner ones onto my regular workouts. Just some things to consider. I wanted to blame hormones and genetics (and I'm not saying that that isnt the case for some) but for me it really came down to realizing I needed to push myself harder out of my workout dvd comfort zone.

Nope, these aren't my problems! I wish they were! My diet is really quite impeccable, and I push myself to nausea with every workout. I thought maybe a change would help me which is why I joined a gym and hired the trainer, thinking that SOMEHOW in some way I was not pushing myself hard enough with Cathe at home. I knew I was eating right, and the RD that came with the trainer analyzed my diet and agreed that diet was not my issue (I eat about 1400 calories a day, and keep track of portions). I worked with that trainer for a year, and I didn't lose a pound nor an inch. My workouts were not nearly as hard as what I was used to with Cathe, but they were more varied with cross fit and kickboxing thrown into the mix of normal cardio drills and weight training. My trainer was very frustrated with my weekly weigh-ins and measurements because nothing ever changed. Um, welcome to my life! Hello! He said I was lying in my food journal, or at least not writing down full portions or the whole truth. I, of course, was entirely truthful. It was very validating to me that nothing I was doing was wrong...I just can't get the body I want. And I don't want a body type that isn't possible! I'm not looking to be a model or aspiring to a body type that I don't own. I just want better than THIS, and I should have it with all that I put in. It sucks that I don't. That said, I am grateful for a healthy body, and I can't complain about that!

 

[7badkitties]

First post for me - but wanted to put my 2 cents in. A friend is dealing with the same thing. She was eating 1200-1300 for a while & working out really hard. Finding now she thinks she damaged her metabolism by going so low on calories - not even enough to cover her BMR let alone all the hard work. She's eating more now, 1700, which is probably still too low to build firm muscles, but it will take a while to repair the damage from the months and months at 1200-1300. If you are eating below your BMR your body will get the fuel it needs from your muscles before fat. So long story short - I'd say eat more to build firm muscles. ?

 

[cokonkel]

Nope, these aren't my problems! I wish they were! My diet is really quite impeccable, and I push myself to nausea with every workout. I thought maybe a change would help me which is why I joined a gym and hired the trainer, thinking that SOMEHOW in some way I was not pushing myself hard enough with Cathe at home. I knew I was eating right, and the RD that came with the trainer analyzed my diet and agreed that diet was not my issue (I eat about 1400 calories a day, and keep track of portions). I worked with that trainer for a year, and I didn't lose a pound nor an inch. My workouts were not nearly as hard as what I was used to with Cathe, but they were more varied with cross fit and kickboxing thrown into the mix of normal cardio drills and weight training. My trainer was very frustrated with my weekly weigh-ins and measurements because nothing ever changed. Um, welcome to my life! Hello! He said I was lying in my food journal, or at least not writing down full portions or the whole truth. I, of course, was entirely truthful. It was very validating to me that nothing I was doing was wrong...I just can't get the body I want. And I don't want a body type that isn't possible! I'm not looking to be a model or aspiring to a body type that I don't own. I just want better than THIS, and I should have it with all that I put in. It sucks that I don't. That said, I am grateful for a healthy body, and I can't complain about that!

Aw, Natalie...I bet you're a lot more smokin' than ya think! Alot of fit gals don't give themselves nearly enough credit, myself included! I know for me and muscle definition it's just has to be my body type and hormone levels. I'm pretty sure I have nearly ZERO testosterone running around in this body of mine! I know all women have a little tiny bit of testosterone but some body types have more than others, like say mesomorph types. I have to work very hard for the teeny weeny muscles I have whereas my sister could bench press a pencil and look lean! Ah genetics. We have to do the best with the hand we're dealt. People on VF we're talking about this and one quote came up which I love:
"Genetics loads the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger!".

 

[fit44]

First post for me - but wanted to put my 2 cents in. A friend is dealing with the same thing. She was eating 1200-1300 for a while & working out really hard. Finding now she thinks she damaged her metabolism by going so low on calories - not even enough to cover her BMR let alone all the hard work. She's eating more now, 1700, which is probably still too low to build firm muscles, but it will take a while to repair the damage from the months and months at 1200-1300. If you are eating below your BMR your body will get the fuel it needs from your muscles before fat. So long story short - I'd say eat more to build firm muscles. ?

This is exactly what Jamie Easton says @9:40 in this video. She comments how most women eat too little, and are on a perpetual diet.

Bodybuilding.com - Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer - Phase 1: Building Muscle - Bodybuilding.com

 

[Cosmo Mom]

Good thread - I see Cross Fit mentioned everywhere I turn. There is actually a place near me, but I don't think it's for me. With that being said, I do agree that you have to get the most out of your workouts, and give it 110% to get results. For me, usually more cardio will work.

I did good over the weekend, controlling food and "beverage" good, and got in two nice bikerides. I did GS CST today with CTX cardio only planned for tonight. Eating a great salad for lunch

FYI I usually eat 1600 calories/day. I just seem to consume that many because otherwise I'm hungry, sometimes I eat 1400. I'm 5'2 and around 128 lbs usually. I would LOVE to see 122 cuz I think that would really make me be at my goal weight. Last year I was at about 124 and I thought the scale was "fixed"

So, I'm going to try to do my own Cross Fit thing anyway I can at home. Going to look up some stuff on the internet to see what I can add to my present torture!! Good luck everyone

 

[mini-natty]

Hello there,

Not Cathe (obviously) or an expert here, but have you tried consuming protein at every meal & snack? A no brainier, but often overlooked. Just one more thing (out of several) to consider here.

My body type is a cross between a meso/endomorph. I'm naturally curvy (think J-lo or Beyonce. Yup, with a big booty too ). My body can build muscles (with HARD work) but it prefers a soft cushion . Since starting STS 2 months ago, my body is building muscles I never even knew existed, and I'm finally starting to see muscle definition in my arms, which were always very difficult for me to achieve. What I have done differently with STS is two things 1) protein at EVERY meal and snack. And I'm not just talking about protein shakes. I find the protein from clean, whole foods to be a lot more satisfying than beverages 2) reduced my carb intake slightly, replacing bread, rice, noodles ect. with quinoa and steel cut oats ( I love my grains! I can't give them up entirely!). Those 2 small tweaks seemed to have given me a slight edge in achieving a more toned physique. Just some things to consider as everyone is unique and responds differently.

Good luck & take care,

Natasha

 

[7badkitties]

Thanks for the link!

This is exactly what Jamie Easton says @9:40 in this video. She comments how most women eat too little, and are on a perpetual diet.

Bodybuilding.com - Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer - Phase 1: Building Muscle - Bodybuilding.com

I agree with everything Jamie Eason said and I've sent the link onto my friend, but I'm glad Jamie is the one saying no cardio for the first 4 weeks or I think I'd lose a friend! At least that's what I thought she said, I need to re-watch it, that will be a totally foreign concept. I learn so much lurking on these forums. I found out about Cardio Coach after his passing and have all 8 of his cardio downloads now and love them! So sad there will be no more created. I hadn't heard of Jamie Eason until you posted this link but I'm definitely going to look into what she's all about. Kind of sounds like the original Body For Life program (which I enjoyed). And I did post before but my user name was Seattle (which I created way back when user names were kind of a new "fad" lol), so I finally created my 7badkitties, which I use everywhere else so I could remember it and my password and be able to log in from my phone, otherwise everytime I tried to log on I'd have to have my user name and new password sent to me. So that post was my first one from my phone. Trying to get the hang of things so forgive me if I mess up on the forum manners.

 

[wonderwoman]

Good thread - I see Cross Fit mentioned everywhere I turn. There is actually a place near me, but I don't think it's for me. With that being said, I do agree that you have to get the most out of your workouts, and give it 110% to get results. For me, usually more cardio will work.

I did good over the weekend, controlling food and "beverage" good, and got in two nice bikerides. I did GS CST today with CTX cardio only planned for tonight. Eating a great salad for lunch

FYI I usually eat 1600 calories/day. I just seem to consume that many because otherwise I'm hungry, sometimes I eat 1400. I'm 5'2 and around 128 lbs usually. I would LOVE to see 122 cuz I think that would really make me be at my goal weight. Last year I was at about 124 and I thought the scale was "fixed"

So, I'm going to try to do my own Cross Fit thing anyway I can at home. Going to look up some stuff on the internet to see what I can add to my present torture!! Good luck everyone

Cosmo mom,
Wow you just described me! I am also 5'2 and always weighed between 125-128lbs. I was always tried to get down 120lbs. I ate between 1500-1600 calories but could never get down to my goal weight. I worked out with cathe 6 days a week. My clothes would fit very snug god forbid I decided to cheat that day the clothes would be tight.
I now weigh between 120-122 pounds. I did it. I decided to join WW on line and cut my works to 5/6 a week 30min. It's only 30 minutes but I really WORK those 30 minutes.
I know that some people feel that WW is too low in calories but it really works for me.
It may not work for everybody but I have a small frame and even if I eat all clean 1600 calories I can't get down to my goal weight. I eat all my points with clean food just smaller portions. Jaime Eason is a beautiful woman and no doubt she has an awesome body. I would love to look like her. She also has no children and probably doesnt have a 9 to 5 like the rest of us do and working out is her life that's her bread and butter. So she has to look that way.

 

[fit44]

Jaime Eason is a beautiful woman and no doubt she has an awesome body. I would love to look like her. She also has no children and probably doesnt have a 9 to 5 like the rest of us do and working out is her life that's her bread and butter. So she has to look that way.

Maybe.
Mark Sisson 58 and his wife 56 years old, stay lean and fit through a healthy diet a moderate exercise.

Dear Carrie: Reader Question Roundup | Mark's Daily Apple

 

[wonderwoman]

Wow thanks for the link fit44! They both look great! I hope I look just as good in 20 years. If we all cathelte's keep chugging away at what we do we all can too

 

[fit44]

Wow thanks for the link fit44! They both look great! I hope I look just as good in 20 years. If we all cathelte's keep chugging away at what we do we all can too

It's encouraging, isn't it?!! I was reading the Mark's book reviews and someone mentioned that Mark was married to a woman half his age. He responded to the review telling them his wife's age, and how pleased she would be with that comment.