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Old 12-28-08, 12:18 AM  
eastblvd
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
How can Chalean Extreme NOT bulk me/make me bigger?

It's completely possible that I really don't understand much about physiology, but I have a very simple question about muscle building.

I understand that my body will require more calories to build/sustain muscle than to create/sustain fat.

However, let's assume I'm a few pounds overweight and currently take in a caloric surplus. If I continue to take in a caloric surplus in excess of that required by my body (regardless of whatever muscle/fat ratio makes up my body, however it may change), and I build muscle (through Chalean Extreme or some other program), then it is my impression that I will build muscle while still retaining a current layer of fat -- thus "bulking" (in one sense of the word) or, simply put, making myself bigger.

Is this premise correct?

My largest fear with respect to any strength program is that I will not control my calories as necessary to prevent the form of bulking that I described above. High-rep/low-weight work, barre workouts and cardio naturally do not present such a concern, though I do realize that none will have a positive impact if the calories are not controlled.

My simple question is whether a heavy weight routine CAN, in fact, may me become bigger.

Thanks!
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Old 12-28-08, 12:33 AM  
juberann
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Oregon
eastblvd~ I really don't have an educated,definitive answer for you(sorry!) but I wonder the same thing. I know most women don't have enough testoserone to build huge muscles but I know from personal experience that if I were to do a program like Chalene's (from what I know about it) I would definitely get bulkier, noticably so because it's happened before to me,more then once, during my weight training phases. I gained over an inch in each thigh doing Jari Love's workouts in 2006, to my horror, I might add My arms were stronger,yes, but much bulkier. So,when I hear people say it's just NOT going to happen if you're a woman,that goes in one ear and out the other for me because I know that is NOT necessarily true for all of us. I like weight training,I always have,however,it just doesn't give me the results I want. I have no desire to be bigger even if it does mean I'm stronger overall.
I know I havn't been much help but just know you're not alone in wondering about this Judy
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Old 12-28-08, 12:46 AM  
Alan
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
When you have little weight to lose, it's more difficult to build muscle and lose fat simultaneously. That's why programs like CLX include a leaning phase at the end. The first two phases build the muscles, and then you shed the fat at the end while trying to maintain as much of the muscle that you have built up. So I guess if you don't monitor your calorie intake during the first two phases you might get bigger, but you should be able to shrink back down during the third phase.
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Old 12-28-08, 12:48 AM  
CristinaS
 
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I might be totally wrong and please someone correct me if that's the case but the way I understand it is that you can't build muscle and lose fat at the same time but you can achieve both if you do it in phases:

First you build the muscle by lifting heavy (and you definitely need to eat more in this phase). Resting is critical here too, so the muscles have enough time to repair which is how they get bigger.

Then you focus on losing fat by lifting lighter but longer (and here is when you reduce your calorie intake and increase your cardio).

I've heard that the problem with many women is that they start lifting heavy and when they start to bulk up, they decide that heavy lifting is not for them. They miss that there should be a second phase to reduce the layer of fat above the muscle.

Everything I said is what I have heard/read but I don't know from personal experience yet. I am trying to learn as much as possible myself because I want to start lifting heavy and see if this theory works.

Quote:
Originally Posted by eastblvd
High-rep/low-weight work, barre workouts and cardio naturally do not present such a concern, though I do realize that none will have a positive impact if the calories are not controlled.
Well, on the other hand, if you had bigger muscles, controlling your calories would be somehow less demanding because (in theory) your metabolism would be faster. Cardio burns calories during the workout but big muscles burn calories even when you sleep.

Someone come help me... I'm new to this too so I'm kind of thinking out loud. (Sorry if I didn't make any sense).
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Old 12-28-08, 12:49 AM  
DEEDEE
 
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: California
I honestly believe that bulking from weight training has a lot to do with not only the mode of training, but genetics. As someone who easily builds muscle, I know I won't bulk from CLX because she doesn't do enough sets of each exercise to make me bulk. I really think it comes down to knowing your own body.

Also to me bulking isn't necessarily getting bigger, to me bulking is getting more muscle size than the individual wants. To some the larger size muscle may make some women feel less feminine. To me I say bring on the muscle, it's better than an bunch of extra fat. :-)
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Old 12-28-08, 01:03 AM  
ruby2111
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
I'm worried about this too. In the test group she said no one got bigger, but they all followed 1200-1400 calories diets. There are also weighted crunches and ab work, and that's not a good place to build muscle under fat.
I did Slim Series often and was watching my diet and didn't see any big changes with it, so maybe heavy weights is what my body needs and I'm going to give it a try.

If you put on enough muscle your metabolism is supposed to go up so you can eat more though. Noone in Chalene's workouts look bulky to me - even though she is lifting almost as much as Cathe, Chalene is not as buff as Cathe - does diet just play the part in that?
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Old 12-28-08, 01:16 AM  
CristinaS
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ruby2111
even though she is lifting almost as much as Cathe, Chalene is not as buff as Cathe - does diet just play the part in that?
Genetics, shape of muscles, height, bone structure... That's my guess...
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Old 12-28-08, 06:42 AM  
Kyra
 
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: South Jersey
IMO - Um, wouldn't worry about it. I'm not even remotely familiar with this Chalene thing but I've done some VERY heavy lifting routines, being trained by a pro body builder/figure gal, and I got smaller, not bigger. I was working in a gym doing bodyweight+ deads and squats, etc., which I'm pretty sure this chick won't have you doing, & following a pretty normal diet. I'm a mesomorph and theoretically build muscle easily although I don't find that to be so.

Putting on weight is not necessarily the same thing as putting on size; I'd worry more about what the mirror says than what the scale says. (Seriously, if you look good, who cares what you weigh?) Rock your program, girl!
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Old 12-28-08, 08:16 AM  
fit44
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Quote:
Originally Posted by ruby2111
even though she is lifting almost as much as Cathe, Chalene is not as buff as Cathe - does diet just play the part in that?

Chalene is not as lean as Cathe either. The less body fat you have the more ripped your muscles look. I would guess Chalene has around 20-21% body fat (comparable to a VS model) and Cathe has around 14-15% (figure athlete).

Take a look at how lean Jari Love is, she is not bulky. Cathe isn't either really. The are both very small and buff. I would bet both Cathe and Jari wear a size 0-2!
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Old 12-28-08, 08:17 AM  
JP44
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Quote:
Originally Posted by ruby2111
... even though she is lifting almost as much as Cathe, Chalene is not as buff as Cathe - does diet just play the part in that?

Ummm, I don't think what Cathe lifts in her workouts is what she lifts in real life. She has to last throughout the entire filming day and I'm sure there are multiple takes of each segment. Chris of SNM posted that one day filming meso 1, Cathe and crew had to do literally 1000 push ups over the course of the day. I don't think even Cathe would create a single workout with that many push ups in it! You can even see that her weights 'magically' change during the STS clips because she had to lighten up as the day went on.

ITA that diet plays a role too. Cathe has veins popping and 6 pack abs. Chalene has neither, but still looks very good IMO.

JP44 (Joan)
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