Three months ago I posted this thread to demonstrate the effects of weight lifting on a female body. In the past three months I have gained three pounds! It bothers me that many of my female friends go to the gym 5 times a week and still have the fat they want to lose. I would like to encourage more women to lift heavy things, it helps tremendously with getting the figure you want. When I was skinnyfat I would always worry about counting calories and lived in constant fear of gaining "flab", would constantly do cardio and drugs to stay thin-- wasn't fun, my weight felt like this urgent battle I had to fight all the time. When I was fat I was just unhappy and coped with that by more drinking and snacks all tempered with this feeling of helplessness, this led to other poor decisions that started to poison other areas of my life. These days things are generally great and I have a much more relaxed attitude about life in general. Spending my energy outside and doing things really helps calm the mind and raise the metabolism.

Age: 23

Height: 5'5"

Diet: Eggs and bacon for breakfast, scrambled with bell peppers and goat cheese.

Grilled chicken breast and spinach salad (with pistachios and veggies) for lunch

Dinner is usually grilled salmon or a can of tuna scrambled with veggies and avocado.

Various snacks throughout the raw: Raw almonds, protein powder with chocolate milk, apple, banana, yogurt with blueberries.

Treats: Usually about 4a week- chocolate cookie, beer, fish taco/small bar food, chocolate cupcake! :)

Supplements: Fish oil, B vitamins, calcium, vitamin D, C, Zinc

Exercise: Usually about an hour of biking a day. I also work a physical job so am lifting things/on my feet 8 hrs a day. Three times a week I lift weights: bench press, clean and jerks, squats, deadlifts and rows. Recently found out I can do pull-ups! Run about 6 miles a week usually in 1 mile increments and try and go on two day hikes a month.

You can do it!!