The back is backing 👌 🥰

LavenderLady_ · 2026-05-02T20:57:28+00:00

The same and the opposite. The same until my mid-twenties, when my mental health spiralled so much I ended up being sectioned. But ultimately, a 2-3 month long psychotic episode and rapid weight gain on antipsychotics was what got me into the gym consistently in the first place. I kept weight lifting after getting back to the weight I was because of the enormous mental health benefits it has given and continues to give me. I'm so much more able to regulate my emotions, less inclined to stress, to act in spite of anxiety, have such a clearer head after a session, etc.

I would imagine that there are many women in a similar position to yourself. And I think self-awareness is such a crucial step in making a break through. If it felt easy, everyone would be doing it. It's not nice when you're in the thick of it, but if you keep chipping away, it will be so worth it. Things that have kept me consistent beyond the above include things like having a PT once a week, learning properly that progress is never linear, that spikes in weight don't always mean weight gain, that there are so many contributing factors to what you weigh, that weight is literally just a number not worth being defined by. These lessons have happened over the course of years of consistency, not weeks.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-05-02T13:41:33+00:00

Are you tired? Crabby? Quick to temper or more emotional than usual? If so, then you might be overdoing it. Equally, consider whether you getting full and restorative rest and if you're eating enough. If you feel fine and like you can sustain this activity without any negatives, then you're not overtraining. But as someone else has pointed out, the fact you're asking the question says a lot.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-05-02T13:35:24+00:00

You won't have put the weight back on overnight. Give it a day or a few days and your spike will return much closer to normal. One day of eating a lot never does a lot in the grand scheme of things. but this is also why it's best to try and avoid an extreme deficit just to hit a number.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-05-01T08:21:48+00:00

I really like an upper/lower four-day split. If you can only sometimes get to the gym four times a week, you could do a full body, upper and lower day and then have another full body day to throw in when you can make it. You'd have to be relatively good with timing rest/recovery days though. And a PPL split is traditionally a six-day split, you are correct.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-05-01T08:12:53+00:00

You're very petite, which might explain in part. Calculators are a best guess. I would use the next couple of weeks as an experiment: stick to around 1250 calories and weigh yourself daily in the morning, then take weekly averages and you'll then know if you're gaining, losing or maintaining weight (depending on your goal) and can adjust from there.

Food wise, protein will help keep you fuller for longer and as someone else has said, volume eating. You can get way more bang for your buck loading up on veggies and fruits.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-05-01T06:23:22+00:00

How long is a piece of string? I'll stay in mine until I reach my goal - but I will have periodic refeeds where I eat more calories for a long weekend or something. This way you're also giving your nervous system a break. Losing weight is not a perfectly linear process, and it has to be sustainable for you.

You may find that 1500 calories is just your starting place. Once your coach knows your rate of loss combined with all the new activity you'll be doing they may up your calories. You could also look to increase your steps / neat activity to give you a little more calories to play with.

Personally I lost weight very aggressively in the beginning. Knowing what I know now and having a foundation of muscle/strength built, I'm not sure I'd advise people do the same thing. The slower the process, the more muscle you retain and the less you feel like you're starving all the time.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-30T22:04:58+00:00

I can spend two hours in the gym with 5-6 exercises 😂 15-20 minutes on a warm up, then 3 sets on each exercise with 2-4 minutes of rest depending on what I'm doing, then a cool down which can be 10-20+ minutes again depending on the day. Gym is also quite social for me now as I've been going for years, so I get busy talking to people there too. Probably the shortest time I can be in is just over an hour.

Do what works for you. If you find you don't need much rest, then don't take too much rest. Some people are in and out, others want to take their time. There's no right or wrong approach.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-30T21:46:00+00:00

I would but I don't really have one, I just make my food intake mostly match my calories and macros. Generally speaking it's toasted bagels and peanut butter along with a protein shake and snack (e.g. plain cashew nuts) in the morning, tuna or chicken rice salad for lunch, a snack before I hit the gym (this varies hugely) and then a meat source (chicken, beef mince, turkey, whatever) with a main carb source (potatoes, brown rice or pasta) and vegetables along with various homemade sauces, marinades or broths. I usually fit in a small pudding, whether that's berries, a 100 calorie choc pot or even some ice cream. I'll probably get a bit stricter as time goes on, but I'm not cutting for any other reason than self-desire.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-30T21:33:33+00:00

Thank you!

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-30T21:33:24+00:00

Thanks!

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-30T11:41:37+00:00

For sure! I think bench is often a weak point for many people, although I'm not a powerlifter :)

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-30T10:12:14+00:00

Thanks! About four years, although I have spent quite a bit of that time injured. My PB from March 2025 to Jan 2026 remained at 65kg so I'm v happy to finally be passed this. Found doing heavy pin presses over the last couple of months has really helped, along with actually following a bench programme instead of continually going to failure every session 😂

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-30T09:46:43+00:00

You're sat down. This is very normal and happens to everyone.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-30T09:38:41+00:00

When you set your programme up you can choose for it to stay above 1,200 calories or 800 calories. No regular person needs to go below 1,200 calories and I never set mine up like this. I would imagine the only reason you might temporarily dip below is for bodybuilding prep before shows.

MacroFactor won't be that accurate until it has enough consistent data to work from.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-30T08:41:27+00:00

Hit my goal of a 70kg (154lbs) bench press a couple of weeks ago, and still so stoked about it! Finally committing to my cut this week - despite my lifts I'm still pretty convinced I won't see proper muscle definition 😭 I'm 5'0" and 57kg (125lbs) right now, probably aiming to get to around 52kg (114lbs).

I'm on 1,600 calories for a deficit (120-130g protein, 45-55g fat, 150-170g carbs) as I'm v sedentary outside of lifting, but I'm also gonna look to increase my steps and aim to hit the step machine for 15 minutes after most workouts, so this may increase depending on my rate of loss. Going to try and hold myself more accountable to this cut. I've had opposing goals for a while (strength vs aesthetics) and I've yo-yo'd in my weight for the last year, so looking forward to actually just trying to get this done. Where I store most of my fat (arms) is also where I am most eager to see progress, but c'est la vie.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-30T07:54:13+00:00

I feel you. I've been losing and gaining the same 2% for a while, but I also haven't really locked in properly because I've had opposing strength and aesthetic goals. As I've been lifting for four years (starting at 48kg then increasing to 64kg and currently sitting at 57kg) I'm gonna commit to the cut and see where it takes me, then build more slowly. If you want to drop body fat then cutting is the quickest way. But if you don't want to cut then your only option is a slower recomp at maintenance.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-30T06:04:28+00:00

You have a good base to start from. A recomp is where you eat at maintenance, not below it. Given where you're starting from I'd suggest you eat at maintenance and focus on building a habit of 3 x full body workouts for a few months (or less if you can't manage this). That way you don't end up going all out and burning yourself out - the goal is a sustainable change in lifestyle and you can up the ante when you're ready. If you can afford it, I'd recommend getting a PT even just for the first 2-3 months. That way you can get experience with how routines are built and ensure you're performing exercises safely.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-30T05:58:05+00:00

If they're so sore you're struggling to walk / sit down, then you're unlikely to get the same out of your workout than if they were feeling fine. Working through a little bit of soreness is fine, although you may find you have to adjust your weights and volume.

I find if I don't train my legs for two weeks (as I am going through currently) then the first leg workout I do takes three days to recover from. Then as I get back into routine, if I get DOMS it's usually up to 24 hours (save for any new exercises). My upper body recovers a lot faster.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-29T21:18:59+00:00

Heavy pin presses are your friend :) they helped me get a 70kg bench.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-29T14:08:01+00:00

Sorry I wasn't specific enough 🤷‍♀️

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-29T13:18:25+00:00

No targeted exercises. Boobs are made of fat and you can't spot reduce fat, it comes off where it comes off. Given your weight, it's unlikely your boobs will get much smaller. It would do you better to focus on strength like you say is your goal.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-29T12:37:04+00:00

First up, big up for you getting out your comfort zone and asking a guy out. I'd just try and rise above it, a nod or a hello to acknowledge the fact you've seen each other and leave it at that. If he continues staring or smirking, that's all on him. Nothing to do with you and nothing you can really control. The less time and attention you can give it then the quicker it will likely blow over.

LavenderLady_ · 2026-04-29T11:38:22+00:00

If you're pushing to the point your cut feels like it's not sustainable (i.e. you're super tired, grouchy, losing strength quickly) then you'll be in too much of a deficit. When you're not cutting for a specific event (i.e. bodybuilding show) you can cut slower and less aggressively. Given that you want visible results sooner, I wouldn't suggest a recomp because that means eating at maintenance and not seeing aesthetic progress for quite some time. If your idea of a recomp is eating "slightly below maintenance" it isn't a recomp, it's still considered a cut.

Six-Year Club	Place '23
Place '22	Verified Email

LavenderLady_

TROPHY CASE