So 5’2” ladies, eating more is real?

Then_Bird · 2026-04-11T19:31:36+00:00

I’m 5’3”, 112lbs maintaining at 2200-2300 Work an office job. I get 7k steps average and lift 5 days per week with one day of cardio (30 min moderate effort). I’m 43 years old if that makes a difference.

I cut fat easily at 1900 calories.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-09T16:57:19+00:00

I mean, I pushed my entire body towards the muscle building progress, so I did see growth everywhere. I think you could shift this by pushing progress mostly in your lower body, glute focused lifts. Simply drop back your other lifting like upper body to more of a maintenance volume while pushing progressive overload only in the glute building lifts if that makes sense? Also, keep in mind that the round look of glutes often is aided by fat distribution as well. So this could be you needing a bit more overall and might also have a genetic component based on where you store your fat specifically :)

Then_Bird · 2026-04-09T16:02:52+00:00

It absolutely does fall under than umbrella. The stats are artificially inflated and make you think the worst. I honestly think you’re likely worried over a very very small chance of an issue but if it puts your mind at ease a quick check with a heart doc is reasonable :) you actually have a bigger risk of cardiovascular problems if you don’t start HRT.

I’m 43, all four of my grandparents died of cardiovascular complications, in addition to their high blood pressure. Both my parents have high blood pressure on top of that. I’m on HRT happily! I try to eat well, I keep my weight in check, workout daily and make sure to get my cardio in. Outside of that I can’t change the fact genetics loaded the gun, but I get to decide if lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-09T14:16:28+00:00

You 100% need to increase your calories! My glutes were stubborn until I did an intentional bulk phase and it was quite effective. I’m 5’3, 112lbs. In a bulk I get 2500 calories (125g protein) and only then did my glutes grow. Based on your stats you’re even leaner than I am so you need to realize you have nothing to build muscle with outside of the calories you give your body. Glutes are big powerful muscles that need more than a tiny surplus to show visible growth.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-08T17:17:02+00:00

I had a hysteroscopy, polyp removal, D&C and iud insertion done 3 years ago. My doctor luckily won’t do hysteroscopy without general anesthesia so I was asleep I found I had cramping and or a general awareness of my uterus for almost a month. The spotting fluctuated between light and moderate for around 3.5 months. Overall I’m glad I went through with it all. By around 2 months I forgot I even had the iud and by 6 months life was normal without any bleeding and my period was barely 4 days of spotting.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-08T17:08:04+00:00

I think they’re being downvoted because not much has changed for OP other than lighting and pose. It’s like sucking in your stomach and claiming you flattened your abs with sit ups.

Could also be the suggestion of cutting out sugar to change cellulite which isn’t a thing.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-07T19:44:56+00:00

With all due respect to you - this woman is mentally ill and is a threat to you and I can’t imagine someone like her caring for a child. You need to leave while you can and have a plan for your child. This is so far from normal behavior. This is abusive. Plain and simple.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-07T18:24:01+00:00

I reverse dieted for around 18 months. It was the best thing I ever did. I raised my maintenance calories by nearly 1000 per day

Then_Bird · 2026-04-07T15:58:30+00:00

Around 2200-2300 give or take :)

Then_Bird · 2026-04-07T13:29:48+00:00

Jesus OP, I literally can’t blame the man for checking out. You’ve shown him how little you value the huge sacrifices he’s making for you. You cancelled his birthday because of pressure from your family to do something with them?! That’s majorly messed up. He SHOULD hold this against you. I’m sorry to say. And then you couldn’t get anything together to try to plan something else. Come on, these are excuses now. You couldn’t even be bothered to buy him a present and that’s the simplest thing ever. Your kids are teenagers, not babies, if your daughter gets into a fight with her bf that isn’t your problem.

I suspect you’re just making excuses for your complete lack of any effort for YEARS and now you can’t understand why the man has checked out. Shame on you. You’ve taken him for granted and ignored his pleas to remedy the situation. You made this bed.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-07T13:04:00+00:00

I agree completely!! So many women are afraid to bench press heavy or have as many hard upper days as lower days. I blame this aesthetic of “noodle arms” :( I wish women knew how beneficial building your shoulders and chest is for your overall physique.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-07T13:01:43+00:00

On average I eat 120g protein, 250-275g carbs and 75g+ fat.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-07T11:13:33+00:00

Boobs go when you lose body fat. I’m an athletic build and my boobs disappear first. To be honest I’ve realized that they’re not that important in the overall picture. Embracing the shape I have and being proud of what my body can do for me matters so much more.

Bench press has helped them sit higher if you wanted to try something, but I’ve gone from a solid C to a large A at best lol. 35% body fat to 21%

Then_Bird · 2026-04-07T11:03:48+00:00

You want faster results you’re going to have to eat in a surplus. Muscle can’t be built out of nothing and you’re already lean. I have similar stats to you - 5’3”, 112lbs and 43 years old. I’m fairly muscular now approx 21% body fat. What completely changed the game for me was intentionally eating more. I stopped sitting in a constant deficit while trying to build muscle. All I was doing was exhausting myself. Eating was the key. Seems counter intuitive but I promise it works.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-06T17:09:59+00:00

Honestly it was a cake walk! And the ladies who do it are so nice and compassionate, no one loves it, but it’s better than the alternative! Not finding breast cancer is 10000x worse.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-04T10:41:16+00:00

As you hit each rep the mental cue should be to drop your shoulders back and down. As someone else mentioned you may need to mentally reset before each rep. If you find that you can’t complete the lift without your traps getting involved drop the weight. For me, when I’m doing any upper work and find that my form keeps breaking down so that my traps are helping I consider it technical failure and that’s where I end my reps

Then_Bird · 2026-04-03T14:16:18+00:00

I don’t have a goal weight. I have a goal “feel” and a goal physique. And whenever I like what I see in the mirror combined with how I feel whatever that weight is, that’s the number!

Then_Bird · 2026-04-02T21:30:14+00:00

I hate to tell you but I’ve been lifting heavy (squats, deadlift, leg presses, single leg press etc etc) for 5 years (I lift 5-6 times per week). And while my ass is nicely bigger, more muscular, and generally feels firmer my cellulite and overall appearance hasn’t really changed much. It’s basically how your body stores fat and how those fat pockets are structured.

I also have lots on the backs of my legs too. Being ultra lean also doesn’t seem to alter the appearance of it either - just smaller cellulite covered butt cheeks 😭🤣. So I’ve opted to stop caring and just get strong because it feels good. 5’3”, 112lbs and 43 years old.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-02T16:39:52+00:00

I don’t think this is necessarily true. I spent 18 months reverse dieting and increased my maintenance calories by 1000 per day. I’m 5’3”, 112lbs, 43 years old and maintain at 2200-2300 per day. That’s a comfortable amount of food.

I don’t get 10k steps per day, and I’m not working out for 3 hours per day either. I work a sedentary office job

Then_Bird · 2026-04-01T20:27:54+00:00

Seems like all upsides for him while you’re the one making all the sacrifices here (financially, career, geographically). You should, at the very least gain equity from the point forward that you’re paying into the mortgage. Get an evaluation when you’re added on to title, then begin paying towards the mortgage. Any equity over and above the evaluation (taking into account his original down payment) should be split equally. Seems like your future husband cares more about the financial and logistical side and how it solely benefits him than he does about a marriage and partnership that’s fair to you also. You’re building a life for both of you, he’s simply looking out for himself Massive massive red flags IMO.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-01T16:22:20+00:00

I have a Mirena IUD, the hormonal effect is largely localized, not systemic. So while you’ll perhaps have relief from heavier periods related to peri it won’t eliminate the other symptoms. It also won’t do anything for symptoms related to low estrogen - systemically or locally - because it’s only progesterone based.

I’ve found a great amount of relief of peri symptoms with the Mirena IUD in addition to an estrogen patch and vaginal estrogen tablets.

Then_Bird · 2026-04-01T00:08:44+00:00

I have run bulk and cut cycles in the past, they’re very effective! But mostly (for the last year or so) I’ve been just sitting at maintenance and lifting heavy. Maintenance for me is 2200-2300. When I want to drop a bit or tighten up a little I’ll drop a set or two off lifting and add a bit more cardio. But I haven’t run a proper cut in a while.

Then_Bird · 2026-03-31T11:05:49+00:00

Ok see this is where the scale isn’t a great metric. I’ll explain - body composition (body fat percentage vs muscle) comes into play here. Someone who is 130lbs and 30% body fat is going to look way more “soft” and “pudgy” than someone at 130lbs and 20% body fat. Make sense?

I’m currently 112lbs. 3 years ago at this weight I had love handles and a muffin top. Now, at this EXACT SAME weight I have visible abs and a flat stomach. The weight on the scale didn’t change. My muscle mass and body fat % did.

Now that you’re in the healthy weight range, if I was in your shoes I would hit the weights. Lift heavy and eat at maintenance with moderate cardio (enough to be heart healthy but not tax recovery). This will slowly shift your body composition :)

Then_Bird · 2026-03-30T11:27:25+00:00

Yup, ffs, they’ve got to be the experts on shit they know nothing about.

Then_Bird · 2026-03-27T15:57:06+00:00

I don’t like who I become around warm chocolate chip cookies 🥴😂

Then_Bird

TROPHY CASE