Thanks for the site. I came upon it when looking for inspiration as a small, stumpy female grappler, and boy, oh boy, inspiration did I find! I have been involved in 2-3 sports my whole life, but still 30-40lbs (!!!) overweight.

Why? Oh, I dunno. Maybe the feeling of deserving my chicken tenders and french fries after a hard run, or the giant bowl of pasta the night before. Or maybe it’s the emotional connection to food after a bad breakup my senior year of college. Or maybe the fact that I was repeatedly told to starve myself and run 15 miles a day if I wanted to feel thin — never mind those weights. Just move along.

So, Krista, thanks to you, I’m telling all of those douches to fuck off — by getting super fit a la your advice, and squatting myself into emotional independence. Oh, also, I started about a month ago, and have lost 4 lbs. But that’s not the best part — I’ve doubled the amount of weight I can squat, and I’ve had some major breakthroughs in jiu jitsu. Plus, I have enough energy left over to take up another sport.

Circus acrobatics, here I come!

As my arms, back and core become stronger, I’m now adding to my circus arts repertoire: flying trapeze. Now I can work on my muscles from 30ft in the air! It sounds terrifying because it is terrifying.

All the best,

Michelle

P.S. I’ve attached a picture of my first launch – notice the terrified grimace on my blurry (moving!) face. I’ll send more impressive ones in the future – like videos of my first knee-hang and backflip off the bar.

I’m on my way to NYC Black Box where Allison Bojarski will train me for a day. Allison is kind enough to regularly link to my blog from her site, and suggested I get in touch with you. Allison thought you may like to know there’s another writer out here who’s as into lifting as I am (fairly obsessed, to be truthful).

This Friday marks one year from my first workout — it was at Derby City CrossFit with coach Ben Carter (who now trains me in a garage).

Long story short: I went from a completely out-of-shape desk-bound food writer to having competed in the USAPL Raw Nationals last month and breaking the APA squat record for 105s in June with a 180 squat.

Your blog mentions liking before and after pictures – here’s a fairly dramatic one.

I’ve also written some pieces on heavy lifting for women over the past year — one for blisstree (“I Heart Powerlifting“), one coming out in Experience Life magazine next spring, and a couple locally.

As part of my planned celebration of my “birthday” this weekend, I thought it would be fabulous if you were to mention me/link to me as you see fit. My training blog is It’s Always Going to Be Heavy.

Thanks for reading this missive, and for all the help you’ve been to me over the past year. There are woefully few great writers in fitness, fewer still women and lifters so I’m glad I found you early on.

Best,

Dana

Love your site. I have included a couple of pictures for you, as I know you love them.

I live and work in Toronto. I was unfit my entire life and avoided the gym for years, convinced that it was going to be just like High School gym.

In my late 20s, I went through a rough patch and got seriously depressed. My weight ballooned to the point that when I turned 30 things were at their worst and I weighed 315lbs. This was when the picture of me in the orange tank top was taken. I am 6′ tall, but still.

I was working in Halifax a few years ago when I finally decided that I had to stop “waiting”, and get to it.  I credit my friend Jess and Sarah with helping me to get started and showing me the gym was NOT like High School phys-ed. They showed me how to work the machines and ignore the frat boys.

When I got back to T.O. I kept the momentum going and got a membership at a nice gym, and started with a trainer. For me it was the best thing because I was still really unfit and knew nothing. He showed me I could do a lot more than I thought I could and, more importantly, what to do as I began to improve.

I also discovered that I was gluten intolerant, which I hadn’t known.  This prompted a radical diet change which really got the ball rolling. I am now a big fan of sweet potatoes.

I recently posted the newer pictures on Facebook. A friend, upon seeing my transformation for the first time, asked me if I had ever felt like giving up.

I told her that I felt like giving up every morning when I had to get up at 4:30 am so I could have breakfast and get to the gym before work, when I had eaten all of my calories for the day and my stomach was gnawing on my backbone, when I went weeks without the scale going down while I tried and tried.

What kept me going was: my family was very supportive, helping to make sure I had the right food at the holidays feasts and not trying to derail me; seeing another guy working his butt off at the gym and then having him come up to me and tell me that I was his “inspiration” — that if I could do it, so could he (I never thought I would be a fitness icon!). Seeing that I was gradually lifting more weight than most of the guys in the gym and, mostly, when I started to LIKE my reflection in all those mirrors.

I actually cried the day I tried on a pair of pants at a store and, not only did they fit, but they weren’t even the largest size they carried. Now I am a total gym nerd. My trainer holds me up as an example to his clients and regularly tells me I do not lift “Girl Weight” which makes me laugh.

As of the newer pics I weigh 193lbs. That’s 122lbs lost…a whole person! I sometimes surprise myself with my own reflection. It has literally taken years (I am now 36), but definitely worth the effort.

As a side note, I am a professional artist and part time knitter. I am thinking of starting a group for women who can knit and work out…I think I will call it “Power Knitters”.  Our slogan will be: “Knit the Yarn, Love the Iron!”.  We can have an entire section on wrist bands and leg warmers…

Thanks again for the great site, and feel free to post my pictures for your inspiration section.

Frances

A couple years back you taught me how to do a pull-up and I sent you a video. You wouldn’t believe how my worldview changed after that first pull-up. I began to think there was nothing I couldn’t do, and I started acting accordingly — flipping tractor tires, climbing ropes, swinging sledge hammers.

Now, I have become a full-fledged, honest-to-goodness powerlifter. At a whopping 130 lbs and towering 5’3″, I squatted 308.5 lbs in competition last Saturday, breaking a state record for my age and weight. [Krista's note: Holy SHIT!!]

Again, I offer you a video of my deeds.

I’m stronger and healthier than just about any woman I know. I plan, now, to live forever.

I just wanted you to know what you started. I still read your blog every day. You rawk.

Thank you for the years of inspiration,
Katie

Update from Katie Feb 2011

Hi Krista,

I want to give you a progress update on me. Years ago, you taught me to do a pull up. A real, big-girl pull up. I felt invincible, like I could take on the world. It was a major life changer because I was always the last girl to be picked for teams in PE class in school. I was an uncoordinated nerd.

So, in the natural progression of things, I began powerlifting. My last meet — yesterday — I got a 340-lb. squat, 175-lb. bench press and 300-lb. deadlift. I’m in the 132-lb. weight class (between 123 and 132 lbs.).

I just like to keep you in the loop since you started this insanity. Here’s the video:

The squat is ugly because the guy running the monolift (the contraction that holds the squat bar) wasn’t paying attention, but the lift was still good, so no harm. And I need to work on the rounded back on my deadlift. Still, not shabby for a nerd, I think.

Thank you for everything,
Katie

I guess my story starts out like a lot of women’s stories.  As a kid I was always slim and could eat whatever I wanted.  I participated in dance classes on a regular basis and was just an all around active kid (but was never really “good” at anything).

However when I turned 18, I suddenly started to gain weight like I had never before.  In my life I had never been told that I was fat or ugly, but suddenly now my mother was commenting on my weight and diet and the boy I was sating was telling me that my butt was starting to look too big and unattractive.  Needless to say, I was devastated.  My already fragile just out of high school self-esteem was being broken down like never before.

But I didn’t let it get me down and that summer I decided to join a gym that was close to my house.  I did my fitness assessment and of course they told me that I should stick to cardio and weight machines which I honestly did not like.  I had terrible endurance and I hated running on a treadmill or doing step aerobics classes.

Then someone on the now defunct technodyke message board guided me over to your website.  I was 19 years old at the time and willing to try anything.  Plus I was ecstatic that I found a website that was created by someone who had the same interests as me (Women’s Studies!!) and was also a Canadian  So after reading your website thoroughly ands learning everything that I could about weightlifting I decided to venture into the free weight room.  I was addicted the moment that I did.  Suddenly my outlook on the gym changed and I was in there all the time lifting my weights and pushing myself.  Finally I was actually GOOD at something!!  I noticed changes in my body but not a ton.  Still, it did not matter to me because I finally felt like I could use my body in an efficient manner.  Carrying bags of groceries in the house all at once was no match for me!!

My biggest hurdle however was facing the objections of everyone around me.  My mother was so afraid that I was going to “get bulky” or “get too big” or even hurt myself.  My boyfriend at the time told me that my legs were going to get too big if I did squats and that if I bench pressed anything my breasts would get small.  After about a year and a half I started to feel discouraged and I slowly stopped training like I had before.  It sucked that everyone around me was not supporting me in what I enjoyed doing.

Flash forward to the present: I finished my undergrad degree and at 25 years of age moved from Winnipeg, Manitoba to Dallas, Texas in order to pursue my JD.  The warm weather and large gyms was very condusive to getting my butt back into the gym.  I started going to my apartment gym which is right across the street from my building and worked out with friends. Then about 5 months ago I met my boyfriend Brian.  Only a year older then me, Brian is a former competitive bodybuilder turned Strongman with an amazing personality, a Taoist philosophy on life and an amazing body.  On our first date I asked him what he did to look so good and he told me “deadlifts and squats”.  I think I wanted to kiss him at that moment.

As we started to get more serious, he and I started to train together along with a good friend of his who is a seasoned Strongman.  Not only is he supportive of me lifting heavy, he encourages it!!  He has helped me change my workout and eating habits and I have done a total 180.  At 5’4” I now weight 111lbs but am trying to put on a bit more muscle.  My abs and legs have never looked this good and my arms and back are amazing.

But most importantly, my self esteem and how I see myself has never been this great.  Not only do I look and feel good, but I have someone else around me who thinks that me being a strong woman is cool!!  We are in the gym together every week challenging ourselves and encouraging each other.  He has got me doing things that I never thought were possible for me:

1)       I have pulled his car (a Pontiac Vibe)
2)       I can now do one-armed push ups
3)       I can do chin-ups

This past weekend we trekked out to Metroflex, a hole in the wall gym that is the Home of Mr. Olympia Ronnie Colman.  There we trained with some competitive strongman and I flipped a 400lbs tire and maxed out my deadlift at 150lbs (the most I have ever pulled…but I do have a goal of 200lbs my summer’s end).

I introduced Brian to your website and he loves it as well, and he has even taken your advice on patellofemoral syndrome (he injured his knee after his first strongman competition while lifting an Atlas stone).  We are both huge fans!!!

Again thank you a million times for creating this website.  I really have no idea what my life would be like without it.

I don’t have any before and after pics just yet, but here’s one of me pulling Brian’s car.

Sincerely,
Lindsay R.

I was just reading rant #48 and was reminded of where I was when I first read your site. Eerily, so much of what she describes was also my process several years ago. All that has changed for me, I say at the risk of jinxing myself. I wanted to share the story of my motivation with you in case it might spark something for someone else. My story is the same ole boring late 30s married woman who has given up trying to be healthy and fit, plenty of excuses, none of them at all important now. I was always athletic and always ate pretty well but I didn’t really keep it up enough as I got older, thinking that I could worry about my health later.

I was very fortunate to have a series of things happen in my life that I found extremely motivating. Looking back I’m not even sure what order they all came, they just seemed to pile up on me but they are divorce, death of a parent, possible loss of job/hating job, possible crippling health condition, depression. Such a tangled web of causation that I can’t even parse it but that isn’t even important. Divorce (stretched out over 3 years) and the thought of dating again actually wasn’t a very potent motivator.

I think what started me off was my therapist saying that he thought I was suffering from depression. My response was, “oh you did NOT just say that! I am NOT depressed! Take that back! So how do we cure this not-depression?” Being someone who barely will take an Advil I wasn’t going to medicate my depression away and in defiance of my diagnosis I did EVERYTHING to fight it, including exercising. Maybe exercise cured my depression all by its lonesome but maybe it was all the other changes (getting out more, meditating, seeing friends, taking care of myself, trying new things etc.) and again, it really doesn’t matter.

Work sucked and when they refused to pay me for working through my dinner break (even though I sat at my desk and worked while I ate) I decided to stick it to the Man and go to the gym for my dinner break. Away at the gym when they looked for me to do something, I felt a rush of vindication that I was somehow beating them at their game. Before I knew it, my gym visits had become a habit. I no longer care so much about sticking it to the man, I just go to the gym for the awesome way I feel when I finish my workout. I could drone on and on about my workout, what I do in the gym and why, what I eat but that is maybe another story.

Somewhere in all that with my divorce inching along and being generally icky, my mother passed away suddenly and at a young age. This was really the kicker for me because it was such a personal loss to me on top of so much other crap, crap that my mother was so good at helping me through. My mother’s death somehow became my own near-death experience. She died of a heart attack aggravated by diabetes, two health conditions that I was well on my way to inheriting. Seeing my mother die at the young age of 67 was a big fist right in my face. I finally realized that there is no future time to start being healthy, there is no time to waste, there is no other life I will lead later.

It became crystal clear to me that “enjoying” my life by eating whatever I wanted and not exercising was not any kind of joy at all. At the age of 42, on the track I was on, I had 25 years left to live. A few months after my mother’s death I woke up with terrible joint pain in all my joints; Lyme Disease was ruled out and I was sent to a rheumatologist so I started reading up on rheumatoid arthritis, assuming that my symptoms matched. Until I had a clear negative diagnosis (and the pain went away entirely) I spent a lot of frantic and sleepless nights worrying about what my life was going to be like single, crippled and motherless. This incident just deepened my epiphany that I really didn’t have any reason to not be the healthiest person I could be.

All of this has unfolded over the last 3+ years meaning this wasn’t a situation where I woke up to a choir of angels bathed in golden sunlight and my life was forever altered. It was an excrutiating process through to learn my lessons, one that I wouldn’t wish on anyone and yet I feel very very fortunate to have learned at all. I’m still learning because I find I need to keep that motivation flowing. My increasing health and fitness and happiness fuels my efforts and has now become a way of life for me, one that I hope can withstand whatever else is up for me in life. I didn’t mean for this story to become a “profile of courage” or to even go on so long. This is the first time that I have put it all together and down on “paper” for someone else. Feel free to share this with your readers if you think it could be of use. I don’t think my story is inspiring for others but I think that maybe it could wake people up to find motivation in their own lives, even in the most shitty aspects of their lives.

Oh, did I mention that your site rocks?!

Thanks!

Lisa

I feel compelled to write you and tell you how fantastic your site is! Here is my life story.

I am a 30 year old woman who is classed as medically disabled. I have many many medical illnesses working against me, and I have since I was 13 years old. This includes Parkinson’s, Crohn’s, migraines, and heart disease.

I struggled with weight on and off since I was a kid, and finally took control in high school. I became thin and healthy. Then my weight ballooned again when I was in a very abusive relationship. I left the relationship and again lost the weight. Then I got pregnant and was on bed rest and gained even more back. So my highest weight was 270 pounds or so.

I knew I was big, but I didn’t think I was THAT big. Boy was I wrong.

I used my medical issues as an excuse not to work out. Oh I am too weak, I don’t feel well enough, etc. etc. etc. I began to have bad chest pains, bad headaches. etc. They did tests on me to check for brain tumors and came up clean. After seeing about 15 specialists for the headaches I went to another doctor for a second opinion and pretty much begged for help.

The medical conditions won’t bother lifting, but here they are.

1. Early onset Parkinson’s disease (problems with balance, depth perception etc. from the Parkinson’s )

2. Crohn’s disease (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, daily hell)

3. Low immunity (and all the joys that go with it, always being sick)

4. Heart disease (if I don’t work out I have the bad heart but when I stick on track it is good)

5. Migraines (daily… something to do with my Parkinson’s. I take a mild narcotic to control the pain)

6. Hormone imbalance from hell (which I take many meds for so 10 days of the month I am kinda out of commission but I work around that)

7. Many gyno issues because when I had my son. Well. Things. Didn’t go well.

8. I have issues with blood pressure from all my meds and my heart crap but usually can manage as long as I don’t have to move super fast and heavy at the same time.

Well… over that year, I noticed I no longer fit in waiting room chairs. I would go to my appointments and have to stand for the entire wait. My mom, so sweet that she is, would stand with me so I didn’t have to feel as stupid. People would stare and give dirty looks. I would be red, hot, sweaty, out of breath. JUST from STANDING. Imagine.

I went in to see the doctor, and he was rude and blunt. He called me fat. Told me my tests showed my cholesterol levels were SO HIGH that they couldn’t even be MEASURED. My heart was going into mild failure several times a week. I was to be put on “medications” for the rest of my life, which wouldn’t be long because at the rate my heart was failing, I had a year left at most.

Mid-appointment, the doctor got a phone call and took it. He left me alone in his little office. I couldn’t sit in the chair so I stood, panting, red, chest pains, sweating, nauseated. He came back 45 minutes later and said, “Why are you standing?? You look like you are about to pop a blood vessel. Sit down! ” He gave me a look of utter disgust. I had no choice but to say why I wasn’t sitting. Saying the words “I can’t sit , because I don’t FIT in your god damned CHAIR” was what pushed me over the edge.

I was DETERMINED to prove him WRONG.

The day of that appointment I went home and I researched Atkins… and with NO HELP started the low carb life style (however I modified it greatly to be low fat, low carb, high protein). NOTHING that was man made, processed, or “franken food” made it into my mouth. I began to push through my sicknesses and work out. I can’t leave my house without much medical hassle so I bought a stationary bike. that was my start. I began to bike daily, and watch the weight melt off.

I had my blood work done again 3 months into it, and my heart specialist was SHOCKED. He said to me, “Are you seeing another doctor??? Are you on medication for cholesterol???” I said no; no-one has given me the meds yet (it was why I was there to see him , to get the meds). Well he and his nurses were in total shock — surely my numbers were wrong. They went from immeasurable to NORMAL RANGES within that 3 months. No one believed I did it without medications. My mother had to vouch that I did it on my own, naturally.

The weight slid off. I got stronger. My illnesses still control me. But I control my weight.

I began to buy more equipment. Used weights and a rowing machine. I bought a treadmill. Someone donated a stair climber to me. on and on it went. Aerobics tapes, boxing equipment, etc etc etc. My equipment has grown so much that my tiny apartment is more workout stuff than normal house stuff! Guests give me odd looks.

I have lost 90 pounds. I have 10 left to go and am working for that now. I gave my body time between each 15 pound push to catch up but DIDN’T go off my “diet” which is a LIFETIME change.

I was looking at your site, and saw that one lady who was 47. She did what I did yet she is so seriously PUMPED. My God. I would kill to have her body!! I showed a ton of friends your site and they are also impressed with you.

I can’t afford a trainer, and can’t go to a gym even if I could afford a trainer. I can’t afford any more equipment for a while (no bench, and no barbell). I am going to try and use some of your moves to get myself more buff. I am working against so many odds. I can’t let them stop me.

Update: After I suggested a more intense, low-tech strength and fat loss training program for Jayde, she emailed me this one month later, in early April 2006:

My weight is dropping (slowly but I hope steadily :)) My inches lost this month total were 8.5. :) My thighs and arms, as well as abs are truly showing signs of my labours! I never thought my hips would drop lower than 44 inches but be damned if they aren’t now 43! That is fantastic encouragement! Same with my arms: nothing was losing the weight there or making them stronger. Now I have lost a full inch on each bicep and can see definition now. My friends and family are truly impressed; they are noticing the difference without me saying a word. I truly owe you so many heart felt thanks. And thank my luck the day I found you and your site!

I officially fit back into jeans I wore in highschool. Last time I tried them on (3 months or so ago) I couldn’t wiggle them up over the thighs and hips. I am in them, and I can actually breathe and move comfortably! I just had to share this with you, I am so freakin thrilled.

Hi Krista:

I’m 50 years young and have been lifting weights for 6 years now. In the spring of 2006, I decided I would like to compete in a
Figure Competition. That September, I performed in my first show, I didn’t place in the top 5, but I wasn’t at the very bottom either. It was a scary, rewarding and fun experience and my next show is in October 2006. Here is one of the pictures from the competition.

–Edith

My story isn’t unique. I was the heavy girl never picked for teams, yada yada, until lack of a car in college/”the real world” forced me to walk everywhere in rural Maine, then I took to biking, then hiking, and then the gym. I weighed in at 157 lbs here, but I am a size 6/8 on a frame 5’11″ tall!

Right before this meet, my best friend of 7 years told me that I was getting too muscular. That hurt, but I ditched the friendship and went to your site for some female support. I love the sensation of getting stronger, I love the calluses I’m getting at the base of my fingers, I love outlifting a few men even… now my strength is “cute” but I can’t wait till I’m pulling some serious weight around the gym.

Oh, and believe me, the fact that my hips were too high was drilled in by everyone there. I got some bad advice somewhere that said that I should do it in two steps then haul it straight when my legs were straight… now I know that that is horrible advice… I’m glad I competed so that I could get that feedback before my weights actually start to get high. I got kidded that I grunted it up with sheer back power and nothing else, kinda like a demented good morning!

You can print my email address. I would love to hear from anyone else excited about weightlifting.

Thanks Krista!

Elena

EHennessey@USCO.com

I know she read your page and got a lot from it so I thought I would write you tell you a little about her last year.

She now has 7 professional fights; more fights then any women has ever had in one year – not to mention her first year. In 7 fights she has won all 7 including 2 fights in International Cage Combat and Ring of Fire – 2 very high level shows. She is now the Ring of Fire World Champion. On top of becoming very much like a daughter to me in the last year this young women has undergone some spectacular changes. She has really found her inner light and lets it shine brightly. In the last year she has become more then a fighter, she has become a woman.

She will be featured in an up coming issue of Grappling magazine where you can see her whole story.

Here is her web page on ICC.tv.

I’m sending you this not because you may not hear very often how you have touched people. Your page really encouraged her and taught her a lot. You can feel very proud of helping this self doubting girl become a proud woman and champion.

Thank you

Mike Reilly

Team Bison coach and proud Dad J

Thought I’d share… I’m now back to working on my benching (such scrawny little muscles – how come?) and squatting, as well as deadlifting. I think I’m a pretty damn good SLOB (Strong, Loving, Outrageous Broad!).

—Wanda

Every day I take my wee one and her huge, heavy, three-wheeled pram, and I stomp vigorously around the streets for a couple of hours while she has her afternoon nap. Even on the coldest of days I return home warm and shiny. Pushing an overloaded pram around for two hours a day is really good for your triceps. Since I’ve been doing this my post baby ‘bingo wings’ (British term for flappy fatty bits on the underside of the arms of women of a certain age) have disappeared.

And following advice from, of all things, a Mother and Baby website, every day I put my daughter in her playpen, grab some dumbbells (or pop in a Pilates tape) and exercise in front of her while chatting to her. The plan is that she sees Mummy exercising every day, just for 20 mins or so, and comes to regard this as normal healthy behaviour.

I also use my daughter for squats and calf raises. I sit her on my shoulders, and she loves it, especially if I do it in front of a mirror. She currently weighs about 20 pounds and is growing, so this provides, as you say, progressive resistance. Split squats are a bit more tricky so I still do these with dumbbells. As for the upper body, you can also incorporate a baby into chest and shoulder presses. Or sometimes I sit her on my stomach and do crunches – works better it you say ‘Boo!’ at the top of each crunch.

Oh and there’s nothing like weaning and mealplanning for a baby and trying to encourage good healthy eating habits from the start to kick one’s own nutrition up the arse.

Keep up the inspirational stuff for us ordinary mortals who want to be healthy.

Best,
Heather

Just wanted to let you know that I am a HUGE fan of your site and you are such an inspiration to me… I have lost about 130 pounds over
the last two years, and I always check your site for weightlifting tips and tricks, and of course, inspiration to keep me on track.

Ok so the main reason why I feel I need to contact you… TRICEPS PUSHUPS kick my arse!!!

I started doing elevated pushups (I never felt the need to start slow, just kind of jumped right in there) with a 65cm stability ball, not a
chair, and when I started, I could do 2. Now I can do 150 at a time… but. I thought I was as far as the pushup training could go… so of
course, I come back to your site and you tell me to try some triceps pushups… and I think I felt a little like your husband – but I did
not laugh for long. The first night I managed to get out 3, and my form went to poo so I stopped. Last night I managed to squeak out 11,
after my full run of 150 elevated pushups…. you are the goddess of all that is good and painful in my life :) I thank you for the time and effort you put into your site and the advice you give to get more out of a workout, and I thank you for the pain that my triceps are feeling as I type this…

You rock – you are the queen, the mistress, the princess, the goddess, and the voice inside of me, right there on the net, and you keep me
going when I think I do not need to train any harder than I do…

I am going to send you video when I have the pull-ups mastered (ok, at least 10 pull-ups in a row so it is actually worth sending) The
pull-ups are my goal this year, I would like to be able to get at least 50 out with proper form… and I know I will get there, because you
keep me inspired…

Many many thanks from this small gal in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Holly

I love your website and you keep me going a lot of days! Thought I’d send you a picture of my latest endeavour.

A wee bit of background, I’m 39, married, mother of five of the world’s most wonderful children whose ages range from 7 to 16, 5’4″ so I can appreciate the title of stumptuous, and at my most horrible I was about 240lbs.

I woke up in 2001 and got moving with weight lifting and Weight Watchers and I feel so much better now (right now I’m plateaued at 172.5 lbs, but I’m focusing on staying strong at the moment). Went back to school and became a paramedic and now get to run lights and sirens around Orlando Florida rescuing people from themselves. Retirement as just a medic sucks so…

Now I’m in fire school. In the United States today only 2% of all paid firefighters are female. This kicks my ass. BTW, that cursed hose (and I’m cursing it in this picture believe me) gets pulled for 100 feet and it gets progressively heavier until the last ten feet it’s 220 lbs. The water is pressurized inside and its horribly stiff and unforgiving. All my gear, helmet and air tank, weigh about 50 lbs. This kicks the ass of 18 year old boys! But I’m doing it and in fact just two days before Christmas landed a job as a firemedic in a suburb of Orlando. I still have a lot of pulling and sweating to do before graduation but I’m going to do it. It would not have been possible without a lot of inspiration, so I say thank you again.

Alison

I just finished reading the philosophical thoughts on body fat, and was sitting here nodding my head and agreeing with you. When I was at my heaviest, I encountered the attitude that because I was big I must be lazy or that I ate far too much. I usually ate no more than my thinner friends, but because the balance was wrong for me, I put on weight and they didn’t. I was also far more active than most of the people I know – walking, dancing and playing tennis regularly.

About a year ago I discovered some truly excellent books on health and nutrition by an Australian personal trainer – Donna Aston. I read the books and got angry, wondering how on earth could anyone live that way. But I was really fed up with how I felt about myself and decided that I had nothing to lose except a whole lot of body fat that I didn’t need.

I also found an excellent personal trainer, who has been working with me for the past year and has helped to keep me motivated when the going gets tough! Sites like yours have also helped – which is why I’m writing to say thanks!

I have lost 32 kilograms over the course of a year and brought my body fat down from an unacceptable 44% to 31% at the last measuring. I still have a little way to go.

The health benefits to both myself and my husband have been enormous. We are fit, healthy, have loads of energy and are at the right weight for us. I should also mention that we are competitive ballroom dancers and the change in our overall appearance has been enormous. Our improved fitness and “look” have made a huge difference to our dancing this year.

Regards from Down Under,

Ingrid

I started my “fitness quest” (my term), on Oct.1, 2000. My first picture (to the right) shows me ‘before’ starting my quest. I was about 160 lbs., wearing a size 16, and all of that was NOT pretty on my 5’1″, 45 year old frame…trust me! I started doing weight training I worked out 6 days a week. By the time Christmas rolled around, I was thrilled to find myself into a size 12.

Well, I didn’t want to go back to a larger size and I felt if I slacked off that’s where I would find myself. Therefore, I kept going! By mid January 2001, I was into a size 10 and actually was dropping sizes too quickly…. my $$$ supply couldn’t afford to keep buying clothes, for I could no longer have size 16s altered to fit me! Honest, it happened! So, I lowered my intensity… worked out 5 days a week and not quite as heavy of lifting.

By the end of February (about 5 months after my start) I reached a size 8 and 135 lbs. I felt I had enough muscle mass at this point and switched gears to try to attain better overall proportion and definition. If I went down into another size fine, but I was ok with size 8… thrilled to see a single digit size again! I kept working out and upon getting a job that found me having to be there by 7:30am, that meant, for me, getting up by 4:45am so I could be working out by 5am, have time to eat, shower, dress, and see daughter off to school and make it to work on time. I managed to whittle off a few fractions of an inch here and there, attain some definition, and by my “anniversary date”, one year since I started on my “fitness quest”, I reached a size 6 and 130 lbs.

I have continued working out…it is the way I start and get energized for my day! I am still redefining workouts that I’ve designed to continue attaining better overall proportion and definition. I am now a size 4/6 (4′s in most everything but jeans, thus the qualifying of the size) and am 128-130 lbs. I wear a smaller size than over 26 years ago when I got married and I only weighed 109 lbs back then!!!

So…you see, although muscle takes up a lot less room than fat, it is more dense and you’ll weigh more but wear a smaller size…GREAT! So, let me ask you: “Does this stuff work?” I’ll be 48 years old in May of 2003…. what do you think my answer is? Haha! You’re right if you said, “YES!”

Now, I’m NOT perfect and I do NOT claim to be. I’m not a competitive bodybuilder. I’m a married woman with 2 adult daughters (ages 21 and 18, the younger daughter is physically handicapped), a husband, and the family’s cat. I have had my own business, currently am employed for the local school district as a paraprofessional where I am assigned one on one with a physically handicapped student. I am a member of chancel and adult bell choirs, and serve as worship leader and pianist, as needed at our church. I help ‘coach’ and advise aproximately 25-30 other women via online/email and host a fitness forum to help them gain support to achieve their goals.

So, yes I’m busy, but if you make exercise a part of your daily life…just like brushing your teeth, taking a bath, etc., and you stay consistent, forgive yourself when you go off the path (yes, it happens! I am human and so are you!) and quit the excuses! Just DO IT (to borrow Nike’s slogan), because “doing” is always better than NOT doing anything. As I said, I’m NOT perfect…I still have “areas of discontent” (my term), but that’s ok! Now, I’ve attained my certification as a fitness trainer and I do motivational speaking as well! I’m a middle-aged woman who plans to collect on some of the “sweat equity” I’ve invested! Not many can say that it took them to age 47 to know what they wanted to be when they grew up, but that’s my story!

Crystal Reiber

My husband found your website and it is most interesting! It is hard to find any useful information for women regarding weightlifting and serious health improvement. Seems everyone is out to make a buck selling you something they claim will do it all!!

I turned 60 last September and look and feel better than at any time in my life. A couple years ago I started to seriously shed some weight and dropped 40 pounds going from a size 16 to an 8. I also showed the usual signs of weight loss: flabby wrinkled skin and poor physical ability due to being a lifelong couch potato. My husband suggested that I try doing some arm curls with the 11 pound weights we had that I had till then refused to pick up. I gave it a try and after just a few days noticed a definite improvement. A couple weeks later I moved up to 15 pounds, then 20 then 25 doing just 1 set of 30 reps daily. I grew some respectable biceps and the loose skin filled up nicely with something besides fat, making the wrinkles go away.

About 4 months ago we found a new fitness center that opened up nearby and signed up for a year. We work out together using both machines and free weights and have made remarkable progress. My first maximum bench press was 60 pounds with struggling to do 1 rep. Last weekend I pressed 120 with a goal of 150 by birthday 61! I have shied away from doing any squats but after reading your website and Bill’s armtwisting, I will be giving it some effort to see what I can improve.

Attached are a few pictures, one of me at 49 looking quite elderly and the other taken December 2004 at age 60. Also here is a picture taken recently at the gym… that last rep is a killer!

Gayle
Mesa, Arizona

Gayle at 49	Gayle at 60
Gayle pumps iron - love the red manicure!

Update from Gayle February 2006: Me learning how to pose with my personal trainer, Mistress Debbie Brooks. Biceps are up to 14 1/2" and can bench 165, hoping for 200 by my 62nd birthday in September.

Update from Gayle November 2006:

Here are pictures from my NASA powerlfiting competition November 4th where I set state records for bench, squat and deadlift and national for bench in my age/weight class (age 62, 75kg). You had a lot to do with inspiration to do this along with my husband. Enjoyed it so much that I want to do this some more.

Gayle "grips it and rips it" on the deadlift.

Gayle celebrates her mighty accomplishment with a front double biceps pose! Hooyeah!

Krista,

I dropped you a line last year regarding how much we love your website and training philosophy (and writing style). I wanted to let you know about one of our athletes. Please visit our website. It is crappy and under construction but we want you to visit
the pictures pages.

My athlete Jen, 24, just graduated from West Chester University with a BS in Kinesiology. In the last three months she has competed in 2 powerlifting meets (2nd place in both) an Olympic Weightlifting meet (learned the lifts from scratch and competed after 4 weeks) taking Best Novice and won her weight class, and two weeks ago became the NAKF National Women’s Champion in Girevoy Sport: she did 155 snatches in 10 minutes and 90 jerks in 10 minutes with 16kg kettlebells (see photo). www.oldschoolstrengthandhealth.com

Oh yeah, there are also pics of some old coot obviously going through a mid-life crisis. The young guy working with Jen in a couple of pics is Valery Fedorenko, World GS Champion in the 80kg class the last few years.

At our club, you bet we let our women do our fightin’ for us.

Randy Hauer

West Chester, PA USA

I reached your website through my association with ISSA (International Sport Sciences Association), where I am a member and Certified Personal Trainer. Kudos to you for telling the iron-minded wanabes like it is – no whitewash, no prettying things up and giving the real facts about the iron life, real iron women etc.

I have been lifting for 25 years and continue doing so until the last breath leaves my body. I competed as a natural bodybuilder when I was 30 and at the age of 48 now, I am now a personal trainer who wants to pass on to others, this fantastic feeling (and look!) that the iron lifestyle bestows.

Attached is a picture of me when I was 31 and 6 weeks away from my second year of competing as a short and stumptuous lightweight (left photo). Also attached is a black and white photo of me taken recently at the age of 48 (right photo).

I’m a big believer that weight training keeps one “ageless”, hence that is also the trade name of my business “Ageless Fitness & Health”.

Keep on lifting, ladies!

Michelle G

Certified Personal Trainer

Ageless Fitness & Health

Just wanted to drop a line to let you know how much I appreciate the advice and encouragement your site provides. I stumbled across the site in August and was inspired to try my hand at free weights.

That first day when I was reading through all of your info, I didn’t think I could actually do it. I was so out of shape I was sure that I would hurt myself if I tried to lift, but I got hooked when reading your section on squats. I was sure that if I tried to do one, even with just body weight, my knee caps would go flying across the room! But I wanted to try, so I stood up in front of my computer, and carefully following the instructions, went all the way down and came all the way back up! Then I did it again, and about ten more times.

Now, five months later, I am much stronger, weigh 45 pounds less, have a power cage in my living room, and can do more pushups than my boyfriend. All thanks to your inspiration! Just felt like I had to tell you.

I am going to be forty (oh no!) in a little over a year. I was dreading it, but now it doesn’t bother me at all because of how much better I feel about myself.

Thank you so much.

Laura

She is 43yo and the mother of two, aged 10 and 13, and works full time as a Medical Technologist. Her website is http://lynnenelson.tripod.com. Maybe you can run a short item on her, or include her site on your page.

Respectfully,
Frank Nelson (proud husband and workout partner )

I found out about your site a few months ago and I really love it! There’s so much extremely useful information on it.. The tips & tricks you give regarding pullups really helped me a lot. For a few months I’ve been doing assisted pullups (my gym owner is so nice, he’s always willing to help!) and today, I did my FIRST unassisted pullup!! I thought you should be one of the first to know!

Actually, I started out with weightlifting in August this year, because I was underweight. Yes, while most women want to lose weight, I wanted to get heavier! I weighed 50 kg (let me see, that’s .. 110 lbs) at 1.64m (appr. 5′ 5″, damn why do you still use those obsolete units at the other side of the Atlantic?!  My ribs were visible on my chest above my breasts and I thought that was extremely ugly. After almost 5 months of eating well (and a LOT, 6 meals a day), and heavy weightlifting, I now weigh 56 kg (123 lbs). The ribs above my breast are now covered by muscle, and my arms got thicker. And it’s not over yet!! I continue eating and training, because I want to get as muscular and strong as a woman can get without anabolics!

I send some pics that were taken in July this year (before I started training) and in the beginning of October (after 2.5 months of training). The pic on the left was taken in July, the pic on the right in October. Soon (by the end of January or so) I’ll ask my friend to make some new pics; I’m really curious to see what the difference will be. Probably mostly my legs… I trained at home for the first 3 months and didn’t have the heavy stuff one needs for leg training. Now, at the gym, I started doing sumo deadlifts and am able to do sets of 8 reps with 45 kg (100 lbs). So those babies should start growing ;-)

Thanks again for your great website, Krista!

Kind regards,

Edith
the Netherlands

Now, 4 years after I started, even the daily newspapers here in Scandinavia have started to tell people how useful strength training is
for women and the elderly! I was 54 when I started, now I’m 59 and very, very pleased with my achievements so far – and I see no reason to stop!

Leena from Norway

I am 34 years old, and I started weight training again (after not doing so for about 16 years!) in January 2003. This return to physical activity was mostly due to the inspiration of your site.

I have been struggling with bulimia, on and off, for the last 20 years. I’ve had periods of years where I was in “remission” and didn’t binge/purge at all. Recently, however, I had plummeted back into the cycle, bingeing and purging at least once a day, for several months. I can’t say what “caused” it–personal problems, depression, getting older, dieting (this was, I think, the key cause)–but weight training has helped me get back in control.

Last year, for the first time in my life, I made the horrible mistake of reacting to a small weight gain (caused by eating too much crap and not moving!) by dieting. I cut calories and carbs drastically. I lost weight, of course–especially since I starved myself so much that my brain went out of whack and the bulimia came back with a vengeance. It was the absolute worst period of bulimia I have been through. After several nightmare months of eating, puking, eating, puking, saying “this is the last time,” and then doing it again the next day, I was horribly depressed, malnourished, and desperate.

During this time, a friend at work had started going to the gym. She had never exercised before, and she was really excited about learning weight training. Since I am good at finding information on the internet, I did some searching for her and found some weight training sites. Yours was the best I found, and I spent several hours reading through everything on the site. Your enthusiasm and sense of humor caught me (and my friend, and her gym friends!).

That was it. I got online, ordered a bench, and got weights at Wal-Mart (of all places). I started with your All Dumbbells All The Time routine while I waited for the bench to be delivered. I stopped “dieting.” I also started taking 5-HTP and my obsessive thinking on food and weight slowly came to an end.

I’ve been weight training for around 6 months now. I got my mother back into it, and got my sister interested, too. I’ve never felt better, and I love seeing my muscles move beneath my skin. I’ve stopped weighing myself. I’ve stopped vomiting. I’m eating better than I ever have before: tons of vegetables, protein smoothies for breakfast, lean meats, fish fish fish, salads, fresh fruit, good fats, and lots of small meals throughout the day. I’ve stopped having to fight the urge to drive directly to the grocery after work to raid the bakery aisle for binge foods. I started dancing again (ballet, jazz, and tap) after a 14-year absence. On my first day of jazz, my teacher said “Oh, now you look like a dancer–how long have you been dancing?” I told her I hadn’t in 14 years, and she said, “But you have such great muscle tone!” I said, with pride, “I weight train.” My strength has improved my dancing. I have grace and control I never had before. Ballet *looks* easy, but is incredibly difficult if you don’t have strength in your legs, back, and abdominals.

I’ll stop gushing now, and just say thank you for helping me change my life.

Name withheld by request

In 1996 I broke my back in a construction accident. I had to do something in order to show the male dominated world that I could still pull my weight! In order to do this I had to start to lift weights. And so my training started, a program I wrote. After 3 years, I decided to put my training to the test. I challenged the California State bench press record (that was 110). I ended up benching 203lbs. That was my
first meet back in 2000, I am now up to 231.25 lbs. My love of weights is what allows me to continue. Keep up the good work in encouraging other women!

Oh I forgot to mention my weight class, I am in the 67.5 kgs. Anyway, thanks again for your positive outlook for women, we all need it!

Tammi

I’m 47 and have been powerlifting for almost a year. Along with the beauty of lifting for exercise, I’ve discovered the joy of competing. I’ve done one deadlift meet and one full power lifting meet now and am anxious to get on to the next one! It’s pretty cool to be a peri-menopausal woman becoming a competitive athlete at the same time.

Probably one of the most important things I’m learning is to never, ever play the “age card” during a workout or competition. I don’t ever say that I can’t do something because I’m too old. It’s a wonderful attitude to carry over into the rest of my life.

Thanks again for your site. I can tell it takes some work on your part; and I can see a kindred spirit from the iron world is at work there! I will especially love reading anything you add in the future regarding masters lifters and competing!

Thanks.

Leah Smith

Well, I have a story. Better yet, I “AM” a story. You might get hundreds of these so I apologize if I bore you. But you did ask on your web site, it’s your own fault, so here’s another one. *G*

In January of 1999, I had what I call a “revelation” that changed my life forever. I was away on business and awoke right on time to get ready for my day. I was perfectly organized, my hair was perfect, my make-up was perfect, all was well, perfect, till I went to get dressed. What I had brought with me to wear for my “presentation,” was now too small. It was 4:30 AM, I am six hundred miles away from home, and I was going to have to call my clients and tell them I canceled because I was too fat to fit into my clothes. I couldn’t
stop crying. I needed a new wardrobe, and it was going to have to be a size bigger.

See, when you dislike someone else, you can write them off and chalk it up to a difference of personality. “We don’t like each other, see ya ’round.” But, when you hate yourself, there is no escape. I’ve never hated anyone or anything like I did myself, that morning, in that hotel room. Because of that day, and because I could no longer kid myself with denial about my own self-hatred, I came home, and changed my life.

Over the course of the next eleven and a half months, I lost one hundred and twenty pounds. When I reached my goal weight, I had gone from a size twenty-six to a 9/10 and I went from 260+ lbs to 140 lbs. I did it strictly all on my own, with no help from pills, shots, doctors or even Jenny Craig. Yay me. How does this tie into weight lifting, you ask? After I reached my goal weight, I joined a gym.

It took a few months but I discovered something else new about myself. I liked weights. If I could press fifty, I had to try sixty. And then sixty was too light. And I liked it even more. I built up pretty nicely and started getting all kinds of helpful info from those who saw how dedicated I was. After about nine months, the suggestions of competition started cropping up. I also went from that size 9/10 and 140 lbs, to the size 6 and 154 lbs that I am, now. *big smile*

Well, okay, I took the plunge. I joined a “pro” gym and hired a trainer. I started only three weeks ago. He’s excited with me because I am already strong and I have a great head start. He estimated that he could have me on the stage in six months but of course, we shall see. I had been powerlifting (I ‘almost’ benched my weight, I wanted that one) and now, I’m bodybuilding, but I slip the heavy stuff in once in a while, I just can’t help myself. *G*

I love to jog, big switch from being out of breath just to walk to the back of my property. Yeah, I’d say that I’ve changed a lot.

I sometimes take it all for granted, but all I have to do to feel humble is think back on that day in January, when I felt hate, anger and despair like never before in my life. I am a strong lady, I always have been. It’s always been there, just like it is in every one of us. The key is tapping into your own power and grabbing a hold of it.

I now have power in my body as well as my mind. I’m never going back.

Enclosed you will find a pic of me from this past Christmas, I know, it’s a terrible flex, even my daughter says so. And I have become more cut, I’ve dropped my bodyfat percentage since I started at the new gym so I think I’m even better. *G* But, it gives you an idea, anyway. Hopefully, you’ll eventually be seeing this name on ESPN. Geeeez, that thought is kind of intimidating.

I think what I am the most proud of all to say, is that because of the immense changes I’ve made in my life, my daughter has lost sixty pounds and my sister, eighty. Both now also work out and that thought brings tears to my eyes. To save my own child from her own day of hell, like mine was, is the greatest gift I could ever have given her. She is sixteen, and I don’t ever want her to feel about herself the way I did about me, that one time that seems so long ago.

If I never do anything else, I have done that one thing right.

Sincerely,

Jana Radney

Thanks for your web site – it’s great to read stuff written by/for women. I visit the Dr Squat forum regularly, and although sometimes I pick up helpful information, the testosterone level is a bit much sometimes!

I live on the NSW Central Coast in Australia, and train in powerlifting with another girl and guy, in our garage gym. Another girl & guy lift with us once a week. At 38 years old, I only started powerlifting 4 years ago after about 6 months at a local gym doing “pump” classes… Before that I was a total couch potato.

I have a thoraco-lumbar scoliosis (sideways curvature of the spine) so was initially fairly nervous about loading my back with weight… I remember 4 years ago, trying a “heavy weight” — and walking out with 30 kg on my back and yelling at my (male) friend to “get it off me — it’s too heavy!” On Saturday, I did my “garage comp” and squatted 100kg, benched 50kg and deadlifted 110kg. (I weigh 62.5kg). Form is a continual issue with us. “Do it properly or don’t do it at all”.

We are really a bunch of “mongs”. I have a scoliosis, the guy I train with had major abdominal surgery a few years ago, and has a thoracic weakness, and the girl I train with has a major hearing (& balance) loss and had never exercised before (ever). We are constantly watching each other, and working on weakness areas. Anyway, thanks for the web site. I have attached a photo of my latest
achievement – 110 kg deadlift!

Cheers

Robyn Gleeson

Just wanted to say that your website is an inspiration to all of us fatties out there. One day, during a bout of depression over my ever-increasing weight, I happened across your website. I read everything on your website and finally got down to your reader’s yak back letters and that is what sold me on everything you had written about…. the letter from Melanie brought tears to my eyes. Her before picture was me. I wore those types of tank shirts and jean shorts and I saw myself right there… fat and tired of being
that way.

It has been 6 months and the changes in my body have been spectacular. I lift heavy. I work out to failure. I sweat. I hurt. And I’ve gone from a size 18/ 20 to size 7 / 9, having lost OVER 50 pounds. And I love it. I’m a 38 year old woman who looks better now then she ever did in her 20′s. All thanks to you and Melanie.

My body is still in progress. But I love the new me. Thank you for letting women know that its OK to lift. Serious weight lifting was the ONLY thing that worked for me.

Thanks!

Barbara

Hi Krista,

I love your website! I, too, love to pump iron and am very much a girl.  It is sad that so many women think that it’s only for the men or for chicks who want to be men. I surf around looking for others like myself and I find sites which are devoted to predominantly men or ‘professional’ and/ or drug using women. There are very few women online (that I know of) who are just ‘normal’ and love the free weights as much as I do!

I used to think I would ‘get too big’ and of course it makes me laugh my ass off now, years later when I would love nothing more than to add some natural muscle size to my shape! FYI I am a 31 yo, married 7 years, mom of 2.

Sincerely,

Christine

This picture is from my first bodybuilding show in October 2000. I got second place.

When I started I could just do the treadmill for 30 minutes. I did 1/2 mile in that time. But I stuck with it and then started to weight train. Later I also incorporated light yoga/pilates for flexibility. I switched to a natural mostly organic diet.

What I lost and what I gained is unbelievable. I haven’t had even a cold in a year. I’ve lost 110 lbs so far but gained tons of muscle. I now can walk/jog 5 miles with no problems and bought a bike for the first time in 25 years. But my entire life changed. My house is cleaner, I am much more active, and I feel incredible.

It is so nice to see people give good information to others. I related so much to your site as I had arthritis in my hips from the weight when I started. People keep asking me “How did you do it?” and I tell them there is NO magic. You must eat healthy and exercise sensibly… for life.

Thanks again,

Andrea Jaffe

I have recently returned to lifting weights after being away for a number of years, using my upcoming black belt test as an excuse to increase both my strength and cardio training. I am doing machines for a number of exercises, but am gradually transitioning to more free weights — the fact that they help improve stability makes them more desirable for a martial artist.

I am insulin-dependent diabetic, and am working to lose some excess body fat. While I am not lifting massive weights like competitive lifters and bodybuilders do — yet — I find I am a LOT stronger than even many of the athletic-looking women that work out at the Y. For me, it is motivational to follow one of these women, who look so much fitter than I do, on any given machine and have to double or triple the weight just to get a good workout!!! Sometimes I actually chuckle to myself inside.

And although I have both diabetes and asthma, I can do things that my “healthy” female co-workers (and even some of the men) can’t do — like changing the 5-gal bottle on the water cooler. I have been in there changing it and had the men just watch me do
it! I may not be as trim — yet — as some of my fellow women, but I don’t have to wait around helpless for some man to do everything for me. I am not knocking men here, rather women who actually take PRIDE in not doing anything that takes effort. For me, that keeps me motivated to keep pumping the iron and working up a sweat. That, and some of the women who see you lifting a lot more weight
than them sometimes look on in awe.

At the moment my primary focus is endurance and weight loss, because those are the weaker areas that I need to improve for my martial arts training. But I have to get in a weight workout at least once or twice a week. And I find that even that makes a big difference – I have an easier time with kicking, etc.

I just discovered this website, and I am really enjoying it. Useful information, to be sure, but I especially like the sense of humor. It’s too easy to forget this is supposed to be fun, too!

Thanks for the site,

Ellen Reddick

I don’t post emails without asking first, so don’t worry that your correspondence will appear without permission.

Thanks so much for the time and effort that you put into your web page. It has been a great source of information and inspiration for me.

I am 35 years old and I have 3 kids. The newest addition to the family is now 8 months old and was (largely) responsible for the extra 40 pounds I was hauling around. (Okay, I confess. He really wasn’t in any position to shovel cheesecake in my mouth during my pregnancy, but when you are already walking around looking like the Hindenburg anyway . . .) My husband (bless him) got a gym membership for me for our anniversary last Thanksgiving (no–it wasn’t an insult–I really wanted one, if only because the gym near us has a day care and at the very least I could be away from the baby for an hour or so). I started out doing step classes 3 times a week, trying to “burn off” that fat you know. Upon hearing me voice my frustration with the snail’s pace of weight loss, one of my instructor’s (who was pregnant herself at the time and looked great) suggested weight training. It sounded like a good idea, but I had no idea where to begin. All of the other ladies in the gym did those bazillion reps with itty-bitty weights and I had no patience for that. The ex-football player who showed me around the gym pointed me to the weight machines and basically said “Low weights/high reps for you dearie.” It was very frustrating.

THEN, I found your web page. I checked out some books from the library, got one for myself at the bookstore (A Woman’s Book of Strength by Karen Andes–it has some silly new age stuff, but on the whole has been very helpful not just with regard to training, but to the whole mind-body connection), and started getting busy.

I now walk fearlessly into the free-weight room, heft my share of decent weight, and grunt and sweat like a sow and have a great time. I have lost about 15 pounds ( I know we are not supposed to worry about that but–really–I had some to lose for sure), I can almost fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans, I feel great, and my husband says I look a lot more like steak than like jello these days. Most of all, I just love being stronger. I can hoist that baby car seat around without killing my back, and carry all the damn groceries in one trip. It is very cool. (I have always been a pretty tough cookie. I’m a former high school English teacher and my students will be happy to testify to the fact that I am no wussie little lady. Now I can feel my outsides starting to match my insides and that is a wonderful thing.) I now find myself preaching the gospel according to big weights to every woman who will stand still long enough to listen.

Next projects: learn to squat like Krista and beat my husband at arm wresting–yes! Again, thanks so much!

Adele Hite (Durham, NC, USA)

As of the 25th of March, I have now lost 92 lbs.; here is a before and after picture… I will be competing in the Mr./Ms. Buffalo contest on the 27th. My trainer Julie was the motivating force

behind my success; she knew before me that I would reach this weight. By following her instructions and working hard at the gym I accomplished my goal… doing a contest after 33 years is a dream come true. My body fat at the start was 40%. It is now 10.9%. Whew… :) I went from 215 down to 123. Not bad for a 47 year young female wouldn’t you say? It took two years of hard work but it was worth every bit of it.

Melanie before, at 215 lbs. and 40% bodyfat

Melanie after, prior to competition, at 122 lbs. and 10% bodyfat

Melanie with her trophies

I took 3rd in masters and 2nd in heavy weight. I wasn’t quite cut enough for the judges, but all in all I lost a total of 93 lbs. for the show and my next show is at the end of May. Thanks again. I was up at 4:30 every morning to do my cardio for the show and again in the gym by 4 for another 2 hrs., 7 days a week to get ready for this show, I get a week off and then start all over again, will send new pics as I get more cut if it’s OK with you.

Melanie

Update: Melanie took 3rd in both the Master’s and open division at the Can Am 3000.

Update 2: Melanie makes “Amateur Bodybuilder of the Week” at bodybuilding.com.

What a pleasure to find a bodybuilding site devoted to women that is free of the usual male-influenced crap. And, as a bonus, it’s full of well-written, targeted articles. I was at an all-time physical low this past year and finally reached the proper mental state to do something about it. I became a gym-rat a few months ago — weights four days a week, cardio and abs six days a week. I even splurged on a personal trainer. My fantasy goal is enter a master’s competition in six years (I’m 44). The key word here is fantasy but, hey it keeps me on the treadmill….

Cindy Campbell

I am a 41-year-old Senior Quality Control Systems Computer Analyst in New York. While web surfing one day, I came across your site, and I was very impressed. Although I believe our goals are slightly different, I also believe that we are like-minded on the topic of female bodybuilding.

I have NEVER been a “Barbie.” I was always the girl who played baseball with the boys, and wrestled with my older brothers. My idea of the attractive female form isn’t the soft, “sorority” girl, but rather the trim and fit body of a well-muscled woman. I have always been an avid fitness nut, but only relatively recently began a daily weight-lifting regimen, including both upper and lower body development. My routine includes reps of two-arm curls, French curls, upright rows, two-arm bench presses, lateral raises, triceps curls and more. (And that’s just the UPPER body!) I crunch 100 sit-ups every day, and support my muscular development with daily doses of creatine monohydrate powder.

I have been using a combination of free weight exercises for approximately ten weeks. The attached photos were taken at the end of the fifth week. I am happy and proud to share my training and diet routine with any ladies who might be interested in achieving their maximum potential.

My man says it best: “The well-muscled female form is God’s best work.”

Pam

What can I say but “thank you”.

I am a 27 year old Australian woman who has been working out at the gym for over 12 months and it has become the best part of my life. It has increased my strength both physically and mentally and I have a much better eating regime than I ever have!! It is a joy to be able to carry in the shopping bags on my own and all at once!!!!!! I am only 5’1″ but I am stronger than a lot of my male friends yet I do not have the “typical muscley looking” body one would expect to have to have to have strength.

I have been desperate to find more information on women and weight training as I have slowly converted from the Nautilus style machines and a mishmash of bits and pieces to the “quicker results” of free weights. These give me quicker results and I am now pushing myself harder than ever. I am constantly looking for ways of improving routines and finding the “correct” advice and information. I know that not everything works for everyone but those basic principles surely are there. However, I have spent a lot of time being confused as to routines.

Your page has given me a lot of direction and I really appreciate it. I usually run (run because I like running and abhor walking) about 6 km per day and I’m working with a cross section of nautilus and free weights 3-4 times per week for about 1 hour… I have had a lot of conflicting advice (a lot of it from men) but as a regular net user I thought I would find some info that related to women.

I also feel I have come to a bit of a standstill with my training. I have had so many guys at the gym saying.. you shouldn’t be lifting such heaving weight… low weights high reps girly… that’s what you need… obviously from reading your page.. THEY ARE WRONG!!!!

I am going to start using your free weight routine and see how I go. Like I said thanks a heap and I will be reading your page continuously and if I ever get out the gym and get a new cartridge for my printer I might even be able to print some off!!!

Anyway, all the best and thanks. I have attached a photo so you know who the crazy chick from Down Under in Australia is.

All the best!!!

Donna

Hi, I am a 41 yr. old female bodybuilder.

This picture was taken at my first all natural competition. I placed 2nd in novice short class and 3rd in open short.

Bodybuilding is a way of life – I enjoy it tremendously. The show was on May 29, 1999. I took a week off, now I’m back to it hard and heavy, trying to gain some mass for next year’s show.

Thank you for your time, and thank you for your web site.

Michelle P. Easterling

I’ve been meaning to write you for, oh, about a year or so. Last April, I realized that *nothing* in my closet fit comfortably and that
the pounds that had slowly been creeping on since my freshman year in college had become An Official Problem. Your website was my
inspiration to start lifting seriously, and your link to Jerri Massi’s low-carb page gave me the jolt I needed to realize that while I might
not like Atkins’ writing style, the low-carb diet was a valid approach to nutrition. (I liked Mary & Richard Eades’ Protein Power much
better for readability, but I digress.)

Originally, I promised myself that I would write you when I had managed an unassisted chinup, but that slipped by back in November or
so. (I can manage five now, but only on the first of three sets.) The other night, I was stretching in my foo-foo “ladies only” gym in
the middle of my leg workout when I realized that, holy weight clips, I had visible quadriceps muscles. So I decided that I was going to
celebrate by saying thank you for the effort you put into your page and for the help you dispense on misc.fitness.weights. You truly have
been my mentor, and your web page has been a tremendous help to me.

Nearly all of my routines have come from your list (modified to deal with the foofiness of my gym – I’m cultivating a mean look so that
nobody says word one to me about doing deadlifts off the floor with the chest press bar).

I have no current plans to enter any competitions or pick up any cars or trains. Right now, it’s enough for me to know that just about
every morning, I’m stronger than I was the day before. As you say on your page, my body is no longer my failure but my ongoing success, and that has been a tremendous gift. Thank you.

Laurelyn

I’m a 18 year-old college student. Late last year I was suckered (and believe me, coaxed, almost drug) to the gym by two of my friends who are soccer players and avid gym goers. It was the first time since high school gym class that I went to the gym. Needless to say I was
intimidated, and reluctant to leave my friends side and venture to the “guy’s side of the gym” where the sqwaht cages and benches reigned supreme. But after a day of working out on the machines and some slight free weights, I was hooked!!! I wanted to know more about weightlifting, then I found your website. I learned so much, and was so convinced that now I walk straight through the “girlie side” and straight to the free weights to sweat and grunt with the big boys.

Your website gave a lot of confidence to change myself physically and mentally. After almost 5 months of training, I have seen dramatic changes in myself (I have shunned the dreaded freshmen fifteen), and believe me, I’m gonna keep going. My goal is to bench press 100lbs by the end of the semester (I’m currently at 75lbs.) And, I actually love it when I get stared at because I’m the only girl doing squats, it gives me more drive. Hehehe.

Thank you,

Cathy C.

PA

Even in Texas women have stumbled their way into the gym, and not for the purpose of delivering glasses of iced tea to their sweetie-pies. I am 45 years old, and have been lifting weights and watching my nutrition (not rigorously, but consistently) for about 8 months. In that time, I’ve gone from 29% body fat to 19% body fat, and have lost about 29 pounds overall (I’m 5’5″), now tipping the scales ever so gently at 133 lbs. (dress size – from size 12 to size 6). I do my best to adhere to scrupulous form, and a solid
controlled pace. I have just begun to incorporate your suggestions about varying the tempo of my workouts. It breaks up the monotony.

I really like the look on the guys faces when they see me executing my weight routine, slowly and with control and proper form. It’s like: “Hey – where’d you learn that?” Kinda makes their flailing arms and rapid-fire reps, not to mention the loud dropping of weights at the end, look kinda lame. I LIKE IT!

From one “feminist theorist” to another: ain’t it great to be a woman? I think so, and I feel and look better at 45 than I did at 25. It’s never too late to excavate your best body from beneath layers of enchiladas.

Emily Y.

Dallas, TX

p.s. My 76 year old mother-in-law is working out 3x/wk with her personal trainer (he works her ass hard, too!), and she looks and feels better than she ever has. Ain’t oxygen great?

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