There’s 10 years between these photos. First photo is before (2016) second photo is after (2026). I’d also like to acknowledge that I know my poses are completely different, but my body composition has changed completely.

So here’s 10 reasons why I believe more people should get into powerlifting! I worked out consistently, but with no real direction pretty much my entire adult life. I started consistently powerlifting 3 1/2 years ago and have loved the journey both physically, and mentally.

**1. You get hot**
I’m 31 and genuinely look hotter now than I did at 21. Never thought I’d be entering my hot girl era a decade late, but here we are. The ass is assing and the abs are trying.

**2. It’s cheaper than some forms of therapy**
(Not a replacement for therapy, don’t yell at me) But sometimes you really do just need to pick up something heavy and let your emotions flow. Easier done at a home gym, so you can cry 😂

**3. Nervous system regulation**
Learning how to breathe, brace, and stay calm under physical stress has DEFINITELY helped me handle stress outside the gym. It turns out there’s a difference between being uncomfortable and being in danger.

**4. There are massive health benefits beyond looking hot**
More muscle, better strength, improved insulin sensitivity, and better functional capacity as you age. Your future self is going to be pretty fucking grateful you started lifting instead of just sitting around waiting for your back to hurt.

**5. You can stop hating your body so much**
This was very personal for me. But at some point, I started appreciating my body for what it can do instead of just how it looks. Functional strength is so cool. I’m 5’2” and I can easily throw around bit shit now.

**6. You realize you’re capable of way more than you thought**
There’s something about picking up a weight you were previously convinced would crush you that makes everyday problems feel just a little less intimidating.

**7. Your bones need you to lift heavy, ladies!!**
Building and maintaining bone mineral density is especially important for women. Peak bone mass is largely built earlier in life, so what you do in your 20s and 30s actually matters. Heavy and consistent resistance training helps support bone health and reduce the risk of losing bone as you age. Strong bones, strong muscles, strong ass, forever.

**8. You learn patience**
Progress is slow, inconsistent, and occasionally makes absolutely nooooo sense. You can do everything right and still have a shitty training day. You accept it and try again next session.

**9. You get really good at being uncomfortable**
Heavy squats suck ass. Hard conversations suck. Life sucks sometimes… Learning that discomfort doesn’t automatically mean “panic” has been a very valuable lesson for me.

**10. You realize just how deep mental and physical health are connected**
This has honestly been the biggest one for me. Powerlifting has helped me regulate my nervous system, feel more connected to my body, and understand myself in ways I didn’t expect. I originally got into it for physical reasons, but the mental benefits have been just as significant.

Go get jacked and regulate your nervous system 🖤🖤

So I absolutely HATE lat pull downs being short. I hate rows... just because.

This year though, I've been doing intense Vinyasa Yoga 3 times a week which includes lots of push up variations, as well as bouldering 1-2 times a week and I love it! I also do reformer pilates, and deliberately put my springs up on upper body (always letting the instructor know).

My posture has improved tenfold and my results are so much better than when I was forcing myself to do an excersise I literally hated. Obviously there's value in pushing yourself to do things in the gym you don't prefer, but it goes to show that there's always ways to achieve results, without having to gruel through the standard plan.

EDIT: So my post has been reported multiple times due to my weight! For the record, I was lighter than this before I started training - not due to restricting, just having a mad high step count for work and being addicted to nicotine.

Fitness has helped me eat better, quit smoking, and make gains as I am far more conscientious about my diet and protein intake. I ate in a surplus to get these results and I do not have an ED!!!!!

I can do two pull ups (maybe 1.5?) with the red band which is the thinnest I have! Small win but happy about it. This video was after several chin up reps so you see me switching the hand grip. I've been doing more negatives to build strength as recommended here before.

Hi all! Want to clarify the timelines for both pictures. The first picture is the difference between last September/October 2025 to this October 2026. The second picture is the difference between April 2026 and October 2026.

I posted a little bit ago but wanted to update with a body scan before and after picture! My most current routine that I’ve been doing is lifting, lagree, mat Pilates, and daily steps (no dedicated cardio since I haven’t figured out if cardio ruining gains is a myth or not lol). Now that weight loss is no longer the goal, I’m looking forward to lowering my body fat percentage. I want to get to maybe 20-25% body fat. I’m curious if anybody has experience with lowering body fat and maintaining the same weight range? I’ve been told that cutting/bulking cycles are better than attempting body recomp but would love to hear from seasoned fitness experts lol.

My grandma was like a third parent to us as she lived with us for well over 20 years. So her loss has been really difficult.

I’ve gone through grief for extended family before but it truly hits different when it’s someone who lives in the same home as you. I was really struggling. Lost all the progress I made from January-July in a matter of months.

It was honestly almost 90 days since my last weightlifting session. I felt so disoriented during the last few weeks of her life, and even this week I’ve been feeling so numb and lethargic and stuck in the house. Haven’t been able to do anything but the bare minimum. I mostly felt stuck in my head and home.

I’m really glad I managed to muster up the energy to go to the gym and get a brief lifting session in. I’ve become a lot more weak in the time off but I hope to rebuild my strength and use lifting as a way to heal and cope with grief. I hope I can find more energy to get more lifts in this month, while giving myself grace of course.

26F, 5'4, 155lbs

My FIL is such an asshole.

Context: Last 6 months I've been lifting and did an (accidental) bulk after 10 years of an on/off restricive ED. I'm now trying to lose fat in a healthy way.
I have had so many problems with him nitpicking everything I do and literally picking on me for 2 years. Everything I do.
I'm cooking? "You should make it like this". I'm cleaning? "You should clean it this way". I'm meal planning? "You don't need all that protein". I got bed ridden from an illness for about a month? "So you haven't worked out in almost a month, you're not trying. Have you seen yourself lately?".

What happened tonight: He KNOWS I have a restrictive ED history. But tonight he said "Have you seen yourself lately? You haven't been going to the gym; you don't even need all of that protein because you're not using it". Mind you, this week I JUST got back into the gym after my illness, so I've been back to meal planning again. I'm only aiming for 115g of protein now instead of my bodyweight in protein since I'm not bulking anymore...which, while it still above normal intake, is a good intake for weight loss while lifting to preserve muscle on a WOMAN.

What I've tried: I ALWAYS tell him that muscle gain and weight loss is different for WOMEN. We have a monthly cycle which preserves more water weight at times, or makes us bloat other times, or makes us ravenous/crave like a man could never imagine. It is SO much harder for us to both gain muscle and lose fat - of course I have to be meticulous and do things differently than he does. But he's a narcissist and thinks his way is the only way because he can't see outside of his own self or educate himself on other people.

YES I need all that protein.
YES I need to lift when losing fat.
YES I allow myself a treat here and there because I'm a human.
YES I need to weight my food out because it's different for women and we can't just eat whatever we want and lose weight, especially when we are SHORT (dramatic because I'm angry, I know)

I'm literally crying in my room because a grown as man bullies me when I'm finally trying to be healthy. It's almost weekly. I have until January for us to move out. His comments made me almost slip back into that unhealthy restrictive mindset but I am trying so hard to power through those thoughts and keeping my eye on the prize - the healthy prize.

Just a vent I guess more than anything.

Very happy with where I’m at and I’m excited to keep gaining more muscle! I’m still working out at home with adjustable dumbbells, although i haven’t done anything in a few months due to life problems (school, work, family issues), I’m at least SOMEWHAT? Active at work, being a barista and lifting the heavier stuff for my coworkers…….

•

Nonstop being on my feet the whole shift, especially since it’s at an amusement park (love/hate the job), but other than that I’ve been struggling to eat frequently again due to my depression coming back (it’s the family problems), i already struggle with hunger cues to begin with but now it’s completely nonexistent and I have to force myself to have at least SOMETHING to eat, so far it’s been one meal and snacks throughout the day, I refuse to count calories since I used to struggle with anorexia and refuse to go on a cut because of that, I’m happy at my bodyfat level now.

I (5’2” in my 40s and have a hard time gaining muscle but have been lifting weights for years ) have been trying to intentionally bulk for the last 2 months or so after doing a long slow cut. I had cut from 130 to 112. It took me a little over a year. After that I was around maintenance for 4 months. The weight crept up over the next 7 months or so and my set point was around 118. I then decided to bulk to grow my glutes and my weight has hit 122/123. I do feel fluffier but it’s managable but I’m at the max body fat that I feel comfortable with. I know I couldn’t have put on much muscle in 2 months but I’m not sure how to proceed. Should I just hover around 120 and recomp and then do a cut? How long should I recomp for. I already miss having a tiny waist :/ I just want to be at a composition where I can maintain for a long time

I wish I could flair this unintentional consequences of fitness.

The past 18 months I have really locked in on my fitness. I have lost a ton of weight and put on a ton of muscle. I am so proud of myself and love my body for the first time. I am especially proud of the upper body strength I have gained.

But.

The other day I was lifting in a tank top and notice hair in my armpit which was weird because I had shaved the day before. Imagine my horror when I got home and realized I had a patch in each armpit of hairs at least an inch long. I tried to get in there with my razor and it was basically impossible, I swear I almost dislocated my shoulder. I’m not even that jacked but do think I have deep armpits now, a situation I had never considered previously.

What do people do? Am I condemned to some sort of laser/wax situation now? Is there a certain kind of razor that people use? Am I just unfortunately shaped?

I need alot of help figuring out what to do. I have TOS and have had multiples surgeries. March 2026 i had my last surgery that has made me disabled. It affects my right shoulder/arm and neck.

I am the biggest I have ever been. I usually was around 170 by walking more but now I cannot exercise at all. I know calorie deficit would be the best but I don’t even know how to begin. I can’t cook anymore so I have to rely on fast food/quick food .

Can anyone offer me any advice? I want to try GLP but my labs are great even though I am obese.

Thanks for reading this far.

Waking up and not hitting the snooze button is my biggest struggle.
Go to bed early, still slapping that snooze.
Phone in another room, I pick it up and change the time and go back to sleep.
Traditional alarm clocks, the sunrise alarm clock, nothing has worked.
I eat well and I have my workouts written out.
I prep EVERYTHING the night before, lay out clothes, have my drink ready, etc.

What have y’all found that helps you wake up and STAY awake??
I’ll take all the suggestions- the crazier the better because it will probably work!

I’m holding on to AM workouts before my house wakes up as it’s the only time it’s just ME.
I’m a SAHM with a special needs son so workouts during the day are not possible. Incorporating him into my work outs is not a compromise, we’ve tried and it’s just a no. I end up spending more time on him and more stressed than before.
My husband travels a lot for work and while he is more than willing to take over parenting when he’s home, he’s also not home a lot so I’d like to be able to schedule and not move it.

For context, I am not overweight by any means (I am 5'4 & 56kg), but I have put on 4-5kg over the past few years. It happens, I know, but I cannot tell you how many times I have sworn to try to make a change then ended up not really sticking to it. I am very active (10-15k steps a day), I'm on my feet a lot for work (work as a pilates teacher + in the wellness industry) and I prioritise my workouts etc. I eat healthily, maybe sometimes too much of a 'healthy' thing (e.g. peanut butter) and I also don't want to be too hard on myself like if I want a cappuccino, I'm going to have that and not a black coffee 😂 But I had this thought recently, that I do not want to constantly be coming back to this of not feeling good in my skin, wishing myself to lose the weight and then just staying in this cycle. I know for a fact I thought the exact same thing last year, and probably the year before that too. I am tired of feeling this way and I’d love to hear from people who have been in a similar position, especially those who weren’t significantly overweight but wanted to lose a few kilos and feel more comfortable in their bodies. What was it for you that truly made you stick to losing weight? Was it weekly weigh ins, tracking your calories, saying no sometimes to social occassions? I'm just feeling deflated but I really don't want Christmas to come around this year and to not feel confident in my skin...

How to lock tf in?

I used to be an elite swimmer working out 6 days a week 2 days with double practices 11 months out of the year. I did that for 6yrs of my life. Super disciplined.

I'm now 25, I have a freelance film/photo job that works often at odd times (could be 5am 15hr day, a midday 2hr day, or a 6hr evening day ending at 3am). Between I lift weights (midday) and am on a masters swim team (pracs evenings).

My issue is nutrition and working out. On a good week or month with less work or more predictable work I can workout and cook. But when things get busy and my days/nights are unpredictable and I'm having to miss swim pracs or don't have time to go to the gym, I'm stuck ordering in late night food, getting hungry at odd hours, and sometimes going a whole week without working out.

Issue is too I live in NYC and in a place where it takes forever to get anywhere via the subway (I live in deep Brooklyn, 48mins -1+hr to get to places). I have acquired a lazy mindset and frequently lethargic. It sucks that it takes 30mins to get to the gym and 1h15m to get to swim practice. Or just 48mins min to get anywhere I wanna go via subway (adds up quick)

Before I'd feel super guilty not working out and would shift my work around being able to workout, but with this economy and my promotion in my work I'm prioritizing working and scheduling my gigs first.

I have a hard time sticking to eating certain food cuz I get bored easily and will end up picking something out to eat on the go (cava, chipotle, lox bagel, etc).

I would love to get back to working out in the mornings for the gym and the swim in the evenings (pracs are 7-8:30pm). The issue is inalso don't want to get tired at 10pm cuz my work sometimes goes past midnight and I cannot be tired then.

Anyone have any tips for a crazy schedule.

I do pet care for extra cash. Today, I arrived at my housesit, and as I was getting out of my car and grabbing my backpack and other bags (clothes, food), a car drove past. It is still 90 degrees where I am, so I am in workout attire constantly, which for me is shorts and sports bra.

As the passenger in the car rolled down their window, I unconsciously got ready to hear a cat call, and instead I heard a woman say “YOU LOOK SO STRONG!!!”

Made my day. Women supporting women FTW. Thank you kind stranger.

Hi! I think my legs/glutes could use more volume. I have been training for some time. Here is what my leg days look like now (I want to focus on glutes)

A: squats, hip thrusts, bulgarians, kickbacks and abductions
B: hip thrusts, rdl, step ups, hamstring curls & kickbacks

Are there any exercises I could do more? (RDL’s, abductions?) ladies who also do 3 leg days, what do yours look like?

Hey all, I was gifted an ab workout machine and was wondering if anyone uses one? I used it a couple times an experience lower back pain. I make sure my back is straight and tuck in my core but still feel back pain.

Any tips welcomed!

I used to workout 6x times a week but after corporate life I have stopped working out even 2x a week and it's been a year. I bought gym membership recently like it's been 2 months but I just can't happen to step in the gym. And it's eating me because when I'm busy, i think of workout but when I'm not, i just procrastinate. Someone pls help😭🙏🏻 (I'm 5'1 and 49kgs but can't do a pullup/pushup anymore)

Hey, i've recently decided that i really gotta get my health in shape and take it seriously, i used to be an active gym goer earlier this year and last year, but i stopped for a few months due to mental health. I recently decided im gonna start back last month, but i wasnt able to be consistent. I haven't been able to go to the gym everyday for a week. (the program im following) I just feel so bad. this week we were going on strong with gym consistency, but i had a panic attack a few hours ago and it left me completely drained of doing anything in the morning. may I preface that i go to the gym in the morning, it's something that works for me. as i am a college student, i have a really late schedule and by the time im home, i want to do my homework and pass out lol. i just want to focus on building muscles and lose some fat here and there. no more unhealthy body images and im fixing my relationship with food 🦧. sorry if this rant is all over the place, well, its a rant of course. there's no rules to ranting

Title: Struggling with weight loss for 2 years — PMS cravings and constant exhaustion are making it impossible. Any advice?

I've been trying to lose weight for almost two years now, and I'm honestly so frustrated and exhausted.

For the first two weeks after my period, I'm doing great. I can stick to my calorie deficit, control my cravings, and stay consistent. But then the two demon weeks before my next period hit, and it's like I become a completely different person. 😭 I feel constantly hungry, crave everything, and end up eating anything in sight. It completely throws off the progress I've made.

I've also been going to the gym regularly and recently started walking at least 8,000 steps every day. But trying to balance all of this with a full-time office job is taking such a toll on me. By the time I'm home, I'm too exhausted to cook, meal prep, or do anything productive. All I want to do is sleep.

For context, I'm 5'3". Last year, I managed to get down to 176 lbs, but I've since gained about 20 lbs back, which is really discouraging.

I genuinely want to lose weight and build healthier habits, but I feel like I'm constantly fighting my own body. I can be disciplined for half the month, but the other half feels almost impossible.

Has anyone else struggled with intense PMS hunger, cravings, and exhaustion while trying to lose weight? How do you manage your calorie deficit throughout your cycle without completely burning yourself out?

I'd really appreciate advice from anyone who's been through something similar. ❤️

Hi! I have been trying to get smith machine Bulgarian Split Squads and Cable Step Ups right for a very long time, but I just can’t seem to feel them in my glutes. I tried Reverse Lunges on the smith today and I finally felt my glutes! I do 2-3 leg days a week. Can I do Reverse Lunges as a unilateral movement all 3 days or do I need to alternate and keep trying with the BSS and Step ups? Do they all target the same muscle of the glutes as long as I lean forward? What would you recommend?

I'm 31, 5'1" (154 cm), and around 97 lbs (44 kg)

I was in a calorie deficit last year and recently transitioned back to maintenance. I've been eating around 1,500-1,600 calories a day, but I'm curious how much everyone else is eating!

I'm pretty active, usually walking 8k-10k steps a day and working out 5-6 times a week (running, HIIT, and strength training).

Since I've only recently returned to normal eating and have also increased my activity level, I'm still figuring out my actual maintenance calories.

Would love to hear from other petite girls! What's your height, weight, activity level, and daily maintenance intake?

I want to find my maintenance calories so I can pick the best deficit I could stick to lose fat while further developing muscle to lean out some more and get stronger. I've been trying to traxk 1500 a day for the past 2-3 months and haven't seen any progress on the scale. I see this community and often wonder how other women around my height can weigh as little as under 120lbs because I can't picture being that small and wonder if it's even possible for me to do that while still lifting heavy but I want o try.

I'm 5'1 around 137lbs, I do Crossfit 5x (which includes weight lifitng, calisthenics and cardio) a week and average 15k steps daily (inluding on my incline treadmill, walking and marches). I lost 100lbs between 2018-2019 and have been maintaining that since but I want to get leaner, any advice?

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I'm 18F, 5 feet tall and weigh 52 kg. I'm a complete beginner and want to start working out at home. Is it possible without any equipment?

My goals are to: Get a flatter-looking stomach. Build stronger, more toned legs and arms. Improve my overall fitness and stay active.

My mom won't allow me to go to the gym so can you please recommend some useful home workouts? Any YouTube workout routine you would recommend?

I'm 5'0, 90 pounds and i don't actually know what my maintenance calories are. been doing 1400 for about two weeks now and i think im gaining actually so i have no idea, even though im quite active and strength train 4x a week. being short is rough.

so whats your maintenance calories?