Cutting for a photoshoot, ADVICE!?

[GinaCaccess]

Hey, I'm a total newb to this forum!

I need some advice, I am doing a photoshoot in 4 weeks and I need to cut down a bit.
I am 5'3, 132lbs. My current bodyfat is at 14% and I am 24 years old. Been weight training since I was 17.

My normal diet is as follows:

I get in about 4 liters of water a day

10am Breakfast:
FiberOne Nonfat Yogurt w/ Tablespoon of Organic Flaxseed and Tablespoon of Nonfat Cottage cheese and 400mcg Chromium Picolate, 70mg Zinc, 400mg Magnesium,

Noon.. workout:
[stretch, start with 40 minute weight training; low weight (approx 70% max) & high reps (3 X 12 or 3 X 15). end with 35minute cardio done in 3 minute intervals from 5% incline (mid pace) to 3.5% incline (high pace, but not a sprint) OR 4 mile jog around the track w/ 3lb dumbells...end with stretches]

Post Workout Meal:
Small pouch of tuna fish (1.5 serving), 1/4 of a sweet potato (plain) with green tea (sweetened w/ stevia) and a B complex supplement

Lunch:
2 tilapia fillets (4oz each) seasoned with teaspoon olive oil, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and 2 cups of brussel sprouts steamed in reduced sodium beef broth

Snack:
approx 30g of carrot stix

Dance Practice... An hour of high impact hiphop madness.

Dinner:
Yay! Supplement time! Ugh...
1500mg Glucosamine w/ 1500mg MSM (3 giant pills that look like they should be taken rectally) 1000mg Vitamin C, and if I skipped the flaxseeds for breakfast I take a giant soft horsepill Omega3 and Omega9 Complex (DHA, EPA, CLA, MCT, GLA, ALA, LA, Oleic Acid and Vitamin E) .....DELICIOUS!

1 cup of Collard Greens(w/ hot sauce), 1/2 cup diced Butternut Squash, Half of a Boneless/Skinless Chikn Breast seasoned with liquid smoke, onions, garlic, pepper, and a dash of olive oil so it wont stick to the foreman grill.

Snack: (usually about 1.5 to 2hrs before I go to bed)
Half a bowl of homemade soup, but the bowl is a standard soup bowl, so I am unsure of the exact measurement...

I make the chicken stock out of bowling water and a frozen hen, a little olive oil, bay leaves, thyme. When the bird is cooked I debone it and then add in barley (a tablespoon of dry barley goes a long way!), lima beans, carrots, green beans, onion, garlic, some sea salt and cracked black pepper. This is my comfort food, cuz my diet makes me a little cranky at times, especially when I am PMSing (but thats when I sneak in a bar of Dove chocolate!!)

I need advice on how to drop some fat in 4 weeks. I am doing a photoshoot and I want to look my absolute best. I've read that I should lower my reps and omit the cardio, but that sounds nuts! I think my diet is pretty solid, but I might be over supplementing. Also, what are everyones' thoughts on Senna Tea cleansing for the few days prior to the shoot? What can I do to eliminate excess water weight? Ay yi yi, so many questions! Lol THANKS IN ADVANCE!

[DRMMRMN]

Hey, I'm a total newb to this forum!

I need some advice, I am doing a photoshoot in 4 weeks and I need to cut down a bit.
I am 5'3, 132lbs. My current bodyfat is at 14% and I am 24 years old. Been weight training since I was 17.

My normal diet is as follows:

10am Breakfast:
FiberOne Nonfat Yogurt w/ Tablespoon of Organic Flaxseed and Tablespoon of Nonfat Cottage cheese and 400mcg Chromium Picolate, 70mg Zinc, 400mg Magnesium,

Noon.. workout:
[stretch, start with 40 minute weight training; low weight (approx 70% max) & high reps (3 X 12 or 3 X 15). end with 35minute cardio done in 3 minute intervals from 5% incline (mid pace) to 3.5% incline (high pace, but not a sprint) OR 4 mile jog around the track w/ 3lb dumbells...end with stretches]

Post Workout Meal:
Small pouch of tuna fish (1.5 serving), 1/4 of a sweet potato (plain) with green tea (sweetened w/ stevia) and a B complex supplement

Lunch:
2 tilapia fillets (4oz each) seasoned with teaspoon olive oil, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and 2 cups of brussel sprouts steamed in reduced sodium beef broth

Snack:
approx 30g of carrot stix

Dance Practice... An hour of high impact hiphop madness.

Dinner:
Yay! Supplement time! Ugh...
1500mg Glucosamine w/ 1500mg MSM (3 giant pills that look like they should be taken rectally) 1000mg Vitamin C, and if I skipped the flaxseeds for breakfast I take a giant soft horsepill Omega3 and Omega9 Complex (DHA, EPA, CLA, MCT, GLA, ALA, LA, Oleic Acid and Vitamin E) .....DELICIOUS!

1 cup of Collard Greens(w/ hot sauce), 1/2 cup diced Butternut Squash, Half of a Boneless/Skinless Chikn Breast seasoned with liquid smoke, onions, garlic, pepper, and a dash of olive oil so it wont stick to the foreman grill.

Snack: (usually about 1.5 to 2hrs before I go to bed)
Half a bowl of homemade soup, but the bowl is a standard soup bowl, so I am unsure of the exact measurement...

I make the chicken stock out of bowling water and a frozen hen, a little olive oil, bay leaves, thyme. When the bird is cooked I debone it and then add in barley (a tablespoon of dry barley goes a long way!), lima beans, carrots, green beans, onion, garlic, some sea salt and cracked black pepper. This is my comfort food, cuz my diet makes me a little cranky at times, especially when I am PMSing (but thats when I sneak in a bar of Dove chocolate!!)

Cut back on sodium in your meals. Add BCAA's and you did not say you are drinking gallons of water. just my opinion good luck hope you reach your goal.

[GinaCaccess]

Cut back on sodium in your meals. Add BCAA's and you did not say you are drinking gallons of water. just my opinion good luck hope you reach your goal.

THANKS!
4 liters of water is what i consume, which is about a gallon and a half.
There is no sodium in my diet.... I eat reduced sodium cottage cheese and the only time i use salt is when i put sea salt in my homemade soup. I use one grinds worth (1/3 of a teaspoon) for a giant pot's worth of soup (about 5 hearty servings of soup)

i totally appreciate the super fast response, tho!
any more advice/tips? the meal i posted is what i normally eat... i wanna know what to eat to cut. i have fat girl genetics ;)

(i was over 200lbs all throughout grade school, so I have a lot of 'fat cells')

[GinaCaccess]

i would love for some opinions and tips

[imperfectly_lou]

i would love for some opinions and tips

I don't mean to be rude, but looking at your pics, there is no way you are 14% body fat. I would guess you are closer to 20-25% body fat. You have a really fantastic muscle base but quite a bit of overlying "fluff". The good news is, that gives you plenty to work with, but unfortunately not much time.

Why are you skimping on the weight training in favour of so much cardio? Why such tiny weights and high reps?

[Linds33]

You should be getting rid of cardio and lowering the reps/making the weights higher. If you are wanting to drop body fat you need to build muscle.

Your diet looks pretty good from what i can see, but it would be best to see what the nutritional breakdown is (calories, and macros).

[powerbarsssssss]

I don't mean to be rude, but looking at your pics, there is no way you are 14% body fat. I would guess you are closer to 20-25% body fat. You have a really fantastic muscle base but quite a bit of overlying "fluff". The good news is, that gives you plenty to work with, but unfortunately not much time.

Why are you skimping on the weight training in favour of so much cardio? Why such tiny weights and high reps?

Yeah, I'd have to say that is off. What did you use to determine your body fat? Most measurements are very inaccurate.
I'm the same height you are, 10 lbs lighter and nowhere near 14 % bodyfat. I'm not sure what condition you want to be in for your shoot, but many women spend ~5 months cutting down for a show. If you're looking to get that shredded, I would have to say you do not have enough time.

[Linds33]

Yeah, I'd have to say that is off. What did you use to determine your body fat? Most measurements are very inaccurate.
I'm the same height you are, 10 lbs lighter and nowhere near 14 % bodyfat. I'm not sure what condition you want to be in for your shoot, but many women spend ~5 months cutting down for a show. If you're looking to get that shredded, I would have to say you do not have enough time.

Agreed - I am the same height, and around 1120lbs now and probably at 20% bodyfat. When i get down to 112-115lbs i am at 17-18% bodyfat. It takes a lot of work to lean out and 4 weeks isn't enough time.

But again it all depends on the type of photoshoot you are doing.

[NOVA888]

Agreed - I am the same height, and around 1120lbs now

Well, you look damned good for weighing 1,120 pounds! :D

[norinicole]

First - what's your caloric intake? Macros? How are you going to diet down if you don't even know where to start?

Second - what kind of shoot? Do you need to be shredded? Or just no cellulite?

Third - heavy workouts combined with a little bit of HIIT should help you out. None of this 12 - 15 rep stuff. Aim for 6 - 10. And why the hell are you running with 3lbs dumbells? If you want to get more out of your run, do sprints, or some other form of cardio. That 6 extra pounds that you're carrying around doesn't make a difference.

I agree with other posters, you don't have enough time. Granted, if the shoot you're doing is for something more 'volumptuous', you might be okay. If it's a fitness shoot, there's no way you can get your bodyfat down low enough in a safe manner.

Edit: Don't worry about any "cleansing" **** for right before your shoot. It's not going to make any difference at your bodyfat level, and it's not necessary. Just like how a fat burner won't make a difference now either, it's going to be all in your diet.

[Linds33]

Well, you look damned good for weighing 1,120 pounds! :D

Oops...I mean 120lbs :p Don't know how that extra 1 got in there...but man if i was 1120 pounds i would hope that it would be all muscle!!!! ;)

[GinaCaccess]

I don't mean to be rude, but looking at your pics, there is no way you are 14% body fat. I would guess you are closer to 20-25% body fat. You have a really fantastic muscle base but quite a bit of overlying "fluff". The good news is, that gives you plenty to work with, but unfortunately not much time.

Why are you skimping on the weight training in favour of so much cardio? Why such tiny weights and high reps?

Youre not rude at all and thanks, im really trying to look right.

I got my bf % from a bf analyzing sensor built into a scale at the gym. Im guessin it was wrong, lol.
I do not get accurate results from calipers because of my body history.
I am sure there is a lot of fluff, but there is also a lot of loose skin... Its gross :(
I used to weigh over 205lbs all through my childhood (and im real short). There are plastic surgery options to remove the excess skin, buuuuut it is: 1. expensive 2. painful and 3. leaves nasty scars. im not down for that! im happy with just gettin the wings of armpit skin overhang photoshopped out ;)

I never intended to become muscular. I just wanted to lose weight and be a skinny for work, period; its why i stay faithful to the cardio. If I even skip two days of cardio, I gain a few pounds NO JOKE!!

I try not skimp on the weights. I'd say weight trainin takes up 55% of my daily workout and I use a weight that is 70% of what I can handle as a max weight (by max i mean, to where im screaming and shaking and can only do 1 set of 8). ie: leg press machine is set to 225lb, thigh abb/adductions on 110lb, tricep free weights at 10lbs, etc etc. I do skullcrashers, arnolds, deadlifts, 21s, preacher curls, leg press, lunges on a parkbench, squats, thigh adduct/abduct, captain chair, inclines curls, crunches w/ a 8lb medicine ball on a xcercise ball, tricep kickbacks,dips, the thingy with the rope for ur triceps, a few others i dunno the name for...lol, i mean...

Mon Wed Sat is for my delts(4 diff. workouts w freewights), triceps(3 diff workouts w/ free weights and 1 with cables), obliques (inclined bench), calves, and traps.

Tues Thurs is for my hammies, quads, inner/out thigh, hip flexors, and glutes

and Fri/Sun I hit my bi ceps and lower back, do some rows and then my bootcamp style full body blast routine til exhaustion.

generally, i work out around lunchtime and i start with weight training, end with cardio. 2 cardio sessions a day (2nd one of the day being dance class in the evening), but on sundays i skip the cardio altogether or do a light jazzercise. i gotta weight train before the cardio otherwise i ACTUALLY gain weight... gotta rid the muscles of sugar before the cardio fat burn can get to burning! (i use the 3lbs dumbells with my jog to burn more calories, but i hear it isnt a good idea)

I was fat for a long time and now I have a lot of fat cells. My genetics, while they do want me to be a fat girl, also have caused me to gain a fair share of bulk muscle. High weights, low reps make me huge like a linebacker. I already feel like i look like a bulldyke fresh from prison!!! All i need is the mullet ;) (jk!)

If I were really into being bulky, I'd be happy!! But I am not, I'm an actress, pop singer and a dancer. I was just signed to an indie label a few weeks ago and this upcoming photoshoot is for promotional photos for my album's first single. I know I'll never be a waif, but I want to atleast look sexy and fit. Image is everything!!!

Also, I just found out yeserday that my photoshoot was bumped up and now is only 2 weeks away.

I don't even know what I am going to do. These forums have helped me so much in the past but now it sounds like I'm pretty much going to have to eat a few handfulls of crystal meth and jog in a hamster wheel til the day of the shoot. (eww... im totally jk!)

Hmm, H.I.I.T...? I will research that... You guys on these forums are always so helpful!

I want to lose fat AND possibly a little bit of muscle, i need to look more like a dainty female for career advancement. i will be moving to LA in a few months and I hear everyone out there is 70lbs. Gross.

THANKS, GUYS!

[GinaCaccess]

First - what's your caloric intake? Macros? How are you going to diet down if you don't even know where to start?

Second - what kind of shoot? Do you need to be shredded? Or just no cellulite?

Third - heavy workouts combined with a little bit of HIIT should help you out. None of this 12 - 15 rep stuff. Aim for 6 - 10. And why the hell are you running with 3lbs dumbells? If you want to get more out of your run, do sprints, or some other form of cardio. That 6 extra pounds that you're carrying around doesn't make a difference.

I agree with other posters, you don't have enough time. Granted, if the shoot you're doing is for something more 'volumptuous', you might be okay. If it's a fitness shoot, there's no way you can get your bodyfat down low enough in a safe manner.

Edit: Don't worry about any "cleansing" **** for right before your shoot. It's not going to make any difference at your bodyfat level, and it's not necessary. Just like how a fat burner won't make a difference now either, it's going to be all in your diet.

are u serious?? a fat burner wouldnt help?
but yeah, the photoshoot has nothing to do with fitness but @ the same time, it really does. its for a music album cover and promotional flyers. much like the fitness community, the music industry wants you to look physically perfect before they are interested in anything about you. the attire for the shoot involves liquid latex...
liquid freakin latex.

being cut would be a good idea.

im eating about 1200 calories a day. sometimes 1320, if i snuck in a dove bar before bed.
198g of protein, 55g carbs (mostly fiber), and god i dont remember how much fat off the top of my head. my fat comes from flaxseeds and fish, so its all omegas. wtf is a macro?
forgive me for being not too hip on this stuff, im not really a fitness buff like all u guys but i dabble. im more interested in being "marketable" than anything.

[Linds33]

Wait... I am a little confused. You state that you don't lift heavy but you show your best deadlift at over 200lbs...That is a LOT for someone your size.

Fat burners are going to do nothing. They are usually just supplements that are full of caffeine and a bunch of other crap. All that is going to do is cause adrenal fatigue. Fat burners will do nothing if your diet is off.

If someone who knows how to measure your BF is using calipers they will be able to tell the difference between fat and skin. The caliper method is an artform almost so you need to ensure that the person measuring you knows what they are doing.

I am going to be 100% honest with you here and tell you that if you are wanting to become dainty and "skinny" you are probably looking for advice in the wrong place. Most women on here are looking to be "lean" which is totally different then skinny. Lean is someone who has a low BF % but has a lot of muscle (not bulky either). Skinny is someone who is going to have a higher bodyfat % but is just lucky that they carry it in a certain way that they look thin. Victoria's secret models probably have a higher bodyfat percentage then you would think (i would say most are around 18%). We all come on here for a different reason but i would say the majority of women come on here because they want to become lean mean lifting machines or they are looking to excel in a sport of compete in some form or another. Thus we may not be the best at giving advice on how to be "dainty" or "skinny". Personally, i don't allow those words in my vocabulary because i think that they have a negative connotation.

The reason why you think you are "bulking" is probably because your diet is off. It is VERY hard for a woman to gain a lot of muscle unless she has some assistance from illicit or questionable substances. I think the most they said women can gain with regards to muscle per year is like 7lbs and that is as a beginner. What was probably happening was that you were either retaining water or your diet was off and you were not loosing body fat. Or it could also be in your mind that you are "bulky". I have been lifting heavy on and off for almost 7 years and I have never gotten bulky or big. No it isn't my genetics either, i have a hard time loosing weight as well. When you build muscle you burn fat. Muscle is also a lot more dense then fat and it takes up less space. Most women who are lean but muscular are actually quite petite. I workout along side some of these women and see how petite they really are, but they can deadlift, squat and bench crazy amounts of weight.

I think that it is great that you dance, but you also have to remember that most dancers are muscular as well. Dance requires muscularity and even professional ballet dancers will have muscular legs (they don't have stick legs that's for sure contrary to what many people think). I danced for 14 years and can say that weight training has helped with my dancing skills and my ability to do complex dance moves. Look at fitness competitors. Those women are the ultimate dancers and what they do requires that they have a lot of muscle. Heck even pop stars like Britney and Christina in their prime weren't stick skinny, those girls pack on muscle in order to dance on stage like they did.

Take a look at britney in this picture:
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2007/09/09/amd_britneyspears_2.jpg
http://www.mtv.com/content/ontv/vma/2007/photo/flipbooks/britney-spears/vma-britney-spears_17.jpg

She may not be as muscular as i would want to be, but that girl is not "skinny" or "dainty".

As for moving to LA, not everyone is 70lbs there. You are going to get a lot of different people in LA from small startlets to bodybuilders. Keep in mind, bodybuilding started out at Gold's Gym in Venice beach. You will still see a TON of people working out at muscle beach and they are not 70lbs (maybe one of their biceps is 70lbs).

I used to think that image was everything too. Then i grew up and realized that what is most important is how you treat your body. Sure girls like Brittney looked great at one point, but now look at where they are. They didn't treat themselves right.

I would also caution you to get so caught up in the looks department. I have been there and done that it is is so detrimental it isn't even funny. You will drive yourself crazy (literally) and every time you may not get where you wanted to get, you are going to place all the blame on your looks. If yo uare in the music industry because you love music, focus on that. Sure it is important to an extent to look good, but if all you are worried about is looks, then yo uare going to forget about the art.

And macros are your macro nutrients so Carbs, fats and protein.

[Echo814]

There is something that I would like to point out about fat cells. You are born with a set number of fat cells and they can only increase in number twice in a woman's life, during puberty and pregnancy. They are a cell that does not divide as part of its life cycle, like nerve cells and brain cells. So yes, you may have more fats cells now then when you were a child, but they have not increased since, the only thing they are doing right now is increasing or decreasing in size. Your diet is what will determine what your fat cells will do, it's 80% of the equation.

[kimm4]

2 weeks isn't enough time to make any real changes.

Best of luck with your shoot.

[GinaCaccess]

Wait... I am a little confused. You state that you don't lift heavy but you show your best deadlift at over 200lbs...That is a LOT for someone your size.

Fat burners are going to do nothing. They are usually just supplements that are full of caffeine and a bunch of other crap. All that is going to do is cause adrenal fatigue. Fat burners will do nothing if your diet is off.

If someone who knows how to measure your BF is using calipers they will be able to tell the difference between fat and skin. The caliper method is an artform almost so you need to ensure that the person measuring you knows what they are doing.

I am going to be 100% honest with you here and tell you that if you are wanting to become dainty and "skinny" you are probably looking for advice in the wrong place. Most women on here are looking to be "lean" which is totally different then skinny. Lean is someone who has a low BF % but has a lot of muscle (not bulky either). Skinny is someone who is going to have a higher bodyfat % but is just lucky that they carry it in a certain way that they look thin. Victoria's secret models probably have a higher bodyfat percentage then you would think (i would say most are around 18%). We all come on here for a different reason but i would say the majority of women come on here because they want to become lean mean lifting machines or they are looking to excel in a sport of compete in some form or another. Thus we may not be the best at giving advice on how to be "dainty" or "skinny". Personally, i don't allow those words in my vocabulary because i think that they have a negative connotation.

The reason why you think you are "bulking" is probably because your diet is off. It is VERY hard for a woman to gain a lot of muscle unless she has some assistance from illicit or questionable substances. I think the most they said women can gain with regards to muscle per year is like 7lbs and that is as a beginner. What was probably happening was that you were either retaining water or your diet was off and you were not loosing body fat. Or it could also be in your mind that you are "bulky". I have been lifting heavy on and off for almost 7 years and I have never gotten bulky or big. No it isn't my genetics either, i have a hard time loosing weight as well. When you build muscle you burn fat. Muscle is also a lot more dense then fat and it takes up less space. Most women who are lean but muscular are actually quite petite. I workout along side some of these women and see how petite they really are, but they can deadlift, squat and bench crazy amounts of weight.

I think that it is great that you dance, but you also have to remember that most dancers are muscular as well. Dance requires muscularity and even professional ballet dancers will have muscular legs (they don't have stick legs that's for sure contrary to what many people think). I danced for 14 years and can say that weight training has helped with my dancing skills and my ability to do complex dance moves. Look at fitness competitors. Those women are the ultimate dancers and what they do requires that they have a lot of muscle. Heck even pop stars like Britney and Christina in their prime weren't stick skinny, those girls pack on muscle in order to dance on stage like they did.

She may not be as muscular as i would want to be, but that girl is not "skinny" or "dainty".

As for moving to LA, not everyone is 70lbs there. You are going to get a lot of different people in LA from small startlets to bodybuilders. Keep in mind, bodybuilding started out at Gold's Gym in Venice beach. You will still see a TON of people working out at muscle beach and they are not 70lbs (maybe one of their biceps is 70lbs).

I used to think that image was everything too. Then i grew up and realized that what is most important is how you treat your body. Sure girls like Brittney looked great at one point, but now look at where they are. They didn't treat themselves right.

I would also caution you to get so caught up in the looks department. I have been there and done that it is is so detrimental it isn't even funny. You will drive yourself crazy (literally) and every time you may not get where you wanted to get, you are going to place all the blame on your looks. If yo uare in the music industry because you love music, focus on that. Sure it is important to an extent to look good, but if all you are worried about is looks, then yo uare going to forget about the art.

And macros are your macro nutrients so Carbs, fats and protein.

i dont deadlift over 200lbs, i never said that...wait what? did my posts confuse anyone? i dont know where i stated 200lbs as a deadlift. I am struggling with the advice on these posts... i thought i made everything about myself and my routine/diet fairly clear. ????????

yikes i am sooo lost!!!

thanks for clarifying what macros were! wow i feel dumb lol


on ur point about art and music.... the two no longer coexist... if you dont believe me, try to get signed to a major label. Lady Gaga is a NYU and Julliard Honors graduate that plays classical piano... Her first album BOMBED!! She was only noticed when she went blonde, did techno, started going insane, and walked around naked. Its not about "oh wow, this person is talented" anymore... its about "wow this person is talented.. AND THEY ARE SOOO HOT!" :(

When I was fat i was ignored... I lost the weight and got a contract. Simple as that. My numerous writing awards and published poetry were meaningless. My college degree in literary arts meant diddly squat. My years at a performing arts academy meant nothing to anyone. How I look in a mini dress is all that matters... thats why I wanted advice from people in bodybuilding forums on how to get cut for short periods of time... I just want to look good in photos so people will actually pay attention to my work. My hard, hard work. It's a sick, sad world...but it is what it is. :(

I appreciate the words of wisdom and i guess you're right in so many ways...
how do i satisfy myself AND be successful is a community that only cares about the exterior? im already losing my mind.....

oh well.... maybe everything will work out in the end?






p.s. christina aguilera WAS stick...you could see her spine! and britney was cokehead lean... so jeez, i dont know what to say about that!

[powerbarsssssss]

i dont deadlift over 200lbs, i never said that...wait what? did my posts confuse anyone? i dont know where i statecd 200lbs as a deadlift, i only do leg press at 200 plus.

The lifting stats on your bodyspace claim:
Deadlift: 245 lbs
Squat: 294 lbs

Both are incredibly high for a female

[GinaCaccess]

The lifting stats on your bodyspace claim:
Deadlift: 245 lbs
Squat: 294 lbs

Both are incredibly high for a female

the deadlift sounds crazy high, i agree. the bodyspace told me to put in my usual rep weight and it calculated a max for me on its own. i dunno about the deadlift total but the squat is pretty accurate. i can squat enough weight where my shoulders get blood blisters from the weightbar (is that normal?)

i guess ill keep doing what im doing but jeez... ive been liftin for 8 years now... and in 2 weeks im going to look the same... maybe i shouldnt stress.

thanks you guys. seriously, i appreciate the advice.

ill post my photoshoot photos when they're done... hopefully they'll get photoshopped to look delicate. its just some bodybuilding females look so tiny and graceful, why do I have to be macho thick? frickin A :(

[kimm4]

It's not that you're macho thick, you just need to drop some body fat. Let's say you wanted to get down to 14-15% for a shoot. (Which I think would be realistic for this type of shoot.) With your stats right now, it would take you a good 8-12 weeks to get there. It's a very slow process when it comes to dropping body fat and it's all going to fall back on the right diet. I would focus on trying to get a little leaner for the future. This way when you have another shoot or event come up, you won't need as much time to have to prepare to get there.

[powerbarsssssss]

the deadlift sounds crazy high, i agree. the bodyspace told me to put in my usual rep weight and it calculated a max for me on its own. i dunno about the deadlift total but the squat is pretty accurate. i can squat enough weight where my shoulders get blood blisters from the weightbar (is that normal?)

i guess ill keep doing what im doing but jeez... ive been liftin for 8 years now... and in 2 weeks im going to look the same... maybe i shouldnt stress.

thanks you guys. seriously, i appreciate the advice.

ill post my photoshoot photos when they're done... hopefully they'll get photoshopped to look delicate. its just some bodybuilding females look so tiny and graceful, why do I have to be macho thick? frickin A :(

I only get those broken vessels on my shoulders when I do hack squats and calf extensions because the pads have seams on them. If you get those long cylindrical, seamless pads for the barbell squats, it shouldn't leave much of a mark. The highest I've squated so far is 195 lbs, so I can't really speak for the 200 range.

I don't think you see yourself very clearly. You don't look macho and thick, you are stressing about this way too much. Since this photoshoot is not a fitness shoot, you have nothing to worry about. Yes, your body fat is high, but it does not mean you are fat. I would imagine your stylist will know how to dress you in order to slim you down, which I don't really think is needed. You're thinner than the average American.