Which workout I do doesn't seem to matter...

[daisyduke]

I switch up my workouts after a few weeks. It doesn't matter what I seem to do my body still looks pretty similar. Heavy weights did make me a bit bigger but other than that it doesn't seem to matter if I do yoga and walk, firms, insanity, p90x, tracy anderson... I always look very similar.

My diet always remains the same. . I follow ww. I guess this is why? I refuse to eat egg whites and chicken for every meal.

is it similar for you?

Thanks in advance for chiming in.

[Breezy Trousers]

Yes! You're not alone! I posted on another thread that my body basically looks the same no matter what workout I do. I quit working out for months last fall and was amazed at how little my body changed aesthetically. I lost more than one size, too. (I'm a muscular endo.) If I switch things up, I might notice some change, but it's probably not noticeable to anyone else.

For me, exercise is mostly about health, not results. If I want results, I have to focus on food intake because my results are related to lowering body fat.

[superfit41]

I'm the same way. I did Firm AWT for years, then tried some heavier weight training ( Cathe, CLX). That was a short phase. Then back to the Firm, and workouts like Slim Series, Jari Love, etc. thrown in. In the past 2 years or so I have been doing barre work. I love barre3, P57, Ellen, Core Fusion, Suzanne Bowen. Still doing my Firms as well. I have also added in yoga once or twice a week. I have always done cardio on a regular basis. After all these years my physique has not changed much at all. I don't know the definition for my body type, I am pear shaped, and I don't put on muscle easily. One thing I have been able to do is maintain my weight within 1 to 2lbs for years now. I am 51.
Sherry

[Demeris]

Do you mean that you can't see muscle development in your limbs or torso?

I'm not sure what you mean, exactly, when you write that you 'look the same.' Are you trying to lift up your rear or whittle your waist? Or is it a more muscled look that you're going for?

[imhere2dance]

I build muscle easily, even though I use 3 pound weights. I think your body type has a lot to do with how you look. Since everything you do delivers the same results, at least you can focus on the workouts you do enjoy.

[wishiwasinhawaii]

I feel like once you get to a certain age, exercise doesn't change appearance much. I've tried different workouts too and don't see much difference in how I look, but I DO notice a difference in how I feel and in strength. I'm almost done with a rotation of P90X3 and the strength gains are amazing. For example, I started in January and before that I could not lift a case of bottled water and had to bring a friend to help or ask someone in the store. Now I can lift it myself. To me, being able to do such things is more important than anything.

[buffmama]

Originally Posted by wishiwasinhawaii

I feel like once you get to a certain age, exercise doesn't change appearance much. I've tried different workouts too and don't see much difference in how I look, but I DO notice a difference in how I feel and in strength. .

This is true for me as well. Huge strength differences based on what I'm doing but to the outside world I look the same.

[superfit41]

Originally Posted by imhere2dance

I build muscle easily, even though I use 3 pound weights. I think your body type has a lot to do with how you look. Since everything you do delivers the same results, at least you can focus on the workouts you do enjoy.

I agree with this. Body type and genetics play a key role.

[bubbles76]

I notice a substantial difference when I switch to different forms of exercise. When I started doing more plyo, my legs started looking fantastic! Also, when I did more pushups, my arms were more defined. I guess I need more bodyweight type exercises than I thought.

I am another that does not build muscle easily. I wish . It seems that no matter where you turn, women are afraid to bulk but I could REALLY use some bulk and definition

[JulieIL]

I'm also curious about what you mean by looking the same.

I agree that genetics limit major changes, even as muscles can alter your shape. For example, I will literally never have long, willowy legs- even my leg bones are thick, & objectively my inseam in shorter than average for a female. But when I stopped lifting heavier weights & doing extreme workout, opting instead for TA & floor- type work, I did alter my silhouette, with my legs appearing longer without disproportionately bigger muscles ( for me, quads), & my waist appearing smaller without as much underlying muscle. My true skeletal frame is more apparent, instead of the muscles that I develop easily ( for me, quads). But if I measure my legs, of course they are the same length, though they give the illusion of being longer.

I've experimented by adding weights & increasing exercises to work the areas that I want to get bigger ( for me, the bum). I limit weights that work the quads, just the bum and hamstrings for me. For abs, I focus on straight-on upward abs, instead of the obliques on the side, as I prefer the look if a cinched waist. I work the pecs to keep the girls perky. So in brief, I only add weights or use more repetition to the areas I want bigger. This works for me right now because I have a good amount of natural muscle, & I'm working with my natural body shape type ( hourglass).

Just curious, what are your aesthetic goals?

Julie