Advice? Back Fat? Want to buy new dress.

I agree. My body tends towards muscular/sporty build and responds well to strength training.

Most days I do a lot of reps (usually 15 reps for 3 sets) with moderate weights. But I think a lot of women tend to use too little weight to get the results that they want for fear of "bulking". When I first started, I wouldn't take anything higher than the 8lb dumbbell and that's way too little weight for me for example; my PT got me to kick that belief to the curb and I'm glad. I use 12-25 lbs for my regular circuit days (15 reps x 3 sets usually) and then do a day or two of heavy lifting with lower reps. I also run 3-4x per week usually after weight training.

I'm a little crazy because I (for the most part) am in love with the gym and can easily spend 2 hours a day there since it's my social life (rural area and all lol).

The only way to "bulk up" is to eat more than you burn. Otherwise you are defying the law of thermodynamics. Muscle is metabolically active tissue that burns calories, so it's metabolically "expensive" to your body. The only way to "build" muscle is to have excess energy to do so, and you would need to be eating in excess for your body to have the energy to build it.

Now there are people whose muscles just tend to be naturally bigger than others, but you can handle that by a sufficient cutting cycle.

^^^I agree with what Janeen just said.

Emaebe- ok true, many people do use too small of weights. i am with you on that.

i just know that i can bulk up. you should have seen my traps in High school, because of my wide shoulders i looked like a linebacker. And when i was rowing in college i was bulky too, there is just no way for my body to look like a ballerina ;-(

But yes ladies shouldn't be afraid of lifting bigger weights. My trainer actually has me doing similar circuits.

I lift pretty damn heavy myself and I will never be "long and lithe" like I used to be unless I'm willing to only eat boiled chicken breast with a side of greens for every meal. I deadlift, use kettlebells, pullups what-have-you so I know what you mean. I am not built to have a tiny butt or a thigh gap and when I wear t-shirts people can tell that I'm not a weak person lol.

But.....if I were willing to cut back on my diet, I would most certainly become smaller. I'm just not really willing to sacrifice lol.

Oh I'll never look like a ballerina either! I have broad shoulders (it runs in the family... my cousin and I were talking about it on a run the other), and that's why being able to lift my arms above my head in this one shirt from Modcloth is such a win for me (see other post on feel good friday thread ). I just see people ask how to get in shape and I just seem to can't help but to shout about how much I love circuit/strength training lolol. I think I can get a little overexcited when I talk about it /facepalm.

I don't think you should freak out! You look gorgeous in it. But, if you're really worried, then @Promike is right...row machines are great for that! =)

You can't target where you'll lose fat. Everyone gains and loses differently in different places. I can do as much work on my back as I want, but I'll always lose in my hips and stomach first.

Janeen and Emaebe- i guess that was more of the point i was trying to make, you can't really generalize. And yes the two of you are also correct, you need to lift a decent amount of weights in order for it to be beneficial and in order to get bulky it would have to be a large amount of weight supplemented with the energy supply (which is what i was doing when i was in school).

RhnCasi419- I also don't think that is fat, but lifting some free weights can help give your back some definition.

Mrs. Temme!!!!! So gorgeous!! Yes, I am thinking of adding some kind of sleeves. I was thinking off the shoulder. I am having the bridal shop call Casablanca to see if they have material that will match so the seamstress can sew sleeves on! Exciting. I'm loving your long sleeves though!!! I think I am definitely altering the dress to have some sort of sleeves. The shop thinks I look fine in it too. I barely need any alterations except for a bustle and a hem depending on the heel I go with. Oh I so love your dress with the sleeves put on ... was it costly to do?

And I'd like to add I am overwhelmed with all the informative responses and votes of confidence.

Emaebe yes I have been circuit training for about a month. My problem is I like to eat. So, I think I'm getting "bulky" ... I'm going to keep up the circuit training and eat much cleaner and hope for the best. If all else fails, get sleeves to cover the area I'm not comfortable in. Circuit training burns cals and tones at same time, higher burn, faster cals. I'm so working on it. Sore as hell too. I have to tone down the eating. Seems like rowing wins out for the best way to target.

I think the alterations were $200-$300 but I don't remember exactly. I always wanted lace sleeves and couldn't find them anywhere. Here is the dress I bought initially, and a photo of me from the front. The seamstress added the sash, all the lace on the bodice and the gorgeous buttons up the back. She was so great I was able to totally design it myself and told her exactly where to cut things.

Make sure you have lace that is stretchy and soft.

If the dress is too snug, then of course skin is going to squish out the top or wherever it can go. Alterations can help! If there is any excess seam allowance in the side seams, it should be let out a reasonable amount (meaning just enough seam allowance should be left to keep the seams strong in that spot.) Just let out a bit at the top of the side seams & taper to the waist so that the waist still fits snug enough to stay up. Contrary to popular belief, your bust does not hold up a strapless dress; your waist & hips do. So as long as the waist is comfortably snug, the top can be let out without any fear of the dress falling.

IF letting the sides out causes the front/bust area to sit away from the chest more than you would like, then the bust seams (the ones that go down over "the girls") actually need to be taken in. But you cannot tell if this needs to be done until after the sides are let out. For dresses with a corset-back (if you would choose to have your zipper changed to corset), its just a matter of making sure the waist is pulled snug enough to hold the dress up, and then the top of the corset must be left loose enough to not squish the skin (ribbons pulled taut, but not tight, if that makes sense). Oh, and the bust issue still applies with a corset-back... If you have to pull a corset really tight at the top to keep the front/bust area from gaping open, then the back will end up too tight & there will be bulge -- bust seams need to come in.

It's easy for anyone to feel bad about themselves if they squeeze into the wrong size. You look beautiful & should not be too hard on yourself. Do not rule out alterations to help with the issue. I cannot promise you will look like a model in a wedding magazine (because every bump & wrinkle is airbrushed out), but you would be surprised the difference it can make. I always used to remind my brides, the dresses come off a factory line, our bodies do not. Alterations are needed to tailor the dress to YOU, not the other way around.

Oh, one last side-note... Not sure how your length is, but do NOT have a hem or bustle measured until AFTER any work is done to the bodice, and/or after any weight-loss. Any change in fit to the top WILL affect the length (the looser the dress, the lower it hangs; the tighter the dress, the shorter it hangs). Also if you ask the alterations people about letting the dress out to help with the skin bulge in the back, and if they say it won't help or isn't possible for any reason other than not enough seam allowance, find someone more experienced. If there's not enough seam allowance or the seam allowance is deeply clipped (hate when manufacturers do that), then sadly, letting out is not an option.

Edit: Holy cow, I just posted this & realized how long-winded I am... I have become my mother! Sorry bout the long post. But I hope the info is helpful.

You've got plenty of time. The back fat pic is at the end of December and the new pic is last weekend. Lost about 15 pounds and added straps. No more back fat

I am with you!!!! I have the same problem... I really want to add some sort of off-the-shoulder sleeve as well.. even bought a yard of matching satin to do it, but I am just nervous about doing it. My mom and sister keep telling me that it's fine, but I just think I'll feel uncomfortable without some coverage..

FH wants my hair down, so that will help with some coverage, but not enough to make me confident...

I love the sleeves you all have added to your dresses! Several different creative styles...

Wow Lawmom, what an amazing transformation! Whatever you did made all the difference ... I take it, working out/dieting, and tweaking your dress! I love it. And Jessica, you have a tiny frame and still there is "skin" at the back of your dress, which confirms that this is just what happens with strapless dresses ... ?? I too am loving all the sleeve additions here in this post. I want to see more! I am going to the dress shop today to learn more about what can be done. I would never attempt this myself. Not my wedding dress. Maybe some other dress - but not this one. Besides, I'm hearing if all you want are some off the shoulder sleeves, if not too elaborate, it is relatively inexpensive. Right now my bridal shop is waiting for a call back from the designer of the dress to see if they have any extra material in the color shade of the dress that they can sell to me. I am anxiously waiting to hear ... if they have any and if so how much?

I actually think you have a beautiful figure and wouldn't worry about it. Hop on Pinterest they have a lot of problem area specific workouts but you could maybe also ask your seamstress to change it to a corset back?