I'm afraid to do strength training and working with weights because every time I do it, I build muscle so fast that I bulk up. I don't like to look like a bulky person.

Question: should I just stick to 50 minutes on elliptical for a few months then slowly introduce my body to weights?

I think you are very lucky your body responds so well to weights. Can you afford to hire a personal trainer? Even if it's just for a couple weeks they could give you some help in toning muscle, but not bulking up. I would think if you lighten the weights you are using you will be happier with the results, but I am no proffesional in weight training. Hope this helps and best wishes.

Mucle burns calories, so although you may look bulky for a little bit you will burn more calories throughout the day and it will look better long term.

A personal trainer sounds like a great idea! I can afford a few sessions.:0) they're just so darn expensive . Thanks you guys for your help!

I hear that less weight, more reps is the way to go. I wish I built muscle fast. Maybe build your muscle then just maintain it - especially if youve got the motivation right now!

Thanks checkyes! You are so right. Less weight and more reps I shall do!!

I'd stick to high reps but lifting weights has been the key (for me) to avoiding droopy excess skin everywhere. Muscle beats empty skin any day. Consider yourself lucky!

You will probably be less bulky when you lose fat, but what about more ballet and pilates style training rather than heavy weight lifting? It gives you tone and strength and maintains your muscle, but not bulk.

Personally, I really didnt want a muscular look, would much more prefer to be long and lean, and I stuck with running. I can out-squat and out-lunge anybody, I can do man style pushups and lift my own body weight so I am not weak and flabby and non muscled, but I have tone because I dont have a lot of fat covering my muscles (so you can see nice feminine shape) but I dont have any bulk. Suits me, especially since if I were a man, I suspect I'd be what they call a "hard gainer" anyhow, I just dont build muscle.

People bang on and on about how you must build muscle to have a healthy metabolism and yes, that's true, but I can eat whatever I want without gaining, I lost weight on a good 1500 calories per day and I now maintain a BMI of 20 with mainly just running and eating what I want so how much better can it really get? I dont think I need to feel guilty for not huffing and puffing over 40kg barbells.