Chic (115-135 lbs) Transformation Guide: How Lean Women Build an Athletic Look

A lean woman at 115 to 135 pounds builds a more athletic look by lifting four days a week on an upper/lower split, eating 1,600 to 1,900 calories, and getting 105 to 125 grams of protein daily. This is a recomposition. Eat near maintenance, chase strength on your main lifts, and judge progress by photos and measurements.

This article is general education, not medical advice.

Who is the Chic archetype?

You weigh 115 to 135 pounds and have an hourglass, pear or inverted triangle shape. You probably have some muscle already and have trained before. People tell you that you look great, but you want more shape in your shoulders, back and glutes, and you want to be strong as well as small.

The common trap is chasing a lower and lower body fat number. At this size, more dieting usually makes you smaller and flatter. More muscle is what changes your shape.

How many calories and how much protein?

• Calories: 1,600 to 1,900 a day, which is maintenance to about 200 below.
• Protein: 105 to 125 grams a day, spread over three or four meals.
• Carbs: about 180 to 230 grams, with most of them around training. My maintenance starting point is about 2 grams of carbs per pound, and for a recomp I set it a little under that.
• Fat: about 45 to 60 grams.

A review of resistance training studies found that extra protein helped muscle gains up to about 1.6 g per kg a day, and these targets sit at or above that (Morton et al., 2018).

What does a week of training look like?

• Monday: upper strength
• Tuesday: lower strength
• Thursday: upper volume
• Friday: lower volume
• Saturday: optional 30 to 45 minute walk and mobility

What are the main lifts?

Monday, upper strength: barbell bench press 4 x 6-8, bent-over row 4 x 6-8, seated dumbbell overhead press 4 x 8-10, pull-ups or lat pulldown 3 x 6-8, face pulls 3 x 15-20.

Tuesday, lower strength: back squat 4 x 6-8, Romanian deadlift 4 x 8-10, hip thrust 4 x 8-10, leg press 3 x 10-12, standing calf raise 4 x 12-15.

Thursday, upper volume: incline dumbbell press 4 x 10-12, single-arm dumbbell row 4 x 10-12 per side, lateral raises 4 x 15-20, rear delt fly 4 x 15-20, curls and overhead triceps extensions 3 x 12-15.

Friday, lower volume: Bulgarian split squat 3 x 10 each leg, hip thrust 3 x 12-15, leg curl 3 x 12-15, cable kickback 3 x 15 each leg, walking lunges 2 x 20 steps.

When you hit the top of a rep range on every set, add a little weight next time. For more glute detail, read glute training by body type.

What should you expect at month 1, 2 and 3?

• Month 1: your lifts go up. The scale and mirror barely move.
• Month 2: shoulders look rounder, glutes look fuller, and your waist may look tighter.
• Month 3: you look like you train on purpose. The scale may be the same, so use photos and a tape measure.

What strength goals mean you are doing it right?

Good long-term targets: bench press about 0.8 times body weight for 5 reps, barbell row about body weight for 8, squat about 1.25 times body weight for 8, hip thrust about 1.5 times body weight for 10, and 5 to 8 pull-ups. These are goals to work toward over a year or more, not week-one numbers.

Is this plan right for you?

If you are 115 to 135 pounds, have trained before and want more shape and strength, yes. If you are newer to lifting and under 115 pounds, see the Archetype Matrix overview to find your guide. If you are 135 to 160, use the Slim guide.

What is the next step?

Take the XPL quiz to confirm your archetype, check coaching options and pricing, or see the services page.

Written by Zavier King, personal trainer in Houston and online coach at XPL. ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Nutrition Coach.