Getting them to understand that gaining “bulky” muscle is just not an option without steroids for the vast majority of women is a major deal. I train a lot of females who are TRYING to get bigger and struggle. Women in the general population have a hard time believing that that’s possible. They’re convinced they’ll blow up to the size of Ronnie Coleman if they lift weights.

It’s a constant battle dealing with the stuff women have been taught to believe about their bodies!

“What they MEAN (without knowing it) is that they want to keep their muscles the same size and lose the fat that is covering them up.”

I’m not sure that’s what they mean. You insist that the proper contrasts are lean/fat and bulky/skinny. Now, you may be technically correct. In fact, I’m sure you are. But I think what people want is to be strong and skinny. That is, regardless of whether or not it is correct, they think of being lean in terms of having strong muscles which are not bulky, not in terms of having little fat. It’s not just that they want to lose the fat covering up their muscles, it’s that they want their muscles to get stronger without getting bigger. They think that there are two different ways muscles can develop: one that makes you bulky, and one that does not. Maybe the latter is impossible. But if it is, THAT’S what they need to hear.