Goal: To get lean!

Options
cherriblizz
cherriblizz Posts: 10 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I am a 25F, 5’3”, 120lbs (skinny fat) and I’m not looking to lose lbs but to tone up and be able to see muscle definition. I just recently started getting back into the gym after not having gone in over a year.

I’ve given myself a 1700 calorie limit and my goals for my macros are 50%C/20%F/30%P. I work out 5x a week weightlifting for 30 minutes a day rotating legs, biceps/back, triceps/chest, abs, legs.

Is this a good beginner regimen? I don’t do cardio because I absolutely hate it. Is it necessary to do cardio? Will I still see results without it, just at a slower rate? Are my calorie and macro goals realistic for my end goal? Any tips are greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    edited May 2017
    Options
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    If you're doing a workout routine which is random or something you made up yourself, you would be better off doing a well-designed beginner program such as one of the ones listed in the first post of this thread: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options
    Pictures would be useful to gauge if you are actually skinny fat - it's a term used by a lot of people but most people are just 'normal' and want to be leaner.

    Recomp is a good idea either way.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Options
    My 2 cents -- your calories seem like you would be in a deficit, not maintainance and protein seems a bit low for your goal. I agree that a more structured program would be a good starting point.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    Options
    nowine4me wrote: »
    My 2 cents -- your calories seem like you would be in a deficit, not maintainance and protein seems a bit low for your goal. I agree that a more structured program would be a good starting point.

    At her current calorie intake, 30% is 127.5g of protein, which is actually a little more than 1g/lb bodyweight. That sounds pretty reasonable to me.

    I do agree that she may be able to up the calorie intake a bit though - according to Scooby's calculator her TDEE (given her current stats and activity level) is somewhere around 1953 calories. Since OP didn't specify if she's currently losing or gaining weight, that would probably be a good place to start and tweak it from there according to what's happening with her weight trend.
  • lady_ghost
    lady_ghost Posts: 175 Member
    Options
    You need more calories but other than that ur on the right track.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Options
    You haven't given any training details (exercises, volume etc...) but no that's unlikely to be a good routine for a beginner.
    Most people would advise full body 3 times a week concentrating on compound lifts. You are only hitting each group once a week. As a beginner you will probably see progress doing almost anything but unlikely to anywhere as good progress as a properly structured routine.

    I don’t do cardio because I absolutely hate it. Is it necessary to do cardio? Will I still see results without it, just at a slower rate?
    Necessary for optimal cardio health and fitness, not necessary for recomp or for your goal of achieving muscle definition.

    BTW - cardio doesn't have to be indoors or being a hamster on a wheel..... Is there really nothing you enjoy that involves you moving your body?
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    Options
    I would suggest trying a structured lifting program over something you make up yourself. You don't need cardio for your goals, but you might want to add it in for heart health.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
    Options
    You don't have shoulders?
  • loulamb7
    loulamb7 Posts: 801 Member
    Options
    Agree with the above replies, dump your 3 day regimen and use one of the programs @Anvilhead posted.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
    Options
    Yep. Pick a program. Possibly raise your calories. If you're new to logging calories you could try 1700 and raise if you are losing weight. If you're an experience/accurate logger I would adjust to what you know/believe to be maintenance calories right away.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Options
    My only comment is to reiterate picking a good full body program, not a typical bro-split body building one.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    Options
    Your friend will be a structured, progressive overload lifting program based around the core compound full-body exercises. Squat, deadlift, overhead press, bench press, pull/chin-ups or bent-over row or power-clean.

    If you don't have progressive overload of the body parts you want to tone, it won't work.

    The vast majority of us do better on a full-body, 3 day per week workout. It gives each major muscle group approximately 2-3 days of work with the right amount of days off to recover (recovery is where muscle is built, muscle is the 'toning' you are after)

    StrongLifts 5x5, Starting Strength are both very good. I've never looked into it but I've heard Strong Curves mentioned for women.

Categories