Do I need to change my routine?

beastmode2718

I know there are a lot of threads about this but I wanted to ask anyway. I think I still wanna loose 5 lbs but I'm pretty over all happy with my weight. I am in the skinny fat stage though. I can fit a size 0 but I do not look very toned and fit I still have quite a bit of body fat. My routine to loose the weight was an hour of cardio and half a hour body weight strength training followed by half hour of light cardio. I was gonna start doing free weights. Is that really good for loosing fat and maintaining weight? Should I keep combing it with cardio or alternate cardio one day and weight training the next day. Can I do body weight AND free weights. Oh and forgot my current calories is 1200 and I never did the exact same routine. I did different videos and different body parts each day and for cardio I ulternated between yoga, cycling, running and wLking. Appreciate any advice

arditarose

There's a lot to address here...you are currently maintaining or not? 1200 calories should not be your maintenance goal.

If you want to change your body composition you're going to have to up the strength training, and possibly decrease the cardio. Eat at your true maintenance. You need to find a progressive program, whether it be bodyweight or heavy lifting-do you know which you'd prefer?

beastmode2718

Oh no I'm not in maintenance just yet, that's what I eat to eat to loose weight but I'm akmost at a point where I'm going to be doing maintence I would say in a week or so. I do gain weight back pretty easily though so I might slowly eat more calories until I find my true maintence. I enjoy body weight a lot more but I feel like it's not giving me enough results but I like always changing my routine. Should I keep combing cardio and strength just do less cardio

LivingtheLeanDream

Your a size zero! - bodyfat at that size couldn't be an issue? perhaps your head just hasn't caught up with your loss yet, that is a very common issue, it takes us a while before we see ourselves as slim.

As above says, decrease the cardio and up the strength training, that'll soon firm you up well.

1200 is too low especially if you are active even if you still want to lose ( although at size 0 how can you need to lose any more?), bump those cals up to at least 1400 for a week or two then re-evaluate and bump them up again.

What does MFP tell you you should be eating to maintain? whatever it tells you is what you should be working towards, aim to eat back 50 -75% of your exercise calories as well.

beastmode2718

I'm 5' 4" and 114 currently. I think my pant size is partly because I have narrow hips but yeah I think maybe I haven't caught on to the change in my body yet but I for sure want more muscle. It tells me to have 1560 for maintence. But yeah I think I think give that a try

griffinca2

You can have more body fat even if you've lost weight and wear a size "0." "Skinny Fat" is where you are at (or possibly below) your ideal body weight but are carrying more body fat than what you would like. I weigh abt 116/117 (I'm 5' 3") and my body fat is around 25% (read, no muscle definition) which I would like to lower to abt 21%. You may be "thin" but you lack visible muscle definition.

loulamb7

If you're happy with your current weight you can start increasing your calories towards maintenance. If you increase slowly, you'll probably still lose a little more weight, which can be good since you will maintain in a weight range and not an exact number.

Focus on strength training. Pick a progressive load weight training routine for beginners and stick to it. No changing things up. If you don't stick to it, you'll never see results.

Regarding cardio, that's up to you. You can do it on non-lifting days, or after lifting.

SarahJurina

beastmode2718 wrote: »

I know there are a lot of threads about this but I wanted to ask anyway. I think I still wanna loose 5 lbs but I'm pretty over all happy with my weight. I am in the skinny fat stage though. I can fit a size 0 but I do not look very toned and fit I still have quite a bit of body fat. My routine to loose the weight was an hour of cardio and half a hour body weight strength training followed by half hour of light cardio. I was gonna start doing free weights. Is that really good for loosing fat and maintaining weight? Should I keep combing it with cardio or alternate cardio one day and weight training the next day. Can I do body weight AND free weights. Oh and forgot my current calories is 1200 and I never did the exact same routine. I did different videos and different body parts each day and for cardio I ulternated between yoga, cycling, running and wLking. Appreciate any advice

I was doing a lot of Cardio a couple months ago and started to look skinny fat. I hated it. All that work and I still didn't like how I looked. I started lifting weights and doing some plyos along with whatever cardio I felt up for (energy wise) and saw a huge difference.

I'm not perfect but I have abs that I can see more than ever before, my legs are super firm, my butt is getting a little bigger and my shoulders look much more sculpted.

I'm 5'9" and at about 126lb. And 19% body fat.

My advice is check out fitnessblender.com and try their strength training videos. They tell you what the girl lifts when she does a video, and she lifts pretty heavy. It's free.

Best of luck.