Having my cake and eating it (not about Cake!)

snoz2015

Hello - So, I'd appreciate some advice. May of last year, I was 135 KG (c300lb). Now I'm 93(205lb). I've done this by improving my diet and daily gym - typically burning 500-1000 cals per day running etc. For the last couple of months I've also started doing weights. I'm about 6ft1.

I'm now happy with my weight. However, the distribution.... I have the arms and legs of a long distance runner who has been stuck on an island with no food for a fortnight, while I have a lot of fat around my core still. I've reached the conclusion that my skinny limbs are more annoying than the remaining belly, hence the weights.

However, my muscle isn't growing because of the calorie deficit. I'm happy to eat more and keep the belly, but really don't want to see it grow any more. Is there anything I can do that will minimise fat growth in the belly area while adding (muscle ideally, muscle and fat would be ok) to arms and legs. Any help appreciated. Thanks. (Copied from a different board - sorry for duplication).

ndj1979

what is your current body fat %? It is recommended that one not bulk until they are sub 15% body fat….

if you bulk you are going to gain fat and some of that is going to go to your belly, there is no way around that.

stevencloser

It probably would have helped if you started lifting weights at the start of your weight loss already. But no sense crying over spilled milk now.
I'd suggest keeping lifting while in a deficit to lose some more (however much you're comfortable with), and only then bulking up for more muscles with a small surplus. You'll have less bodyfat before you start bulking, so the fat gain you get until you're back at your goal weight is less than you had before. Repeat if necessary. Also possible to go in the other direction, bulking up a while, then going back into a deficit to goal weight.

ndj1979 wrote: »

what is your current body fat %? It is recommended that one not bulk until they are sub 15% body fat….

if you bulk you are going to gain fat and some of that is going to go to your belly, there is no way around that.

Why is that anyway?

ndj1979

stevencloser wrote: »

It probably would have helped if you started lifting weights at the start of your weight loss already. But no sense crying over spilled milk now.
I'd suggest keeping lifting while in a deficit to lose some more (however much you're comfortable with), and only then bulking up for more muscles with a small surplus. You'll have less bodyfat before you start bulking, so the fat gain you get until you're back at your goal weight is less than you had before. Repeat if necessary. Also possible to go in the other direction, bulking up a while, then going back into a deficit to goal weight.

ndj1979 wrote: »

what is your current body fat %? It is recommended that one not bulk until they are sub 15% body fat….

if you bulk you are going to gain fat and some of that is going to go to your belly, there is no way around that.

Why is that anyway?

my basic understanding is that one is more primed for muscle gain when one is leaner i.e. less than 14%….if you start at a higher weight/body fat% (<15%) then most of your surplus will go to fat stores and not muscle growth, so you are putting on weight, but it is fat weight and not muscle weight…

snoz2015

Thanks. That's really helpful. Bodyfat is between 18-19% so I guess the advice is do some weights, but maintain the deficit a bit longer. Thank very much.

ndj1979

snoz2015 wrote: »

Thanks. That's really helpful. Bodyfat is between 18-19% so I guess the advice is do some weights, but maintain the deficit a bit longer. Thank very much.

Are you following a structured lifting regimen?

If not, I would suggest looking into a structured program like strong lifts, all pro beginner routine, etc (I am assuming you are a beginner lifter); keep protein high about .8 to 1 gram per pound of body weight, and shoot for a 250 calorie deficit, which will allow you to continue losing fat and retain some muscle. When you get to about the 12-14% body fat range, I would then run a bulk.

snoz2015

Not particularly - not formally anyway. I sort of aim to do Legs, Push, Pull every day and then some other stuff as takes my fancy. Will proceed on this basis - again, thank you!

AnvilHead

stevencloser wrote: »

It probably would have helped if you started lifting weights at the start of your weight loss already. But no sense crying over spilled milk now.
I'd suggest keeping lifting while in a deficit to lose some more (however much you're comfortable with), and only then bulking up for more muscles with a small surplus. You'll have less bodyfat before you start bulking, so the fat gain you get until you're back at your goal weight is less than you had before. Repeat if necessary. Also possible to go in the other direction, bulking up a while, then going back into a deficit to goal weight.

ndj1979 wrote: »

what is your current body fat %? It is recommended that one not bulk until they are sub 15% body fat….

if you bulk you are going to gain fat and some of that is going to go to your belly, there is no way around that.

Why is that anyway?

Lyle McDonald explains it in this article (read under the heading "A Primer on the P-Ratio"): http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/initial-body-fat-and-body-composition-changes.html

snoz2015

Thanks. That's a really helpful article. Just out of interest, based on a starting 18-19% bodyfat and at a calories deficit of say 500 cals, eating plenty of protein, how long might it take to get body fat down to the low teens?

ndj1979

snoz2015 wrote: »

Thanks. That's a really helpful article. Just out of interest, based on a starting 18-19% bodyfat and at a calories deficit of say 500 cals, eating plenty of protein, how long might it take to get body fat down to the low teens?

you can go with a 500 calorie deficit; however, I was recommending a smaller deficit because that would help you preserve some muscle and also continue to lower body fat....

You are probably looking at about two more months of fat loss to get to sub 15%....give or take a few weeks, as your loss is not going to be linear...

Springfield1970

ndj1979 wrote: »

snoz2015 wrote: »

Thanks. That's really helpful. Bodyfat is between 18-19% so I guess the advice is do some weights, but maintain the deficit a bit longer. Thank very much.

Are you following a structured lifting regimen?

If not, I would suggest looking into a structured program like strong lifts, all pro beginner routine, etc (I am assuming you are a beginner lifter); keep protein high about .8 to 1 gram per pound of body weight, and shoot for a 250 calorie deficit, which will allow you to continue losing fat and retain some muscle. When you get to about the 12-14% body fat range, I would then run a bulk.

So This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

OP patience will REALLY pay off here. You've done a fabulous job so far. Keep going! Keep us in the loop, I for one am interested to hear what happens.

Take measurements, photos, and keep records. I want to see the befores as much as I want to see the afters. It's incredible how we can engineer our bodies like this.

snoz2015

Thanks ndj. Will follow your advice. Sprjimgfield... Trust me, you don't want to see the befores! But I agree it's amazing what can be done. Thanks for the encouragement all.

snoz2015

Quick follow up question if I may - if I am aiming for a 250 cal deficit, does it matter all all how I get there? IE, if I burn 1,750 and consume 2,000 is that the same as 2,000 and 2,250 respectively - especially if the addition 250 in consumption is a higher proportion of Protein? Aim being to get my fat percentage down to 14% so I can bulk, while protecting the muscle I currently have? Thanks again.

stevencloser

Yes, it doesn't matter to your body. Eating less is probably easier.

ndj1979

snoz2015 wrote: »

Quick follow up question if I may - if I am aiming for a 250 cal deficit, does it matter all all how I get there? IE, if I burn 1,750 and consume 2,000 is that the same as 2,000 and 2,250 respectively - especially if the addition 250 in consumption is a higher proportion of Protein? Aim being to get my fat percentage down to 14% so I can bulk, while protecting the muscle I currently have? Thanks again.

just make sure you are in a consistent calorie deficit of 250 calories….

snoz2015

Thanks again!