Losing weight while preserving muscles without building muscle. My ideal body type goal.
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duddysdad
Posts: 402 Member
My goal using MFP is to lose enough weight to get a lean, slender body type. I do not want to look at all very muscular, I guess you could say lanky. I do not like the look of big defined muscles.
I am currently sitting at 229, but was previously at 179 before I gained the weight. I have B.E.D, but I am now on medicine for it.
I've asked questions about this on different forums, and everyone says I need to build muscle or I will look like a skeleton. At 180 I still had some stomach, side, and lower back fat. I estimated that I needed to lose around 10 pounds. This would still put me at a 20.2 BMI, which I don't consider that close to being underweight.
I am not opposed to using some sort of light resistance to tone my muscles a little bit, when I do get to a lower weight. I just don't want to build muscle. I have no need to be strong as I have no difficulty lifting my 40 pound 3 year old up over my head, or carrying two 50 pound bags of concrete.
People usually think I am crazy to want to look like that, but that is my ideal body type. Most people's goals are to lose weight and build muscle, but I have enough for what I need to do.
Can I lose enough weight to get this body type without having to do any initial training, or should I be doing something now to prevent any future muscle loss? Am I crazy for wanting to look this way? I am thinking of using some resistance bands to preserve the muscle I have.
Also, at 6'5" and 229 pounds, what sort of deficit should I be aiming for? I want it off quickly since most of my clothes no longer fit, but I also don't want to lose too quickly as to look emaciated.
By the way, I am posting an image of my ideal body type. Tall, lean, not overly muscular, just normal male muscles.
I am currently sitting at 229, but was previously at 179 before I gained the weight. I have B.E.D, but I am now on medicine for it.
I've asked questions about this on different forums, and everyone says I need to build muscle or I will look like a skeleton. At 180 I still had some stomach, side, and lower back fat. I estimated that I needed to lose around 10 pounds. This would still put me at a 20.2 BMI, which I don't consider that close to being underweight.
I am not opposed to using some sort of light resistance to tone my muscles a little bit, when I do get to a lower weight. I just don't want to build muscle. I have no need to be strong as I have no difficulty lifting my 40 pound 3 year old up over my head, or carrying two 50 pound bags of concrete.
People usually think I am crazy to want to look like that, but that is my ideal body type. Most people's goals are to lose weight and build muscle, but I have enough for what I need to do.
Can I lose enough weight to get this body type without having to do any initial training, or should I be doing something now to prevent any future muscle loss? Am I crazy for wanting to look this way? I am thinking of using some resistance bands to preserve the muscle I have.
Also, at 6'5" and 229 pounds, what sort of deficit should I be aiming for? I want it off quickly since most of my clothes no longer fit, but I also don't want to lose too quickly as to look emaciated.
By the way, I am posting an image of my ideal body type. Tall, lean, not overly muscular, just normal male muscles.
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Replies
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I just wanted to add that I know I post a lot. I am sorry. I've been obese my entire life and I am so close to finally losing the weight and being happy with myself. I don't know very much about fitness, but I do have experience in health and losing weight.0
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The trouble with losing weight is you need to work your muscles else you will lose them along with the fat. So although you may not want to do much exercise that seems like you're trying to build muscle you're actually just Woking them muscles to keep them, yes you may build a little but you can always change that when you've reached your goal weight. Working muscles and building them also creates a better metabolism to help burn fat more efficiently. You are not likely to become one muscle mass during weight loss that tends to come when you have a lower fat percentage but again you can adapt and change that. It takes a LOT of weight lifting to become a big muscle bound guy so I wouldn't worry about building a little for now.
The other problem you have is wanting to lose quickly, yes clothes may not fit but losing weight fast isn't good for your body. You're more likely to get lose saggy skin as it can't cope with the quick change, slow and steady wins the race.3 -
Your questions, goals and comments vary a lot on the posts and threads you create.
If you do not want muscles, be stronger, or even have more lean mass, you certainly do not have to build, maintain those if you do not want to. Is it a wise choice as it relates to your health?
I understand that you have MS right?
Here is my take, based on all that you write on these forums, the advice you are given, you say you will heed and make changes or follow that advice. Then here is another flip flop and change of your mind and sort of back tracking. I am not sure everyone here will still post advice that will help you either way.
eta: by the way, the picture of you at X weight, to me you very (too) thin and perhaps quite unhealthy at your height.2 -
I realize that I post a lot of conflicting information. One day I want muscles, the next day I don't think I could put in the effort. I do have MS which causes muscle weakness and I don't think I could physically do the work. I know at my lowest weight everyone saw me as skinny. But to me, what my body looked like was not skinny, more of skinny fat. I admit that I have body dysmorphia, so I don't see what others see. Maybe I was too thin, but I was not happy with my body, with some fat I know I could lose. I probably was too thin looking, with a sunken in face look. I am just so tired of losing weight only to never be happy with my body. I want to lose what fat I did have. I am not concerned looking like the guy in the picture, I think he looks really good. I just want to do it in a healthy way, but not damage my body and health.
I am sorry for flip flopping so much. I don't want to bother people so much, so I will just stick to replying with what I know works for me when losing weight. I won't post anymore questions like this, but I would appreciate some guidance. I don't mind criticism, I am an adult and I can handle it. I promise this will be my last submission for a long time as I seem to be getting on people's nerves with my posts.
If anyone thinks this is an unrealistic goal, then that is fine as everyone is entitled to their own opinions. At the end of the day I just want to finally be happy.0 -
Seems like you should speak to a counselor about your body image issues. Even if you want to be skinny & not build muscle, you are going to need to do some form of strength training to preserve what little muscle you want.2
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Seems like you should speak to a counselor about your body image issues. Even if you want to be skinny & not build muscle, you are going to need to do some form of strength training to preserve what little muscle you want.
I do need to speak to someone about my issues. I have a decent set of varying strength resistance bands, which I am planning to start this week. Would this be enough to preserve some muscle? I can not join a gym, it's not able to happen. Do you think my body goal is unrealistic? I know I will never look exactly like that, but I want to get as close as I can.
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Also, with at least 50 pounds to lose, maybe more, is it safe to lose 2 pounds per week for a while, then slowly decrease my deficit to 1.5, then eventually 1 pounds per week? Would that work against me trying to preserve muscle?0
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You have no problem now, in lifting those amounts. It is always a good idea to work on strength. I would suggest bodyweight training. It will help you use the muscle you have and eventually grow some muscle, not necessarily tons of it. The biggest thing is it will help you tone the muscle you do have. That alone, can start to help your clothes fit better. Clean up your calorie intake. It will take time.
Google 'lean male bodyweight workout' a lot of workout routines show up.
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Also, with at least 50 pounds to lose, maybe more, is it safe to lose 2 pounds per week for a while, then slowly decrease my deficit to 1.5, then eventually 1 pounds per week? Would that work against me trying to preserve muscle?
I think all of this has been addressed already in previous threads and posts you have made throughout MFP.
I echo what @rybo stated about seeing a counselor regarding your body image issues is a wise choice.
Lastly, perhaps your doctor that treats you for all of your medical conditions can work with you on recommendations for your weight loss and/or refer you to a dietitian.0 -
Also, with at least 50 pounds to lose, maybe more, is it safe to lose 2 pounds per week for a while, then slowly decrease my deficit to 1.5, then eventually 1 pounds per week? Would that work against me trying to preserve muscle?
I think all of this has been addressed already in previous threads and posts you have made throughout MFP.
I echo what @rybo stated about seeing a counselor regarding your body image issues is a wise choice.
Lastly, perhaps your doctor that treats you for all of your medical conditions can work with you on recommendations for your weight loss and/or refer you to a dietitian.
My doctor tells me to eat 1k calories. I don't trust anything about weight from him. I definitely will set up an appointment for a therapist who specializes in weight and body issues.
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You have no problem now, in lifting those amounts. It is always a good idea to work on strength. I would suggest bodyweight training. It will help you use the muscle you have and eventually grow some muscle, not necessarily tons of it. The biggest thing is it will help you tone the muscle you do have. That alone, can start to help your clothes fit better. Clean up your calorie intake. It will take time.
Google 'lean male bodyweight workout' a lot of workout routines show up.
Thanks. I'll check it out.0 -
Ok, I promise not to post anymore on here about this subject. Thank you to everyone.0
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Also, with at least 50 pounds to lose, maybe more, is it safe to lose 2 pounds per week for a while, then slowly decrease my deficit to 1.5, then eventually 1 pounds per week? Would that work against me trying to preserve muscle?
I think all of this has been addressed already in previous threads and posts you have made throughout MFP.
I echo what @rybo stated about seeing a counselor regarding your body image issues is a wise choice.
Lastly, perhaps your doctor that treats you for all of your medical conditions can work with you on recommendations for your weight loss and/or refer you to a dietitian.
My doctor tells me to eat 1k calories. I don't trust anything about weight from him. I definitely will set up an appointment for a therapist who specializes in weight and body issues.
I think this is a very wise and proactive approach you should take.2 -
Building muscle is hard, you aren't going to do it by accident and you won't do it at all in caloric deficit. The person you posted as an ideal clearly lifts weights, that is not what you look like by just calorie restriciting.
You should lift and you can lift hard and heavy and you still won't build any muscle if you are losing weight at a calorie deficit, your body isn't going to waste it's limited energy building muscle while it has to harvest your own fat to get enough caloricaly.
Last time I dieted to lose weight I lifted or did bodyweight training an hour almost every day and I didn't gain an ounce of muscle. Pics on my profile of what I looked like at 12% body fat.1 -
You are built long, so lean is the most likely outcome of fitness. I do not think you have the sort of body type to bulk accidentally.
Yoga might be a good way to get the look you want - one of my instructors was your ideal body type, he was shorter but extremely strong and skinny and healthy. Just lean strength, no bulk. He didn't lift, only did yoga but that involves a lot of body weight strength movements, pushups and arm balances, planks, balancing. Also the meditation part might help you with acceptance of your body.
But mostly I just wanted to say that you are well positioned to get the look you want just because you are so tall. If you wanted to be big n bulky that would be more challenging.1 -
Also, with at least 50 pounds to lose, maybe more, is it safe to lose 2 pounds per week for a while, then slowly decrease my deficit to 1.5, then eventually 1 pounds per week? Would that work against me trying to preserve muscle?
I think all of this has been addressed already in previous threads and posts you have made throughout MFP.
I echo what @rybo stated about seeing a counselor regarding your body image issues is a wise choice.
Lastly, perhaps your doctor that treats you for all of your medical conditions can work with you on recommendations for your weight loss and/or refer you to a dietitian.
My doctor tells me to eat 1k calories. I don't trust anything about weight from him. I definitely will set up an appointment for a therapist who specializes in weight and body issues.
Therapy sounds like a good idea.
You could also ask your doctor for a referral to a registered dietitian. And a physical therapist, who could set you up with a routine you could do at home.
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