Seeking Advice!

summithawks
summithawks Posts: 9 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone with fitness knowledge have any advice to give me? Here's my situation- I am an 18 year old female and I have been eating really pretty clean the last two months and have gotten down to 128lbs (started at 133). I have gone down the calorie restriction route before a couple of years ago and lost a lot of weight but looking back on it I was unhealthy and lost a lot of muscle. Ideally, I would like to lose body fat but I also want to grow my butt, as well as muscle all over. This brings me to the dilemma of how many calories I should be eating a day and if it is possible to achieve what I am looking for at the same time? Any advice is welcome thank you!

Replies

  • thunderthighsandlightning
    thunderthighsandlightning Posts: 27 Member
    I think you should be focusing on building muscle--maybe focus on strength training but have two days of cardio? 128 is a low weight, and while I don't know your height, it's important to remember that the number on the scale isn't always the best judge of how you look. Maybe check out some threads in the gaining muscle section? I've seen before/after pictures of girls who are "heavier" in their after, because they gained muscle, but they look leaner and far more toned than they did at their lower weight. Best of luck!
  • tomorrowistoday0000
    tomorrowistoday0000 Posts: 125 Member
    I agree with the above, you're looking more at weight training and monitoring your macros.
  • summithawks
    summithawks Posts: 9 Member
    Thank you! Another question- is it possible to be in calorie surplus a few days and lift and then be in a calorie deficit and do cardio or would the two be counter productive? I guess I am a little gun shy with upping calories and trying to gain muscle because I'm afraid of undoing all of the leaning down I've already achieved. I am 5'4" by the way.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    summithawks wrote: »
    Thank you! Another question- is it possible to be in calorie surplus a few days and lift and then be in a calorie deficit and do cardio or would the two be counter productive? I guess I am a little gun shy with upping calories and trying to gain muscle because I'm afraid of undoing all of the leaning down I've already achieved. I am 5'4" by the way.

    Fill out your MFP profile and set it to maintain. Log food and exercise and eat the calories.

    What kind of exercise do you do? You need to be doing progressive resistance exercise, such as lifting weights, bodyweight/calisthenics, TRX-type work, or a combination of the above, etc. if you want to build muscle.

    You *can* build muscle eating by eating around maintenance and engaging in proper training. It will be slower muscle growth than in a bulk but you also don't have the added fat. And you can do that for a few months and then change course and do a bulk if you want to. You are not permanently married to whatever you choose right now.

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