lost the weight now want to gain muscle

jenmarqueiro

Hey everyone, I started out on myfitnesspal to loose weight. I've finally lost it, I'm down to 6st 8lb and I'm 4ft 11inches and now I would love to gain muscle. My body fat percentage is at about 19%, and I'm doing weights 4 times a week.

I do squats 3x10 at 20kg and deadlifts 3x5 at 25kg and increase these by around 2.5kg a week if I can. I do these exercises twice a week. I also do barbell curls at 20kg 3x10, concentrate bicep curls at 6kg 3x10, tricep pushdowns at 25kg 3x10 and tricep dips BW 3x10 also twice a week. Then I do lats and chest another day. Twice a week I also go boxing burning around 200 calories a session.

Just wandering if you think I may be doing too much cardio for muscle building? I'm also on my feet all day for my job cleaning 6 days a week from 6am-midday/1pm.

At the moment I'm trying to eat 1800 calories, 30g fat, 180g carbs and 130gish protein. Am I having too much fat would you say as I'm quite small or about right? And the rest of the macros please? Any advice appreciated just trying to see if I'm on the right track

jenmarqueiro

Someone please reply! Just want to check I'm on the right track

RGv2

You probably won't gain appreciable muscle due to your caloric deficit. You may gain some noob mass gains, but your deficit mixed with being female, you're not going to put on much (If any) new muscle mass passed your noob gains.

GODfidence

Eat in a surplus not a deficit. Don't go overboard, tdee + 200-400 per day and lift heavy focusing on compound lifts;
Squats,deadlifts,overhead press,bench press,barbell rows.
Find a good program , starting strength,strong lifts, nrol for women,etc.
Eat higher amounts of protein and make sure you're in a surplus.
Lift hard and follow the program.
Good luck!

jenmarqueiro

I thought I was eating in a surplus! Considering my height and weight I'm not even 5ft and 6st 8lb. At the moment the lifts feel very I heavy hand I'm increasing as much as possible as quick as I can.

Shouldn't I be doing hypertrophy rather than strength? And protein wise is minimum 130, if you can have a look at my diary and see what I have and give me thoughts that would be very much appreciated

timbrom

Hey everyone, I started out on myfitnesspal to loose weight. I've finally lost it, I'm down to 6st 8lb and I'm 4ft 11inches and now I would love to gain muscle. My body fat percentage is at about 19%, and I'm doing weights 4 times a week.

I do squats 3x10 at 20kg and deadlifts 3x5 at 25kg and increase these by around 2.5kg a week if I can. I do these exercises twice a week. I also do barbell curls at 20kg 3x10, concentrate bicep curls at 6kg 3x10, tricep pushdowns at 25kg 3x10 and tricep dips BW 3x10 also twice a week. Then I do lats and chest another day. Twice a week I also go boxing burning around 200 calories a session.

Just wandering if you think I may be doing too much cardio for muscle building? I'm also on my feet all day for my job cleaning 6 days a week from 6am-midday/1pm.

At the moment I'm trying to eat 1800 calories, 30g fat, 180g carbs and 130gish protein. Am I having too much fat would you say as I'm quite small or about right? And the rest of the macros please? Any advice appreciated just trying to see if I'm on the right track

Your math doesn't quite add up. 30g fat, 180g carbs and 130g protein comes to 1510 calories, not 1800. I'm going to assume that your macros are accurate.

I punched your numbers into a TDEE calculator. I'd put you at moderately active, and that puts your TDEE at 1883 calories, so you're eating a little below maintenance right now. If you want to gain muscle, I'd add about 200 calories to your diet for the next month or so and see how it goes. I'd also up your fat intake primarily, I know you're tiny but 30 grams a day seems low. Maybe try 45g of fat, 180g of carbs and 140 grams of protein for a while and see where that takes you.

Also, read this: http://thefitcoach.wordpress.com/2012/07/29/584/

timbrom

Just took a look at your diary. I think your macros are set fine, but it looks like you're coming up short on fat on a regular basis. You need fats for your body to process vitamins and to control hormonal levels, that sort of thing. Add some peanut butter or avocados or something to your diet to get that fat number where it should be.

TavistockToad

Are you maintaining at the moment? You need to maintain for a few weeks so you know your numbers before you try and bulk.

jenmarqueiro

I was on 1000 calories when loosing weight, then put it up to 1500 to try and gain. Was at that for four weeks, weighed myself and my weight was exactly the same so I put it up again to 1800 which is what I'm at now.

timbrom - yeah those macros sound better, I'll up my fat then and try and get them from nuts and eggs and such. I used to hate nuts, thankfully I love them now! :P

Thanks for all the advice and such! Will update this hopefully with some good gaining news

WinwillLose

I do Kettle Bell classes, lots of push ups and lots of squats and lunges. I've built some muscle but you might need more protein in your diet to do so. The muscle will shape your skinny parts nicely, sexy arms and legs. Being a women no bulky muscles just shapely ones. There are some great Jillian Michaels that might help you build some muscle.

jenmarqueiro

hey all, to anyone who is interested here's a little update - life has been hectic at the moment! and even with eating as much as I have been (feel free to check out my food diary) I am somehow down to 6st 6lbs! even though I have been lifting and eating more . . its driving me crazy!!! So going to up my calories again to 2000 I think and see how it goes.

mtnhiker1

Not into the technical stuff, but I do know fat is very necessary for good health. As far as muscle building goes I could use some help moving about 10 tons of dirt and rock (doing this by shovel, wheelbarrow and rake).

cwolfman13

Get your maintenance calories right first...I would advise you to maintain for at least a few months before going into a bulk. Get that all locked in and groovy first.

Also, keep in mind that you don't bulk very fast...it takes a lot of time and hard work to put on muscle...just keep at it, but don't expect to look all ripped or anything in a matter of months...it's a long, slow process and will probably require several bulk and cut cycles.

fitcolette

Get your maintenance calories right first...I would advise you to maintain for at least a few months before going into a bulk. Get that all locked in and groovy first.

Also, keep in mind that you don't bulk very fast...it takes a lot of time and hard work to put on muscle...just keep at it, but don't expect to look all ripped or anything in a matter of months...it's a long, slow process and will probably require several bulk and cut cycles.

Great advice!

jenmarqueiro

thanks again all. Ive put up a post on bodybuilding.com that has now generated some responses. Im going to focus on maintaining for now, figuring that out properly, then focus on compound lifts targeting general muscle mass so will be doing deadlifts, squats, lats, rows, military press with some isolation exercises thrown in a few months down the line.

thanks again for all the support

fitcolette

I love that site and it's where I go for professional advise. There are a lot of people there who have competed and know their stuff. Your plan sounds solid

0OneTwo3

Hey everyone, I started out on myfitnesspal to loose weight. I've finally lost it, I'm down to 6st 8lb and I'm 4ft 11inches and now I would love to gain muscle. My body fat percentage is at about 19%, and I'm doing weights 4 times a week.

I do squats 3x10 at 20kg and deadlifts 3x5 at 25kg and increase these by around 2.5kg a week if I can. I do these exercises twice a week. I also do barbell curls at 20kg 3x10, concentrate bicep curls at 6kg 3x10, tricep pushdowns at 25kg 3x10 and tricep dips BW 3x10 also twice a week. Then I do lats and chest another day. Twice a week I also go boxing burning around 200 calories a session.

Just wandering if you think I may be doing too much cardio for muscle building? I'm also on my feet all day for my job cleaning 6 days a week from 6am-midday/1pm.

At the moment I'm trying to eat 1800 calories, 30g fat, 180g carbs and 130gish protein. Am I having too much fat would you say as I'm quite small or about right? And the rest of the macros please? Any advice appreciated just trying to see if I'm on the right track

25 kg deadlift? sorry but even for a very petit person like you that needs to be a lot heavier to trigger any gain. also there is no need for bicep and tricep work for a beginner. at least cut it down to one movement each per week and do more and heavier compounds instead.

you should eat at least at maintenance (a small surplus of 150-300 kcal would be better). 30g of fat is really low. for a muscle gaining phase 0.5x bodyweight in lbs is the minimum.

if you want it completely simplified do the following: 200kcal surplus @ 40/30/30 macro ratio + following the training program "starting strength" (or "stronglifts 5x5")

TavistockToad

I had a look at a few days of your diary, looks like you still need to try and up your cals, you're under your goal by a fair bit each day.

jenmarqueiro

a bit more help needed if possible please! Im looking more into my macros now, looks like according to the TDEE calculators and such that I should be having around 2000 calories a day with a 3x full body workout a week to bulk.

As people have said for my weight, I only really need 100g protein. If I split my macros 50/20/30 that would mean 100g protein, 250g carbs and 66g fat. Does this seem really too high for carbs and fats? or at a 60/20/20 split being 100g protein, 300g carbs and 44g fat. either way seems I should surely up my protein a little more to lower the carbs. . . just looking to see what people think?

thanks again all!

TrailNurse

I wouldn't drop your protein down that low if you are trying to build muscle. Carbs seem a bit much for your weight and size. I am 5'2 and my protein is any where from 130-170. I am starting to really build muscle now (lifting heavy for a year) but even at my current protein amounts, I know it is going to take a while so be prepared to give it about 6 months to a year to see some real definition.

The_Enginerd

At 6 stone 6 lbs (90 lbs), those macros actually look fine to me. Carbs did sound high at first glance, but with a 2000 calorie/day goal at your petite size sounds, I am guessing you are pretty active and need the energy.

I'll also second the recommendation to switching to a 3X a week all over body routine with compound lifts. It is a better fit for a beginning lifter.