Need some advice. (Progress pics)

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cheyjanay44
cheyjanay44 Posts: 19 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hello! I’m new to the fitness community and I have been doing my best for about three months now. I first started with a cut due to be being “skinny fat”. I’m 5 feet 3 inches and I weigh about 103 to 104. I workout 5 days a week with a combo of cardio and weight training as best I can while I’m home. I really would like to eat at maintenance calories dues to family telling me that I’m getting to skinny. How would you go about maintaining weight but still putting on a little bit of muscleqx1r6nhg6ppt.jpeg
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  • MaltedTea
    MaltedTea Posts: 6,286 Member
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    Those abs? Chiseled. Great work on such a petite frame. I'm no expert but I'd say change up your training protocol (perhaps with the help of a coach if you're doing this for competition, modeling, etc) as well as look at protein intake.

    You're at the point where you really gotta love getting in the weeds and being a bit particular about experimenting. As long as you're not obsessing or going full biohacker, you're good and your family needn't worry.

    I'm a big fan of the SuppVersity blog and have mentioned it in MFP forum threads before. I'm bringing it up again because he has a whole "Build Muscle" section/tag which is full of evidence-based medicine. The focus is not only on supps, but training protocols (sometimes specifically geared to women) and other health-related things, like, umm, coffee!

    Since this is research-based I wouldn't go back more than 5 years worth of blogs posts. Also, if you're not into all the deep science, he does a TLDR in navy blue for most posts.

    In the meantime, keep killin' it.
  • cheyjanay44
    cheyjanay44 Posts: 19 Member
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    Thank you so much!
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
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    Do you know your BMR? Are you logging your food?

    There is a maintenance thread. Search it.
  • cheyjanay44
    cheyjanay44 Posts: 19 Member
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    Yes it’s 1,190 according to mfp. I log my food everyday. I was at about 1200 while cutting and now I’m slowly going up to find maintenance
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
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    well that's a good thing. are you looking to bulk or define?
  • cheyjanay44
    cheyjanay44 Posts: 19 Member
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    Definitely define I think. My muscles are somewhat visible without flexing but I would like them to be a lot more defined. Same with my arms while staying lean
  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
    cupcakesandproteinshakes Posts: 1,092 Member
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    What’s your training history? What programme are you running at the moment?
  • cheyjanay44
    cheyjanay44 Posts: 19 Member
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    I started about three months ago. I usually do ciruits and sometimes add HIIT.
    Monday is upper body
    Tuesday is a rest day
    Wednesday is glutes
    Thursday full body circuit
    Friday is rest day
    Saturday is legs/ lower body
    Sunday is abs/core
  • cheyjanay44
    cheyjanay44 Posts: 19 Member
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    I also use dumbbells and a barbell/ resistance bands
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
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    Training sounds pretty good on the surface. I do something similar.

    The challenge sounds like this. Let me know if I'm correct.

    You were skinny fat...
    You did a cut first and lost a bunch if fat. 3 months.
    You began training a month ago and are eating more now so you can see results. You have some muscle and you like the progress so you want more definition.

    BUT you scared your loved ones a bit with how skinny you got before you were training...

    Sounds about right? You want to be lean but you cut first and spooked family?

    (This is my son's storyas well, except he hasn't started training yet)...
  • cheyjanay44
    cheyjanay44 Posts: 19 Member
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    Pretty close! I actually started trying to weight train while I was cutting because I read that a few people were able to still gain muscle while on a cut so I tried my best but maybe it was newbie gains?
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
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    It's called recomp = recomposition. It's not the easy way but doable if you pay attention to what you are eating. Read, fueling gains regardless of eating at a calorie deficit. I have been doing this for 2 years, gradually adding size, definition, lean muscle mass while simultaneously losing body fat.

    Next question : do you have any idea what your body fat is? Do you know how to measure? It's a bit of a fuzzy science but as long as you are consistent in your measurement technique you can trend your progress and at least protect yourself from going to low. Unless you are competing on a stage a female should try to be above 20%.
  • cheyjanay44
    cheyjanay44 Posts: 19 Member
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    I tried to do a body fat calculator online by putting my height and weight and by measuring my hips/waist and neck and putting all of that information in. It said 13.6 and BMI calculator without measurements said 18 so I’m not sure how accurate it is
  • JBanx256
    JBanx256 Posts: 1,473 Member
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    KHMcG wrote: »
    Unless you are competing on a stage a female should try to be above 20%.

    15% is actually the low end of what is considered healthy/sustainable for a female. One can be below 20% very safely without stage aspirations.

    Per The Renaissance Diet 2.0 (Dr's Mike Israetel, Jen Case, Melissa Davis, & James Hoffman):

    To prioritize health, females should maintain their body fat between 15% and 30%. Females
    have higher recommended body fat levels for best health because they have essential body fat
    required by their reproductive systems that males do not. When body fat percentage gets too
    low, it can result in amenorrhea (loss of menstruation) for females of childbearing age and
    decreased estrogen levels that affect other hormones. Chronically low estrogen levels from
    excessively low body fat in females can negatively impact bone health, leading to increased risk
    of osteopenia and osteoporosis. On the other end, body fat levels over 30% for females start to
    correlate with negative health outcomes and these risks increase with body fat percentages
    from that point.

  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
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    JBanx256 wrote: »
    KHMcG wrote: »
    Unless you are competing on a stage a female should try to be above 20%.

    15% is actually the low end of what is considered healthy/sustainable for a female. One can be below 20% very safely without stage aspirations.

    Per The Renaissance Diet 2.0 (Dr's Mike Israetel, Jen Case, Melissa Davis, & James Hoffman):

    To prioritize health, females should maintain their body fat between 15% and 30%. Females
    have higher recommended body fat levels for best health because they have essential body fat
    required by their reproductive systems that males do not. When body fat percentage gets too
    low, it can result in amenorrhea (loss of menstruation) for females of childbearing age and
    decreased estrogen levels that affect other hormones. Chronically low estrogen levels from
    excessively low body fat in females can negatively impact bone health, leading to increased risk
    of osteopenia and osteoporosis. On the other end, body fat levels over 30% for females start to
    correlate with negative health outcomes and these risks increase with body fat percentages
    from that point.

    I'm just quoting what I found. I know you know what you are talking about! @jbanx256 knows her stuff!

    However the parents are worried that she is too skinny. 20% is pretty lean and abs show for females. Most bf measurements that can be done at home are plus or minus 2%. I figured it was a good target but of course it's not my decision. Just a suggestion.

    So that said my suggestion is reduce to 3 high intensity cardio sessions a week and start a calisthenics or lifting routine.

    You don't need the additional calorie burn and three 30 - 40 minute cardio sessions is plenty for cardiovascular health. Walk in the off days if you like.

    If you don't have access to a gym or trainer go with calisthenics (bodyweight) exercises with some dumbbells.

    If you pick lifting and @jbanx256 wants to help you out she is an expert.

    If bodyweight and dumbbells I can suggest some videos so you have correct form and balance of exercises.
  • cheyjanay44
    cheyjanay44 Posts: 19 Member
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    That would be great thank you!
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
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    cheyjanay44 wrote: »
    That would be great thank you!

    Which would be great? Option lifting or Option calisthenics? Or do you want both...
  • cheyjanay44
    cheyjanay44 Posts: 19 Member
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    Both please
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
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    Well FR her if she accepts she can definitely help with the heavy lifting.

    For me you have a couple options. You can FR me or join a group I started.

    Th group is called Midlife Crisis Fitness. You don't look to be in your 30's but it is focused on recomp and calisthenics with some light to medium dumbbell exercises. All the exercises in Midlife Crisis Fitness do not require a gym.
  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
    cupcakesandproteinshakes Posts: 1,092 Member
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    OP: pick one of the beginners lifting programmes that are posted in the “which lifting programme is best for you” thread.

    I believe there are some Bodyweight programmes on there if you have limited equipment. I did you are your own gym for a while. It was ok.

    Don’t make up your own programme unless you know what you are doing.

    Any of the beginners programmes will do just choose one you like the look of.

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