How to gain muscle while losing fat

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nnishammiah
nnishammiah Posts: 1 Member
in Getting Started
Hey folks! I’m an 18 year old girl and have always been very skinny, on top of that, I’m short (5’2). Because of quarantine, I have become even skinner, weighing at around 92-94 lbs. How can I gain muscle, predominantly on my lower body while losing stubborn fat like on my stomach, back, and arms. How many calories should I be eating?

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  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,360 Member
    edited May 2021
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    At your current weight are you sure you have any excess fat to lose?

    Show us a picture of you - perhaps your view of yourself is a little distorted?? Your BMI is just a about 17 which means you are underweight for your height.

    To gain muscle you will likely need to eat a lot more calories than you are, and will need to a good weight resistance/training program.


  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,389 Member
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    I can't possibly imagine either how you could have excessive fat on your body. If you have very little muscle mass then your body will appear more squishy, and it's quite likely this is what you see. Also, if you sit it's totally normal to have a bulge at the belly, as is to have one on the back when you stick your bum out and look backwards into a mirror. The lower side of upper arms hangs with everyone when the arm is flexed because this muscle only works with a straight arm.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,427 Member
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    I’m so glad you’ve come here and are asking questions.

    First of all, you understand you are underweight, correct? When I was your age, I was, too. There’s no crime in that unless you’re intentionally trying to lose. Some of us just had that body and metabolism……until we didn’t.

    But, I do think you may be judging yourself too harshly. At that weight, what you perceive as “stubborn fat” probably isn’t.

    Many of us feel like we should look like ads and Instagram, with washboard abs and perfect curves. People who obtain those generally can only do it for a short period of time, and at great sacrifice in food. It’s just not sustainable for long term. They “cut” hard before photo shoots- assuming their images aren’t manipulated in the first place.

    Women are naturally curvy. It’s our gift and our curse, I suppose. There’s a truly meaningful saying “Comparison is the thief of joy”.

    Instead of focusing on more loss, why don’t you consider recomp? You can reshape your body doing weight training. It doesn’t necessarily have to be hard, nor do you have to sling heavy barbells- although many ladies find they actually enjoy that.

    I’ve lost over ninety pounds, but it was weight training, flow yoga (more “athletic” style), and Pilates that shaped my body, and I’m almost freaking 60.

    Here’s some threads for you to look at.

    Read this one before you go one iota further:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10689837/does-this-uterus-make-my-stomach-look-fat/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/977538/halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky/p1

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    Hugs. Friend me or post here if you need help or advice. I’m not a pro, but I can sure call on some great MFP members who render reliably excellent advice.

    And remember, recomp doesn’t require heavy lifting- just consistency. My profile pic is (I think) 40 pounds. I never write it down. I “just do it”.

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