Need Advice on Body Recomposition: I Can't Lose Body Fat and Gain Muscle - What am I Doing Wrong?

LadyDaenerys

Hello all!

Let me just start this by telling you a bit about my health and fitness journey so far.

I was 210 lbs at 5ft 6in and thanks to MFL, Fitbit, and Beachbody On Demand workouts (not a coach... I hate MLM) I'm now about 130lbs. (I did get down to 124, but I can't seem to get back.)

Regardless... I have some loose skin and based on my Fitbit Aria scale I have a Body Fat percentage of about 29 percent.

I want to have a lean body... 20-22 percent body fat... I feel all of my muscles under this layer of fat though and I love to lift... But, I feel like I LOOK skinny fat, not fit. I can't see all my hard work... and it breaks my heart... It makes me feel discouraged. As though all my hard work isn't worth it anymore.

I've worked so hard to get to where I am now and I feel like I can't get any farther in my journey. I've been stuck at this stage for almost three years now and I feel like what I'm doing isn't working. My inches are going up, my weight went from 124 to 130, I heard to eat more calories, but that scares me. I'm afraid of being 210 again or even 140... It terrifies me.

Stats:

• 5ft6in
• 130 lbs
• 36-year-old female
• 29% body fat percentage
• I work out 30 to 60 mins a day (30 min of LIIFT4 and 30 min of Barre Blend for strength training and cardio) Some days I will walk 2.5 miles uphill if I can't get to a BBOD workout.
• I eat about 1350 calories per day and burn about 200-300 calories a day on average.
• my macros are 40 Carb 30 Fat 30 Protein
• Chest: 35in
• Waist: 28.5in
• Hips: 39in
• Arms: 11in
• Legs: 22.5

I don't eat gluten, grains, or dairy (unless I'm treating myself to pizza/bagel once a month and I do put some parmesan Romano cheese in my morning omelet). Other than that, I eat whole foods. (For medical reasons, I have autoimmune issues that concern GI and my nervous system, etc...)

I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I'm not gaining muscle or losing fat, just fluctuating in weight. I have muscle but it's not showing through my softer outer fat layers... I'm worn out and need some advice. Feel free to scour my diary. I fell off the wagon last week due to the frustration of seeing no changes, but I typically stay rather consistent. I'm actually more consistent than my diary, as sometimes I forget to log everything, but stick to my diet, etc...

Anyways!

Thank you for any help and advice you can share!

Lily~

kshama2001

1. The Fitbit Aria scale is a bioimpedance scale, which may work for tracking trends over time, if you weigh under identical circumstances, including hydration level each time, but are notoriously inaccurate. So you may not be 29% BF. However, if you were close to your goal of 15%, you'd probably know it.

Can you post some pictures? There are people here who are very good at estimating BF.

https://www.builtlean.com/body-fat-percentage-men-women/



...Body Fat Percentage Women 15-17%

This is still considered a very low body fat for women, which is similar to the 6-7% body fat for range men. Many bikini and fitness models will reach this body fat level and some may not be able to menstruate. Muscle definition in the abs, legs, arms, and shoulders is apparent, there is some vascularity and some separation between muscles. Hips, buttocks, and thighs generally have a little less shape because of the low body fat.

Body Fat Percentage Women 20-22%

This is body fat percentage is usually in the “fit” category of most body fat charts and is typical of many female athletes. Some definition in the abs is apparent, there is body fat on the arms and legs, but it’s not too pronounced. There is minimal, but some separation between muscles.

Body Fat Percentage Women 25%

This is on the low end of what’s average for most women and is characterized by a shape that is neither too slim, nor overweight. Curves in the hips are usually more apparent along with more fat in the buttocks and thighs. A 5’4” women who weighs 130lb and has 97lb of lean body mass has 25% body fat.

LadyDaenerys

Based on that info I think I would want to be around 20-22 for sure. I feel like I look in between the 25 and 30 percent

JBanx256

First of all, the scales that claim to tell you your bodyfat % are notoriously inaccurate. Don't put too much (read: any, really) faith in that number.

I'm not trying to tell ya what to do because it is ultimately your body, but I'm gonna suggest that you MAY want to reconsider your idea of getting (and staying) at 15% bodyfat. For a female, that's kinda dangerous territory and is, for the vast majority of women, not going to be healthy/sustainable. At 15% bodyfat, you're looking at some pretty significant hormonal issues - amenorrhea, loss of bone density, etc (I can provide sources if you're skeptical or you can utilize our old friend Google ("Female Athlete Triad" is a good starting point)).

Eating whole foods is nifty neat-o and all that, but it really doesn't determine your body composition. Unless you have medical reasons to eliminate entire food groups, or it's a personal preference, there's really no reason to skip ____(insert demonized food/group here)_____.

kshama2001

LadyDaenerys wrote: »

Hello all!

Let me just start this by telling you a bit about my health and fitness journey so far.

I was 210 lbs at 5ft 6in and thanks to MFL, Fitbit, and Beachbody On Demand workouts (not a coach... I hate MLM) I'm now about 130lbs. (I did get down to 124, but I can't seem to get back.)

Regardless... I have some loose skin and based on my Fitbit Aria scale I have a Body Fat percentage of about 29 percent.

I want to have a lean body... 15 percent body fat... I feel all of my muscles under this layer of fat though and I love to lift... But, I feel like I LOOK skinny fat, not fit. I can't see all my hard work... and it breaks my heart... It makes me feel discouraged. As though all my hard work isn't worth it anymore.

I've worked so hard to get to where I am now and I feel like I can't get any farther in my journey. I've been stuck at this stage for almost three years now and I feel like what I'm doing isn't working. My inches are going up, my weight went from 124 to 130, I heard to eat more calories, but that scares me. I'm afraid of being 210 again or even 140... It terrifies me.

Stats:

• 5ft6in
• 130 lbs
• 36-year-old female
• 29% body fat percentage
• I work out 30 to 60 mins a day (30 min of LIIFT4 and 30 min of Barre Blend for strength training and cardio) Some days I will walk 2.5 miles uphill if I can't get to a BBOD workout.
• I eat about 1350 calories per day and burn about 200-300 calories a day on average.
  [snip]

2. I suggest you get "The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess" from your library system, read the intro, and see if your workouts have you lifting "like a man" or not. There are newer editions out so I'm just recommending it for the intro.

If you have a Kindle, you can get a sample from Amazon, which may be enough to answer that question.

https://smile.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess-ebook/dp/B004IE9RGC/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

And again I would like to see some pictures of you, because the more I reread your post, the more I want to see if you are being more critical of yourself than we would be.

LadyDaenerys

yea ill stick to 20 to 22% as a goal for sure. As far as food... Gluten hates me lol but I love it! same with dairy etc. I have an autoimmune issue and those foods hurt. I just wish I knew how to get from looking like I do now to a lot leaner.

LadyDaenerys

sure... I'll post some more pics. Let me take a few I have been told that I may have body dysmorphia due to the weight loss etc, so who knows.

LadyDaenerys

ok here they come...

LadyDaenerys

kshama2001

@ninerbuff: your thoughts on her BF and training program?

LadyDaenerys

I just wanna tone up... I don't want to have thigh cellulite from my heavy years making me feel like a flat pancake... I want to be tight... I still idk... maybe I'm being mean to myself ..heh but I have this vision of what id like to look like... and its a bit more firmer than this look.

LadyDaenerys

These are the two workout programs I follow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXaBif2T1H4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isrcbhywojg

I'd LOVE to have a similar body composition like the instructor from Barre Blend... IDK how though

AnnPT77

Congratulations: You've accomplished so much - literally amazing! Good show!

Have you checked out the thread on recomposition here?

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

Lots of good info there.

I'm not any kind of expert, so I'm talking through my hat, here: I would consider that your strength program may be a relatively slower route to what's already a slow kind of goal. It sounds like you're doing programs that are mix of cardio and strength, probably the strength being more on the higher rep/lower weight side, maybe? It's good exercise, and potentially fairly well rounded, but maybe not optimum for building muscle mass.

I've accidentally done a little bit of recomposition myself in the increasingly-distant past, by a quite non-efficient method, and it was a thing of years and years. (I wasn't trying for recomposition, I had other reasons for what I was doing, but I lost a couple of sizes/gained muscle at consistent body weight . . . reeeaaalllly slooooowwllly. Soooo slowly! Once I lost from obese to healthy weight, there was a surprising amount of muscle underneath, but I'd been doing what I did athletically for around 12 years at that point. I got down to mid-120s at 5'5", think I'm probably somewhere lower 20s BF%, but it's unevenly distributed: Upper body looks more teens-ish, lower more high 20s. That's not self-criticism, I don't have aesthetic goals, just intended to be a comment on getting *some* progress by *very* inefficient means. I don't look like the Barre Blend instructor. 🤣)

I'd bet the Barre Blend instructor has done more focused lifting at some point in her history, and she's quite thin besides.

russellholtslander1

It appears that you don't really want that much more muscle. If you do, just lift heavier, but the Barre Blend person doesn't really have a lot of muscle.. she simply has less fat.

That's diet. now 40/30/30 has a few less carbs, and some extra protein, but not too much different than what a lot of " normal sized " people eat.. but like you, they look great in clothes, but are what you call skinny fat, not fit.

We hear that all the time.. Mom jeans, Dad bods.. these people are not obese, and are healthier than average, but they don't think they LOOK " fit ".. amazingly, you are in the same place, eating similarly. Healthy, but you want to look more toned/fit.

So ask what people who are very lean are eating. What are their macros. See a dietitian, and discuss what you want. 40/30/30 is a macro range your regular doctor might give you.. not something meant to make you leaner than average.. just make you healthy.

My guess, is, a dietitian will change not only your macros, but what foods from those macros you eat, if they make you a menu to get down to 20% BF, which is in the athlete range for women. You need to be on an athletes diet to see their results. They can also test you, and give you an accurate body fat %, instead of guessing.

Think of it this way.. you got to healthy all on your own.. with diet and exercise. Now you want more. So why wouldn't you need to do more, do something different. If it was just a small change to make it happen, we would ALL be very lean.

I think at this point, some PROFESSIONAL help, might be wise. I think most people would be happy where you are, but if you want a bit more, stop and realize that most people do not look like that, after turning 30. To do so, requires more, and since so few actually achieve the results you desire, you can't really get the answers from those of us, who aren't there ourselves. How would we know how to get real lean?

I do agree that to build more muscle, lift like a man.. meaning lift heavy, then rest. You gain 5 lbs. of muscle, and that will be plenty. The look you want though, comes from diet, and I think you will find it will require a pretty strict one.

natasor1

Looking at your exercise routines I noticed, that first complex devotes too much time to the single muscle training. The women training should be concentrated around legs, butt. Only if you start and repetitively include legs exercises between any routine will deliver results of great definition. The difference between women and men musculature in lack of muscle mass in the back, chest, arms, shoulder in the women. Even very well trained woman can be 40% of any man muscles mass in those areas.
Though, on your place I would not waist time on doing single muscle training of arms, shoulders, chest. Instead devote more time to legs, butt exercises. These are places in women body where we have muscles capable to release hormones, adrenaline, testosterone and HGH necessary for building new tissues of muscles. In opposite, arms, chest, back are small and not going release anything equivalent to man. If you want to train arms and chest, that day still start with legs/butt, just for sake of hormones, and then switch between arms and legs. It will continue to have hormonal make up high enough for arms to build new tissue. Put as much weight on arms to make only 8-10 reps per session. For legs may be OK to continue multyrep training, (20-50reps) it should feel like burning. When you use high weight it feels like total exhaustion when you are not able to do one more rep. Use this technique for arms and legs. For legs you use both multyrep and exhaustion.
Another advise, come to train on empty stomach. If it is too hard for you, try several times with very tiny snack and continue to work your way to water only before and during training. Also try abstain from food near hour after workout. Unfortunately, if you really want to look thin you have to eat less and don t indulge in 40% of carbs. At least not every day.

LadyDaenerys

Ok.. so I need to reconsider my macro split... Hmmm .. I do feel like I need to work my big muscles for sure... Liift4 is a lot of upper work... I wish I could afford a dietitian... I went to one once who said what I eat is perfect but I need bcaas??? Idk .. I think it's macro related... What's good macros for this? If u know anyways... Ty for the help!!!

ninerbuff

kshama2001 wrote: »

@ninerbuff: your thoughts on her BF and training program?

Body fat seems to be in the 25%-28% range. As for the workout program, after looking at it, I DON'T believe the sequence is designed the best. It DOESN'T make sense to work arms so early in an workout program because they are a much smaller muscle than leg muscles. And since energy is HIGHEST at the beginning of a workout, you SHOULD be working the largest muscles with the most weight resistance you can use for sets and reps. For a lot of clients looking to change physique I do more volume training, usually an 8x8 system for every exercise.

As for HIIT, it was good. But I wouldn't necessarily do HIIT with a lifting day. But that's my opinion on it.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff

LadyDaenerys wrote: »

Ok.. so I need to reconsider my macro split... Hmmm .. I do feel like I need to work my big muscles for sure... Liift4 is a lot of upper work... I wish I could afford a dietitian... I went to one once who said what I eat is perfect but I need bcaas??? Idk .. I think it's macro related... What's good macros for this? If u know anyways... Ty for the help!!!

You can buy BCAA's at any supplement store. But if you're eating a variety of good protein sources, you should be able to get them as well. And some RTD's have them as well. Labrada Lean protein RTD's are a favorite of mine, although they are 280 calories per serving.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

cupcakesandproteinshakes

OP I think you want a bit more muscle and a bit less fat. Your training isn’t optimal IMO. Get on a beginners body building programme. Strong curves, thinner leaner stronger are two ok ones. There are others. You won’t look like a body builder all of a sudden, that takes years of hard work and dieting that most of us mortals can’t/ won’t be willing to put in.

Be patient.
Don’t compare urself to people on the internet. They do this stuff for a living.

LadyDaenerys

Thank you all for your input! one day.

I wanna do this stuff for a living one day... id love to be a personal trainer.. Ive been obsessed with this stuff since I lost the 85lbs. I crave to have all the muscle Ive built to be visible.

I'm hearing you all say to lift heavy and lift legs first in a workout then upper body later on... (Not sure if you mean later on in the same workout that day or later on in the week as the workouts I follow start off Monday chest and triceps Tuesday back and biceps Thursday shoulders Friday legs hit almost every day abs everyday...)

That macros might matter... And to seek a professionals help...

Tbh I want a program laid out for me, tailored for me specifically based off of my current, well, everything....

Depending on the cost I would definitely be willing to have someone tell me exactly step by step what I need to do to build muscle and lose body fat.

Like how many calories do I need during recomposition?

What should my macro stack be?

Do I just do HIIT on certain days?

What muscles do I work on certain days or every day?

Should I ever do cardio?

What happens if I gain muscle and dont lose the fat and gain wait and look puffier and not lean (tbh this is why I never up my calories.. it honestly scares me...

I guess I'll need to pay for some major hand holding to get what I really want... I'm obsessed with scheduling... Following through being competitive.. I've been working out for over 10 years I'm no newbie to weight loss and how to lose ... But the muscles.... It's all Greek to me.

ninerbuff

LadyDaenerys wrote: »

Thank you all for your input! one day.

I wanna do this stuff for a living one day... id love to be a personal trainer.. Ive been obsessed with this stuff since I lost the 85lbs. I crave to have all the muscle Ive built to be visible.

I'm hearing you all say to lift heavy and lift legs first in a workout then upper body later on... (Not sure if you mean later on in the same workout that day or later on in the week as the workouts I follow start off Monday chest and triceps Tuesday back and biceps Thursday shoulders Friday legs hit almost every day abs everyday...)

That macros might matter... And to seek a professionals help...

Tbh I want a program laid out for me, tailored for me specifically based off of my current, well, everything....

Depending on the cost I would definitely be willing to have someone tell me exactly step by step what I need to do to build muscle and lose body fat.

Like how many calories do I need during recomposition?

What should my macro stack be?

Do I just do HIIT on certain days?

What muscles do I work on certain days or every day?

Should I ever do cardio?

What happens if I gain muscle and dont lose the fat and gain wait and look puffier and not lean (tbh this is why I never up my calories.. it honestly scares me...

I guess I'll need to pay for some major hand holding to get what I really want... I'm obsessed with scheduling... Following through being competitive.. I've been working out for over 10 years I'm no newbie to weight loss and how to lose ... But the muscles.... It's all Greek to me.

PM me for more info.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition