flat stomach and toned body FOOD

__sleepingbeauty
__sleepingbeauty Posts: 5
in Fitness and Exercise
HI! I've just started working out again, my goal is to loose about 6 kg's and to get a flat stomach and get more toned. I've had severe eating disorders before, so this time working out in a healthy way i have no idea what to eat to gain muscle?

How many calories should you eat per day as an 20 year old female with a bmi of 20?
How much of that should be carbs, protein etc?

I work out almost everyday, going to the gym, swimming, yoga and at home. Nothing too heavy though. I have no idea which things i should focus at the gym either.

I really want to eat in a health way, and somewhat quick results.

Thank you!

Replies

  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    I'm going to tell several things you probably don't want to hear:

    1) There are no quick results. Sorry, if it's worthwhile, it'll take time

    2) To gain muscle you have to eat over your TDEE and train appropriately. This means a progressive lifting routine (pick one that is established - don't make your own up). You'll gain fat along with the muscle, so you'll have to follow up with a cut (where you eat underneath your TDEE) and continue your lifting routine to lose fat and retain your muscle/bone density. The fat gain can be hard for some people (especially given your history) so you may need to come to terms with it.

    If you don't actually want to "gain" muscle - i.e. you just want to lose fat and reveal existing muscle tissue for better muscle definition - then just proceed straight to the cut. You may not be happy with the results if you don't have sufficient lean body mass to start with, however (this may be the case given your prior EDs)

    3) Protein: about 1-1.5grams per lb of lean body mass per day. You can make up the rest out of fats and carbs depending on the type of training you are doing and how you react. Some people do badly with low carb, for example and crash and burn. Not enough fats can eff up your hormones and be counter-productive. It's about finding what works for you and your training style.

    4) Be prepared to eat more food than you're used to. You may quickly gain a couple of lbs to start with as water and glycogen stores increase. This is NOT fat, so don't freak out.

    I would check out the group on here called "women who bulk" - one of my FLers is in it and it will have info and support that you will need.

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