Losing Fat

DRZEV

Hi everyone! I'm Nicole and I'm new to my fitness pal. Currently my goal is to lose 20 pounds by August. I range from 145-148. I have had an athletic womanly build for most my life as I played tennis in college. I am a 21 year old. Now that I am not playing competitively anymore I want to tone down and slim down my figure and lose all around body fat. I am stuck though- I have been doing weights for a while and am wondering if I should stop until I slim down to the point I want to be, because my problem is I am building muscle under fat. I have read that doing cardio for an hour and keeping my diet clean maybe my best bet- as I have bulky arms and thighs that I want to get smaller and they only get bigger everytime I do anything weight related. Does anyone have any tips that maybe of assistance or similar experiences?


Thanks! And I look forward to being part of the my fitness community:)
- Nicole

SugaryLynx

Well, odds are, you aren't building muscle, as muscle building requires a surplus of calories, a proper amount of protein, plus a strict weightlifting program(overweight newbies have a small window for a month or so to build a minor amount but don't worry about that) The reason every time you lift, you look "bulky" (you'll get no love using this word btw) is because your muscles hold water for repair in those muscles you worked. Trust me, it takes time, patience, and a lot of effort to ever achieve "bulky". As you lose fat (which is genetic, you can't control where fat comes off from, you just have to slowly lose weight, eat a good amount of protein, typically 1g per pound of lean body mass, and lifting is a great way to retain your current muscle) you will achieve a more lean look.

You should, however, continue to lift throughout your weight loss. Sure, you might have more water retention but that's not true weight gain. Who cares if the scale is a pound up if your down a jean size, for example. The scale is truly meaningless. Also, given you only have 20 lbs to lose, that's a pretty aggressive goal to be there by August. I would aim for more like 10 lbs and focus more on the mirror and measurements than the scale, anyway.

Do you have a lifting routine? That would be the best way to see results. You can gain strength in a deficit, but muscle, not so much. Plus, as a woman, we're not going to build muscle as easily or as quickly as men. I've been lifting for a year now and not once has my lifting stalled any attempt at weight loss. If you aren't losing, I'd check your logging consistency and make sure you're in a deficit. Make sure you pick one that is reflective of your goals. Too aggressive, and you run the risk of skinny fat, which is another reason the scale is useless. No one knows that number but you

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Well, odds are, you aren't building muscle, as muscle building requires a surplus of calories, a proper amount of protein, plus a strict weightlifting program(overweight newbies have a small window for a month or so to build a minor amount but don't worry about that) The reason every time you lift, you look "bulky" (you'll get no love using this word btw) is because your muscles hold water for repair in those muscles you worked. Trust me, it takes time, patience, and a lot of effort to ever achieve "bulky". As you lose fat (which is genetic, you can't control where fat comes off from, you just have to slowly lose weight, eat a good amount of protein, typically 1g per pound of lean body mass, and lifting is a great way to retain your current muscle) you will achieve a more lean look.

You should, however, continue to lift throughout your weight loss. Sure, you might have more water retention but that's not true weight gain. Who cares if the scale is a pound up if your down a jean size, for example. The scale is truly meaningless. Also, given you only have 20 lbs to lose, that's a pretty aggressive goal to be there by August. I would aim for more like 10 lbs and focus more on the mirror and measurements than the scale, anyway.

Do you have a lifting routine? That would be the best way to see results. You can gain strength in a deficit, but muscle, not so much. Plus, as a woman, we're not going to build muscle as easily or as quickly as men. I've been lifting for a year now and not once has my lifting stalled any attempt at weight loss. If you aren't losing, I'd check your logging consistency and make sure you're in a deficit. Make sure you pick one that is reflective of your goals. Too aggressive, and you run the risk of skinny fat, which is another reason the scale is useless. No one knows that number but you

Yes to all of this.

I actually did a bulk on purpose and in a month's time I only managed to gain half an inch in one spot. That's with lifting for over an hour 4 days per week and eating at a surplus with plenty of protein.