Tips to become leaner but add a bit of muscle?

adammo2121
adammo2121 Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

Not sure if I can reasonably accomplish my goals or not. I am a 30 year old male. Six feet tall and about 195 lbs. Not in terrible shape but not thrilled with the extra stomach weight and I feel my arms aren't too big (especially forearms).

My goals: What I would like to do is become leaner, look more defined muscle wise, but still be able to grow my arms.

Equipment: I have a Bowflex, free weights, chin up bar (that I use for pushups), and an upright exercise bike

Workouts: I believe I can workout 4-5 times a week (max of an hour)

Where I am having trouble right now is deciding how to accomplish my goals. I'm not sure if I should be going more cardio based with a lower calorie diet or if I should add more weights, do less cardio and add more protein. Any thoughts to this? Also should I be looking into any supplements since I am past my twenties and feeling older day by day, I wasn't sure if there were any healthy types of things to take for my goals?

Thanks all!

Replies

  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Modest calorie deficit (500 cal or so) to drop the fat to get leaner. When reach desired leanness switch to slight caloric surplus (~250 calories) and heavy lift to build muscle.

    If you try to do both at the same time chances are it won't work very well for you.

    I am pretty similar in stats to you. I am currently losing the fat before i move on to a bulk where I will attempt to put on some muscle.

    While you are at deficit and losing fat do include resistance training and get plenty of protein to help maintain the muscle you have. You can expect to see strength gains and you can expect your muscle to look larger as you lose fat and they become more defined...but you won't actually gain muscle mass until you are at caloric surplus.
  • adammo2121
    adammo2121 Posts: 22 Member
    Thanks!

    Also wanted to bump to see other thought on supplements or even diet. I have a problem becoming "full" some night and tend to junk out too much. I'm not a huge egg fan so that hurts quite a bit of breakfast ideas. Also nt the greatest with fish. Not sure if my pickiness will hurt in my goal to lose belly fat but gain muscle?
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