Need some advice

jennjenn760

I have been weight lifting for roughly a year...I started around 18 percent body fat.. using ahand held measuring device at my gym so not very accurate probably. Anyhow, I flucuate between 117-120 ( I am only 5"4 so its hard for me to gain weight and not look chubby) and I have seen great muscle definition and gains just eating at maintance...I lowered my calories from roughly 1600 to 1400 to be at a deficiet to try to cut more body fat (currently I am around 15 percent) ive been eating at a deficiet over for a few months and 3 weeks ago lowered my calories again to 1250 (I dont feel deprived and feel fine eating this much...I eat back my calories burned) because I didnt see results. 3 weeks later still no difference in body composition...I was directed here for advice on if I should up my calories again making sure to take in at least 1500-1600 maybe more?, replacing calories burned as well? And if I up my calories gow should my macros look? I know high protein ...I have it set about 125 grams.. but should I keep fats lower or carbs lower? Im at a point in my journey where I just need a few tweaks and I am lost on how to meet my goals which is more muscle less fat. And gain weight very easily so bulking makes me quite nervous.

A little bit about my workouts...I do weights 5 days a week for 45-60 minutes depending on body part being worked. I then do 30 minutes twice a week of intense cardio (HIIT, circuit, interval..) the other 3-4 days 40-50 minutes of steady rate cardio.

Any advice greatly appreciated!!

3laine75

What about a bulk? Recomp is sslllooooowww.

Obviously your inches would go up while bulking but you would then cut back the excess fat and, hey presto - inch losses where you want them and gains in all the right places. 15% bf is a great place to start a bulk - you could bulk up to 24% or until you feel uncomfortable.

For macros: protein, anything from 0.8 g per lb LBM - 1.5 g per lb bodyweight. Fat, 0.4 g per lb bodyweight then fill the rest with carbs (I use this regardless of wether cutting, maintaining or bulking - just means on a bulk you get all the good stuff =D)

If you feel like this is how you'd like to go, find your maintainence and spend a few weeks there (use calculators and then fiddle with it accordingly) then add a 250 surplus. This should let you gain 0.5 lb a week which should result in 1 lb muscle gain a month. Once you cut back the excess fat you should have a whole different composition.

jennjenn760

3laine75,

Thank you, the advice you gave makes so much more sense then infoemation I was finding on the internet. I am going to put my calories back to maintance for a few weeks to get my body adjusted to taking in more calories...then will see where I am at and push it up a few hundred more. I am also going to adjust my macros as you suggested. Ive always been scared to "bulk" because i am short and any weight gain looks like a lot of weight gain on my frame...but i know its necessaey to keep metabolism healthy and to make muscles gain some size. I appreciate your advice thank you so much!