Best plan to get more lean?

jeannes85

Hello! Does anyone feel like they keep on working out and dieting with little results? I've been kickboxing 2-3x a week, 1 hour session, for the past few months and although my legs and arms have gotten much leaner, i don't see much of a difference in my belly area. I'm still the same weight (around 118-120), 5'2, 25% body fat according to my weight watches scale. I wear a size 2, and I'm overall semi-happy with my body but I really would like to be a bit leaner. My ideal would be around 115lbs, and 23-24% body fat.

According to MFP, i should be eating 1200 cals per day. I usually stay around this level, but eat more on the weekends (can't help it!). I read a post on MFP about the "zipzag diet" to max fat burn and muscle building, which says it's beneficial to restrict calories during the week and pig out on friday and saturday. Which is kinda what i do naturally.

Questions:
- I know we're supposed to eat 5 meals a day. Any tips on how to do that AND stay under 1200calories?
- Does kickboxing at a actual kickboxing gym count as Cardio or strength training? (includes around 10 minutes of jogging/warmup, 10 minutes of pushups, plank, crunches, leg lifts, and 40 minutes of kickboxing)
- in addition to kickboxing 2-3x a week, should i be doing more cardio or strength training? or both? or is 3x a week intense 1 hr workouts enough?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Chenoachem

I have been reading a book called the "The Four Hour Body". You might be interested in checking it out.

baisleac

Quickest answer - Strength training.

Belly fat tends to be the last to leave (little bugger).

If you go to a gym, I'd have them check your body fat % and BMR + Activity calculations, to make sure you're eating enough for your lean mass. 1200 seems a bit low if you're that close to goal and under 25% body fat.

dmmurray12

I was eating a low calorie count and the body fat was not moving until I went to 6 small meals aday and upped the amount of extra lean protein I intake daily. Yes, this upped my calories count however when it comes from lean protein sources and only whole complex carbs, the calories become a second place player.

I am currently at 11% body fat and am progressing it to 9% while getting ready for my 1st sprint triathlon.

erickirb

...
Questions:
- I know we're supposed to eat 5 meals a day. Any tips on how to do that AND stay under 1200calories?
- Does kickboxing at a actual kickboxing gym count as Cardio or strength training? (includes around 10 minutes of jogging/warmup, 10 minutes of pushups, plank, crunches, leg lifts, and 40 minutes of kickboxing)
- in addition to kickboxing 2-3x a week, should i be doing more cardio or strength training? or both? or is 3x a week intense 1 hr workouts enough?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

I would call it Circuit training. FYI, you should be changing up your workout routine every 4-6 weeks to keep your body guessing and burning more calories. The more you do the same workout the less calories you burn doing it as your body adjusts and becomes more efficient.

PlanetVelma

Quickest answer - Strength training.

Belly fat tends to be the last to leave (little bugger).

If you go to a gym, I'd have them check your body fat % and BMR + Activity calculations, to make sure you're eating enough for your lean mass. 1200 seems a bit low if you're that close to goal and under 25% body fat.

I agree 1200 seems low. I think going to your gym or nutritionist to make sure you're eating enough, etc.. is a great idea. You can also try running the "Net Calorie" report on MFP and make sure you are not below your minimum calorie - your body may be going into starvation mode.

As an example, once I started eating part of my exercise calories I started losing and I am seeing a difference in how my clothes fit, etc... I think when I was eating below my daily calorie allowance I was going into starvation mode and burning muscle (instead of fat).

jeannes85

thanks for all the advice!

i eat a lot on the weekends...probably 1500+, so i think my net calories per week are pretty good. I'm also only 5'2 and probably don't need as many calories as someone much taller.

I will be swimming once a week for about 30 minutes for the next few months so hopefully that will help.

As for changing the workouts, would changing the punch/kick combinations in kickboxing count? or should i do something different all together? Perhaps cycling or something like that?

baisleac

thanks for all the advice!

i eat a lot on the weekends...probably 1500+, so i think my net calories per week are pretty good. I'm also only 5'2 and probably don't need as many calories as someone much taller.

I will be swimming once a week for about 30 minutes for the next few months so hopefully that will help.

As for changing the workouts, would changing the punch/kick combinations in kickboxing count? or should i do something different all together? Perhaps cycling or something like that?

I don't know how old your are but according to http://www.caloriecontrol.org/healthy-weight-tool-kit/weight-maintenance-calculator-women:

5'2, 118 lbs, 25 yo
Lightly Active Maintenance: 1716
Moderately Active Maintenance: 1980

1200 cals 5 days a week and 1500 2 days a week averages out to 1286 per day.

schobert101

Read this thread. It is very long but well with the time to read it and there'd is tons of information in it that applies to you.


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/113609-relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner