ratio of fat loss vs muscle loss

dskline1

Hi all....Well, I have been seeing a nutritionist for the past month or so to try and add lean muscle (a quack dr had me on a protein retricted diet for htn, but, there was nothing wrong with my kidneys...exercise and cutting back on the salt seemed to solve the hbp issues but I lost alot of lean muscle mass). Now, I am usually consuming approx 80-105 grams of protein per day, avg 1500-1700 cals per day, starting weight on 3/11 was 112 and on 4/11 was 110 - I am 5' tall and not trying to loose weight per say(she actually thought I would gain some weight with the meal plan that I am on), just add some muscle mass and lower my fat ratio, oh fat % was 18.7%. on 4/11...per her scale "calculations" she said that I had lost 1.7 lbs of fat (approx 6 sticks of butter, she said) and a bit of muscle. My goal is to add lean muscle from what was lost due to the protein restriction...my diet is full of lean protein - chicken breast, boars head turkey, protein shakes, babybel cheese, milk, etc. ANYWAY, my question is....when you are trying to add lean muscle mass, and fat is lost...is it typical to loose muscle along with the fat? I didn't think to ask her this question while I was there....and you are usually scooted in and out pretty quickly. I just want to be sure that I am doing the right things to get this lean muscle thing going and not move backwards with losing any....she also has me on restricted cardio - no more than 40 mins with a target heartrate of 136 - 3x week. She doesn't want me doing any strength training until my muscle mass is a bit higher.....

Any insight would be greatly appreciated...

dskline1

Hi all....Well, I have been seeing a nutritionist for the past month or so to try and add lean muscle (a quack dr had me on a protein retricted diet for htn, but, there was nothing wrong with my kidneys...exercise and cutting back on the salt seemed to solve the hbp issues but I lost alot of lean muscle mass). Now, I am usually consuming approx 80-105 grams of protein per day, avg 1500-1700 cals per day, starting weight on 3/11 was 112 and on 4/11 was 110 - I am 5' tall and not trying to loose weight per say(she actually thought I would gain some weight with the meal plan that I am on), just add some muscle mass and lower my fat ratio, oh fat % was 18.7%. on 4/11...per her scale "calculations" she said that I had lost 1.7 lbs of fat (approx 6 sticks of butter, she said) and a bit of muscle. My goal is to add lean muscle from what was lost due to the protein restriction...my diet is full of lean protein - chicken breast, boars head turkey, protein shakes, babybel cheese, milk, etc. ANYWAY, my question is....when you are trying to add lean muscle mass, and fat is lost...is it typical to loose muscle along with the fat? I didn't think to ask her this question while I was there....and you are usually scooted in and out pretty quickly. I just want to be sure that I am doing the right things to get this lean muscle thing going and not move backwards with losing any....she also has me on restricted cardio - no more than 40 mins with a target heartrate of 136 - 3x week. She doesn't want me doing any strength training until my muscle mass is a bit higher.....

Any insight would be greatly appreciated...

khskr1

Why does she have you on restricted cardio? I also don't understand how you can increase your muscle mass with out actually using and working your muscles? If your muscles don't use the protein you are taking in then it will only make your body work harder to digest it. It just seems odd to me unless there is a missing piece of the puzzle.

ivykivy

You may want to call and ask her your question. It would seem cardio w/o strength training would cause you to lose muscle mass. You may have to bump your thread a couple of times to get an answer. Songbyrdsweet may be your best bet for an answer (Not to discount anyone else):flowerforyou:

dskline1

Why does she have you on restricted cardio? I also don't understand how you can increase your muscle mass with out actually using and working your muscles? If your muscles don't use the protein you are taking in then it will only make your body work harder to digest it. It just seems odd to me unless there is a missing piece of the puzzle.

My understanding of that is she wanted me to avoid injury with the weights..(I am a pretty strong person by nature, so I am a bit gray to the finite details) and something about longer cardio dipping into burning muscle vs. fat????? I am soooo new to this healthy lifestyle that I feel like I understand it then on my drive home all these questions pop into my head...and what you said makes sense about how my body would be using the extra protein???????? I am not complaining, but it is/was so much easier when you didn't worry so much about your body's response to the fuel you give it. I don't ever want to go back to my junk food eating, I feel soo much better this past month than I have in 20 years....but, it does become quite perplexing. I guess you post leads to another question....how does the body utilize the extra protein intake if one is not strenght training?????

dskline1

You may want to call and ask her your question. It would seem cardio w/o strength training would cause you to lose muscle mass. You may have to bump your thread a couple of times to get an answer. Songbyrdsweet may be your best bet for an answer (Not to discount anyone else):flowerforyou:

Thanks!! I hope Songbyrdsweet is able to see this...she has offered great advice in the past to me and to others....

dskline1

bump