Heavy Lifting Calorie Help

samthomason

I have been on MFP and have set my goals to be losing .5lb/week. My stats are listed below; I want to decrease my body fat (especially in my stomach, but yes, I know, you can't spot reduce) and gain a lot of muscle (I think I am skinny fat right now and REALLY weak). Prior to now I have just been doing at home Jillian Michaels' dvds. Now, I am about to join a gym and I want to start heavy lifting to gain some muscle. I plan to lift 3 days/week and do a cardio class the other 2 days/week. My question is, what do I set my calorie intake to? Do I set to gain weight and hope that weight lifting will build mainly muscle and not fat OR do I set it at maintenance to get rid of the belly fat fast? I really have no idea what I'm doing, and I think I will be picking up the New Rules of Lifting for Women to help educate myself or maybe some other suggestions??? Thanks for the help!


Height: 5'8"
Weight: 124
Chest: 34"
Waist (smallest part): 27"
Low Waist (navel): 32"
Hips: 36"
Thighs: about 20" each