Just can't seem to get there!

tgzerozone

Yes you can, it will take longer, and I'd say it's more difficult working out the diet, but you still need to be over your maintenance calories , take in good fats (i.e canola, flaxseed, olive) and stick to clean lean meat and complex carbs.

It would be easier to go way over your calorie maintenance (i.e. 1000 cals or so) and then bulk up from there. You will gain probably at least as much fat as you do muscle, which then need to be worked off again. The gains would be quicker though.

But... if you are currently overweight, I wouldn't say the last mentioned option would be the best. I'd follow the first one then.

tgzerozone

Ok but what if you want to continue burning fat by doing cardio 5 times a week, but just want to tone by flabby arms by strength training with weight machines (ie triceps, biceps, chest, shoulder n back)? Is this doable?

Firstly, apologies, I'm not attacking your post or anything. I would just like to know what you understand from Toning. Asking because I don't think this term exists. Muscle shape is determined by genetics as far as I know and there is no way of toning them. You can either build or lose muscle according to me. If you mention toning your flabby arms, I imagine you need to cut the fat as so that your muscles are more noticeable (and build them bigger if they are not big enough according to you)

According to me, in order to be able to see your muscles, you need to use a combination of building the muscle and loosing the fat around it. Toning doesn't exist, unless it is a synonym for losing fat.

ninerbuff

Am I able to gain muscle weight without gaining fat also? That's how I should have phrased my question. Calories are just a number, so I am okay with increasing my intake on given days (what matters is what the calories are composed of).
So perhaps through doing 4 day of cardio a week, and 3 days weights, could I potentailly gain muscle weight and not fat?

It's almost impossible to gain muscle without fat while surplusing your calories. For about every pound of muscle you gain, you'll gain a minimum .3 pounds of fat and in most cases more. And not to kid you it's HARD to gain muscle. Unless you have some really great genetics, a pound or two of lean muscle a month would be about tops.
So again, you'd have to evaluate what your goals are.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
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ninerbuff

Ok but what if you want to continue burning fat by doing cardio 5 times a week, but just want to tone by flabby arms by strength training with weight machines (ie triceps, biceps, chest, shoulder n back)? Is this doable?

Firstly, apologies, I'm not attacking your post or anything. I would just like to know what you understand from Toning. Asking because I don't think this term exists. Muscle shape is determined by genetics as far as I know and there is no way of toning them. You can either build or lose muscle according to me. If you mention toning your flabby arms, I imagine you need to cut the fat as so that your muscles are more noticeable (and build them bigger if they are not big enough according to you)

According to me, in order to be able to see your muscles, you need to use a combination of building the muscle and loosing the fat around it. Toning doesn't exist, unless it is a synonym for losing fat.

THIS. "Toning" is a word that was morphed over to yoga and pilates so that "muscle conditioning" sounded more feminine.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition