Ladies who eat high calories to tone

Tattoos_and_Tea

Morning all (or aftermoon/evening depending on where in the world you live)!

I just wondered if there were any ladies on here who are eating a high number of calories in order to tone up but not to lose weight? Ive recently hit my target weight and am looking to now tone up. I have 8 weeks until I go away so would like to work hard for that.

My questions are, how many calories do you eat a day, do you eat back your exercise calories, what sort of foods do you eat, what work outs do you do and have you gained the results you are wanting?

Stories and advice welcome :-)

xraychick77

so to define toning..means showing muscle definition.

the horrible thing about where you are now..is you should have been focused on retaining muscle mass while losing body fat. now its going to be even harder to 'tone'. as we eat a calorie surplus and lift heavy to build muscle, we also will put on a little fat. i ate around 2000 calories to 'bulk'. right now i try to stick to 1700 while lifting and running at least 1.5 miles after ever lifting workout. it took me a while to find the optimal calorie and workouts to build muscle and lose fat.

everyone is different. i dont eat back, never have. i'm 126 ish lbs now, 5'2". my poundage has stayed the same, yet i've lost inches and notice more muscle tone. i know i'm gaining muscle because i can see changes and i'm getting stronger. like i said, i eat around 1700 calories.

and 8 weeks is nothing..i've been lifting for probably a year and half to try to build muscle..its a slow process.

Tattoos_and_Tea

Thanks for the info there. And yeah, when I say tone I mean muscle definition. Ive had a really long and hard journey battling with my weight from having a borderline ED to where I am now. Im determined to get myself into shape but what with my shady past and lack of knowledge i feel like a noob that needs to ask these kind of questions.
I understand that I will gain 'weight' but it will be muscle weight, right now i'm more focused on losing the inches.
Like you, I dont eat back my exercise calories either, its just something that ive never felt the need to do and I dont see the point in forcing myself to eat those calories if i'm not hungry.
I was going to start my calories at 1800 and see what happens.

Smuterella

You cannot gain muscle in a calorie deficit - you must be in a slight surplus I'm afraid, which means you will gain some fat too. this is why serious muscle building requires cut and build cycles.

If you just want to continue to lose a little fat and not really gain *much* muscle but just look tauter - which is kinda where I am, then you can reduce your deficit or eat at maintenance. I'm trying a 250 deficit from my FitBit TDEE of 2050 - so eating at 1800. My understanding is that I should lose fat at this level, albeit slowly, whilst benefiting some from t being a relatively new lifter and getting a tiny bit of extra muscle.

Tattoos_and_Tea

Thank you. This is all so confusing. All I want to do is lose inches and not gain too much weight

Smuterella

Where does the 1800 come from - is it your maintenance or is there still a deficit built in?

Why not give it a try for a few weeks and see what happens. If you gain weight you can always lose it again.

Meg_78

My journey is a little different as I am gaining as well as trying to tone and build muscle. I have been underweight my whole life so I do need to gain so I have something to turn into muscle. I'm lucky I'm not that worried about a little extra fat (yet) though I do have a little bit of mummy pudge I want gone. I eat pretty high 1900 min but usually over 2000. I eat back all my exercise cals, or at least try to. It was tough when I was trying to gain more. I plan to gain and maintain, gain and maintain till I get to a better weight. Am planning to continue to always eat back my exercise cals though as I can lose weight again very fast. I'm about a month in now and def seeing muscle definition. So it's working for me.

Meg

Tattoos_and_Tea

Where does the 1800 come from - is it your maintenance or is there still a deficit built in?

Why not give it a try for a few weeks and see what happens. If you gain weight you can always lose it again.

Helloitsdan said my BMR is 1285 and my TDEE is 1767. We agreed that I should be eating 1950 each day to tone up. I dont want to physically bigger before my holiday in 8 weeks, i want to look toned and tight x

Tattoos_and_Tea

Really glad its working for you Meg Im hoping to see a change in my size as aposed to what the scales day. Hopefully I can get rid of my all over excess flab and look defined.

Smuterella

I would eat at your TDEE then, I think.

Tattoos_and_Tea

Thanks

Meg_78

Really glad its working for you Meg Im hoping to see a change in my size as aposed to what the scales day. Hopefully I can get rid of my all over excess flab and look defined.

I'm still a work in progress that's for sure! Just take your time, you'll see results, I can't wait to see bigger (photo worthy) changes either! (and get rid of the damn belly!!)

Abells

You cannot gain muscle in a calorie deficit - you must be in a slight surplus I'm afraid, which means you will gain some fat too. this is why serious muscle building requires cut and build cycles.

If you just want to continue to lose a little fat and not really gain *much* muscle but just look tauter - which is kinda where I am, then you can reduce your deficit or eat at maintenance. I'm trying a 250 deficit from my FitBit TDEE of 2050 - so eating at 1800. My understanding is that I should lose fat at this level, albeit slowly, whilst benefiting some from t being a relatively new lifter and getting a tiny bit of extra muscle.

This is very controversial.

I eat at a deficit and muscle definition is def evident. I however was eating more than if I was just doing cardio.
When I original lost weight I was doing all cardio and eating 1200 cals

Now I do crossfit and lifting and eating anywhere from 1400-2000 cals depending on the amount of exercise. I eat back a good portion of my exercise calories because of the exercises I'm doing. Lifting heavy needs fuel

My photo is proof. And my weight has not changed.

**FYI I recently lowered my cals and will be running more to lean out a bit**

DixiedoesMFP

Try to eat at your TDEE and lift as heavy as you can. You won't build muscle per se but your existing muscle will look much better.

AggieCass09

i dont like the word "tone" but i am eating high calories to get RIPPED

i'm 5' 7.5" and currently am at 159 lbs.

I eat 1600-2700 calories net a day and exercise 300-800 calories either during a crossfit work out, spinning, zumba, tennis, or running. I've just kind of arrived at this number by a year of trial and error starting with calorie approximations on freedieting.com (zig-zag calculator) and fat2fitradio.com

I have seen excellent results from this ... down about 2 lbs but have lost 10 inches and most remarkably am down 12% body fat in the last year!!! I have found that eliminating grains has helped with my gluten allergy, bloating, and being able to see some abs!

DixiedoesMFP

^^^ I like ripped better too!

And I forgot to add, I was eating 1800 calories. Now eating around 2000 (just started that) because I was feeling hungry and sluggish.

MommaFuhrer

Saving to read later!! :flowerforyou:

Jillk1023

intresting subject - bumping til later!

usmcmp

I eat between 1800 and 2000 my TDEE is about 2300. There are studies that say you can eat at a slight deficit and gain muscle but no more than 500 below your TDEE. There are actually studies on both side of the issue, you have to experiment and use your personal data to find what works for your body.

ninerbuff

You cannot gain muscle in a calorie deficit - you must be in a slight surplus I'm afraid, which means you will gain some fat too. this is why serious muscle building requires cut and build cycles.

If you just want to continue to lose a little fat and not really gain *much* muscle but just look tauter - which is kinda where I am, then you can reduce your deficit or eat at maintenance. I'm trying a 250 deficit from my FitBit TDEE of 2050 - so eating at 1800. My understanding is that I should lose fat at this level, albeit slowly, whilst benefiting some from t being a relatively new lifter and getting a tiny bit of extra muscle.

This is very controversial.

I eat at a deficit and muscle definition is def evident. I however was eating more than if I was just doing cardio.
When I original lost weight I was doing all cardio and eating 1200 cals

Now I do crossfit and lifting and eating anywhere from 1400-2000 cals depending on the amount of exercise. I eat back a good portion of my exercise calories because of the exercises I'm doing. Lifting heavy needs fuel

My photo is proof. And my weight has not changed.

**FYI I recently lowered my cals and will be running more to lean out a bit**

Muscle definition and muscle gain aren't the same thing.

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

ladykaisa

bump for later

mrau719

If you want to BUILD muscle you must eat in a surplus. Approximately 200-500 calories over your maintenance I believe. And NO cardio and hit the weights heavy.

Definition and building muscle aren't the same so it depends what you're really wanting....

qtiekiki

You cannot gain muscle in a calorie deficit - you must be in a slight surplus I'm afraid, which means you will gain some fat too. this is why serious muscle building requires cut and build cycles.

If you just want to continue to lose a little fat and not really gain *much* muscle but just look tauter - which is kinda where I am, then you can reduce your deficit or eat at maintenance. I'm trying a 250 deficit from my FitBit TDEE of 2050 - so eating at 1800. My understanding is that I should lose fat at this level, albeit slowly, whilst benefiting some from t being a relatively new lifter and getting a tiny bit of extra muscle.

This is very controversial.

I eat at a deficit and muscle definition is def evident. I however was eating more than if I was just doing cardio.
When I original lost weight I was doing all cardio and eating 1200 cals

Now I do crossfit and lifting and eating anywhere from 1400-2000 cals depending on the amount of exercise. I eat back a good portion of my exercise calories because of the exercises I'm doing. Lifting heavy needs fuel

My photo is proof. And my weight has not changed.

**FYI I recently lowered my cals and will be running more to lean out a bit**

I think having muscle definition doesn't necessary mean that one is gaining muscle; it could just mean that one is losing body fat and letting the muscle shows. At least, that is the argument that I've heard.

To OP - I would eat at your TDEE and start weight lifting. I find that full body exercises and plyometrics to work well for fat loss. And make sure you get enough protein.

This is my before and after... I weigh the same, but I am more "toned"

Abells

You cannot gain muscle in a calorie deficit - you must be in a slight surplus I'm afraid, which means you will gain some fat too. this is why serious muscle building requires cut and build cycles.

If you just want to continue to lose a little fat and not really gain *much* muscle but just look tauter - which is kinda where I am, then you can reduce your deficit or eat at maintenance. I'm trying a 250 deficit from my FitBit TDEE of 2050 - so eating at 1800. My understanding is that I should lose fat at this level, albeit slowly, whilst benefiting some from t being a relatively new lifter and getting a tiny bit of extra muscle.

This is very controversial.

I eat at a deficit and muscle definition is def evident. I however was eating more than if I was just doing cardio.
When I original lost weight I was doing all cardio and eating 1200 cals

Now I do crossfit and lifting and eating anywhere from 1400-2000 cals depending on the amount of exercise. I eat back a good portion of my exercise calories because of the exercises I'm doing. Lifting heavy needs fuel

My photo is proof. And my weight has not changed.

**FYI I recently lowered my cals and will be running more to lean out a bit**

Muscle definition and muscle gain aren't the same thing.

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

True -- I meant my "controversial comment" as in the fact that many a people on here are gonna comment on that...(should have clarified)

My strength has definitely increased and definition like stated eating at a good amount of calories but still in deficit.

lorie_hall80

Calories all depends upon you and your body hard to tell someone eat this until you have experimented for yourself. Say you were at 1600 and still able to maintain what you have i would bump up your calories by about 100. You would actually be amazed at what 100 calories can do. Trying to build muscle is hard unfortunatley. It will be a constant battel in the gym but you will start to see results and it will be motivating. Instead of normal long distance cardio try HIT ( high intensity traing). The difference is like looking at a long distance runner compared to a sprinter. A sprinter has more muscle tone and able to maintain it because the muscle and your body are not eatting away at your muscles while you are trudging along for miles one end. Try getting on a treadmill and setting the pase to where you are a a sprint hop on for 20 sec. push as hard as you can then step off to the sides of 10 sec. for a quick firing your muscles like this helps you to gain muscle. Also if you only have 8 weeks to your holiday you should try working one body part a day (i.e. chest on monday, back on tuesday, legs on weds, and so on) this will allow you to completely kill that muscle group so that it can grow. Also try doing three sets with reps at 12 the first set 10 the next set and 8 the last set. It will be hard work but it will def. be worth it!:happy:

withervein

I've had a lot of luck eating at a "lose .5 pounds a week" calories, lifting (squats, dead lifts, bench press as heavy as I can 4-5 sets of 5) and kickboxing/kettlebells 3 times a week. I eat my calories back daily and maybe a smidge more occasionally.

I've seen the most improvement since I went from "lose 1.5 pounds" to "lose .5" I'm not going to talk in calories because that's going to vary based on your height/weight and activity level.

I've gone from a size 16 to a 10, from 210 to 173. I'm kinda leveling out on weight loss at this point and I'm very happy with the way I look, but I would like to improve my performance this summer so I may start eating slightly over maintenance to make some gains then drop back to what I'm currently eating at. I avoid drastic changes in my diet as my partner has to adjust as well and he is just not as into managing food as I have become.

yesthistime

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/2744-skinny-fat-to-fit
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/17-women-eating-2-000-calories-per-day

Tattoos_and_Tea

Wow! Thank you all so much for your replies! Im going to up my calories to 1400 as of Monday and I have booked a personal trainer to help me with affect from Friday 27th