Weight training and losing weight

stphnstevey

I'm trying to lose fat as well as gain muscle, trying to develope traditional six pack and pecs. I currently have fat around my stomach area, which I want to lose to be able to show ab muscles behind it.

I'm maintaining a high protein diet (with some carbs) and working out every other day with weights or cardio (running) for 30 mins. I'm trying to increase this to 1hr every day (although I have twisted my ankle so cardio is suffering)

I work from home, so sat at computer most of the time. BMR is 1500 calories (I'm 70kg and 1m 65cm). I've gone from 1400, 1200 now to 1000 calories/day.

I saw some initial weight loss (9kg) over the last couple of months, not much muscle gain and also NOT alot of loss in the stomach area which is the only area I want to lose weight in. I'm getting frustrated that I can't just alter my diet and exercise routine and get the body shape I want. I'm starting to wonder if I am gentically supposed to be this way.

Any tips and help would be appreciated - particularly if your trying to do the same thing yourself

Feel free to look at my food diary and let me know if doing anything wrong or if you'd recommend anything else. I would be interested to read the food diaries of others trying to do the same to get ideas

chrishgt4

If you are wanting to bulk up, as it sounds that you do, first you are way under eating...way wayyyyyy. Secondly, cardio is really best for if you want to get better at cardio. When it comes to changing body composition it's all about heavy weights. Heavy meaning a weight you can do 6-10 reps at good form. I would advise against doing every day as rest is important.

At the weight you are at, you are not going to be able to build muscle and lose fat at the same time so you would have to pick what is most important to you then work your diet around that. As a start point for what you should be eating calculate your TDEE including exercise then add 20% on if you want to bulk, or deduct 20% if you want to lose fat. You will lose muscle as well on a deficit but hopefully not too much.

Regarding macros, aim for 1-1.5g protein per lb of lean body mass (that is after deducting your body fat)
Then fill in the rest with carbs and fat, generally quite a bit more carbs than fat but there are many conflicting theories.

That really is a very basic start but there is a lot of information on here and on the internets if you go digging for it.

There is also a lot of broscience out there so do your research.

Good luck

angelapolite

You're not eating enough. Shoot for 40% carbs, 30% fat & 30% protein. You workout nearly everyday and eating WAY too little calories. You are starving that muscle. I do cardio and weights with a daily goal to burn 400 calories a day. I eat about 1600. I do not eat my exercise calories (which I should).
Try uping your calories, workout at least 30 mintues cardio and 30 weights 4-5 days week. Most important, EAT MORE to burn that fat and feed that muscle!

mmapags

bump

cleggr26

The other thing to remember is that bodybuilders have two phases ... a growth phase, then a cutting up phase.

In the growth phase, they train hard and consume a fair whack of calories so that the muscles fibres can be fed, repair the damage done in training, and grow in size to cope with the training you're putting them through.

Before a competition, they then 'cut' up ... they train to maintain size but not to try to grow any more, and reduce the calorie intake to take off any additional fat they've gained during the high calorie growth phase.

They tend to follow those phases as a cycle (assuming no serious injuries).

What you need to do is to ensure you eat enough calories while you're training so your body has enough raw material (protein, vitamins, etc) to repair the damage you do when training. That's literally what training hard does ... to grow you have to push your muscles to the point of failure. What you're basically saying to your body is "I need you to be able to do something you've just failed at" and your body responds by trying to compensate by healing the micro-tears in the muscle and making you stronger/bigger or both depending on the type of training you're doing.

I'm not suggesting over eating, but you'll find if you eat enough calories to let yourself build that muscle, the increase in your BMR by having that extra mass will help you lose the flab in the 'cutting' phase.