Goal weight met, Re-Evaluating My Goals- Help!!!

rainbowbow

Hello all my lovely MFPers!

I am really at a crossroads with where I am. In the past two months I have met my goal weight, maintained, gained 2-3 pounds back, lost those few pounds and then some, and now i'm just here.

I do not really have a desire to lose more weight. I wan't to look good. I am currently 17-18% body fat.

Here's my dilemma on where to go from here.... Do I continue to lose fat and some muscle mass to show the muscle I already have? Or do I bulk (about 15% above my TDEE) and try to gain 5-6 pounds of muscle over a 6 month period? I really have no idea what to do and i'm so frustrated with it.

In one hand I feel like bulking, actually gaining more muscle mass, strength, and inevitabely some fat would set me up to look even better when I get back down to this body fat%. (hope that makes sense) How many calories does it take to build one pound of muscle per month? (I want to make sure i'm consuming over my tdee correctly)

On the other hand, I have worked for 9 months to lose the weight, the fat, strength training, and some tiny itty bitty part of me feels like it is being counter productive to put on weight? Wishful thinking keeps suggesting "oh, you have enough muscle mass, just lose more fat to show it off".

GAHHH, my mind hurts with this. I want to set a realistic goal for myself, something I can work towards.

Any help is definitely appreciated! Please give me your advice...your tips... anything you can, I really need it!

(Also, just incase someone asks "well, what do you want to look like? whats your goal?" I pretty much want to look like Zuzzana from bodyrock.tv without the fake tits!)

rainbowbow

Bump!

cannonsky

Ever you ever read NROLFW? The author has a lot of information in there about building muscle.. It might be helpful

rainbowbow

Ever you ever read NROLFW? The author has a lot of information in there about building muscle.. It might be helpful

I have and I actually did the NROLFW plan (i'm on level 2). However, I think his crazy calorie calculations using BMI are way off base. I have found I maintain around 1450 calories a day (plus exercise cals of course). According to his book because im under a certain age he takes close to my BMR (a little over mind you) and says to multiply it by 1.6! If i'm looking to bulk and gain muscle, i'd rather it be low and slow and mostly muscle than eating 700-800 calories above my means.

rainbowbow

Bump!

malins2

Bump.
I'm interested to hear more about this too!

Yanicka1

Ever you ever read NROLFW? The author has a lot of information in there about building muscle.. It might be helpful

I have and I actually did the NROLFW plan (i'm on level 2). However, I think his crazy calorie calculations using BMI are way off base. I have found I maintain around 1450 calories a day (plus exercise cals of course). According to his book because im under a certain age he takes close to my BMR (a little over mind you) and says to multiply it by 1.6! If i'm looking to bulk and gain muscle, i'd rather it be low and slow and mostly muscle than eating 700-800 calories above my means.

If you maintain your weight on such a low calories I would absolutely do a bulk. I maintain my weight at 2000 calories and I am a tiny thing and almost 40 years old. But to be successful you really have to be at the right place in your head or you will freak out and cut calories back at the first sign of the scale going up.

autumnk921

Try this site: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/


Also check out this group on here to find out some answers....I am sure it will help you figure it out....

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/771-women-strength-training


Congrats on making it to your goal!!!

rainbowbow

Ever you ever read NROLFW? The author has a lot of information in there about building muscle.. It might be helpful

I have and I actually did the NROLFW plan (i'm on level 2). However, I think his crazy calorie calculations using BMI are way off base. I have found I maintain around 1450 calories a day (plus exercise cals of course). According to his book because im under a certain age he takes close to my BMR (a little over mind you) and says to multiply it by 1.6! If i'm looking to bulk and gain muscle, i'd rather it be low and slow and mostly muscle than eating 700-800 calories above my means.

If you maintain your weight on such a low calories I would absolutely do a bulk. I maintain my weight at 2000 calories and I am a tiny thing and almost 40 years old. But to be successful you really have to be at the right place in your head or you will freak out and cut calories back at the first sign of the scale going up.

Well, on lifting days I maintain close to 1700 or so (my desk job makes me pretty much sedentary). But that's what I'm thinking too. I don't really want to gain weight (tryng to wrap my mind around it since ive worked so hard to lose) but if it is necessary to look the way I want to look then I guess I have no choice. =\

wild_wild_life

I am in the same boat as you although my BF% is closer to 21%. I have been eating around maintenance and lifting to do a body recomp although a lot of people recommend bulking and cutting cycles for faster results. I agree it's harder than losing weight because you don't have a defined goal to shoot for. I also have a mental block against bulking. At your BF% I wouldn't think you would want to lose much more fat.

As far as how much over maintenance to eat, you could play around with it and see what is comfortable for you. Start at 200-300 over, weigh weekly and see what happens after a month. I think they say you can expect to gain around .5-1 lb of muscle per month so if you are gaining faster than that, decrease your surplus.

Yanicka1

Maybe join the group " eat more to weight less". Not that you need to lose weight but the information in there would really be useful in your case.

Good luck

rainbowbow

I am in the same boat as you although my BF% is closer to 21%. I have been eating around maintenance and lifting to do a body recomp although a lot of people recommend bulking and cutting cycles for faster results. I agree it's harder than losing weight because you don't have a defined goal to shoot for. I also have a mental block against bulking. At your BF% I wouldn't think you would want to lose much more fat.

As far as how much over maintenance to eat, you could play around with it and see what is comfortable for you. Start at 200-300 over, weigh weekly and see what happens after a month. I think they say you can expect to gain around .5-1 lb of muscle per month so if you are gaining faster than that, decrease your surplus.

That's exactly what I heard. Hmm, I wonder though how many calories are needing to build 1 lb of muscle mass? I believe if 3500 calories of fat is 1 lb, and fat has 9 calories per gram. Muscle is made up of mostly protien which is 4 calories a gram. Would 1600-1700 be enough surplus per month for 1 pound of muscle?

And if so- what is a realistic goal to put on 5 pounds of muscle? 3 months? 6 months?

wild_wild_life

I am in the same boat as you although my BF% is closer to 21%. I have been eating around maintenance and lifting to do a body recomp although a lot of people recommend bulking and cutting cycles for faster results. I agree it's harder than losing weight because you don't have a defined goal to shoot for. I also have a mental block against bulking. At your BF% I wouldn't think you would want to lose much more fat.

As far as how much over maintenance to eat, you could play around with it and see what is comfortable for you. Start at 200-300 over, weigh weekly and see what happens after a month. I think they say you can expect to gain around .5-1 lb of muscle per month so if you are gaining faster than that, decrease your surplus.

That's exactly what I heard. Hmm, I wonder though how many calories are needing to build 1 lb of muscle mass? I believe if 3500 calories of fat is 1 lb, and fat has 9 calories per gram. Muscle is made up of mostly protien which is 4 calories a gram. Would 1600-1700 be enough surplus per month for 1 pound of muscle?

And if so- what is a realistic goal to put on 5 pounds of muscle? 3 months? 6 months?

I don't know the answers to that, unfortunately. Below are a couple of good, although long, articles that might help. The first is more general and the second actually gives tips on how many calories to eat and for how long.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/general-philosophies-of-muscle-mass-gain.html
http://www.acaloriecounter.com/building-muscle.php#two

rainbowbow

thanks!