Trading fat for muscle (no weight loss needed)

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NoxDineen
NoxDineen Posts: 497 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I signed up for the Warrior Dash this spring when I realized I was gaining weight and in increasingly bad shape. I can (barely) run the 5k and I think I'll be okay on the obstacles, but the process of getting there has made me a bit obsessed with running a Tiugh Mudder (20km obstacle race) and getting really fit. But I'm a bit overwhelmed with info in terms of how to do it. my goal is to look like Zuzana Light: http://www.girlswithmuscle.com/121247/

For reference I'm currently 120 lbs and somewhere between 18-20% body fat (2 scales, 2 verdicts). I'm 29 years old and work as a software developer (but at a standing desk). I couldn't work out in the spring due to back to back knee injuries but in the past 3 weeks I've been doing the following:

- running at least every other day (sometimes only 2k though, it's hot/humid)
- between 15-30 minutes of strength (using routines from the GAIN Fitness iPhone app and 8/10 lb dumbbells
- eating around 1200-1300 calories and aiming for 100-120 grams of protein

I know 3 weeks isn't long enough to see results but I dont feel like I'm doing this the most efficiently so I may as well ask for help now. :)

I can commit to working out every day (45 min PM), most days twice (also 30 min AM). I just discovered kettlebells and I LOVE them, so I'm thinking of alternating something like:

Day 1
AM: kettlebells swings/push up intervals
PM: running

Day 2
AM: body weight/dumbbell circuits (Nike Training Club app or non-equipment BodyRock)
PM: kettlebell circuit

With all that preamble I guess my questions are:

1. How many calories should I aim for? (Muscle needs a surplus, dropping fat needs a defect, so I'm stumped)
2. Is my workout plan decent? Awful?
3. What else can/should I be doing?

Thank you for any help/suggestions.

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  • NoxDineen
    NoxDineen Posts: 497 Member
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    /bump

    Just took body fat and muscle measurements (on a bioimpedance scale) and my fat is up, muscle is down (vs measurements 2 weeks ago on the same scale).

    I recently bumped my caloric intake up to 1500 calories a day, but people are telling me I need more for the amount I'm working out & goal of building muscle. I'm rarely hungry at my current intake, and have some psychological issues putting more calories in my body without the need to do so confirmed.

    I would really appreciate any suggestions or guidance.

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