Question: How to lose weight and NOT gain muscle!

rocketpopsicles

I have always wondered how to do this!
I have a lot of weight to lose,
and I really don't want to gain muscle.
It might sound weird, but I dont find a lot of muscle on girls attractive.
I ESPECIALLY don't want my claves to bulk up anymore.

Any suggestions?

barbaracoffing

What you may not realize is that when you gain lean muscle, it increases your metabolism and helps you burn fat though. You don't necessarily have to 'bulk up' but you should strength train at least 2 x weekly (not heavy!) or you will lose bone mass beginning in your late 30's and 40's as a female!!!!

AnvilHead

If you want to avoid gaining muscle, don't take steroids. When you're eating at a caloric deficit, putting on appreciable amounts of muscle is nearly impossible. The muscular women you see have made a conscious, dedicated effort to building that muscle and have fought hard for every ounce of it...eating at a caloric surplus to "bulk up", then "cutting" (losing fat while making every effort to sustain lean muscle mass through very precise eating and supplementation) to get that "ripped" look. The female bodybuilders with massive amounts of muscle have (in many cases) done all the above plus 'supplemented' with anabolic/androgenic steroids. It's not easy and won't happen "accidentally", even if you lift heavy weights as part of your weight/fat loss regimen.

mcarter99

As you lose weight you will lose muscle. We all do. It's just part of getting smaller. As your calves don't need to support as large a body, they will get smaller.

Twiztedbeing

If you want to avoid gaining muscle, don't take steroids. When you're eating at a caloric deficit, putting on appreciable amounts of muscle is nearly impossible. The muscular women you see have made a conscious, dedicated effort to building that muscle and have fought hard for every ounce of it...eating at a caloric surplus to "bulk up", then "cutting" (losing fat while making every effort to sustain lean muscle mass through very precise eating and supplementation) to get that "ripped" look. The female bodybuilders with massive amounts of muscle have (in many cases) done all the above plus 'supplemented' with anabolic/androgenic steroids. It's not easy and won't happen "accidentally", even if you lift heavy weights as part of your weight/fat loss regimen.

agree

nz_deevaa

As you lose weight you will lose muscle. We all do. It's just part of getting smaller. As your calves don't need to support as large a body, they will get smaller.

???

If you want to avoid gaining muscle, don't take steroids. When you're eating at a caloric deficit, putting on appreciable amounts of muscle is nearly impossible. The muscular women you see have made a conscious, dedicated effort to building that muscle and have fought hard for every ounce of it...eating at a caloric surplus to "bulk up", then "cutting" (losing fat while making every effort to sustain lean muscle mass through very precise eating and supplementation) to get that "ripped" look. The female bodybuilders with massive amounts of muscle have (in many cases) done all the above plus 'supplemented' with anabolic/androgenic steroids. It's not easy and won't happen "accidentally", even if you lift heavy weights as part of your weight/fat loss regimen.

This is good info.

If you do "accidentally" start looking ripped, then you'll know it's time to modify what you are doing.


Edited to add, sometimes when you first start working out, some muscles will 'hold onto' water to repair themselves, and you might feel like you are starting to get 'bulky'... but this will disappear fairly quickly... within a few weeks of any new program.

trinitrate

As you lose weight you will lose muscle. We all do. It's just part of getting smaller. As your calves don't need to support as large a body, they will get smaller.

???

Everyone loses some muscle when they lose weight. if you start off at 250 and lose 100 lbs, do you think your leg muscles will need to remain the same size? Those things have been lifting a 250lb frame for years and now only need to lift 150... That, along with your body scavenging some muscle for energy when eating in a defeceit leads to -some- muscle lose. The more extreme your defeceit, the higher percentage of muscle vs. fat that you'll lose overall.

Thats why most ppl on this site emphesize weight training as part of your weight loss routine to try to maintain or improve your muscle mass even though your body naturally is trying to reduce it.

kdeaux1959

Women don't really tend to bulk up so I would not worry about that. Muscle really is HARD to gain... Really it is... So lifting heavy actually helps TONE you... You will not become the incredible hulk if you do lifting...

But to answer your question.. Plenty of pure cardio and eat at a deficit. Resist the temptation to minimize protein, however because the body will eat muscle as readily as it will fat... Only remember... the HEART is also a muscle. But I would really reconsider not toning though.

taiyola

Not sure why you'd want to be slim but flabby...?

I don't find size 8 (UK) girls attractive when their legs are all wobbly and gross.

You don't have to be seriously muscly to be 'toned'. To be 'toned', you have to gain some muscle.

:noway:

MashaSK

to get big muscles you'll have to slave in gym! if you dont want to look thinner version of yourself you need muscles

loubeth22

I'm in the same boat. I'v been tracking my my BF% for the last few months and I'm gaining muscle at about 0.2 - 0.3 kg a week whilst on a deficit and losing (I've lost 5kg of fat but gained near 3kg of muscle). Whilst I have nothing against muscle, I do need to be light enough for my partner to lift (dance) and I'd like to see my ankles/calves either get smaller or at least not get any bigger.

I'm currently at 24% BF and 57.5kg of lean muscle. My goal was to get down to 60-64 kg but that would put me at ~10% body fat which is really unhealthy. The lowest I want to go is 18-20% and that would leave me at 68kg which is still too heavy for my partner. He's also working on improving his lifts - he's at 80kg and lifting 35kg right now. So its fast and better for both of us if I lose the weight whilst he gains muscle.

scorpiotwinkles

I started at around the same weight as you in Jan 2012. I have been lifting heavy for all that time (obviously building up the weights because I had never done that before). If you look at my pics you will see I have toned and lost weight (70lb in fact) and I haven't bulked up. Yes, I have muscle definition appearing from under the fat but that is only the muscle I already have, I haven't "built" it. I am loving my new look and will continue for about another 50lb. Dont be scared to lift weights, I know I wouldn't have lost this amount with diet alone and would probably still be very flabby.

mcarter99

As you lose weight you will lose muscle. We all do. It's just part of getting smaller. As your calves don't need to support as large a body, they will get smaller.

???

Everyone loses some muscle when they lose weight. if you start off at 250 and lose 100 lbs, do you think your leg muscles will need to remain the same size? Those things have been lifting a 250lb frame for years and now only need to lift 150... That, along with your body scavenging some muscle for energy when eating in a defeceit leads to -some- muscle lose. The more extreme your defeceit, the higher percentage of muscle vs. fat that you'll lose overall.

Thats why most ppl on this site emphesize weight training as part of your weight loss routine to try to maintain or improve your muscle mass even though your body naturally is trying to reduce it.

Right. With significant weight loss, we become a smaller version of ourselves. Even our blood volume decreases, some organs shrink, skin shrinks. You want to retain a healthy PERCENT of lean mass but not your original poundage of lean mass.

shorty35565

You're not going to bulk up. You have to have to proper diet, the proper amount of calories & bust ur butt to bulk up.
You know if you don't build some muscle you're pretty much gonna b skinny fat, right? I have never heard of anyone who didn't want to build any muscle. Toned is always better than skinny. Maybe I'm just biased.

InnerFatGirl

If you want to avoid gaining muscle, don't take steroids. When you're eating at a caloric deficit, putting on appreciable amounts of muscle is nearly impossible. The muscular women you see have made a conscious, dedicated effort to building that muscle and have fought hard for every ounce of it...eating at a caloric surplus to "bulk up", then "cutting" (losing fat while making every effort to sustain lean muscle mass through very precise eating and supplementation) to get that "ripped" look. The female bodybuilders with massive amounts of muscle have (in many cases) done all the above plus 'supplemented' with anabolic/androgenic steroids. It's not easy and won't happen "accidentally", even if you lift heavy weights as part of your weight/fat loss regimen.

Best explanation I've seen.

erickirb

by eating at a deficit you will not gain muscle as you lose weight, especially if you don't do any lifting. In a caloric deficit strength training only helps you retain the muscle you already have, not build more.

On top of the above, as a female you don't have the genetics to gain a lot of muscle, as you need testosterone in order to do so. Even as a guy with testosterone I have trouble gaining muscle. I am lucky if I put on 5 lbs of muscle in a years time and I lift heavy and eat a fair amount of protein and calories ( over 120 gs protein/day and 2000 cals/day).

Angie_1MR

If you want to avoid gaining muscle, don't take steroids. When you're eating at a caloric deficit, putting on appreciable amounts of muscle is nearly impossible. The muscular women you see have made a conscious, dedicated effort to building that muscle and have fought hard for every ounce of it...eating at a caloric surplus to "bulk up", then "cutting" (losing fat while making every effort to sustain lean muscle mass through very precise eating and supplementation) to get that "ripped" look. The female bodybuilders with massive amounts of muscle have (in many cases) done all the above plus 'supplemented' with anabolic/androgenic steroids. It's not easy and won't happen "accidentally", even if you lift heavy weights as part of your weight/fat loss regimen.

Can I give you a hug? Really, really appreciate your post! Perhaps this could just be the default wallpaper of MFP?

downinaggieland98

Trust me, you do not want to avoid strength training as part of your weight loss. Others have said what I was going to say but, you will not bulk up. Don't buy into the myth that heavy weight lifting will make you bulky. I lift as much as possible!

HeidiMightyRawr

When you lose weight you'll be in a calorie deficit. In a calorie deficit it is extremely hard to gain muscle at all. If you are new to lifting (lifting heavy, regularly) then you may gain a LITTLE AMOUNT, nothing major. This will not last forever. Most likely you will lose a little muscle as you lose weight, it happens.

If you still want to make sure you 100% don't gain any, don't lift weights, at all. I really wouldn't recommend that, lifting weights is beneficial in so many ways. Doing none will also leave you looking flabbier afterwards, but anyway, if you still want it this way, do cardio, eat in a calorie deficit and you will lose weight (fat and muscle)

Cocochickdeleted

I really don't think you have to worry. I am TRYING to build muscle, and it's a slow, tedious process. Like someone else said, it WON'T happen accidentally. It takes a very conscious, concerted effort.

LindaCWy

I bet you one million imaginary dollars that you will change your mind when you get closer to goal. ONE MILLION DOLLARS! *pinky to mouth

ninerbuff

Yep just eat at calorie deficit and don't work out. You won't gain any muscle at all. Of course you'll be really soft, but if your goal isn't to gain muscle, this works.

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

LindaCWy

Yep just eat at calorie deficit and don't work out. You won't gain any muscle at all. Of course you'll be really soft, but if your goal isn't to gain muscle, this works.

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

Bobble head with loose skin comes to mind...

Jorra

Don't change a thing. You can't do both at the same time...

Wendysworld13

I feel like nobody has totally answered your question. The answer is yes you can lose weight without becoming cut or having standout defined muscles. The answers that you have gotten are good - don't take steriods, don't eat too little, keep your water intake up, etc.
But do lift weights - lower weight amounts and more reps increase your tone and therefore help you lose more weight and don't build the muscle up - they tone what you have. When you lift heavy weights you actually tear muscle fibers and as they repair they build up. Therefore smaller weights, more reps, no damage just tone and you will see the resulting feminine form you are looking for!

SPNLuver83

I'm sorry but that makes so sense. Muscle on women is lean, not bulky.

timmymon

Check out the thread about burning calories by cleaning and chores. I think this will be a good way to lose weight without gaining dreaded muscle

WonderKP

you wont gain bulky muscle. and if your calves look big, they probably just still have some fat that needs to be lost. Keep up the strength training, keep a small calorie deficit, maybe cardio if you like to do that, and you will not bulk up....unless you are taking steroids or something.

Swissmiss

Not sure why you'd want to be slim but flabby...?

I don't find size 8 (UK) girls attractive when their legs are all wobbly and gross.

You don't have to be seriously muscly to be 'toned'. To be 'toned', you have to gain some muscle.

:noway:

Agree^^^ I use weights twice a week. Without doing that I would look horrible. It doesn't matter what you weigh...if you are not toned you will look bad.

Hendrix7

If you want to avoid gaining muscle, don't take steroids. When you're eating at a caloric deficit, putting on appreciable amounts of muscle is nearly impossible. The muscular women you see have made a conscious, dedicated effort to building that muscle and have fought hard for every ounce of it...eating at a caloric surplus to "bulk up", then "cutting" (losing fat while making every effort to sustain lean muscle mass through very precise eating and supplementation) to get that "ripped" look. The female bodybuilders with massive amounts of muscle have (in many cases) done all the above plus 'supplemented' with anabolic/androgenic steroids. It's not easy and won't happen "accidentally", even if you lift heavy weights as part of your weight/fat loss regimen.

This.

Swissmiss

Check out the thread about burning calories by cleaning and chores. I think this will be a good way to lose weight without gaining dreaded muscle

Some male sarcasm. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: