How Should I Build Muscle

Dayquasar

Ok, I am 5'4 and have been around 116lb the last few weeks, I am currently set to lose 1/2 lb per week at lightly active, this was in fact working including eating my exercise calories. I opened my diary, also I was mainting for a little while which is why some days I was over, I did switched it back to lose. I usually do some strength exercises which includes about 3 sets of 10-12 reps of each exercise and I lift heavy enough to almost not being able to lift any more at the weight I'm using. I put my weekly sched. below. I recently found out that I have 19% body fat, I still feel flabby in my lower body including abs, I almost feel like 19% was too low , maybe it's all in my head. I also don't want to lose too much weight where it will effect my hormones etc. since I would like children at some point. I feel really nervous about upping my calories to build muscle since I hear it also makes you gain fat and then you have to cut again later and just maintain your muscle mass. What I'm not sure about is how many calories should I increase, should I just not be worried and give it time and gain the fat that is involved because this process doesn't happen overnight? I'm sorry but I feel a little ignorant on the subject and if anyone has any advise that would be great, thanks!

I am on my feet at my job which is about 25 hrs a week (retail). I am also pretty energetic and I tend to think I have a pretty good metabolism.

Sun- rest or 40 min walk
Mon- full body strengthening exercises
Tue- 30 mins cardio
Wed- upper body and ab strengthening exercises
Thu- 30 mins cardio
Fri- full body strengthening exercises
Sat- 30 mins cardio

dlwyatt82

If you're already at 19% body fat, then you're in perfect position to eat more while strength training. Your BF% will get back up to the 20-25% range (which I assume is what you're targeting), and you can put on muscle mass at the same time.

You're right that you may eventually put on more fat than you'd like, and would need to switch to a calorie deficit ("cutting cycle") to bring that back down, while still training to maintain the muscle you had put on.

ninerbuff

500 calories over TDEE to gain a pound a week. Do this for a couple of months and check results then re adjust.

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teez52

You most definitely will have to cut again after a "bulk cycle". I would say if you're worried about gaining fat, go with around a 200 calorie surplus instead of a 500 calorie, you will gain weight slower, but it should minimize the amount of fat gained assuming you keep lifting heavy. You will then just have to do a short cut when your done and you'll be right where you want to be, then it's just a matter of keeping lifting and eating at maintenance.

Good luck!

HeidiMightyRawr

I've done one of those purposeful bulks before, it's not as bad as it sounds with the fat gain

As you said, it doesn't happen overnight. A lot of men at my gym bulk over the winter and gain a ton of fat, but it's not necessary as that's just a preference, you can stop and re-adjust whenever you like. If you feel you have gained too much, you can cut early, that's perfectly fine.

I personally chose to bulk from 134-150(my heaviest pre-MFP) and am now in the process of losing the fat. Was eating 2800 net and that made me gain 16lbs in 6 months. Figure out your TDEE and go around 500 above that for 1lb a week. I wouldn't personally go higher than that, as there's only so much muscle you can build in that time, the rest will likely just be fat / water etc so don't go crazy and hopefully you'll gain a decent proportion of that as muscle.

As far as lifting goes, I'd recommend dropping the reps slightly, keep lifting heavy although I would include a lower body strengthening day as you only seem to have upper and full body at the moment.

Dayquasar

I've done one of those purposeful bulks before, it's not as bad as it sounds with the fat gain

As you said, it doesn't happen overnight. A lot of men at my gym bulk over the winter and gain a ton of fat, but it's not necessary as that's just a preference, you can stop and re-adjust whenever you like. If you feel you have gained too much, you can cut early, that's perfectly fine.

I personally chose to bulk from 134-150(my heaviest pre-MFP) and am now in the process of losing the fat. Was eating 2800 net and that made me gain 16lbs in 6 months. Figure out your TDEE and go around 500 above that for 1lb a week. I wouldn't personally go higher than that, as there's only so much muscle you can build in that time, the rest will likely just be fat / water etc so don't go crazy and hopefully you'll gain a decent proportion of that as muscle.

As far as lifting goes, I'd recommend dropping the reps slightly, keep lifting heavy although I would include a lower body strengthening day as you only seem to have upper and full body at the moment.

Thanks, that makes me feel better , my full body workout days do include lower body, do you mean add an extra lower body workout so that is also 3x /week?