Bodybuilders/sculptors- fat and lifting help.

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Effpcos
Effpcos Posts: 350 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, I think I've finally got the logging and net calories thing sorted, and this weekend I've started doing a few reps of weights, just simple stuff- bicep curls, chest flies etc, with 6kg weights, I can manage about 12 reps before it hurts.
I'm 5ft female, 30, still around 60lbs to lose (to get to the upper part of a "healthy" BMI), I am 178lbs this week, and have a few questions.
I read that lifting heavy when I'm still chunky is pointless, which I don't completely buy. I have a fairly physical life and am already "smaller/tighter" than a lot of people my weight/height, owing, I think, to the muscle mass I already have. And surely the more muscle you have the more cals you burn so it can only help, right??
My ultimate aim is to be fairly "ripped". (I used to be very slim pre-kids, approx 100lbs, but I wasn't very defined, and was never satisfied with the "jiggly" bits.)
I know it's difficult to build muscle at a calorie deficit, but because I have a lot of fat "reserve" does that mean I don't need to worry so much about trying to eat back cals from cardio? I've just upped my cals to 1300 a day and I'm quite happy with that, not hungry and losing 1-2lb a week on average, so not too keen on trying to make myself eat more.

I did BioChem, Physiology etc at Uni but putting it into a practical sense still confuses me!

Oh and coffee- my husband is ex-military and said coffee was a no-no for lifting back in "his day" (lol, he's only 34), but it seems to be recommended these days?

Replies

  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
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    I read that lifting heavy when I'm still chunky is pointless, which I don't completely buy.

    Yeah don't, because that's total BS.
    And surely the more muscle you have the more cals you burn so it can only help, right??

    Correct.
    I've just upped my cals to 1300 a day and I'm quite happy with that, not hungry and losing 1-2lb a week on average, so not too keen on trying to make myself eat more.

    can't really comment as I don't know your BMR/TDEE but I would genreally encourage people to eat at least some of their exercise cals back, especially if you are going to start lifting.
    Oh and coffee- my husband is ex-military and said coffee was a no-no for lifting back in "his day" (lol, he's only 34), but it seems to be recommended these days?

    it's fine.,
    My ultimate aim is to be fairly "ripped".

    read the interviews and see how these girls train, weights 3-4 times per week.

    http://www.simplyshredded.com/16909.html
  • Effpcos
    Effpcos Posts: 350 Member
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    Thanks! My BMR is 1570, my TDEE is between 1880-2100 depending on the week (there's never a housewife-mother-of-five option in the activity level).
  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
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    Yep total bs. Without heavy lifting I would still just be fat, not stronger than 90% of people and fat. I'd have a goal weight of 160 not 195.
  • Effpcos
    Effpcos Posts: 350 Member
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    Yep total bs. Without heavy lifting I would still just be fat, not stronger than 90% of people and fat. I'd have a goal weight of 160 not 195.

    That's what I was thinking, being strong is healthier than just being fat. =)
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    I drink coffee every day. Coffee is just fine to drink.

    I think you should be eating more... 1300 doesn't seem enough... I eat around 1800-1900 and I'm losing weight. I weigh 140. My maintenance is around 2000.

    And I think lifting weights on a deficit is good... it will help you lose mostly just fat instead of your muscle mass... if you're eating enough, that is. If you're not eating enough I think you might lose some muscle. You might lose wight slower than you'd like, but that is to be expected when you're losing just fat and not muscle. Don't get too hung up on the number on the scale. Track your progress by what you see in the mirror instead. Or inches lost.
  • Effpcos
    Effpcos Posts: 350 Member
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    I drink coffee every day. Coffee is just fine to drink.

    I think you should be eating more... 1300 doesn't seem enough... I eat around 1800-1900 and I'm losing weight. I weigh 140. My maintenance is around 2000.

    And I think lifting weights on a deficit is good... it will help you lose mostly just fat instead of your muscle mass... if you're eating enough, that is. If you're not eating enough I think you might lose some muscle. You might lose wight slower than you'd like, but that is to be expected when you're losing just fat and not muscle. Don't get too hung up on the number on the scale. Track your progress by what you see in the mirror instead. Or inches lost.

    Thank you, I have just started taking measurements and did a set of "before" photos about a fortnight ago, =)
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    Buy the book the new rules of lifting for women. Even if you do not do the program, the information is totally worth the 15$.

    If you can do compound lifting 3 ties a week. Eat at a moderate deficit and you will see great results. Also I drink one coffee before lifting lol so you can ignore the husband on this one
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
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    We don't drink coffee but my wife and I both lift heavy and we are pre-workout junkies.
  • Effpcos
    Effpcos Posts: 350 Member
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    I've heard the "new rules" book mentioned a few times, I'll have to see if I can get it here in New Zealand.
  • cherrytulips
    cherrytulips Posts: 109
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    bump (sorry to be annoying)
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
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    Thanks! My BMR is 1570, my TDEE is between 1880-2100 depending on the week (there's never a housewife-mother-of-five option in the activity level).


    Please just read. .

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

    There are stickies on the discussion board that I would like you to skim through
  • Effpcos
    Effpcos Posts: 350 Member
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    Thanks! My BMR is 1570, my TDEE is between 1880-2100 depending on the week (there's never a housewife-mother-of-five option in the activity level).


    Please just read. .

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

    There are stickies on the discussion board that I would like you to skim through

    I've read that stuff before, but when I tried to net 1570 cals a day I felt like crap, so I don't put a lot of faith in how accurate the bmr or tdee calculators are. I do intend on going up to 1400 in a fortnight's time (1st Oct), then trying for 1500 another month after that, once I'm closer to a "healthy" weight I'll try to net higher again.
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
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    I've heard the "new rules" book mentioned a few times, I'll have to see if I can get it here in New Zealand.

    I downloaded a copy onto my iPad from Amazon, so you can get an e-copy at the least. The book has lots of great information, but I prefer StrongLifts 5x5 in terms of the actual lifting structure.

    I drink coffee every day.

    NROLFW has calorie suggestions in it, i think you should at least eat your BMR.
  • Effpcos
    Effpcos Posts: 350 Member
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    I've heard the "new rules" book mentioned a few times, I'll have to see if I can get it here in New Zealand.

    I downloaded a copy onto my iPad from Amazon, so you can get an e-copy at the least. The book has lots of great information, but I prefer StrongLifts 5x5 in terms of the actual lifting structure.

    I drink coffee every day.

    NROLFW has calorie suggestions in it, i think you should at least eat your BMR.

    Lol, I don't have an Ipad or credit card so that rules out ebooks, but I did find a bookseller on Trademe with it.

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