Scared to gain fat instead of muscle

bathsheba_c

I'm getting close to my goal, and would like to start focusing on toning and maybe even building muscle. However, I'm scared to gain mostly fat instead of muscle. My main worries are:

a) I find it really hard to get more than 17% of my calories from protein
b) I'm not the greatest at being consistent with my exercise (yes, yes, I know, please don't ***** at me about this)
c) For financial reasons, my strength training is limited to body weight exercises
d) I don't know where I should set my calorie target.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

nz_deevaa

How are you going build he muscle without strength training? Bodyweight exercise can only get you so far.

That being said look into 'you are your own gym'.

Sarauk2sf

What do you currently do as part of your strength routine and how often do you do it?

Louisianababy93

1) if you are building muscle you need a calorie surplus.
2) bulk then cut.
3) Protein supplement.
4)maybe find a free bodyweight workout online.



find person with weights, befriend person with weights. workout with friend and use their weights..

bathsheba_c

Martial arts classes twice a week, basically. There's also a park near my apartment with exercise equipment, including weights, that I want to start going to a few times a week.

Yeah, I don't know how much is possible with body weight versus heavy lifting. That's why I'm asking. It would be a possibility for me to buy some hand weights, though.

Louisianababy93

heres some articles for you to check out.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/81349-bodyweight-vs.-weights/


http://www.livestrong.com/article/451628-weight-lifting-benefits-for-women/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/412007-weightlifting-myths-for-women/

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/beginning-weight-training-part-1.html
the other parts are linked and Lyle has alot of informative articles.

chocolatecroissant

Thanks to Louisianababy for the links - very helpful. I have similar concerns although I do have access to weights so will be using weights to increase strength but am fearful of increasing calories. What is meant by "bulk then cut"? Many thanks.

geebusuk

Do you like meat? I see you do eat it.
More meat is an obvious solution . I generally raid the cheap 'going out of date tomorrow' shelves for the big packs of ham etc.
400g through the day will get you around 400 calories and maybe 80-90g of protein.

Generally they say go 250 calories or so over your TDEE.

Plenty you can do with bodyweight exercises, but also a basic set of weights can usually be got pretty cheaply second hand.

You are going to need the dedication to stick to a decent routine for results, however.

Bulk then cut - bulking is where you are eating more than your body needs so it gains muscle, however you may gain some fat, so people then have a 'cut' phase where they lose weight. Really muscly people find it harder to gain muscle, so will often eat say 500-1000 calories over what their body needs. This ensurers there's definitely surplus calories for muscle growth (as 250 calories could easily end up being used up by other stuff), but means they're also likely to put some fat on too.

Sarauk2sf

Martial arts classes twice a week, basically. There's also a park near my apartment with exercise equipment, including weights, that I want to start going to a few times a week.

Yeah, I don't know how much is possible with body weight versus heavy lifting. That's why I'm asking. It would be a possibility for me to buy some hand weights, though.

I actually think you can take advantage of newbie gains for a short while without needing to eat at a surplus. But, whichever you choose you need to have a good strength program with progressive loading. This can be achieved with body weight exercises, but it is much more efficient and easier to use weights. I would eat at maintenance for about 3 - 4 months while strength training at which point you would have exhausted newbie gains (plus you can work on strength and form during that time) then go to a 250 - 350 calorie surplus. The more effective and intense your strength routine is the more muscle you will gain as opposed to fat.

sijomial

d) I don't know where I should set my calorie target.

I'm in the same position (1lb to go) and my plan is to slowly increase my calorie allowance (you can custom set your calorie target) and switch some of my cardio to strength training. Will up the calories week on week until I find the sweet spot where I don't lose or gain.
Main aim will then be working on reducing body fat percentage over time.
Good luck over the holidays!!

bathsheba_c

Thanks for the advice, everyone! Building muscle is a lot more complicated than losing weight.

The problem with protein is that, while I love meat, I have a hard time eating a lot of it, and I'm not supposed to eat too much soy. I guess that's what protein shakes are for?

bdamaster60

1) if you are building muscle you need a calorie surplus.
2) bulk then cut.

or cut, then bulk, then mini cut.

CoderGal

Thanks for the advice, everyone! Building muscle is a lot more complicated than losing weight.

The problem with protein is that, while I love meat, I have a hard time eating a lot of it, and I'm not supposed to eat too much soy. I guess that's what protein shakes are for?

Meat isn't the only thing with protein in it. allot of dairy (greek yogurt yum), nuts, beans, and other veg have protein as well. If you have a hard time eating large quantities of meat, I suggest putting a little protein in every meal you have instead of trying to chom a whole chicken at once. And yup, protein powers/shakes do the trick as well. Optimum Nutrition seemed to be the most popular one when I asked around that people stuck to. I personally use Kaizen naturals with stevia for the days I'm at uni and I can't cook and I'm to poor to buy anything on campus :P

Capt_Apollo

like others have said, you can't dictate what your body turns into muscle, and what it turns into fat. you can do your best to control it by working out and eating right.

food with natural fat like avocados and fish are the good kind of fat. they shouldn't be avoided.

and in my opinion, body weight exercises can be just as challenging as training in a gym with machines, barbells, and dumb bells. it worked for Batman.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/08/23/batman-bodyweight-workout/

pspetralia

Bump...great info!

mmapags

Do you really want to build muscle, as in hypertrophy or do you want to develop what muscle structure you have? Often when someone says build muscle, they mean the latter not the former. What you do from an exercise routine won't nessecarily change but the dietary part will. You won't need to eat in a surplus and be concerned with gaining fat.

RobynMWilson

As for the financial reasons and only being able to use body weight, you don't need an expensive weight set to start with. You'd be amazed how much muscle you can build with resistance tubing! I built incredible back muscles doing a lat pull down modification for pull ups during P90X and it was with resistance tubing. There's pics of the muscle I built in my profile pictures...

BigGuy47

and in my opinion, body weight exercises can be just as challenging as training in a gym with machines, barbells, and dumb bells.

Add a pull up bar. Inexpensive and pull ups / chin ups are challenging.

iorahkwano

Love this thread!

Capt_Apollo

and in my opinion, body weight exercises can be just as challenging as training in a gym with machines, barbells, and dumb bells.

Add a pull up bar. Inexpensive and pull ups / chin ups are challenging.

agreed.

i have this at home. love it.

http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Total-Upper-Body-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K

fiberartist219

As for the financial reasons and only being able to use body weight, you don't need an expensive weight set to start with. You'd be amazed how much muscle you can build with resistance tubing! I built incredible back muscles doing a lat pull down modification for pull ups during P90X and it was with resistance tubing. There's pics of the muscle I built in my profile pictures...

Resistance bands are inexpensive and they do the trick.

Although I believe you can do quite a bit with the body weight exercises too.

Don't be afraid of gaining fat. I say only eat over your maintenance calories on days you strength train and then eat right at maintenance or just under on the days you don't. Try to eat meat and nuts and beans or even the protein shakes on days you train.

Strength training will be good for you, and it will be well worth the effort.