questions

Babsvii

Help... I have been working out religiously for just over a year now... i started p90x Feb 2012 and have been doing that religiously (except for when i injured my arm for a a couple months but still continued with cardio and ab ripper until i was better) I never had lots of weight to lose when i started a year ago i was about 8lbs. My starting weight was 117.5lbs and now i am around 110lbs give or take a pound (i am 5'2"). I have built up some good muscle but cannot seem to get the last bit of belly fat gone... with p90x i live 3 times a week and cardio on the other 3 days. I have tried switching things up and doing more cardio/less cardio. i lift heavy 8-10 reps. I also hike everyday for 1-2 hours up a mountain no trails. So i basically workout 7 days a week from 1-2 hours sometimes more depending on my hikes. I was doing ab ripper 3 times a week but i feel like im not seeing much of a difference in my abs in the last few months. Realistically how often should i be working on my abs? and is there anything you would recommend i do besides ab ripper? I dont have access to a gym hence the p90x. I will answer all your questions then maybe you can tell me what i should switch up if anything.

Note that since i had just adjusted my macros this week i will tell you what i am doing now and not so much what i was doing before as i was eating at 60c/20p/20f but now i am eating 40c/40p/20f

1) What's your current intake of calories, on average? This is TOTAL CALORIES EATEN so this would include anything you eat for exercise calories. In other words, how much are you eating?

previously i was eating 1400-1600 calories per day, i was once eating 1800 but cut cause i injured my arm and wasnt lifting for a couple months... just raised them this week back up... i set them per my TDEE with moderate workouts/ lose fat, gain muscle at 1900 i am not logging my calories burned. been eating 1700-1900 with trying to focus on hitting my macros.

2) What's your current average intake of protein, carbs, and fats, in grams?

protein 120-140, carbs 160-190 (trying hard not to go over 190), fats 40-50 I am finding i am going over my fats now that my protein is higher. Also i am trying to keep my sugars around 50g

3) Do you use a food scale and measure everything?

yes i measure everything!!!!

4) Do you track all of your intake, daily? (Everything?)

yes everything

5) Do you take cheat days or days off?

i do not take days off and if i do have a cheat day its maybe 1-2 times a month. but i always try to keep my calories in check it will usually be my macros that are way off by this.

6) How much weight have you lost so far?

8lbs though im not trying to lose anymore just body fat and gain muscle

7) What is your activity like, both exercise and non-exercise? (big difference between a construction worker and a desk job) and did you change that activity withing the last couple of months. If so, what changed.

i always put myself as a desk job as i dont work, i stay home. the exercise i do get is when i workout or go for hikes and walks.

8) How long have you eaten at your previous amount and what happened in that time frame?

for the last 6 months i feel like i have just maintained... i was eating around 1400-1600 calories and just upped them to see if that will make a difference for me. i have gained more definition in my legs and butt. but having a hard time with the abs. i keep hearing do more cardio... or just do weights... and im confused at what i should do to get the last bit of fat off.

9) What's your height, current weight and if you know it, bodyfat%?

a few months ago i had my bf tested with calipers and was told i was 20% (which sounds totally off to me) my body fat scale tells me i am 18% but i really have no idea

10) If you're stalled, for how long and is it a complete stall (zero change in weight)?

since i am not trying to lose my weight has really stayed the same give or take a few pounds depending on what i eat. What i would really like is to gain more muscle and lose a little more body fat but i really have no idea if my new plan of action is the right one. Also i am not being completely strict with food i still want to enjoy myself and eat things i like in moderation but for the most part i eat fairly healthy and cook all my meals.

any input is appreciated....

Babsvii

ohhh an PS if you do check out my diary January i was in vegas for a week+ so that was a total right off and there is a few pieces of carrot cake from my boyfriends birthday at the beginning of Feb... these are not normal of me LOL

Sarauk2sf

Regarding abs...it's partly diet, partly training and partly genetics.

You are already pretty lean so the issue may be that you do not have the muscle developed underneath. What equipment do you have at home?

However, you really cannot gain muscle and lose fat at the same time (you are lean and have done some lifting so the exceptions when you can do not apply to you). So, you need to focus on one or the other. You are definitely lean enough for it to make sense to bulk if you chose the former.


Let us know and we can try to work out an appropriate intake level.

Babsvii

Thank you for the reply... i think im going to work on building muscle, that seems to be what i am working more towards. i do lots of hiking as i love to be outdoors but lifting is what i really want to stick to.

I have lots of free weights up to 40lbs i have a lifting bar with weights probably more then i would ever need. i have a bench press, pull up bar and resistance bands up to 40lbs i think and a treadmill.

i would defiantly like some input on intake and what would help me build more muscle... for protein powder i have been using muscle pharm combat powder. also if there is any other supplements you would recommend i would appreciate any input on that as well.

Thanks for your time

Babsvii

also i do have my macros set for 40c/40p/20f but i feel like i am actually eating more like 40c/30p/30f... would this hamper my efforts? most of my fats are coming from eggs, meat and cheese though i usually dont eat much cheese at the most 30g's a few times a week.

Sarauk2sf

I am not sure that you would be able to do all of them with the weights you have, but this is a pretty decent routine for lifting:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843&page=1

If you want to build muscle you will have to eat above maintenance - add approx. 250 - 300 calories to that. You will gain some fat, together with muscle (assuming a good progressive loading routine). A woman can only put on about 1/4 - 1/2 lb a week of muscle. Keep an eye on your weight, taking stock every few weeks to see if you are gaining to slowly or too quickly and tweak your intake accordingly. Stop bulking when you 'have had enough' - but I would suggest that it be before hitting the 25% BF% mark. Then start cutting to get the fat off.

Your protein should be at about 1g per lb of LBM, and fats at least 0.35g per lb of total body weight. Fill the rest in where you want, but I would try to get as much carbs as possible with the remaining 'allowance' to help fuel workouts.

I would not recommend any supplements at this stage for you.

Babsvii

ok i think i have the eating down... to maintain i am supposed to eat 1544 and i am eating around 1700-1900 trying for the greater number but trying to focus on macros at the same time...

i am doing better on the protein but my fats are higher then you suggested... im finding it difficult to eat so much protein and still keep my fat low.. since i weigh 110lbs i shouldnt be eating more then 38g of fat but most days im eating around 60g's, will this hamper my efforts?.... I was consuming around 60% carbs before but just cut down to 40% so should i raise them back up again?

Is there any way to build muscle with out putting on extra fat? the thought of having anywhere close to 25% fat scares me... i have worked so have to get all the fat off LOL... im sure you could understand my concern... i was hoping to get my body fat down to around 14%...

if i do choose to bulk how long realistically should i do it for? what is a good amount of time before i decide to cut?

Sarauk2sf

Higher fats are fine. Fats and proteins are minimums.

There really isn't any effective way to gain muscle without losing fat. You can however try calorie cycling where you eat at a surplus on lift days and at a deficit on non-lifting days - but average out at maintenance so you do not gain weight. The problem with this is, it is very slow going and the timing may be off so you don't really make much gains.

I totally hear you about the concern - I am going to be doing a bulk/cut cycle - it's annoying as you work to get down to a relatively lean BF%, and then turn around and get fat again. The calorie cycling may well be best for you if losing bf is your focus, with mass gains being less of a priority.

Babsvii

Ya the calorie cycling has been what i have been doing... on days i lift i have been eating more and on rest days or days i just hike i eat at maintenance... since i just recently upped my calories i havent had a chance to see how this will work for me... i think i will continue... im not looking to gain mass amounts of muscle i really just want to be a little more defined all around.

Thanks for your input, i will keep at it for the next couple months and see where it takes me.