How do you lose muscle mass?

misclarity

Hi,

I have been on a dieting/ excercise program for a couple of years now, always trying to stay around 1200-1500 calories per day. I was thrilled to be slimmer and near my target weight finally at the end of last year. Unfortunately, I have gained the 20 lbs that I lost back and despite increasing my workouts over the last 4 months, I am not progressing =(

I started MFP this month and I have a pretty easy time staying within the 1200 calorie allotment for the days as I have always been a conscious eater. I do not eat alot of carbs and am careful not to overdo the protein. I am pretty athletic and do not have a lot of fat to burn off, just muscle. I burn way over the needed calories per week (usually between 4500 and 5000) over 6 days 45 min to 1 hr. cardio sessions (I vary them, usually between 500-1000 cals each). I only lift weights once per week very light weight and a ton of reps to tone, not build, muscle. I always hop on a cardio machine after lifting to breakdown the muscle so it does not build. I have actually GAINED 9 lbs since starting this program =( I know that muscle is heavier than fat, but I am really trying to slim down, NOT build more muscle onto my already muscular frame.

My cardio work is the elliptical (usually for 20 mins) and walking (quickly) uphill on the treadmill for 40 mins. My latest trick is trying to eat 5 small snacks per day (100-300 cals) in the hopes of speeding up my metabolism even more. Anyone have any advice on how to lose some of the muscle weight/bulk. I am considering cutting even more calories out.

Thanks!

erickirb

Why would you want to loose muscle?? Unless you look like a body builder, muscle makes your metabolism faster, makes you look and feel more more fit and look slimmer, as it is less dense than fat. There is a good chance that on your diet you are loosing more muscle than fat especially if your protein intake is low.

stylistchik

I'd talk to a professional. This doesn't make any sense to me.

SarahNicole317

Agree! Google Valerie Waugamann, Jelena Abbou, or Monica Brant. These ladies have been training and increasing their muscle mass for years and look amazing. I am guessing you don't have 'too much' muscle unless you look like a bodybuilder. You probably need to lean out to expose the muscle, if anything.

mworld

you may want to read this http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

and with 99.999% confidence I can say that the 20lbs you gained back wasn't muscle.

if everything doesn't make sense still - you really need to go to a doctor and get a checkup...they will definitely be able to give you the reality of your current situation.

waguchan

I'm reading The New Rules of Lifting for Women, by Lou Schuler. He says, "Unless you're an extreme genetic outlier, you can't get too bulky. Your body won't allow it." He also says that gaining muscle will make your metabolism faster and help you lose fat.

lt_mrcook

Is your cardio fast and hard, or slow and easy? What incline do you walk at and what resistence is the eliptical?

hill242

I'm reading The New Rules of Lifting for Women, by Lou Schuler. He says, "Unless you're an extreme genetic outlier, you can't get too bulky. Your body won't allow it." He also says that gaining muscle will make your metabolism faster and help you lose fat.

Yay! thumbs up for the book mention.

whyflysouth

I'd suggest hitting up your gym and asking somebody at the desk to check your % body fat to get a better idea as to how much body fat you should lose vs muscle.

Generally once you get past your mid-twenties your muscles deplete and when you get really old most people wish they built up and kept on more muscle when they were younger, so time is on your side if you really want to lose muscle mass.

As for more reps for toning, that's kinda a myth. More reps improves muscular endurance and ensures that mass won't be put on, but the mass won't come on b/c you aren't challenging the muscle. What most people think of as "muscle tone" is simply lower overall fat around the muscle, and that occurs with lower body fat all together.

Here's a good article summarizing this: http://exercise.about.com/od/exerciseworkouts/ss/strengthmyths_2.htm

aippolito1

Is your cardio fast and hard, or slow and easy? What incline do you walk at and what resistence is the eliptical?

This. You said you walk at an incline and that, my dear, is resistance, which builds muscle. Walk without the incline. Walk fast or run and this will be more cardio, burn more calories, and will burn fat. It sounds like you're fine with the strength training, although I would seriously do it more than once per week. Everywhere I've read, women's fitness magazines, my personal trainer, and all the women that work at my gym recommend strength training 3x/week, resting a day in between. I do this and I've noticed dramatic differences in my measurements and I've lost 16 lbs so far!

PS - Just because you've gained, doesn't mean it's muscle. It sounds like it's fat. You may not be jiggly or look "fat" but it is still fat.