Help?

xDawnsgrace

I'm small framed, 5'2", and i weigh 130 pounds. I'm planning on only being lightly active during the summer. My BMR is 1437, and my TDEE is 1800(sedentary/lightly active). If i ate -20% of my TDEE, which i've read i should do(10-20% of tdee.), that would be 1440 cals. Could i do this? Or should i bump it?

EDIT: I guess i should add that i'm trying to gain some muscle mass. I'm recovering from an eating disorder, and i lost a lot of muscle with the unhealthy weight loss. Trying to do it the healthy way now.

xDawnsgrace

Buummpp.. oh, and i have 25 to lose.

xDawnsgrace

anyone?

ClementineGeorg

What kind of workout plan do you want to follow for muscle gain? This aspect may be important.
Are you planning strenght training?
What do you understand with muscle gain? Do you want to get a little tone/recover muscle mass or get a somewhat muscular look or go all the way to get the `woman in fitness competition` look?

Because in function of your muscle gain goal, you would probably have to be a little more then lightly active (and eventually eating more).


Hope that you'll get the answers you need from specialized people.

watertown35

As ClemntineGeo stated, you will need to be more than "lightly active." Muscle gain can be difficult. If will depend on what type of muscle mass you want to gain. You will need to have a strict diet plan and solid workout regimen. To be more specific to your needs, I would strongly recommend hooking up with a personal trainer at your local gym and discuss what is going to be the best plan for you. I know my post doesn't give you much insight, but at 5'2" 130 lbs, you are going to need to increase your daily calories of around 500 cals a day and line yourself up with a solid supplement stack.

xDawnsgrace

@ClementineGeo i'm trying to recover muscle mass. I don't want to look ripped or anything, i just want to make it look like i'm not so soft. I've lost a lot of muscle.

@Watertown35 I've been strength training 5 times a week, not exactly "heavy" lifting, but doing what i can. supplementing with protein powders and such.. But thanks. I'll see what i can do.

billsica

Look for the Eat Train Progress group. Post in there. Really there is so much going on here. You look like you have 3 different goals that can't happen at the same time.

2 of them involve eating OVER your TDEE.

DavPul

I would go TDEE-10%, join a gym, read NROLFW, and either do the routines in the book or StrongLifts or Starting Strength as a routine. Do that and I think things will start to sort themselves out from there.

Good luck

zyxst

I can't offer any advice on building muscle.

I will suggest, with 25# loss as your goal, to change your calorie goal to TDEE - 10% (1620).

thisismeraw

If you want to build some muscle you need to eat at a surplus and lift HEAVY weights. You don't have a ton to lose so maybe do bulk and cut cycles to add some muscle and lose some fat.

Bulk cycles are when you eat slightly above your maintain calories. Normally about 200 above. Lift heavy weights. Stay off the scale since your weight will increase. Do this for about 6-8 weeks than go to a cut cycle.

Cut cycle... drop your calories to a deficit (so your 10-20% under TDEE). Keep up the heavy lifting and add in some cardio. Heavy lifting will help you keep muscle mass. Do this for 6-8 weeks.

Repeat both cycles until you are happy with how you look. Don't focus on the scale. If you really want to build muscle your weight will go up a bit. More muscle means a higher weight but a smaller body.