My fat doesnt turn into muscle

It seems no matter how much I work out, the fat around my core will not burn or turn into muscle. I lose inches no problem but i cant gain any muscle. I eat healthy and I drink plenty of water. I work out at least 3 times a week. Im really not a fan of weights, i try and stick to mainly cardio....swimming, belly dancing, walking, running. tennis.

You do know you've triggered the politically correct people to respond right?

You have no idea what politically correct means, do you?

Thanks everyone
Unfortunately I HATE weights LOL but ill up the cardio and start working with light weights high reps!

They are trying to tell you to do the opposite of this. lift heavy.

yes, but unfortunately i cant due to an injury to my back.

I seriously doubt that it's completely impossible for you to do any kind of resistance training. You might want to consider seeing a physical therapist.

Two different cell types, so nobody's fat can turn into muscle:laugh:

Eat slightly above your TDEE (2-300 cals), set your macros at 40/30/30, then go pick up HEAVY things, put them down, and repeat!

Im really not a fan of weights, i try and stick to mainly cardio....swimming, belly dancing, walking, running. tennis.

Unfortunately, muscle does not come from those activities. You need to add strength training to grow muscle.

Everything you are doing actually will eat away at fat and muscle which is why you are seeing size drops.

I used to swim for the US team and yeah we lifted weights but swimming really does gain muscle mass big time, in muscles you didn't know you had. Swim 5000 yard and see how you feel. Belly dancing is great for the core and also you burn calories from dancing and whoever hated a dancers body!. Running pretty much will just get your legs but it at least helps you shed some fat. Work things slowly into your routine like dumbell flies, shoulder shrugs, lateral raises etc. There are some good websites out there for this as well.

If cardio built muscle I'd be a as strong as a superhero! You gotta hit the weights. That's the only way to build muscle. I lift atleast 5 times a week. When you start out it may be intimidating but once you get into a routine it's addicting. If you don't want to do the free weights, do circuit training... 3 times a week for 20 minutes. Keep pushing harder. Hope this helps.

Lift weights and lift as heavy as you can so that your workouts are short. You only need to lift heavy 2 times a week, focusing on upper body one time and lower body the next time. Just keep doing your cardio as usual, eating healthy with a little extra protein to help your muscles.

Set you macros on MFP at 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat and try to eat like that for a while. This should help you get to your goal.

Im really not a fan of weights, i try and stick to mainly cardio....swimming, belly dancing, walking, running. tennis.

You need to lift weights. Fat doesn't turn into muscle. You have the muscle you have and you condition it and lift heavy to build it up. And this will not be achieved by high reps, low weight...that's just spinning the wheels and wasting your time. If you're serious about wanting a defined stomach, cut back on the cardio obsession, lift heavy, and really make sure your diet is well...without a good diet, the muscle isn't going to just appear.

To OP, Just some photos of what "lifting heavy" can do for you. (or at a level that stresses you continually, with lower reps)

Resistance bands would probably be very helpful for you to start with, as an option, just be sure to progressively increase your resistance, as opposed to multiple reps with lower levels. Bodyweight exercises are also a good start, though eventually you will stop progressing, and will want to add in heavier weights.

See Stacy's story and the changes she had going from a cardio only plan, to adding in heavy weight lifting (link is below

This is an old post I made, that I repost often, just for the visuals You are new, so may not have seen it yet.

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Heres some pictures that may help you.
My results have been similar, I am 10-15 pounds heavier then my "rough goal weight" but am already AT my goal clothing size, and physically I am about 1-2 times smaller clothing wise, then last time I was at my goal weight (when I had less muscle) - So I look tighter leaner and smaller, then before at my "small" weight. (size 7/8)
So to everyone else I look like I am already at my goal weight. But I am scale weight heavier, which is fine Ignore the scale.
Less weight - yep you will look good dressed and may fit the smaller clothing size - but, add more muscle and a bit more scale weight - you also fit the smaller clothing size, AND look good dressed AND look good nakkid. Thats a win-win

5 lbs heavier in after pic, but tighter and leaner


Different girls but both size 4


Stacy, read her story here: She is 14 lbs heavier in after
http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/


10 lbs heavier in after


10 lbs heavier in after


Different girl, but both size 2


5 pounds difference - big body change




Fat vs Muscle

Fat won't turn to muscle.

If you want to GAIN muscle you need to do more then cardio. You should do some circuit work, plyometrics, calisthenics, weights, etc. if you want to gain muscle.

^This, took the words right outa my mouth;)

Body weight exercises are good too for building strength - pushups, planks, squats, lunges and other calisthenics. Just google and you can get a ton of ideas. Also Yoga!

^This.

I have this same problem, however it's with money. My leaves on my plants haven't turned into currency, I'm not really sure what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks everyone
Unfortunately I HATE weights LOL but ill up the cardio and start working with light weights high reps!

If you hate weights, then heavy really is the way to go. You can accomplish a lot more in a shorter time.

Why spend an hour doing light weights, high reps when you can spend a half hour doing heavier with low reps and get better results?

I know I do about 30 mins of cardio 5-6 days a week and I'm still overweight, but my stomach muscles are starting to show, I think some of it is genetics, I think the other part is I do a light ab workout every workout day, after my workouts, for about 15 mins, and mondays when I do core, I do about 3 sets of 50 crunches with a 25lb weight on my chest. I suggest, starting to do crunches, then when you can do 200-300 crunches pretty easily in a few sets. start putting 5lbs of weight on your chest til it keeps getting easier. That's my advice.

Thanks everyone
Unfortunately I HATE weights LOL but ill up the cardio and start working with light weights high reps!

I was the same way! Hated weights, terrified of them. But the more I began to do them, and the stronger I felt myself getting, and the quicker the weight was coming off....eventually I fell in love.

“If you keep doing what you have always done, you will keep getting what you have always gotten.”

Sometimes we just gotta change things up and try something different. (I apply this to eating new things too since I'm THE pickiest eater on the planet)

Good luck girl!:happy: