Fat to Muscle.... not what I wanted....

jennfisher13
jennfisher13 Posts: 50 Member
in Chit-Chat
Once upon a time (about a year ago) I decided to try to slim down, be tone and be healthy. I started counting calories because I had once been success with calorie counting alone and met my goal weight but was NOT fit... at all. Then I gained the weight back. So I count my calories and log my food choices in a journal carried with me at all times and start working out. The process was difficult at first but used simple circuits for building muscle with push ups, sit ups, leg lifts, flutter kicks, tricep kick backs and dumb bell presses on an exercise ball. 3 or 4 sets with some low weight high rep lifting mixed in targeting different areas on a cycle for the recovery process and then running on a treadmill every night and building up to 6 miles in an hour (10 minute mile) in 6 months. I worked on a 3 on 1 off cycle. Getting on the scale..... I never lost a pound. I lost 2 inches from my waist (started at a 32) and 2.5 from my hips (started at a 43.5) so obviously I had some results. Here is my issue.... I wanted to SLIM down considerably. Instead I turned my chub into muscle..... Yes, now I am healthy. Call it societies silly standards but I am still not happy with my SIZE. The 30 in waist is great but the 41 inch hips and large thighs are a little much... grrr... Please keep in mind if your are going to creep my food logs that I work NIGHT shift so what I call breakfast is at 2pm when I wake up lunch is family dinner at around 7 pm and Dinner is my meal at work usually consumed between 1 and 3 am before getting off work at 6 am. Thoughts ideas or bored ramblings anyone?

Replies

  • neetneetneets
    neetneetneets Posts: 95 Member
    I hear you. I've been exercising for less time and doing less exercise that it sounds what you're doing, but 12 weeks into it I'd only lost 1kg and some centimeters. It's frustrating, I tell ya.

    Since that weigh in, I've been really watching what I'm eating, and I'm changing up my workout. (I was doing cardio + weights (pretty much the same set) every day) now I'm focussing on split sets and possibly less cardio.

    You sound like you're doing a lot by spending 1 hr on the treadmill every night. What about some interval training/changing incline?

    When I feel up to it, I do this at the gym, twice: (20 mins)
    1 min on 9 incline 1
    1 min on 10 incline 1
    1 min on 11 incline 1
    1 min on 12 incline 1
    1 min on 6 incline 1
    1 min on 10 incline 3
    1 min on 10 incline 5
    1 min on 10 incline 7
    1 min on 10 incline 9
    1 min on 6 incline 1

    I hope this can be of some use, I'm no expert and I still don't know if I've broken out of my plateau yet. But hey, if your measurements have gone down that means more muscle to burn the fat, right? And of course, the best thing, you HAVE lost inches and that means you're going somewhere! :)
  • emilyisbonkers
    emilyisbonkers Posts: 373 Member
    more cardio and less strength training is what you need
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    more cardio and less strength training is what you need

    no, just no.

    see my reply on the other thread you have posted.

    you are a woman in a calorie deficit. You have not built any appreciable muscle mass, you just need to get leaner.

    you also cannot turn fat into muscle.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    more cardio and less strength training is what you need

    How you gonna build a house without bricks?

    Resistance work tells the body muscle is needed and retains existing muscle. You will not build any appreciable muscle if any whilst in deficit.

    Think of the body as a survival system - if you are not getting enough food in to maintain oneself do you a)build muscle (and so have even less energy for day to day function and survival) or b)ensure enough energy for survival?
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,177 Member
    Ditch the "weight training" you are doing now and look at startingstength.com. stronglifts.com or pick up the book New rules of lifting for women.

    I am going to sound like a d- bag, but you are probably still carrying a fair amount of fat in your hips and thighs. It is one of the toughest areas to lose fat from.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    I am going to sound like a d- bag, but you are probably still carrying a fair amount of fat in your hips and thighs. It is one of the toughest areas to lose fat from.

    You cannot target fat loss!
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,177 Member
    I am going to sound like a d- bag, but you are probably still carrying a fair amount of fat in your hips and thighs. It is one of the toughest areas to lose fat from.

    You cannot target fat loss!

    I was just saying, that the mid section is generally where most of the fat is carried ( percentage wise ) as compared to the body as a whole. While it comes off all areas at about the same rate, usually the mid section is the last to show the results.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    I am going to sound like a d- bag, but you are probably still carrying a fair amount of fat in your hips and thighs. It is one of the toughest areas to lose fat from.

    You cannot target fat loss!

    I was just saying, that the mid section is generally where most of the fat is carried ( percentage wise ) as compared to the body as a whole. While it comes off all areas at about the same rate, usually the mid section is the last to show the results.

    I'd agree with that - simply for survival reason - your core will ALWAYS have fat on it longer than limbs etc due to survival - your core has to be protected/warm to survive - limbs aren't essential.

    TBH most fat loss/gains etc are based on the bodies survival mechanisms.

    Sorry for the misunderstanding, my bad dinos :)
  • AngryDiet
    AngryDiet Posts: 1,349 Member
    If the scale isn't going down, then you are not eating at a deficit. And in that circumstance, you will put on muscle faster than if you were on a deficit, but not as fast as if you had a surplus.

    You will also be shedding fat, but not very quickly. So I agree with others that you probably have more fat on you than you think. So if it were me (wait! It is) I would continue weight training but reduce calorie consumption by about 500 a day (if that's safe for you).
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,177 Member
    I am going to sound like a d- bag, but you are probably still carrying a fair amount of fat in your hips and thighs. It is one of the toughest areas to lose fat from.

    You cannot target fat loss!

    I was just saying, that the mid section is generally where most of the fat is carried ( percentage wise ) as compared to the body as a whole. While it comes off all areas at about the same rate, usually the mid section is the last to show the results.

    I'd agree with that - simply for survival reason - your core will ALWAYS have fat on it longer than limbs etc due to survival - your core has to be protected/warm to survive - limbs aren't essential.

    TBH most fat loss/gains etc are based on the bodies survival mechanisms.

    Sorry for the misunderstanding, my bad dinos :)


    No problem, I could have worded it better also.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    OP, eat at a deficit (a weekly weight loss goal of 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week), do some cardio (if you enjoy it, but it is not necessary to lose fat/weight), strength train with heavier weight, get adequate protein and give it time. Meal timing is irrelevant as well, eat when it fits your lifestyle/schedule.

    You just need to lower you BF%, which is best done with a small deficit and strength training (this ensures that most of your loss is fat, with minimal muscle loss)
  • amy1612
    amy1612 Posts: 1,356 Member
    Listen to what the cut looking men said....seriously. Go heavy weight, less reps, and eat good quality, healthy foods. You WILL see a difference. These are my 12 week stronglifts pictures....I was a healthy weight and look alright in clothes before, and though I'm still in progress, I think the results so far are pretty awesome. I dont count calories, but I pretty much follow a paleo way of eating, with lots of protein, veg and sweet potatoes.

    nxtgya.jpg
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Listen to what the cut looking men said....seriously. Go heavy weight, less reps, and eat good quality, healthy foods. You WILL see a difference. These are my 12 week stronglifts pictures....I was a healthy weight and look alright in clothes before, and though I'm still in progress, I think the results so far are pretty awesome. I dont count calories, but I pretty much follow a paleo way of eating, with lots of protein, veg and sweet potatoes.

    nxtgya.jpg

    Amazing Progress, keep up the great work :drinker:
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
    more cardio and less strength training is what you need

    How you gonna build a house without bricks?

    Dang dude.

    New favorite quote!
  • jennfisher13
    jennfisher13 Posts: 50 Member
    .... wow.... some of you are pretty ruthless. Yes, my weight is carried in my hips/thighs but I am sure that was pretty obvious when I stated that my waist is 30 inches and my hips are 41..... I AM eating at a deficit. And my body ALWAYS loses from the waist up first. Thanks for the suggestions with the different programs.... it was more a post of frustration because I am slow moving. I will look at the programs and try to change it up a little to get over this plateau
  • AngryDiet
    AngryDiet Posts: 1,349 Member
    Sorry, upon a reread I realize you haven't stated how long you have maintained the same weight. If you have stayed at the same weight for a few weeks, then sure it could be a plateau. But if you haven't dropped weight in months, then it really looks like you aren't eating at a deficit.

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