Need some CONSTRUCTIVE advice

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  • Jessamyfrm
    Jessamyfrm Posts: 89
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    In order to build muscle, you need to lift weights... but since you can't have a home gym or a membership, look into body weight training.

    Thanks for your input but I don't necessarily agree. I'm not looking to go into body building, I just want to be fit and toned. I lift dead pigs, cows, meat trays. I push wheelbarrows through muddy fields, carry jumps up the stables and other things on a daily basis which all weigh a fair bit. This has definitely worked for me when it comes to trimming down the fat and building muscle, but each to their own :)

    Thanks to everyone else for their advice also.
  • newhabit
    newhabit Posts: 426 Member
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    i am also around 5'4-5'5 and 129 lb. I net about 1600 calories. you definitely could benefit from eating more, especially if you are so active. try this one too: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    I'm also doing a strength regimen and losing fat. I know because my bf % has gone from 27 to 24 in a year. I weigh the same but I'm a size smaller.
  • Jessamyfrm
    Jessamyfrm Posts: 89
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    Is that you in the picture? You look fantastic and, given your height and weight, you must be very 'dense' - strong muscles and dense bones from all that riding. Do you need to lose weight or are you really interested in more toning and muscle definition?

    In other words, are your goals correct? I would think carefully about that.

    Second, given how much you run around, you really need to up your calories. Weight loss is slow at the end and your body tends to hold onto those calories and that last bit of weight tenaciously. In other words, the research shows that even massive calorie reductions will not result in significant weight loss (until real starvation occurs) when you have low body fat. Given your height, weight, picture, and activities, I'm going to guess that's where you are.

    I don't know if eating your 1300 calories will increase weight loss. But I would strongly suspect it will not lead to weight gain - and it will be better for your health.

    Add strength training to what you're already doing and you should look fantastic - forget the weight.

    Yes that is me in the picture aha thank you, which is why I'm proof you can gain muscle whilst lose weight at the same time.

    It isn't necessarily weight I'm looking to lose I suppose, the scales is just a number I'm all pro tape measure. I'd just like to lose the final bits of fat around my thighs and upper arms and then focus on toning up everywhere else and building slightly muscle tone.

    Thank you for your help!
  • rek10
    rek10 Posts: 7 Member
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    what about a 40/40/20 (carb, protein, fat) diet? and cutting back ur calories doesnt make u lose weight... it'll make you go into starvation mode. not sure considering how active you what it should be but i hope the above helps you reach your goal!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    In order to build muscle, you need to lift weights... but since you can't have a home gym or a membership, look into body weight training.

    Thanks for your input but I don't necessarily agree. I'm not looking to go into body building, I just want to be fit and toned. I lift dead pigs, cows, meat trays. I push wheelbarrows through muddy fields, carry jumps up the stables and other things on a daily basis which all weigh a fair bit. This has definitely worked for me when it comes to trimming down the fat and building muscle, but each to their own :)

    Thanks to everyone else for their advice also.

    A,:If you are doing that day after day, then it's not strength training.. it's part of your daily life.

    B: You don't lift weights and magically body builder.. You lift weights to maintain muscle mass and lose fat. Bodybuilders train specifically for their sport.

    C. You are not building muscle at 1310 calories a day... Sorry. You need a calorie surplus and heavy lifting to do that.
  • Going4Lean
    Going4Lean Posts: 1,077 Member
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    I am a little confused because you say your netting 800 cal but at the same time you say your eating 1300 cal.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    I am a little confused because you say your netting 800 cal but at the same time you say your eating 1300 cal.

    After her exercise, it shows 800 net Ie what she ate-what she burned with exercise.
  • Jessamyfrm
    Jessamyfrm Posts: 89
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    Food + Exercise = Net
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    I lead an active lifestyle. I am a childminder so I do the school run twice a day and run around after the kids all afternoon. I have 2 horses which I ride every evening. I work part time up the farm and in the butchers shop so I'm constantly *doing a mans job* lifting heavy objects. Most evenings I also make time for cardio whether it's running, cycling or zumba. I unfortunately don't have the money to kit out my room with a home gym or even pay for a membership so I have to make do with what I have.


    With all you're doing throughout the day, I can't see a reason - other than you simply like to do it - to do the extra cardio at night. If you "run around after the kids all afternoon," you're getting plenty of cardiovascular work.

    Since you say you want to continue burning fat and building muscle, then you shouldn't discount dad106's advice - work on adding body weight exercises, since you can't afford weights and/or a gym.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    In order to build muscle, you need to lift weights... but since you can't have a home gym or a membership, look into body weight training.

    Thanks for your input but I don't necessarily agree. I'm not looking to go into body building, I just want to be fit and toned. I lift dead pigs, cows, meat trays. I push wheelbarrows through muddy fields, carry jumps up the stables and other things on a daily basis which all weigh a fair bit. This has definitely worked for me when it comes to trimming down the fat and building muscle, but each to their own :)

    Thanks to everyone else for their advice also.

    A,:If you are doing that day after day, then it's not strength training.. it's part of your daily life.

    B: You don't lift weights and magically body builder.. You lift weights to maintain muscle mass and lose fat. Bodybuilders train specifically for their sport.

    C. You are not building muscle at 1310 calories a day... Sorry. You need a calorie surplus and heavy lifting to do that.

    I'd agree that you might need more calories to build muscle. That said, the best muscle building activities are lifting heavy things. Sounds like you already do this all day (win for you since it's part of work and you won't have to dedicate extra time to doing it). Since you're already lifting heavy and not seeing quite the progress you want, it may be your diet. I haven't checked to see if your diary is open, but I would try to eat as cleanly as possible (whole foods that don't come in boxes, bags, or bottles) and as previously suggested, add in some more lean protein to boost your calories. Or hell, add a spoonful of peanut butter :)

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