Hello All - My first Rant :)

ClaireFitness83
ClaireFitness83 Posts: 7 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I am 5'3 112 lbs up from 100-104lbs which I weighed for years. I am trying to gain muscle and trim down from approx 21% body fat to less than 20. I suffered from disordered eating until recently and while I am now am back counting calories again, it's for the better this time :)

I began hypertrophy in June and I never thought trimming down fat would be so difficult, there was a time I had 16/17% body fat but it was not received in a healthy way. The 11lb of muscle I have gained doesn't really show through due to a thin layer of fat covering it, I have started back HIIT interval training and I am hoping this does something.

I do firmly believe that muscle gain is down to genetics, I may actually never have the body I desire and that really makes me :explode: while I know I have gained muscle as opposed to fat I really am not very defined at all :sad:

My workout consist of 3 days hypertrophy strength training and now intend getting back into 2 days cardio (and stop being lazy). I wonder if anyone would have similar body stats or goals as me on here? I could really do with some encouragement, my biggest fear is I stop building and go back to the way I used to be. After I build to be big and strong, where do I go from there?

Sorry for gasbagging, this is all a bit daunting!! :huh:

Replies

  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
    Fear = false events appearing real.

    Set up a training regime and stick with it for a few months, make sure you are eating enough to support all that activity. The easiest way to burn fat is to build muscle, you can't build muscle on a calorie deficit. I have no idea what your diet looks like, but if you are eating anywhere in the 1200-1600 range while working out that much, odds are you are not eating even at maintenance, much less in a surplus which would allow you to build muscle.
  • JulieBulie10
    JulieBulie10 Posts: 3 Member
    great advice above and more protein, protein, protein!! everytime you eat has to be at least 50% protein based..... protein is broken down by the body into amino acids which are necessary for repairing and re-building new muscle........ if you don't give your body protein, it will take it from the muscles you already have....

    PROTEIN PROTEIN PROTEIN!! :D

    good luck!
  • ClaireFitness83
    ClaireFitness83 Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks for your reply :)

    To be honest I got a shock when I signed up on here, I calculated what I was eating.. 1200-1300 calories I was absolutely disgusted with myself. All that work and no wonder I hit a wall and was not gaining the 1/2 a lb I had hoped.

    I am now eating 1700-1800 calories as stated on this but I reckon it is more and I do not fully believe the calorie content in things like homemade bread for example as its hard to determine the content if you make it yourself. I eat 115 grams of protein a day or more and 100g or so carbs, I avoid high starch foods and try eat good carbs.

    I really do struggle to physically eat more than I am now, I think my stomach from years of eating very little has shrunk and I eat every 2-4 hours and if I thought I had to be eating more I think I would have to ease off the training.

    I know I need to stop hypertrophy now and maintain as opposed to build new muscle. I had a personal trainer but i cannot afford to go to him right now.
  • ClaireFitness83
    ClaireFitness83 Posts: 7 Member
    great advice above and more protein, protein, protein!! everytime you eat has to be at least 50% protein based..... protein is broken down by the body into amino acids which are necessary for repairing and re-building new muscle........ if you don't give your body protein, it will take it from the muscles you already have....

    PROTEIN PROTEIN PROTEIN!! :D

    good luck!

    thanks for your reply, O trust me I couldnt possible eat anymore than I do already!! haha Complete protein all the way ;)
  • ClaireFitness83
    ClaireFitness83 Posts: 7 Member
    Fear = false events appearing real.

    Set up a training regime and stick with it for a few months, make sure you are eating enough to support all that activity. The easiest way to burn fat is to build muscle, you can't build muscle on a calorie deficit. I have no idea what your diet looks like, but if you are eating anywhere in the 1200-1600 range while working out that much, odds are you are not eating even at maintenance, much less in a surplus which would allow you to build muscle.

    Sorry I also meant to say, on gym day I eat 2,100 calories as I enter the exercise done in here and I make up the deficit so non gym days I eat 1,750
  • Justkritter
    Justkritter Posts: 143 Member
    Fear = false events appearing real.

    Set up a training regime and stick with it for a few months, make sure you are eating enough to support all that activity. The easiest way to burn fat is to build muscle, you can't build muscle on a calorie deficit. I have no idea what your diet looks like, but if you are eating anywhere in the 1200-1600 range while working out that much, odds are you are not eating even at maintenance, much less in a surplus which would allow you to build muscle.

    Sorry I also meant to say, on gym day I eat 2,100 calories as I enter the exercise done in here and I make up the deficit so non gym days I eat 1,750

    So that was it. I was wondering the same thing with the one that posted that. I guess we're the same. I'm eating at 2230 right now but after my workouts and such my daily settle downs to 1800+ or so. I'm still slowly trying to add up to 2500 though for more gains. Maybe you should try that? Such that for your deficit you won't fall that much under 2000 cal a day.
  • ClaireFitness83
    ClaireFitness83 Posts: 7 Member
    Justkritter - maybe you are onto something. I mean if if was to increase to 2500 on gym day what is the worst that can happen!?! and if I gain fat, I back track and go back to how I was.. Good advice, maybe we can let each other know how we are getting on ;)

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