Skinny but wanting to get lean.
minizombie
Posts: 40 Member
Hey people it's my first time posting here so please be kind 
I weigh 98lbs and I'm 155cm tall. I'm petite and skinny but my tummy is huge.
I go to the gym often and I do squats, lunges, bench press, shoulder press, bicep curls, lat pull down and rows.
All split up into different sessions of course. I find that i look smaller everywhere else except my tummy. Thing is, my weight still remains the same! I do cardio 3x a week.
My daily calorie intake is about 1200-1500 depending on days when I'm hungrier. I do take whey protein only post-workout and I consume carbs in the morning and afternoon.
My question is, how can I put on muscle mass without making my tummy even fatter? I understand that to gain muscle I have to consume more calories but I'm afraid it'll all be stored as fat at my tummy! I'm skinny but yet fat at my tummy, it's so disappointing
I weigh 98lbs and I'm 155cm tall. I'm petite and skinny but my tummy is huge.
I go to the gym often and I do squats, lunges, bench press, shoulder press, bicep curls, lat pull down and rows.
All split up into different sessions of course. I find that i look smaller everywhere else except my tummy. Thing is, my weight still remains the same! I do cardio 3x a week.
My daily calorie intake is about 1200-1500 depending on days when I'm hungrier. I do take whey protein only post-workout and I consume carbs in the morning and afternoon.
My question is, how can I put on muscle mass without making my tummy even fatter? I understand that to gain muscle I have to consume more calories but I'm afraid it'll all be stored as fat at my tummy! I'm skinny but yet fat at my tummy, it's so disappointing
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Replies
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The right heavy lifting program and a slight calorie surplus. If you're lifting where the weight progressively gets heavier, all the added weight won't just store in one place.0
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Does cardio help in losing tummy fat? I find that it's making me lose my muscles instead of fats
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I've never been in your situation, so I don't know from first hand, but I know a lot of people who will just lift 3x a week, and do very little to no cardio and will get in pretty good shape just doing that. If you do want to do some form of cardio/conditioning, you should probably try something high intensity in short bursts (tabata style workouts, hill sprints, pushing/pulling a sled like a Prowler).0
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Alright i will keep that in mind, thanks so much for your help 0
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No problem. I'm coming from a completely different place weight wise, but we all have our goals we strive for.0
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I wish you all the best for your goals ^^0
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Does cardio help in losing tummy fat? I find that it's making me lose my muscles instead of fats
Cardio increases the calorie deficit which can reduce fat from all over. There is no spot reduction anywhere.
Since you are a very light weight right now, you probably need to eat a lot more than you think. I would shrink your calorie deficit to 10-15% less than your TDEE and concentrate on weight training as opposed to cardio.0 -
I've tried calculating my TDEE from various sources but they all seem to differ so I'm not sure which should I follow. Is TDEE and BMR the same thing?0
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I've tried calculating my TDEE from various sources but they all seem to differ so I'm not sure which should I follow. Is TDEE and BMR the same thing?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the calories your body needs just for vital functions. TDEE factors in your activity level and determines how much you need to eat. I personally prefer Fitness Frog's TDEE calculator.
This is also a good one:
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/0 -
What kind of resistance training are you doing? Progressive weight?
You could reduce the cardio, increase your weights and that will likely get you where you want to go. Probably need to increase the amount of food you eat.
What are your macros?0 -
I do strength training with barbells and dumbbells but they are considered light compared to others (because I'm petite and my muscles are not yet strong enough). I do cardio every Tuesdays and Thursdays (physical Ed in school).
Carb:fat:protein ratio is about 4:3:3
My weight fluctuates between 43.5kg to 45kg.
I'm not sure if it's due to water mass because I drink at least 4 litres of water daily.0 -
I do strength training with barbells and dumbbells but they are considered light compared to others (because I'm petite and my muscles are not yet strong enough). I do cardio every Tuesdays and Thursdays (physical Ed in school).
Carb:fat:protein ratio is about 4:3:3
Ok, looks like you are doing great.
Continue with the resistance training with a program that progressively increases to your limits and beyond (good starting programs are Starting Strength, 5x5 Stronglifts or New Rules of Lifting...) grab a program, stick to it, and it will work. Increase progressively.
By building muscle, you'll lean out.
Edit: you'll find everything you need in this group here:http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress-0 -
If I were you I would start lifting heavy weights while eating at around maintenance or slightly above.
Your stomach might be bloated rather than fat - this could happen due to things such as a food intolerance. Also some people just hold weight in different parts of their bodies - women with an apple shape often have more fat around their waist and stomach for example.0 -
I do strength training with barbells and dumbbells but they are considered light compared to others (because I'm petite and my muscles are not yet strong enough). I do cardio every Tuesdays and Thursdays (physical Ed in school).
Carb:fat:protein ratio is about 4:3:3
Ok, looks like you are doing great.
Continue with the resistance training with a program that progressively increases to your limits (good starting programs are Starting Strength, 5x5 Stronglifts or New Rules of Lifting...) grab a program, stick to it, and it will work. Increase progressively.
By building muscle, you'll lean out.
Edit: you'll fid everything you need in this group here:http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress-
Definitely agree!0 -
I do strength training with barbells and dumbbells but they are considered light compared to others (because I'm petite and my muscles are not yet strong enough). I do cardio every Tuesdays and Thursdays (physical Ed in school).
Carb:fat:protein ratio is about 4:3:3
Ok, looks like you are doing great.
Continue with the resistance training with a program that progressively increases to your limits and beyond (good starting programs are Starting Strength, 5x5 Stronglifts or New Rules of Lifting...) grab a program, stick to it, and it will work. Increase progressively.
By building muscle, you'll lean out.
Edit: you'll find everything you need in this group here:http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress-
Oh wow thank you so much! I'll definitely stick to my plan. But do I have to "bulk up" and then cut afterwards? Or does that applies to males only? Newbie here hehe.0 -
If I were you I would start lifting heavy weights while eating at around maintenance or slightly above.
Your stomach might be bloated rather than fat - this could happen due to things such as a food intolerance. Also some people just hold weight in different parts of their bodies - women with an apple shape often have more fat around their waist and stomach for example.
The only time my tummy isn't bloated is in the morning when I get up haha! Hmm define heavy? Because I realized I'm rather weak so I'm not sure what starting weight should I lift. I'm currently squatting only 22.5kg, bicep curls only about 4kg. I've got a loooong way to go!0 -
I've tried calculating my TDEE from various sources but they all seem to differ so I'm not sure which should I follow. Is TDEE and BMR the same thing?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the calories your body needs just for vital functions. TDEE factors in your activity level and determines how much you need to eat. I personally prefer Fitness Frog's TDEE calculator.
This is also a good one:
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
Oh thanks! So do people usually eat the amount of calories of their TDEE/BMR?0 -
If I were you I would start lifting heavy weights while eating at around maintenance or slightly above.
Your stomach might be bloated rather than fat - this could happen due to things such as a food intolerance. Also some people just hold weight in different parts of their bodies - women with an apple shape often have more fat around their waist and stomach for example.
The only time my tummy isn't bloated is in the morning when I get up haha! Hmm define heavy? Because I realized I'm rather weak so I'm not sure what starting weight should I lift. I'm currently squatting only 22.5kg, bicep curls only about 4kg. I've got a loooong way to go!
If you're that light already, and your tummy bloats up after eating on a regular basis, I'd look into a food intolerance. Finding out I have a gluten intolerance and cutting gluten from my diet made a huge difference in my belly bloat and helped my stomach look smaller, even though I didn't technically lose any real weight - I was just swelling up like a balloon every time I ate. At 98lbs, I can't imagine you have that much actual weight left to lose.0 -
If I were you I would start lifting heavy weights while eating at around maintenance or slightly above.
Your stomach might be bloated rather than fat - this could happen due to things such as a food intolerance. Also some people just hold weight in different parts of their bodies - women with an apple shape often have more fat around their waist and stomach for example.
The only time my tummy isn't bloated is in the morning when I get up haha! Hmm define heavy? Because I realized I'm rather weak so I'm not sure what starting weight should I lift. I'm currently squatting only 22.5kg, bicep curls only about 4kg. I've got a loooong way to go!
If you're that light already, and your tummy bloats up after eating on a regular basis, I'd look into a food intolerance. Finding out I have a gluten intolerance and cutting gluten from my diet made a huge difference in my belly bloat and helped my stomach look smaller, even though I didn't technically lose any real weight - I was just swelling up like a balloon every time I ate. At 98lbs, I can't imagine you have that much actual weight left to lose.
I'm pretty petite that's why 98lbs seems okay for my height :P
Alright thanks I'll try tracking my food intake and see which is the culprit.0 -
I've tried calculating my TDEE from various sources but they all seem to differ so I'm not sure which should I follow. Is TDEE and BMR the same thing?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the calories your body needs just for vital functions. TDEE factors in your activity level and determines how much you need to eat. I personally prefer Fitness Frog's TDEE calculator.
This is also a good one:
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
Oh thanks! So do people usually eat the amount of calories of their TDEE/BMR?
Your TDEE is the amount of calories you need to eat to maintain your weight? People usually use this number to either subtract or add calories from depending if they want to lose or gain weight.0 -
If I were you I would start lifting heavy weights while eating at around maintenance or slightly above.
Your stomach might be bloated rather than fat - this could happen due to things such as a food intolerance. Also some people just hold weight in different parts of their bodies - women with an apple shape often have more fat around their waist and stomach for example.
The only time my tummy isn't bloated is in the morning when I get up haha! Hmm define heavy? Because I realized I'm rather weak so I'm not sure what starting weight should I lift. I'm currently squatting only 22.5kg, bicep curls only about 4kg. I've got a loooong way to go!
I was only squatting 22.5kg about four weeks ago doing StrongLifts 5x5 and today I squatted 67.5kg (1RM) for a virtual powerlifting competition. Eat plenty, follow a compound lifting programme and you will get stronger quickly.
As for losing the belly, do try cutting out foods that commonly cause intolerances (wheat and dairy are two) as a lot of it seems to be bloating.0 -
Oh wow thank you so much! I'll definitely stick to my plan. But do I have to "bulk up" and then cut afterwards? Or does that applies to males only? Newbie here hehe.
No. It doesn't apply just to men. You are already pretty thin. If you want more muscle definition (to be "lean") you either need to lose more fat, or gain muscle. At your weight losing more would probably be unhealthy. What you probably want to do is make the muscles bigger so they'll show without having to be really low body fat. You should slowly increase your calories until you get to your TDEE. Keep lifting, maybe make sure you are doing a good program. Once you get used to eating at your TDEE and your weight stabilizes (you might gain a few pounds of water or whatever at first), then you can decide if you are ready to try to "bulk". There's nothing wrong with just hanging out at TDEE and lifting for a while until you are sure, or until winter, or whatever.
I put together a blog a while back with some information on bulking.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BusyLady406/view/so-ya-wanna-bulk-4758960 -
No. It doesn't apply just to men. You are already pretty thin. If you want more muscle definition (to be "lean") you either need to lose more fat, or gain muscle. At your weight losing more would probably be unhealthy. What you probably want to do is make the muscles bigger so they'll show without having to be really low body fat. You should slowly increase your calories until you get to your TDEE. Keep lifting, maybe make sure you are doing a good program. Once you get used to eating at your TDEE and your weight stabilizes (you might gain a few pounds of water or whatever at first), then you can decide if you are ready to try to "bulk". There's nothing wrong with just hanging out at TDEE and lifting for a while until you are sure, or until winter, or whatever.
I put together a blog a while back with some information on bulking.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BusyLady406/view/so-ya-wanna-bulk-475896
Sweet. So in order to lose weight i should create a deficit right? But i'm a very hungry person and i can only manage about 200-300 net deficit which factors in exercise and all. But is it okay to eat more on my rest days? Or should i eat lesser during rest days and more during days i work out?0 -
bump0
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I personally think the tummy bloat is related to a weak abs section since you said it's not bloated in the morning. As you eat food throughout the day the food can easily push your stomach out noticeably because you're so petite. Focus on doing compound weight routines and weighted abs exercises. You'll look and feel great after a few short months. Good luck! Feel free to add me as a friend so I can see how you do.0
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No. It doesn't apply just to men. You are already pretty thin. If you want more muscle definition (to be "lean") you either need to lose more fat, or gain muscle. At your weight losing more would probably be unhealthy. What you probably want to do is make the muscles bigger so they'll show without having to be really low body fat. You should slowly increase your calories until you get to your TDEE. Keep lifting, maybe make sure you are doing a good program. Once you get used to eating at your TDEE and your weight stabilizes (you might gain a few pounds of water or whatever at first), then you can decide if you are ready to try to "bulk". There's nothing wrong with just hanging out at TDEE and lifting for a while until you are sure, or until winter, or whatever.
I put together a blog a while back with some information on bulking.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BusyLady406/view/so-ya-wanna-bulk-475896
Sweet. So in order to lose weight i should create a deficit right? But i'm a very hungry person and i can only manage about 200-300 net deficit which factors in exercise and all. But is it okay to eat more on my rest days? Or should i eat lesser during rest days and more during days i work out?
I would just not over think it with rest days vs. non-rest days. Pick the exercise intensity/frequency to get the TDEE and base it off that for every day. You can fine tune it as you go along.0 -
A thought about the belly... someone mentioned food interferences, and a light bulb went on for me. You should see if maybe you have yeast/candida, or if you are sensitive to gluten or dairy or some other food. My son is a nice weight all over except his tummy sticks out, not quite as bad as a starving little kid in Africa, but kind of like that. (He's 4 years old, and under a doctor's supervision, btw.) You might try eliminating different things from your diet to see if one of them doesn't help the tummy thing. And follow all the great advice you've gotten here!0
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Bump0
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A thought about the belly... someone mentioned food interferences, and a light bulb went on for me. You should see if maybe you have yeast/candida, or if you are sensitive to gluten or dairy or some other food. My son is a nice weight all over except his tummy sticks out, not quite as bad as a starving little kid in Africa, but kind of like that. (He's 4 years old, and under a doctor's supervision, btw.) You might try eliminating different things from your diet to see if one of them doesn't help the tummy thing. And follow all the great advice you've gotten here!
Pretty sure she would notice if she had candidiasis. Lol0 -
Maybe she swallowed a fly?
Let's stop with the random Internet diagnosis. A bit of belly is normal, she just want to lean out not get a diagnosis of random diseases.0
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