Skinny but wanting to get lean.

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  • SpecialSundae
    SpecialSundae Posts: 795 Member
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    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.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    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-475896
  • minizombie
    minizombie Posts: 40 Member
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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?
  • Ivanhoemum
    Ivanhoemum Posts: 6
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    bump
  • ernestbecker
    ernestbecker Posts: 232 Member
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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.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
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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.
  • castelluzzo99
    castelluzzo99 Posts: 313 Member
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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!
  • xprplstardust
    xprplstardust Posts: 105 Member
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    Bump
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
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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. Lol
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    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.
  • PlayerHatinDogooder
    PlayerHatinDogooder Posts: 1,018 Member
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    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.

    Please.
  • mperrott2205
    mperrott2205 Posts: 737 Member
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    Does cardio help in losing tummy fat? I find that it's making me lose my muscles instead of fats :/

    You can't fat burn in specific areas. If you're taking in too few calories to maintain your weight you will lose fat. You have to remain in a caloric surplus, eating the right foods to build muscle.
  • minizombie
    minizombie Posts: 40 Member
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    Thank you so much for all the great advices and sorry for being missing in action, my A lvls are looming around the corner. I'm stronger now but not as strong as I was hoping because I can't lift weights routinely like I used to because I have to study. I'm now 105lbs and I'm feeling pretty happy! I feel better when I eat more and although the tummy is still there, I shall just focus on weight training and gaining strength. The abs can wait, muscles first :)

    I'm so grateful for all you wonderful people here and for now I'll probably lift weights once a week if possible. Gonna go MIA for 2 months. I can now squat 77lbs and I'm so happy! I know it's light compared to many others but I'm progressing slowly but surely. All of you are such amazing people and I feel blessed to have you all in this community ^^

    I'll figure out my tummy when my exams are over. I hope everyone is doing well! :)

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