Moving into maintenance but still want to tone up

I'm getting to the same point and I decided to work with a trainer at Planet Fitness. So far, I've been very happy with it because I need structure and it helped to have him design a program for me that would help with my trouble areas.

I'm also 5'5 and in maintenance(130 lbs). I've had great success w/ strength training. I eat 2100 cals and exercise 6 days/week. There is nothing wrong w/ eating maintenance while working on body recomposition, but be prepared for a small initial weight gain while upping your cals and/or strength training.

I'm the same - I'm basically at goal weight but want to lose some fat in some areas & tone-up. I'm too scared to up my cals (I'm on 1460) in case I put on. I barely come up to the 1460 a day as it is. Confused???

Tone usually translates to maintaining muscle mass while decreasing fat. Train and eat accordingly.

Leangains has worked for me. I've been maintaining 120 since March, but def not as fat as when I started. Clothes fits better, so know I'm leaner. I have best results when following as close as possible ( that includes calorie cycling). Anyway, that's (the) method that's working for me.

PS: Muscle weighs more than fat. If you're trim and toned, looking the way you want to, does it matter what the scale says?

I'm currently doing what you want to do. Been at maintenance for 5 months now. Started by just figuring out how much to eat to maintain my weight. That took a couple of months. Then I started weight training with free weights. Didn't gain anything but had to up my calories to continue maintenance. I am now seriously strength training and stopped all cardio. Been maintaining my weight but my waist is now smaller and I am much leaner. I have lost 1% - 2% body fat.

This is not the most efficient way to go about a recomp, but it fits my goals right now. Come winter, I will bulk up to 195 lbs (currently at 185 lbs) and then cut back down to 10% BF in the spring. Should look like the hulk at that point.

To sum up, you must strength train. Progressively heavier weights. Do the compound lifts: squats, deadlift, bench, overhead press. Watch your body transform into a lean machine.

Tom



Bottom 2 images are both at 185 lbs. I think I am at 13% in the bottom right one. I am even leaner than the bottom right one now and still at 185 lbs.

Not sure how to title this but I reached my goal weight. I'm 125 at 5'5" which is IMO a good healthy weight. However, I still want to tone up and lose belly flab and such. I am very active and am on my feet most of the day, plus I exercise 5-6 times a week usually vigorously. MFP says to eat 1900+ to maintain but if I want to tone will eating that much make it hard to keep toning up? Or can I tone by simply exercising/weight training?

Your questions point out 2 different desires. Scale weight & lower body fat %.
You are at your desired scale weight, but your body doesn't yet look the way you want it to. Because of this, I wouldn't say you are ready to enter maintenance mode. Maintenance suggests that you desire to keep things as they are. You don't. You're still looking for change. Being "toned" as you've used it here refers to the appearance of muscle definition. This will only be achieved by lowering your body fat %. Perhaps at this time its best to shift your focus away from a certain number on the scale, and see where that number is once your body has the look you desire, then focus on maintaining what you've achieved.

Lift weights. Heavy ones. The results you seek will follow.

I feel like the only way to do that and stay at the same weight is to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, which I don't think is possible.

I am in a really similar position as you though, I am 5'6" and 124 and still want to lose some fat on my stomach and my thighs. My goal is to lose fat and try to maintain my muscle mass that I already have so I can lower my bf% but I don't see a way to do that without losing a few more pounds.

Tighten up on your nutrition and have a solid workout plan. Ignore the scale. You can lose 2-3 lbs of body weight but gain 2-3 lbs lean body mass, which essentially means you would weight the same.