Losing weight / gaining muscle - female

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toshie333
toshie333 Posts: 295 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
hi
Please could anyone offer me any advice?

My goal is to lose fat and gain some lean definition - i just need some help on nutrition and calorie levels.

I have been eating at 1200 calories - high protein and clean fats with low carbs.
With HIIT and heavy weights, i can see changes in the past week already but i am confused as to my macros as what calorie target i should be aiming for a si am wanting to lose weight but am lifting heavy.

I am doing about 4 sessions a week of heavy weights with 20-25 HIIT.

Any advice or guidance would be great.

Thank you
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Replies

  • WannaBLoser2013
    WannaBLoser2013 Posts: 247
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    Have you been to this page? www.bodybuilding.com
    Great tips on what you are looking to do
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    with 16lb to lose make sure you have set MFP to lose no more than 1lb per week. your macros should be around 40% carbs 30% protein 30% fat.
  • MikeCopa
    MikeCopa Posts: 15 Member
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    Hi there!
    As you can't achieve both things at the same time (technically you could If you're a beginner), either focus on getting leaner or building muscle. Both goals will take some time anyway. Depending on what you want to do first, your calorie goals will differ quiet heavily. For building lean muscle mass I'd recommend something around 250 cals above your BMR, maybe even up to 500 cals.
    I personally chose a calorie deficit of 500 to get leaner, I'm roughly loosing one pound per week. Some people would even take a deficit of up to 1000 cals. Depends on your preferences and if you can wait a little longer. :D
    Hope this helps.
  • toshie333
    toshie333 Posts: 295 Member
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    im 9.5 currently and could do with getting to 8.10.so a good 9lb to lose.

    For me to lose weight first then, 1200 cals high protein and low carb?

    How should i continue with my work outs? continue with heavy weights whilst aiming to lose weight? will lifing heavy help me strip fat?

    Thank you again.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    im 9.5 currently and could do with getting to 8.10.so a good 9lb to lose.

    For me to lose weight first then, 1200 cals high protein and low carb?

    How should i continue with my work outs? continue with heavy weights whilst aiming to lose weight? will lifing heavy help me strip fat?

    Thank you again.

    i was going by your ticker - if you only have 9lbs to lose, i would reduce the deficit to lose 0.5lb per week.

    yes keep lifting heavy, and unless you have a medical problem, there is no reason to do low carb.
  • littlekitty3
    littlekitty3 Posts: 265 Member
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    Have you been to this page? www.bodybuilding.com
    Great tips on what you are looking to do

    Just follow the workouts, a lot of dieting advice about eating a lot of protein is full of bro science and advertisements for supplements. Your protein needs do not have to be 1g:1lb. Just 0.8g:1lb, any more and your not really doing yourself a favor in muscle gain. Carbs also are not the enemy (it's so sad how this happened >_>). Good carbs/ low fat carbs (like potatoes without all that grease and butter and fresh fruit and veggies for example). Actually carbs help with muscle gain, cutting out carbs will throw chaos on your body's natural metabolic system.

    Definitely eat more than 1200 (about 500 calories more to get a bulk). You might get puffy because that's normal, muscle holds onto water post lifting to help repair.
  • toshie333
    toshie333 Posts: 295 Member
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    oops soory i guess i havent updated it in a while.
    Im 5.4 ft, female, 24years.

    So i will continue to stick to 1200, review my macros. continue with 4 heavy weights and 4 HIIT sessions a week.
    If i do this will it help me achive weight loss? once i have lost the weight i then begin to build muscle and review my macros and calorie intake?

    Thank you.
  • MikeCopa
    MikeCopa Posts: 15 Member
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    Do you follow the recommendations mfp gave you? In my case the amount of calories where way to low. I took two weeks to find my basal metabolic rate and subtracted 500 cals. If you don't loose or gain any weight on 1700 cals the 1200 cals you chose should work just fine.
    I'm not a huge fan of low carb because I think you're losing to much strength in the process. If you don't have any negative experience with it, go ahead. As long as you consume less calories than your body needs to maintain weight you'll lose weight, no matter what you eat.
    As for your workouts, definitely keep lifting heavy. I don't know why people suddenly switch to small weights when they want to cut.
    Additionally heavy weights will definitely favor fat oxidation due to an elevated metabolism.

    EDIT: You don't even need to do HIIT, consume less calories than your body needs and you'll loose weight. If you want to eat mor however, HIIT is a good thing because it will get you "extra calories to consume". ;D
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Do you follow the recommendations mfp gave you? In my case the amount of calories where way to low. I took two weeks to find my basal metabolic rate and subtracted 500 cals. If you don't loose or gain any weight on 1700 cals the 1200 cals you chose should work just fine.
    I'm not a huge fan of low carb because I think you're losing to much strength in the process. If you don't have any negative experience with it, go ahead. As long as you consume less calories than your body needs to maintain weight you'll lose weight, no matter what you eat.
    As for your workouts, definitely keep lifting heavy. I don't know why people suddenly switch to small weights when they want to cut.
    Additionally heavy weights will definitely favor fat oxidation due to an elevated metabolism.

    EDIT: You don't even need to do HIIT, consume less calories than your body needs and you'll loose weight. If you want to eat mor however, HIIT is a good thing because it will get you "extra calories to consume". ;D

    dont you mean take 500 cals from your TDEE, not BMR??
  • MikeCopa
    MikeCopa Posts: 15 Member
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    dont you mean take 500 cals from your TDEE, not BMR??

    Holy crap! Of course haha. Excuse me! :D
  • MikeCopa
    MikeCopa Posts: 15 Member
    Options
    Do you follow the recommendations mfp gave you? In my case the amount of calories where way to low. I took two weeks to find my TDEE and subtracted 500 cals. If you don't loose or gain any weight on 1700 cals the 1200 cals you chose should work just fine.
    I'm not a huge fan of low carb because I think you're losing to much strength in the process. If you don't have any negative experience with it, go ahead. As long as you consume less calories than your body needs to maintain weight you'll lose weight, no matter what you eat.
    As for your workouts, definitely keep lifting heavy. I don't know why people suddenly switch to small weights when they want to cut.
    Additionally heavy weights will definitely favor fat oxidation due to an elevated metabolism.

    EDIT: You don't even need to do HIIT, consume less calories than your body needs and you'll loose weight. If you want to eat mor however, HIIT is a good thing because it will get you "extra calories to consume". ;D
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    dont you mean take 500 cals from your TDEE, not BMR??

    Holy crap! Of course haha. Excuse me! :D

    phew! :laugh:
  • toshie333
    toshie333 Posts: 295 Member
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    Great thank you
    My Tdee is about 1650 - im fairly sedentary due to job.
    BMR rounghly 1350

    I will stick to 1200-1250cals, continue to lift heavy and add occasional HIIT (although i havent been eating this back)

    Can i ask - do you all have a cheat meal?
    All the people i have trained with havea cheat meal - will this be detremental? They all seem to work well with this....

    What are your thoughts on this?

    Thank you
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Great thank you
    My Tdee is about 1650 - im fairly sedentary due to job.
    BMR rounghly 1350

    if you do strength training and HIIT 4 x a week you are not sedentary....
  • MikeCopa
    MikeCopa Posts: 15 Member
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    Can i ask - do you all have a cheat meal?
    All the people i have trained with havea cheat meal - will this be detremental? They all seem to work well with this....

    What are your thoughts on this?

    Thank you

    I don't know if 1200 cals is much or even enough for you to be satisfied on a daily basis but I'd definitely recommend a cheat meal. It will help you from a psychological standpoint and as far as I know it's also quiet beneficial to your metabolism, 'cause eating on low calories for a long period of time will inevitably slow it down and your body will burn less calories. So a cheat meal should break that up a little bit.
    I have a refeed day once a week where I'm eating at maintenance calories. That's roughly 500 calories more, purely through added carbohydrates, to get my strength up again.

    Edit: Gosh, so many typos. :D
  • toshie333
    toshie333 Posts: 295 Member
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    Great thank you
    My Tdee is about 1650 - im fairly sedentary due to job.
    BMR rounghly 1350

    if you do strength training and HIIT 4 x a week you are not sedentary....

    I kept it sedentary so anything i burn is complimenting my losses plus i guess it will compensate for cheat meal??
    But yes you are right. calculated pre gym! :-)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Great thank you
    My Tdee is about 1650 - im fairly sedentary due to job.
    BMR rounghly 1350

    if you do strength training and HIIT 4 x a week you are not sedentary....

    I kept it sedentary so anything i burn is complimenting my losses plus i guess it will compensate for cheat meal??
    But yes you are right. calculated pre gym! :-)

    when you have only a little to lose, and want to keep as much LBM as possible, having too large a deficit is counterproductive... you are already at a 400 cal deficit before exercise so unless you eat around 3000 cals on your cheat day, you could probably eat more and still lose fat... plus if you ate more daily you may not feel the need for a 'cheat' meal anyway.
  • toshie333
    toshie333 Posts: 295 Member
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    i have calculated my new TDEE and its coming out at 2180 for maintenance with gym etc.

    I think i will keep 1200-1300 a day with a cheat meal... then i can have one meal socialising and be strict during the week.
    This hopefully will be fairly safe.

    if my cheat meal is up to 1000 cals then i dont need to worry?

    Sorry this is all pretty much new to me and trial and error....
  • MikeCopa
    MikeCopa Posts: 15 Member
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    i have calculated my new TDEE and its coming out at 2180 for maintenance with gym etc.

    I think i will keep 1200-1300 a day with a cheat meal... then i can have one meal socialising and be strict during the week.
    This hopefully will be fairly safe.

    if my cheat meal is up to 1000 cals then i dont need to worry?

    Sorry this is all pretty much new to me and trial and error....

    No need to be sorry, everyone has to start somewhere right? :D
    Keep in mind that these calculators are not necessarily pinpoint accurate, you might wanna test it out for a week or two and watch your weight. A little fluctuation is normal but if it roughly stays the same, go on and start the diet. If you already feel sure about your TDEE you can start right now.
    Definitely watch how your body responds to 1200-1300 cals a day, if you don't feel satisfied why not increase it? A deficit of 500 cals is perfect in my eyes and from my experience.
    On the cheat meal: I wouldn't go all out, so it doesn't put you back too many steps in terms of weight loss. Again, I prefer an additional 500 calories on these days, up to my TDEE but not above. It comes down to your preferences.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    You're talking 1200-1300 a day net, right?

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