Problem areas .. will gaining muscle help?

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Aihs808
Aihs808 Posts: 19 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I currently weigh 126 pounds at 5'4 and I am 20 years old. I'm pear shaped with a small waist but my hips are still a little too big. If I lose more weight, my ribs will definitely stick out. My only problem is that the back of my thighs are still chunky and I'm getting frustrated. I do squats, lunges, donkey kicks, etc. and nothing is working well enough. Maybe I need to do it more often? Do you think lifting heavy weights while doing those exercises would help? I'm afraid of gaining muscle under the fat, but I was told that muscle burns fat.
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  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    If you are pear-shaped, your hips and legs will take the longest. But lifting heavy necessarily won't increase muscle mass-especially not significantly without a calorie surplus. From my opinion, most women have an issue with that area because they actually lack muscle mass or lose too much while dieting. Muscle not only provides shape but maintaining (or obtaining) a certain degree of muscle mass is required to achieve the "toned" physique a lot of women desire. You can't really expose the muscle underneath if you either have excess fat or inadequate muscle volume.
  • supermodelchic
    supermodelchic Posts: 550 Member
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    You don't mention doing cardio ? Try doing some kickass cardio, try Stairmasters, Spin classes, running several times a week, embrace the body you have , Just try to make it the best version you can..
  • kill3rtofu
    kill3rtofu Posts: 169 Member
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    You don't mention doing cardio ? Try doing some kickass cardio, try Stairmasters, Spin classes, running several times a week, embrace the body you have , Just try to make it the best version you can..

    this
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    As long as you are eating at a calorie deficit, doing the squats and lunges, and adding weights to make it heavy lifting will not add to muscle mass but can add to strength and maintain muscle as you lose fat. It's impossible to spot target fat but heavy lifting will help with body recomposition while you lose fat. you'll be much more pleased with your shape when you reach goal weight.
  • Aihs808
    Aihs808 Posts: 19 Member
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    You don't mention doing cardio ? Try doing some kickass cardio, try Stairmasters, Spin classes, running several times a week, embrace the body you have , Just try to make it the best version you can..

    I do about 30 minutes of cardio before weight lifting. I lift 3 days a week and do cardio 5 days a week. I guess I just have to keep at it. Thank you
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    As long as she has fat mass to lose, and is in a deficit, cardio is entirely optional. It is not necessary in the reduction of fat mass but she can include some if she enjoys it or for sport.
  • klalsaleh
    klalsaleh Posts: 13
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    me also pear shaped small waist but my butt and thighs are bigger..however im 5'2" and 120 Body fat about 14% and i do have more fat on my bum and thighs but my top half is super toned but i like my bottom half to be fatter so i can keep some of my femininity. to keep those areas in check though as to not get too flabby i do weighted squats, lunges, etc. and it has given me a perfectly round bottom..LOL! everything looks better with muscle( in my opinion)
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
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    Heavy lifitng has definitely improved the cellulite in my hips, thighs, and butt. I've been lifting about 5 months now and have significantly improved the appearance of my legs. My measurements are almost exactly the same.
  • Aihs808
    Aihs808 Posts: 19 Member
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    As long as she has fat mass to lose, and is in a deficit, cardio is entirely optional. It is not necessary in the reduction of fat mass but she can include some if she enjoys it or for sport.

    I just read that! Thank you :) good to know that it's accurate
  • Aihs808
    Aihs808 Posts: 19 Member
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    me also pear shaped small waist but my butt and thighs are bigger..however im 5'2" and 120 Body fat about 14% and i do have more fat on my bum and thighs but my top half is super toned but i like my bottom half to be fatter so i can keep some of my femininity. to keep those areas in check though as to not get too flabby i do weighted squats, lunges, etc. and it has given me a perfectly round bottom..LOL! everything looks better with muscle( in my opinion)

    I agree with everything you said :) I'll definitely do more weight training, thanks!
  • Aihs808
    Aihs808 Posts: 19 Member
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    Heavy lifitng has definitely improved the cellulite in my hips, thighs, and butt. I've been lifting about 5 months now and have significantly improved the appearance of my legs. My measurements are almost exactly the same.

    My goal is to see some sort of difference in 3 months! Thank you and good work!
  • OverDoIt
    OverDoIt Posts: 332 Member
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    genetics suck.
  • JoJo__Fit
    JoJo__Fit Posts: 258 Member
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    Yes gaining muscle will help

    What I did was sprint uphill 4x's a week 45 mins max
    Lift heavy (compound movements) focusing on my hammy & glutes 2x's a week with plyo exercise inbetween each set
    ate within my goals

    Now I still lift heavy & i do HIIT 3'xs a week to maintain

    You can totally make changes, you just have to keep going even when you feel like passing out, that's how I train
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    basically everything that has been said..

    you cannot spot reduce; continue eating in a deficit; yes, heavy lifting will help tighten some problem areas up; cardio is not essential, but if you pair it with heavy lifting it should help get your calorie burns up …

    you may want to look at your macro settings which is % of carbs/fat/protein and set it to 40% protein/30% fat/30% carbs…

    if you are going to heavy lift ..find a program like strong lifts or something and stick to it...
  • singlefemalelawyer
    singlefemalelawyer Posts: 382 Member
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    Yes, it will most definitely help. However, this is not something you do for 3 months until you see results and then you stop. That's where most people fail. You have to maintain a regular exercise routine long term. So do something you enjoy, and don't be afraid to lift heavy. I am loving how my body is responding to lifting and eating at a deficit.
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
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    You don't mention doing cardio ? Try doing some kickass cardio, try Stairmasters, Spin classes, running several times a week, embrace the body you have , Just try to make it the best version you can..

    I do about 30 minutes of cardio before weight lifting. I lift 3 days a week and do cardio 5 days a week. I guess I just have to keep at it. Thank you

    There are a few studies out there that suggest that doing cardio after you lift is beneficial both for fat burn and for muscle retention. It encourages blood flow and faster healing post lifting. Stick to cardio AFTER lifting because doing it first will tire the muscle and you won't see the same strength gains or muscle retention. It isn't significant, but when you're 126 pounds, every little bit counts. I bike for my cardio, and since adding it to my routine, I've seen remarkable changes in my hips and legs.

    Keep lifting heavy, eat at a very slight deficit or at maintenance and see where you are in a few months. If you're not where you want to be, consider eating at a slight surplus and bulking for a few months to add muscle, and then cut.
  • milileitner
    milileitner Posts: 98 Member
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    You mention you're concerned that losing more weight will make your ribs stick out, i.e. make you too thin. You basically therefore have 2 options:

    1. Recomp. Eat at maintenance (calorie cycle if you want) and do strength training to try and simultaneously gain muscle and lose fat. If you are new to HEAVY lifting, this can work well for a short while. If you've been lifting for a while, you won't see much difference in your physique although you'll likely get some strength gains.

    2. Bulk. Eat slightly above maintenance in an attempt to gain muscle with minimal fat gains. Again, you will need to engage in challenging strength training to reap the benefits of a bulk. Some fat gains are unavoidable, but you if you take it slowly you will notice primarily muscle gains and a change in your physique.

    At your stats, either is a valid option. Just be sure that your strength training is a priority if you are aiming to change your fat:muscle ratio through either means.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    me also pear shaped small waist but my butt and thighs are bigger..however im 5'2" and 120 Body fat about 14% and i do have more fat on my bum and thighs but my top half is super toned but i like my bottom half to be fatter so i can keep some of my femininity. to keep those areas in check though as to not get too flabby i do weighted squats, lunges, etc. and it has given me a perfectly round bottom..LOL! everything looks better with muscle( in my opinion)

    How did you get 14%? That's quite low for a woman and doesn't seem to match your height/weight
  • jeffpettis
    jeffpettis Posts: 865 Member
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    me also pear shaped small waist but my butt and thighs are bigger..however im 5'2" and 120 Body fat about 14% and i do have more fat on my bum and thighs but my top half is super toned but i like my bottom half to be fatter so i can keep some of my femininity. to keep those areas in check though as to not get too flabby i do weighted squats, lunges, etc. and it has given me a perfectly round bottom..LOL! everything looks better with muscle( in my opinion)

    How did you get 14%? That's quite low for a woman and doesn't seem to match your height/weight

    I was thinking the same thing on the BF%. 14% on a woman would be very little or no visible fat at all. I think you may be off a little on this number, but it is hard to tell without a picture. Everyone carries fat a little differently but 14% is very low for a woman...
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    ^^She may or may not have 14% bf but her stats aren't out of the realm of possibility-an ex of mine had her exact stats. It's low but essential fat for women is 10-13% and 14% is on the lower end of the athletic range.

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