Body Beast - Good for weight loss and muscle definition?

I haven't done Body Beast, but isn't the point of that programme to get bigger muscles?

A week is no time at all to gauge success. Perhaps try sticking with something for a while before deciding you need to change it up. And after a week your arms are no way 'bulking up'. That takes months of proper training.

I suggest if your goal is to lose more body fat then just eat at a calorie deficit and continue whatever workout program suits you best.

You aren't going to bulk up with body beast unless you are following it's nutrition plan which would put you in a suprlus the first 9 weeks of the program. If you have any growth in measurement in your arms, its due to muscle retention, which isn't uncommon. Otherwise, you are seeing visible improvements or it's all in your head.

Second at this point, since you have very little to lose, you should have a small deficit. Based on your stats, you should be around 1700 calories (20% deficit) and macro around 40% carbs, 30% protien and 30% fats. This will help with muscle retention so you can have that lean look and concentrate on fat loss (maintain your muscle will help reduce your body fat %).

And lastly, you will not be bulk by doing beast. Even if you gained muscle (while in a surplus) you would probably be more lean once you lose the fat gains. Honestly, just follow the body beast program. If you do extra exercise, you need to eat more.

MFP is designed based on a person's inputs. If they goals are aggressive or unrealistic, they will get a really low calorie number. For example, if you only have 15lbs to lose and aim for 2lbs per week, then you will get 1200 calories. With MFP though, they expect that you eat back exercise calories, so it's really 1200 net calories. What MFP doesn't provide is an acceptable weight loss per week guide like the below. Also, MFP is generally low in their protein numbers (even with the revise macronutrients). A person who is lean and looking to maintain their muscle mass should be aiming for around .8 -1g of protein per lb of muscle.

This is why I am suggesting to eat 1700 calories. This way you will maximize strength gains and minimize muscle loss. Muscle is what is going to give you that lean and tight look (essentially, this will lower your body fat % and make muscle definition visible). Also, you cannot go by how you feel. After a good weight lifting session I can feel like i am bulky but reality is, nothing has changed. Based on your stats, you would bulk at 2400+ calories (while minimizing cardio). So you will not really gain any mass, outside of water weight. So it's a skewed perception to why you feel "bigger".


If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

Honestly, that much cardio is overkill. I would only add it maybe 2 days a week. The rest will just burn more calories, which then you will have to eat more. Second, I would start lifting heavy as that is what the program is designed for. Lifting heavy =/= adding bulky muscle. Lifting heavy = strong. If you aren't failing at the designed amount of reps, you aren't doing it right.

Oh yea, I've been failing! These are the maximum weights I've been able to lift until now and I've been adding when I feel I can lift more. I've become used to running on most days, so even if I add a 10 -15 min jog, would that be alright? I've got serious issues with my lower body, since that's where I gain weight first, and shed last. So walking / jogging will help tone my legs too along with killer Beast leg workout routine right?

Running will not tone your body. Toning is a fancy name for losing body fat. You lose body fat by a calorie deficit. The leg workout in Beast is more than adequate to get you the results you want. If you want to do it as a warmup then cool.