I wanna start building muscle!!

PearshapedBarbie
PearshapedBarbie Posts: 20
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone!!...I want to start developing more muscle, getting a lean and toned body. Any tips or advice on how I should go about doing this? How often should I strength train a week? How often should I do cardio, and what type of cardio would you recommend? I also try to eat about 1550-1600 calories.

Replies

  • sadrithmora
    sadrithmora Posts: 121
    I'm certainly not a fitness expert, but 1500-1600 cals seem pretty low for building muscle. Should be enough for losing fat and maintaining muscle, just general tone up, as long as it has enough protein of course. Hope someone else with more knowledge can help with that. All I know is that when my husband is doing his training (he does do a LOT though, so it's probably not gonna apply to everyone), he eats at least 3k a day.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    well to build muscle you need to eat at a caloric surplus and do a progressive load lifting program. YOu need adequate protien in your diet to help repair the muscle and enough fat as well.

    So based on your current intake you are still trying to lose weight....so you wont be building any muscle for now. Except maybe a few oz if you are new to lifting....and I only add that because someone will come in and say "yes you can build at a deficit.

    So that being said that doesn't mean you can't at least try and maintain the muscle you currently have which better because it is hard to build muscle esp for a woman.

    To maintain as much muscle as you can you still need adequate protien and some for of weight training or resistence training.

    I currently do SL 5x5 which is a progressive load lifting program and eat at least 120g of protien a day (or at least try).
    The above program is 3x a week and I do cardio/HIIT 2-3x a week typically on non lifting days or after I lift.

    When I started lifting I was eating on average 1700 calories a day and continued to lose weight. I have in recent weeks upped it to 1800 and this week 1850 as I am in the process of getting to maintenance for the summer.

    Typically when you decide to lift it is to maintain muscle mass while losing weight so find your TDEE number at IIFYM.com and subtract 10-15% off that.

    Keep in mind if you start lifting stay away from the scale for at least 4 weeks as you will have water and glycogen stores in the muscle to aid repair and it will mask weight loss.
  • terbusha
    terbusha Posts: 1,483 Member
    If you want to start building muscle, you're going to have to lift hard at least a few times/week. Are you also trying to get leaner at the same time? If so, eat in a way that your weight remains constant. This will have you building muscle as you are reducing your body fat. Finding the calorie level that is right for this can be tricky. What I do and what I recommend to people is to eat at a calorie level that allows your weight to remain constant. This assumes an average calorie burn from you getting in all of your workouts. This will be different for everyone, so you'll have to do some trial and error to figure it out. I'd start ~1600 cal/day. Hit this goal, along with your macros and getting in your workouts, for a week. If you lose weight, up your calories some. If you gain, reduce your calories some. If your weight doesn't change, you're good to go. After a few weeks, you'll figure out what works for you in your situation.

    Allan
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    Building muscle requires eating at a calorie surplus and lifting heavy. You may want to check out some of the Groups on this site for weight lifting and muscle building. Those members could put you on the correct path.
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  • PearshapedBarbie
    PearshapedBarbie Posts: 20
    Sorry I'm not so knowledgeable about building muscle and toning up!...Is it possible to build muscle and lower your body fat at the same time? I thought building muscle would make me more lean and tone at the sametime?...I just start lifting weights last week I been trying to aim for 3 days a week!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Hello everyone!!...I want to start developing more muscle, getting a lean and toned body. Any tips or advice on how I should go about doing this? How often should I strength train a week? How often should I do cardio, and what type of cardio would you recommend? I also try to eat about 1550-1600 calories.

    you need to be in a calorie surplus to gain muscle.

    it depends on the type of workout to how often you need to do it - full body you would do 3 x a week, or an upper lower split could be 4 days.
  • PearshapedBarbie
    PearshapedBarbie Posts: 20
    So should I be eating at maintenance? I would like my body fat percentage to lower while i'm tying to build more muscle mass
  • PearshapedBarbie
    PearshapedBarbie Posts: 20
    If you are looking to build muscle you need to get into a caloric surplus. No one can tell you how many calories that is, you need to figure it out through trail and error.

    For strength training you need to start lifting heavy. Preferably on a beginner barbell program with progressive overload. As far as cardio goes you can do it if you want but if the cardio is going to take you out of a caloric surplus then it would be counterproductive.

    Building muscle and getting lean are 2 separate goals. You either do one or the other.

    I thought building muscle would of made me more lean?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    So should I be eating at maintenance? I would like my body fat percentage to lower while i'm tying to build more muscle mass

    you can do some recomposition by eating at maintenance and heavy lifting, but thats slow. you cant really gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.
  • PearshapedBarbie
    PearshapedBarbie Posts: 20
    well to build muscle you need to eat at a caloric surplus and do a progressive load lifting program. YOu need adequate protien in your diet to help repair the muscle and enough fat as well.

    So based on your current intake you are still trying to lose weight....so you wont be building any muscle for now. Except maybe a few oz if you are new to lifting....and I only add that because someone will come in and say "yes you can build at a deficit.

    So that being said that doesn't mean you can't at least try and maintain the muscle you currently have which better because it is hard to build muscle esp for a woman.

    To maintain as much muscle as you can you still need adequate protien and some for of weight training or resistence training.

    I currently do SL 5x5 which is a progressive load lifting program and eat at least 120g of protien a day (or at least try).
    The above program is 3x a week and I do cardio/HIIT 2-3x a week typically on non lifting days or after I lift.

    When I started lifting I was eating on average 1700 calories a day and continued to lose weight. I have in recent weeks upped it to 1800 and this week 1850 as I am in the process of getting to maintenance for the summer.

    Typically when you decide to lift it is to maintain muscle mass while losing weight so find your TDEE number at IIFYM.com and subtract 10-15% off that.

    Keep in mind if you start lifting stay away from the scale for at least 4 weeks as you will have water and glycogen stores in the muscle to aid repair and it will mask weight loss.

    So while building muscle you continued to loose weight?
  • Unknown
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  • PearshapedBarbie
    PearshapedBarbie Posts: 20
    So should I be eating at maintenance? I would like my body fat percentage to lower while i'm tying to build more muscle mass

    you can do some recomposition by eating at maintenance and heavy lifting, but thats slow. you cant really gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.

    So what should I do if I want to lower my body fat but want to be lean and tone?
  • PearshapedBarbie
    PearshapedBarbie Posts: 20
    So should I be eating at maintenance? I would like my body fat percentage to lower while i'm tying to build more muscle mass
    Sounds like you are talking about doing a recomp, which can be extremely tough and requires precise accuracy in nutrition and correct training. It's hard enough for someone that knows what they are doing to accomplish it so imagine how hard it would be for someone who doesn't. You should just focus on one or the other honestly.

    Ok I understand, thanks!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    So should I be eating at maintenance? I would like my body fat percentage to lower while i'm tying to build more muscle mass

    you can do some recomposition by eating at maintenance and heavy lifting, but thats slow. you cant really gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.

    So what should I do if I want to lower my body fat but want to be lean and tone?

    lowering your bodyfat IS getting leaner or more toned.

    which is different to gaining muscle.
  • PearshapedBarbie
    PearshapedBarbie Posts: 20
    So should I be eating at maintenance? I would like my body fat percentage to lower while i'm tying to build more muscle mass

    you can do some recomposition by eating at maintenance and heavy lifting, but thats slow. you cant really gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.

    So what should I do if I want to lower my body fat but want to be lean and tone?

    lowering your bodyfat IS getting leaner or more toned.

    which is different to gaining muscle.

    Thank you!!..I clearly confused myself!
  • Jessica_Eve
    Jessica_Eve Posts: 47 Member
    Yay starting a lifting program is always exciting! I currently lift 5x a week with a split, cardio 3x, plus 1 active and 1 total rest day. Obviously there aren't that many days in a week so I combine lift/cardio (in that order) for 3 days. If you have an iphone the Spitfire Athlete app is a great source for workouts, its what I started out on.

    Diet is obviously important just try to focus on getting enough lean protein and carbs that aren't processed, don't be afraid to get most of your carbs from vegetables and use grains for mostly post workout.

    Water water water! A gallon a day.

    I think the most important thing is to remember that your goals must be realistic. There is no such thing as toning, there is building muscle and losing/burning fat. If you do both, you will begin to see your muscles without the "insulation". This is the toning everyone talks about. So lift hard and lift heavy! Good luck!
  • RealRelicVa
    RealRelicVa Posts: 34 Member
    All I have to contribute here is that muscle burns fat. Ive always been told to train to get stronger, and let everything else take care of itself.

    The things that apply to weight loss dont directly apply to muscle gain. You need protein and carbs to get muscles, calorie counting isnt really your game now, because you will need a certain TYPE of calories moreso than a target amount.

    Also read up on negative accentuation weight training. I am trying to find a local personal trainer who understand this concept mostly evangelized by Arthur Jones. Its whole focus is muscle gain....and his studies LOST several inches and pounds and set lifetime records gaining muscle. And they were WAY older than you :)
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • Jessica_Eve
    Jessica_Eve Posts: 47 Member
    Yay starting a lifting program is always exciting! I currently lift 5x a week with a split, cardio 3x, plus 1 active and 1 total rest day. Obviously there aren't that many days in a week so I combine lift/cardio (in that order) for 3 days. If you have an iphone the Spitfire Athlete app is a great source for workouts, its what I started out on.

    Diet is obviously important just try to focus on getting enough lean protein and carbs that aren't processed, don't be afraid to get most of your carbs from vegetables and use grains for mostly post workout.

    Water water water! A gallon a day.

    I think the most important thing is to remember that your goals must be realistic. There is no such thing as toning, there is building muscle and losing/burning fat. If you do both, you will begin to see your muscles without the "insulation". This is the toning everyone talks about. So lift hard and lift heavy! Good luck!
    Meh, not necessary. But if that's what you prefer that's fine.
    All I have to contribute here is that muscle burns fat. Ive always been told to train to get stronger, and let everything else take care of itself.

    The things that apply to weight loss dont directly apply to muscle gain. You need protein and carbs to get muscles, calorie counting isnt really your game now, because you will need a certain TYPE of calories moreso than a target amount.

    Also read up on negative accentuation weight training. I am trying to find a local personal trainer who understand this concept mostly evangelized by Arthur Jones. Its whole focus is muscle gain....and his studies LOST several inches and pounds and set lifetime records gaining muscle. And they were WAY older than you :)
    Sorry but the same things apply to cutting and bulking. The only adjustment is the amount of calories you eat. Saying caloric and macronutrient targets aren't important during a bulk is basically advocating the someone fulk.

    The neat thing about my post is that I never said any of it was necessary. It was suggestions from my experience to the OP, thanks for your input though.
  • PearshapedBarbie
    PearshapedBarbie Posts: 20
    Thank you to everyone for their input!...appreciated :)
  • bbb84
    bbb84 Posts: 418 Member
    i keep seeing this topic over and over again... I wonder how often women are actually looking to build muscle as much as they are just looking for it to start showing. Time and time again, you see people make the statement that there is no such thing as toning, if you're not building muscle, then you need to be burning fat to reveal the muscle you have. Does anybody else think this just gets lost in translation?? Clearly I have plenty of fat that needs to burn before i'm to that point , so i'm by no means judging, I'm just curious.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    i keep seeing this topic over and over again... I wonder how often women are actually looking to build muscle as much as they are just looking for it to start showing. Time and time again, you see people make the statement that there is no such thing as toning, if you're not building muscle, then you need to be burning fat to reveal the muscle you have. Does anybody else think this just gets lost in translation?? Clearly I have plenty of fat that needs to burn before i'm to that point , so i'm by no means judging, I'm just curious.
    You could not be more correct! There are 10 threads a day about women who want to "build muscle" when in reality they need to lose fat to show the muscle they have. Man or woman, if you are not relatively lean, muscle building is a poor goal. Focus on fat loss first, then shift to building lean mass. Another problem is people confusing gaining muscle with gaining strength. While related, the two don't always go hand in hand. When you are new to training you can build LOTS of strength without actually gaining any lean mass.

    People also underestimate or simply don't know how hard it is to build muscle. It's a very slow process compared to fat loss. An untrained male eating in a SURPLUS can hope to gain about 26 lbs in his first year of training, that's only 2 lbs a month. Women can hope for about half that! And after the first year, both of those numbers get cut in half! 12 lbs for a man and 6 for a woman!
  • bbb84
    bbb84 Posts: 418 Member
    ^^^^^

    Hooray for intelligent responses with facts! :drinker:

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