Lower BF or build muscle? A couple of Q's

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meluhneekay
meluhneekay Posts: 82
in Health and Weight Loss
My dilemma is pretty simple: I'm 5'6" and 121 lbs. I'm thin, but I'm squishy. My goal is to make my squishy parts hard (*giggity*). I used one of the online body fat % calculators to get an estimate as to where I am in that area (I know these aren't super accurate but it's all I got til I can get my hands on a caliper). The calculator I used says my BF is 25.5%. I have no idea how to figure out what a good % would be for me to shoot for, and at what point I should start working on building muscle. I have my goal weight currently set to 115 lbs., which I think is the lowest I could go without verging into underweight territory BMI wise.

I feel kind of inclined to stop eating at a deficit and just focus on building muscle, but will that even work if I still have a decent amount of body fat to lose? Will I see any results?

I apologize ahead of time if this has been addressed before. I tried searching the forum for this info but couldn't come up with anything that quite addressed my situation. If you want to just hit me with a link to another webpage or something, that would be cool.

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I would work on building muscle for now. 121 at 5'6" is quite thin and 115 is the very bottom of the healthy range. If you work on building muscle (eat to gain a bit) I think you'll end up liking your look more than you would at the lower weight.
  • meluhneekay
    meluhneekay Posts: 82
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    I would work on building muscle for now. 121 at 5'6" is quite thin and 115 is the very bottom of the healthy range. If you work on building muscle (eat to gain a bit) I think you'll end up liking your look more than you would at the lower weight.

    Yeah, I think I'll go ahead with that route. Worst case scenario, I work at if for a couple of months and don't see any progress. Back to square one, no harm done. I'm not in any kind of rush.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
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    Eat at maintenance and get on a program like Starting Strength or Stronglifts. If you follow it you should start really seeing results within 2-3 months.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    Do the bod pod for better results on BF%.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
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    I'm sort of in the same predicament, although I have a bit more I could lose. I'm in the higher end of a "normal" weight range. I've been in maintenance mode for the past several months and have concentrated on weight training. I've been able to maintain my weight and lose a few inches. Overall I feel like I "look" skinnier even though I haven't lost any pounds. And I feel stronger and overall better about myself.
  • SkimFlatWhite68
    SkimFlatWhite68 Posts: 1,254 Member
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    http://body-improvements.com/2013/09/04/can-you-build-muscle-and-lose-fat-at-the-same-time/

    You have already stated that you are thin, so I'm not sure why you want to go down in weight. It's probably time to ditch the scale and focus on body re-composition.

    In my opinion:

    Start lifting weights 3 x per week, do a full body routine with compound movements. Do a bit of HIIT twice a week and walk or be generally active on your other days. Keep your protein up, a small deficit will do if you want to lose fat but keeping your overall calorie count around TDEE less 10% and protein high will ensure you keep the muscle that you have and build on it while you lose the wobble.
  • SkimFlatWhite68
    SkimFlatWhite68 Posts: 1,254 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
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    I would recommend at this point to eat at maintenance and start lifting heavy... You could also eat at a surplus, but you would also start gaining some fat as well. As far as what a good body fat percentage is, that really depends on you... 25.5 is not too bad for a female... for a male, not so much. For a pictorial representation and explanation, please check out .http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/ Please note that there is some variation in this but it is a good place to start... Best wishes.
  • meluhneekay
    meluhneekay Posts: 82
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    http://body-improvements.com/2013/09/04/can-you-build-muscle-and-lose-fat-at-the-same-time/

    You have already stated that you are thin, so I'm not sure why you want to go down in weight. It's probably time to ditch the scale and focus on body re-composition.

    I've had the idea in my head that if I have extra fat covering/surrounding my muscles, focusing on trying to build muscle wouldn't do much good until I get rid of said fat so that you can actually see my muscles. I feel like 25% body fat is kinda high in relation to my height and weight. At the same time, I know the online calculator I used and others like it are known to be relatively inaccurate, so I'm just kind of at odds with myself trying to figure out "where do we go from here?"
    Start lifting weights 3 x per week, do a full body routine with compound movements. Do a bit of HIIT twice a week and walk or be generally active on your other days. Keep your protein up, a small deficit will do if you want to lose fat but keeping your overall calorie count around TDEE less 10% and protein high will ensure you keep the muscle that you have and build on it while you lose the wobble.

    This is what I've been doing workout-wise, except I've been eating at a bigger deficit. So, I guess I'll just start making my deficit smaller and getting more protein, and keep my workouts the same. Thanks for the tips! I appreciate it.
  • lorigrocks
    lorigrocks Posts: 123 Member
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    I am 5'6 as well and I weigh 126lbs. I do kickboxing 2 - 3 times a week and have built some muscle (not alot but enough that I am toned and don't look too thin). A few years back I weighed 132lbs and didn't exercise at all and everyone was telling me I was way too skinny. So I think building muscle/toning is the best answer there is. I don't want to lose anymore weight - I have been maintaining for approx 3 weeks now.
  • sunflowerhippi
    sunflowerhippi Posts: 1,100 Member
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    Im the same height as you but around 26.5% body fat at 155lbs. Most people estimate my weight at 15lbs lighter though so the scales not the best tool for fitness and health. Ive dropped inches over the past year but only 4lbs.

    I would eat matenence and keep up a set lifting program since you said you are doing one. Once you're eating more you'll be able to lift more as well which is a great feeling. Give it a few months and take progess pics and messurements.
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
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    As others have noted, your weight is in a reasonable range. Per Wikipedia, a fit female has body fat of 21-24%, an average female 25--31%.

    Eat healthy. Build muscle (and bone). Enjoy your fitness.
  • meluhneekay
    meluhneekay Posts: 82
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    I would recommend at this point to eat at maintenance and start lifting heavy... You could also eat at a surplus, but you would also start gaining some fat as well. As far as what a good body fat percentage is, that really depends on you... 25.5 is not too bad for a female... for a male, not so much. For a pictorial representation and explanation, please check out .http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/ Please note that there is some variation in this but it is a good place to start... Best wishes.

    Ah, thanks for that link. The woman pictured at 25% looks very similar to my own body. Maybe the calculator I used wasn't so far off after all.

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