Wanting to lose fat and preserve muscle

ValerieFort
ValerieFort Posts: 13
in Food and Nutrition
I'm 5'5", 131 lbs and 26.3% body fat. I began this lifestyle change in Feb. I practice taekwondo and compete regularly, so athletic performance is super important. I recently started running (training for my first half marathon in October) and also just started P90x3. So lots of recent changes! I consistently lose about a pound a week, but I'd like to shift from losing weight to losing fat and gaining muscle. I upped my calories from 1200 to 1300, and plan to up again to 1400 next week. I usually eat back half my running calories. I'm guessing I need to drop to 125 or so, then up the calories again to maintenance and then hope to gain muscle. Does that plan sound about right? I'm hoping the p90x3 will help preserve the little muscle I have.

Replies

  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Lift weights, eat at a deficit, make sure you get plenty of protein - sprinkled with fat and carbs to taste.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    Lift weights, eat at a deficit, make sure you get plenty of protein - sprinkled with fat and carbs to taste.

    this+++

    Watch your macros and lift, you'll love how you look.
  • ValerieFort
    ValerieFort Posts: 13
    Lift weights, eat at a deficit, make sure you get plenty of protein - sprinkled with fat and carbs to taste.

    My maintenance calorie level is around 1800. Would 1400 net calories be a appropriate level to shoot for? I heard you need to be close to your TDEE level to gain muscle.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    You actually need to be eating at a calorie surplus to gain muscle mass, and with a calorie surplus comes fat gain as well.

    My question for you is what are you looking to achieve? If you are comfortable with your body and like how you look, then I recommend eating at a small surplus and work on gaining some muscle.

    If you want to lose fat and get to that "toned" look, then you need to eat at a calorie (deficit) to lose fat. While "toning" doesn't exist (muscles can only get bigger or smaller) you achieve the toned look by having a lower body fat percentage and muscle.

    EDIT, fixed a typo
  • ValerieFort
    ValerieFort Posts: 13
    You actually need to be eating at a calorie surplus to gain muscle mass, and with a calorie surplus comes fat gain as well.

    My question for you is what are you looking to achieve? If you are comfortable with your body and like how you look, then I recommend eating at a small surplus and work on gaining some muscle.

    If you want to lose fat and get to that "toned" look, then you need to eat at a calorie (deficit) to lose fat. While "toning" doesn't exist (muscles can only get bigger or smaller) you achieve the toned look by having a lower body fat percentage and muscle.

    EDIT, fixed a typo

    At any less than 130 I start looking scrawny. However I hate how my midsection looks. I have chicken legs and arms and a thick middle. If I can lose the fat in my middle and bulk up my arms and legs I think I would look a million times better. I guess I'm not sure I should change my calories to bulk for my arms and legs, or lose to get rid of the fat in my midsection.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    This is just my personal opinion you may want to ask a few of the women on this site for better advice, but here it goes.

    You should start a beginners heavy lifting program, there are several that are great for beginners and as a women you do not need be afraid of working out at the gym in the heavy/ free weight section. A popular beginners program is "Ice Cream Fitness" and there's a few good "women in the lifting section at the gym" posts you can utilize that are stickied in the forums.

    I recommend having phases where you "bulk", eat a calorie surplus and lift to gain muscle, then a "Cutting" phase where you eat at a deficit to cut fat. The goal is to build muscle and get closer to a lower body fat %.

    I hope you found this useful, also check out the below links. Vismal from this community is awesome and I've learned a lot from his posts here on MFP and from his youtube video's.

    MACROS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cc18wLJW3k&list=UUXDX5yHGUm5xIKv46yxm9JA&feature=share&index=10

    Lift like a beginner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CloYXgNK2bs&list=UUXDX5yHGUm5xIKv46yxm9JA&feature=share&index=21

    How to get from 15% to 10% body fat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d1W3wWfpt4&feature=share&list=UUXDX5yHGUm5xIKv46yxm9JA&index=21

    Is it possible to gain muscle and lose weight at the same time? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL4SdkK_K1A&list=UUXDX5yHGUm5xIKv46yxm9JA&feature=share&index=21
  • ValerieFort
    ValerieFort Posts: 13
    This is just my personal opinion you may want to ask a few of the women on this site for better advice, but here it goes.

    You should start a beginners heavy lifting program, there are several that are great for beginners and as a women you do not need be afraid of working out at the gym in the heavy/ free weight section. A popular beginners program is "Ice Cream Fitness" and there's a few good "women in the lifting section at the gym" posts you can utilize that are stickied in the forums.

    I recommend having phases where you "bulk", eat a calorie surplus and lift to gain muscle, then a "Cutting" phase where you eat at a deficit to cut fat. The goal is to build muscle and get closer to a lower body fat %.

    I hope you found this useful, also check out the below links. Vismal from this community is awesome and I've learned a lot from his posts here on MFP and from his youtube video's.

    MACROS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cc18wLJW3k&list=UUXDX5yHGUm5xIKv46yxm9JA&feature=share&index=10

    Lift like a beginner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CloYXgNK2bs&list=UUXDX5yHGUm5xIKv46yxm9JA&feature=share&index=21

    How to get from 15% to 10% body fat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d1W3wWfpt4&feature=share&list=UUXDX5yHGUm5xIKv46yxm9JA&index=21

    Is it possible to gain muscle and lose weight at the same time? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL4SdkK_K1A&list=UUXDX5yHGUm5xIKv46yxm9JA&feature=share&index=21

    Thank you. Would P90x3 Mass Schedule be appropriate? Or should I look for something additional?
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Lift weights, eat at a deficit, make sure you get plenty of protein - sprinkled with fat and carbs to taste.

    solid.
    Thank you. Would P90x3 Mass Schedule be appropriate? Or should I look for something additional?
    well it might maintain what you have- but typically using a box DVD is going to limit you-and they it might be a good place to start- but I find home DVD's tend to be more cardio based- you want progressive lifting- so you're continuing to add weight- or harder variations.

    If using a full compound lifting program is not an option for you (gym equipment etc being an issue) you can check out strengthunbound.com
    convict conditioning
    you are your own gym

    good body weight programs with great progressive mods.

    nerd fitness has some really awesome options to get you started in body weight work as well.
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
    In order to preserve muscle while losing weight you need to consume enough protein (about .8 grams per lb of body weight is fine), eat at a slight deficit (aim to lose 1/2 a pound a week which usually works out to be TDEE - 10%) and lift weights progressively. I don't know much about P90X products, but look into a beginner lifting program like Starting Strength that focuses on compound lifts. :flowerforyou:
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    That's a great question and to be honest I am not familar with that program. But here's a thread made by someone on MFP, I think they'll be able to give you the answers you are looking for.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1309865-would-you-do-p90x-or-p90x3?hl=P90x3+Mass+Schedule#posts-20295055

    Personally, I don't think you need anything super fancy. Deadlift, squat, bench press, power lifts and etc from a good heavy lifting program will give you fantastic results.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    Lift weights, eat at a deficit, make sure you get plenty of protein - sprinkled with fat and carbs to taste.

    solid.
    Thank you. Would P90x3 Mass Schedule be appropriate? Or should I look for something additional?
    well it might maintain what you have- but typically using a box DVD is going to limit you-and they it might be a good place to start- but I find home DVD's tend to be more cardio based- you want progressive lifting- so you're continuing to add weight- or harder variations.

    If using a full compound lifting program is not an option for you (gym equipment etc being an issue) you can check out strengthunbound.com
    convict conditioning
    you are your own gym

    good body weight programs with great progressive mods.

    nerd fitness has some really awesome options to get you started in body weight work as well.

    JoRocka really knows what she's talking about, great information as always.

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