More concerned with losing fat than gaining muscle, help?

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caseypcarlin
caseypcarlin Posts: 40 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am well aware that it takes a lot for a woman to bulk up and I'm not concerned about that. I am happy with my muscles where they are, I just want to lose the fat on top of them. Is this realistic? Any tips to help? I feel stocky as is and I want to be leaner and I realize that just because of my body type I'll never be petite but I'd like to be much leaner than I am! I'm 24 female 5'6" 141 lbs if that matters.

Replies

  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
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    Eat less?
  • hilts1969
    hilts1969 Posts: 465 Member
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    Eat less?

    That would seem the logical answer, that or magic beans
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    If you eat less than your body requires to maintain you will lose fat. If you eat less than your body requires to maintain and lift weight you will shed fat and preserve muscle that you have....you won't build more...impossible mathematically...then you will look awesome when the fat is gone.
  • caseypcarlin
    caseypcarlin Posts: 40 Member
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    I have been on a 500 calorie deficit for a few months now. I was looking more for what kind of exercising I should be doing.
  • caseypcarlin
    caseypcarlin Posts: 40 Member
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    If you eat less than your body requires to maintain you will lose fat. If you eat less than your body requires to maintain and lift weight you will shed fat and preserve muscle that you have....you won't build more...impossible mathematically...then you will look awesome when the fat is gone.

    Thanks :)
  • TrailNurse
    TrailNurse Posts: 359 Member
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    Eat less and weight train.
  • losingforgood120
    losingforgood120 Posts: 94
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    Strength training (heavy lifting, body weight exercises) while eating at a deficit will help prevent muscle loss. Body weight exercises can be effective as long as they are still challenging... There's a point where if the move is too easy the movement become more of a cardio exercise. Ex: if you struggle to do pushups- pushups will be strength training... if you can do many easily you will need to modify the exercise to make it harder or switch to a lifting exercise like bench press to make progress with strength.

    You won't gain muscle during your deficit. You will lose less muscle by doing strength exercises and by eating enough protein.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    I have had great success with losing the fat and maintaining/revealing the muscle with a small calorie deficit and doing exercises with dumbbells. I would love love love to lift heavy, but I don't have access or $$$ for a gym or to have the big barbells at home, so I have done my best with dumbbells, increasing weight whenever I can (at the moment, my heaviest is a set of 30 lb dumbbells).

    I calculated my BMR and TDEE using the tools and directions in this topic: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

    I took a small cut (about 10-15%) from my TDEE and set that as my daily goal, and I exercise 5-6 days a week, about an hour a day. Three days I do weights (have used the Nike Training Club free app and/or FitnessBlender.com for workouts), and the other three I run.

    It has worked like a charm - I know my upper and lower limits for cals, I don't have to kill myself trying to burn scandalous amounts of calories in the gym or on the track all day...and the fat and inches came off, sizes went down, and shapely muscles have been revealed.

    The best part is this has been sustainable - I reached goal weight and have kept it off for over two years now, still eating foods I enjoy, not gaining weight through the holidays, vacations, etc. I can stick with this for the rest of my life! :drinker:
  • caseypcarlin
    caseypcarlin Posts: 40 Member
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    Strength training (heavy lifting, body weight exercises) while eating at a deficit will help prevent muscle loss. Body weight exercises can be effective as long as they are still challenging... There's a point where if the move is too easy the movement become more of a cardio exercise. Ex: if you struggle to do pushups- pushups will be strength training... if you can do many easily you will need to modify the exercise to make it harder or switch to a lifting exercise like bench press to make progress with strength.

    You won't gain muscle during your deficit. You will lose less muscle by doing strength exercises and by eating enough protein.

    Thank you!!!
  • caseypcarlin
    caseypcarlin Posts: 40 Member
    Options
    I have had great success with losing the fat and maintaining/revealing the muscle with a small calorie deficit and doing exercises with dumbbells. I would love love love to lift heavy, but I don't have access or $$$ for a gym or to have the big barbells at home, so I have done my best with dumbbells, increasing weight whenever I can (at the moment, my heaviest is a set of 30 lb dumbbells).

    I calculated my BMR and TDEE using the tools and directions in this topic: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

    I took a small cut (about 10-15%) from my TDEE and set that as my daily goal, and I exercise 5-6 days a week, about an hour a day. Three days I do weights (have used the Nike Training Club free app and/or FitnessBlender.com for workouts), and the other three I run.

    It has worked like a charm - I know my upper and lower limits for cals, I don't have to kill myself trying to burn scandalous amounts of calories in the gym or on the track all day...and the fat and inches came off, sizes went down, and shapely muscles have been revealed.

    The best part is this has been sustainable - I reached goal weight and have kept it off for over two years now, still eating foods I enjoy, not gaining weight through the holidays, vacations, etc. I can stick with this for the rest of my life! :drinker:


    Congrats on your own progress and many thanks for the advice!!!
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    You should do whatever exercise you like. I like swimming for many reasons - burns more calories than anything else, works all the muscles, never makes you hot and sweaty (but does make you wet), easy on the joints and it clears the mind. Hard to think when you're swimming. I don't know why everyone doesn't swim! Just boggles my mind!

    But I know not everyone likes to swim and I totally think that everyone should do the thing that pulls them.

    I despise weight-lifting and only do it because I should. It's boring and I don't want muscles, either. So with you there, lol.

    Exercise videos are cheap on eBay. Try some out! Do different stuff.

    You'll find your thing. :)
  • caseypcarlin
    caseypcarlin Posts: 40 Member
    Options
    You should do whatever exercise you like. I like swimming for many reasons - burns more calories than anything else, works all the muscles, never makes you hot and sweaty (but does make you wet), easy on the joints and it clears the mind. Hard to think when you're swimming. I don't know why everyone doesn't swim! Just boggles my mind!

    But I know not everyone likes to swim and I totally think that everyone should do the thing that pulls them.

    I despise weight-lifting and only do it because I should. It's boring and I don't want muscles, either. So with you there, lol.

    Exercise videos are cheap on eBay. Try some out! Do different stuff.

    You'll find your thing. :)

    I LOVE swimming!!! Only problem? I hate pools and I live in Western Washington where there are only 2 months of the year you can swim outside :(

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