I’m a confused, short, fat, lost, jiggly-puff...

Brandie6004
Brandie6004 Posts: 87 Member
edited September 26 in Fitness and Exercise
I don’t mind a little body fat and looking a little ‘soft’, but I don’t want to be the jiggly puff that I am now (ok now I’m a fat jiggly puff, but I don’t want to be a skinny jiggly puff either!). I also don’t want to turn in to the she-hulk latter down the road; I’m not looking to lift a car, just the mattress on my son’s bed when I change his sheets! (Basically, less fat and more muscle is what I want.) So, I've been doing a TON of reading and trying to learn what I can so that I can kinda get a game plan (I want some sort of a “plan” in place so that I’m not just kinda aimlessly, randomly working out.) I want to have at least an ‘outline’ that I can follow, nothing ironclad. …but I think I'm more lost and confused than I was before starting to try to learn more! So PLEASE help me understand all of this! It’s all just so mushed up in my head!
To lose fat I need cardio and a calorie deficit... …but at the same time this can ‘eat away’ my muscle mass (?) …but muscle helps burn calories, so the more muscle I have the more I burn. I think I have that part right. To help build muscle I want to lift… …but then I also need to increase calories? (Now I know I’m getting lost…) …and some say that you can’t really gain muscle while losing fat? I know you need protein, but if I’m watching what I eat and if I’m working hard on tracking everything (not that I am right now) isn’t it possible to eat less calories, but still up the protein??? Wouldn’t that work? I thought I got all this, but then the more I read I feel like that it’s not really possible to build muscle while losing fat and then I end up feeling like it’s wasted time to even lift while trying to lose! And if I’m losing fat *and* muscle then I’m gonna be a skinny jiggly-puff! …but then you scroll down a few topics and others are saying to lift and that if you’re losing inches then you are gaining muscles… every time I do some research and THINK I know what I’m doing I end up reading something that say’s the polar opposite! Then there is the how to work out, when to work, how much…
Cardio 3 days, 5 days… Strength 3 days or more… One day on, one day off… two days on, one day off… Cardio and then strength… Strength and then cardio… just cardio one day and strength the next… intervals... circuits… less reps, more weights… more reps and less weights… change it up every couple of months, every few weeks (every other day?!)… eat more, eat less… eat back, don’t eat back… left, right, up, down, in-side-out , backwards!!! Where am I?!? …I’m so dizzy… …. ….
It seems like there is some truth in all of it, but how do I know what to do OR not to do?!? I’m so lost… I’m a confused, short, fat, lost, jiggly-puff. :( Please help me find my way so that I can be a thinner, short, not-so-jiggly-jiggly-puff, that knows how to get to where I’m going!

Replies

  • luv2ash
    luv2ash Posts: 1,903 Member
    Make sure you eat plenty of lean protein---no woman can gain muscle mass without steroids..you have nothing to worry about trust me. The lean protein will help you keep your muscle tone while decreasing calories in your diet.
  • Jessaamine
    Jessaamine Posts: 111
    I don't think muscle loss is really going to be a big issue as long as you're not starving yourself. True, your muscle mass will decrease some, but that's because you'll be burning the fat that's on top of it. You body won't need that extra muscle to support iteself. As you exercise, you will naturally tone. Eat healthy, enjoy your workouts... the rest will come : )
  • Deanne412
    Deanne412 Posts: 4 Member
    Wow, over analyze much?

    You just need to start working out, period. I know exactly where you are, I was there myself before I figured out that there is no magic method and that anything is better than nothing. Just start. Stop overthinking and get to the gym. Cardio as many days as you can. Low weight and lots of reps for strength training. Carbs before your workout and protein to help recover afterward, but if you can't manage that then do whatever you can.
  • kateistoned
    kateistoned Posts: 116
    There is a TON of conflicting information out there.

    Do this, don't do this, eat this, blah blah blah.

    Even amongst doctors' and nutritionists' articles, there are disagreements about the best tips for weight loss and I get overwhelmed and confused as well!

    So I've adopted the simple logic of consuming fewer calories than I burn and let the rest take it's course. I have no "set" work-out plan, I work out 3-5 /week depending on how I feel that week and my work-outs vary vastly - from weights to swimming to elliptical to bike rides to hiking...I like to mix it up so I don't get bored.

    I've only lost 5 pounds and I'm only a month or so in but it seems to be working well for me. When I focus too much on the small details and stress about that, it kills my motivation. I also happen to love spontaneity so my lack of planning has really helped keep me from getting burned out on one routine.

    Honestly? The MFP way - eat right (with a calorie deficit), get some kind of work out, and have lots of love and support seems to be the best strategy I've seen yet!
  • baldzach
    baldzach Posts: 1,841 Member
    It could be that you're the first person I've found that's read too much. :)

    Just kidding. Everything you said is accurate and applies... to one person or another. Here's what I would recommend for you:

    Cardio: Yes.
    Strength training (lifting): Yes.
    Calorie deficit: Yes.
    More Protein: Yes.

    So, eat healthy, eat protein and whole food carbs like fruit and veggies and whole grains. Avoid sugar and white carbs (anything that says "enriched" -- pasta, flour, etc.). Work out at least 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week. For simplicity's sake, do weights one day, cardio the next. Keep your calorie deficit to no more than 1000 per day (more like 500 per day). Anything more than 1000 and that's where you can start losing muscle.

    We can get a lot more specific, but that's a good "outline" to get you started. Good luck, and remember to have fun!
  • april_kelley
    april_kelley Posts: 21 Member
    You are complicating it....just watch your calorie intake and workout regularly and exactly what you want to happen WILL HAPPEN. Good Luck :smile:
  • littlemamajamie
    littlemamajamie Posts: 118 Member
    You mostly have to play around with it to see what works for you. You do want to do cardio and lift and your right you need a calorie deficit to lose weight lots of different opinions about eating back exercise calories or not which is why you have to figure out what works for you.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    Eat enough.
    Eat enough protein.
    Do cardio for at least 30 minutes, 3-4 times per week.
    Lift weights at least 3 times a week (I do back/biceps/triceps, legs/glutes, back/shoulders/abs).
    Increase each activity a little at a time.
    Hang in there! :flowerforyou:
  • mfiggs
    mfiggs Posts: 155 Member
    You just have to try something and see what works for you. I find that in regards to exercise I need to enjoy what I am doing. I find work out videos fun and entertaining while getting a workout! I LOVE kickboxing and did not know it until I tried it! I have a treadmill and always wanted one and now I do not use it much because it bores me. Try something and see if it works for you if it doesn't move on. Also, cardio is great for burning fat and calories!!!:bigsmile:
  • helenium
    helenium Posts: 546 Member
    In this case, you can't take a wrong turning. If you're doing something which you realise later isn't helpful, you can simply stop and start doing the right thing. No backtracking required. So no more excuses! If all this time you've spent getting confused had been going out for a run or a walk, you'd be much better off (and much less confused). So turn off your monitor, get out there and do something! :) Save the worrying and confusion for when you need to improve your workouts further down the line.
  • NikkiDerrig386
    NikkiDerrig386 Posts: 1,096 Member
    OK your forum is all over the place what is your main question? PS do not wory about the muscle. Lets worry about loosing the lbs before even thinking about gaining to much musle.
  • whitneybrook
    whitneybrook Posts: 2 Member
    Don't say things to yourself that you would be ashamed to say to someone else.

    Strength training during weight loss is not to gain muscle but to maintain muscle you already have. You don't need to have a calorie surplus for this. Muscle helps prevent injuries when you are engaging in cardio and normal daily activities.

    I wouldn't go from nothing to a full on 5-7 day/week intense plan. The key is to do what you will keep doing and accept that the weight loss will come slowly as you increase your overall health. Why not start with one positive change at a time, moving on to the next once the first has become a habit? It's a plan, just a different sort of plan.
  • BabyDuchess
    BabyDuchess Posts: 353 Member
    I can't say what works for everyone else but I do know what's working for me. I do an hour cardio on M/WF and I also strength train my ENTIRE body on M/W/F. I do very light cardio on Tues/Thurs but I don't have do....working without it. I eat some carbs/protein/and a little fat pre-workout and I have a protein shake post workout, within an hour of working out. Please don't buy into the lift light and lots of reps stuff. I have done a TON of research and the only thing that will get you is strength endurance. If you want to see definition in your muscles you HAVE to lift HEAVY. By that I mean, build up to 3 sets of 6-10 reps and by the last couple of reps you need to feel like you can't possibly lift it, then you know you are lifting heavy. If you can so this and keep lifting, then lift HEAVIER. I've lost 40 lbs already and I can see my body changing......it works! Good luck on your journey.
  • mponeil1982
    mponeil1982 Posts: 16
    Might I recommend some reading material? I read this book in little under a week and it seriously changed the way I look at food anymore. It also helped explain the gains of interval training (which takes me 30 to 40 minutes when I do one of the recommended exercises) to help build lean muscle to help excellerate calorie burn (muscle burns more calories AT REST than fat).

    The book is called 'The New Abs Diet' (I think they have a 'For Women' version too). It's really NOT what you think by reading the title. The author goes in to much detail about the science of our bodies and the foods they call 'power foods'. It isn't a 'DIET' like the 'Adkins Diet' where they tell you to give something up. I got it for 9.99 on Kindle and didn't regret it. As a matter of fact, I reference it a lot more than I thought I would when I go to plan a meal.

    Just a suggestion. You seem interested in wanting to understand it all and I think this book could help. The problem with forums is, *most of us* are amatures and are repeating what someone else said - right or wrong. We can tell you what's worked for us (or didn't) based on our personal experiences. Heck, that book might not even be something you're interested in, but like I said - it's what's worked for me.

    I'm not a physician or a nutritionalist, just a fluffy Zumba® and Turbo Kick® instructor trying to lose some fluff myself.
  • Rworthy
    Rworthy Posts: 271 Member
    ...To lose fat I need cardio and a calorie deficit... …but at the same time this can ‘eat away’ my muscle mass (?) …but muscle helps burn calories, so the more muscle I have the more I burn. I think I have that part right. To help build muscle I want to lift… …but then I also need to increase calories? (Now I know I’m getting lost…) …and some say that you can’t really gain muscle while losing fat? I know you need protein, but if I’m watching what I eat and if I’m working hard on tracking everything (not that I am right now) isn’t it possible to eat less calories, but still up the protein??? Wouldn’t that work? I thought I got all this, but then the more I read I feel like that it’s not really possible to build muscle while losing fat and then I end up feeling like it’s wasted time to even lift while trying to lose! And if I’m losing fat *and* muscle then I’m gonna be a skinny jiggly-puff! …but then you scroll down a few topics and others are saying to lift and that if you’re losing inches then you are gaining muscles… every time I do some research and THINK I know what I’m doing I end up reading something that say’s the polar opposite! Then there is the how to work out, when to work, how much…

    Start out slow. Decrease your calories by 250-500 per day, and add 30 minutes of exercise. Start out walking, then walk with weights or jog. Do strength training on opposite days of your walking/jogging. Try to exercise 6 days a week for the first month. Listen to your body. Don't overdo it. When exercising, don't eat more!!!! This is the biggest mistake I see people making (and have made myself). Repeat - DON'T EAT MORE WHEN YOU EXERCISE. This will be tough, but eventually you'll know how much is one serving, and you won't want to eat more.

    Finally, ask for help. Whether it's joining a weight loss group, a gym, or getting a few personal training sessions, there are people out there who do this for a living and will tell you exactly what you need to do to succeed. Then, DO IT.

    You will fall off the wagon. You will fail a few times before you get it right. Just DON'T GIVE UP. If you fall off the wagon, start again from the beginning the very next day. Don't let more than a couple of days fall in between workouts. Even if you do some house cleaning, walk the dog, play with your kids - this is exercise! Every little bit helps.

    I hope this helps!!
  • spitfire1962
    spitfire1962 Posts: 347 Member
    First off you will have to stop the negative self talk (you are not a jiggly puff, you are a beautiful woman) and stop trying to talk yourself out of this. I too was once were you are now. Making excuses to not work out because of this or that. Just chose something you like doing and do it. For me it was kickboxing, but I wasn't able to start there because of my weight and back problems. So I started off walking short walks and soon increased the distance. Then I bought some workout videos at Walmart for $10.00 each. They were the Biggest Loser, as I was watching the show, it motivated me and I figured if they could do it, so could I. Then I went onto Jillian Michaels circuit training with light weights. I will never look like a body builder. But my body is getting tight and toned. Went from a size 18-20 to a 10-12. I also started logging my meals, they were not always the healthiest choices but I was being honest to myself. After I would log what I ate I would see how many calories I was consuming. That was a real shocker for me. I was taking in over 3000 calories a day and some times in one meal, and really sabotaging my workouts. So I began to look at other peoples food choices and saw that I wasn't the only one making bad choices. I started adding vegetables and fruit to my meals and lots of water. Now I make better choices but now and then I will have a piece of chocolate. This is a lifestyle change, not a diet. So you will have to learn to eat better but not deprive yourself. Just remind yourself that this is something that you are doing for you. You are worth the effort. No more excuses, just jump on in and move. Take a before pic, even if you don't post it, and then as you start to lose weight post more pics. You will be amazed at what you can do once your mind is set to do it. It's not our bodies or our appetite that keep us over weight, it's our minds. Take control of that and the rest will fix itself. We are here for you. You can add me as a friend if you would like an honest opinion or advice. I'm not going to cut you to shreds. I won't let you put yourself down or say that you can't do it. If I can do it, so can you!!!
  • gally619
    gally619 Posts: 5
    Hello jiggly puff, I refer to my self as a bowl full of Jelly. I have found that just doing something is better than nothing. The reading is confusing. Pick something and stick to it. Try cutting out sodas, yes even the artificially sweetened sodas. Water is key. Try walking, some work out videos, or maybe take a gym class at a community college. I keep a case of water in my car, that keeps me from getting sodas while I am out. Also wiegh your self everyday or so, so you know where your at. Also eating in moderation is important. Remember what ever you are doing it has to be a lifestyle change, not a diet. If you have to do fastfood, most places now have sidesalad that you can substitute for frys. That is very helpful!
  • StevLL
    StevLL Posts: 921 Member
    Honestly? The MFP way - eat right (with a calorie deficit), get some kind of work out, and have lots of love and support seems to be the best strategy I've seen yet!

    Best advise right there. It's simple and it works. Good luck if you need support my wife(hootsmamma) and I are good cheerleaders.
  • outersoul
    outersoul Posts: 711
    You're not going to put on muscle while shedding fat. I would tackle one first then the other. At best you will tone. I would work on shedding the fat first then start eating at a small surplus to add muscle. Don't worry about looking like the Hulk. You would have to eat a ton for that.
  • Brandie6004
    Brandie6004 Posts: 87 Member
    Thanks for all the replies.

    I do tend to take in more information than needed and then over analyze things when there is something that I’m especially interested in, and trying to learn, and wanting to make all the ‘right’ choices. If ya’ll think this sounded bad be glad you didn’t talk to me when I was pregnant with my first child; talk about reading too much and over analyzing things! lol I was awful! Until one day when a talking to another woman; she told me “every woman is happy to share her own ‘horror story’ about labor and delivery. You need to forget everything that all those women have told you and all that you read and just focus on you and your beautiful new baby and do what's right for the two of you.” To this day (nearly 10 yrs later) this is the advice I give to all mommies-to-be that ask for it.

    Most of you said the same thing (just in regards to weight loss and fitness); thank you. I needed to be reminded to just sit back and not too worry so much about it and (like it or not) it’s one of those things that I just have to learn and figure out what’s best for me as I go.

    Thanks again for all the feedback and the reminder to relax!
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