Cutting or bulking?!

vbour002
vbour002 Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So, I am a woman, currently weighing 129.5lbs and standing at 5'3". I've been working out for the entirety of this year and have definitely seen results. I've always been the curvier type, and I love my shape. However, I have always had cellulite on the back of my legs/butt and my abs have been the most difficult to tone. With working out, I've noticed I'm losing these curves in my lower body, more quickly than I am toning my abs. I workout 4-5 times a week and do about 35 minutes of cardio/ 40 minutes of strength training every session. My diet can use some work, but isn't terrible. I want to keep toning without losing my butt/curves. Should I bulk to replace the curves I've lost in my lower body? Or should I cut to lose that small gut? What should I do???

Replies

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Confused what toning is...do you mean losing fat? If so you can't choose where you will lose fat, it is done with diet and eventually you will lose fat in the areas you want if you are consistent.

    If you want to add mass in a particular area of your body, you can do that when eating at a surplus while doing exercises that promote growth.

  • ahoier
    ahoier Posts: 312 Member
    As far as abs, them are made in the kitchen ;) For real......brocolli, asparagus, chicken, peas, rice, oatmeal, are some good options......I rarely "work" abs, at least not at the gym.....the biggest bet, is work abs everywhere......practicing good posture is one way, when you're walking, talking, typing on the computer, etc......practice holding your abs in ;) Workout without the gym.....lol. I laugh at some of these crazy ab moves people try at the gym......like 6 machines, wasting space, all devoted to 1 little section of body.....tone the rest of your body, and eat right, and the abs will start to peak through ;)
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    ahoier wrote: »
    As far as abs, them are made in the kitchen ;) For real......brocolli, asparagus, chicken, peas, rice, oatmeal, are some good options......I rarely "work" abs, at least not at the gym.....the biggest bet, is work abs everywhere......practicing good posture is one way, when you're walking, talking, typing on the computer, etc......practice holding your abs in ;) Workout without the gym.....lol. I laugh at some of these crazy ab moves people try at the gym......like 6 machines, wasting space, all devoted to 1 little section of body.....tone the rest of your body, and eat right, and the abs will start to peak through ;)

    To review: doing exercises that target the abs have nothing to do with getting visible abs, but eating from your magic list of foods does.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Rocka, are you questioning as to whether eating at a deficit to reduce BF% in order to reduce subcutaneous fat overall, but more directly covering the abdominal muscles, will have the desired effect of making the abs more visible?
  • fitzman84
    fitzman84 Posts: 40 Member
    Try and find a maintenance level of calories. Sounds like you're a newbie so your body will be able to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.

    Now...Abs are all about how lean you are... So that will come in time.

    If you're worried about losing your lower curves, workout your lower body more often, like 2-3 times per week, depending on how fast you recover. Exercises should include squats, lunges, and some Romanian deadlifts. Keep the reps between 8-12 for hypertrophy (muscle growth)... If you can get more then 12 in a set then up the weight.
  • vbour002
    vbour002 Posts: 2 Member
    Thank you everyone for your helpful answers!

    @Chieflrg, to answer your question, by "toning" I am referring to cutting fat.

    @Fitzman84 I like what you said about working out my lower body more. Makes a lot of sense. I hear using heavy weights for your lower body for 8-12 reps per set, and using lighter weights/more reps for the upper body can help me maintain that curvier look. I've only been working out my lower body once a week, so I will make sure to add more of it to my weekly routine.

    Everyone else, I agree. Diet is the most important factor in creating abs, so I will be focusing on eating clean as well. :smile:


    Thanks again!

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