Strong Curves - Diet question...

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bcerk
bcerk Posts: 41
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all,

I have decided to start 2015 off with a new fitness routine. I used work our 4/5 times a week. A 2 arm day/2 leg day split routine with 20 minutes of moderate cardio each day.

I am looking into Strong Curves and think it looks like a pretty solid routine to follow.

That being said, I know calorie surplus is important to building muscle, but I am concerned that I will get fluffy. I used to be a large gal (226lbs at my heaviest) and am afraid the "fluff" gained when trying to gain muscle will mess with my head...

Would it be a waste of my time to do the strong curves routine and eat at my current MFP calories (1400)? Or would it be best to eat at a surplus for a while, gain muscle, then cut? I would really like to get a toned, athletic figure. Please do not attack me if all this information is incorrect. I am looking for any type of guidance!

Thank you

Replies

  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
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    If you bulk you *will* get fluffy. The amount of fluff you add depends entirely on how much you eat, but you will gain muscle and fat, that's just how it works, and from what you said mentioning bulking and then cutting it sounds like you do understand that.

    As you have not yet reached your goal weight, it is probably not an appropriate time to bulk. However, if you are okay with staying about the same weight, you could move to recomp: eat at maintenance and you will very slowly lose inches while staying around the same weight.
  • bcerk
    bcerk Posts: 41
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    fivethreeone wrote: »
    If you bulk you *will* get fluffy. The amount of fluff you add depends entirely on how much you eat, but you will gain muscle and fat, that's just how it works, and from what you said mentioning bulking and then cutting it sounds like you do understand that.

    As you have not yet reached your goal weight, it is probably not an appropriate time to bulk. However, if you are okay with staying about the same weight, you could move to recomp: eat at maintenance and you will very slowly lose inches while staying around the same weight.

    Thank you for your response. Yes, I do understand that with bulking comes fluff :smile:

    As for your second note, maybe a recomp is what Im looking for. Im not entirely concerned about my weight, I would feel more comfortable with more muscle, as I have been eating at a deficit for so long. I feel "skinny fat" underneath everything.

    Time to do some research!
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    edited January 2015
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    No problem :smile:

    Here's a good place to start http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/articles/
  • stargazgal
    stargazgal Posts: 93 Member
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    What's fluff?? Sorry if I sound ignorant. I actually just started this program today. I spent January doing basics..squats, rows, chin ups ( modified) dead lifts, chest press etc 3x week and cord and cardio the other 3 days. But I wanted to follow a more outlined specific program. Someone mentioned this one. My howl is 30 lb weight loss... Look better naked etc... So now I'm worthier about fluff... Whatever it is lol
  • stargazgal
    stargazgal Posts: 93 Member
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    stargazgal wrote: »
    What's fluff?? Sorry if I sound ignorant. I actually just started this program today. I spent January doing basics..squats, rows, chin ups ( modified) dead lifts, chest press etc 3x week and cord and cardio the other 3 days. But I wanted to follow a more outlined specific program. Someone mentioned this one. My howl is 30 lb weight loss... Look better naked etc... So now I'm worthier about fluff... Whatever it is lol

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    She means you will add fat. There is no way to guarantee you'll add muscle without adding fat along with it. Generally, you eat over maintenance while lifting heavy to ensure that most of the mass you put on is muscle. Then after a certain period you do a cut to lose some of the fat.

    If you are working on losing fat, by eating in a calorie deficit, don't worry about bulking for added muscle. Just do the program and continue to eat to lose.

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