Losing fat & gaining muscle?

Protein shakes will help, but I'd also recommend trying to incorporate more sources into your regular meals (e.g. chicken, fish, eggs, greek yogurt, cottage cheese).

There are a few different guidelines out there for how to determine how much you should be getting in. I aim for 30% of my daily calorie intake. At 1600 calories, 30% is 120 grams of protein. Another guideline is roughly 1 gram per pound of lean body mass (not total body weight -- you need to know your body fat percentage to figure out your lean body mass).

Other than newbie gains, you're not going to gain much in the way of muscle while eating at a deficit. Strength gains you can get, and the strength work will help minimize muscle loss while dieting. But don't expect a lot in the way of new muscle mass.

I agree with the other posters -- lift first, then cardio. And unless you only weigh 100 pounds, a bit more protein would be in order.

OTOH, why are you trying to lose weight? Your picture sure doesn't look like someone who has weight to lose. You might be better off eating at maintenance or slightly more and going for more muscle.

Get on an established progressive lifting program, NROLFW, Stronglifts 5x5....otherwise you'll waste your time spinning your wheel.

hill8570 wrote: »

Other than newbie gains, you're not going to gain much in the way of muscle while eating at a deficit. Strength gains you can get, and the strength work will help minimize muscle loss while dieting. But don't expect a lot in the way of new muscle mass.

I agree with the other posters -- lift first, then cardio. And unless you only weigh 100 pounds, a bit more protein would be in order.

OTOH, why are you trying to lose weight? Your picture sure doesn't look like someone who has weight to lose. You might be better off eating at maintenance or slightly more and going for more muscle.

This is true. In order to get lean gains, she is going to have to bulk or do a recomp program. Recomp is usually recommended at >18% bf.

A focus on cardio right now would probably be best if your trying for loss. You can also do cycling 7 days for gains.

berenisevee wrote: »

I weight 120 but I have that excess fat like the love handles that are very annoying. I was thinking of sliming down a bit and then hitting the weights hard, but I feel as if I just run for 30 min that isn't enough for me.

Weights only need to be two or three days a week. As others have mentioned -- Stronglifts 5x5, Starting Strength, New Rules of Lifting for Women -- all good beginner programs. Cardio or what have you the other days. If you really want to cut, that's your call, but my opinion is that you already could go on a very mild bulk (say, maintenance + 5% or 10%) so you could actually add muscle mass and still be happy with the results. Bump protein up another 15 grams -- 100g is an easy number to remember, and plenty to fuel your lifting needs.

Based on your picture you have very little fat to begin with. I would focus on exercise, without restricting calories at all. It sounds like you want more muscle, not to lose weight.

So lifting at a deficit will cause me to lose muscle and fat?

This is a choice between optimizing one versus the other. As an example, bodybuilders will have bulk period and a cut period. Because focusing on one over the other is more effective at doing that one thing. But you can do both.

To build muscle, you need three things: Stimulus, protein recovery. Alternating between arms and legs is not going to allow you work out with the proper intensity (stimulus), and may not provide enough rest (recovery) to really build muscle. Also, not managing your diet may mean you’re not getting enough protein to build.

To lose fat, you have to eat less than your body needs to keep the current amount of fat or muscle. However, if you’re getting enough protein and providing stimulus for the muscles to get stronger (progressive, intense weight lifting), your body can shed fat while it builds muscle. As I noted above, this isn’t optimal muscle strength/mass building, but you can see good results. Especially early on in training.

As for your current program, I wouldn’t go about it that way. Instead, I’d plan to do a full body, heavy, intense session (e.g., strong lifts 5x5) three times per week. Then two to three days per week, I’d add some cardio (e.g., walk 2 - 7 miles two times, HIIT one time). I’d do the cardio in the morning before eating breakfast (fasted state). I’d do the weights when I’m fully warm and fueled (mid-afternoon tends to work best for me). I would also probably adjust my diet, eating more on the days I lift and less on the other days.