Lose fat while lifting weights
nabbigail320
Posts: 18 Member
Here's my deal... female, 36 years old, 5'6" 1/2, about 200 lbs. I've lost 60 in the past and maintained that loss for a couple of years no problem, but I'd love to keep going. I hit a plateau and my boyfriend (who didn't know me before) insisted I start strength-training, since I was all about Zumba and the elliptical machine. I resisted because I just didn't want to for whatever reason, but now I love it and I'm in the weight room at the gym four days a week. I have the little gloves and everything. He's into bodybuilding and he made me my routine. I've been doing it consistently like this for a couple of months now and I do see a difference in my body overall. I don't see much in the way of weight loss but I put the scale away tonight and decided that I do see toning and my clothes fit a little better; this is more improvement than I saw in a long time with just cardio, so that's a plus. I'll get on the scale again if my pants get too big; until then, I can easily get obsessed with it and that's not productive. Plus, I LOVE using the app Jefit and tracking my progress there, lifting heavier stuff all the time. That's really fun to see.
Anyway, I still struggle with how to eat. I need to figure out how many calories, the right proportion of protein/carbs/fats. I just don't really know, so that's what I need input on.
My exercise regime:
4 days of lifting (2 upper, 2 lower; I'm very happy with my current routine)
2-3 days of 60-minute Zumba class (my graduate class meets on the same night as one of the Zumba nights, but when we don't have class because of snow or a holiday I get that extra night in; I've been told that 60 minutes of constant cardio like that isn't really that efficient but I really enjoy it and it's a good de-stresser, so I still go)
When the weather allows, I hike a few miles whenever I can. Sometimes more intense than others; depends on if I go for a hill or just a stroll in the woods, but I love to be outside! Of course, that hasn't been an option in a long time because I live in New England. I also ride my bike when the weather permits. I don't really count these things as exercise because I don't feel like I really elevate my heart rate much; I'm just enjoying doing something active for recreation.
Generally I just try to "eat healthy" and stay in the 1500-1600 calorie range, and aim for the 40/30/30 ratio. I'm really good at getting all my water, eating lots of vegetables and knowing good sources of lean protein, not drinking my calories, opting for whole grains instead of sugars and white flour, healthy fats like EVOO and nuts instead of heavy salad dressings, etc. But is that enough calories if I work out that much? And is that the right ratio on days that I'm lifting? And is it different for men and women, as far as those ratios go? I did some reading but I found some information on the ratios for weight loss and for strength training, but what if you want to gain strength while losing fat? Any input would be considered and appreciated.
Anyway, I still struggle with how to eat. I need to figure out how many calories, the right proportion of protein/carbs/fats. I just don't really know, so that's what I need input on.
My exercise regime:
4 days of lifting (2 upper, 2 lower; I'm very happy with my current routine)
2-3 days of 60-minute Zumba class (my graduate class meets on the same night as one of the Zumba nights, but when we don't have class because of snow or a holiday I get that extra night in; I've been told that 60 minutes of constant cardio like that isn't really that efficient but I really enjoy it and it's a good de-stresser, so I still go)
When the weather allows, I hike a few miles whenever I can. Sometimes more intense than others; depends on if I go for a hill or just a stroll in the woods, but I love to be outside! Of course, that hasn't been an option in a long time because I live in New England. I also ride my bike when the weather permits. I don't really count these things as exercise because I don't feel like I really elevate my heart rate much; I'm just enjoying doing something active for recreation.
Generally I just try to "eat healthy" and stay in the 1500-1600 calorie range, and aim for the 40/30/30 ratio. I'm really good at getting all my water, eating lots of vegetables and knowing good sources of lean protein, not drinking my calories, opting for whole grains instead of sugars and white flour, healthy fats like EVOO and nuts instead of heavy salad dressings, etc. But is that enough calories if I work out that much? And is that the right ratio on days that I'm lifting? And is it different for men and women, as far as those ratios go? I did some reading but I found some information on the ratios for weight loss and for strength training, but what if you want to gain strength while losing fat? Any input would be considered and appreciated.
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Replies
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Sorry that was hard to read and i kinda gave up...
Long story short. Yes lift weights as heavy as you can. Full body compounds no splits or other rubbish you dont need that yet
And yes eat at a deficit as when you loose wight it will help keep lean mass
Rinse repeat and give it 6 months you will see good results
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What do you mean by splits?0
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nabbigail320 wrote: »What do you mean by splits?
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is your current routine homemade or a structured program that is designed by a pro?0
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nabbigail320 wrote: »What do you mean by splits?
He's refering to splitting rouines vs full body routines. Upper/lower, push/pull/legs, chest/back/legs etc. I think he's suggesting that you'd probably get better results by sticking to a full body routine with mostly compound movements.
To answer your question: lift weights + moderate calorie deficit = fat loss minimising loss of lean tissue0 -
OP - what is wrong with white flours? As far as your intake goes, if you are losing weight on your current intake then you do not need to change anything.
do you use a food scale?0 -
Yes, I use a food scale, measuring cups, all that, like I work at NASA.
I should add that I have (or had... It may not be with me anymore) a physiological issue that made my body hold onto fat. So I may still be up against that. Fun.
My routine was made by my boyfriend, who is not a professional in the field but this kind of thing is his area of expertise. I do four days of workouts; basically two upper, two lower.0 -
One of my biggest regrets was when starting out as a beginner to lifting was starting with a split routine as opposed to full body. Not saying you won't get results but the results will come faster with a full body compound routine, your body can generally handle it better when you're starting out and you'll have more scope for movement once you start to plateau. Just my two cents though0
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nabbigail320 wrote: »Yes, I use a food scale, measuring cups, all that, like I work at NASA.
I should add that I have (or had... It may not be with me anymore) a physiological issue that made my body hold onto fat. So I may still be up against that. Fun.
My routine was made by my boyfriend, who is not a professional in the field but this kind of thing is his area of expertise. I do four days of workouts; basically two upper, two lower.
i would just suggest looking into a structured program like strong lifts, starting strength, new rules of lifting for woman, etc….0
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