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Anyone else started trying to main build muscle???

Posts: 20 Member
edited November 2024 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
add me please need tips an motivation. Want to maintain but build muscle.

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  • Posts: 850 Member
    What kinds of strengthening exercises do you prefer?
  • Posts: 8,619 Member
    Eat at maintenance level and lift weights 2-3x/wk. Look into a program like Stronglifts or Strongcurves. You may have to adjust your calories to find what works for you, but this would essentially be a recomp--losing fat while building a little muscle. You might find that you lose inches in some places (fat loss) while gaining a bit in others (muscle growth). Its fun to see how you can change your body and get stronger.
  • Posts: 27 Member
    Anyone else started trying to main build muscle???

    I'm in the same boat, I will following this to see what is said. I'm kind of lost on how much weight to use and how many of what to do.
  • Posts: 113 Member
    Eat at maintenance level and lift weights 2-3x/wk. Look into a program like Stronglifts or Strongcurves. You may have to adjust your calories to find what works for you, but this would essentially be a recomp--losing fat while building a little muscle. You might find that you lose inches in some places (fat loss) while gaining a bit in others (muscle growth). Its fun to see how you can change your body and get stronger.

    Great advice! I would definitely confirm the losing inches in some places and gaining in others. I used to have tiny, tiny arms, and now they've gotten pretty muscular, especially my shoulders. Thighs have more muscle on the quads and hamstrings, where as fat seems to sit more on the sides of the thighs (that's gone, lol). I run and do a lot of single leg weighted exercises (single leg deadlifts, pistol squats, etc) so it makes sense, and I really have enjoyed seeing the progress.
  • Posts: 1,155 Member
    taots1012 wrote: »
    add me please need tips an motivation. Want to maintain but build muscle.

    impossible, that's like saying I want more money but the number in my account not to change...
  • Posts: 19,528 Member

    impossible, that's like saying I want more money but the number in my account not to change...

    not really, eat at maintenance, lift heavy, its a slow way to recomp but it can happen



  • Posts: 96 Member
    edited March 2015
    If you keep working out with weights, and keep increasing the amount of the weights, you will get stronger. You may end up gaining weight, but you will have more muscle.
    You might want to work with a trainer to get a routine going that you can do on your own to make sure you are targeting the muscles you want to target - that's what I did and at some point I couldn't afford the trainer but my goal was always to get a good routine for myself. Also my opinion (others will disagree) is you need fuel for the workouts and life - and you want to make sure you have enough healthy calories to keep your metabolism going... protein can help with muscle recovery. Sleep is also important (so you have energy for the workouts). Not sure if this helps but it has helped me - still working on the sleep part!
  • Posts: 121 Member
    Add me if you want. My app will not play right today. Lol
  • Posts: 20 Member

    impossible, that's like saying I want more money but the number in my account not to change...

    I guess I have to gain some to get those legs an arms An stomach I want. Let the gaining begin!
  • Posts: 20 Member
    Thank you I definitely need t
    If you keep working out with weights, and keep increasing the amount of the weights, you will get stronger. You may end up gaining weight, but you will have more muscle.
    You might want to work with a trainer to get a routine going that you can do on your own to make sure you are targeting the muscles you want to target - that's what I did and at some point I couldn't afford the trainer but my goal was always to get a good routine for myself. Also my opinion (others will disagree) is you need fuel for the workouts and life - and you want to make sure you have enough healthy calories to keep your metabolism going... protein can help with muscle recovery. Sleep is also important (so you have energy for the workouts). Not sure if this helps but it has helped me - still working on the sleep part![/quo
    Thank you!! I will definitely need to make sure I get enough sleep
  • Posts: 20 Member
    Eat at maintenance level and lift weights 2-3x/wk. Look into a program like Stronglifts or Strongcurves. You may have to adjust your calories to find what works for you, but this would essentially be a recomp--losing fat while building a little muscle. You might find that you lose inches in some places (fat loss) while gaining a bit in others (muscle growth). Its fun to see how you can change your body and get stronger.

    Thank you!! I'm excited to start this new journey
  • Posts: 20 Member
    ukaryote wrote: »
    What kinds of strengthening exercises do you prefer?

    I'm looking into some now not really sure any suggestions?
  • Posts: 49 Member
    For whatever reason I cant add you but I am trying to do the same thing, you can add me if you like!
  • Posts: 19,809 Member

    impossible, that's like saying I want more money but the number in my account not to change...

    Nonsense!
    It's called recomping. When I started out it's what 95% of people did and what I'm still doing.
  • Posts: 185 Member
    Yes its called recomping. I've just spent a year doing it, with good results. No weight gained or lost, just reduced body fat and increased muscle mass.
  • Posts: 10,321 Member
    Recomps work. Eat at maintenance, lift heavy shiz.
  • Posts: 716 Member
    Feel free to add me - I'm not making crazy gains atm, but recomp is my goal
  • Posts: 1,119 Member
    I just got on the recomp train.
  • Posts: 782 Member
    I'm trying to recomp as well.
  • Posts: 82 Member
    Wow recomp central!
  • Posts: 581 Member

    impossible, that's like saying I want more money but the number in my account not to change...
    No. Eat at maintenance, lift heavy, hit your protein macros, gain muscle, lose fat.
  • Posts: 365 Member
    Yes, figure out your caloric break-even/maintenance level. Lift heavy weight, preferably compound movements like bench, squat, deadlift, barbell row, assisted dips and pull ups. This worked for me. After I built some muscle I reduced calories slightly and kept lifting. The fat kept coming off and I starting losing weight, more fat than muscle. You may need to adjust your macros (protein/fat/carbs) but for now keep your calories at maintenance and pump iron, if body recomp is what you want to do.
  • Posts: 978 Member
    gemmamummy wrote: »
    Yes its called recomping. I've just spent a year doing it, with good results. No weight gained or lost, just reduced body fat and increased muscle mass.

    @gemmamummy Do you mind sharing some details on how this worked out for you? Did you just eat at maintenance? What strength training program do you use? I’m not sure if I want to bulk or do a recomp. Ideally I want to gain lots of muscle mass faster, but the idea of gaining does scare me a bit.
  • Posts: 782 Member
    Question on recomp calories on off days. On lift days, I eat at maintenance. I do 3 days legs, 3 days upper body. With 10-20 min cardio before. If I take a day off, should I lower my calories that day? I have the UP24 band and I tracked my daily burn on a spreadsheet (I know, crazy), but I know that on a day that I lift and run, I'm burning 1650-1700, sometimes a bit more. On an off day only 1385. My BMR is 1297. Should I cut calories on off days?
    Thank you.
  • Posts: 19,809 Member
    tzarba wrote: »
    Question on recomp calories on off days. On lift days, I eat at maintenance. I do 3 days legs, 3 days upper body. With 10-20 min cardio before. If I take a day off, should I lower my calories that day? I have the UP24 band and I tracked my daily burn on a spreadsheet (I know, crazy), but I know that on a day that I lift and run, I'm burning 1650-1700, sometimes a bit more. On an off day only 1385. My BMR is 1297. Should I cut calories on off days?
    Thank you.
    You can recomp with same calories every day (TDEE method) or using the MFP eat back exercise calories method.
    Personal choice.

    There may be some small benefit in nutrient timing around exercise but really for normal people we aren't talking about a huge difference.
    Far more important to have a good training regime than over-emphasise minor details that are more relevant to elite athletes or physique competitors IMO.
  • Posts: 310 Member

    impossible, that's like saying I want more money but the number in my account not to change...

    Not true.
  • Posts: 310 Member
    edited April 2015
    Wait!! I'm late we're all in recomp mode!! Just kidding I'm still cutting to then recomp :|:'(
  • Posts: 185 Member
    @Emilia777. I used the calorie calculator in scoobysworkshop.com to find my appropriate intake (it says build muscle, lose fat). Which worked out at around 1850 per day. I did the Allpro beginners workout 3 days a week plus 20 mins cardio and was patient. The scales would sometimes go up but I resisted temptation to drop my calories and just accepted the fluctuations as part of the process. Fast forward to now and I still weigh the same as when I began but look very different. Recomping is slow, but if you want to make a change without adding alot of fat and are willing to ride it out then great. I considered bulking but the thought of then having to drop calories to cut was horrible. With 1850 cals, I can eat a bit of what I fancy every day without it feeling like a 'diet' and never feel hungry. Its sustainable and something I could keep on with year on year. Do it!!!
  • Posts: 15,267 Member
    I am on a small cut atm shouldn't take me too long then onto hopefully a year long recomp.

    I am currently doing 5/3/1 with light cardio but plan on starting C25K in May and hoping that will help my cut down to 140 then onto maintenance and recomp.
  • Posts: 4,590 Member
    I have started using a whey protein supplement and am getting much better results than before. Also maintaining weight and building muscle, like you.
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