lose 5% fat

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janeybees
janeybees Posts: 19 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone, I'm looking to lose 5% body fat while gaining some lean muscle...any advice on diet and exercise?
I'm an ecto and find gains real hard, but recently found bulking just made me look fat and didn't produce much muscle

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  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    It's very hard to do both at the same time.

    What was your bulking plan like? Height, weight?, body fat % currently?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Did you lift weights while bulking or just eat more?
  • janeybees
    janeybees Posts: 19 Member
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    I always try to make gains...bulk plan was 300cals above maintenance starting at 18%bf...im now 20% and frustrated...
    Lift 3x a week, yoga 2x a week, try to keep cardio to a minimum when trying to gain muscle as I find it hard to eat enough to get over maintenance...
    Having bloods done atm to test thyroid, glucose, celiac, lipids, blood count etc...
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
    edited April 2015
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    What was your lifting plan?

    How long did you bulk for?

    Did you cut afterwards?

    How much were you actually eating?
  • janeybees
    janeybees Posts: 19 Member
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    Iron_Feline wrote: »
    What was your lifting plan?

    How long did you bulk for?

    Did you cut afterwards?

    How much were you actually eating?

    Fullbody work outs 3 per week...mostly compounds, at 6-8 reps, 6 exercises per workout.
    3 month clean steady bulk, upping by 50cals per week to start untill I reached 300 above maintenance
    Eating just under 2200 cals per day.
    Cut for 3 months- maintenance for first few weeks then decreasing by 100 cals every couple weeks...
    Just got to weak to lift, felt soft and had no energy.
    Felt lethargic constantly...
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    So how much did you end up eating on your cut?
  • janeybees
    janeybees Posts: 19 Member
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    Iron_Feline wrote: »
    So how much did you end up eating on your cut?

    I went down to 1400 cals for last 2months or so, I did lose but I felt weak and lost alot of my gains with it.
    Have been ill for just over a month and only done yoga during my sickness, so am starting over but want to get it right this time.

    I'm 57kg, 5.5/5.6 depending on the day...am currently 20.4 % bf after not training for a few weeks.
    Have been trying to lose some bf before I start bulking again...
    Any tips?
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    You sound like you're doing everything right to be honest - I would try asking for advice in the gaining weight section - and I'm gonna try to get some peeps I know who know more about bulking to pop in here.
  • mirrim52
    mirrim52 Posts: 763 Member
    edited April 2015
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    An 800 calorie deficit while trying to lift is extreme. That is over 35% if your TDEE is 2200. No wonder you felt like garbage.

    Trying to get down to 15% BF as a woman is a lot of work. You will be fighting your body and hormones the whole way. You will have to basically devote your life to the gym and your diet. Are you prepared for that?
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    That said I'm guessing 1400 is too low. I lose on 1600 and I'm only 5'2 - maybe you need a smaller deficit.
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    What are your lifts on the three days, are you following a programme like stronglifts?
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    How are you measuring your body fat? What program are you following?
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    edited April 2015
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    So, if you are eating this little you may continue to have difficulty with a bulk/cut. If you are lifting 3 ays a week what are you in terms of compound lifting? Specifically, dead, squats, and chest? While your BF was 18% what did you do to get to this point and how much was your BF(body fat) prior to the start of reaching 18%? If you want help you have many people willing to offer solid advice.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    You are 5'6" and 125 pounds. At this point you likely need a longer bulk. If you are already in a good fat percentage, which you are, a longer bulk is going to be more beneficial. As in 9 months or so. If you bulked for 3 months you spent half of that just upping your calories (based on your 50 calorie per week method.) And I would agree that an 800 calorie deficit is likely too steep for a prolonged period considering your current size.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    You are 5'6" and 125 pounds. At this point you likely need a longer bulk. If you are already in a good fat percentage, which you are, a longer bulk is going to be more beneficial. As in 9 months or so. If you bulked for 3 months you spent half of that just upping your calories (based on your 50 calorie per week method.) And I would agree that an 800 calorie deficit is likely too steep for a prolonged period considering your current size.

    ^^this seems like good advice based on what you have noted here,

    How long were you in a surplus for?
  • janeybees
    janeybees Posts: 19 Member
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    Hi, sorry school runs, clubs, tea etc...been manic. Thanks everyone for the input! Very helpful
  • janeybees
    janeybees Posts: 19 Member
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    Oh and routines are compounds, ie deads and variants, bench and varients, military and clean presses, squats, lunges, split squats, rows, pullups etc, I'm doing these 5exercises 3 days a week now, 3sets 6-8 reps...
    I'm weak again now due to illness but getting better and bloods back next week so hopefully I can sort my nutrition out properly without headaches and lethargy lol
  • janeybees
    janeybees Posts: 19 Member
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    Just found this article and wondered what u guys think?...going with your advice it all makes sense...http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/skinny-fat-body-dilemma-bulk-cut
    Should I be building and forgetting the 7lbs I don't like...3 years is a huge commitment tho lol...maybe 1 and see how I feel? X
  • terar21
    terar21 Posts: 523 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    You are 5'6" and 125 pounds. At this point you likely need a longer bulk. If you are already in a good fat percentage, which you are, a longer bulk is going to be more beneficial. As in 9 months or so. If you bulked for 3 months you spent half of that just upping your calories (based on your 50 calorie per week method.) And I would agree that an 800 calorie deficit is likely too steep for a prolonged period considering your current size.

    This. The 50 a week increase couple with a small surplus? Most of your time was spent at such a small surplus that there's a very high chance you weren't even in a surplus half the time since our daily burns vary. If you were just slightly more active on a given week, there went your surplus.

    And I agree on the deficit. I was doing fine with my lifts in a minimal deficit with plenty of energy and strength gain. I upped my cardio for increased training. I didn't think it was a big deal. It pushed the deficit higher and I saw a severe drop in my lifts. It was instaneous. Your deficit being so stop on a regular basis, your lifts would definitely suffer.
  • janeybees
    janeybees Posts: 19 Member
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    Thanks hun. I've battled with the 'need to be skinny' for most of my life, now I realise that muscle is more attractive, I'm finding it hard to keep my head in the game and stay focused
    Gonna try a lean long bulk, I do feel stronger and lift easier when I eat more, I just keep freaking out that I'm getting fatter not stronger

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