Lose weight or gain muscle? Advice

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mqmomma
mqmomma Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 5'2 and wake up on average between 120-122. My healthy weight range is 105-135 so I'm where I should be, but still feel like I'm too big.

Should I reduce my weight down to maybe 110 or try and gain muscle?

If I go to gain muscle, do I then eat at a surplus while lifting?

Also, does it have to be free weights or can a bowflex work? I have a bowflex, I don't have free weights.
Thanks

Replies

  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
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    I don't see how 120-122 could feel big at all. You're probably just viewing yourself that way, and are not really "too big"

    I wouldn't lose weight. If anything i would work on muscle.
  • mantium999
    mantium999 Posts: 1,490 Member
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    Do you feel you are too big, or too soft? At your height and weight, you might want to look into recomp. Read this.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1
  • mqmomma
    mqmomma Posts: 20 Member
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    mantium999 wrote: »
    Do you feel you are too big, or too soft? At your height and weight, you might want to look into recomp. Read this.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    I guess too soft.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    Generally, the lower body fat you have, the more optimally your body partitions calories toward fat or muscle. For men, a lot of people recommend being under 15% body fat. If the same holds for women that would be around 22%. I honestly don't know if that's the case, though. I'm sure someone will.

    Just about any resistance training is better than none. There will be people who argue that free weights are the only way, but they aren't. There are definitely some advantages to free weights, but using a Bowflex or any machine is preferable to not lifting just because you don't have convenient access to free weights.
  • mqmomma
    mqmomma Posts: 20 Member
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    higgins8283801 wrote: »
    I don't see how 120-122 could feel big at all. You're probably just viewing yourself that way, and are not really "too big"

    I wouldn't lose weight. If anything i would work on muscle.

    Too big was the wrong words. I'm too soft. My stomach is still dough boy looking and I jiggle. It looks like I'm fat even though the scale says I'm thin.
  • mqmomma
    mqmomma Posts: 20 Member
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    DeguelloTex wrote: »
    Generally, the lower body fat you have, the more optimally your body partitions calories toward fat or muscle. For men, a lot of people recommend being under 15% body fat. If the same holds for women that would be around 22%. I honestly don't know if that's the case, though. I'm sure someone will.

    Just about any resistance training is better than none. There will be people who argue that free weights are the only way, but they aren't. There are definitely some advantages to free weights, but using a Bowflex or any machine is preferable to not lifting just because you don't have convenient access to free weights.

    According to my fitbit scale I am between 24-25.8% so probably way too much.

  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
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    Lift weights!

    I am 5'2" as well. I've been as low as 107 and as high as 128. I look scary below 115, and have looked best in the 120-125 range when lifting heavy- firm and tight! I wouldn't lose any more weight, look at a recomp as other's above said.
  • mantium999
    mantium999 Posts: 1,490 Member
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    ASKyle wrote: »
    Lift weights!

    I am 5'2" as well. I've been as low as 107 and as high as 128. I look scary below 115, and have looked best in the 120-125 range when lifting heavy- firm and tight! I wouldn't lose any more weight, look at a recomp as other's above said.

    Gonna second the resistance training suggestion. My 5'3" wife, at 135, is solid as a rock now (and, preemptively, absolutely not "bulky", FWIW), when she was soft and "jiggly" at 125. Sure, it took her almost 2 years to get here, but muscle and patience do beautiful things to body composition.
  • amillenium
    amillenium Posts: 281 Member
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    mqmomma wrote: »
    I'm 5'2 and wake up on average between 120-122. My healthy weight range is 105-135 so I'm where I should be, but still feel like I'm too big.

    Should I reduce my weight down to maybe 110 or try and gain muscle?

    If I go to gain muscle, do I then eat at a surplus while lifting?

    Also, does it have to be free weights or can a bowflex work? I have a bowflex, I don't have free weights.
    Thanks

    I am 5'1" and 125 and I use free weights...I tend to like how I look when I lift more. My weight doesnt go down but I look less "jiggly." I was really happy with how I looked at 110 (more running and less lifting) but it cramped my lifestyle and it was not sustainable with social events and drinking...maybe try building muscle rather than cutting weight?
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    Depends on your build. I am 5'2" and have a very small build, and need to be between 105 and 110. Another friend, who has a much stouter build even though also 5'2" would look emaciated at 110, and her perfect weight is about 125.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
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    Body Impedence scales are somewhat more accurate at guessing your bodyfat percentage than tea leaves.

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