tips for fat loss and muscle gain
brittcody
Posts: 22 Member
Hey guys! I'm looking for a little feeback and suggestions. Maybe what has worked for you and what definitely hasn't. I'm 5'7 and 197 lbs. I want to lose fat and gain muscle. I've been using bodybuilding.com for alot of reference, mainly because everything I seem to research shows that site as the first reference. Currently I have my daily macro goals set at 40% carbs, 20% fat and 40% protein and trying to stay as close to this intake as possible. I am doing two-a-days with 45 min of cardio mid morning and a lifting session mid afternoon/evening. I ditched the scale because I knew if I was going to incorporate lifting into my workouts, I'd be gaining dense muscle mass while shedding fat and the scale wouldn't reflect much progress. So instead, I've been doing monthly pictures with the first one taken December 2nd. I am noticing fat loss in my back and muscle growth in my shoulders. I'm just not getting as much loss in my belly area as quickly. Wondering if I need to bump up my cardio or decrease my caloric intake which is only at 1900. Is there anyone else out there with any suggestions as I continue to try to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time?!
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Replies
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It's a long process to lose fat and gain muscle when you try to do both at the same time.
This article makes some good points:
Recomping vs. Bulking and Cutting: Which One is Best?1 -
Great article. I had actually just mentioned this to my fiancé today. About maybe putting lifting on hold until I got down to a comfortable weight. Maybe just focusing on cutting fat and then focusing on toning once I'm at a decent weight.1
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Women's fitness with weights+ hiit/cardio1
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You don't need to worry about muscle gain at your weight. Set your weight loss goal to 1-1.5lbs per week, do both cardio and resistance training.
Enjoy!2 -
Great article. I had actually just mentioned this to my fiancé today. About maybe putting lifting on hold until I got down to a comfortable weight. Maybe just focusing on cutting fat and then focusing on toning once I'm at a decent weight.
Don't do that. You lose muscle when you're in a deficit, you want to minimise the loss by doing strength training and eating adequate protein.4 -
TavistockToad wrote: »You don't need to worry about muscle gain at your weight. Set your weight loss goal to 1-1.5lbs per week, do both cardio and resistance training.
Enjoy!
So you're saying continue lifting just to maintain muscle mass and continue my regular cardio? My protein is set at 40%0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »You don't need to worry about muscle gain at your weight. Set your weight loss goal to 1-1.5lbs per week, do both cardio and resistance training.
Enjoy!
So you're saying continue lifting just to maintain muscle mass and continue my regular cardio? My protein is set at 40%
yep!2 -
If you're eating in a deficit, you're not going to gain weight. You may add muscle while you're losing fat, but it won't be a 1:1 ratio. You'll lose more fat than you gain muscle.2
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distinctlybeautiful wrote: »If you're eating in a deficit, you're not going to gain weight. You may add muscle while you're losing fat, but it won't be a 1:1 ratio. You'll lose more fat than you gain muscle.
What does that mean exactly? To "eat in a deficit"?0 -
distinctlybeautiful wrote: »If you're eating in a deficit, you're not going to gain weight. You may add muscle while you're losing fat, but it won't be a 1:1 ratio. You'll lose more fat than you gain muscle.
What does that mean exactly? To "eat in a deficit"?
eat less calories than you burn. so MFP gives you a calorie goal that means you are in a deficit - which is why it is recommended that you eat back exercise cals.3 -
TavistockToad wrote: »distinctlybeautiful wrote: »If you're eating in a deficit, you're not going to gain weight. You may add muscle while you're losing fat, but it won't be a 1:1 ratio. You'll lose more fat than you gain muscle.
What does that mean exactly? To "eat in a deficit"?
eat less calories than you burn. so MFP gives you a calorie goal that means you are in a deficit - which is why it is recommended that you eat back exercise cals.
Ohhh okay. I'm struggling to meet that as it is...0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »distinctlybeautiful wrote: »If you're eating in a deficit, you're not going to gain weight. You may add muscle while you're losing fat, but it won't be a 1:1 ratio. You'll lose more fat than you gain muscle.
What does that mean exactly? To "eat in a deficit"?
eat less calories than you burn. so MFP gives you a calorie goal that means you are in a deficit - which is why it is recommended that you eat back exercise cals.
Ohhh okay. I'm struggling to meet that as it is...
When you put your info into MFP, did you set your goal for maintenance or to lose one pound per week or what? Are you struggling to get down that low or up that high?0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »distinctlybeautiful wrote: »If you're eating in a deficit, you're not going to gain weight. You may add muscle while you're losing fat, but it won't be a 1:1 ratio. You'll lose more fat than you gain muscle.
What does that mean exactly? To "eat in a deficit"?
eat less calories than you burn. so MFP gives you a calorie goal that means you are in a deficit - which is why it is recommended that you eat back exercise cals.
Ohhh okay. I'm struggling to meet that as it is...
When you put your info into MFP, did you set your goal for maintenance or to lose one pound per week or what? Are you struggling to get down that low or up that high?
When I initially set up my account, I set it to lose 2 lbs per week. Since then, I have only manually entered my daily macros goal. I'm allowed a little over 1900 calories and after working out, I'm struggling to meet that intake because I'm either full or there's not enough hours in the day!0 -
What kind of work out regime are you doing? I see you follow bodybuilding.com, which is good, but what is you routine you are doing? You can PM if needed1
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Ok, what I mean, is what type of routine are you doing when you go in the gym to try and gain the muscle. Are you doing a whole body workout, certain parts on certain days, reps, sets, etc..?1 -
Ok, what I mean, is what type of routine are you doing when you go in the gym to try and gain the muscle. Are you doing a whole body workout, certain parts on certain days, reps, sets, etc..?
I rotate certain parts daily. So today was chest. Bench 3 sets multiple reps, incline 3 sets multiple reps, decline 3 sets multiple reps, bench dumbbell 3 sets multiple reps, and so on targeting different body parts daily.
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Ok, what I mean, is what type of routine are you doing when you go in the gym to try and gain the muscle. Are you doing a whole body workout, certain parts on certain days, reps, sets, etc..?
I rotate certain parts daily. So today was chest. Bench 3 sets multiple reps, incline 3 sets multiple reps, decline 3 sets multiple reps, bench dumbbell 3 sets multiple reps, and so on targeting different body parts daily.
sent you a message0 -
Ok, what I mean, is what type of routine are you doing when you go in the gym to try and gain the muscle. Are you doing a whole body workout, certain parts on certain days, reps, sets, etc..?
I rotate certain parts daily. So today was chest. Bench 3 sets multiple reps, incline 3 sets multiple reps, decline 3 sets multiple reps, bench dumbbell 3 sets multiple reps, and so on targeting different body parts daily.
sent you a message
why not post on here so other members can benefit too?3 -
Ok, what I mean, is what type of routine are you doing when you go in the gym to try and gain the muscle. Are you doing a whole body workout, certain parts on certain days, reps, sets, etc..?
I rotate certain parts daily. So today was chest. Bench 3 sets multiple reps, incline 3 sets multiple reps, decline 3 sets multiple reps, bench dumbbell 3 sets multiple reps, and so on targeting different body parts daily.
you might want to look into a structured plan, strong lifts, strong curves, new rules etc etc2 -
TavistockToad wrote: »
Ok, what I mean, is what type of routine are you doing when you go in the gym to try and gain the muscle. Are you doing a whole body workout, certain parts on certain days, reps, sets, etc..?
I rotate certain parts daily. So today was chest. Bench 3 sets multiple reps, incline 3 sets multiple reps, decline 3 sets multiple reps, bench dumbbell 3 sets multiple reps, and so on targeting different body parts daily.
you might want to look into a structured plan, strong lifts, strong curves, new rules etc etc
And where might one find such a structured plan? lol0 -
My daughter was in your same situation, though she started a little heavier. She started eating healthier, gave up booze and bread, and watched her portions and lost 100 lbs in little over year. When she got near her target weight, then she started lifting and upping her protein intake. Now she is 130 lbs. and is seriously 'ripped'. For now, focus on diet (1200-1500 cal) and cardio and save the serious lifting for later.1
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My daughter was in your same situation, though she started a little heavier. She started eating healthier, gave up booze and bread, and watched her portions and lost 100 lbs in little over year. When she got near her target weight, then she started lifting and upping her protein intake. Now she is 130 lbs. and is seriously 'ripped'. For now, focus on diet (1200-1500 cal) and cardio and save the serious lifting for later.
That's amazing, good for her! I'd like to take alot of this advice and maintain the muscle I have while continuing to lose fat and eat at my target macros for the day. I need more patience in my life and on this journey. My motivation definitely comes from my monthly progress pictures where I can actually see where the inches are coming off and where the toning is taking place. Slow and steady.0 -
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TavistockToad wrote: »
Ok, what I mean, is what type of routine are you doing when you go in the gym to try and gain the muscle. Are you doing a whole body workout, certain parts on certain days, reps, sets, etc..?
I rotate certain parts daily. So today was chest. Bench 3 sets multiple reps, incline 3 sets multiple reps, decline 3 sets multiple reps, bench dumbbell 3 sets multiple reps, and so on targeting different body parts daily.
you might want to look into a structured plan, strong lifts, strong curves, new rules etc etc
And where might one find such a structured plan? lol
google 'stonglifts', 'stong curves' 'new rules of lifting'1 -
My daughter was in your same situation, though she started a little heavier. She started eating healthier, gave up booze and bread, and watched her portions and lost 100 lbs in little over year. When she got near her target weight, then she started lifting and upping her protein intake. Now she is 130 lbs. and is seriously 'ripped'. For now, focus on diet (1200-1500 cal) and cardio and save the serious lifting for later.
OP doesnt need to eat as little as 1200-1500 cals in order to lose weight. or 'save' lifting till later2 -
I would like to join this group.1
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TavistockToad wrote: »My daughter was in your same situation, though she started a little heavier. She started eating healthier, gave up booze and bread, and watched her portions and lost 100 lbs in little over year. When she got near her target weight, then she started lifting and upping her protein intake. Now she is 130 lbs. and is seriously 'ripped'. For now, focus on diet (1200-1500 cal) and cardio and save the serious lifting for later.
OP doesnt need to eat as little as 1200-1500 cals in order to lose weight. or 'save' lifting till later
I don't think I'd survive on as little as 1200 calories a day. After all the research I've done, I definitely understand that putting my body into starve mode will do little to nothing for me if I want to achieve fat loss and muscle gain. Sometimes I have to force myself to eat or gag down my protein, but I do it because I know my body needs it. I also don't want to go backwards and lose all the muscle I've worked so hard to gain over the past two and a half months. I appreciate the feedback and am glad to hear I can still do both, I'll just need to be more patient with the results.0 -
OMG. Please do not "save lifting for later" a combination of cardio and weight training is what required to transform your body. No weight training means muscle loss and muscle burns fat. You look great by the way Britt.2
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