Gaining muscle, can't lose weight.

bubble_wrap0428
bubble_wrap0428 Posts: 88 Member
edited November 18 in Fitness and Exercise
So here is a little background.
I am a 24 year old female, overweight by about 30 pounds. I work at a job that is labor intensive. I am constantly moving and lifting things. I also bike, run and lift weekly. By lifting, I don't heavy lift, but I do use cable machines and dumbells.
I am a pesecetarian so I don't eat meat, only fish. I try to eat around 1900 calories a day. I find myself eating too much sweets if I have access so it, and I can't always make my protein goal, so I know I eat too many carbs.
Another thing to add is I take a medication that causes weight gain, and I have PCOS (poly cystic ovary syndrome).
So I have a few setbacks. I do cardio everytime I workout, but I feel as if I'm getting stronger but not losing the layer of fat. Anyone have advice? I love to workout, and I know cutting calories is most the work, but I still want to build muscle. I've always been heavier since puberty. I'm stuck!!

Replies

  • Lizarking
    Lizarking Posts: 507 Member
    IF you want to lose the fat, you gotta cut the calories. Keep that protein high with fish meat is fine, higher protein combined with lifting will help retain muscle mass.
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
    Are you using a food scale to track everything you eat?
    If yes, 1900 calories is too much. If no, I would start there before lowering calories.
    It's hard to build muscle and lose fat simultaneously, and a very slow process, I would focus your efforts on getting to a healthy weight for now, while continuing to lift and working on the protein goal.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    You must be in great shape. Awesome!

    To lose weight, you must eat at a constant calorie deficit. Start by setting up MFP for "sedintary" and 1lb loss per week.

    It takes some experimenting to account for an active job. A fitness monitor (FirBit) can help, but be conservative about eating back activity calories.

    Plan your snacks and lunch in advance. Bring a lunch box to work and eat only what you bring.

    Work hard on portion control.

    I have done it (losing 20lbs over the past few months) and so can you!
  • dumbbellbrain
    dumbbellbrain Posts: 1 Member
    Consider adding some eggs or at least egg whites to compliment your fish and they are also very filling.

    Not much chance you are gaining heavy muscle tissue with your current strength regimen but if your goal is to lose weight mix in some HIIT with your cardio its total win.
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    edited May 2017
    Fellow PCOS sufferer here.

    How did you come to the 1900 calorie goal? Does that 1900 include your exercise calories? If so, try only eating back 1/2 of your exercise calories. I have a lot to lose (little over 100 pounds) and I only average about 1700-1750 calories a day (and I still eat carbs/sweets on the regular).

    Also, while trying to lose fat, I have always understood that the goal should be to retain muscle, not gain muscle. There is nothing wrong with working out and lifting, but maybe you should shift your goals if you are looking to lose weight.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    bubble_wrap0428 wrote: »
    So here is a little background.
    I am a 24 year old female, overweight by about 30 pounds. I work at a job that is labor intensive. I am constantly moving and lifting things. I also bike, run and lift weekly. By lifting, I don't heavy lift, but I do use cable machines and dumbells.
    I am a pesecetarian so I don't eat meat, only fish. I try to eat around 1900 calories a day. I find myself eating too much sweets if I have access so it, and I can't always make my protein goal, so I know I eat too many carbs.
    Another thing to add is I take a medication that causes weight gain, and I have PCOS (poly cystic ovary syndrome).
    So I have a few setbacks. I do cardio everytime I workout, but I feel as if I'm getting stronger but not losing the layer of fat. Anyone have advice? I love to workout, and I know cutting calories is most the work, but I still want to build muscle. I've always been heavier since puberty. I'm stuck!!

    Why do you feel you need to gain muscle? Do you know your body composition? Or is it something thing is trendy and you feel you should do it too?

    I'd recommend working to lose fat first, while follow a progressive overload program to maintain your muscle mass, and then worry about trying to gain muscle once you are lean (if you don't have adequate body composition).
  • bubble_wrap0428
    bubble_wrap0428 Posts: 88 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    bubble_wrap0428 wrote: »
    So here is a little background.
    I am a 24 year old female, overweight by about 30 pounds. I work at a job that is labor intensive. I am constantly moving and lifting things. I also bike, run and lift weekly. By lifting, I don't heavy lift, but I do use cable machines and dumbells.
    I am a pesecetarian so I don't eat meat, only fish. I try to eat around 1900 calories a day. I find myself eating too much sweets if I have access so it, and I can't always make my protein goal, so I know I eat too many carbs.
    Another thing to add is I take a medication that causes weight gain, and I have PCOS (poly cystic ovary syndrome).
    So I have a few setbacks. I do cardio everytime I workout, but I feel as if I'm getting stronger but not losing the layer of fat. Anyone have advice? I love to workout, and I know cutting calories is most the work, but I still want to build muscle. I've always been heavier since puberty. I'm stuck!!

    Why do you feel you need to gain muscle? Do you know your body composition? Or is it something thing is trendy and you feel you should do it too?

    I'd recommend working to lose fat first, while follow a progressive overload program to maintain your muscle mass, and then worry about trying to gain muscle once you are lean (if you don't have adequate body composition).

    I feel like I need to gain muscle because my job requires strength and I personally want to be lean. Not because it's trendy.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    bubble_wrap0428 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    bubble_wrap0428 wrote: »
    So here is a little background.
    I am a 24 year old female, overweight by about 30 pounds. I work at a job that is labor intensive. I am constantly moving and lifting things. I also bike, run and lift weekly. By lifting, I don't heavy lift, but I do use cable machines and dumbells.
    I am a pesecetarian so I don't eat meat, only fish. I try to eat around 1900 calories a day. I find myself eating too much sweets if I have access so it, and I can't always make my protein goal, so I know I eat too many carbs.
    Another thing to add is I take a medication that causes weight gain, and I have PCOS (poly cystic ovary syndrome).
    So I have a few setbacks. I do cardio everytime I workout, but I feel as if I'm getting stronger but not losing the layer of fat. Anyone have advice? I love to workout, and I know cutting calories is most the work, but I still want to build muscle. I've always been heavier since puberty. I'm stuck!!

    Why do you feel you need to gain muscle? Do you know your body composition? Or is it something thing is trendy and you feel you should do it too?

    I'd recommend working to lose fat first, while follow a progressive overload program to maintain your muscle mass, and then worry about trying to gain muscle once you are lean (if you don't have adequate body composition).

    I feel like I need to gain muscle because my job requires strength and I personally want to be lean. Not because it's trendy.

    Focus on fat loss and muscle retention first. You need to lift in a deficit. Use a food scale. The end.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    bubble_wrap0428 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    bubble_wrap0428 wrote: »
    So here is a little background.
    I am a 24 year old female, overweight by about 30 pounds. I work at a job that is labor intensive. I am constantly moving and lifting things. I also bike, run and lift weekly. By lifting, I don't heavy lift, but I do use cable machines and dumbells.
    I am a pesecetarian so I don't eat meat, only fish. I try to eat around 1900 calories a day. I find myself eating too much sweets if I have access so it, and I can't always make my protein goal, so I know I eat too many carbs.
    Another thing to add is I take a medication that causes weight gain, and I have PCOS (poly cystic ovary syndrome).
    So I have a few setbacks. I do cardio everytime I workout, but I feel as if I'm getting stronger but not losing the layer of fat. Anyone have advice? I love to workout, and I know cutting calories is most the work, but I still want to build muscle. I've always been heavier since puberty. I'm stuck!!

    Why do you feel you need to gain muscle? Do you know your body composition? Or is it something thing is trendy and you feel you should do it too?

    I'd recommend working to lose fat first, while follow a progressive overload program to maintain your muscle mass, and then worry about trying to gain muscle once you are lean (if you don't have adequate body composition).

    I feel like I need to gain muscle because my job requires strength and I personally want to be lean. Not because it's trendy.

    Well you can gain significant strength by following a well structures lifting program focused around the core lifts. Lifting heavy will cause neurologic adaptations in your body to cause your muscles to be more efficient. Whether or not you actually gain muscle will br hard to tell unless you get multiple dexa scans.
    Either way, if you are 30 lbs over weight, you should still follow the lifting program but cut calories to maybe 1600. And since your have pcos, it might be beneficial to scale back on carbs. The slower cut will help provide you maximum energy for lifting while losing weight still.

    If you go in the body building section, there is a sticky with lifting programs.

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