Maintenance and getting muscles

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boymom121
boymom121 Posts: 33 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Stats 5'4
Start: 144lbs
Current: 130-132

I need some advice where to go from here. I would prefer NOT to loose anymore weight from here I don't want to be too skinny but want more definition in my legs and arms etc. Will lifting weights and eating at maintenance get what I'm wanting?

I've been at this since Jan 2017 and just wanted at least 10lbs gone to fit in some of my clothes that were feeling a bit tight from some extra weight that crept up. Mostly from not watching what I was eating.

So I'm at a point where I'm happy with my weight and from day one I've been doing some work out videos 30-45 mins. A lot of bodyweight type stuff along with 5-8lb weights they throw in there. And since March I've been doing Couch to 5K with my husband.

I can tell some changes on my legs, my calves have thinned out and can tell a bit of muscle and then my upper legs can tell that quad muscle getting more defined. My arms have never carried a lot of fat on them and i can tell a difference with them too lifting the weights I have. I've increased my weight to 10lbs now for my arm exercises and slowly trying to up it. I'm lost on that part of how much exactly I should be lifting. I'm doing everything at home and not joining a gym.

The part I'm confused about is if I want to build muscles from this point what do my calories need to look like? Currently MFP has me at 1310 for a lightly active person. Someone mentioned that seems low. When I first started I was not going over but over the past couple months I've been up and down daily, I would have a couple 2000 days here and there on weekends, events etc but daily it usually ranges from 1400 -1800. Dinners I try to make stuff we've always eaten just healthier forms of it. 5t1k7fw3ptso.jpg
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Replies

  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    when you say 1300cal a day - are you eating back exercise calories?

    what you are describing is essentially recomp - maintaining weight (eating at maintenance) while building lean muscle/losing fat - it can be a very slow process

    1) following a progressive overload weight training plan (strongcurves, stronglifts)
    2) figure out your maintenance - personally, I prefer to use TDEE rather than MFP's calculations because it takes into account my workouts and I don't have to worry about eating back calories
  • monstar4kc
    monstar4kc Posts: 30 Member
    edited May 2017
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    If your goal is to gain lean muscle mass and not lose any more weight, you need to start lifting heavy. I would start with low reps 5-8 3x but at a weight that you can barely finish by the last couple reps. For your arms, do dumbell rows, curls, flys, presses and push-ups. For your legs, do squats, deadlifts, dumbell lunges and split squats.

    You will also need to start eating more protein in order to fuel your muscles. The scale may go up as you gain lean muscle mass but you'll look more defined.
  • boymom121
    boymom121 Posts: 33 Member
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    Yes I forgot to mention that. I do eat back my exercise cals.
  • boymom121
    boymom121 Posts: 33 Member
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    Both responses help a ton, thanks!
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    switch your goal to maintenance and lift heavy -- then adjust accordingly.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,166 Member
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    Good (excellent) thread on exactly this topic:

    Recomposition: Maintaining weight while losing fat

    Nice work to date, BTW, OP: You look great! :)

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