Where to go once you reach goal weight?

kelsiiibee
kelsiiibee Posts: 5 Member
edited November 2024 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I am about 7lbs away from reaching my goal weight of 125. I have been eating 1200-1300 calories every day for almost a year now. I am just curious as to where I go after I reached my goal. My new goal is pretty much to tone up, cause I'm feeling "skinny fat" right now.. But I'm not sure of how to exactly do this!
Would this be considered bulking? How much should I increase my calorie intake by? Is there a particular macro ratio that helps with this process? Am I needing to lift heavier or do more HIIT full body type workouts? I don't necessarily want to "bulk" although I am looking for definition so I am aware that it comes with the territory of gaining more muscle.
Any advice on how others achieved this?

Replies

  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    You're not going to "bulk" by accident. Eat at maintenance and find a progressive strength program.
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    You're not going to "bulk" by accident. Eat at maintenance and find a progressive strength program.

    Read the recomp thread. Sounds perfect for you @kelsiiibee
  • kelsiiibee
    kelsiiibee Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks for the feed back!! :)
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited June 2017
    Bulk means gaining weight.
    Don't think you want to do that....

    Macros are less important at maintenance than when losing weight.

    You increase your calories by the amount you need to maintain - experimentation required but you can guess or work out a ball-park number easy enough. You know how much you are currently losing on average I assume?

    If you want to improve your body composition then it's your exercise routine that's going to achieve that.
    HIIT is primarily for fitness improvement not body composition.
    Strength / weight training is the most time efficient way of changing your body.
    Don't wait - start now.

    "Definition" comes from a combination of reduced body fat and increased muscle - so recomp sounds perfect for your goals.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    We are our own worst critics, just remember that! My guess is that you look great. I don't believe in this skinny-fat thing. Throw out the full-length mirror. (OK, you can keep it, but use it to choose your wardrobe, not pick on yourself.)

    As for maintenance goals: #1 Don't gain it back. That's hard enough. #2 Pick a specific active goal like training for a race.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Are you currently lifting? I would definitely start doing some form of lifting or resistance training now so that when you get to your goal you maintain as much muscle as you can which will improve your body composition.

    Once you get to goal as mentioned I would recomp.. so ya eat at maintenance and find a progressive lifting program (which you should start now) for most optimal results.
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