Goal: Fat loss, Add Lean muscle but not working
Mmurray000
Posts: 10 Member
So I am 5’7 and just started in March. Great results first two months, dropped 13lbs in fat and added 15lb in muscle. 3rd month limited change so moved from weight loss to adding muscle. Went from 17-1800 calories to 2100 calories.l and hit my macros. I do 2-3 sessions of cardio (treadmill or elliptical) and then 3 sessions with a trainer. One night arms, then one night back, then one night legs. In my first month with the change I moved from 24 to 27% body fat, added 3/4lb muscle and weight up about 3lbs feels like it’s all in my stomach. My macros are 30% protein, 35% carbs, 35% fat. My gut is saying reduce calories slightly to get the balance of having more energy for strength but not enough to put on more body fat.
I am new at this, thoughts?
Searching for females I am lost on what to do!
I am new at this, thoughts?
Searching for females I am lost on what to do!
4
Replies
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How are you measuring your fat loss/muscle gain, because that amount is very unlikely even for men. How much do you weigh right now?8
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How are you measuring your fat loss/muscle gain, because that amount is very unlikely even for men. How much do you weigh right now?
what Im wondering too. 13 lbs of fat lost and 15 lbs of muscle gained? thats more than a 1:1 ratio(which from the posts read here isnt likely either) and in two months? and not sure if thats a deficit or surplus. but if its a surplus its unlikely. and did that in a deficit(says changed weight loss to adding muscle)2 -
Mmurray000 wrote: »So I am 5’7 and just started in March. Great results first two months, dropped 13lbs in fat and added 15lb in muscle. 3rd month limited change so moved from weight loss to adding muscle. Went from 17-1800 calories to 2100 calories.l and hit my macros. I do 2-3 sessions of cardio (treadmill or elliptical) and then 3 sessions with a trainer. One night arms, then one night back, then one night legs. In my first month with the change I moved from 24 to 27% body fat, added 3/4lb muscle and weight up about 3lbs feels like it’s all in my stomach. My macros are 30% protein, 35% carbs, 35% fat. My gut is saying reduce calories slightly to get the balance of having more energy for strength but not enough to put on more body fat.
I am new at this, thoughts?
Searching for females I am lost on what to do!
How can you point exactly how much fat you lost and how muscles you gained? Something is way off when I read your whole thing.4 -
Mmurray000 wrote: »So I am 5’7 and just started in March. Great results first two months, dropped 13lbs in fat and added 15lb in muscle. 3rd month limited change so moved from weight loss to adding muscle. Went from 17-1800 calories to 2100 calories.l and hit my macros. I do 2-3 sessions of cardio (treadmill or elliptical) and then 3 sessions with a trainer. One night arms, then one night back, then one night legs. In my first month with the change I moved from 24 to 27% body fat, added 3/4lb muscle and weight up about 3lbs feels like it’s all in my stomach. My macros are 30% protein, 35% carbs, 35% fat. My gut is saying reduce calories slightly to get the balance of having more energy for strength but not enough to put on more body fat.
I am new at this, thoughts?
Searching for females I am lost on what to do!
How can you point exactly how much fat you lost and how muscles you gained? Something is way off when I read your whole thing.
Magic.3 -
Yeah I know, the measurements are based on a machine at my gym. I started in deficit and had no leg muscle and I believe that was the dramatic change iver 2 months in weight loss and muscle gain. I went from no exercise to dramatic. Anyway I am sitting at:
152lbs
27% body fat
To add muscle and not just add weight (happened last month) that is the question I have.
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Dear MFPeops, it doesn't really matter THAT much what the exact measurements of fat loss vs muscle gain or what have you were in the beginning because the OP was IN GENERAL meeting her goal of losing weight and improving her body's composition.
The issue is that on Month THREE this has changed. It has changed based on two "clues". That your weight has gone up AND that you feel it all went to your stomach.
So your "gut" reaction that you should decrease calories slightly is CORRECT, if we assume that adding to your gut is not the goal here
4 -
As you were "just getting started" it's very possible you had significant water retention from muscle soreness.
This would throw out the readings from your "machine at the gym" as they are badly affected by changes in hydration (water is part of your lean mass so it could be interpreting water as muscle....).
Your program of arms, back and legs sounds odd TBH and probably sub-optimal for a beginner.
As you have only added c. 350 cals over what you say was a weight loss calorie goal then you shouldn't be gaining fat at the rate your last month's numbers indicate. In your position I would keep calories the same for another month to try and see the underlying trend rather than start chasing fluctuations. You are far too soon to be calling "not working". Muscle building is a slow process, especially for a female.
(I would also look at changing your lifting routine to one of the mainstream beginner programs but that's a balance of enjoyment versus optimal training.)
You might like to scan the recomp thread in the Maintaining weight forum - https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p15 -
Dear MFPeops, it doesn't really matter THAT much what the exact measurements of fat loss vs muscle gain or what have you were in the beginning because the OP was IN GENERAL meeting her goal of losing weight and improving her body's composition.
The issue is that on Month THREE this has changed. It has changed based on two "clues". That your weight has gone up AND that you feel it all went to your stomach.
So your "gut" reaction that you should decrease calories slightly is CORRECT, if we assume that adding to your gut is not the goal here
while technically it doesnt matter the numbers are unrealistic and we cant have people thinking gaining muscle is that easy, especially in a deficit let alone a surplus. I learned that by coming here and teaching and telling others it doesnt work that way I think is a helpful bit of info.many think their weight gain is coming from muscle.when 99.9% of the time its not.Then when that gain gets out of control they have no idea why they are still gaining weight/fat.
I mean maybe Im different in wanting to learn and know these things but yeah.5 -
It’s not working because those 2 goals are very inefficient for the body to perform0
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