Body fat and building muscle

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spraytanninghelens
spraytanninghelens Posts: 92 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I am trying to loose a few pounds and get some definition and tone all over. I’m confused on what I should be doing and would love some advice.
I weigh 59kg I’m 5ft 2. My body fat percentage is 20%. I spin two times a week, body pump once a week and lift Dumbells the rest of the week. Sometimes I run too and practice yoga. I try to keep to 1,200 calories a day but mainly stick to this. My weight fluctuates and can add a couple pounds over weekend but mainly I stay at 59kg.
I’ve upped my protein intake this week but I’m worrying I’m gaining muscle mass and adding fat.

Is it possible to look leaner and toned at my current weight if I just continue lifting?
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Replies

  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
    edited July 2018
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    If you're eating in a deficit, you're not going to accidently bulk up
    spraytanninghelens wrote: »
    Is it possible to look leaner and toned at my current weight if I just continue lifting?


    As long as you're following a good program and maintaining a deficit, you're going to continue leaning out and for a while longer continue building strength.

    How much lighter do you plan on getting, since you're already at a good weight?
  • spraytanninghelens
    spraytanninghelens Posts: 92 Member
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    I don’t want to lose much just literally a few pounds. I have a flabby tummy and triceps and where I’m quite short I feel I tend to look a bit chubbier if I gain a few pounds. I guess I’m confused on if I need to lose weight or if I lift would I tone. Currently I’m trying to lose a few pounds whilst lifting. I’m getting heavier on scales but on boditrax machine it said I was gaining weight and loosing muscle mass. I just feel I need some guidance.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    spraytanninghelens wrote: »
    I don’t want to lose much just literally a few pounds. I have a flabby tummy and triceps and where I’m quite short I feel I tend to look a bit chubbier if I gain a few pounds. I guess I’m confused on if I need to lose weight or if I lift would I tone. Currently I’m trying to lose a few pounds whilst lifting. I’m getting heavier on scales but on boditrax machine it said I was gaining weight and loosing muscle mass. I just feel I need some guidance.

    It sounds like you're describing something like a recomp? Have you looking into the big recomp thread yet? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
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    Ideally, building muscles requires being at a caloric surplus or at the very least on recomp. Other than that, the only way to "tone" up while losing weight is you fit in one of these criteria's:
    1) Newbie lifter
    2) Muscle memory (Someone who lifted, quit and got back to training again)
    3) Gear (aka Steroids)
    4) Freak Genetics
    5) Obese
    6) On recomp

    Beyond it, always being on a caloric deficit won't help you long term to achieve your maximum potential when it comes to building muscles.
  • spraytanninghelens
    spraytanninghelens Posts: 92 Member
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    I bought myself 5kg Dumbells and a barbell. I’ve picked 6 exercises & I have been doing 10-12 reps and 3 sets 2 times a week. Do you think this is too light? I have been concentrating on form and the last couple are a push to finish by third set. I’m a newbie and just wondering when I will start seeing results
  • spraytanninghelens
    spraytanninghelens Posts: 92 Member
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    Thanks both 👍. I will get reading up. Much appreciated 😄
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    You're still a newbie lifter, so you're in the perfect place to see some amazing results with a recomp or even in a small deficit. Pick a program (use the list that stanman posted above if you're not sure where to look for one). Eat either at maintenance or in a small deficit if you'd really like to lose a couple of pounds. See where you are in six months.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    spraytanninghelens wrote: »
    Hi,

    I am trying to loose a few pounds and get some definition and tone all over. I’m confused on what I should be doing and would love some advice.
    I weigh 59kg I’m 5ft 2. My body fat percentage is 20%. I spin two times a week, body pump once a week and lift Dumbells the rest of the week. Sometimes I run too and practice yoga. I try to keep to 1,200 calories a day but mainly stick to this. My weight fluctuates and can add a couple pounds over weekend but mainly I stay at 59kg.
    I’ve upped my protein intake this week but I’m worrying I’m gaining muscle mass and adding fat.

    Is it possible to look leaner and toned at my current weight if I just continue lifting?

    You're not going to build any meaningful muscle on 1200 calories...certainly not "bulking up". Building muscle requires a lot of energy (calories)...It also requires very specific training protocols, not just lifting some dumbbells.

    At 20% BF, you're already pretty lean...personally, I'd eat maintenance and get on a good lifting program...more dieting isn't always the answer.
  • spraytanninghelens
    spraytanninghelens Posts: 92 Member
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    Thanks Alice & wolfman, I really appreciate your time to reply and your advice. I’m loving lifting and I guess just a bit unsure as it’s all so new to me. I will certainly sit and have a good read of the link at stanman has posted 👍
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
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    I'm 5'3 139lbs just over 20%bf....I'm starting a SLOW cut. I'm lifting and eating 2000 calories a day (maintain around 2100).

    1200 calories isn't enough calories for you to build muscle. Not suggesting you immediately up your calories to 2k; calories will depend on your intensity of lifting, amt of cardio, and activity level outside of the gym. At 1200 calories, you're eating like you are on a diet though. I didn't start building appreciable muscle until I stopped eating like I was on a diet.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    spraytanninghelens wrote: »
    Hi,

    I am trying to loose a few pounds and get some definition and tone all over. I’m confused on what I should be doing and would love some advice.
    I weigh 59kg I’m 5ft 2. My body fat percentage is 20%. I spin two times a week, body pump once a week and lift Dumbells the rest of the week. Sometimes I run too and practice yoga. I try to keep to 1,200 calories a day but mainly stick to this. My weight fluctuates and can add a couple pounds over weekend but mainly I stay at 59kg.
    I’ve upped my protein intake this week but I’m worrying I’m gaining muscle mass and adding fat.

    Is it possible to look leaner and toned at my current weight if I just continue lifting?

    You're not going to build any meaningful muscle on 1200 calories...certainly not "bulking up". Building muscle requires a lot of energy (calories)...It also requires very specific training protocols, not just lifting some dumbbells.

    At 20% BF, you're already pretty lean...personally, I'd eat maintenance and get on a good lifting program...more dieting isn't always the answer.

    Also depends on how her bodyfat% was measured. OP mentions a Boditrax machine I assume that is a type of bodyfat analyzer? She also mentions excess fat on her stomach and arms which likely wouldn't be as significant if she was really 20% (unless she is ultra lean in her lower body or something to skew the results)
  • spraytanninghelens
    spraytanninghelens Posts: 92 Member
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    Thanks deputy Randolph. I guess I’m so used to just cutting calories to lose weight it’s hard to get in the mindset of eating more.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,902 Member
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    spraytanninghelens wrote: »
    I bought myself 5kg Dumbells and a barbell. I’ve picked 6 exercises & I have been doing 10-12 reps and 3 sets 2 times a week. Do you think this is too light? I have been concentrating on form and the last couple are a push to finish by third set. I’m a newbie and just wondering when I will start seeing results

    Having to push hard to finish the last reps of the last set is a good thing.

    However, with 6 different exercises, you should need more than one size weights. For example, I can use much heavier weights while doing the chest press than triceps exercises.
  • spraytanninghelens
    spraytanninghelens Posts: 92 Member
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    Yes, sorry I forgot to say... I use the 5kg Dumbells for military press and I use 3kg for lateral raises. I have a barbell which I put 5kg plates on each side to do a squat with and clean and press, chest press etc.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    spraytanninghelens wrote: »
    Yes, sorry I forgot to say... I use the 5kg Dumbells for military press and I use 3kg for lateral raises. I have a barbell which I put 5kg plates on each side to do a squat with and clean and press, chest press etc.

    Are you lifting like this because you're limited by the weights available (i.e., does your gym have a limited setup or are you working out with weights you have at home)? Either way, that combination of weights and exercises probably isn't optimal for what you want to achieve. For example, most women get to the point where we can squat more than we can bench press really quickly.
  • spraytanninghelens
    spraytanninghelens Posts: 92 Member
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    I have a gym membership where I attend spin and body pump classes. When I do weights I use what I have at home as I don’t feel confident as a beginner just yet to use the weight room at the gym 🙈. I literally have been reading up on it all over the last couple months and also with what I have learned through body pump. I’ve picked out exercises and also trying new ones to incorporate into my own kind of routine basically as a start. It’s all so new to me. Any tips welcome

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