Lose more weight or build muscle?

beebydoll
beebydoll Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello, right now I feel conflicted with what to do to better my body. I am in a healthy weight range (5"2 and 110 pounds) , however as you can see I have a lot of excess fat. I really hope to be able to achieve a flat stomach one day but I'm unsure how to get there. Do I restrict and try to lose more weight? Or would it be more beneficial to eat at maintenance and gain more muscle? I heard that you can't restrict and also build muscle at the same time. Pls leave your advice, I'm very lost hah.
http://tinypic.com/r/fm01hv/9

Replies

  • k8eekins
    k8eekins Posts: 2,264 Member
    The obvious from my vantage point is, to not restrict and lose more weight. Recommend you look into transformations, from skinny to bikini fit/bikini ready for petites. Look up Recomposition and Strength/Resistance Training.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,322 Member
    you look thin,.not overweight at all.. I'd just lift weights to tone ..well done.
  • k8eekins
    k8eekins Posts: 2,264 Member
    middlehaitch wrote: »
    Second, third, or fourthing, do a recomp.
    Losing anymore weight will not improve your body, lifting will.

    Learn, and practice, good posture too. It is amazing how it can improve how you look.

    Cheers, h.

    Recommend Alexander Technique, which is simple enough and effective.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    If you’re not happy with your body at this weight, you won’t be happy with it lower.

    Recomp.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    As other have mentioned, improved posture will make a big difference in your appearance.

    Also weight train, compound movements eat at maintenance. Give this 6 months and reassess.

    Best wishes.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 33,792 Member
    Another vote for recomposition (using the thread linked above, i.e., https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat), and posture improvement.

    I'm going to be brutally honest: In your photo, your hips are pushed/tilted forward, and your upper back slightly rounded forward That's giving more prominence to your belly area and kind of centralizing soft tissue (of several sorts, not just the normal subcutaneous fat) there.

    Try to stack your hips straight up and down, and draw yourself upward as if a string from the crown of your head were being pulled upward, elongating your spine; think about using the central back muscles to bring your shoulder blades a tiny bit closer together (not tight muscles between shoulder blade and spine, but engaged). See if that reduces the appearance of what you're looking at as "a lot of excess fat" (P.S. it isn't).

    If that seems to help, then working on core strength and posture, alongside recomposition, may be helpful to you.

    I think you're looking very good, and very healthy. If you've already lost weight, it's normal for it to take some time for self-perception to catch up with reality. Since you're dissatisfied, I think recomposition may give you a goal that will help you be more satisfied with your appearance.

    Best wishes! :)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    Agreeing with the others that what you are seeing is partly your uterus, partly your posture, and to start a progressive weight lifting program.

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