New to strength training - need help.

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Zara_Pi
Zara_Pi Posts: 141 Member
edited December 2018 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all

I need some advice please on how I should go about toning up and losing fat.

I'm 5ft 1 and currently weigh 108lbs. I'd like to get to around 100lbs, so have a few pounds left. I eat about 1200- 1600 calories a day and I'm very inactive.

However, my main concern is to lose body fat and gain muscle and tone up overall. Can anyone advise how I should go about doing this as I'm quite confused.

Do I need to be in a calorie deficit? Eating at maintenance?
Do I need to do cardio? Weights? And how often?
How much protein/ fat / carbs should I have?

Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited December 2018
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    I would suggest eating at your current maintenance calories while starting to lift. The initial body composition changes you'll have as a new lifters will make a positive difference.

    For programming, go to the Gaining Weight section and look in the Helpful Threads post for a link to the thread about picking a lifting program.
  • Zara_Pi
    Zara_Pi Posts: 141 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    I would suggest eating at your current maintenance calories while starting to lift. The initial body composition changes you'll have as a new lifters will make a positive difference.

    For programming, go to the Gaining Weight section and look in the Helpful Threads post for a link to the thread about picking a lifting program.

    Thanks. How do I calculate what my maintenance calories are?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,738 Member
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    Since you're pretty close to goal, this might be a good thread for you, if you mostly want to tighten things up and look more fit/better:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat

    If you still want to lose weight, get plenty of protein (0.6-0.8g minimum daily per pound of goal weight would be my recommendation, and more is fine as long as it doesn't drive out other needed nutrition, like healthy fats and plenty of fruits/veggies for micros & fiber), and start strength training. There's a great starter thread about strength training here:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you

    Despite the title, there are bodyweight strength programs there, not just programs that require actual weights (in case you don't have access to any).

    Best wishes!

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