Help! Don’t know how much to eat

anb3600
anb3600 Posts: 46 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I was planning on joining the gym to get toned, but also lose fat? I’m average weight (130lbs for 18y/o female, 5’7”) but my body fat percentage is around 22% (guessing but haven’t checked recently).

People say to eat in a calorie deficit to lose weight/fat, but to eat in a calorie surplus to gain muscle? How do I do both? I’m struggling to eat in a calorie deficit and find the energy to go the gym- but I’m scared to eat in a calorie surplus in case i just get fat (e.g. in the stomach even though I train legs). I’m also finding it hard to eat calories to maintain my weight because then surely I’ve burnt extra calories from working out?

Please help

Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Check out these threads:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    How are you measuring your bodyfat? 22% isn't bad for your stats but it is likely inaccurate if you are using a scale type device. If you feel like you are not happy with your body composition then the best thing to do is work on building some muscle vs losing weight. Since you are at a good weight for your height, I would definitely look into recomp. You eat at maintenance (so you won't be gaining but your weight can fluctuate 5lbs or so especially if you increase carbs and food volume, this is not fat though.. just food and water weight) make sure you are resistance training (following a program for best results) and getting 0.8-1g per lb bodyweight of protein.

    If you are struggling to maintain your weight now, then you will struggle later. I would recommend you don't fear weight and anticipate fluctuations. Also take measurements and progress pictures since that will be your main gauge of progress at this point.
  • anb3600
    anb3600 Posts: 46 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    How are you measuring your bodyfat? 22% isn't bad for your stats but it is likely inaccurate if you are using a scale type device. If you feel like you are not happy with your body composition then the best thing to do is work on building some muscle vs losing weight. Since you are at a good weight for your height, I would definitely look into recomp. You eat at maintenance (so you won't be gaining but your weight can fluctuate 5lbs or so especially if you increase carbs and food volume, this is not fat though.. just food and water weight) make sure you are resistance training (following a program for best results) and getting 0.8-1g per lb bodyweight of protein.

    If you are struggling to maintain your weight now, then you will struggle later. I would recommend you don't fear weight and anticipate fluctuations. Also take measurements and progress pictures since that will be your main gauge of progress at this point.


    Thanks so much!! I measured my body fat % using a special machine at the gym a long time ago, but haven’t been back to the gym for a while as I’m studying intensely for exams. But I’m going back in the summer

    When you say maintenance calories, but going to the gym, do you mean

    • Eat 1800 and go to the gym (but not know how much you burn from weight training because it’s impossible to know)
    • Eat 1800 and guess how much I’m burning from weight training and eat in a extra calories that were burned (so I’m still maintaining, not in a calorie deficit?)
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    anb3600 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    How are you measuring your bodyfat? 22% isn't bad for your stats but it is likely inaccurate if you are using a scale type device. If you feel like you are not happy with your body composition then the best thing to do is work on building some muscle vs losing weight. Since you are at a good weight for your height, I would definitely look into recomp. You eat at maintenance (so you won't be gaining but your weight can fluctuate 5lbs or so especially if you increase carbs and food volume, this is not fat though.. just food and water weight) make sure you are resistance training (following a program for best results) and getting 0.8-1g per lb bodyweight of protein.

    If you are struggling to maintain your weight now, then you will struggle later. I would recommend you don't fear weight and anticipate fluctuations. Also take measurements and progress pictures since that will be your main gauge of progress at this point.


    Thanks so much!! I measured my body fat % using a special machine at the gym a long time ago, but haven’t been back to the gym for a while as I’m studying intensely for exams. But I’m going back in the summer

    When you say maintenance calories, but going to the gym, do you mean

    • Eat 1800 and go to the gym (but not know how much you burn from weight training because it’s impossible to know)
    • Eat 1800 and guess how much I’m burning from weight training and eat in a extra calories that were burned (so I’m still maintaining, not in a calorie deficit?)

    You can estimate how much you burn from the database (strength training under cardio) add that to your MFP intake, weigh regularly then adjust after a few weeks. Or you can use a calorie calculator that incorporates all activity and use that as a starting point and again adjust as necessary.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    ove5g8o0qz00.jpg
  • anb3600
    anb3600 Posts: 46 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    anb3600 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    How are you measuring your bodyfat? 22% isn't bad for your stats but it is likely inaccurate if you are using a scale type device. If you feel like you are not happy with your body composition then the best thing to do is work on building some muscle vs losing weight. Since you are at a good weight for your height, I would definitely look into recomp. You eat at maintenance (so you won't be gaining but your weight can fluctuate 5lbs or so especially if you increase carbs and food volume, this is not fat though.. just food and water weight) make sure you are resistance training (following a program for best results) and getting 0.8-1g per lb bodyweight of protein.

    If you are struggling to maintain your weight now, then you will struggle later. I would recommend you don't fear weight and anticipate fluctuations. Also take measurements and progress pictures since that will be your main gauge of progress at this point.


    Thanks so much!! I measured my body fat % using a special machine at the gym a long time ago, but haven’t been back to the gym for a while as I’m studying intensely for exams. But I’m going back in the summer

    When you say maintenance calories, but going to the gym, do you mean

    • Eat 1800 and go to the gym (but not know how much you burn from weight training because it’s impossible to know)
    • Eat 1800 and guess how much I’m burning from weight training and eat in a extra calories that were burned (so I’m still maintaining, not in a calorie deficit?)

    You can estimate how much you burn from the database (strength training under cardio) add that to your MFP intake, weigh regularly then adjust after a few weeks. Or you can use a calorie calculator that incorporates all activity and use that as a starting point and again adjust as necessary.

    Thanks SO much! This has been so helpful. Just one other thing, when logging strength training (under cardio) do you include the rest times? E.g if I strength train for 2 minutes with 1 minute rest, do I log three minutes? And how long is a good set/rep/rest time for beginners for weight training? Thank you!
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    anb3600 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    anb3600 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    How are you measuring your bodyfat? 22% isn't bad for your stats but it is likely inaccurate if you are using a scale type device. If you feel like you are not happy with your body composition then the best thing to do is work on building some muscle vs losing weight. Since you are at a good weight for your height, I would definitely look into recomp. You eat at maintenance (so you won't be gaining but your weight can fluctuate 5lbs or so especially if you increase carbs and food volume, this is not fat though.. just food and water weight) make sure you are resistance training (following a program for best results) and getting 0.8-1g per lb bodyweight of protein.

    If you are struggling to maintain your weight now, then you will struggle later. I would recommend you don't fear weight and anticipate fluctuations. Also take measurements and progress pictures since that will be your main gauge of progress at this point.


    Thanks so much!! I measured my body fat % using a special machine at the gym a long time ago, but haven’t been back to the gym for a while as I’m studying intensely for exams. But I’m going back in the summer

    When you say maintenance calories, but going to the gym, do you mean

    • Eat 1800 and go to the gym (but not know how much you burn from weight training because it’s impossible to know)
    • Eat 1800 and guess how much I’m burning from weight training and eat in a extra calories that were burned (so I’m still maintaining, not in a calorie deficit?)

    You can estimate how much you burn from the database (strength training under cardio) add that to your MFP intake, weigh regularly then adjust after a few weeks. Or you can use a calorie calculator that incorporates all activity and use that as a starting point and again adjust as necessary.

    Thanks SO much! This has been so helpful. Just one other thing, when logging strength training (under cardio) do you include the rest times? E.g if I strength train for 2 minutes with 1 minute rest, do I log three minutes? And how long is a good set/rep/rest time for beginners for weight training? Thank you!

    I just log the whole session. It is only an estimate anyhow.

    I would recommend following a program it will tell you sets reps and all that. Here is a list but there are many others too

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Good luck!
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