Lose fat, gain muscle Noob

JennyRATL
JennyRATL Posts: 199 Member
edited December 19 in Fitness and Exercise
Me: 43, 5'8'ish, currently hovering around 142. Slim everywhere but mid-section. I want to lose the chubby spare tire and tone up the tummy, arms and booty. I set MFP up as wanting to lose a pound a week, 10 lbs total loss. Calories set at 1410, which I can usually stay under. I go to the Y 2-3x a week, where I do 30 min of mod to intense cardio and a series of weight machines. The days I can't get there, I do weights at home and other stuff, strength-oriented. Try and do a spin class once a week.
So my question is this...what should I focus on first? Cardio for fat burning? More intense weight training to burn fat and tone? Keep going with a mix of both?

TIA

Replies

  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    Do you want to gain muscle or do you want to lose fat?

    Those two goals (for the most part) work against each other as to lose fat, you need a calorie deficit and to gain muscle, you need a calorie surplus.

    If you want to strengthen what you already have, use a progressive overload strength training program along with your calorie deficit to lose the fat covering your current muscles.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you#latest
  • JennyRATL
    JennyRATL Posts: 199 Member
    sammyliftsandeats wrote: »
    Do you want to gain muscle or do you want to lose fat?

    Those two goals (for the most part) work against each other as to lose fat, you need a calorie deficit and to gain muscle, you need a calorie surplus.

    If you want to strengthen what you already have, use a progressive overload strength training program along with your calorie deficit to lose the fat covering your current muscles.

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

    Thanks! This is really what I'm getting at....
  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
    JennyRATL wrote: »
    sammyliftsandeats wrote: »
    Do you want to gain muscle or do you want to lose fat?

    Those two goals (for the most part) work against each other as to lose fat, you need a calorie deficit and to gain muscle, you need a calorie surplus.

    If you want to strengthen what you already have, use a progressive overload strength training program along with your calorie deficit to lose the fat covering your current muscles.

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

    Thanks! This is really what I'm getting at....

    Keep in mind if you work on gaining muscle with a calorie surplus fat will come with it. Typically you dont want to work on muscle building until youre happy with your body fat %.

    You could do a recomp eat just barely under maintenance calories and take advantage newbie lifting gains. But recomps are a slow process and not for everyone.
  • JennyRATL
    JennyRATL Posts: 199 Member
    I think for now I'll keep doing what I'm doing, which is a mix, but up the strength a bit. I've fallen victim to the "all cardio, all the time" myth of weight loss. I'm certainly not interested in bulking or taking in more calories, but might add a bit more protein here and there.

    Thanks!
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    I'd say you should just eat at maintenance and do a true recomp, but with your strength training maybe a slight deficit is best. Once you are on a program with free weights, a recomp would be good.
  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
    JennyRATL wrote: »
    I think for now I'll keep doing what I'm doing, which is a mix, but up the strength a bit. I've fallen victim to the "all cardio, all the time" myth of weight loss. I'm certainly not interested in bulking or taking in more calories, but might add a bit more protein here and there.

    Thanks!

    Adequate protien is important for retaining muscle. I would highly recommend getting on an established lifting program (one using compound lifts would be best).

    Also dont ever worry about "bulking" getting bulky is actually very diffcult. As a 21 year old male, eating a calorie surplus i never got bulky. I just slowly added some muscle.
  • JennyRATL
    JennyRATL Posts: 199 Member
    Thanks, sorry, I was using the term bulking (maybe incorrectly) to mean not upping my calories to support lifting. Just focusing on a workout balance rather that focus on only weights.
    I'm not worried about getting "too big" as I hear some women say. I just want to firm up what I've got!
  • JennyRATL
    JennyRATL Posts: 199 Member
    edited May 2019
    Okay, so I am going to resurrect my own aged thread.....sorry.

    I'm *still* clueless about what I should be doing right now!

    I am currently at 140-145 lbs and don't know my BMI (will check later today at home). I'm carrying flab around my middle and upper thighs and now, God forbid, in my arms. :#

    Let's assume my BMI is higher that deemed healthy for my age (I am going predict that I am somewhere around 28ish% + right now following a 6 month period of inactivity due to a calcaneus fracture/surgery). I have MFP currently set at goal weight of 125lbs, lightly active, .5lb loss a week = 1620 cal/day. If I alter those to "Maintain current weight," cals go up to 1870.

    I've been reading up on recomp and some of what I read says to set that goal to "Maintain current weight" and go by body fat % as a goal before starting to recomp after losing fat/weight.

    I do 30-45 min of cardio and 30-40 min of strength work 2-3x a week at my gym depending on my schedule, filling in the other days with walking and/or strength stuff at home. I can usually stay in a calorie deficit when I put my mind to it. I'm not in a huge rush because I'm not keen on going lower than 1500-1600 cals a day, frankly.

    I know muscle weighs more than fat, so I honestly don't care if the scale moves down to that arbitrary 125 lbs that I weighed 20 years ago that I picked if I'm losing the flab but gaining muscle.

    So my questions:

    Should I dump the 125 goal weight and focus on recomp, knowing I could still weigh my current 140+/- but look badazz and start using that 1870 cals/day plus/minus on rest/training days? Should I wait to see what my BMI is before deciding? What BMI should be my goal before recomp? What BMI do I aim for?

    Should I keep focusing on losing fat first and keep my cals lower and keep my current workout routine before focusing more on lifting?
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    BMI is pointless. It is basically saying you weigh X per inch. The formula is
    ..... 703 x weight (lbs) / [height (in)]^2
    or
    .... weight (kg) / [height (meters)]^2

    2 people standing next to each other. Both are 5'8", both weigh 142bs, both are same gender, both have a BMI of 21.6 (Which is normal). One has 14% body fat, the other has 25% body fat. Guess which one has more muscle, and definition.

  • JennyRATL
    JennyRATL Posts: 199 Member
    Okay, my terminology bad. Replace BMI with Body Fat %
    Same questions.
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    As to wondering what kind of workout... Try reading something like this (See if your local library can get it for you)
    https://www.stephaniebuttermore.com/womens-specialization-program

    Or wander over to Fitocracy.com, register, and then look at some of their groups (Curvy Girls & Pinups, For Women Only, Lady lifters, Fit Angels, etc), ask for help in the general list.
  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
    JennyRATL wrote: »
    Okay, so I am going to resurrect my own aged thread.....sorry.

    I'm *still* clueless about what I should be doing right now!

    I am currently at 140-145 lbs and don't know my BMI (will check later today at home). I'm carrying flab around my middle and upper thighs and now, God forbid, in my arms. :#

    Let's assume my BMI is higher that deemed healthy for my age (I am going predict that I am somewhere around 28ish% + right now following a 6 month period of inactivity due to a calcaneus fracture/surgery). I have MFP currently set at goal weight of 125lbs, lightly active, .5lb loss a week = 1620 cal/day. If I alter those to "Maintain current weight," cals go up to 1870.

    I've been reading up on recomp and some of what I read says to set that goal to "Maintain current weight" and go by body fat % as a goal before starting to recomp after losing fat/weight.

    I do 30-45 min of cardio and 30-40 min of strength work 2-3x a week at my gym depending on my schedule, filling in the other days with walking and/or strength stuff at home. I can usually stay in a calorie deficit when I put my mind to it. I'm not in a huge rush because I'm not keen on going lower than 1500-1600 cals a day, frankly.

    I know muscle weighs more than fat, so I honestly don't care if the scale moves down to that arbitrary 125 lbs that I weighed 20 years ago that I picked if I'm losing the flab but gaining muscle.

    So my questions:

    Should I dump the 125 goal weight and focus on recomp, knowing I could still weigh my current 140+/- but look badazz and start using that 1870 cals/day plus/minus on rest/training days? Should I wait to see what my BMI is before deciding? What BMI should be my goal before recomp? What BMI do I aim for?

    Should I keep focusing on losing fat first and keep my cals lower and keep my current workout routine before focusing more on lifting?

    Your BMI is 21.5 (68 inches @ 140 pounds) and perfectly WELL within good range. Focus on getting your body shape the way you want it. Rather than flail around with a random program, get a routine going with progressive lifting. Look at this thread and choose a lifting program. The latest New Rules of Lifting program for women is called Strong and it's the one I am using - it also includes some interval (not HIIT - regular intervals) cardio work but the focus is on strength. I have committed to the gym 3 days a weeks, and on most of the off days I am walking a few miles. I am on a slight deficit but you could just eat at maintenance (figure that out here: https://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr/). Do that for 6 months. If you are still unhappy with "flab" do a slight deficit (no more than 250 calories a day). Good luck!
  • JennyRATL
    JennyRATL Posts: 199 Member
    Maxxitt wrote: »
    Your BMI is 21.5 (68 inches @ 140 pounds) and perfectly WELL within good range. Focus on getting your body shape the way you want it. Rather than flail around with a random program, get a routine going with progressive lifting. Look at this thread and choose a lifting program. The latest New Rules of Lifting program for women is called Strong and it's the one I am using - it also includes some interval (not HIIT - regular intervals) cardio work but the focus is on strength. I have committed to the gym 3 days a weeks, and on most of the off days I am walking a few miles. I am on a slight deficit but you could just eat at maintenance (figure that out here: https://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr/). Do that for 6 months. If you are still unhappy with "flab" do a slight deficit (no more than 250 calories a day). Good luck!

    Sorry, I used BMI when I should have said Body Fat %.

    Thanks for the info. I actually have the original NROLFW book, but haven't started it yet as I have been focused on calorie deficit and just getting 2-3 workouts in addition to my PT.

    I like the idea of eating at maintenance, 'cuz I looooooove to eat! :p
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