HELP.. burn fat & gain muscle.

kaylagearon
kaylagearon Posts: 9 Member
edited December 22 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm 28 years old, 5'4" & 121lbs but I'm skinny fat. I am on my 4th week of working out 5 days a week, 2 days cardio and 3 days strength training but I'm not really losing fat. My concern is that I dont really know how many calories I should be eating. I try to stay in the 1500-1700 range, but I'm not really seeing results in my mid section/thighs & upper arms (fattest areas)
Kinda looking for someone who has experience in losing fat and getting lean as I dont want to just lose weight.

Replies

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    edited July 2019
    How are you gauging your fat loss? If it's by a scale that you stand on, those are so inaccurate for BF% that Consumer Reports won't even report on them any more.

    When you say to "try to stay in the 1500-1700 range", what does that mean exactly? Are you eating well during the week, but then blowing it on the weekends? Or something else?

    Do you use a food scale?
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I'm assuming you are trying to recomp?

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

    Patience is key. It can take a lot longer than 4 weeks for many people to see results. Take regular progress photos and measurements. Also make sure you are following a progressive lifting program and getting adequate protein.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    kaylagearon wrote: »
    I'm 28 years old, 5'4" & 121lbs but I'm skinny fat. I am on my 4th week of working out 5 days a week, 2 days cardio and 3 days strength training but I'm not really losing fat. My concern is that I dont really know how many calories I should be eating. I try to stay in the 1500-1700 range, but I'm not really seeing results in my mid section/thighs & upper arms (fattest areas)
    Kinda looking for someone who has experience in losing fat and getting lean as I dont want to just lose weight.

    Muscle gain is driven by training. Fat loss is driven by diet. You say you "try to stay in the 1500-1700 calorie range. Have you plugged your numbers into MFP to see what you should be eating at maintenance? Then creating about a 200 calorie deficit. Then eating back some portion of exercise calories? If not, that is where to start. And then count and log everything using a food scale as suggested by quicksilver.

    The cardio will help your health and gain you more calories to eat. But your weight training on a good program will develop your shape. What are you using for a program? A good program is essential.
  • kaylagearon
    kaylagearon Posts: 9 Member
    I haven't been using a scale to track my body fat or anything, I've just been taking pictures weekly. Every day I drink a protein shake for breakfast, a typical (but not every day as I get bored, so I'll switch up with tuna or make a ground turkey with chick pea pasta type of spaghetti) lunch is about 1/3 pound of ground turkey with about 1/4-1/2 cup of rice (mixed varieties of rice) and half a can of black beans. Then I always eat a hand full of almonds and a Greek yogurt before the gym. For dinner I will typically have pan seared chicken (either 1 breast or 3 tenders) with seasoning and only using cooking spray, either a sweet potato or a regular potato, some green beans and more black beans.
    I have had 1 "cheat meal" in the last month and it was 2 slices of pizza.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Have you been maintaining your weight over time (within 5lbs or so?) Also 0.8-1g per lb bodyweight protein is good
  • kaylagearon
    kaylagearon Posts: 9 Member
    Yes, I have been within this range (give or take 10lbs) for over 2 years. I lost 60lbs 2 years ago and was fine with just looking slim.. now I want to work on getting lean. I would post a picture to show you what I mean, but I can't seem to get it to upload. It's like I look decent in clothes, but I'm fat around my stomach, back of my upper arms and my thighs.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    What kind of lifting program are you following? How long have you been doing these workouts, just the 4 weeks or longer?
  • kaylagearon
    kaylagearon Posts: 9 Member
    edited July 2019
    I started doing zumba 4 days a week in March. Then I realized I should probably be doing weighted exercises so I switched to a new gym at the beginning of June. The trainer there, started me on 2 sets of 12 and now he has me doing 3 sets of 12. For the next 2 weeks he wants me to do 4 sets of 10.
    Everything is on machines and he said he would switch me to free weights in 2 weeks.
    He chose all of my weights.
    Chest press 40lbs
    Shoulder press 25lbs
    Lat pull down 65lbs
    Bicep rope curl 30lbs
    Tricep rope pull down 30lbs
    Leg extensions 45lbs
    Leg curls(not sure that's the right name) 45lbs
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Free weights are good. Lift heavy, eat at maintenance, prioritize protein and be patient.
  • kaylagearon
    kaylagearon Posts: 9 Member
    edited July 2019
    Do you think 1700 calories is too little?
    My cardio is 15 minutes on the stair master at a level 7, then he has me doing like 6 different body weight core exercises and finish with 15 minutes on either the elliptical or treadmill.
    Just worried that if 1700 isn't enough, that could be why I'm not losing fat??
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    kaylagearon wrote: »
    Do you think 1700 calories is too little?
    My cardio is 15 minutes on the stair master at a level 7, then he has me doing like 6 different body weight core exercises and finish with 15 minutes on either the elliptical or treadmill.
    Just worried that if 1700 isn't enough, that could be why I'm not losing fat??

    Eating more never increases fat loss. Not sure why you would think that. As far as calories, what did you get when you plugged your numbers into MFP?
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    edited July 2019
    You won't hold on to weight by not eating enough. That's scientifically impossible.

    You never said, do you use a food scale, weighing and logging everything? No skipping, cheating, or forgetting?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10697068/how-i-stopped-kidding-myself/p1
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    kaylagearon wrote: »
    Do you think 1700 calories is too little?
    My cardio is 15 minutes on the stair master at a level 7, then he has me doing like 6 different body weight core exercises and finish with 15 minutes on either the elliptical or treadmill.
    Just worried that if 1700 isn't enough, that could be why I'm not losing fat??

    If you are maintaining your weight then you are eating at maintenance. If you aren't using a food scale and tracking accurately you could be eating more, but your weight over time will tell you if you are eating in a deficit, maintenance or surplus.

    Losing fat at maintenance can take a lot of time. Also your lifting program is lacking a lot of lower body moves, and free weights are fantastic even if you are starting with the bar or dumbbells.

  • kaylagearon
    kaylagearon Posts: 9 Member
    I know it sounds stupid to ask things like that, but my entire family is obese or morbidly obese, so I've had no concept of healthy portions or meals and never exercised. I'm learning everything now, in my own in my late 20's
  • kaylagearon
    kaylagearon Posts: 9 Member
    No, I'm not using a food scale, I just use measuring cups/spoons and go by the weight on the packages of meat (ex, I figured if I divide a pound by 3 to get 1/3 lb, I'm eating 1/3lb of ground turkey)
  • Rammer123
    Rammer123 Posts: 679 Member
    kaylagearon wrote: »
    I know it sounds stupid to ask things like that, but my entire family is obese or morbidly obese, so I've had no concept of healthy portions or meals and never exercised. I'm learning everything now, in my own in my late 20's

    I dont think its stupid to ask those things. You are learning and you've probably overheard things about "starvation mode" or different things taken out of context and you, unknowingly wrong, trusted the information.

    Sometimes people on here can be condescending but for the most part you'll get good info without the egos.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,255 Member
    kaylagearon wrote: »
    I started doing zumba 4 days a week in March. Then I realized I should probably be doing weighted exercises so I switched to a new gym at the beginning of June. The trainer there, started me on 2 sets of 12 and now he has me doing 3 sets of 12. For the next 2 weeks he wants me to do 4 sets of 10.
    Everything is on machines and he said he would switch me to free weights in 2 weeks.
    He chose all of my weights.
    Chest press 40lbs
    Shoulder press 25lbs
    Lat pull down 65lbs
    Bicep rope curl 30lbs
    Tricep rope pull down 30lbs
    Leg extensions 45lbs
    Leg curls(not sure that's the right name) 45lbs

    This sounds like a good beginning. Your trainer is trying to build a bit of strength before starting you on free weights, which is definitely the way to go. You may need to eat BELOW 1700 to lose fat if you are eating at that level and not losing weight. You need to be eating enough protein (.85 grams per pound of goal weight is a commonly-cited figure) as well.

  • kaylagearon
    kaylagearon Posts: 9 Member
    I have not been logging, I just opened my account again last night.. but from what you guys are asking.. it sounds like maybe I'm not accurate on my numbers because I'm not using a food scale.
    Myfitnesspal says I should be eating 1,580.. so I guess I'm over eating?
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,255 Member
    edited July 2019
    You might not be overeating. MFP’s calories are BEFORE intentional exercise. When you work out, use MFP to calculate how many cals you burned, and then “eat back” half to 3/4 of the calories MFP says you burned (because MFP overestimates calorie burn from exercise).
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    kaylagearon wrote: »
    I have not been logging, I just opened my account again last night.. but from what you guys are asking.. it sounds like maybe I'm not accurate on my numbers because I'm not using a food scale.
    Myfitnesspal says I should be eating 1,580.. so I guess I'm over eating?

    You don't need to log your intake, but you are likely eating more than 1700 if you aren't since measuring cups can be inaccurate. That is fine provided the scale is cooperating, in your case if it is stable, you can stick with the method you are using.
  • kaylagearon
    kaylagearon Posts: 9 Member
    Thank you everyone, I really appreciate the info! Hopefully if I give it time and start tracking better, I'll have results in a few more months!
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