How do you limit calories to lose fat but still gain muscle mass?

[Ber Rabbit]

This will raise some brows, but next time you get hormone levels done, check your testosterone levels because as the ovaries "decline" from about 30 or so, so does your level of T. Bioidentical testosterone can bring levels to a normal physiological range of an earlier decade and improve muscle mass. Most people don't approve, but many forward thinking MD's are doing this now. (Women manufacture T also) A "bottomed out" T level is seen often from years of OC and having the ovaries shut down. Women have little energy and poor sense of well-being when the T level gets to rock bottom. Doesn't sound like this is your issue, but you could be heading that way once you notice fat distribution changes and loss of lean muscle mass.

What is OC? I've never had any hormone levels checked so I'm a little confused here.

From what I understand, there is no "spot reduction". When you lose weight, it comes from everywhere, I think.

You're right judging by everything I've read, you can't spot reduce. When I had my body fat checked (calipers, 4 sites) my thighs were lean, my triceps were average but my illium (sp?) and tummy were "fatter than average", the total value was 26%. Shouldn't the fat be coming off the parts that have the most excess fat?

If you want to build muscle mass, exercise.

I've been exercising in at the YMCA for almost 10 weeks in a program they call the "Personal Fitness Program". I've been hitting the weights three days a week as well as getting in 30 min of cardio on those days. Here's the workout I did 2/1/07, I've increased the weights on most of these since then:

Leg Press:
3 sets of 10 with 228 pounds

Lat Pulldown:
10 reps 84 lbs
8 reps 84 lbs
10 reps 72 lbs

Leg Curls:
10 reps 84 lbs
3 sets of 10 with 72 lbs

Chest Press:
2 sets 10 reps with 84 lbs
1 set 5 reps with 84 lbs
1 set 7 reps with 72 lbs

Leg Extentions:
3 sets 10 reps with 108 lbs

Shoulder Press:
1 set 10 reps 48 lbs
1 set 5 reps 48 lbs
1 set 10 reps 36 lbs

Bicep Curl:
1 set 10 reps 36 lbs
1 set 5 reps 36 lbs
1 set 10 reps 24 lbs

Tricep Extension:
3 sets 10 reps 48 lbs

Abdominals:
3 sets 10 reps 120 lbs

Back Extension:
3 sets 10 reps 252 lbs

You can either lose weight (fat) or gain weight (muscle) you cant do both at the same time. Your body is not designed to do this. To lose weight you must burn more calories than you take in, either by diet or exercise, you can increase muscle tone but not muscle mass. To increase muscle you need to increase calories and challenge your muscles. Pick one dedicate yourself to it until you meet your goals then do the other.

That's what I was wondering. I know the muscle I build will help burn calories but I was wondering if there was a happy calorie medium where someone who didn't have all that much fat to lose could balance and accomplish both. I'm just trying to make the visible "pudge" go away, I can see some abs under there! At 37 and a size 4 (I can still get into size 2 dress pants) what I want is my old 125lb body back but I can accept a muscular 140 if that flipping "pudge" goes away.

If you're looking for a calorie reduced diet that works for "organised" (or structured approach type) people then you should look at weight watchers. Even if you're not entirely commited you'll still lose 1/2 kg (about 1lb) per week permanently while learning how to keep it off... permanently.

The problem is I'm a picky eater LOL! I can only do structured for so long, that's why I was trying to track and restrict myself to 2000 calories/day for a week. My metabolism and I used to be so in tune until a year and a half ago when I switched to an office job where I sit on my butt all day. I want to get back in tune with my metabolism and see if I can reset it to my new lifestyle. I was working nights and switching to day shift has been very hard on my eating habits. This job is also more stressful than my old one was so that may have something to do with the weight gain plus I just don't sleep as well at night as I do during the day.


Hey Rick,
Can I have cream cheese on my celery?
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Man, have you guys ever read the workout Ber does????? She is a work out machine...Tummy fat is god's way of women having a monthly friend. Ber you look great....
Now knock it off...Stick with the killer workouts, all will be fine

Thanks CheddarChick :sprite10: It's just that I never had this tummy fat before I started this office job, I was always naturally "cut". I appreciated it when I had it but now I want it back! I can see abs peeking out from behind it! Besides, it's lopsided and it looks weird having a bigger bulge above one hip than the other.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I'll admit that I don't know what she looks like but i'll say this (or paraphrase it)

"killer abs are not made in the gym, they're made in the kitchen".

I'm trying to make smart food choices with low calorie and low fat snacks. Saturday I had about 50g of fat and Sunday was about 65g. I'm not quite sure how much I should be consuming though.

It doesn't matter what kind of workouts you have..... making the other sex horny at a distance depends on more than how intense your workouts are...

The LAST thing I need is more men following me around LOL! I have the one I want, I'm doing this so I'm happy when I see me in the mirror
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[adurso]

Your best bet is to get your personal physician's advice and get a personal trainer for a few weeks. Although there are general rules that apply to human physiology everyone really is different to some extent, a trainer can focus on YOUR physiology and work towards your goals.

Some folks are predispositioned to carry excess mass in certain areas, others are not. Some folks build mass easily, others do not.

The six meal a day strategy Frank mentioned works to build mass for most people, but if you store fat around the belly, it may not be good for you.

On the other hand your physician or a trainer may help you determine if you are seeking to lose "vanity weight" which may be unhealthy....

If you find someone to work with try cutting calories and keep a notebook of what works for you

 

[Diver Dennis]

http://www.intense-workout.com/same.html

http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/gain.htm

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1608/is_6_19/ai_102140895

Seems like there are lots of different opinions out there...

 

[Cacia]

Sorry, "OC" oral contraceptives.

Some folks are predispositioned to carry excess mass in certain areas,

yes, but also people who don't carry it in the middle, begin to at mid-age due to changes in hormones.

I am not pushing this, but trust me...many physician's are "on to it" because it has health implications regarding the higher cardiac risk associated with belly fat. (vs butt, thighs, etc)

Very proactive, aggressive,..however you wish to characterize them, physicians are beginning to treat this. I predict this moves more mainstream and becomes less contoversial.

You could "ask" one physician and get one answer....go down the hall and "ask" another and get a very different answer. I know...cause I do, and it interests me. I'm just suggesting to keep your eye on this research.

Seems like there are different opinions out there...

wow, many...and it's been stuck like that for awhile now. Fitness and diet are not the whole puzzle it is appearing now.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Hey Rick,
Can I have cream cheese on my celery?
Ber :lilbunny:

ABSOLUTELY... not!
No peanut butter on it either.
As for belly fat, I don't think what you're seeing and what the docs are talking about when they talk about increased risk of heart disease are the same thing. Indeed, your body needs a healthy fat content to act as a "buffer" to prevent wild swings in blood sugar etc.
I'd add a few laps in the pool (or even replace some of the other stuff with laps in the pool).
Now this is strictly my opinion, but with at least five decades of intense observation and evaluation, I believe that lots of swimming builds and maintains the most attractive female "shapes."
Rick

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Your best bet is to get your personal physician's advice and get a personal trainer for a few weeks. Although there are general rules that apply to human physiology everyone really is different to some extent, a trainer can focus on YOUR physiology and work towards your goals.

Some folks are predispositioned to carry excess mass in certain areas, others are not. Some folks build mass easily, others do not.

The six meal a day strategy Frank mentioned works to build mass for most people, but if you store fat around the belly, it may not be good for you.

On the other hand your physician or a trainer may help you determine if you are seeking to lose "vanity weight" which may be unhealthy....

If you find someone to work with try cutting calories and keep a notebook of what works for you

Actually the YMCA fitness program I've been doing for almost 10 weeks did take into consideration my goals. I never used to "store" fat, I was probably too lean actually. I've put on almost 20 pounds of fat since I started working in an office job but most of that was probably fat I needed to protect organs and pad bony areas. You could literally trace most of my muscles two years ago. I just want to get my body fat % back into the lean to average level so I only need to drop about 3% fat. I've always been a grazer, when I went to day shift from nights I started eating more like a "normal" person...three meals a day, that's when my problems started. I'm trying to cut calories but I'm not sure how many I should eat. I picked 2000 because most food packaging says "based on a 2000 calorie diet". This whole calorie thing confuses me, how do I know how many calories I'm burning?

Sorry, "OC" oral contraceptives.

Thanks Catherine, guess since I've never taken them the abbreviation never even occurred to me. DOH!
Ber:lilbunny:

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

I would think peanut butter would be okay, wouldn't it? Lots of good protein, there....

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I am not pushing this, but trust me...many physician's are "on to it" because it has health implications regarding the higher cardiac risk associated with belly fat. (vs butt, thighs, etc)

My mother survived a massive heart attack at 46 (I remember they call it a "Widow Maker"), my father died of a massive heart attack at 64. I'm in infinitely better shape than either were at my age and my doctor said, based on test results, that heart disease would be the last thing that kills me. I don't want to fall into the same "trap" plus about 3 years ago I had one of those bone density via the heel tests and I only have 87% of my bone density, not a good thing at 37 when both of your Grandmother's had dowager's (sp?) humps.
Ber :lilbunny: