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lostangel
Apr 9, 2002, 4:52 PM
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I try and try and all I do is "bulk up", this is great for a guy.. but not for me!! I am 5`6 152lbs 16%body fat size5... my problem is I have gone from a size 3 to a 5! I am good at giving advice on how to gain muscle.. but when it comes to figuring out how to lose it I have no clue! And this is something that I have no choice but to lose, I don't lift weights, I do run and crosstrain, Any Suggestions will be much obliged!
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crazywacky
Apr 9, 2002, 6:48 PM
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What sort of "Cross-training" do you do?
Lifting weights, or just aerobics?
If it's weights, then cut back on the amount of weight, and increase the amount of reps.
Also, depending on how much you are running, you may need to increase it.
Keep in mind however, that running will still give you bigger thighs, and sometimes a bigger rear. This is usually just until you work off the fluffy stuff covering the muscle beneath, but you have to run "a lot".
Running is the best way I have found to lean out mass though.
Edit: cuz a size 5 is still reeeaaaalllyy small, so I don't think you have anything to worry about.
[ This Message was edited by: crazywacky on 2002-04-09 11:49 ]
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lostangel
Apr 9, 2002, 7:09 PM
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now I just do aerobic it has been just arobics for about 4 months now, and so far no real result my claves just got bigger. I run 5-10 miles a day 5-6 days a week, should I run more?
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crazywacky
Apr 9, 2002, 7:25 PM
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"I run 5-10 miles a day 5-6 days a week, should I run more? "
Holy Moly!
I think you are probably fine with what you are doing. Your muscles are just growing to keep up with the work they are doing.
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rockwomyn
Apr 9, 2002, 7:38 PM
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Maybe you need to change your routine of exercise, you may have built up a high endurance to what you're doing and your muscles maybe need a wake up call.
Have you tried including lifting weights? Free-weights preferably. I looked at your profile so being the background you have you should know to do lower weight (not too low) with high reps...Like 3 sets of 15-20 reps for each exercise. Myself personally before I started lifting 5 days a week, working each muscle group two times a week, I was hanging on to some excess bulk, in my case it was fat, in your case I couldn't say, you sound pretty lean. But anyway I use a routine of 5-6 days of cardio 2-3 days running and 2-3 days biking, rotating days every other, anyway each session of 35-45 min in addition to my weights. I also overhauled my diet with very little fat under 20-25 grams a day and cut back on my carbs intake and I eat mucho protein. Needless to say in about 2 ˝ months I dropped from about 133-135 to about 118-120. I am only 5'1 and I do have a greater chance of looking stocky as hell, but changing my routines every 3-5 weeks, eating lean and doing MUCHO stretching to elongate the muscles has helped me tremendously. Hope you figure some thing out…even though a size 6 is still trim in my book!!!!
Just my two cents!!!
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miagi
Apr 9, 2002, 8:19 PM
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Your running that much!!>!!?! Dammnnnn lol. Here is some advice and info:
Aerobic activities like your doing, "should" reduce bulk. If you see runners and swimmers, you'll notice they are a little on the skiny side. Just avoid strength training. This is when you lift large amounts of weight with very small reps. Just like maxing out. Maxing out tears your muscle and lets it rebuild to be bigger and stronger. My theory is that its just your genetics. My girlfriend is the exact way!!! She looks like a regular girl, doesnt look fat or anything (no im not forced to say that lol) but she ways 145 and is 5'8. Sometimes its just your build and you have to live with it.
Thats pretty much it probably.....genetics. Everyone has a different body structure and this might be yours. Unless you were older....like in your 20 or 30s, and you started to see this change it might be able to be counteracted but I think this is just something you have to live with. I mean, your definitly working out, its not fat
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its_me_drew
Apr 9, 2002, 8:57 PM
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Stop exercising, and the muscle mass will go away.
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mauriceb
Apr 9, 2002, 9:09 PM
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Others have covered the body type, strength training, etc. My $0.02 with respect to running is you may want to cut back. Right now you're pounding out anywhere from 30-50mi's a week. If you haven't had any problems thus far good, but be aware of the signs your body may give, keep a close eye on the condition of your shoes, and stretch. Also, you might want to replace some of you miles on the road with trail running. Breaks up the monotony and will ease the pounding on the joints.
I'm not sure what you see when you looking in the mirror but in my minds eye a 5'6" athletic woman (regardless of pounds or dress size) doesn't need to change a thing.
maurice
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crazywacky
Apr 9, 2002, 9:12 PM
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mauriceb:
"I'm not sure what you see when you looking in the mirror but in my minds eye a 5'6" athletic woman (regardless of pounds or dress size) doesn't need to change a thing."
I agree.
Especially with the amount of training going on..
Just be safe.
[ This Message was edited by: crazywacky on 2002-04-09 14:16 ]
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moonshine
Apr 9, 2002, 9:51 PM
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take a bikram (hatha) yoga class 2-3 times a week for 4 months. (winter is the best) you will be lean and mean, strong, and flexible (recover faster fm workout and injury). If you can make through the first month, it does get easier, you sleep better, and have lots of self confidence. but when you start, you'll feel like a total slug.
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qacwac
Apr 9, 2002, 10:02 PM
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It takes certain nutrients to build muscles. Limit your intake of those.
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funtimes
Apr 9, 2002, 10:50 PM
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change diet, maybe more protein but definitely less carbo, you can try rotating exercise routines every 3-5 weeks like rockwomyn said. I think you should increase the distance you running or cycle or swim during each session but decrease the frequency of exercise per week, therefore total distance run per week has decreased. I would also decrease the frequency of exercise to 3-4 sessions per week. total exercise per week has decreased.
climb on
[ This Message was edited by: funtimes on 2002-04-09 15:52 ]
[ This Message was edited by: funtimes on 2002-04-09 15:53 ]
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jt512
Apr 9, 2002, 11:29 PM
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Don't attempt to limit protein. Protein doesn't build muscle; exercise does. If running and aerobics cause you to gain muscle, then eliminating or reducing these activities will reduce muscle. My only question is why would you want to?
-Jay
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miagi
Apr 10, 2002, 12:00 PM
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Well, im pretty sure that when you stop exercising, all your muscle turns to fat. Have you ever heard stories of people who have taken creatine and stopped? They have patches of displaced fat all over their body and they wished they would have never had taken it. You seem to be a very athletic and in shape woman, and unless you are REALLY upset about it, you should just be yourself.
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lostangel
Apr 10, 2002, 1:54 PM
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The reason that I need to lose the mass is for a photo shoot I have in a cupple months that I am worried about, I went to my Dr and asked her what I should do, she told me to drop to 1800 calories a day! I currently eat 2000 a day. I tried he method for a week and felt so incredibly weak I basically had to crawl up the stairs, which makes sence to me because if I eat 1800 and burn off lets say 600 in the gym that gives me 1200 to function on which I personally think is unhealthy. I appriciate all of the responces and ideas in this forum.
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missedyno
Apr 10, 2002, 2:09 PM
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lost angel: from working out, i've gained a bit of muscle mass and went from a size 3 to a 5 as well.
a size 5 still isn't that big at all! why would you want to loose muscle mass? you're probably a lot healthier this size anyway.
if you increase your activity (i.e. running) be sure not to decrease calories so as to not have enough to run with. you could really damage your body! be careful...
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theamish
Apr 10, 2002, 2:53 PM
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Quote: "Well, im pretty sure that when you stop exercising, all your muscle turns to fat."
Muscle mass may increase or decrease but it never alters its makeup, muscle cannot become fat, nor can fat become muscle. Fat is stored in fat cells not muscle fiber.
You have received some good advice and some bad advice.
Try talking with a nutritionist who understands your athletic output so they can advise you of a correct input for your nutritional needs. you may also go to the following website for information: http:/www.zoneperfect.com
This type of dietary balance has worked well for me.
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bodyresults
Apr 10, 2002, 5:15 PM
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Muscle Mass can NOT "turn into fat". What can happen when people stop exercising is that they continue to eat the same number of calories as when they were exercising. Their muscle shrinks from inactivity and their fat grows because of excess calories.
Basically Calorie intake - calorie expenditure = weight gain or loss depending if it is positive or negative. Whether the gain is fat or muscle or a combo depends on many factors.
Eating 200 calories less per day should not make that much of a difference. In order to loose 1 pound you need to burn 3500 calories more than you take in. That means in a week you would have to eat 500 calories less than you burn. This is a safe way to loose weight.
[ This Message was edited by: bodyresults on 2002-04-10 10:15 ]
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rockwomyn
Apr 10, 2002, 6:08 PM
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If you are eating 2000 calories and dropping to 1800 calories a day and you feel weak you are not eating the correct foods for performance. I also highly suggest that you speak to a nutritionist or do some more research on what you should be eating for the types of exercise you are performing. Maybe also learning about the Glycemic Index to figure out which foods cause gradual fluctuations in your blood sugar levels so your body doesn't release too much insulin which is responsible in helping store fat. Keep you blood sugar levels consistent will also help you perform better and burn calories more efficiently. Anyway I am not a certified professional and what I know is only based on my personal research and what has worked for me. But a change of 200 calories really shouldn't effect you so dramatically.
[ This Message was edited by: rockwomyn on 2002-04-10 11:11 ]
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mauriceb
Apr 10, 2002, 8:19 PM
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I agree w/rockwomyn, a 200 calorie a day change shouldn't cause a significant decrease in energy. A nutrionist is always a good idea.
There are several concepts you might want to look into to give yourself a better idea of what your body needs and how it uses nutrients (BMI, BMR, fat/carb/protein, glycemic index, etc.) In addition to countless websites a couple of Google groups I like are misc.fitness.weights and alt.sport.fitness
Oh, and to hammer the point home, muscle doesn't turn to fat. Muscle is muscle. Fat is fat. Lose one, gain the other. Loose both. Gain both. No conversion.
maurice
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qacwac
Apr 10, 2002, 8:38 PM
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You can't lose fat cells. Once a fat cell, always a fat cell. All you can do is shrink them.
Now don't start thinking that everytime you eat a fatty food you just created one more fat cell that you can never lose. That's not how it works. Here's a greatly simplified example of how it works. Say an average person has 100 fat cells. Now each one of those cells can vary in size from 1 to 3 inches. So as long as all your fat will fit into 100 3" fat cells then your body won't create any new fat cells. If however you exceed the maximum capacity then your body will make new ones. Also if you are at the maximum level of fat capacity, 100 3" fat cells and you go on a diet you will not lose some of the fat cells and only have 90 3" fat cells left. Rather some of your cells will go down to only being 2" fat cells but you will still have 100 fat cells. The body allows for a pretty large range of weights before it starts producing new fat cells.
At least that's my understanding. Sorry if my example doesn't make sense.
[ This Message was edited by: qacwac on 2002-04-10 13:43 ]
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lostangel
Apr 11, 2002, 3:09 AM
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I HIGHLY appriciate all of the advice given on this post, I wasnt sure exactly how to ask something that "odd" or if anyone would even respond. THANKS!!!
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apollodorus
Apr 11, 2002, 3:25 AM
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A low calorie diet is for losing fat, not reducing muscle mass. Muscle is the second to last thing your body is going to metabolize, right after organ and brain tissue. If you are genetically disposed to having a lot of muscle, I don't think there is much you can do about it. If your wrists are large, you are DNA-programmed to be large. This is the crap-shoot of life for all of us. I'm a guy who is 6'0" and about 150 pounds. I've tried to gain weight, but the guys that I work with still think I'm the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz.
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oneballjay
Apr 11, 2002, 4:01 AM
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back in my cross-country days I ran 10 miles a day. I did not gain anything if anything I lost. I then gained in track. doing short workouts. I would recomend you work out with small weights and do alot of reps. do 20 reps with a set of 3. I know that is not mush info but if you need more I can try and help.
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jt512
Apr 13, 2002, 2:07 AM
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Quote:A low calorie diet is for losing fat, not reducing muscle mass. Muscle is the second to last thing your body is going to metabolize, right [before] organ and brain tissue.
It would be nice if this were true, but it's not. The tendency, when energy balance is negative, is for the body to make up the deficit by breaking down both fat and muscle. It is, in fact, rather difficult to maintain muscle mass while dieting. To do so requires actually increasing your protein intake and perfroming regular physical exercise.
Quote:
I'm a guy who is 6'0" and about 150 pounds.
Dude, you need to get into sport climbing.
-Jay
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