Q. Here is what I want to do, in no particular order:
- build muscle, especially in my upper body (my legs and butt are crazy muscled already)
- get rid of some bodyfat
- look like I can kick some butt (I’ve been skinny, don’t want that again)
I’m 5′1″ and female, currently 131 and 29% bodyfat. I lift heavy (squats, deadlifts, leg press, bench press, more–all that stuff, try to vary each workout) for 30-40 minutes 3 days a week with a 10-15 minute cardio warmup (rowing). I’m about to throw some HIIT in there, too, but haven’t started that yet. Right now I’m eating maintenence (around 1600) most days, but I know I need to adjust that. I just don’t know whether to adjust up or down!
So, do I first concentrate on building muscle for a while (increase calories) and THEN cut back calories to get rid of the fat?
OR, do I cut the calories, lose the fat, and THEN work on building the muscle?
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A. It’s funny because losing fat and building muscle go hand in hand when you lift weights. Building muscle is the best way to lose body fat. Over the years, cardio got a lot of focus and people started stepping away from the weights. When it is actually weight lifting that leads to a better overall body transformation. Cardio is still a component of fitness, just not as important as people think. As a whole it isn’t really about what you do first. It all goes together.
Overall fitness basically comes in a three step process.
1) Nutrition – All the exercise in the world won’t matter if you aren’t eating the right way. So the first thing to do is to re-examine your nutrition plan. You have to make sure you are eating enough calories of the right types of foods. More often than not, people who exercise aren’t eating enough. They think getting too many calories will make them fat. You need food to help with recovery and to get stronger. The trick is eating the right types of foods. So you want to eat 5-6 small meals a day (1 meal every 2-4 hours), and aim for one gram of protein per pound of body weight, 1.5 grams of complex carbs per pound of body weight from whole grains/vegetables/fruits, and healthy fats. Also drink a lot of water. If you follow this six times a week and have only one day where you eat what you want, it will get you results.
2) Weight Lifting- Lifting weights is second most important in body transformation. Building muscle is what leads to losing body fat. Also, when you gain muscle you raise your metabolic rate which helps to burn more calories through out the day. Make sure to lift at least three times a week for 45-60 minutes. Free weights yield the best results. Also, make sure that you lift heavy (a weight you can only do 6-8 times) because it helps build muscle better. You don’t have to worry about it bulking you up either.
3) HIIT Cardio – A lot of people waste hours and hours per week doing regular cardio. It does burn calories and help to maintain weight. However, the weight people are losing more times than not , is from losing muscle. That is what you don’t want. You only need 90-120 minutes per week to maintain cardiovascular fitness. So the secret is doing an effective form of cardio that will spare muscle, target bodyfat, and keep your heart in shape. The answer is HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training).
You will find that Barry’s Boot Camp Total Body Video uses HIIT and many others. I’ll make a list here of the videos I use.
- Barry’s Boot Camp Total Body Workout (44min) or anything by Barry!
- Jillian Michael’s either her 30 Day Shred or The Biggest Loser Videos
- Body by Jake – He also has a strength training for women video
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photo credit: JaeYong, BAE
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