6-month goal..how to get there?

[summertown74]

Hi all,
I want to look hot in a bikini this summer! That's the goal.

Right now I weigh 104.6, with no clue as to my bodyfat percentage. I'm not super into the numbers at this point, I just know how I want to look ;-)

so here's the question..with six months to get there, should i do a small deficit for the entire time (with a few planned breaks), or should i continue at maintenance for say 3 months then cut? i figure ive got about 5-6 pounds to lose. my maintenance cals are about 1650.

also my long term goal is to build muscle, so I don't want to interfere with that TOO much.

Thanks!

[kdiamond55]

Honestly I don't think you should worry about the pounds so much, IMO you can't really look that great at such a low weight, but if you do a recomp it might be a better bet. I wouldn't lower your calories too much, just change the foods you eat a bit. My Crossfit instructor is an advocate for Paleo, I reduced 2-3% body fat while maintaining the same weight.

[rockangel]

Hi all,
I want to look hot in a bikini this summer! That's the goal.

Right now I weigh 104.6, with no clue as to my bodyfat percentage. I'm not super into the numbers at this point, I just know how I want to look ;-)

so here's the question..with six months to get there, should i do a small deficit for the entire time (with a few planned breaks), or should i continue at maintenance for say 3 months then cut? i figure ive got about 5-6 pounds to lose. my maintenance cals are about 1650.

also my long term goal is to build muscle, so I don't want to interfere with that TOO much.

Thanks!

You either need to recomp or to gain muscle.

You do not need to "lose" weight. You need to either gain or recomp.

And no 6 months is not going to be enough time to do either. Both are a very slow process.

Trust me on this, My stats were almost identical when starting out.

[summertown74]

Thank you both! Karen I do crossfit also; but am having a hard time doing crossfit AND heavy lifting...in fact it ain't happening...how do you do it?

So I agree with both of you that I need to gain muscle, not "lose weight". I was planning on bulking this winter, but I've had two injuries back to back (shoulder, now knee), which have prevented me from lifting heavy like I wanted. Long story shortened, I gained fat instead of muscle!! I'm just starting to be able to lift upper body again, but taking it easy as I start so that I don't re-injure my shoulder.

I guess I thought I could lose some this pudge for summer, was I wrong? :(

thanks both for replying!!

[illiniStrive]

I guess I thought I could lose some this pudge for summer, was I wrong? :(

At your weight I'd be hard pressed to imagine any pudge to lose! Chances are, losing weight won't get you where you want to be. Instead of defined and "tight", you'd look emaciated.

A recomp might be a good option. Hoping she doesn't mind if I use her as an example but Rowyn (http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/Rowyn/more.php?section=progresspics) posted the progress pictures of a 16 week recomp. Only a 2lb change but the differences from before/after are huge!

[Rowyn]

At your weight I'd be hard pressed to imagine any pudge to lose! Chances are, losing weight won't get you where you want to be. Instead of defined and "tight", you'd look emaciated.

A recomp might be a good option. Hoping she doesn't mind if I use her as an example but Rowyn (http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/Rowyn/more.php?section=progresspics) posted the progress pictures of a 16 week recomp. Only a 2lb change but the differences from before/after are huge!

Haha, I was just going to agree with the recomp idea and saw this post, lol.

Yes, in 6 months you can make a dramatic difference in your body at your stats without going into deficit. I think if you DID try a deficit, it would be detrimental to your muscle building progress. I went from chubby to mostly muscle (with some work yet to do) eating at maintenance. You are not even close to chubby:). Pick a good training program, lift HARD, eat properly. And you can hit the beach with no jiggle in your wiggle and a nice tight body in that time easily. Or you can spin your wheels staying lower at a caloric level that will not allow you to lean out, but tends to keep women "skinny fat". I see so many women on here stay the same and complain about their progress for MONTHS and if they had just changed their attitude a little bit about food and scale weight in that same time frame they could have made a HUGE difference in their bodies. They may lose scale weight, but they are not tighter, still have cellulite/pudge, and are not happy with the results. So...they diet even more lol!

Good luck, there is no reason you can't lose some pudge before summer....but that doesn't mean you have to lose 3-5 pounds of scale weight!

[summertown74]

Thanks ladies! I am definitely not hung up on losing scale weight; I'd much rather lose body fat percentage points :) by gaining muscle! I only mentioned my bodyweight because I thought it seemed relevant...in comparison to where I was in September (and I know the four pounds I've gained is NOT muscle, it's ALLLL fat! lol...).

Thanks Rowyn for saying 6 months is a doable time frame :)

*hurries off to design kick ass plan*

[kdiamond55]

Thank you both! Karen I do crossfit also; but am having a hard time doing crossfit AND heavy lifting...in fact it ain't happening...how do you do it?



I really don't do both. If I am doing 3x a week CF (which I am now) I am only doing cardio or circuit training on my off days. Right now I am progressing more with CF so I'll stick with that. Just PUSH yourself at CF, lift heavy when you're there, don't skimp on the workouts and stick to a sound nutrition plan and you will definitely see results. :)

[rockangel]

Thank you both! Karen I do crossfit also; but am having a hard time doing crossfit AND heavy lifting...in fact it ain't happening...how do you do it?

So I agree with both of you that I need to gain muscle, not "lose weight". I was planning on bulking this winter, but I've had two injuries back to back (shoulder, now knee), which have prevented me from lifting heavy like I wanted. Long story shortened, I gained fat instead of muscle!! I'm just starting to be able to lift upper body again, but taking it easy as I start so that I don't re-injure my shoulder.

I guess I thought I could lose some this pudge for summer, was I wrong? :(

thanks both for replying!!

If you look at my stats and yours they are very similar.
You are about the same weight as I was when i started last year, and you are only an inch taller than me.

Thats why i say recomp or gain. Because at our low weight/height, neither of us has any choice.

But both of those choices are slow so it is likely you will lose some fat loss but it wont be mind blowing and losing weight will not work for what you want.

Thats why i say 6 months will get you far but you wont be at the end, you will only just be beginning.
A year in and i am still looking at another year of proper (read nutrious) dieting and hard lifiting before i am looking at really being "lean" and "defined" and prob another year or two more to really get where i would like.

So 6 months is just the tip of the iceburg. You have to think long term, lifestyle, for the look you want.

[Rowyn]

So 6 months is just the tip of the iceburg. You have to think long term, lifestyle, for the look you want.

She just wants to look hot in a bikini this summer, not step on the figure stage:)

[summertown74]

If you look at my stats and yours they are very similar.
You are about the same weight as I was when i started last year, and you are only an inch taller than me.

Thats why i say recomp or gain. Because at our low weight/height, neither of us has any choice.

But both of those choices are slow so it is likely you will lose some fat loss but it wont be mind blowing and losing weight will not work for what you want.

Thats why i say 6 months will get you far but you wont be at the end, you will only just be beginning.
A year in and i am still looking at another year of proper (read nutrious) dieting and hard lifiting before i am looking at really being "lean" and "defined" and prob another year or two more to really get where i would like.

So 6 months is just the tip of the iceburg. You have to think long term, lifestyle, for the look you want.


Long term, lifestyle, is exactly what I'm most concerned about. BUT, I do want to look good this summer. I'm not willing to crash diet, lose any more muscle, or accept any temporary fixes. But I am also not willing to accept that in 6 months I can't look a heck of a lot better than I do now :) but yes, 6 months is just the beginning of the rest of my life!

[rockangel]

She just wants to look hot in a bikini this summer, not step on the figure stage:)

Not saying she wants to compete, but "looking hot in a bikini" and "dropping fat" aint as easy as it sounds (or how some of the ladies on here make it look!).

I know i didnt look "hot in a bikini" in just 6 months, even though i wished i could have. I still have trouble spots (that you can see in my photos) and while i am a heck of a lot better than i was, i still dont consider myself beach ready.

Just dont want her to come up with the heartbreak that i did when i realized that 6 months wasnt enough time given my body shape and size and the REAL amount of fat i was carrying (because in my own head 105 and was not fat and i only needed to lose like 10 pounds to be bikini ready) i was dumb and clueless and heartbroken when i realized that I 1) had more fat than i thought 2)saw how long this process really was going to be 3) didnt look "hot" in my bikini pics as i thought i should.

And all that was with the professional and guided help of coaches doing my nutrition and training plans with weekly check ups with them.

[summertown74]

Not saying she wants to compete, but "looking hot in a bikini" and "dropping fat" aint as easy as it sounds (or how some of the ladies on here make it look!).

I know i didnt look "hot in a bikini" in just 6 months, even though i wished i could have. I still have trouble spots (that you can see in my photos) and while i am a heck of a lot better than i was, i still dont consider myself beach ready.

Just dont want her to come up with the heartbreak that i did when i realized that 6 months wasnt enough time given my body shape and size and the REAL amount of fat i was carrying (because in my own head 105 and was not fat and i only needed to lose like 10 pounds to be bikini ready) i was dumb and clueless and heartbroken when i realized that I 1) had more fat than i thought 2)saw how long this process really was going to be 3) didnt look "hot" in my bikini pics as i thought i should.

And all that was with the professional and guided help of coaches doing my nutrition and training plans with weekly check ups with them.


Oh...I've been heartbroken so bad already! ;)

The thing to remember is this: just becuz you don't have your ideal body yet, doesn't mean you don't look hot! I know I've got *plenty* of fat, but I think my body has rockin curves. They're just hopefully gonna get tighter!

Thx for your feedback, rockangel!

[dreahere]

Oh...I've been heartbroken so bad already! ;)

The thing to remember is this: just becuz you don't have your ideal body yet, doesn't mean you don't look hot! I know I've got *plenty* of fat, but I think my body has rockin curves. They're just hopefully gonna get tighter!

Thx for your feedback, rockangel!

That's a wonderful attitude, and I agree.

If I thought I had to be perfect to look good, I'd slit my wrists right now, or just give up and sink back on the couch with a bag of chips. Eight months ago I weighed about 20 pounds more than I do right now and wore two sizes bigger. I had muffin top that I hated, batwing arms, narrower shoulders, and if there were nice big quads underneath my thigh fat, you certainly couldn't tell. Now I've got nice arms and shoulders (if I do say so, ahem), quad definition for the first time in my life, the beginnings of a four pack. I'm also a middle-aged woman who has some ugly loose stomach skin, boobs that have gone slightly south, and still some cellulite on the back and sides of my legs. Nowhere close to perfect, but I feel great.

OP, you can definitely make some real noticable changes in 6 months. If I could, anyone can.

[hisangel]

That's a wonderful attitude, and I agree.

If I thought I had to be perfect to look good, I'd slit my wrists right now, or just give up and sink back on the couch with a bag of chips. Eight months ago I weighed about 20 pounds more than I do right now and wore two sizes bigger. I had muffin top that I hated, batwing arms, narrower shoulders, and if there were nice big quads underneath my thigh fat, you certainly couldn't tell. Now I've got nice arms and shoulders (if I do say so, ahem), quad definition for the first time in my life, the beginnings of a four pack. I'm also a middle-aged woman who has some ugly loose stomach skin, boobs that have gone slightly south, and still some cellulite on the back and sides of my legs. Nowhere close to perfect, but I feel great.

OP, you can definitely make some real noticable changes in 6 months. If I could, anyone can.

Alot of great info and motivation here. I know that i still look ok - at 41 (ugh) - but I want more out of how hard I worked to get the muscle I have. I just need it to show!! The new diet is fantastic though... much easier to follow than the one I did before. Just remember - it goes on easy - comes off slow.

[twixychick]

Hi all,
I want to look hot in a bikini this summer! That's the goal.

Right now I weigh 104.6, with no clue as to my bodyfat percentage. I'm not super into the numbers at this point, I just know how I want to look ;-)

so here's the question..with six months to get there, should i do a small deficit for the entire time (with a few planned breaks), or should i continue at maintenance for say 3 months then cut? i figure ive got about 5-6 pounds to lose. my maintenance cals are about 1650.

also my long term goal is to build muscle, so I don't want to interfere with that TOO much.

Thanks!

I am a super duper beginner at all this, so my next statement is just my uneducated opinion. But seeing as how you look pretty good now, I can't imagine that you WOULDN'T look hot in a bikini in 6 months, given that you put in the work. 6 months is a decent amount of time. Just look at all the 12 week transformations all over the internet!

[Rowyn]

The thing to remember is this: just becuz you don't have your ideal body yet, doesn't mean you don't look hot! I know I've got *plenty* of fat, but I think my body has rockin curves. They're just hopefully gonna get tighter!


+


That's a wonderful attitude, and I agree.

If I thought I had to be perfect to look good, I'd slit my wrists right now.... Nowhere close to perfect, but I feel great.

OP, you can definitely make some real noticable changes in 6 months. If I could, anyone can.

YES, that is the attitude to take!! You don't have to be "perfect" to be hot! Lord, you want to make yourself feel really good fast? Go to a public beach in the US and check it out.....people are in AWFUL shape these days.

Everyone is different. Just because one person's stats match another person's stats doesn't mean their body looks the same or will respond similarly to training. Cripes, I would be doing the happy dance at your stats and 6 months to lean out for the beach! It is totally easier than people make it out to be on this forum what with the Bodybugg obsessions and funky splits and carbing up and down.....I swear they make more work of logging and counting and planning than actual training:) Find your true maintenance, eat at that (eating at maintenance doesn't mean to eat as much as you want or you will hold fat rather than leaning out), and lift hard on a decent program that focuses on the big compound lifts.

And post pics when you get in that bikini;)

[Chrissief]

Judging by your avatar, you already look great in a bikini! Good luck with your goals :)