Question about fat loss and training cycles.

[catskills]

Just a couple of questions, I am fairly new to body building and I have been lifting on an entry level strength training program since December, although I did lift for about 8 months once in my 20s. I am basically at that point where my upper body (arms and trunk area) is fairly lean. Breasts are almost gone. Luckily from strength training I have some decent muscle in my arms and core so I don't look like a skeleton. The problem is I am still carrying extra fat on my lower body. I have to now restrict my calories so that I can get rid of the excess fat on my lower body (back of the legs is where it mostly is). I can see that I have good muscle underneath the fat, so I am not worried about my legs looking stick-like when it comes off, but I am concerned about my upper body still. I would like to build a bit more muscle up there still. Here are my questions:

1. Can I still build muscle on the upper body while trying to attack the fat loss on my legs?

2. Do I have to switch to a bulk/lean cycle at this point? If so what does that look like? (For the past two years I have been just trying to lose fat so I don't know what a training cycle is)

Any other advice would be great thanks.

[freebirdmac]

Just a couple of questions, I am fairly new to body building and I have been lifting on an entry level strength training program since December, although I did lift for about 8 months once in my 20s. I am basically at that point where my upper body (arms and trunk area) is fairly lean. Breasts are almost gone. Luckily from strength training I have some decent muscle in my arms and core so I don't look like a skeleton. The problem is I am still carrying extra fat on my lower body. I have to now restrict my calories so that I can get rid of the excess fat on my lower body (back of the legs is where it mostly is). I can see that I have good muscle underneath the fat, so I am not worried about my legs looking stick-like when it comes off, but I am concerned about my upper body still. I would like to build a bit more muscle up there still. Here are my questions:

1. Can I still build muscle on the upper body while trying to attack the fat loss on my legs?

2. Do I have to switch to a bulk/lean cycle at this point? If so what does that look like? (For the past two years I have been just trying to lose fat so I don't know what a training cycle is)

Any other advice would be great thanks.

It'd be better to see some picts before rendering an opinion. In the meantime go browse through the female>general>bulking thread. There are many progress picts in there as well as diet and training advice.

[catskills]

Ok, I will put some on my body space. It will just take me a bit of time to get some good shots and maybe that will be better thanks.

[catskills]

Photos are up on my body space in the gallery section. Some are really poor quality, but they will give you an idea of what I am talking about, with respect to my focus.

[freebirdmac]

Looks to me like you can lean out for awhile before worrying about being too depleted up top. There are 3 ways of doing this. Eat at maintenance and allow as much muscle building as possible without being at a surplus and take advantage of how the body partitions calories to very slowly lose fat. Eat at a medium deficit, 250 calories, and allow more fat loss but less muscle building, or go for a 500 cal deficit and maybe build some muscle (being a newbie will help). I do think eventually you will have to do a bulk cut cycle but you can save that for fall. Work on fat loss until then at whatever rate you're comfortable with.

[catskills]

Ok thanks. I am working at about a 250 deficit right now, because I think I have to focus on getting that fat off. I just didn't want to shoot myself in the foot, for building muscle mass, because I still need a bit more, especially in the upper body area. What is the link you mentioned: female>general>bulking. I looked for it but couldn't find it.

[freebirdmac]

Here it is http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=128051673

Careful, you'll get totally psyched to bulk