What the what?!?

[solith181]

Ok....new here! However not new to fitness or weight training. Been working on losing fatand building muscle since January 1st. Started off 198 pounds and a size 16! The end of May I was 145 pounds and a size 7/8. Then I started bulking to build more muscle. I'm working towards doing a full unassisted pull up. Right now I've almost got a full unassisted chin up and that means the pull up isn't far behind!

My point is....I currently weigh 169 pounds and between a size 7/8 and a 9/10. How is that possible? I still don't see hardly any muscle definition unless I flex or am weight training. I know that bulking does that but just a little confused. I want to start the leaning process.....how doing begin?

Please help haha.

[spradish]

How tall are you?

You need to eat in a calorie deficit in order to lose weight, or lean out. Keep in mind that losing 53 lbs in 5 months was very fast. Losing a bit more slowly will allow you to continue lifting weights (and likely making strength gains) which will end in a better body composition.

I'd start out at 1800 calories per day. Weigh your solid food, measure your liquids, and log the calories using correct nutrition info. Evaluate how you're doing after a month.

[solith181]

I'm 5'3".
Not to concerned with the scale so much just want my muscles to start being seen haha.

I am aware that losing weight that fast was a lot but was part of a weight loss challenge with $10k on the line. I landed in the top ten. I have since May been building my muscles back up and bulking at 1800 calories haha.

Maybe 1500 would be better???

Weight training five days a week with a split schedule. Also, run three days a week 4-6 miles each time.

[spradish]

May was 20 weeks ago. You've gained 24 lbs in 20 weeks, which is about a pound per week or 500 extra calories per day. You've been eating more than 1800 calories because your maintenance is not 1300 calories per day. The majority of what you've gained is not muscle. It was probably about 4 lbs of muscle and 20 lbs of water and fat. You need to get better at logging calories.

[solith181]

May was 20 weeks ago. You've gained 24 lbs in 20 weeks, which is about a pound per week or 500 extra calories per day. You've been eating more than 1800 calories because your maintenance is not 1300 calories per day. The majority of what you've gained is not muscle. It was probably about 4 lbs of muscle and 20 lbs of water and fat. You need to get better at logging calories.

I appreciate your response.... however I have been logging my calories correctly. I feel as though your reply was a little too cheeky.

My metabolism is almost non-existent. My entire family is over 300 pounds. One of my aunt's got stomach reduction surgery (where her physical stomach muscle was physically reduced) and was only able to lose 100 pounds..... making her 230 pounds still....

Also Hun.....I used to be a personal trainer and know what caloric deficit looks like.

Everyone is different.... just because you think you know what is going on doesn't mean you know.

When I don't exercise I can't lose weight unless I eat around 1100 calories.

[spradish]

Bariatric surgery does not trump calories in/out when it comes to weight loss. It's not unusual for people to get the surgery, lose quite a lot of weight initially, and then either stall out or gain weight due to eating too many calories. Your aunt is not unique in that respect.

Similarly, you don't have a uniquely slow metabolism. You are short and if you engage in little activity (e.g., no exercise) it's normal to have to eat little in order to lose weight.

Personal trainers are not necessarily well-educated on matters of nutrition and diet. I consider your knowledge of those subjects suspect based on the content of your posts.

[RH709]

Keep doing what you are doing. In a few years you will see the muscle. Muscle takes time. Keep putting in the work day in a day out and the muscle will come but understand it takes quite a bit of time.

[solith181]

Keep doing what you are doing. In a few years you will see the muscle. Muscle takes time. Keep putting in the work day in a day out and the muscle will come but understand it takes quite a bit of time.

Thanks!!!!
Working hard! Has taken me forever to get to where I am I feels like haha. I think sometimes we just get frustrated for working so hard and not seeing what we hope to see yet.

Hopefully by Summer next year I'll have those summer muscles on point haha.