well, I’ve been working out for about a year now and I have gained a good amount of muscles all over my body, however I’ve not achieved the muscle definition I desire.
I used to eat a lot and I certainly didn’t hold back on sugary treats but now I’ve minimised my portion sizes and I limited my sugar intake and I still train as hard as before, I was 75 kilos, now i’m 71, and it’s only been 3 days since I began this procedure. is what I’m doing right for body definition goals or is this going to lead to muscle loss along with the weight loss? I certainly don’t want to lose my muscles that I worked so hard to gain.
What does minimizing your pottion size actually mean?
What were you eating before/what are you eating now?
How many calories are you eating?
How much protein?
Losing bodyfat takes less time than gaining muscle mass so as a beginner, as long as you arent overly fat, your focus should be on intelligently gaining muscle mass while keeping fat gains to a minimum.
You weigh about 160lbs. That isn’t much unless you are very short.[/quote]
I’m 20 years old, soon to be 21 in 31 of October
I’m 5.10 ft (178 cm)
not an option right now, as I’m connected with my phone. but I can give you an idea, I have a good amount of muscles and I’m thin all over my body with the exception of my belly. not a big belly too.
[quote]Smashingweights wrote:
Like professor X said, you’re pretty small.
What does minimizing your pottion size actually mean?
What were you eating before/what are you eating now?
How many calories are you eating?
How much protein?
Losing bodyfat takes less time than gaining muscle mass so as a beginner, as long as you arent overly fat, your focus should be on intelligently gaining muscle mass while keeping fat gains to a minimum.
Good luck OP.[/quote]
lol, I’m not small, I’m considered to be tall.
minimising portion sizes, means eating less than before, example:- a full plate of rice gets reduced to half a plate.
I don’t count calories, I just eat less than what I used to.
Protein is nearly daily, I have no problem with that.
160lbs at 5’10 is small unless you are extremely lean. It is way more likely that you could add more size and reach your goal.
Post pictures.[/quote]
This unless you are stage lean or low singles you are not big sorry. [/quote]
what is your definition of big? I didn’t mean I’m big in muscles or body. I meant in height only. I have a little bit of belly fat and I want it to go away, that’s why I’m asking if eating less and working out hard will achieve that.
160lbs at 5’10 is small unless you are extremely lean. It is way more likely that you could add more size and reach your goal.
Post pictures.[/quote]
This unless you are stage lean or low singles you are not big sorry. [/quote]
what is your definition of big? I didn’t mean I’m big in muscles or body. I meant in height only. I have a little bit of belly fat and I want it to go away, that’s why I’m asking if eating less and working out hard will achieve that.
[/quote]
In terms of height I’d cal you AVg
As SW said beginner gains of muscle are the best of your career so get then while the getting is good
160lbs at 5’10 is small unless you are extremely lean. It is way more likely that you could add more size and reach your goal.
Post pictures.[/quote]
This unless you are stage lean or low singles you are not big sorry. [/quote]
what is your definition of big? I didn’t mean I’m big in muscles or body. I meant in height only. I have a little bit of belly fat and I want it to go away, that’s why I’m asking if eating less and working out hard will achieve that.
[/quote]
Sure, if you don’t care that you don’t look like you workout.
5’10 160 pounds is a small person. Average height, average weight for someone who doesn’t lift weighs at all.
It is more than likely that you are not carrying enough muscle to support the look you are hoping to achieve.
You need to build more muscle.
When I ask how much protein you eat the answer shouldn’t be “nearly daily” lol
You should be eating 200+ grams a day, every day.
[quote]Smashingweights wrote:
What country are you from?
5’10 160 pounds is a small person. Average height, average weight for someone who doesn’t lift weighs at all.
It is more than likely that you are not carrying enough muscle to support the look you are hoping to achieve.
You need to build more muscle.
When I ask how much protein you eat the answer shouldn’t be “nearly daily” lol
You should be eating 200+ grams a day, every day.[/quote]
A chicken breast, some red meat, a couple of eggs, and a scoop or two of pro powder per day will get you well on your way to 200 grams of pro a day, adjust accordingly to where you are from. Those are staples of mine each and every day.
[quote]funckygarcon wrote:
well, I’ve been working out for about a year now and I have gained a good amount of muscles all over my body, however I’ve not achieved the muscle definition I desire.[/quote]
Definition and size gains is a year is far from likely for you based on the lack of nutrition knowledge you have displayed in this post. I bet you eat a fairly typical, non-bodybuilder diet over the past year - not to downplay your efforts and accomplishments in that time; it’s just that you are claiming to be unhappy with your gut at a weight of 160. That’s not a tiny number, and nothing to beat yourself up about, it’s just that you can’t expect miracles in a 1 year time span. Can you estimate your BF%? In all honesty, you probably need to consider continuing to bulk, and get serious about it.
To answer your question regarding portion size and training, yes, to GENERALIZE, eating less and training hard with “cut you up”. It will take considerable time (probably 30 days as a rough estimate) before you start losing considerable muscle, assuming you are still eating enough protein, and get the occasional refeed (“cheat”) meal
If you are in the high teen (18+%) body fat percent range, then you would probably benefit from a short cutting cycle, IMO. To do this, eat 1500 kcals on non-training days, and ~1800 kcals on training days, perhaps a bit more on particularly grueling days.
Please, if you can elucidate your dietary strategy (and pictures?), we could probably do a better job of helping point you in the right direction.
Ultimately, at a bodyweight of 160 at your height, your frame should easily be able to handle much more mass. Train hard and eat right. Prioritize nutrient rich foods. You need protein, vitamins, minerals, and essential fats. Carbs should be used to fuel your training, and sugar should only be consumed in moderation on training days around your workout, as it generally does nothing for your physique or health (not counting a piece or two of fruit – maybe a little more when bulking, but in general sugar and too much starch is accompanied by digestive issues).