Help!! Lost 30 lbs and want to gain muscle mass

[lickya42000]

Since the beginning of this year, as a New Year's resolution, I decided to lose weight. I am 20yo, 5'8" and initially weighed at 180lbs and now I'm down to 150 (although it's technically 148). So, BMI wise I'm in the ideal range. Before, my BMI was at the beginning of the "overweight" range. My program was very simple: ate less calories and healthy foods, had a "cheat day" once a week, exercised 6 days a week. I ran 3 miles a day (on all 6 days) on the treadmill (at 6.5 mph speed) and did strength training every other day. If I felt like it, I added a 10-20 minute elliptical session. For strength training, I did vertical/inclined chest presses, lat pull-downs, compound rows for back, leg presses, and arms/shoulders. I picked weights that would just be hard enough to do 3 sets of 8 on all exercises. Mind you, at that time, I didn't care about being muscular, I just wanted to lose the weight!!!

Anyways, I'm at my target weight and I'm so happy that I've been keeping it off. I still have a little "fat" in the mid-section, though, but it doesn't bother me because I'm sure that as I continue to exercise, it'll be gone in no time.

Here's where I'm at: I want to gain muscle mass and size. I want my arms to bigger and my chest a bit bigger and of course to sculpt my abs (which I can kinda see now!).

It's really confusing for me because I've been reading articles on muscle mass gain and a lot of people have said to increase your caloric intake (which terrifies me because I've been cutting down calories to lose all this weight!). Also, I don't know where to start. I think the routine has helped me maintain and strengthen my muscle a bit while losing weight (which is great because a lot of people lose muscle while trying to lose weight). But now I just want to gain muscle size and not gain fat (in fact, it'd be nice if I could keep on shredding the fat away).

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks in advance

 

[Newbie_69]

If Gaining Muscle Mass what you want- Don't waste your time. Get a personal Trainer. Now!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its the perfect time.

 

[Soilwork]

Heavy weights... don't be afriad of carbs and fat after a workout.. Whey protein.. peanut butter and berries on Whole Wheat Bread.. eggs... plenty of hard work in the gym.. lots of water and plenty of sleep.

Remember that muscle will need more calories.. eat plenty of food to feed your muscle.. stay away from sugar.

Muscle is the key to burning fat.

Once I quit drinking and hit the gym regularly.. even for just 30-40 minutes a day.. I got more muscle.. which burned off the last bit of fat I had.

Musce is the only way to burn off that last lingering bit around your middle. It's what boosts your metabolism which burns your reserves and goes to your storage (that's that last little bit under your belly button).

If you put on 6 lbs. of muscle, you'll burn an extra pound of fat per week just by sitting there in a chair or sleeping.. so imagine how much more fat you'll burn by working out.


Oh.. one last thing.. scale back the cardio. Too much running will boost your system into over-load.. your body will burn through the sugar in your system quickly and you won't be able to access your fat reserves fast enough.. so it'll start to burn muscle. Which isn't what you want.

 

[Soilwork]

Oh.. the book that worked for me was "The Abs Diet" which you can get just about anywhere, but menshealth.com publishes it and it's easy to follow and it's pretty cheap.

 

[lickya42000]

Thanks everyone for your tips and suggestions.

I've started to cut down my cardio a lot and I will now do HIIT 3 days a week.

I'm starting to use heavier weights, but I'm not sure how to figure out the right set/rep combo to use. I mean you hear of 10x3, 4x6, 5x5, and 3x8 (which I've been using for the past 9 months...and it hasn't made my muscles grow that much).

 

[Soilwork]

Everyone's body is different.. trial and error.

But trust me on the Whey protein.

I blend up whey protein (NOT soy protein) with some 1% milk, some dru quaker quick oats, some berries, a dash of Flax seed and some unflavoured low fat yogourt. drink that before your workout and then follow it with an apple and plenty of water.

you'll see a difference.

 

[lickya42000]

But trust me on the Whey protein.

I blend up whey protein (NOT soy protein) with some 1% milk, some dru quaker quick oats, some berries, a dash of Flax seed and some unflavoured low fat yogourt. drink that before your workout and then follow it with an apple and plenty of water.

you'll see a difference.

Cool...yeah, I should def start drinking the whey.

What are your thoughts about Creatine? I heard it helps, but I also heard it makes you gain water weight.

 

[Soilwork]

I mean.. Creatine will give you a lit, for sure... it makes your muscles retain more water which is where they store sugar... so you can lift more and you can lift for longer.

But it also means that although your muscles will grow.. you won't be burning fat and the lift is temporary. Once you get off the Creatine, your muslces will return to normal.

 

[lickya42000]

So it's best if I don't use Creatine and just use Whey Protein, instead.....

Do you use Whey protein before or after workouts, or do you drink it a few times a day?

Thanks a lot. This is really helping me!!

 

[PER4MER]

I stopped using creatine; didn't think it was worth the expense.

I've had great results with whey protein, however.

Congratulations! And good luck!

 

[wonderfulelectric]

Stop cardio entirely and do weight training. Increase healthy fat and protein intake and lower carbs, eat carbs before and after workout. Make sure than calorie intake remains the same as before. You will see a change of body composition.