Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it amusing that people tell you building muscle will be so easy.

I lift heavy's at plenty of protein, and I am lucky to put on a few pounds of muscle a year.

Putting aside training, it comes down to genetics, your hormone profile at the time, and age.

I totally agree OP needs to start lifting heavy, but she also needs to lose fat. Changing her diet is going to be key.

Absolutely nobody said it would be easy. We just said at least now she knows she has to start. My comment on page one specifically says move diet toward whole nutritious foods and build muscle.

Actually at least two posters did. Did you read the posts?

One said about building muscle -- "Don't worry. The change happens relatively quick."

Another said -- "So basically you have low muscle mass? Seems that’s an easy thing to work on. It’s fun building muscle and doesn’t take too much effort."

In the beginning stages of fitness, the relatively changes are much easier than later changes. That's why it's much easier to lose the first 10 pounds than the last 10 pounds. Or initially gain muscle than gain muscle after the initial plateau.

OP,

Adding muscle will also help with bone density. The greater the muscle mass in the 50s, the lower the risk of dementia.

I'd consider joining a gym and working with a trainer at first to learn proper form with machines and to get a bodyweight routine down. I don't think just doing more of what you have been doing that has gotten you to this point is the answer. Abdominal obesity is a risk for metabolic syndrome - diabetes, NAFLD, heart disease, mood disorders, some cancers and Alzheimer's. Muscle is most effectively built in the gym. A trainer at first can help guide you and maximize "newbie gains" and consistent recomp.

Adding muscle boosts resting metabolic rate and will pay greater dividends for fat loss than simply increasing cardio. That is the swiftest, surest route to body recomp. Also, make sure you are getting plenty of bioavailable leucine, for ex. collagen has little.

This study may also be of interest. https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12937-022-00790-0

Good luck!

In Apple Podcasts look up podcasts on skinny fat. Basically advice is high protein and lift heavy

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. So what do I need to do to gain lean muscle and lose fat?

I already eat pretty healthy and exercise. I am not on a diet however, and am clearly indulging too much for my small frame.

Lift weights - lift heavier if you’re already lifting.

Op here. Right now I lift 8-10 lbs.

I do barre 2-3 times a week and walk a lot.

I will increase my cardio and lift heavier to supplement barre classes.

Increasing cardio isn’t necessary. Now, you could make it a point to walk 15-20k steps a day, because low impact steady state cardio is heart healthy and good for moving you into a calorie deficit but HIIT isn’t going to help you very much. Barre isn’t either. You need to lift heavy to build muscle, eat more protein and fiber. You’re trying to convert some of your visceral fat to muscle , not just lose weight- that wouldn’t shift the high proportion of fat you have

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you not know how big you were before the scan?

No. I look a little chubby, not obese!

Congrats! You’re skinny fat, the least healthy kind!

But you’re bitter fat, and there’s no cure; the impulse you have to blame everyone for your corpulence isn’t a good look. Just like you don’t look good in anything, ever.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am 4’11 and 123 lbs.

I’m horrified. Most of it is in my trunk.

Visceral fat, the deadliest kind. You are an example of the many normal weight people who will likely develop metabolic disorder and NAFLD despite appearing on the surface to be fit and healthy.

Conversely 20% of obese people are metabolically healthy and will live regular lifespans in relative health.

It’s way more complex than fat bad slender good, calories in calories out.

If you care about your health I highly recommend the books and videos of Dr. Robert Lustig.

Ah yes. We see so many obese people who are strolling around in perfect metabolic health. Incredibly common.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you not know how big you were before the scan?

No. I look a little chubby, not obese!

Congrats! You’re skinny fat, the least healthy kind!

Anonymous wrote:I find it amusing that people tell you building muscle will be so easy.

I lift heavy's at plenty of protein, and I am lucky to put on a few pounds of muscle a year.

Putting aside training, it comes down to genetics, your hormone profile at the time, and age.

I totally agree OP needs to start lifting heavy, but she also needs to lose fat. Changing her diet is going to be key.

I would actually think that someone with such an extremely low baseline of lean mass will have a pretty easy time to gain at least the first 10 pounds or so of muscle, even in a deficit. She will need to eat heavy and lift weights in a structured way with progressive overload. I agree she needs to lose a good amount of fat too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. So what do I need to do to gain lean muscle and lose fat?

I already eat pretty healthy and exercise. I am not on a diet however, and am clearly indulging too much for my small frame.

Lift weights - lift heavier if you’re already lifting.

Op here. Right now I lift 8-10 lbs.

I do barre 2-3 times a week and walk a lot.

I will increase my cardio and lift heavier to supplement barre classes.

Read books by Dr Stacy Simms

OP consider actually decreasing your cardio, not increasing. You need to focus on lifting, and core + balance work which you will get from barre.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. So what do I need to do to gain lean muscle and lose fat?

I already eat pretty healthy and exercise. I am not on a diet however, and am clearly indulging too much for my small frame.

Lift weights - lift heavier if you’re already lifting.

Op here. Right now I lift 8-10 lbs.

I do barre 2-3 times a week and walk a lot.

I will increase my cardio and lift heavier to supplement barre classes.

Read books by Dr Stacy Simms

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it amusing that people tell you building muscle will be so easy.

I lift heavy's at plenty of protein, and I am lucky to put on a few pounds of muscle a year.

Putting aside training, it comes down to genetics, your hormone profile at the time, and age.

I totally agree OP needs to start lifting heavy, but she also needs to lose fat. Changing her diet is going to be key.

Absolutely nobody said it would be easy. We just said at least now she knows she has to start. My comment on page one specifically says move diet toward whole nutritious foods and build muscle.

Actually at least two posters did. Did you read the posts?

One said about building muscle -- "Don't worry. The change happens relatively quick."

Another said -- "So basically you have low muscle mass? Seems that’s an easy thing to work on. It’s fun building muscle and doesn’t take too much effort."

I said this, and I stand by it. It IS fun building muscle and it doesn’t take too much effort. No one is talking about being a body builder. And you do indeed see some results fairly quickly! OP can do it

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. So what do I need to do to gain lean muscle and lose fat?

I already eat pretty healthy and exercise. I am not on a diet however, and am clearly indulging too much for my small frame.

Lift weights - lift heavier if you’re already lifting.

Op here. Right now I lift 8-10 lbs.

I do barre 2-3 times a week and walk a lot.

I will increase my cardio and lift heavier to supplement barre classes.

Anonymous wrote:Op here. So what do I need to do to gain lean muscle and lose fat?

I already eat pretty healthy and exercise. I am not on a diet however, and am clearly indulging too much for my small frame.

Lift weights - lift heavier if you’re already lifting.

Op here. So what do I need to do to gain lean muscle and lose fat?

I already eat pretty healthy and exercise. I am not on a diet however, and am clearly indulging too much for my small frame.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it amusing that people tell you building muscle will be so easy.

I lift heavy's at plenty of protein, and I am lucky to put on a few pounds of muscle a year.

Putting aside training, it comes down to genetics, your hormone profile at the time, and age.

I totally agree OP needs to start lifting heavy, but she also needs to lose fat. Changing her diet is going to be key.

Absolutely nobody said it would be easy. We just said at least now she knows she has to start. My comment on page one specifically says move diet toward whole nutritious foods and build muscle.

Actually at least two posters did. Did you read the posts?

One said about building muscle -- "Don't worry. The change happens relatively quick."

Another said -- "So basically you have low muscle mass? Seems that’s an easy thing to work on. It’s fun building muscle and doesn’t take too much effort."