What should I do?

Tevez101

hello, i'm 14 stone and need to get to 12.5 stone in weight, but i want some muscle aswell, I was 19 stone in july and have lost 5 stone in the last 4 months through a healthy diet and regular exercise. But I have found my arms are getting very thin although I do a small amount of weights after my cardio ( around 12 mins, 2-3 a week). would taking a protein shake help me build muscle in my arms and stomach and aid my weight loss, or could it make me get fatter, I know i would have to increase my weights work if I was to do this. And by the way, one last question, I know you cant spot reduce fat, but i still have a ''beer belly'' but have lost the fat in all other areas, my face, arms, legs etc., if I just continue on will I lose the fat in my stomach on its own without my arms getting thinner or will my body get thinner because i dont want that to happen, i've already dropped from a XXL to Medium and don't want to go any further.

Money Shot

Tevez101 wrote: »

hello, i'm 14 stone and need to get to 12.5 stone in weight,

Why do you NEED to get to 12.5 stone in weight ? I take it you're not try to make fight weight, but is there a medical reason why you need to get to 12.5 stone ?

Tevez101

Money Shot wrote: »

Why do you NEED to get to 12.5 stone in weight ? I take it you're not try to make fight weight, but is there a medical reason why you need to get to 12.5 stone ?

Well it would be a correct/healthy weight for my height.

corkcomp

op, when you have lost so much weight, the last bit will always be difficult to lose. what height are you?
can you post full diet and exercise? nothing wrong with getting to 12.5st but it wont happen over night .. i lost a similar weight previously and Im thinking in your case the weight may have come off a little too quickly, and you will have a few saggy bits .. if you eat enough and work out hard things will come good .. but expect 6 - 12 month timeframe IMO ..

drdeadlift

Get youself a good personel trainer just for a few sessions this may help you get the basics right and avoid confusion for ya,

imstrongerthanu

Don't bother posting your dam diet at all op you've done fantastic on your own.Better than most on here.
Well done.

As others have suggested lift weights and up your protein a bit and all should fall into place for you.
Good luck.

Tevez101

corkcomp wrote: »

op, when you have lost so much weight, the last bit will always be difficult to lose. what height are you?
can you post full diet and exercise? nothing wrong with getting to 12.5st but it wont happen over night .. i lost a similar weight previously and Im thinking in your case the weight may have come off a little too quickly, and you will have a few saggy bits .. if you eat enough and work out hard things will come good .. but expect 6 - 12 month timeframe IMO ..

I'm 5' 10'' and age 19, I eat around 1500 calories a day. The foods include boiled,poached,scrambled eggs, lean meats with potatoes, ham and low fat cheese sandwiches in wholemeal bread, and fruit such as bannanas, apples etc. I exercise 3-4 times a week for around 45 mins, 30 mins threadmill where i do interval training(sprinting then walking) I make up around 5 KM on average each time. To be honest, i take your point about losing it too quickly but my face, arms and legs are very lean and so I look very well in clothes but my stomach still has excess fat and I don't know ow to get rid of just that and not lose any more weight around my arms, face, legs.

corkcomp

Tevez101 wrote: »

I'm 5' 10'' and age 19, I eat around 1500 calories a day. The foods include boiled,poached,scrambled eggs, lean meats with potatoes, ham and low fat cheese sandwiches in wholemeal bread, and fruit such as bannanas, apples etc. I exercise 3-4 times a week for around 45 mins, 30 mins threadmill where i do interval training(sprinting then walking) I make up around 5 KM on average each time. To be honest, i take your point about losing it too quickly but my face, arms and legs are very lean and so I look very well in clothes but my stomach still has excess fat and I don't know ow to get rid of just that and not lose any more weight around my arms, face, legs.

diet looks pretty good but I would advise you to go up to at least 2000 cals per day - AT LEAST and more if exercising hard .. ive been in the exact same position and having excess around stomach is defo a result of losing weight too quickly, and to be fair more than a stone per month is VERY fast ... if you keep up the exercise, get a good weights program and eat enough it will all come good eventually....

Tevez101

corkcomp wrote: »

diet looks pretty good but I would advise you to go up to at least 2000 cals per day - AT LEAST and more if exercising hard .. ive been in the exact same position and having excess around stomach is defo a result of losing weight too quickly, and to be fair more than a stone per month is VERY fast ... if you keep up the exercise, get a good weights program and eat enough it will all come good eventually....

You say having excess around stomach is defo a result of losing weight too quickly, but is it not a fact that the last place you lose the fat is your stomach?

drdeadlift

Tevez101 wrote: »

You say having excess around stomach is defo a result of losing weight too quickly, but is it not a fact that the last place you lose the fat is your stomach?

?

corkcomp

Tevez101 wrote: »

You say having excess around stomach is defo a result of losing weight too quickly, but is it not a fact that the last place you lose the fat is your stomach?

ok, let me put it another way (that you may grasp better) do you think that the skin will tighten as quickly as losing 5 stone in 4 months? a lot of the excess is probably excess skin as well as fat, especially as you are looking skinny in other areas ... defo stomach fat can often be the last to shift, but its also one of the main areas where the skin needs time of adjust. an accurate bf test would be one way to determine for sure ..

Tevez101

corkcomp wrote: »

ok, let me put it another way (that you may grasp better) do you think that the skin will tighten as quickly as losing 5 stone in 4 months? a lot of the excess is probably excess skin as well as fat, especially as you are looking skinny in other areas ... defo stomach fat can often be the last to shift, but its also one of the main areas where the skin needs time of adjust. an accurate bf test would be one way to determine for sure ..

Body fat is 35%

corkcomp

Tevez101 wrote: »

Body fat is 35%

are you sure? is it 35% now or before you lost weight? it sounds very high to me ... not trying to scare you or anything but going too low on cals could mean you end up losing lean muscle tissue and the fat might not burn off as quickly. i remember you posted previously that you were only taking in 700 - 900 cals or something? so my advice is to eat plenty, keep up the cardio and lift heavy ..

imstrongerthanu

Just curious on how tall you are?

Tevez101

well it says 35% on the scale, am I was only taking in 700-900 for the first two weeks back in july

MissMotivated

Get your bodyfat measured using a callipers, those scales are not a bit accurate. I got my bf % measured 7 weeks ago on those scales and it said 25 % and I got it measured a week or 2 ago using callipers and it's actually 33%!!

corkcomp

MissMotivated wrote: »

Get your bodyfat measured using a callipers, those scales are not a bit accurate. I got my bf % measured 7 weeks ago on those scales and it said 25 % and I got it measured a week or 2 ago using callipers and it's actually 33%!!

woops! lol .. i reckon the scales is over estimating BF in the OP's case though, I doubt a guy could be 35% at 14st and that height, but i could be wrong

MissMotivated

corkcomp wrote: »

woops! lol .. i reckon the scales is over estimating BF in the OP's case though, I doubt a guy could be 35% at 14st and that height, but i could be wrong

true. he might get a nice surprise then with the callipers! i hate those scales

Tevez101

MissMotivated wrote: »

true. he might get a nice surprise then with the callipers! i hate those scales

How do I go about doing that?

MissMotivated

ask in your gym, i got mine done again yesterday because one of the other girls thought 33% didn't sound right and it was 29% when she did it :rolleyes:. as i was told on here the results are only as accurate as the person using it which is very true!

Tevez101

Ok thanks, now, back to my original question, should I or should I not start taking protein shakes and start lifting heavy weights regularly and do cardio? Will this help tighten up my skin and burn those last 20 pounds of fat, or should I keep going with just cardio and small weights with no protein shake?

RichJH

Tevez101 wrote: »

Ok thanks, now, back to my original question, should I or should I not start taking protein shakes and start lifting heavy weights regularly and do cardio? Will this help tighten up my skin and burn those last 20 pounds of fat, or should I keep going with just cardio and small weights with no protein shake?

You will achieve your goals with or without protein shakes. You only need protein shakes if you are really pushing yourself and don't get enough protein in your diet.

You really need to up your calorie intake if you're going to be hitting the weights hard. 1800-2000 should be ideal.

You can burn more fat with a decent training plan than you actaully will with cardio.
My advice to you would be to do a 3day weight plan incorporating supersets and really push yourself. And to incorporate HIIT training into your cardio plan - at least twice a week, if not three. (e.g: 10 X 100m Sprints, with warm up and cool down of 1.5KM). Try and do this outdoors as opposed to on the treadmill. And one day with a nice long run/cycle/row/swim - whatever you prefer.

Best of luck

justsomebloke

Tevez101 wrote: »

Ok thanks, now, back to my original question, should I or should I not start taking protein shakes and start lifting heavy weights regularly and do cardio? Will this help tighten up my skin and burn those last 20 pounds of fat, or should I keep going with just cardio and small weights with no protein shake?

yes start lifting heavy now due to the calorie deficit you mightn't put on any weight but it will probably help you to retain more lean body mass then if you weren't doing it.

In relation to the protein shake chances are you don't need it on the calorie allowance that you are giving yourself at the moment if you are taking in enough eggs and lean meat. That said if you are going to lift heavy weights upping your calorie intake wouldn't be the worst idea especially after weights sessions