Weight-training question?

[hopelessromantic26]

So I've started weight-training in September. I've seen great results. I am currently 5'2 and 123 pounds, which I think is where I want to stay. My problem is I still have a layer of fat that I could turn into muscle, but the more I try, the more my muscles grow and yet the layer stays. I am starting to realize that my pants and shirts are getting loose around the middle area but tight around my upper arms and thighs. I follow my instructor-planned exercise routine to a T. What can I do to lean out those muscles or is this just a transitioning stage?

Currently I do a lot of weight lifting and 30 min on the exercise bike on random mode. I try to go almost everyday, but usually end up doing 4-5 nights a week.

Updates

+1 y

Just to make it clear, I am asking two questions


1) How do I get rid of the fat layer and


2) MOST importantly, how do I make it so my muscles do not bulge?

[kholland65]

first off all put more of a focus on cardio. That is the best way to burn the fat. Weight lifting isn't inherently going to burn a lot of fat, unless its a routine that keeps your heart rate up. Plus like you've noticed there is the side effect that you will see an increase in muscle mass depending on how your lifting.

Using a treadmill or even better a stair stepper, might also be best. It works you the hardest and its hard to cheat.

Use interval training (google it)

When lifting weights, lower your weight amounts and increase your reps. If you're still building muscle, your likely lifting to much weight for not enough reps. You should probably doing somewhere around 50-60% of your one rep max, and doing 16 reps, give or take. That way your weight lifting routine is more about cardio and cutting than it is bulking.

Finally don't forget about your diet. Eat lean foods that are low in fat, carbs and sugar. Especially later in the day.

[hopelessromantic26]

thank you for your suggestion. See I hear such contradictory things about more reps less weight and its counterpart. I will look into this and also try interval training...I usually do 15 reps 2 sets with a minute break between each set but I feel like that's not the same as interval training?

[kholland65]

interval training is a cardio thing. Not weight training.

[dan123z4]

Your total caloric need based on your activity is about 2300 the best way to lose the last few pounds is 3 - 4 days a week eat the right amount preferably on workout days. The remainder of days cut your intake by about 400 cals. This is known as the zig zag diet, and its designed to prevent your metabolism from slowing down by eating enough every other day.



As to bulging. That's not possible unless on steroids. Women have less than a tenth of the testosterone that men have, so they will never bulge. The biggest you'll get is like juliane michaels.

[Morningglory3]

Look into The Tracy Anderson Method. It's not for everyone. A lot of people don't like Tracy, but I like doing her method.

[ladsin]

watch diet, do more cardio, don't do heavy weights, do lighter wieghts with more reps. also look into plyometrics I know a lot of wrestlers that have to lose weight or stay at the same weight use that

[hopelessromantic26]

thank you for your suggestion...i also have back and knee problems so I don't think plyometrics (from what I have read after you suggested it) would really work but I will take it to my fitness instructor and research further.

[Electric_Boogaloo]

I'd more cardio in lieu of a diet plan to help lose the fat, and as for not making your muscles bulge, don't do heavy weights, do ones that you can feel are strong, but they're easy enough to work with.

[kheserthorpe]

Building muscle and losing fat are different things.

Fat loss is primarily diet.

[dan123z4]

Do you have fat or flab

[hopelessromantic26]

it's a layer of fat...i wasn't much bigger to begin with so it's not skin I know that for sure

[dan123z4]

The last few pounds are the hardest so you need to have a strict diet aside from your resistance training. As to doing more cardio, that's not true cardio burns less in the long run bec the after burn is 36 hrs after your workout, where as weight lifting is 48. Plus for every pound of musxle your body burns an extra 50 cals a day to maintain it.

The most probable reason is that you don't eat enough so your body thinks its not getting its nutrition so it holds onto the fat.