OK, I am grasping at straws here looking for some help. I have been at a steady state plateau for 3 months now - weight is at 143. I am 5'5'' female, 30 yrs old.
Previously, I was on 1200 calorie diet and burning a lot of calories through cardio and some weight lifting. After reading many posts, I realized I was undereating and upped the cals slowly to 1500...lost 2 lbs..and regained them...now have been told to up cals more so i am averaging about 1800 cals / day for the past 3 weeks. STILL NO CHANGE.
1) does that calories intake seem right for weight loss?? I'm trying to get to my goal range of 128-133.
2) I heard that if you wants to be muscular and lean (WHICH I DO!) then you should focus more on weight training vs. cardio and thru the building of lean muscle, you will eventually lose the fat covering the muscles. Is that true?
If so, do you eat to lose weight (i dont want to lose muscle) or do i eat to gain muscle (ie eating more)? I am confused...and desperately want to see a change in inches/scale/clothes/ anything! Or, should I focus on weight loss through calorie deficits and then build the muscle back up once I've lost weight? That seems counterproductive. I am just lost.
thanks.
Previously, I was on 1200 calorie diet and burning a lot of calories through cardio and some weight lifting. After reading many posts, I realized I was undereating and upped the cals slowly to 1500...lost 2 lbs..and regained them...now have been told to up cals more so i am averaging about 1800 cals / day for the past 3 weeks. STILL NO CHANGE.
1) does that calories intake seem right for weight loss?? I'm trying to get to my goal range of 128-133.
2) I heard that if you wants to be muscular and lean (WHICH I DO!) then you should focus more on weight training vs. cardio and thru the building of lean muscle, you will eventually lose the fat covering the muscles. Is that true?
If so, do you eat to lose weight (i dont want to lose muscle) or do i eat to gain muscle (ie eating more)? I am confused...and desperately want to see a change in inches/scale/clothes/ anything! Or, should I focus on weight loss through calorie deficits and then build the muscle back up once I've lost weight? That seems counterproductive. I am just lost.
thanks.