[mojocat27]

Here is my dilemma....I am at a weight I like 135-140lbs and a size 4 but my body fat is 35%. I want to get the body fat down but i want my size to stay the same size. How would I tailor what I eat and how I exercise. The only supps I take is a pre workout powder and protein bars/powder. Gaining muscle and strength would be awesome also.

[RoaringMad Mac]

It's all about Caloric intake if you weigh 135 pounds your BMR is roughly 1400 calories a day to just walk around and live. If you where to do nothing else all day this is the amount of calories it takes to run your body daily. I'm assuming your around 5'6 or so and possible in your 40's...... that has some to do with your BMR that is why I estimated your number.

So let's say it is 1400 give or take. To maintain this weight you need to eat this amount of calories a day. Exercise is going to take away from this number so keeping a good balanced diet of complex carbs and protein is important for building muscle. If you want to stay around the weight you are but gain some muscle you might increase your caloric intake just a little but up the exercise to balance the two so you don't loose to much.

Believe me if you are working out and not eating more than you are consuming you will burn fat and gain some muscle in the process.

[RickB]

Mac gave good advice there. I will say this...and opinions may vary, but your situation might be a great situation for German Volume Training. I experienced some pretty serious recomposition results from running this. I loved it. Workouts are long and grueling, but so dang worth it imo!

If interested in doing this, let me know and I'll explain how it works. It's a very simple layout and one thing i really love about it. Few exercises, many times....and drives it home! Beat you to a pulp LOL! But it's fun!

[penkalk]

I have been reading around quite a bit and it seems a lot of people report good results with german volume training. I was considering trying it myself but I'm looking to lose weight and maintain muscle for the next few months before starting a slow slow bulk. My thought was I would save it for my bulking phase and not get burned out on it when I am losing weight, but I'm not sure if this is correct.

The last month or so, up until the this past Monday, I've stayed around 180 pounds but most certainly gained a bit of muscle and became leaner from working out, so I agree if you increase workout intensity while consuming enough calories to maintain your weight you can do it.

[RickB]

penkalk, it's my opinion that GVT would be great for cutting. I think bulking should be a mix of heavy lower rep sets with some variances in there. The extra calories will do well for the increased load you are doing. Just my own gut feeling, but I have nothing to prove it so take it for what it's worth LOL.

[mojocat27]

I am 5ft 3 in and 38yr old. My body fat percentage is around 35% measured with a body fat scale. I have also used a hand held thingy at the gym with similar result. I would love to know more about the GVT

[penkalk]

Originally Posted by RickB

penkalk, it's my opinion that GVT would be great for cutting. I think bulking should be a mix of heavy lower rep sets with some variances in there. The extra calories will do well for the increased load you are doing. Just my own gut feeling, but I have nothing to prove it so take it for what it's worth LOL.

Okay, I was on the fence about trying it out next week but I think I will give it a go because I was actually really excited to try it. Thanks for your input, I was gonna ask but was afraid to hijack the thread from mojocat27 lol. I am thinking of starting a log on here soon to track my results.

mojocat27, I have been reading quite a bit about it. Rick can probably help you more, but one of the core principles involves doing each exercise with 10 sets of 10 reps. Here are a few articles:

http://www.illpumpyouup.com/articles...e-training.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis13.htm

The second one is pretty in depth and very detailed. Wish you luck on your goal!

[CandyGirl]

Mojo cat; id be interested to see what your daily diet included? Are you on a clean diet or eat whatever youd like as long as it remains in a set amount of calories per day?


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[RickB]

German Volume training. On each of the sets, after warming up with your core movement, go as heavy as you can go and get 10 reps. If that weight is too much and you fall at 8 reps or below, then drop the weight as much as needed to complete the next set of 10. Follow that pattern until you complete 10 sets of hopefully 10 reps. It's okay if you fall short, just adjust the weight accordingly. By the time you do the second week, you'll have a good feel on whether or not you need to go up or down. Carry this out for 4-6 wks. It's very taxing if you do it properly.

GVT...the way I worked it.

Day 1 combines legs and abs one day. Squats 10x10 followed with Leg presses 3x10 and then hanging leg lifts 10x10.

*Day 2 is Bench press 10x10, Incline DB press 3X10 Barbell Row 10X10, Lat Pulldown 10x10 and Barbell curls 10X10.

Day 3 is DB shoulder press 10x10, Lateral raises 3x10 and skull crushers 10x10.


*Day 2 can be split up into 2 days if you choose. Separate Bench Press and DB presses from the Barbell Rows, Lat Pull-downs, and Curls.


Throw calves in there somewhere and do 10 x 10 with them too. Wherever fits best for your schedule.


Holler if you have any questions. If not and you go with it...tear it up!

[thedunhill225]

Originally Posted by mojocat27

I am 5ft 3 in and 38yr old. My body fat percentage is around 35% measured with a body fat scale. I have also used a hand held thingy at the gym with similar result. I would love to know more about the GVT

Ok my first comment is based on your picture and yea i know its only half of you BUTT unless the other half is a big surprise...I doubt your at 35%.

Second, please don't ever go by those fake inaccurate scales. They don't work and are way off.

As far as training and diet goes. If the objective is to maintain wt but lose fat your lifting has to be geared to build muscle period. I would have you train on a 3 day per week, non-consecutive 3 way split. Like Mon legs and abs, Wednesday would be chest, delts and tris and Friday would be back and bis. I would keep your total sets per work out to 15 or less (not counting warm UPS) I would have you concentrate on compound exs and have your reps in the 6-10 range. A work out would look like this:
Monday
Squats 4x6-10
Leg press 2-3x6-10
Stiff leg deads or glute ham raises 3x6-10
Standing calf raises 3x12-15 (the range is so short that I would keep the reps higher to maintain a decent time under tension)
Abs just do whatever ex or 2 you like

Wednesday
Incline bench 3 sets
Flat db bench 3 sets
Seated db bench 3 sets
Dip machine 3 sets

Friday
Pulldowns 3 sets
Seated rows 3 sets
Any kind of curls you want for 3 sets
Dead lifts for 3-4 sets on these you can go as low as 4 and as high as 20... Whatever rep range in between those that you prefer.

Try to get stronger and you will build muscle. Maintain or slightly drop calories because it IS possible to gain a lill WEIGHT even in a calorie deficit if that wt is muscle.

If you find yourself gaining wt just substitute greens of almost any kind for any non protein source in your diet.

It really IS simple.... It just ain't easy.

Peace and good luck

And remember...DON'T USE A SCALE TO MEASURE BODY FAT CAUSE THEY DON'T WORK.

take care

[CandyGirl]

I agree dunhill, and if you're a size 4 your butt will not be big. I think it's wrong too which is why I questioned your food. I'm 5'8" size 4 and 143 with 20% body fat. I can't imagine you at they body fat. If you are tho there must be hidden sugars fat in your diet as well as zero muscle.


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[xGjips]

Ok, so Ive been reading up on nutrition for a while. Personally, Ive yo-yod a bit in terms of fat gainloss, especially as the years have past.

Anyhow, Im tired of following the advice of diet "gurus". X says its about calories. Y says its about insulin and some other stuff.

So, here is my 2c conclusion - what Ill call the "fat loss formula".

Fat gain/loss = calories insulin control

If calorie in > Calorie out = then weight gain
If you control insulin healthy food workout then muscle gain > fat gain = you gain muscle and some fat
If you dont then muscle gain < fat gain = you get fat

If calories in < Calorie out = then weight loss
If you control insulin healthy food workout then muscle loss < fat loss = you lose more fat than muscle
If you dont then muscle loss > fat loss = you get skinny fat


So what does everyone think?