Maybe not enough muscle?

[nsteck2345]

I have been working out for alittle under a year now. I've been eating healthy, making better choices and the like. It seems that I'm losing weight, but it's almost too even...I still look the same way I did about a year ago just a smaller version. I still have the pear shape thing going and don't understand why the "belly fat" isn't going away. Well I thought about it and was wondering if my muscle mass has something to do with it. I've read on here that when you cut it's to show off the underlying muscle, however, since I've never worked out in my life until about a year ago...would it be safe to say that I don't have enough muscle TO show off, and thats why it doesn't seem like I'm getting anywhere? If this is true could I also guess that building muscle or 'bulking' for a few months might help? I"m at a loss, I don't know why I'm still not in shape, and why I feel like I'm just running in a hampster wheel. I change up my routine every 3 weeks, I get adequate rest between working out, I do cardio everyday, I eat atleast 500 calories less then I'm sopposed to with 5 meals a day. I've tried circuits, splits and still no REAL results except weightloss, however that weightloss doesn't seem to be translating into inches lost. Also, I've read that muscle burns more calories a day, so just by adding muscle you burn more calories. So if I were to "bulk" and gain how ever many lbs of muscle, would weight loss come more easily once I get on a "cutting" cycle? Does any of this even make sense? Please help.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by nsteck2345

I have been working out for alittle under a year now. I've been eating healthy, making better choices and the like. It seems that I'm losing weight, but it's almost too even...I still look the same way I did about a year ago just a smaller version. I still have the pear shape thing going and don't understand why the "belly fat" isn't going away. Well I thought about it and was wondering if my muscle mass has something to do with it. I've read on here that when you cut it's to show off the underlying muscle, however, since I've never worked out in my life until about a year ago...would it be safe to say that I don't have enough muscle TO show off, and thats why it doesn't seem like I'm getting anywhere? If this is true could I also guess that building muscle or 'bulking' for a few months might help? I"m at a loss, I don't know why I'm still not in shape, and why I feel like I'm just running in a hampster wheel. I change up my routine every 3 weeks, I get adequate rest between working out, I do cardio everyday, I eat atleast 500 calories less then I'm sopposed to with 5 meals a day. I've tried circuits, splits and still no REAL results except weightloss, however that weightloss doesn't seem to be translating into inches lost. Also, I've read that muscle burns more calories a day, so just by adding muscle you burn more calories. So if I were to "bulk" and gain how ever many lbs of muscle, would weight loss come more easily once I get on a "cutting" cycle? Does any of this even make sense? Please help.

you dont say if you are performing cardio to help burn the stored body fat?

[nsteck2345]

I do cardio first thing in the morning pre meal 3 days a week at about 70-80% HR with about 300mg of caffine a. and l-carnatine and do cardio post workout for half an hour at about 60-70% HR. My weights are also 3 days a week. So, I'm trying to aim at stored body fat, maybe I'm doing it wrong? My exact workout is.

Monday: Weights/Cardio
Tuesday: Cardio
Wednesday: Weights/Cardio
Thrusday: Cardio
Friday: Weights/Cardio
Saturday: Cardio
Sunday: Rest

About an hour before my weights day's I take glutamine and jack3d. Half an hour before I take about 20 grams of protein and 40 grams of slow digesting carbs (whole wheat bread) and creatine if I'm not on an off cycle.

PWO, I take XTEND basically as soon as I drop my last set...then do cardio for half an hour...then take 50 grams of protein/70g of dextrose and 5 grams creatine, again, if I'm not on an off cycle

About an hour before my cardio on tuesdays, thursdays and saturdays I take 300 mg of Caffine An. and 300 mg of l-carnatine acytl on an empty stomach.

PWO Cardio I take the same amounts I take for my PWO weights days.

in short...I have no idea...I guess I don't know how to target stored body fat....

[Doug]

How much weight have you lost since you started

[nsteck2345]

About 40 lbs...granted I took off a month here a week there...but mostly consistent.

[Dakoders]

Belly fat is the last to go, especially on the lower abs. Keep it at, you'll get there!

[nsteck2345]

But almost a year? Seriously? I know people that have completely transformed in like 6 months. Somethings not right. Not to mention the more stressed i get the more cortisol I excrete...and the less help it does me. The cortisol comment is more for laughs then anything...haha, but some truth...I am getting more and more frustrated as my weight goes down but my waist, neck and chest aren't changing.

[Brenden061]

Originally Posted by nsteck2345

But almost a year? Seriously? I know people that have completely transformed in like 6 months. Somethings not right. Not to mention the more stressed i get the more cortisol I excrete...and the less help it does me.

good luck

[darkoblivion]

40lbs in less than a year is a lot, it takes everyone a different amount of time to lose/gain weight but you should definitely not be discouraged cause it sounds like you are doing great. If your looking to put on a lot of muscle you should do a period of bulking and then go back to cutting.

[ssslayer]

Are you saying that your problem with routines / diet etc that you've been following is that you've managed to lose fat, but not gain muscles?