Thank you rocky! This makes a lot of sense!

You seem to be the one asking for help so why wag your finger and try to school us on the basics of bodybuilding. Why did you bother having WLS is you are bodybuilding. I MUST STRESS that if you up your carbs and protein the scale will go up. So it would seem to me that you have to decide which direction you want to go in. Do you want to bodybuild or lose weight?

wow that's pretty rude of you...wagging my finger?

1) muscle helps metabolism rev up which in turn helps increase fat burning

2) I want to do both...build muscle and lose fat which I was told by people who lift weights was possible if done properly, but as I admit in my post, I am beginning to think it is not really possible. 

3) I was asking for advice so I am obviously not schooling anyone

Hi!  

I lifted in the weight loss phase.  Since I was already working out before, I am not sure if I put on muscle or whether the muscle that was already there just finally showed up.

But, whatever happened, I got definitiion. If you look at my wedding pics, I got the V in tri-head in my arms. It definitely wasnt there when I started intensely lifting but it was there in time for my wedding. I also lost 12 lbs between that...so seeing the tri-head could be the 12 lb weight loss, the lifting or a combination of both.

I think you should try.

Thank you! 

I took it you were looking for advice. I know nothing !!! About body building. I do know about getting to goal . At 12 years I eat less than 1000 every day. I excercise everyday.best wishes 

I do resistance regularly to (i.e. muscle building).

I dont have % on the diet. I just eat protein forward. If I crave cheese, I have cheese in Moderation (like 1 chunk the dimensions of my finger) per day. A canadian body builder that would run her body fat low all the time for contests, but never lost her period (which is a problem with figure competitors) and could have kids, said to "burn fat NOT cut it" was her secret to maintaining her perid.  SHe cut the carbs but never the fat.

Also, weight lifting builds muscle mass.  I am a size 4-6 at 140 lbs and at 5'5".

If you want to lose weight/mass, you are going to have to drop the calories and increase your caloric burn. My trainer says "cardio will make you skinny"  So, if skinny is what you are shooting for, you are going to have to drop the calories and increase your cardio.  You may want to go to lighter weights and increased reps to maintain her definition but not add muscle mass. Realize, that you may lose muscle mass, by dropping the calories and increasing your cardio. Goes with the territory.

So I just go protein forward, then non starchy veg, then fat.

Oooh!  If I may suggest Piloxing. You get those weighted gloves (no more than 0.25-0.5 lbs on each hand cuz you are punching fast). It is heck on your arms.  I burn up to 550 with the Gloves on and 475 with the gloves off.

Great tips and I appreciate all the info about your diet! I have dropped my calories as of today to 1000 max and lowered my carb intake a bit also :)  Thanks so much!  I will check those gloves out!

Fat is my friend.  I eat as much fat as I want, as long as it's not carb-laden.  Works for me, anyway... I have rock-hard leg muscles from biking... the rest of me is just chicken-thin lol...

Audrey

This is an interesting article on building muscle.  nutrition and muscles