Ok, I have been stuck at 20% BF for 6 weeks now! Uggg! I am going to do my first figure comp in March and I am trying to put muscle on now, I was a long distance runner and in doing that I lost a lot of muscle mass. In 6 weeks of limiting cardio to just 4days a week( this can be difficult as I am an aerobics instructor), eating a clean diet of 30/30/40(cho) split, I have really made a difference in my muscle mass! SO, I am 5' 115lbs and 20%BF, My goal is to build muscle and lose fat. Are my expectations out of whack for this stage in my training? I just think it is weird that I have made so many changes but have seen no significant BF % decrease...

I eat 1610 calories per day, 6 meals..

Any thoughts? Thanks so much! ~K

You can't cold turkey that form of training. Go back to some running and change your carb intake to much higher, PLUS up the cals to compensate a bit for the running. You're already doing aerobics. USE THE TATER...just as Jason would do.

25P:60C:15F and 1900 cals.

If you're a distance runner, putting on muscle is going to be harder because it seems your basic make up will be slow twitch. Higher reps, to 15 and make it burn, 2 to 3 sets less rest between. Do this for several weeks, then change it up to 6-8 reps, much heavier and more sets, say 4.


You've made a difference in your muscle, but use some carbs to feed the energy. By upping the total cals, you'll be more active and become a fat-burning furnace.

OK, that sounds like a plan.. My body is much more responsive to weight lifting because I am more of a fast twitch muscle fiber believe it or not, weight training is much more natural to my body than marathon training..I will rethink my fuel intake, I was planning on putting 2 days of running 3-6 miles on those days back in my plan but I have read that too much cardio will set me back too... any thoughts on that? ~K

As long as your diet is tuned to your training it shouldn't be a problem. Actually, most women seem to respond VERY well to aerobic ativity to lose body fat where as a male would lose ALL his muscle mass and spare the body fat... Take what Frank suggested and apply it, it is great advice for a cardio queen like yourself

I like to call myself an "endorphine junkie" LOL!

LOL, 3-6 miles...long distance running. Yep, to me that's long distance and you're definitely higher amount fast twitch than I thought.

Long distance running is really 10+ several times a week, including a 15 to a 20 miler for marathon prep, so in reality, you're not long distance running or training according to the actual term. The diet/calorie intake will be fine, but do your running 4 times per week and days you don't run, go to 1500 cals. You also need to scrap the 15/high rep and go with the 6-8 rep. However, you may want to try 15 rep on leg work.

Have a great weekend!

LOL! I have been running half marathons for the last 2 years, training to get my time down and stuff but NOW I am running 3-6...haha! I guess that would classify me as a middle distance runner... anywho..I am not training for any half marathons now, and I am keeping my mileage lower..Thanks so much for all of the advice! This helps me soo much!