How to lose muscle mass?!
Question: I have a bit of a problem. I started working out, I haven't worked out since about march or april...but during my working out time I gained alot of muscle in my arms, and it has made my arms/shoulders/back look quite big...for a girl. I haven't been working out at all but still have this muscle mass! I would like to get rid of it and have a much leaner toned look. It has gotten a little bit flabbier, but still quite a bit of muscle there....will it all just turn into a lump of fat that I will have to work off?
Answers: I have a bit of a problem. I started working out, I haven't worked out since about march or april...but during my working out time I gained alot of muscle in my arms, and it has made my arms/shoulders/back look quite big...for a girl. I haven't been working out at all but still have this muscle mass! I would like to get rid of it and have a much leaner toned look. It has gotten a little bit flabbier, but still quite a bit of muscle there....will it all just turn into a lump of fat that I will have to work off?
Instead of trying to lose muscle, try reducing your bodyfat levels first, see what that brings you. If you do have a little lean muscle there, the bodyfat on top of it can make it appear deceptively big. I highly recommend getting your bodyfat percentage tested first before trying to lose muscle - muscle is health and life, hard-earned and something that should not be actively reduced. My suggestion is to work on cutting down some and see how that looks before working on reducing muscle.
Also, you really should not stop working out, if you are dead set on losing muscle mass try doing just cardio for a while - long cardio sessions are highly catabolic and will burn muscle tissue, but at least you're still doing something healthy for yourself, and it may work towards cutting down too. Not exercising is terrible advice.
For some reason women in this society are so discouraged from having any bodily strength it's really disappointing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a girl and having some muscle, it does not mean you're unfeminine. Sounds to me like someone has planted bad ideas into your head and made you feel like you're wrong for having muscle. You should take a close look at why you want to do this, maybe think about surrounding yourself by other athletes who will support you rather than non-athletes who feel threatened and emasculated by a strong woman.
just don't work out or eat too much protein, muscle will start to break down.
just don't work out anymore, do more cardio workouts so that you still stay fit but stay away from weight lifting which I'm guessing you're doing right now.
First off your a girl don't do weights!!!! And it just takes time.
The only way to lose muscle mass is to stop working out all together. But be prepared, it'll turn into flab and fat, so you'll have to start working out again. To avoid this problem in the future, do more reps, less weights, or no weights at all, just your arms and more reps.
Reduce doing heavy weights. Start doing more cardio. Lots of running. Eat less.