Fat loss with minimal specific-area muscle loss?

Um. Lemme try to explain that subject line better.

I'm trying to get rid of some excess fat (not aiming for a particularly low BF%, but atm I've got probably 20ish lb. more fat than I need to be healthy.) but it's very important that I not lose too much muscle strength in my arms/shoulders/ back particularly, because I need to lift ~90lb. several times a day in a controlled manner. (The 90lb being my husband, who is disabled and needs physical assistance with things.

After reading the group for a couple of weeks, I'm not sure if I've got the right end of things- it sounds like I'll be on the right track if I cut back on calories a little, but make sure what I am getting is balanced to have enough protein? I can also do some dumbbell exercises (got one of those evil 2.5lb - 10lb six-plastic-coated-dumbbell sets[1]) and have access to an exercise bike. (Although I'm not very fond of using it- it makes the muscles in my thighs cramp up. I *think* it's because of the postion of the seat relative to the pedals, but it's not very adjustable. Or is there some other potential cause I'm missing? The cramping interferes with actually using the bike, because I have to pause and stretch it out every 10 min or so, and it also limits intensity, as more intense riding means faster cramping.)

I'm not particularly concerned with what my actual *weight* does (I've always had a lot of muscle, and I came to terms a few years ago with the idea that I'm never going to be a slim supermodel type. but I do want the fat to go. (I don't actually know what I weigh at the moment. I'd guess ~180.)

As it's probably important, I'm female, 23, and somewhere around 5'5'. (I typically put muscle on at the drop of a hat. I had calf muscles some people would kill for when I was 11.

I don't feel I particularly need to gain muscle mass. (Could probably do with some more endurance- that's low weight, high rep, right?) Just can't afford to lose a lot of what I have and use.

Last- anyone got any good leg stretches (or a good website/book of them)? My hamstrings are horribly tight, and I feel like I should be doing some regular stretches to try to improve that a bit, just for balance.

Oops. Forgot the footnote. I'm planning on asking for some sort of proper home gym set up for Christmas. (If anyone has suggestions for good sets for not a lot of money in the UK, I'd be happy to hear about it, in fact. Also thinking about something to replace the hated bike- when I belonged to a gym a few years back, I rather enjoyed the rowing machine, but I'm not sure if it's possible to get a good machine inexpensively, and I know with some of the cheaper designs, it's possible to hurt your back?

Yep.

Yech. You need bigger DB's for them to do you much good, and that bike sounds just awful.

Getting heavier DB's and trying one of Krista's programs
http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html

would help, but don't worry too much about losing muscle as you lose weight: if you limit the rate of weight loss (1-2 lbs/week), your day-to-day routine will help maintain the muscle.

You don't tend to lose what you use.

I don't know if it's anything special, but take a look at
http://riceinfo.rice.edu/~jenky/stretch.html

I am guessing it's more than that.

but it's very important

Make sure you know what you are taking in. Get about .9g/lb of body weight in protein, 20% calories from fat and the rest in carbs mostly from vegies and fruits and not potatos, pasta and sugar.

I can also do some dumbbell exercises (got one of

I wonder if with your 90 lb daily lifting these will not be too light.

Can you run intead, like maybe outside if the bike is a problem?

I *think* it's because of the postion of the seat

Try warming up with low resistance first and than stretch before getting back on the bike. May be your muscles are just cold and therefore the cramping.

I would invest into scales so you can track your progress, that will give you a boost (seeing results).

You will have to try really hard just to keep them when on fat loss diet. So pretend like you are going for the gain.

(Could probably do with some more endurance- that's

Yes, 15+ reps.

Just can't afford to lose

Good luck.

Maybe closer to 30. *shrug* I think I'd be where I want to be at 150-160ish, but I don't put a lot of value in what the scale actually says- many years of experience have shown me that I just don't fit onto those stupid BMI tables. Too much muscle mass naturally. (At one point when I was younger I wasn't carrying much fat at all- clear muscle definition, low bf% from caliper tests- and one of those stupid tables put me at 20lb overweight.) (I did have a lot of fun laughing at the woman who tried to tell me I needed to lose that weight, I will admit.) (I don't remember what my bf% at the time actually was. My school measured it annually on everyone for some reason.)

I've been keeping a food journal- Definitely haven't been getting enough protein, so I'm going to add in some protein shake type things. (Using powdered egg white until I get some other stuff. Everything I've come across so far has soy protein, which I would prefer to avoid.)

That's what Wayne(?) suggested as well. I suppose I should look into getting a proper set earlier than anticipated.

Unfortunately, since I'm primarily responsible for my husband's care most of the time, I need stuff I can do indoors within shouting distance of him, in case he has any problems. I might add in some running on weeks when we have more assistance, just for some variety, but it wouldn't work as my primary cardio.

I have, with only minimal improvement- I think the problem is that due to the limited seat adjustments, I either end up with a position where I can't properly reach the pedals at the bottom of the revolution, which I find uncomfortable, or the distance is slightly too short and the muscles in my thighs are constantly working contracted rather than through the full range of motion. (Did that make sense?)

Wonder if there's some way to rig it to a new seat position without having to drill a new hole in the metal...

Thanks.