Burning fat or muscle?

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  • rebprest
    rebprest Posts: 149 Member
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    That must be nice.
    rebprest wrote: »
    What makes the body burn fat as opposed to muscle. . .weight lifting to help you retain muscle as you lose weight, why does that help? What are the factors that go into this? ...How can I be going up in muscle and down in fat but still losing? I thought you had to eat on a calorie surplus to gain muscle...



  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,018 Member
    edited April 2015
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    rebprest wrote: »
    So what I'm getting is that nobody truly knows, lol. I guess it is more complicated than I realized. I'll try to keep lifting and eating lots of protein!
    Try harder and lift at least 3 times a week especially if your trying to lose weight. Google scholar is a good place to get the answers you want and that way you won't have to take our word for it, a win win.

  • s2mikey
    s2mikey Posts: 146 Member
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    BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »
    Weight training helps retain your muscles because it's telling your body you NEED them. If you sit around all day, you don't need your muscles.

    Yes! Strength training is very important to add to your repertoire when on any weight loss program. I lost a huge amount of weight over the last two years and if I had to do it again I would have started weight lifting much earlier in the process. I lost weight which was great but lost a lot of muscle too and had the dreaded "marathon runner" look. People wondered if I was sick! So, I've added about ten lbs back of muscle through weight lifting 3-4 times a week.

    Everyone's body is different so it's hard to say when someone will burn fat over muscle. I know that hi intensity cardio can tap fat reserves pretty well but so does steady state cardio if done long enough. The key is to keep those muscles working through strength training and make sure the protein intake is reasonably good.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18296329
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17622289
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23019316
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23107521
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9309627
    http://www.researchgate.net/publication/51113664_Effect_of_two_different_weight-loss_rates_on_body_composition_and_strength_and_power-related_performance_in_elite_athletes


    These have multiple studies in their references that you can read.
    http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/33/5/969.full
    http://jap.physiology.org/content/113/12/1831
    http://www.jissn.com/content/11/1/20
    http://www.jissn.com/content/11/1/19
    http://www.jonasbergqvist.se/Files.aspx?f_id=92503

    Would you like more or are these enough?
  • rebprest
    rebprest Posts: 149 Member
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    Thank you!
  • MomMel65
    MomMel65 Posts: 47 Member
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    Bump
  • lilithsrose
    lilithsrose Posts: 752 Member
    edited April 2015
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    In layman's terms... Muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space than fat.

    fat-vs.-muscle.jpg

    You can see the difference in fat vs. muscle in this picture. The weight is the same, but one is mostly fat and the other is mostly muscle.

    155-lbs-before-and-after.jpg

    Having more muscle will actually boost your metabolism as well. According to WebMD, "10 pounds of muscle would burn 50 calories in a day spent at rest, while 10 pounds of fat would burn 20 calories."

    Btw, the tool your trainer is using is probably a caliper.
  • lulucitron
    lulucitron Posts: 366 Member
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    Good advice you've been given. I also don't make cardio the focus of my exercise. I superset so that elevates my heart rate lifting weights and that's good enough for me. If I do cardio, it's a 5k jog or 1/2hour step mill at a moderate pace after my weights workout.
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Both and you always will is the real answer.

    Its an up and down thing with Muscle I have learned with my particular body that I have to lift heavy really push myself and maintain a high protein diet to keep my muscle and strength. I have been as heavy as 285 and am currently under 200lbs in the best shape since high school
  • acorsaut89
    acorsaut89 Posts: 1,147 Member
    edited April 2015
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    So side bar question here - if you're looking for scholarly answers to this question why on earth would you come to a public forum?

    If you think people are just talking out of their *kitten* why would you ask us? Lots of people on here genuinely know what they're talking about - they have either the education or bodies (and usually both) to back up what they're saying. They didn't get the results they got by pure luck. It took time, dedication and education on the human body and they have worked hard at it. I have lost 80 lbs, and that was not by pure luck either. It took me 2 years to do it and I'm still looking to lose another 80 lbs. It took a lot of re-education and some of it came from here by reading other people's posts and questions and some of it was from my own research. It also took a lot of dedication to never quitting and getting my butt up at 4:30 to go to the gym or hauling my butt there at 6 pm when I'm done work and know I won't get home until 8, only to be in bed 2 hours later. It takes time, and there (usually) isn't one magic answer to it.

    If you want annotated answers, this is not usually the place to get them.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    acorsaut89 wrote: »
    So side bar question here - if you're looking for scholarly answers to this question why on earth would you come to a public forum?

    If you think people are just talking out of their *kitten* why would you ask us? Lots of people on here genuinely know what they're talking about - they have either the education or bodies (and usually both) to back up what they're saying. They didn't get the results they got by pure luck.

    On top of this, the OP didn't ask if anyone had studies. She came in asking for knowledge. If she had asked for studies to read and said she was doing her own research that would be a whole different post. Instead she just asked general questions, then when solid answers were provided she made it seem like we didn't know what we were talking about.
  • rebprest
    rebprest Posts: 149 Member
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    Sorry I upset you guys. Sometimes things don't come across in email/text like they are meant or would be taken verbally. I was making a joke because I was confused, but apparently it was unexpectedly offensive.

    I do believe many of you know what you're talking about, I just need to understand it for myself. I also believe that a public forum is a great place to seek leads on research as evidenced by all the links I recieved.

    I understand that my question wasn't clear or fuly developed. My bad. I am working my way through all the articles.

    acorsaut89 wrote: »
    So side bar question here - if you're looking for scholarly answers to this question why on earth would you come to a public forum?
    ....to find people who have done the research and can help me get started.
    acorsaut89 wrote: »
    If you think people are just talking out of their *kitten* why would you ask us? Lots of people on here genuinely know what they're talking about - they have either the education or bodies (and usually both) to back up what they're saying. They didn't get the results they got by pure luck. It took time, dedication and education on the human body and they have worked hard at it... If you want annotated answers, this is not usually the place to get them.
    Perhaps you should take a chill pill. I never said any of that, and never implied it. You are defensively inferring it.
    MrM27 wrote: »

    Honestly she was probably just looking for pretty answers and got all snippy from the start with the "I guess no on knows" stuff. It's funny that someone that had no clue about the things she was asking goes off saying others don't know anything. I wonder how many of the 20 or so links she will actually read. I how much are all science she really wanted.
    Yes, you've got my number. You know me so well. I like pretty things like butterflies and rose gardens and can't possibly just have wanted more information. Thanks for your help and your unwarranted hostility.

  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
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    rhaiin wrote: »
    In layman's terms... Muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space than fat.
    ....

    but .. but ... muscle and fat take up the same amount of space. 1 cubic inch of muscle has the same volume as one cubic inch of fat ...
  • Alligator423
    Alligator423 Posts: 87 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Here's something at least a little more scientific for your liking (off the top of my head, so if you want more, I suggest the internets):

    When you eat carbohydrates you have circulating glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream which your body uses for fuel. Your liver and muscles also store some of this excess glucose in the form of glycogen for future use. 4-5 hours(ish) after a meal, or rapidly from your muscles if exercising, your glucose stores will be depleted. Given that glucose is the primary energy source for your brain, your body will initiate gluconeogenesis, a process to GENERATE glucose from other sources--namely, protein and fat. Unfortunately for us, the body tends to choose protein over fat, which is one reason you will lose both muscle and fat during weight loss. Strength training is a great suggestion because it will work on building up your muscles to offset muscle loss during this process. Also, as above posters have mentioned, muscle is more dense than fat and will give you a more lean physique. Hope this helps!
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    rebprest wrote: »
    Thanks for the research tip Usmcp.
    usmcmp wrote: »
    If you absolutely must see them I will come back tomorrow and post several.
    I am just interested. That's what I'm looking for exactly, but if it is too much work don't worry about it. I'll see what I can find.

    I don't think it is actually unreasonable to ask people where they are getting information, MrM27. If you can't back up what you are saying, it isn't worth much. But feel free to troll somewhere else if it is bothering you. I can't help but notice your food diary is glaringly empty and your comments on other posts are rude and abusive...

    MrM27 wrote: »
    Exactly what evidence are you looking for? What would the study be looking for that you would like people to provide? Are you looking for peer reviewed studies or did you want someone to link you to a physiology textbook?

    People gave you answers based on years of experience and studies but you have refuted them. Tell us what you want.

    I don't know, MrM27, do you have a textbook on hand that you have actually read that looks helpful? Can you give me the page range? Years of experience aren't necessarily proof and they don't help me understand. If yes then thank you, if not you may want to reinvest your time somewhere else.

    I apologize on behalf of the MFP community for not walking around with the World Encyclopedia in their handbags.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    Alligator423 wrote: »
    Here's something at least a little more scientific for your liking (off the top of my head, so if you want more, I suggest the internets):

    When you eat carbohydrates you have circulating glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream which your body uses for fuel. Your liver and muscles also store some of this excess glucose in the form of glycogen for future use. 4-5 hours(ish) after a meal, or rapidly from your muscles if exercising, your glucose stores will be depleted. Given that glucose is the primary energy source for your brain, your body will initiate gluconeogenesis, a process to GENERATE glucose from other sources--namely, protein and fat. Unfortunately for us, the body tends to choose protein over fat, which is one reason you will lose both muscle and fat during weight loss. Strength training is a great suggestion because it will work on building up your muscles to offset muscle loss during this process. Also, as above posters have mentioned, muscle is more dense than fat and will give you a more lean physique. Hope this helps!

    We gave her information like she asked. She didn't want our educated and time tested opinions, she wanted links to studies or books she could read. She didn't ask for that in her original post and instead of clarifying when she replied finally she made it seem like we gave her garbage answers. This is why the thread has gone the way it has.
  • WildBillR
    WildBillR Posts: 77 Member
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    sullus wrote: »
    rhaiin wrote: »
    In layman's terms... Muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space than fat.
    ....

    but .. but ... muscle and fat take up the same amount of space. 1 cubic inch of muscle has the same volume as one cubic inch of fat ...

    Implied were the words "A pound of (M)uscle"...than "a pound of " fat. In your example of volume, the weight of muscle would be more than that of fat.

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