Losing battle

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youngy1976
youngy1976 Posts: 46 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm trying to build muscle with heavy weight training and also trying to lose body fat by calorie counting.. Can this work or not ?

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  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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    I've heard you can't build muscle whilst in a deficit. I think the best thing to do is concentrate on cutting first, so eat at your deficit and get to your desired body fat percentage. Then build those muscles.

    I could be entirely wrong - so if anyone wants to put me right, I welcome it.
    This is just what I have been taught :)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    not really.

    you can recomp, but its very slow
  • youngy1976
    youngy1976 Posts: 46 Member
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    Thanks for replies i don't see why I can't lose the fat and build the muscle at same time I want to be big but don't want a belly lol
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    Basically, because building muscle requires a calorie surplus and losing fat requires a calorie deficit.
  • youngy1976
    youngy1976 Posts: 46 Member
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    So if I focus on eating high protein amd weight training will my body fat go or will I still have it
  • jeffpettis
    jeffpettis Posts: 865 Member
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    youngy1976 wrote: »
    Thanks for replies i don't see why I can't lose the fat and build the muscle at same time I want to be big but don't want a belly lol

    Because one requires an energy deficit and the other requires an energy surplus. Muscle can't be built out of nothing, so if you are in a deficit to lose fat there is nothing to build muscle out of. Having said that, you should still lift heavy in a deficit to maintain the muscle you have. If you are new to lifting you have the ability, for a very short time, to gain a very small amount of muscle, but it won't last long and then you'll be just like the rest of us and have to chose one or the other.

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    youngy1976 wrote: »
    So if I focus on eating high protein amd weight training will my body fat go or will I still have it

    will you be eating in a deficit or surplus or maintenance?
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    youngy1976 wrote: »
    So if I focus on eating high protein amd weight training will my body fat go or will I still have it
    Depends on whether you're in a calorie deficit or not.

  • youngy1976
    youngy1976 Posts: 46 Member
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    Thanks Jeff I have lifted for a few weeks now and also ex army so my body isn't a beginner one however since I stopped running half marathons last year I've put on 3 stone and body fat. I am now weight training and eating high protein but not getting any bigger as I presume this is down to not eating enough

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