Is it possible to gain muscle/burn fat at the same time?
mariamwhatandwhy
Posts: 59 Member
See, I'm a beginner with lots of free time so it's my 3rd day on hitting the gym and I plan on continuing. However, I'm really confused about what to eat? Should I eat below my calories intake? What shall I eat more, protein or carbs? I would really appreciate any help concerning my diet, as I'm extremely lost
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Judging from your picture and that you only have 7lbs to loose I would focus more on weight lifting then dieting. I'm using a body weight training program on Daily Burn that recommends I set my Macros up to be 40% carbs 30% fats and 30% proteins. I'd try and find a dedicated program at the gym, or have a trainer set you up on a individual program.0
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Well I live in Egypt, and trust me the trainers are as lost as I am, that explains why I'm pretty lost. I lift weights yeah, but I also do cardo daily, is that wrong?0
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Cardio is great for loosing weight, but I don't think it is very effective at building muscle. Maybe try purchasing some work out videos from amazon or ebay.0
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The key question here is what are your goals? How you should proceed with diet and exercise are completely dependent on what you seek to achieve.0
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My goals are to tone up and gain muscle mass, with losing some fat. So that's my question, whether I should focus on gaining muscle or losing fat, or they can both be achieved at the same time.0
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you look great. I would have to say, keep doing what you are doing and incorporate weights into your regime. Yes you can gain muscle and loose weight at the same time. The scale might not reflect that, but your measurements and look will. There are some great stories of people that weighed less (skinny fat) than when they started lifting. but look smaller (and measure smaller) and are way more defined at a slightly higher weight because of the muscle they have gained0
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If you are eating at a deficit you will not gain muscle. You will lose fat and show off the muscle you already have but you will not increase the size of your muscle fibres. It is difficult for even male Olympic athletes to gain even 1lb of muscle per month. And they would have fine tuned food, liquid intake, rest, cardio and body building plans. On top of being male with like 16 times more testosterone than us girls.
So if you want more muscle mass, lift heavy and eat at a slight surplus of calories. If you want fat loss, eat at a deficit and still lift. But it all depends on intake.0 -
mariamwhatandwhy wrote: »See, I'm a beginner with lots of free time so it's my 3rd day on hitting the gym and I plan on continuing. However, I'm really confused about what to eat? Should I eat below my calories intake? What shall I eat more, protein or carbs? I would really appreciate any help concerning my diet, as I'm extremely lost
What's your objective?0 -
mariamwhatandwhy wrote: »My goals are to tone up and gain muscle mass, with losing some fat. So that's my question, whether I should focus on gaining muscle or losing fat, or they can both be achieved at the same time.
Oh I missed this
I think you're looking at body recomposition
Eat at maintenance, lift heavy and follow a progressive resistance programme, cardio a couple of times a week for cardio vascular health and don't forget your protein macro (set at 0.64-0.8g per lb bodyweight minimum)0 -
youngmomtaz wrote: »If you are eating at a deficit you will not gain muscle. You will lose fat and show off the muscle you already have but you will not increase the size of your muscle fibres. It is difficult for even male Olympic athletes to gain even 1lb of muscle per month. And they would have fine tuned food, liquid intake, rest, cardio and body building plans. On top of being male with like 16 times more testosterone than us girls.
So if you want more muscle mass, lift heavy and eat at a slight surplus of calories. If you want fat loss, eat at a deficit and still lift. But it all depends on intake.
Well as a noob to lifting she might0 -
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If health is the primary goal, don't give up the cardio. It's good for you! Do the cardio and the weights.
If you lift weights, your muscles will respond by getting bigger/stronger. That's what muscles do. A lot of people seem to think that they cannot do that unless you're eating in a surplus, but if you work them, they respond. If you really want bigger, stronger muscles, though, they'll get a lot bigger and stronger with extra calories. Calories (not protein, contrary to popular opinion, at least in America) are the biggest part of the diet that can help you make your muscles bigger. If there were some way to lift weights and get the benefits of it without making the muscles get bigger, I'd love to hear it, lol. That would be the plan for me.
But do both! Skipping either one means you're not going to be as healthy as you want to be.0 -
mariamwhatandwhy wrote: »My goals are to tone up and gain muscle mass, with losing some fat. So that's my question, whether I should focus on gaining muscle or losing fat, or they can both be achieved at the same time.
Oh I missed this
I think you're looking at body recomposition
Eat at maintenance, lift heavy and follow a progressive resistance programme, cardio a couple of times a week for cardio vascular health and don't forget your protein macro (set at 0.64-0.8g per lb bodyweight minimum)
x2...I do a recomp every winter...
it's not a strict one but I manage to pretty much maintain my weight while losing clothing sizes...I would guesstimate over an 8 month winter (not snowy all the time) I will gain about 1lb of muscle and lose some squishy fat...
I lift heavy and make sure I get my protein in.
ETA: I don't do much cardio in the winter...only through spring/summer...
Cardio is fine but isn't end all to be all either...and try telling someone squatting 200lbs they aren't working the cardio as well...0 -
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If you lift weights, your muscles will respond by getting bigger/stronger. That's what muscles do. A lot of people seem to think that they cannot do that unless you're eating in a surplus, but if you work them, they respond...
In a deficit, the muscles respond by getting stronger via neuromuscular adaptation (becoming more efficient), not bigger. Aside from a relatively brief period of 'newbie gains', you do not grow muscle in a deficit. If you're going to add a room onto a house, you need the building materials to do so - you can't wish for it and build it out of nothing. If you're going to add muscle to your body, you need the building materials to do so - you can't wish for it and build it out of nothing.If you really want bigger, stronger muscles, though, they'll get a lot bigger and stronger with extra calories. Calories (not protein, contrary to popular opinion, at least in America) are the biggest part of the diet that can help you make your muscles bigger...
Firstly, you just contradicted your above contention that you're able to build muscle in a deficit. Secondly, while the caloric surplus is necessary, protein is definitely an essential part of it. Protein provides the "building blocks" for muscle - not carbs or fat. You can easily research and confirm this, that's physiology 101 stuff - for somebody who offers as much advice as you constantly do, I'd think you'd know that.If there were some way to lift weights and get the benefits of it without making the muscles get bigger, I'd love to hear it, lol. That would be the plan for me...
Very simple: 1) Don't provide the caloric/protein surplus needed for growth; 2) Don't provide the heavy intensity and continual progression needed to add muscle.
Many women echo the "I don't want to get bulky!" thing without realizing that getting bulky is very difficult and certainly won't happen overnight - or even in a few months. Even a gifted female lifter with optimal nutrition and training is capable of putting on around .25 lb. of muscle per week at max. That's in a caloric surplus, with macros on point and lifting very heavy/intensely, frequently, and progressively. One pound of muscle per month. Nobody is going to do a set of squats and wake up the next morning to find that they've suddenly become a muscular hulk. If you somehow discover that you're the special snowflake who's a genetic outlier and can pack on pounds of muscle without trying, then it's simple enough to dial back the intensity and progression and go into maintenance mode.
Weight training is no different than dieting in that it has different phases - bulking, cutting and maintenance. Just because you're lifting weights doesn't mean you're continually getting huger and huger without expending a lot of effort to make it so.0 -
If health is the primary goal, don't give up the cardio. It's good for you! Do the cardio and the weights.
If you lift weights, your muscles will respond by getting bigger/stronger. That's what muscles do. A lot of people seem to think that they cannot do that unless you're eating in a surplus, but if you work them, they respond. If you really want bigger, stronger muscles, though, they'll get a lot bigger and stronger with extra calories. Calories (not protein, contrary to popular opinion, at least in America) are the biggest part of the diet that can help you make your muscles bigger. If there were some way to lift weights and get the benefits of it without making the muscles get bigger, I'd love to hear it, lol. That would be the plan for me.
But do both! Skipping either one means you're not going to be as healthy as you want to be.
you can gain substantial strength without putting on mass...it's called neuromuscular adaptation. putting on mass requires that you be anabolic...when you diet, you are taking in less energy than your body requires and you are inherently catabolic...you cannot be anabolic in a deficiency of energy. unless you're very overweight/obese, your body isn't going to use fat to build muscle...muscle is too expensive and fat is a *kitten* fuel. even then, and considering noob gains, any muscle mass one would put on would be minimal and short lived gains.
even if you're lifting while dieting you are going to actually lose some muscle because your body is in a catabolic state. most people who think they're putting on mass are really just cutting fat which reveals and provides definition for the muscle they have. also, don't confuse "pump" with actually increasing muscle mass..."pump" is just water.0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »If health is the primary goal, don't give up the cardio. It's good for you! Do the cardio and the weights.
If you lift weights, your muscles will respond by getting bigger/stronger. That's what muscles do. A lot of people seem to think that they cannot do that unless you're eating in a surplus, but if you work them, they respond. If you really want bigger, stronger muscles, though, they'll get a lot bigger and stronger with extra calories. Calories (not protein, contrary to popular opinion, at least in America) are the biggest part of the diet that can help you make your muscles bigger. If there were some way to lift weights and get the benefits of it without making the muscles get bigger, I'd love to hear it, lol. That would be the plan for me.
But do both! Skipping either one means you're not going to be as healthy as you want to be.
you can gain substantial strength without putting on mass...it's called neuromuscular adaptation. putting on mass requires that you be anabolic...when you diet, you are taking in less energy than your body requires and you are inherently catabolic...you cannot be anabolic in a deficiency of energy. unless you're very overweight/obese, your body isn't going to use fat to build muscle...muscle is too expensive and fat is a *kitten* fuel. even then, and considering noob gains, any muscle mass one would put on would be minimal and short lived gains.
even if you're lifting while dieting you are going to actually lose some muscle because your body is in a catabolic state. most people who think they're putting on mass are really just cutting fat which reveals and provides definition for the muscle they have. also, don't confuse "pump" with actually increasing muscle mass..."pump" is just water.
What is neuromuscular adaptation??.. and what's the best thing to do to get that???0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »If health is the primary goal, don't give up the cardio. It's good for you! Do the cardio and the weights.
If you lift weights, your muscles will respond by getting bigger/stronger. That's what muscles do. A lot of people seem to think that they cannot do that unless you're eating in a surplus, but if you work them, they respond. If you really want bigger, stronger muscles, though, they'll get a lot bigger and stronger with extra calories. Calories (not protein, contrary to popular opinion, at least in America) are the biggest part of the diet that can help you make your muscles bigger. If there were some way to lift weights and get the benefits of it without making the muscles get bigger, I'd love to hear it, lol. That would be the plan for me.
But do both! Skipping either one means you're not going to be as healthy as you want to be.
you can gain substantial strength without putting on mass...it's called neuromuscular adaptation. putting on mass requires that you be anabolic...when you diet, you are taking in less energy than your body requires and you are inherently catabolic...you cannot be anabolic in a deficiency of energy. unless you're very overweight/obese, your body isn't going to use fat to build muscle...muscle is too expensive and fat is a *kitten* fuel. even then, and considering noob gains, any muscle mass one would put on would be minimal and short lived gains.
even if you're lifting while dieting you are going to actually lose some muscle because your body is in a catabolic state. most people who think they're putting on mass are really just cutting fat which reveals and provides definition for the muscle they have. also, don't confuse "pump" with actually increasing muscle mass..."pump" is just water.
What is neuromuscular adaptation??.. and what's the best thing to do to get that???
Progressive weight lifting in a defecit
It's just the name for when the muscles fibres and brain starts to communicate better as a result of training...you get stronger basically
Decent books
Strong Curves
New Rules of Lifting for Women
Structured online programmes
http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness-5x5-novice-workout
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/4-week-guide-starting-strength
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