Building Muscle - Burning Fat

FredKing1

Can both be done at the same time? Some of my confusion might be because different sources have different purposes. My primary purpose right now is fat loss. I exercise, HIIT - high reps, low weights and aerobic intending to preserve muscle mass and burn calories. Some exercise posts recommend heavy 5x5 protocols for building muscle. I'm not opposed to building muscle, but can I do that and lose fat at the same time? Or, is it a matter of how much and how fast?

usmcmp

You can build muscle on a deficit as a beginner, an athlete returning after a break or obese/very overweight person. You should lift as you are losing weight because it helps retain lean mass, meaning most of the weight you lose will be fat instead of fat and some muscle. HIIT does not preserve lean mass over any other type of cardio since lean mass loss is due to calorie balance and the rate at which fat can be used compared to your energy balance.

FredKing1

Thank you for the informed response. Just to clarify, are you suggesting that any kind of weight program would suffice? I'm thinking high rep, low weight for me (68, otherwise sedentary) as I'm concerned that heavy weights would involve muscle damage I can't repair in a calorie deficit.

pondee629

I've started low and increased as I've seen what I can do. Being unsure of what my capacity for lifting would be, I started my Fitness Blender routines very light (5 to 10 pound dumbbells for each hand). On some exercises that was about right (reverse fly for example) for others it was very light, (Bench press). So I adjusted accordingly.

My "advise" would be to start real light (5-10 pounds) do the routine/exercises. The next time keep the weight, if that was taxing, or increase it if you feel you can. The goal would be to lift as heavy as you can without risking injury. Sneak up on that goal, find it at your leisure, it's not a race to the heaviest.

Understand that I am not a professional trainer, or anything like that. Just a 60 year old guy trying to get better.

erickirb

FredKing1 wrote: »

Thank you for the informed response. Just to clarify, are you suggesting that any kind of weight program would suffice? I'm thinking high rep, low weight for me (68, otherwise sedentary) as I'm concerned that heavy weights would involve muscle damage I can't repair in a calorie deficit.

If you don't go heavy for you, then you will not be working the muscles sufficiently to be retained while in a deficit. For heavy it should be what is hard for you to finish all sets/reps, but could be sets as low as 2 reps or as high as 12, I would just suggest lifting a weight that you cannot get more than 12 reps with, once you can, increase the weight and work reps up again.

as an example lets say you bench 60lbs for 10 reps now, once you can get it to 12, increase the weight to 65... it is this progressively getting heavier (or adding reps up to 12ish, if under that to begin with) that tells your body, hey these muscles are needed, better hold on to it.... and in a deficit this leads to a larger % of your loss coming from fat.

FredKing1

Thanks again.

middlehaitch

@FredKing1 as others have said, lifting using weights that are heavy for you, and progressing as you get comfortable with the weight, is how you can conserve your muscle ( some will be lost) when in a deficit.

I am a small 62yo woman, and after reading up on the most common progressive lifting programmes that are posted here, I have started doing the All Pro programme. Using bodybars, hand weights, and barbell.

I chose this programme as one progresses on reps (8-12) for a few weeks, before upping the weights. This gives me a better comfort factor when I am in the gym working alone. I also feel that I won't overextend, or push my muscles to far too fast.

At my age, and never having lifted heavy before, (lots of bodyweight work) I am approaching this at a much slower pace than I would have done 30-40 years ago.

Cheers, h.
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=160947761

lancelyell

When I started my fitness journey I focused on cutting until I was within 2% of my desired body fat then focused on adding muscle. You can do both at the same time but the process is slower. I always suggest getting lean first so that you're healthier then add the muscle

AllanMisner

Yes, you can do both. You may not be optimizing both, but you can find a good balance (especially early on). The point would be to go with a moderate calorie deficit, making sure you’re getting the right amount of protein (not too little, not too much), and lifting heavy for hypertrophy (muscle growth).

Allan Misner
NASM Certified Personal Trainer (Corrective Exercise Specialist, Fitness Nutrition Specialist)
Host of the 40+ Fitness Podcast