Should i lose weight first or get muscles?

snikok
snikok Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm male 211 lbs 6 ft 26 yo.
I read somewhere that it's much easier to gain muscles when you're overweight lol, not sure if that's true.
«1

Replies

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Get thee to the weight room! Truly.

    Start now. If weight lifting is new to you, try a plan like Stronglifts 5X5. You can check it out at stronglifts.com, and download the app that keeps track of your progress. Best thing I ever did for my weight loss and overall health. And I freaking love it!
  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    Do both at the same time.

    + 1. why not both ?
  • NaturalNancy
    NaturalNancy Posts: 1,093 Member
    Both!
  • ElJefePerron
    ElJefePerron Posts: 88 Member
    Check out circuit training. You can incorporate both simultaneously.
  • lopesmartinez
    lopesmartinez Posts: 8 Member
    Muscle burns fat even when not in motion. Focus on both. I do 10min cardio to get blood pumping followed by weight training. Then i finish off with 30 min. I also alternate with HIIT (kickboxing). This got me 50lbs lighter.
  • joncooper1980
    joncooper1980 Posts: 96 Member
    edited May 2016
    lopesmartinez wrote: »
    Muscle burns fat even when not in motion....

    Muscle DOES NOT burn fat. More muscle requires more calories to maintain that muscle. Therefore the more muscular you are the higher your daily caloric needs. If you are in a caloric deficit your body will metabolise your fat stores to provide the energy that muscle requires but muscle does not directly burn fat!

    OP - What is your current BF%? Start lifting weights sooner rather than later but understand that building muscle requires you to be in a caloric surplus. Being in a caloric surplus means that you will not lose weight. In fact your BF% will increase. This is OK!! Building muscle inevitably leads to this. You just strip this fat off when you "cut".

    It is recommended that you lower your BF% to between 10-12% to allow you to optimise your muscle growth. I.E this will allow you to "bulk" for longer periods because you are starting from a position of being lean. Bulk to around 17-19% BF then "cut" back to 10-12%. Rinse & repeat.
  • jtcedinburgh
    jtcedinburgh Posts: 117 Member
    Out of interest, if you do weight training whilst in a deficit, do you gain strength or tone? I'd have thought that you would, even if it's not a question of increasing muscle mass.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    do both :smile:
  • joncooper1980
    joncooper1980 Posts: 96 Member
    jtcedinburgh wrote: »
    Out of interest, if you do weight training whilst in a deficit, do you gain strength or tone? I'd have thought that you would, even if it's not a question of increasing muscle mass.

    If you are new to weight training it is very possible to gain strength whilst in a deficit. Not so much if you are not new to lifting. And its not possible to tone a muscle. Muscles look more "toned" with lower body fat. So you tone by cutting body fat. You can only grow muscle in a calorie surplus (unless you are in your first 6 months of lifting and then its possible to grow muscle and lose fat through recomposition). Hope this helps.
  • willammoney
    willammoney Posts: 137 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    Do both at the same time.

    I agree with hirnsby
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    You've already got muscles under the fat--you want to save them. Lift.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    another vote for both here.
  • Keladelphia
    Keladelphia Posts: 820 Member
    joncooper1980 wrote: »
    jtcedinburgh wrote: »
    Out of interest, if you do weight training whilst in a deficit, do you gain strength or tone? I'd have thought that you would, even if it's not a question of increasing muscle mass.

    If you are new to weight training it is very possible to gain strength whilst in a deficit. Not so much if you are not new to lifting. And its not possible to tone a muscle. Muscles look more "toned" with lower body fat. So you tone by cutting body fat. You can only grow muscle in a calorie surplus (unless you are in your first 6 months of lifting and then its possible to grow muscle and lose fat through recomposition). Hope this helps.

    I generally agree with whats been posted so far except for this part. I ate at a modest deficit for nearly 2 years and gained strength (increased lift numbers) the entire time so I wasn't new to lifting especially by the end of my deficit. OP while it's surely more difficult to gain strength while in a deficit, it can most definitely be done even if you're not new to lifting. My vote definitely goes for both losing weight and lifting to retain as much muscle mass as possible while you lose.
  • SecretWeaponKevin
    SecretWeaponKevin Posts: 85 Member
    Keladelphia wrote: »
    joncooper1980 wrote: »
    jtcedinburgh wrote: »
    Out of interest, if you do weight training whilst in a deficit, do you gain strength or tone? I'd have thought that you would, even if it's not a question of increasing muscle mass.

    If you are new to weight training it is very possible to gain strength whilst in a deficit. Not so much if you are not new to lifting. And its not possible to tone a muscle. Muscles look more "toned" with lower body fat. So you tone by cutting body fat. You can only grow muscle in a calorie surplus (unless you are in your first 6 months of lifting and then its possible to grow muscle and lose fat through recomposition). Hope this helps.

    I generally agree with whats been posted so far except for this part. I ate at a modest deficit for nearly 2 years and gained strength (increased lift numbers) the entire time so I wasn't new to lifting especially by the end of my deficit. OP while it's surely more difficult to gain strength while in a deficit, it can most definitely be done even if you're not new to lifting. My vote definitely goes for both losing weight and lifting to retain as much muscle mass as possible while you lose.

    There are always going to be personal experiences that differ from the norm, however the general consensus is that beyond beginner's gains, to truly build a decent amount of muscle, you have to be in caloric surplus. Everybody and every body are different. :smiley:

    As for OP, get a good lifting program that you like (I started with SL 5x5) and eat at a moderate deficit. Continue this until your lifting continues to stall or you start feeling constantly fatigued and then start eating a little bit more. Hopefully you will check in periodically with the scale but body fat % is the real indicator if this type of diet/exercise is working for you and adjust accordingly.

    Just my 2c.
  • eeejer
    eeejer Posts: 339 Member
    joncooper1980 wrote: »
    jtcedinburgh wrote: »
    Out of interest, if you do weight training whilst in a deficit, do you gain strength or tone? I'd have thought that you would, even if it's not a question of increasing muscle mass.

    If you are new to weight training it is very possible to gain strength whilst in a deficit. Not so much if you are not new to lifting. And its not possible to tone a muscle. Muscles look more "toned" with lower body fat. So you tone by cutting body fat. You can only grow muscle in a calorie surplus (unless you are in your first 6 months of lifting and then its possible to grow muscle and lose fat through recomposition). Hope this helps.

    you can always gain strength because strength is a skill. You will not build muscle while on a cut after the newbie stage and unless you are obese. I've almost tripled my lifts in 2 years while cutting the whole time.
  • Keladelphia
    Keladelphia Posts: 820 Member
    SecretWeaponKevin wrote: »
    Keladelphia wrote: »
    joncooper1980 wrote: »
    jtcedinburgh wrote: »
    Out of interest, if you do weight training whilst in a deficit, do you gain strength or tone? I'd have thought that you would, even if it's not a question of increasing muscle mass.

    If you are new to weight training it is very possible to gain strength whilst in a deficit. Not so much if you are not new to lifting. And its not possible to tone a muscle. Muscles look more "toned" with lower body fat. So you tone by cutting body fat. You can only grow muscle in a calorie surplus (unless you are in your first 6 months of lifting and then its possible to grow muscle and lose fat through recomposition). Hope this helps.

    I generally agree with whats been posted so far except for this part. I ate at a modest deficit for nearly 2 years and gained strength (increased lift numbers) the entire time so I wasn't new to lifting especially by the end of my deficit. OP while it's surely more difficult to gain strength while in a deficit, it can most definitely be done even if you're not new to lifting. My vote definitely goes for both losing weight and lifting to retain as much muscle mass as possible while you lose.

    There are always going to be personal experiences that differ from the norm, however the general consensus is that beyond beginner's gains, to truly build a decent amount of muscle, you have to be in caloric surplus. Everybody and every body are different. :smiley:

    As for OP, get a good lifting program that you like (I started with SL 5x5) and eat at a moderate deficit. Continue this until your lifting continues to stall or you start feeling constantly fatigued and then start eating a little bit more. Hopefully you will check in periodically with the scale but body fat % is the real indicator if this type of diet/exercise is working for you and adjust accordingly.

    Just my 2c.

    I agree with you. To build a decent amount of muscle you need to be in a surplus beyond newbie gains, however I didn't say build muscle, I said gain strength...two different things
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    Keladelphia wrote: »
    joncooper1980 wrote: »
    jtcedinburgh wrote: »
    Out of interest, if you do weight training whilst in a deficit, do you gain strength or tone? I'd have thought that you would, even if it's not a question of increasing muscle mass.

    If you are new to weight training it is very possible to gain strength whilst in a deficit. Not so much if you are not new to lifting. And its not possible to tone a muscle. Muscles look more "toned" with lower body fat. So you tone by cutting body fat. You can only grow muscle in a calorie surplus (unless you are in your first 6 months of lifting and then its possible to grow muscle and lose fat through recomposition). Hope this helps.

    I generally agree with whats been posted so far except for this part. I ate at a modest deficit for nearly 2 years and gained strength (increased lift numbers) the entire time so I wasn't new to lifting especially by the end of my deficit. OP while it's surely more difficult to gain strength while in a deficit, it can most definitely be done even if you're not new to lifting. My vote definitely goes for both losing weight and lifting to retain as much muscle mass as possible while you lose.

    Agreed...people tend to confuse building muscle with building stength.
    I went from a 90lb DL to a 225lb DL in 2 years...that's an increase in strength....

    I may have built small amounts of muscle while eating at maintenance and lifting but never bothered to check.

    OP to be frank...you are not that overweight...but I do suggest lifting if you want to lose weight...the aim is to lose fat and maintain as much muscle as possible.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
    Maybe I view this all wrong, but I just don't get the point of weight training if you're eating at a deficit. Sure, telling the body those muscles are important. I do some planks, squats, and throw a dumbell around a little to make everything burn a bit, but it seems pointless to spend time on it if there will be no muscle growth.

    But this is uneducated me, for me I don't see much point in it when I have 100lbs of fat to drop before I will even see a hint of a muscle.

Categories