Gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time?
BonyCastro
Posts: 110 Member
Hello! I know you have to be in surplus to gain muscle and size.. However, I read articles that is possible for people who have been lifting less than 3 years to accomplish both! Anyone has any experience or has been successful at cutting and gaining at the same time ?
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Replies
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If you want a long but excellent read on the subject by Eric Helms...
http://muscleandstrengthpyramids.com/calorie-deficit-gain-weight/
Conclusion.
The main thing we want you, dear reader, to take home from this article is this – recomposition is normal. It happens – less so in trained individuals, but much more in untrained, new lifters. It’s not necessarily something to aim for, but be aware of it and how it can affect your scale weight if you use that as a metric to gauge progress for either you or your clients.
A bit of a lighter read (not keen on the author's style but that's maybe just me!), some good links to studies though.
http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/gain-muscle-and-lose-fat-at-the-same-time/
Have a look at this thread in the maintaining weight forum for real world examples and experiences - that's where most people doing recomp lurk.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat#latest
By the way there isn't a time limit on it, the limit is your genetic potential - I first started training in 1974 and am still recomping. My genetic potential now is somewhat lower though of course!
Speed of recomp changes though depending on many (and very individual) factors.7 -
I am losing fat so it LOOKS LIKE I am gaining muscle. I've got a lot of it under my fat. Regardless, its great to gain muscle because it consumes more calories than fat.3
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If you want a long but excellent read on the subject by Eric Helms...
http://muscleandstrengthpyramids.com/calorie-deficit-gain-weight/
Conclusion.
The main thing we want you, dear reader, to take home from this article is this – recomposition is normal. It happens – less so in trained individuals, but much more in untrained, new lifters. It’s not necessarily something to aim for, but be aware of it and how it can affect your scale weight if you use that as a metric to gauge progress for either you or your clients.
A bit of a lighter read (not keen on the author's style but that's maybe just me!), some good links to studies though.
http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/gain-muscle-and-lose-fat-at-the-same-time/
Have a look at this thread in the maintaining weight forum for real world examples and experiences - that's where most people doing recomp lurk.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat#latest
By the way there isn't a time limit on it, the limit is your genetic potential - I first started training in 1974 and am still recomping. My genetic potential now is somewhat lower though of course!
Speed of recomp changes though depending on many (and very individual) factors.
To put it in perspective, a client i worked with spent 18 months recomping and had ridiculous results. But she also hit her target daily and rarely deviated from her 2100 calories. In that time, she lost 3 lbs and gained 10 lbs of lean body mass (<-- not all muscle), confirmed by dexa scan.3 -
Another thing to add, do you have a timeline? Its going to be a lot faster to bulk/cut. And if you want to mimize fat gains, get real lean first and then have a small surplus 10 to 15% over maintenance.1
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Another thing to add, do you have a timeline? Its going to be a lot faster to bulk/cut. And if you want to mimize fat gains, get real lean first and then have a small surplus 10 to 15% over maintenance.
Actually yes I do have a timeline. I am competing in Sept. So don't have much time. I have to drop my BF to under 10% but don't want lose muscle.. Want to gain .. If possible !0 -
healthy diet, calorie surplus, and workout. If you manage those well and gain slow you'll do great.0
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BonyCastro wrote: »Another thing to add, do you have a timeline? Its going to be a lot faster to bulk/cut. And if you want to mimize fat gains, get real lean first and then have a small surplus 10 to 15% over maintenance.
Actually yes I do have a timeline. I am competing in Sept. So don't have much time. I have to drop my BF to under 10% but don't want lose muscle.. Want to gain .. If possible !
Well with two months you will have to consider cutting soon. In a month you will likely only gsin 1 lb of muscle of a little more.1 -
BonyCastro wrote: »Another thing to add, do you have a timeline? Its going to be a lot faster to bulk/cut. And if you want to mimize fat gains, get real lean first and then have a small surplus 10 to 15% over maintenance.
Actually yes I do have a timeline. I am competing in Sept. So don't have much time. I have to drop my BF to under 10% but don't want lose muscle.. Want to gain .. If possible !
You are a female that's looking to cut your body fat to UNDER 10%?! There will be serious physiological consequences to having your BF that low as a female.4 -
BonyCastro wrote: »Another thing to add, do you have a timeline? Its going to be a lot faster to bulk/cut. And if you want to mimize fat gains, get real lean first and then have a small surplus 10 to 15% over maintenance.
Actually yes I do have a timeline. I am competing in Sept. So don't have much time. I have to drop my BF to under 10% but don't want lose muscle.. Want to gain .. If possible !
not going to happen, sorry...
and why are you trying to go under 10% ..????1 -
BonyCastro wrote: »Another thing to add, do you have a timeline? Its going to be a lot faster to bulk/cut. And if you want to mimize fat gains, get real lean first and then have a small surplus 10 to 15% over maintenance.
Actually yes I do have a timeline. I am competing in Sept. So don't have much time. I have to drop my BF to under 10% but don't want lose muscle.. Want to gain .. If possible !
Competing in what class?0 -
BonyCastro wrote: »Another thing to add, do you have a timeline? Its going to be a lot faster to bulk/cut. And if you want to mimize fat gains, get real lean first and then have a small surplus 10 to 15% over maintenance.
Actually yes I do have a timeline. I am competing in Sept. So don't have much time. I have to drop my BF to under 10% but don't want lose muscle.. Want to gain .. If possible !
not going to happen, sorry...
and why are you trying to go under 10% ..????
Update! Yes it did happened! I step on stage 2 weeks ago at %7 BF and I took first in open class and third in masters...6 -
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Very lean but doesn't look like 7% lean1
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Congrats on braving the stage and having the dedication to compete in the sport. You can certainly lean out before your comp which will further highlight musculature but to gain may be tough.
Are you being coached or are you competing all on your own?0 -
Well done on competing but there is no chance that you are sub 10% or even sub 15%.2
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trigden1991 wrote: »Well done on competing but there is no chance that you are sub 10% or even sub 15%.
Picture of my last measures 10 days before comp. obviously I was a lot leaner when i stepped on stage. Notice the 7.7%
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Congrats! Were you figure or bikini? I don't see any capped delts on stage so I'm going to assume it wasn't physique. Also, how are you planning to control the post show bounce and all that entails? Do you have a structure eating and recover plan?0
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Wheelhouse15 wrote: »Congrats! Were you figure or bikini? I don't see any capped delts on stage so I'm going to assume it wasn't physique. Also, how are you planning to control the post show bounce and all that entails? Do you have a structure eating and recover plan?
Bikini. I'm on maintenance calories now and will start a bulk soon. My goal is to compete again next year0 -
BonyCastro wrote: »Wheelhouse15 wrote: »Congrats! Were you figure or bikini? I don't see any capped delts on stage so I'm going to assume it wasn't physique. Also, how are you planning to control the post show bounce and all that entails? Do you have a structure eating and recover plan?
Bikini. I'm on maintenance calories now and will start a bulk soon. My goal is to compete again next year
Sounds like you kept that rebound under control. Good luck in your next show!
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Congrats on taking first. You look to be 13-15 percent which is a pretty awesome accomplishment. Good on ya! Here is a chart for reference.
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I don't doubt that the test you implemented to arrive at your body-fat% puts you at 7% but it's highly unlikely that this is accurate.
Regardless, you look great and congrats!2 -
trigden1991 wrote: »Well done on competing but there is no chance that you are sub 10% or even sub 15%.
Sub 15 is quite possible. Sub 10, no way in hell.1 -
trigden1991 wrote: »Well done on competing but there is no chance that you are sub 10% or even sub 15%.
Sub 15 is quite possible. Sub 10, no way in hell.
I was stating that I didn't think she was sub 15%, not that sub 15% wasn't achievable by any females.0 -
Congrats @BonyCastro you look great! Happy bulking
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Congratulations! You look amazing!2
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You look great! But like the others I agree that you cannot be 7% do you believe you went below essential fat and were able to still train, step on stage, etc? You would look gaunt, have serious mental issues, be prone to chronic illness, have no period etc etc. you look healthy in the pics so I doubt that would be the case! Why would you want to be 7 anyway, that is so dangerous and would have serious long term effects. Do a dexa scan rather than calipers1
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Congrats on your place. Have fun bulking for a few months now.0
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Unfortunately that's NOT an accurate way to measure body fat %. Being in competition and having trained competitive Bikini/Figure clients, sub 10% is very very unlikely. Even 15% may be too much to compete in those divisions depending on the judges.BonyCastro wrote: »trigden1991 wrote: »Well done on competing but there is no chance that you are sub 10% or even sub 15%.
Picture of my last measures 10 days before comp. obviously I was a lot leaner when i stepped on stage. Notice the 7.7%
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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So you said you have trained competitors. How did you measure their BF then ?
Unfortunately that's NOT an accurate way to measure body fat %. Being in competition and having trained competitive Bikini/Figure clients, sub 10% is very very unlikely. Even 15% may be too much to compete in those divisions depending on the judges.BonyCastro wrote: »trigden1991 wrote: »Well done on competing but there is no chance that you are sub 10% or even sub 15%.
Picture of my last measures 10 days before comp. obviously I was a lot leaner when i stepped on stage. Notice the 7.7%
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition1
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