Burning fat while building muscle!!
millertime1026
Posts: 15 Member
My goal is to gain muscle mass and to burn fat at the same time!! I have been following a workout/ nutrition plan that has me eating about 3000 cal per day with 220 g of protein and 220g of carbohydrates (mostly complex) with about 80 g of fat!! The results I'm seeing so far are pretty good! however, I really would like to see more defined abs!! Any other suggestions!?
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Replies
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Visible and comes down to lower body fat and adequate lean mass. If you're gaining weight on your current calorie intake you're going the opposite direction to see your abs. If you're losing weight you're likely not gaining much if any lean mass. If you're maintaining weight your goal will likely just take time because recomposition is slow. Having that high of a protein intake isn't going to give any added benefits beyond what a more reasonable inake would.9
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I lost about 30 pounds in the last six months but that was because I stopped drinking alcohol! Now I'm 170 and maintaining there!! I usually hit about 2700 calories everyday! And I'm very active! What would a more reasonable protein intake be! And for that matter how about all of my macros!1
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millertime1026 wrote: »I lost about 30 pounds in the last six months but that was because I stopped drinking alcohol! Now I'm 170 and maintaining there!! I usually hit about 2700 calories everyday! And I'm very active! What would a more reasonable protein intake be! And for that matter how about all of my macros!
If you're maintaining weight, you're possibly doing recomp! This means you will slowly lose fat whilst slowly gaining muscle! If this is what you're doing, you'll get more defined abs eventually! If you want more defined abs more quickly you'll have to eat at a deficit! This will mean that you will unlikely be gaining muscle though! Take your pick!7 -
millertime1026 wrote: »I lost about 30 pounds in the last six months but that was because I stopped drinking alcohol! Now I'm 170 and maintaining there!! I usually hit about 2700 calories everyday! And I'm very active! What would a more reasonable protein intake be! And for that matter how about all of my macros!
Let's start with: What is your goal?
Are you trying to bulk, cut, or recomp?
Bulking is eating in a surplus to put on mass.
Cutting is eating at a deficit to lose fat and maintain muscle.
Recomp is eating at maintenance to try to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.
If you're just looking to have abs for the summer I would pick cutting. If you don't care how long this will take recomp could work.3 -
The recomp sounds more of what I'm looking for!! I'm looking for long term goals! So I'm not really looking for a quick fix! I know this will take time and hard work! Once I get my ideal image I would then like to maintain my abs plus a low (healthy) body fat percentage! I really like the cut up lean look! But also with adequate muscle size!2
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millertime1026 wrote: »The recomp sounds more of what I'm looking for!! I'm looking for long term goals! So I'm not really looking for a quick fix! I know this will take time and hard work! Once I get my ideal image I would then like to maintain my abs plus a low (healthy) body fat percentage! I really like the cut up lean look! But also with adequate muscle size!
Getting lean and staying lean is not a quick fix! It requires dedication to diet long term! Bulking and cutting is a long term goal too! It takes many cycles to build up decent muscle, especially as a natural lifter! Both require different focus!4 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »millertime1026 wrote: »The recomp sounds more of what I'm looking for!! I'm looking for long term goals! So I'm not really looking for a quick fix! I know this will take time and hard work! Once I get my ideal image I would then like to maintain my abs plus a low (healthy) body fat percentage! I really like the cut up lean look! But also with adequate muscle size!
Getting lean and staying lean is not a quick fix! It requires dedication to diet long term! Bulking and cutting is a long term goal too! It takes many cycles to build up decent muscle, especially as a natural lifter! Both require different focus!
This is great advice.. !5 -
I understand that it's not a quick fix!! I've heard more about bulking and cutting than any other focus out there! However, with proper diet and nutrition I believe that someone can gain muscle and burn fat at the same time like "usmcmp" stated that would recompositioning! I just need a little more input on the diet part specifically the macro count!!1
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There is a stickied post as a guide for recomp. There is a stickied post for working out macros for protein and fats (the important ones) - the remainder of calories can be whatever you like.
(can we please stop with the exclamation marks - waiting for muscle to grow is about exciting as watching grass grow. Perhaps slightly more than watching paint dry.)4 -
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Something like this would work.
240 Carbs
190 Protein
100 Fat
Get on a program and respect the rest days.
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millertime1026 wrote: »I understand that it's not a quick fix!! I've heard more about bulking and cutting than any other focus out there! However, with proper diet and nutrition I believe that someone can gain muscle and burn fat at the same time like "usmcmp" stated that would recompositioning! I just need a little more input on the diet part specifically the macro count!!
do a search on kenobody on utube. they specialise on lean bulk.1 -
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
@CharlieBeansmomTracey
This is about 2700 cals, which is what he is doing now. Just adjusted it to knock out some protein. Thanks for your input though.
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
@CharlieBeansmomTracey
This is about 2700 cals, which is what he is doing now. Just adjusted it to knock out some protein. Thanks for your input though.
ok for him then it might work,but I will still say for some it may for others it may not. Ill leave it at that lol2 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
@CharlieBeansmomTracey
This is about 2700 cals, which is what he is doing now. Just adjusted it to knock out some protein. Thanks for your input though.
ok for him then it might work,but I will still say for some it may for others it may not. Ill leave it at that lol
@CharlieBeansmomTracey
Well this is his thread, so.....
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
@CharlieBeansmomTracey
This is about 2700 cals, which is what he is doing now. Just adjusted it to knock out some protein. Thanks for your input though.
ok for him then it might work,but I will still say for some it may for others it may not. Ill leave it at that lol
@CharlieBeansmomTracey
Well this is his thread, so.....
exactly1 -
Yes, I have been not eating as much protien (over 200gs) seemed a lil excessive! I was trying to stay about 1.2xs my body weight!! Thanks for the input!! Any suggestions on how much cardio would be ideal! I've been doing a lot of HIIT on my off days for about 20-30 mins! About 3 days a week!!? Whatcha think?0
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millertime1026 wrote: »Yes, I have been not eating as much protien (over 200gs) seemed a lil excessive! I was trying to stay about 1.2xs my body weight!! Thanks for the input!! Any suggestions on how much cardio would be ideal! I've been doing a lot of HIIT on my off days for about 20-30 mins! About 3 days a week!!? Whatcha think?
OP: You state in the initial post that you were eating only about 2480 cals a day (220g/880/35.5% cal protein, 220g/880/35.5% cal carbs and 80g/720/29% cals fat).
That's actually a very balanced diet of about 1/3 each of P/C/F.
There's NO problem with that and don't let the people here tell you otherwise. There's a prejudice on MFP against "high protein" diets but your ratio of protein is by no means "high" nor "excessive." The ratio is even less (at 32.6% -29.3%) if you are eating 2700-3000 cals/day as you say you do elsewhere.
There are actually good reasons to be on a high protein diet if you are trying to lose or maintain weight. Won't go into that here but it is addressed elsewhere on the forum and the Net. I'll simply let my experience serve as proof of that.
FYI, I've been in recomp and have remained w/in 2.5# of 160# for the past 7 months (down from 196 in prior 5 months) and, based on hydrostatic testing), I reduced my BF from 16.9% to 10.1% (by reducing the weight of my BF and increasing the weight of my LBM by 12.1# over the past 5 months).
I did this on a diet of just below 1900 cals a day based on a macro "goal" of 40P/40C/20F but the average of my macros over the past year actually has been 33%P/39%C/28%F (or about 165gP/194gC/63gF per day. That is a ratio of about 1.03g P/# BW or 1.16g P/#LBM.
These numbers are NOT much different that what you've reported for yourself. So, I wouldn't change anything that you are already doing in this regard.
In addition to maintaining with this diet, I do strength training 4 days a week -- just BP, OHP, SQT and DL -- plus a pushup/pullup/dip routine on SQT/DL days and moderate (non-intensive) rowing for 20 mins on BP/OHP. I do not lift or exercise for increasing strength; just for maintenance which is all that is necessary for recomp and/or maintenance.
In other words, I don't push the weights up constantly (I actually cycle bet high/low weight at relative low reps/sets) and I don't go for high reps or duration in my body weight exercises and rowing). Just enough to stay "in shape" without losing the strength that I've already developed.
As a result of this, I've got defined muscle definition and visible abs. My measurements are: 5'8", 42C-33W-37H. I'm not bulked out or skinny. Just right IMO.
I've been asked if I was interested in engaging in a seniors (I'm 66) physique competition by the person who does my hydrostatic testing. I'm not interested in doing that but I took the question as a compliment from a person who should know what a fit body looks like.
If you want to read about the details of my recomp journey, you can find it in my "Ready to Recomp" thread here:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10462715/ready-to-recomp/p1
Recomp isn't as difficult as people make it out to be but it does take time, patience, dedication and determination to stick with the "program."
Daily weighing and food logging plus BF testing by means of DXA or hydrostatic testing at least quarterly is also essential IMO to track progress accurately.
Good luck!
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Thank you sgt1372!!! Very helpful info!2
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millertime1026 wrote: »Thank you sgt1372!!! Very helpful info!
You're welcome!
FWIW, while I pay close attn to my daily cals and macros, I do not eat exactly the same thing everyday and I eat/drink pretty much whatever I like whenever I like, including alcohol. It all just has to fit w/in my cal/macro goals OVERALL but there can be daily variations, both over and under.
In fact, I just came back from a 4 day wine tasting trip, where I visited 3-6 wineries a day and, apart from some packed snacks, ate "out" for breakfast lunch and dinner everyday. Just went over my 1900 cal limit by 10% on 2 of the 4 days.
I shared the wine tastings w/my GF which limited the alcohol and opted for smaller portions and "heart healthy" foods over fried & fatty.
However, I still ate 1/2 of a 12" pizza for lunch and drank 1/2 of a full bottle of sparkling wine w/dinner on 2 separate occasions during the trip. So, I definitely did not deprive myself.
More importantly, my weight didn't change much during the trip. I brought my bathroom scale with me and weighed myself everyday. Started at 157 and ended at 157.5 but my weight actually dropped to 155.9 during the trip.
So, don't let anyone tell you that you have to be on a boring and restrictive diet to maintain wt and/or recomp either.
Gotta go now. Time for dinner which will include 1/2# of a rare NY steak grilled in a cast iron pan on my stovetop. Homemade butternut squash soup and a navel orange complete the meal. Yum!
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millertime1026 wrote: »The recomp sounds more of what I'm looking for!! I'm looking for long term goals! So I'm not really looking for a quick fix! I know this will take time and hard work! Once I get my ideal image I would then like to maintain my abs plus a low (healthy) body fat percentage! I really like the cut up lean look! But also with adequate muscle size!
This is what I am currently doing & it's a great plan! Recomping is so much simpler and more sustainable for my lifestyle. I'm staying somewhat lean, cause I like seeing definition, but I'm eating enough to gain a little muscle too! Win win0 -
millertime1026 wrote: »The recomp sounds more of what I'm looking for!! I'm looking for long term goals! So I'm not really looking for a quick fix! I know this will take time and hard work!
That's what I've been doing for the past 15-16 months. It's not easy. There are a lot of frustrations and finding the sweet spot is flipping complicated. In 2016 I spent most of the time from March to October spinning my wheels, gaining zero lean body mass (confirmed by DEXA), and only gaining fat. It was quite demoralising. All the while my strength was increasing massively with no gain of muscle at all... Gaargh!
A bit of tweaking, exact same calorie intake and balance, and now I'm gaining lean body mass and losing fat. Over the last 6 months I've gained 3kg of lean mass and lose a kilo of fat. Yeah, it's slow, but it's also liveable. It doesn't require you to eat uninteresting food, IIFYM and Recomp work quite well together. But make sure you're a data person, and have access to quality data. If I'd not had the DEXA scans to work off, I'd have mistakenly believed I was making progress last year when i was doing anything but.0 -
Nice read. I'm seriously considering recomp1
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Can someone explain to me how the high calorie diet for gaining LBM and losing weight work? I was told to do the same to eat around 3000 calories but my body only burns around 2100 - 2400 based on my calorie tracker. So will I lose BF% if im not in a deficit?0
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sdranger1221 wrote: »Can someone explain to me how the high calorie diet for gaining LBM and losing weight work? I was told to do the same to eat around 3000 calories but my body only burns around 2100 - 2400 based on my calorie tracker. So will I lose BF% if im not in a deficit?
to lose body fat you either need to be in a deficit of calories or you need to be doing a recomp(eating maintenance calories,but its very very slow and you may not see any change in months or more), if you are eating more calories than you burn including exercise calories then you will gain weight. if you want to gain some muscle without gaining a high amount of fat then you need to eat in a small surplus. but you wont lose fat eating in a surplus of calories.0
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