Should I

39andfat

Should I lose belly fat before I try and build muscle?

jennifer_417

Nope. Go for it.

TavistockToad

jennifer_417 wrote: »

Nope. Go for it.

:laugh:

Unknown

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39andfat

@pootlepootle1972 my fat comes off belly as that's only place I have it.

malibu927

39andfat wrote: »

@pootlepootle1972 my fat comes off belly as that's only place I have it.

You have fat everywhere. Your belly is just where the highest percentage accumulates. You'll lose it from everywhere.

sflano1271

ACanadian22

I think what you meant was should I work out and diet at the same time or lose the weight first?

sportychic87

I’m working out, losing weight and weight lifting all at the same time. The weight is slowly coming off and at the same time I’m toning up too. It does seem like it reduces the amount of weight I lose, but given that I’m toning up too, I’m perfectly happy with it. The slower weight loss seems to correlate with my gaining muscle which makes sense. It’s evident I’m losing weight but muscles are also starting to show. So I think weight loss with exercise and weight lifting is a perfect combo

babysaffy

Start building muscle. It'll help speed up your metabolism.

Years ago when I previously lost weight and was at my fittest, things didn't speed up until I started incorporating weights. Hope this helps.

39andfat

I do weights and cardio but I don't want to eat the amount of carbs and protein to build muscle until I've lost fat first.

malibu927

You still should be eating the amount of protein to maintain muscle. You likely won't build in a deficit, but you still don't want to be skinny fat at the end.

What are your stats?

39andfat

Yeah I eat enough protein and am building muscle at the same time as losing fat.

callsitlikeiseeit

you can not dictate where fat comes off

betty_veronica4

You can't spot reduce (damn you, triceps). Period. I do suggest building strength training in - if nothing else, it is empowering. When you can feel those muscles? Instant motivation.

AnnPT77

A calorie deficit is of course what's needed to lose fat.

While in a calorie deficit, strength training helps us retain as much existing muscle as possible, get stronger, and look more firm/fit (especially as the fat layer begins to shrink away).

People who are new to strength training can sometimes gain a little muscle mass (actually grow new, additional muscle cells/fibers) at first alongside losing fat, but this is very limited. Think about it: Adding muscle weight means adding body weight. Losing fat means losing body weight. Adding body weight requires a calorie surplus. Losing body weight requires a calorie deficit. Very, very little of this is going to happen at one and the same time.

Strength training can make us stronger in a calorie deficit . . . often much stronger, pretty fast, at first. It's from neuromuscular adaptation, basically recruiting existing muscle cells/fibers more readily and using them more efficiently. And it can make us look better - firmer, more defined. Totally worth doing!