Working off 4 years of beer and pizza

kbillman24
kbillman24 Posts: 2 Member
edited November 26 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I just graduated college and am new to the whole working out thing. I’m trying to burn the extra fat I gained during school while building muscle. I am 6’ 185ish I’m assuming 20+% body fat (I have a breakdown next week so I’ll know exact). My problem area as far as fat goes is my stomach. I’m looking for Any advice from proteins, combatting soreness, or diet. Any advice is appreciated!

Replies

  • kbillman24
    kbillman24 Posts: 2 Member
    SecantSix wrote: »
    Hey man, welcome!

    First things first: with very few exceptions, the body cannot gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. Losing fat requires a caloric deficit (more calories being used than being eaten). Building muscle requires a caloric surplus. If you are a true beginner, you will be able to build muscle while burning fat for a little while, but it's better to pick one goal, tune your caloric intake to achieve that while minimizing losses in the other goal, and then be pleasantly surprised if you actually make progress towards the other goal.

    If you're at 20+% body fat, general consensus is to focus on losing fat first. This will improve your body's calorie partitioning, so that when you switch gears and start eating at a surplus to build muscle, more of those extra calories will go towards muscle rather than fat. You'll also see a difference in your physique more quickly. Losing fat generally makes you and your muscles look "bigger" faster even though you actually weigh less. A couple of inches off of the waist makes everything else look proportionally larger, and the muscle you have will "pop out" more.

    So, recommendations:
    1. Set your diet plan on MyFitnessPal to lose 0.5-1 lbs/week, with a slight preference toward 1 lb/week if that's sustainable for you. This is a good deficit for losing fat while maintaining muscle. As a beginner, you may even see some muscle gain, as long as you...
    2. Eat plenty of protein every day. You should be eating 0.8 grams/lb of body weight every day at a minimum. Protein builds and repairs muscle. If you aren't eating enough of it, you're going to lose muscle. Also, protein helps you feel full, which is a nice benefit when you're on a deficit.
    3. Eat a good amount of fats everyday. 25% of your calories should come from healthy fats (olive oil, fish, nuts, etc.). Fats help regulate hormones, which are important for maintaining your metabolism and general quality of life.
    4. Choose a beginner weightlifting routine that you like and stick to it. Don't make modifications; the routine was fine-tuned for beginners to maximize results. There are lots of good ones here: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1.
    5. Start lifting a little lighter than you think you should and perfect lifting technique. Technique is super important. It will maximize your results and minimize injury. Injury sucks. Starting a little light will also help prevent soreness, by easing you into heavier weights slowly as you perfect your form.
    6. Track your progress in weeks, not days. Bodyweight fluctuates by as many as 3-4 pounds from day to day. It's more reliable to track your average over 3-4 weeks.
    7. Track body measurements as well as weight, especially your waist. A shrinking waist is an excellent indicator that fat is being lost, regardless of the number on the scale. This will also be important later when you're gaining weight and building muscle. If you gained 15 pounds in 4 weeks but your waist grew by 2 inches, then most of that weight gain was probably fat, not muscle, and you need to adjust your diet.
    8. As a goal to shoot for, try to lose weight until you're down to 10-12% body fat. That is considered the optimal point to reverse course and start gaining weight to build muscle. Once you're there, gaining 0.5-1 lb/week is a good goal for beginners. The body can't naturally build muscle much faster than that. When you hit around 15% body fat, consider trimming down again. Repeat until desired body is achieved.

    This is my personal favorite site to read for information on these things and more: https://bodyrecomposition.com/

    Good luck!

    Thank you! This really helped! I’ve gone in and adjusted/changed my goals on the app to meet what you’ve said. I do have 1 more question though.... so my friends are heavy drinkers on the weekends and me and my girlfriend have significantly cut back but we will have our weekends (especially with summer) where we will go out with friends and have a few drinks. I know it’s counterproductive but with 3 birthday celebrations coming up it is fairly unavoidable. Do you have any advice as to what to order or a way that I can work it into my macros and not completely undo all the work I’ve put in? TIA
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    kbillman24 wrote: »
    SecantSix wrote: »
    Hey man, welcome!

    First things first: with very few exceptions, the body cannot gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. Losing fat requires a caloric deficit (more calories being used than being eaten). Building muscle requires a caloric surplus. If you are a true beginner, you will be able to build muscle while burning fat for a little while, but it's better to pick one goal, tune your caloric intake to achieve that while minimizing losses in the other goal, and then be pleasantly surprised if you actually make progress towards the other goal.

    If you're at 20+% body fat, general consensus is to focus on losing fat first. This will improve your body's calorie partitioning, so that when you switch gears and start eating at a surplus to build muscle, more of those extra calories will go towards muscle rather than fat. You'll also see a difference in your physique more quickly. Losing fat generally makes you and your muscles look "bigger" faster even though you actually weigh less. A couple of inches off of the waist makes everything else look proportionally larger, and the muscle you have will "pop out" more.

    So, recommendations:
    1. Set your diet plan on MyFitnessPal to lose 0.5-1 lbs/week, with a slight preference toward 1 lb/week if that's sustainable for you. This is a good deficit for losing fat while maintaining muscle. As a beginner, you may even see some muscle gain, as long as you...
    2. Eat plenty of protein every day. You should be eating 0.8 grams/lb of body weight every day at a minimum. Protein builds and repairs muscle. If you aren't eating enough of it, you're going to lose muscle. Also, protein helps you feel full, which is a nice benefit when you're on a deficit.
    3. Eat a good amount of fats everyday. 25% of your calories should come from healthy fats (olive oil, fish, nuts, etc.). Fats help regulate hormones, which are important for maintaining your metabolism and general quality of life.
    4. Choose a beginner weightlifting routine that you like and stick to it. Don't make modifications; the routine was fine-tuned for beginners to maximize results. There are lots of good ones here: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1.
    5. Start lifting a little lighter than you think you should and perfect lifting technique. Technique is super important. It will maximize your results and minimize injury. Injury sucks. Starting a little light will also help prevent soreness, by easing you into heavier weights slowly as you perfect your form.
    6. Track your progress in weeks, not days. Bodyweight fluctuates by as many as 3-4 pounds from day to day. It's more reliable to track your average over 3-4 weeks.
    7. Track body measurements as well as weight, especially your waist. A shrinking waist is an excellent indicator that fat is being lost, regardless of the number on the scale. This will also be important later when you're gaining weight and building muscle. If you gained 15 pounds in 4 weeks but your waist grew by 2 inches, then most of that weight gain was probably fat, not muscle, and you need to adjust your diet.
    8. As a goal to shoot for, try to lose weight until you're down to 10-12% body fat. That is considered the optimal point to reverse course and start gaining weight to build muscle. Once you're there, gaining 0.5-1 lb/week is a good goal for beginners. The body can't naturally build muscle much faster than that. When you hit around 15% body fat, consider trimming down again. Repeat until desired body is achieved.

    This is my personal favorite site to read for information on these things and more: https://bodyrecomposition.com/

    Good luck!

    Thank you! This really helped! I’ve gone in and adjusted/changed my goals on the app to meet what you’ve said. I do have 1 more question though.... so my friends are heavy drinkers on the weekends and me and my girlfriend have significantly cut back but we will have our weekends (especially with summer) where we will go out with friends and have a few drinks. I know it’s counterproductive but with 3 birthday celebrations coming up it is fairly unavoidable. Do you have any advice as to what to order or a way that I can work it into my macros and not completely undo all the work I’ve put in? TIA

    A) Do you have to drink?
    B) Drink & Eat in moderation
    C) Increase calorie deficit the week before
    D) Enjoy yourself
  • Silkysausage
    Silkysausage Posts: 502 Member
    kbillman24 wrote: »
    SecantSix wrote: »
    Hey man, welcome!

    First things first: with very few exceptions, the body cannot gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. Losing fat requires a caloric deficit (more calories being used than being eaten). Building muscle requires a caloric surplus. If you are a true beginner, you will be able to build muscle while burning fat for a little while, but it's better to pick one goal, tune your caloric intake to achieve that while minimizing losses in the other goal, and then be pleasantly surprised if you actually make progress towards the other goal.

    If you're at 20+% body fat, general consensus is to focus on losing fat first. This will improve your body's calorie partitioning, so that when you switch gears and start eating at a surplus to build muscle, more of those extra calories will go towards muscle rather than fat. You'll also see a difference in your physique more quickly. Losing fat generally makes you and your muscles look "bigger" faster even though you actually weigh less. A couple of inches off of the waist makes everything else look proportionally larger, and the muscle you have will "pop out" more.

    So, recommendations:
    1. Set your diet plan on MyFitnessPal to lose 0.5-1 lbs/week, with a slight preference toward 1 lb/week if that's sustainable for you. This is a good deficit for losing fat while maintaining muscle. As a beginner, you may even see some muscle gain, as long as you...
    2. Eat plenty of protein every day. You should be eating 0.8 grams/lb of body weight every day at a minimum. Protein builds and repairs muscle. If you aren't eating enough of it, you're going to lose muscle. Also, protein helps you feel full, which is a nice benefit when you're on a deficit.
    3. Eat a good amount of fats everyday. 25% of your calories should come from healthy fats (olive oil, fish, nuts, etc.). Fats help regulate hormones, which are important for maintaining your metabolism and general quality of life.
    4. Choose a beginner weightlifting routine that you like and stick to it. Don't make modifications; the routine was fine-tuned for beginners to maximize results. There are lots of good ones here: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1.
    5. Start lifting a little lighter than you think you should and perfect lifting technique. Technique is super important. It will maximize your results and minimize injury. Injury sucks. Starting a little light will also help prevent soreness, by easing you into heavier weights slowly as you perfect your form.
    6. Track your progress in weeks, not days. Bodyweight fluctuates by as many as 3-4 pounds from day to day. It's more reliable to track your average over 3-4 weeks.
    7. Track body measurements as well as weight, especially your waist. A shrinking waist is an excellent indicator that fat is being lost, regardless of the number on the scale. This will also be important later when you're gaining weight and building muscle. If you gained 15 pounds in 4 weeks but your waist grew by 2 inches, then most of that weight gain was probably fat, not muscle, and you need to adjust your diet.
    8. As a goal to shoot for, try to lose weight until you're down to 10-12% body fat. That is considered the optimal point to reverse course and start gaining weight to build muscle. Once you're there, gaining 0.5-1 lb/week is a good goal for beginners. The body can't naturally build muscle much faster than that. When you hit around 15% body fat, consider trimming down again. Repeat until desired body is achieved.

    This is my personal favorite site to read for information on these things and more: https://bodyrecomposition.com/

    Good luck!

    Thank you! This really helped! I’ve gone in and adjusted/changed my goals on the app to meet what you’ve said. I do have 1 more question though.... so my friends are heavy drinkers on the weekends and me and my girlfriend have significantly cut back but we will have our weekends (especially with summer) where we will go out with friends and have a few drinks. I know it’s counterproductive but with 3 birthday celebrations coming up it is fairly unavoidable. Do you have any advice as to what to order or a way that I can work it into my macros and not completely undo all the work I’ve put in? TIA

    Spirits such as vodka have less calories than wine or beer
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    If you are new to weight training, you'll likely build at least some muscle despite the deficit. At the very least, it will help you not lose muscle as you lose weight. And the muscle you build/preserve will become more visible.

    drinks: 1.5 oz of straight liquor is about 100 calories. If you want to make it last a bit longer, then order it single tall with a 0-calorie mixer (diet or clear soda, not juice or tonic). Flavored vodka and rum, as far as I can tell for the common ones, is ~0-calorie artificially sweetened (so no additional calories). Wine is ~120-140ish/glass (typically 5-6 oz). Anything fruity (sugary mixer or juice) will generally more than double the calories.

  • SecantSix
    SecantSix Posts: 7 Member
    kbillman24 wrote: »
    Thank you! This really helped! I’ve gone in and adjusted/changed my goals on the app to meet what you’ve said. I do have 1 more question though.... so my friends are heavy drinkers on the weekends and me and my girlfriend have significantly cut back but we will have our weekends (especially with summer) where we will go out with friends and have a few drinks. I know it’s counterproductive but with 3 birthday celebrations coming up it is fairly unavoidable. Do you have any advice as to what to order or a way that I can work it into my macros and not completely undo all the work I’ve put in? TIA

    Glad to help!

    Here's an article that can help you make a gameplan for upcoming celebrations: https://bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/10-tips-to-deal-with-holiday-weight-gain.html/#more-1507

    Using that article as inspiration, here are some of the ideas I would use:
    • Cut calories by an extra 300 for the two days leading up to drinks (especially carbs). Then, when it's party time, you can add those "saved" 600 calories to your total allotment for the day. Weight loss is a game of averages, so using this strategy will keep you right on track.
    • Also, remember that your plan has you eating at a deficit to lose fat, so you could allow yourself to eat an extra 250-500 calories on top of whatever calories you "saved" and accept that for one day, you will not be losing fat. This is ok, and might even be a good idea on occasion. There are some studies suggesting that "refeeds," periods where you pause your diet and eat at maintenance, help regulate hormones and metabolism for easier long-term fat loss. The key is not to "refeed" all the time.
    • Make most of your calories protein and vegetables beforehand. You'll feel more full going in, and naturally feel like eating and drinking less.
    • Order drinks that have fewer calories or come in smaller portions.
    • Decide that you're going to indulge and that this is ok. Even if you missed your daily goal by, say, 1000 calories, it would only take 2-4 days of sticking to your plan to burn those off, and then you're back on track. The danger lies in doing this too often so that you're always in "catch-up" mode, or in psyching yourself out thinking all is lost because you gave in and ate too much and then giving up on your plan entirely. Indulge sparingly and keep the long run in mind, and you'll be fine.

  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    kbillman24 wrote: »
    SecantSix wrote: »
    Hey man, welcome!

    First things first: with very few exceptions, the body cannot gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. Losing fat requires a caloric deficit (more calories being used than being eaten). Building muscle requires a caloric surplus. If you are a true beginner, you will be able to build muscle while burning fat for a little while, but it's better to pick one goal, tune your caloric intake to achieve that while minimizing losses in the other goal, and then be pleasantly surprised if you actually make progress towards the other goal.

    If you're at 20+% body fat, general consensus is to focus on losing fat first. This will improve your body's calorie partitioning, so that when you switch gears and start eating at a surplus to build muscle, more of those extra calories will go towards muscle rather than fat. You'll also see a difference in your physique more quickly. Losing fat generally makes you and your muscles look "bigger" faster even though you actually weigh less. A couple of inches off of the waist makes everything else look proportionally larger, and the muscle you have will "pop out" more.

    So, recommendations:
    1. Set your diet plan on MyFitnessPal to lose 0.5-1 lbs/week, with a slight preference toward 1 lb/week if that's sustainable for you. This is a good deficit for losing fat while maintaining muscle. As a beginner, you may even see some muscle gain, as long as you...
    2. Eat plenty of protein every day. You should be eating 0.8 grams/lb of body weight every day at a minimum. Protein builds and repairs muscle. If you aren't eating enough of it, you're going to lose muscle. Also, protein helps you feel full, which is a nice benefit when you're on a deficit.
    3. Eat a good amount of fats everyday. 25% of your calories should come from healthy fats (olive oil, fish, nuts, etc.). Fats help regulate hormones, which are important for maintaining your metabolism and general quality of life.
    4. Choose a beginner weightlifting routine that you like and stick to it. Don't make modifications; the routine was fine-tuned for beginners to maximize results. There are lots of good ones here: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1.
    5. Start lifting a little lighter than you think you should and perfect lifting technique. Technique is super important. It will maximize your results and minimize injury. Injury sucks. Starting a little light will also help prevent soreness, by easing you into heavier weights slowly as you perfect your form.
    6. Track your progress in weeks, not days. Bodyweight fluctuates by as many as 3-4 pounds from day to day. It's more reliable to track your average over 3-4 weeks.
    7. Track body measurements as well as weight, especially your waist. A shrinking waist is an excellent indicator that fat is being lost, regardless of the number on the scale. This will also be important later when you're gaining weight and building muscle. If you gained 15 pounds in 4 weeks but your waist grew by 2 inches, then most of that weight gain was probably fat, not muscle, and you need to adjust your diet.
    8. As a goal to shoot for, try to lose weight until you're down to 10-12% body fat. That is considered the optimal point to reverse course and start gaining weight to build muscle. Once you're there, gaining 0.5-1 lb/week is a good goal for beginners. The body can't naturally build muscle much faster than that. When you hit around 15% body fat, consider trimming down again. Repeat until desired body is achieved.

    This is my personal favorite site to read for information on these things and more: https://bodyrecomposition.com/

    Good luck!

    Thank you! This really helped! I’ve gone in and adjusted/changed my goals on the app to meet what you’ve said. I do have 1 more question though.... so my friends are heavy drinkers on the weekends and me and my girlfriend have significantly cut back but we will have our weekends (especially with summer) where we will go out with friends and have a few drinks. I know it’s counterproductive but with 3 birthday celebrations coming up it is fairly unavoidable. Do you have any advice as to what to order or a way that I can work it into my macros and not completely undo all the work I’ve put in? TIA

    Some really solid advice so far. I'll say that restricting yourself long term probably doesn't work, so just incorporate beer, pizza, and other foods you love into you caloric budget. My diary is open and I always make room for a beer.

    For those special occasions don't stop going, but just be mindful. Switch in water or club soda and lime or something else no/low calorie. We don't get overweight on just Thanksgiving and a few birthday celebrations throughout the year. It's the day to day 250 kcals surplus. Consistency is key.

    Don't do anything dramatic, just take this slowly and set small realistic goals that help you achieve your larger long term goal.

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