How to lose weight plus build up muscle mass
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sflano1783
Posts: 117 Member
I want to lose weight plus try build up a bit of muscle mass I have two dumbells at home any ideas for homeworkouts
3
Replies
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Other than as a newbie, returning after a layoff or obese, you won't gain much muscle mass in a calorie deficit, which is what you need to lose weight. But you can keep and condition most of what you have.
How much weight do you want to lose? Also 2 dumbells and a bodyweight program are fine to start but at some point you will need more weights or to join a gym to build muscle through progressive overload.4 -
Basic strategy: you'll go into starvation mode (which is bad and causes weight to come back) if you lose more than 10% of your body weight in 6 months, roughly. So, get an exercise routine with plenty of cardio and a bit of weights work, and run a caloric debt until you've dropped 10%. Then start eating more to hold at that weight while continuing to work out with more weights until 6 months is done, and restart.
But the poster above is right: you're not getting bulk muscle with just two dumbbells. You'll need a gym for that. With that said, the usual set of pilates (for core) and curls/pull ups/etc with the weights will be helpful.41 -
Starvation mode as stated above isn't a thing. You don't magically gain weight by eating too few calories. It is scientifically impossible.
Work on losing weight through calorie deficit, and maintaining muscle through exercise.14 -
Check out athlean x workouts and meal plan.7
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If you're already at a healthy BMI, you could consider recomposition. This discussion should be helpful to get you started:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1
If you're not at a healthy BMI, you kind of have to choose what you want to do: lose weight or gain muscle. It's very difficult, if not impossible, to do both at the same time. Your body needs excess calories to build muscle but needs a calorie deficit to lose weight. You can see how achieving these two conditions simultaneously is problematic, yes?2 -
nresonbrown wrote: »Basic strategy: you'll go into starvation mode (which is bad and causes weight to come back) if you lose more than 10% of your body weight in 6 months, roughly. So, get an exercise routine with plenty of cardio and a bit of weights work, and run a caloric debt until you've dropped 10%. Then start eating more to hold at that weight while continuing to work out with more weights until 6 months is done, and restart.
But the poster above is right: you're not getting bulk muscle with just two dumbbells. You'll need a gym for that. With that said, the usual set of pilates (for core) and curls/pull ups/etc with the weights will be helpful.
1) I've never heard this (bolded) addition to the myth of starvation mode (and yes, it's a myth).
2) You have no idea if OP even has 10% bodyweight to lose.
3) Working out with weights during the weight loss phase may not build muscle, but it can aid in preserving what's there.
4) What happens in 6 months? Seems like an odd and random time frame to put on things.
5) There are dumbbell and bodyweight routines that can support OP while they work on losing weight.
OP, here is a good list of established workout routines, including body weight and dumbbell routines. You may find that you out grow them at some point, but it's a place to start while you work on losing weight.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p16 -
You need to provide more information of where you are now and what your history is....
However, on a basic level you probably need to choose one or the other......that said no reason you can't start working out at home now. While losing BF on a CI<CO.
Good Luck0 -
Lift heavy - I suggest Stronglifts 5X5 as a base, until you max out your gains on that.
Clean up your diet. Just eat better.
Be patient. It takes time. And doing it concurrently is hard, because heavy weight training makes you ravenous. And it also slows down the scale. You might be lose 5lbs of fat in a month, but also gain 5lbs of muscle mass. So the scale looks like nothing is happening. But it is.
Most of the people on the success boards complain that they didn't lift while they were losing weight. It makes a huge difference.
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born_of_fire74 wrote: »If you're already at a healthy BMI, you could consider recomposition. This discussion should be helpful to get you started:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1
If you're not at a healthy BMI, you kind of have to choose what you want to do: lose weight or gain muscle. It's very difficult, if not impossible, to do both at the same time. Your body needs excess calories to build muscle but needs a calorie deficit to lose weight. You can see how achieving these two conditions simultaneously is problematic, yes?
You can buid muscle in a caloric deficit if you have excess fat, because the excess fat is essentially excess calories sitting there ready to be used.
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You need to get more specific if you want a tailored answer. How much do you want to lose? How much muscle do you want to gain?
You lose weight by implementing a caloric deficit.
You preserve muscle by a progressive resistance program.
You gain tissue (some muscle) by eating a caloric surplus and implementing a progressive resistance program.
Loads of bodyweight and dumbbell programs out there. Check out youtube and find a specific program that suits your goals.3 -
IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »Lift heavy - I suggest Stronglifts 5X5 as a base, until you max out your gains on that.
Clean up your diet. Just eat better.
Be patient. It takes time. And doing it concurrently is hard, because heavy weight training makes you ravenous. And it also slows down the scale. You might be lose 5lbs of fat in a month, but also gain 5lbs of muscle mass. So the scale looks like nothing is happening. But it is.
Most of the people on the success boards complain that they didn't lift while they were losing weight. It makes a huge difference.
fat loss and muscle gain is not a 1:1 ratio it doesnt work like that. heavy weight training doesnt make everyone ravenous. it blunts my appetite until the next day. it wont slow down the scale. you also probably wont gain 5lbs of muscle in a month in most cases even under the best conditions. muscle building is slow even in a surplus let alone a deficit excess fat or not. with excess fat many may look like they built more muscle than they have because the excess fat makes them look bulkier. but muscle building takes time.5 -
IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »Lift heavy - I suggest Stronglifts 5X5 as a base, until you max out your gains on that.
Clean up your diet. Just eat better.
Be patient. It takes time. And doing it concurrently is hard, because heavy weight training makes you ravenous. And it also slows down the scale. You might be lose 5lbs of fat in a month, but also gain 5lbs of muscle mass. So the scale looks like nothing is happening. But it is.
Most of the people on the success boards complain that they didn't lift while they were losing weight. It makes a huge difference.
I'd love to meet the person that gains 5 lbs of muscle mass in a month without being in anabolic steroids! Scientist would be looking for them.
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IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »Lift heavy - I suggest Stronglifts 5X5 as a base, until you max out your gains on that.
Clean up your diet. Just eat better.
Be patient. It takes time. And doing it concurrently is hard, because heavy weight training makes you ravenous. And it also slows down the scale. You might be lose 5lbs of fat in a month, but also gain 5lbs of muscle mass. So the scale looks like nothing is happening. But it is.
Most of the people on the success boards complain that they didn't lift while they were losing weight. It makes a huge difference.
I'd love to meet the person that gains 5 lbs of muscle mass in a month without being in anabolic steroids! Scientist would be looking for them.
You just need 36 eggs per day apparently
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IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »Lift heavy - I suggest Stronglifts 5X5 as a base, until you max out your gains on that.
Clean up your diet. Just eat better.
Be patient. It takes time. And doing it concurrently is hard, because heavy weight training makes you ravenous. And it also slows down the scale. You might be lose 5lbs of fat in a month, but also gain 5lbs of muscle mass. So the scale looks like nothing is happening. But it is.
Most of the people on the success boards complain that they didn't lift while they were losing weight. It makes a huge difference.
I'd love to meet the person that gains 5 lbs of muscle mass in a month without being in anabolic steroids! Scientist would be looking for them.
What's your deal bro? Did you see the guy who went from overweight couch potato to doing Ironman competitions?
Why do you feel the need to tell other people what is impossible for them?
13 -
IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »Lift heavy - I suggest Stronglifts 5X5 as a base, until you max out your gains on that.
Clean up your diet. Just eat better.
Be patient. It takes time. And doing it concurrently is hard, because heavy weight training makes you ravenous. And it also slows down the scale. You might be lose 5lbs of fat in a month, but also gain 5lbs of muscle mass. So the scale looks like nothing is happening. But it is.
Most of the people on the success boards complain that they didn't lift while they were losing weight. It makes a huge difference.
I'd love to meet the person that gains 5 lbs of muscle mass in a month without being in anabolic steroids! Scientist would be looking for them.
What's your deal bro? Did you see the guy who went from overweight couch potato to doing Ironman competitions?
Why do you feel the need to tell other people what is impossible for them?
My deal is I like dealing in facts. What's your deal?9 -
IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »Lift heavy - I suggest Stronglifts 5X5 as a base, until you max out your gains on that.
Clean up your diet. Just eat better.
Be patient. It takes time. And doing it concurrently is hard, because heavy weight training makes you ravenous. And it also slows down the scale. You might be lose 5lbs of fat in a month, but also gain 5lbs of muscle mass. So the scale looks like nothing is happening. But it is.
Most of the people on the success boards complain that they didn't lift while they were losing weight. It makes a huge difference.
I'd love to meet the person that gains 5 lbs of muscle mass in a month without being in anabolic steroids! Scientist would be looking for them.
What's your deal bro? Did you see the guy who went from overweight couch potato to doing Ironman competitions?
Why do you feel the need to tell other people what is impossible for them?
My deal is I like dealing in facts. What's your deal?
I guess I don't like your facts.
It was once a fact that humans could not run faster than a 4 minute mile.
That is no longer a fact.
I personally went through body recomposition with 50+ lbs of fat loss, ridiculous muscle and strength gains AT THE SAME TIME and I have people like you telling me it didn't happen. There is another person on the board that just made a thread who says they experienced the same thing. Why don't you run over there and tell them not to believe their own eyes and experience in favor of your "facts."
And even worse, trying to discourage people from going after their dreams.
Is it hard, yes, it's hard. Does it take time, yes it takes time. But it's not impossible.
There is nothing impossible with God. NOTHING.
Not even a 4 minute mile.
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sflano1783 wrote: »I want to lose weight plus try build up a bit of muscle mass I have two dumbells at home any ideas for homeworkouts
I'm not sure if you're still here or not, but you will need to provide more info to get specific feedback.
If you are in the healthy weight range, you can do a recomp, where you very slowly lose a little fat while gaining muscle, thus maintaining your weight but improving your body composition, check out this thread: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat
If you still have a decent amount of weight to lose, eat at a calorie deficit to lose the fat, and strength train to at least maintain your current muscle mass, and possibly in specific situations you might gain some muscle as well. Here is a thread with links to recommended strength training programs, there are some for dumbbells or body weight: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
Best of luck3 -
IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »Lift heavy - I suggest Stronglifts 5X5 as a base, until you max out your gains on that.
Clean up your diet. Just eat better.
Be patient. It takes time. And doing it concurrently is hard, because heavy weight training makes you ravenous. And it also slows down the scale. You might be lose 5lbs of fat in a month, but also gain 5lbs of muscle mass. So the scale looks like nothing is happening. But it is.
Most of the people on the success boards complain that they didn't lift while they were losing weight. It makes a huge difference.
I'd love to meet the person that gains 5 lbs of muscle mass in a month without being in anabolic steroids! Scientist would be looking for them.
What's your deal bro? Did you see the guy who went from overweight couch potato to doing Ironman competitions?
Why do you feel the need to tell other people what is impossible for them?
My deal is I like dealing in facts. What's your deal?
Here's someone who believes in your facts, and is highly confused at his muscle gains despite being in a very large caloric deficit. He is asking, how is this even happening? He's making PRs weekly now.
Maybe you can go over there and convince him he didn't actually make those gains, is mistaking the 10lb plates for 45lbs plates and just needs better glasses, or wasn't counting his calories right:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10700049/gaining-strength-in-a-deficit#latest9 -
IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »Lift heavy - I suggest Stronglifts 5X5 as a base, until you max out your gains on that.
Clean up your diet. Just eat better.
Be patient. It takes time. And doing it concurrently is hard, because heavy weight training makes you ravenous. And it also slows down the scale. You might be lose 5lbs of fat in a month, but also gain 5lbs of muscle mass. So the scale looks like nothing is happening. But it is.
Most of the people on the success boards complain that they didn't lift while they were losing weight. It makes a huge difference.
I'd love to meet the person that gains 5 lbs of muscle mass in a month without being in anabolic steroids! Scientist would be looking for them.
What's your deal bro? Did you see the guy who went from overweight couch potato to doing Ironman competitions?
Why do you feel the need to tell other people what is impossible for them?
My deal is I like dealing in facts. What's your deal?
Here's someone who believes in your facts, and is highly confused at his muscle gains despite being in a very large caloric deficit. He is asking, how is this even happening? He's making PRs weekly now.
Maybe you can go over there and convince him he didn't actually make those gains, is mistaking the 10lb plates for 45lbs plates and just needs better glasses, or wasn't counting his calories right:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10700049/gaining-strength-in-a-deficit#latest
Strength gains =/= muscle growth. Kind of basic. Strength gains can come from neuromuscular adaptations with no muscle growth. That is why someone can gain strength in a deficit for a period of time.10 -
IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »Lift heavy - I suggest Stronglifts 5X5 as a base, until you max out your gains on that.
Clean up your diet. Just eat better.
Be patient. It takes time. And doing it concurrently is hard, because heavy weight training makes you ravenous. And it also slows down the scale. You might be lose 5lbs of fat in a month, but also gain 5lbs of muscle mass. So the scale looks like nothing is happening. But it is.
Most of the people on the success boards complain that they didn't lift while they were losing weight. It makes a huge difference.
I'd love to meet the person that gains 5 lbs of muscle mass in a month without being in anabolic steroids! Scientist would be looking for them.
What's your deal bro? Did you see the guy who went from overweight couch potato to doing Ironman competitions?
Why do you feel the need to tell other people what is impossible for them?
My deal is I like dealing in facts. What's your deal?
Here's someone who believes in your facts, and is highly confused at his muscle gains despite being in a very large caloric deficit. He is asking, how is this even happening? He's making PRs weekly now.
Maybe you can go over there and convince him he didn't actually make those gains, is mistaking the 10lb plates for 45lbs plates and just needs better glasses, or wasn't counting his calories right:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10700049/gaining-strength-in-a-deficit#latest
Strength gains =/= muscle growth. Kind of basic. Strength gains can come from neuromuscular adaptations with no muscle growth. That is why someone can gain strength in a deficit for a period of time.
It is what it is. I'm a woman that has lost 52-54lbs. I also lifted heavy while losing weight. These are the muscle gains I got while I lost that weight:
https://imgur.com/a/wsQ7A35
https://imgur.com/MFms4YO
https://imgur.com/YZnHbqX
10
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