How to lose weight plus build up muscle mass
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IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »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
Good for you. You leaned out and get stronger. Possibly you built some muscle (hypertrophy). Possibly you just developed what you already had. Over fat and/or obese people often time have a good amount of muscle mass. They need it to move all that weight around.
You claim though was losing 5 lbs of fat and gaining 5 lbs of muscle in a month. What proof do you have that either you or anyone else has done that? No method of measurement is precise and there is always a margin of error but Dexa Scans and Hydrostatic and considered the most accurate.
At the end of the day. if you or anyone else is happy with how they look and feel, it doesn't matter really. But, in my view, it is silly to come on internet forums and make claims like the one you did.9 -
IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »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
Good for you. You leaned out and get stronger. Possibly you built some muscle (hypertrophy). Possibly you just developed what you already had. Over fat and/or obese people often time have a good amount of muscle mass. They need it to move all that weight around.
Yes, that's right. I needed all that muscle mass to move this weight around:
Bench press: 205lbs for 3 reps
Incline Bench: 185
Leg Press: 711lbs for 5 reps
Squat: 365lbs for 3 sets of 5 reps
Standing calf raise: 230
Deadlift 275
9 -
You can do similar to what I did. I hit the Gym about 6 days per week doing weights and just about 10 - 15 minutes of cardio before weights to warm up.
I made sure I got 1G of Protein / lb of body weight, set my goals to 0.5 loss per week, and dropped my carbs and fat a little to meet that calorie deficit. I also never eat back my workout calories.
I definitely got a ton stronger, and gained a "little" size. Now that i have gotten closer to my loss number, I set my goal back to maintain, switched to the P.H.U.L lifting program, keeping my protein where it is, started on creatine a bit back, and again not eating back my calories. I am still losing a little bit of weight slowly and still getting a little stronger and a little size.
Once I drop another 5 lbs, I may up my calories a hair and keep lifting hard.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, HIT YOUR CALORIES AND LIFT!! If you can be strict, watching your calories, it will work.2 -
youcantflexcardio wrote: »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?
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.
I'm that other guy -
I'd just like to chime in with the "fact" that a human could not deadlift 500kg, it was impossible.
And then Eddie Hall did it.
Both you and the other poster are conflating what someone can achieve with training and effort and good genes with the limitation of physiology as it applies to muscle growth. There has been lot's of research on the effective rate of muscle growth (hypertrophy). An article summarizing effective rate of muscle growth can be found here: https://bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/muscle-gain-math.html/
While there is some variation based on an individuals ability and genetics to maximize results through training and good nutrition. But for someone to gain 5 lbs of muscle and lose 5 lbs of fat is highly unlikely in one month.
So, your example and the ones used by the other poster miss the point.8 -
I'm confused. So because occasionally exceptional people push forward what we consider possible for humans, we should not tell people their goals are probably unrealistic? On the chance that maybe they are exceptional and will be able to do what otherwise seems highly unlikely?
I have done a lot of work and done a lot of studying on smart goal setting, motivation, and structuring the path toward a goal. And making sure people understand what is commonly possible and realistic is kind of Smart Goal Setting 101. I personally know far too many people who became frustrated with unrealistic goals and quit.5 -
For those who seem to be confused about how much muscle one can gain in a month: https://bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/muscle-gain-math.html/3
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Nony_Mouse wrote: »For those who seem to be confused about how much muscle one can gain in a month: https://bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/muscle-gain-math.html/
So, under absolute ideal circumstances OP could gain 5lbs of muscle in a month, if he's a beginner lifter, and weighs about 335lbs.
OP, I'm sorry your thread has been overrun, I hope you've taken the time to look over the thread I posted on page one, and have had a chance to look at some routines that will work for you starting with where you are now.
I know you didn't ask about dietary advice, but it really is an important part of reaching your goals. I highly encourage you to look over this thread as well:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p16 -
I'm confused. So because occasionally exceptional people push forward what we consider possible for humans, we should not tell people their goals are probably unrealistic? On the chance that maybe they are exceptional and will be able to do what otherwise seems highly unlikely?
I have done a lot of work and done a lot of studying on smart goal setting, motivation, and structuring the path toward a goal. And making sure people understand what is commonly possible and realistic is kind of Smart Goal Setting 101. I personally know far too many people who became frustrated with unrealistic goals and quit.
Yes! This is exactly my point. Setting unrealistic goals that are beyond what is likely to be doable or possible is just poor process. And to make outlandish statements like "5lbs of fat lost and 5lbs of muscle gained only reinforces that.
If you know what is most likely to happen, set you plan and go from there. If you exceed it, great! If you hit it, you are still doing great.
And these people that push forward beyond what we consider possible, train for years within those limitation to get in position to exceed previous achievements.7 -
Dear Posters,
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At our discretion, this locked thread may be deleted entirely in the near future.
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MFP Moderator3 -
Dear posters, I split out some of the more off-topic responses and I'm opening this thread back up. Please stay on topic and respond to the original OP; if you'd like to have more in-depth discussion of what is theoretically possible in a recomp, please start your own thread.
Thanks for your cooperation!
AliceDark
MFP Moderator6 -
Uh, no. If you weighed 200lbs and lost 10% (20lbs) over 6 months, that's a little over 3lbs a month. You're NOT going to "starve" doing that with a moderate calorie deficit.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.
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
5 -
Well true to a point, but it's limited. If one only has to lose about 10% body fat, you're NOT going to build significantly any noticeable muscle. And even if one were obese, it would take a while to even see it if it was a significant amount.IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »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.
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
3 -
OP, you asked a question: how do I achieve this goal?
You got a lot of people tell you that your goal is unrealistic.
And you have a few people telling you that they achieved your goal and how they were able to achieve it.
All you have to do is decide who you want to listen to.
Best wishes, and I hope you exceed expectations.
17 -
Well true to a point, but it's limited. If one only has to lose about 10% body fat, you're NOT going to build significantly any noticeable muscle. And even if one were obese, it would take a while to even see it if it was a significant amount.IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »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.
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
This1 -
I'm just gonna leave this here, for OP and whomever would like to peruse:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10700128/from-couch-to-half-ironman-world-championships#latest2 -
IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »OP, you asked a question: how do I achieve this goal?
You got a lot of people tell you that your goal is unrealistic.
And you have a few people telling you that they achieved your goal and how they were able to achieve it.
All you have to do is decide who you want to listen to.
Best wishes, and I hope you exceed expectations.
Last I checked, even bodybuilders are happy if they gain 1 pound of muscle in a month and that's trying to gain weight, nevermind while also eating a deficit to lose fat.
So yeah, no.
OP asked how to lose fat and gain muscle. You can see by the pics I posted and the weight I lost that it can be done. You can't argue with results.
Don't get so hung up on numbers. All I said about the 5lbs was that when you work like that, the scale can stall. But that doesn't mean progress isn't occuring. Here are some same weight pics that show you can lose fat and gain muscle, and the scale stalls:
8 -
IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »OP, you asked a question: how do I achieve this goal?
You got a lot of people tell you that your goal is unrealistic.
And you have a few people telling you that they achieved your goal and how they were able to achieve it.
All you have to do is decide who you want to listen to.
Best wishes, and I hope you exceed expectations.
Last I checked, even bodybuilders are happy if they gain 1 pound of muscle in a month and that's trying to gain weight, nevermind while also eating a deficit to lose fat.
So yeah, no.
He asked how to lose fat and gain muscle. You can see by the pics I posted and the weight I lost that it can be done. You can't argue with results.
Don't get so hung up on numbers. All I said about the 5lbs was that when you work like that, the scale can stall. But that doesn't mean progress isn't occuring. Here are some same weight pics that show you can lose fat and gain muscle, and the scale stalls:
So what does any of this have to do with the OP? He has two dumbbells and indeterminate height, weight, experience, and goals.8 -
IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »OP, you asked a question: how do I achieve this goal?
You got a lot of people tell you that your goal is unrealistic.
And you have a few people telling you that they achieved your goal and how they were able to achieve it.
All you have to do is decide who you want to listen to.
Best wishes, and I hope you exceed expectations.
Last I checked, even bodybuilders are happy if they gain 1 pound of muscle in a month and that's trying to gain weight, nevermind while also eating a deficit to lose fat.
So yeah, no.
He asked how to lose fat and gain muscle. You can see by the pics I posted and the weight I lost that it can be done. You can't argue with results.
Don't get so hung up on numbers. All I said about the 5lbs was that when you work like that, the scale can stall. But that doesn't mean progress isn't occuring. Here are some same weight pics that show you can lose fat and gain muscle, and the scale stalls:
So what does any of this have to do with the OP? He has two dumbbells and indeterminate height, weight, experience, and goals.
I started with two dumbbells.
Look how this guy started:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10700128/from-couch-to-half-ironman-world-championships#latest5 -
IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »OP, you asked a question: how do I achieve this goal?
You got a lot of people tell you that your goal is unrealistic.
And you have a few people telling you that they achieved your goal and how they were able to achieve it.
All you have to do is decide who you want to listen to.
Best wishes, and I hope you exceed expectations.
Last I checked, even bodybuilders are happy if they gain 1 pound of muscle in a month and that's trying to gain weight, nevermind while also eating a deficit to lose fat.
So yeah, no.
He asked how to lose fat and gain muscle. You can see by the pics I posted and the weight I lost that it can be done. You can't argue with results.
Don't get so hung up on numbers. All I said about the 5lbs was that when you work like that, the scale can stall. But that doesn't mean progress isn't occuring. Here are some same weight pics that show you can lose fat and gain muscle, and the scale stalls:
So what does any of this have to do with the OP? He has two dumbbells and indeterminate height, weight, experience, and goals.
I started with two dumbbells.
Look how this guy started:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10700128/from-couch-to-half-ironman-world-championships#latest
We know absolutely nothing about the OP and he received replies that gave him several different possibilities of how to achieve the body he wants depending on all the variables he didn't give us, plus some people trying to manage his expectations. I'm honestly not sure what exactly it is you are so gung-ho about, but I think you have made it abundantly clear to the OP that he can accomplish all his dreams if he just tries hard enough and truly believes.8 -
IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »OP, you asked a question: how do I achieve this goal?
You got a lot of people tell you that your goal is unrealistic.
And you have a few people telling you that they achieved your goal and how they were able to achieve it.
All you have to do is decide who you want to listen to.
Best wishes, and I hope you exceed expectations.
Last I checked, even bodybuilders are happy if they gain 1 pound of muscle in a month and that's trying to gain weight, nevermind while also eating a deficit to lose fat.
So yeah, no.
He asked how to lose fat and gain muscle. You can see by the pics I posted and the weight I lost that it can be done. You can't argue with results.
Don't get so hung up on numbers. All I said about the 5lbs was that when you work like that, the scale can stall. But that doesn't mean progress isn't occuring. Here are some same weight pics that show you can lose fat and gain muscle, and the scale stalls:
So what does any of this have to do with the OP? He has two dumbbells and indeterminate height, weight, experience, and goals.
I started with two dumbbells.
Look how this guy started:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10700128/from-couch-to-half-ironman-world-championships#latest
We know absolutely nothing about the OP and he received replies that gave him several different possibilities of how to achieve the body he wants depending on all the variables he didn't give us, plus some people trying to manage his expectations. I'm honestly not sure what exactly it is you are so gung-ho about, but I think you have made it abundantly clear to the OP that he can accomplish all his dreams if he just tries hard enough and truly believes.
Think about what you are saying.
I am gung ho about encouraging someone to accomplish their dreams, and leave room for even exceeding his own expectations. You have a problem with this.
You, and several others, are gung ho on telling him or her it won't happen, or how improbable it would be.
Why?
Can you imagine if you did that to a child? "Mommy, I want to be a mathematician!" "Sorry toots, you just learned how to count, and so few people have the brains for that. Maybe you can be a low level accountant!"
9
This discussion has been closed.
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