Is to possible...

Z_I_L_L_A

Is it possible to lose weight(fat only) and still retain strength by not losing muscle mass after bulking? Sorry about the title.

KiltFuPanda

Retaining strength while cutting fat is possible. Here's a good article for you: http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/your-go-to-guide-for-cutting-fat-while-keeping-muscle.html

To sum up: High protein, moderate fat, do a cycling of carbs for your diet. And keep your lifting the same as you've been doing.

If your goal is bodybuilding, the steps required to get to "show form" will have you lose some muscle mass, but for lifters this isn't that much of a worry.

busywaterbending

yep. on a ketogenic diet.

busywaterbending

http://www.musclemag.com/nutrition-and-supps/articles/the-ketogenic-diet-for-bodybuilders.aspx


To do it right and not fail, you MUST eat complete animal proteins (meat) and REAL EFAs from complete food sources
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2011/03/ketogenic-diets-2-preventing-muscle-and-bone-loss-on-ketogenic-diets/

JeffseekingV

I've been slowly losing weight while my lift numbers have been going up. could be a few factors like being technically better at the lifts, gaining muscle etc... But it is what it is

Lifting_chick

Hey Z, the article that BWB posted is what I am doing...read the article it metions Lyle Mcdonald and he is the one that wrote the books Marty sent me, nd that the king follows

FoxyMcDeadlift

If your talking fast quick competition time cuts you should look into the rapid fat loss diet, which is essentially a keto crash diet. A lot of people like to do RPT when they cut, but you do already dont you?

Z_I_L_L_A

Not cutting for Body building. Just want to get into the 220 lb class of power lifting.

Nataliaho

How far off that are you? You could pre-comp waterload if its not too much. I've done that before a comp to get the last 5lb.

ilovedeadlifts

Zilla, what is your weight at now? If you're in the low 230s you could probably just do a water cut right before the meet and be fine.


Depending ont he weight you have to lose, you can do it without losing much strength. I'd definitely look into Carb Back Loading, or some type of carb cycling diet, I think that'd be the best approach to dropping some fat while maintining strength/size.

Z_I_L_L_A

I just got through bulking up from 223 to 250. Right now I weigh 242. We are doing low,low carbs and hi protein, with a total cal. of 1800. Two spike days 3k-4k those days. I want to see if I can lose weight and BF% while gaining strength. 3 month routine.

busywaterbending

zilla,

make sure you are on a high EFA diet then. And COMPLETE animal proteins ONLY! Any synthetic stuff or not enough EFA omega 3s will actually destroy bone density.

Eat as much natural food as possible. (Salmon, Eggs, Tuna, Beef, organ meats, and veggies) Get as much coconut oil and coconut milk as you want and take omega threes with every omega 6 meal! Douse your veggies in olive oil, cook only with coconut oil.

Low carb will automatically shed excess water. Monitor your heart rate with every exercise set. If you heart rate (over a month or more perios) starts showing that it's difficult to maintain or sustain your lifts, it's a clear sign that you are zinc, magnesium, copper and/or potassium deficient. Get blood work done minimum twice a year to make sure you are not anemic. Keep logging your heart rate peak after every lift! Heart rate is a great way to measure how your nutrition is. Don't be afraid to supplement with a multivitamin and mineral supplement, but don't go overboard either.

After 6 weeks of a VLC diet where you have been in ketogenesis for at least 30 days straight, get a day in of "carb loading" - meaning a low glycemic index meal three times in one day to shock the muscles with sugar glucose. That helps reset the liver, which by that point has been working overtime to convert excess proteins into glucose and all that fat into fueling the body and brain.

If you are not making muscle building gains while in a ketogenesis, it may mean that you are not getting enough protein in or that your proteins are not nutrient rich animal proteins. You can always supplement with lysine at any time.

Body measurements!!!!!!! Take measurements too.