First priority -- lose fat or gain muscle??

vsetter

That is the question. This thread is based off my other thread (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/768976-need-calorie-guidance-very-discouraged).

I currently weigh 130.5 pounds and am 25.5% body fat. My goal is to be 123 pounds and 20% body fat.

I started lifting a few months ago and enjoy it. So what should be my FIRST priority --- should I focus on calorie deficit with high protein to lose the pounds/fat and retain most muscle OR do I lift HEAVY and focus on muscle building (that will also help to eventually raise metabolism)? Does it matter?

What would you do?

lilpoindexter

What i've done this year is work on getting rid of the fat. I treat my weight lifting days at the gym like icing on the cake...because I really enjoy them.
I got too tired when I tried to work hard at both, and doing both would require more time than I want to spend per day.
I'm getting pretty close to losing the ammount of fat I wanted to lose, so next year I can work harder on the weights .
Some people will tell you that you can do both, but i think you have to know which one is takes precedence...for me it was losing the chub.

katevarner

Does it matter? Only if it matters for you. It's easier to lose to where you want to be first, I think, but if you do so, you will likely gain a little while you build the muscle, so if you are set on 123, you may have to cut calories again once you get to 20%. They can't really be done at the same time, particularly when you are as close to goal as you are now. I'd keep up what's working for you now as long as you are already doing some weights or at least bodyweight exercises, then when you get to your goal weight, you can up your lifting and cut your cardio to increase your LBM.

shorty35565

i would lift heavy with a small deficit. losing fat is more important to me right now. tho tht doesnt exactly mean losing weight.

martintanz

http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/?fb_action_ids=537516319596194&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

Topsking2010

Bump

AmberJo1984

To get lower body fat, I would think you would need to work at strength training. I'm not sure about this, though. I'll be interested in reading what everyone else thinks.

cedarghost

Personally, I am focused more on losing fat and maintaining the muscle i have. BUT i have 35 + pounds to lose. If i were you (which is what i think you are asking) i would work on building muscle, since you are so closer to your goal weight. More muscle will burn more fat too.
That's Just my opinion.

SideSteel

That is the question. This thread is based off my other thread (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/768976-need-calorie-guidance-very-discouraged).

I currently weigh 130.5 pounds and am 25.5% body fat. My goal is to be 123 pounds and 20% body fat.

I started lifting a few months ago and enjoy it. So what should be my FIRST priority --- should I focus on calorie deficit with high protein to lose the pounds/fat and retain most muscle OR do I lift HEAVY and focus on muscle building (that will also help to eventually raise metabolism)? Does it matter?

What would you do?

Given your stats and your goal I would eat at a deficit, 20% under TDEE and lift heavy. Re-assess in about 6-8 weeks.

MayFartDuringSquats

Your ratios of BF% to weight may not work. They result in approximately the same amount of lean mass and it is unlikely you'll meet this goal. What is more likely to happen, is that if you target weight loss only, then your lean mass will also decrease so once you're at 123#, you BF% may still be above 20% because the lean mass has decreased too.
Conversely, if you target muscle gains (where weight loss may occur) then your weight may stall at 130# but your BF % may decrease because your lean mass increased.
It's really a balancing act. The latter scenario may tip the scales higher but your clothes will be loose and your health better .... even though the BMI may not say so. The BF% will. However, the "loose 12# scenario", you will lose lean mass too which may make the scale look good, but that might be the only thing that does. Sure your clothes may well fit looser too .... but that may not mean you look good or are any healthier for it.

So, I'd suggest either targeting BF% or Weight as a goal, not both (as they are related). Pick your poison. You will loose fat doing the "gain muscle" route or the "lose fat" route. But one is more healthier than the other.

If it were me ... because you don't have that much weight to loose, I'd target the muscle.

My history as an example of what I'm trying to say. Lost 40+ pounds, mostly fat, through calorie restriction (mfp) and exercise. No real target other than the scale. I dropped the weight etc but was still "fat". Since then, I maintained and exercised with weight etc and underwent some body re-composition through just getting fitter and stronger. The scale or my dimensions didn't seem to change, but I was only trying to maintain too. At this point(actual dunk test) 220# with a lean mass of 182#, BF is 17%. I then targeted some weight loss and I few months later I had dropped to 214# but my lean mass also dropped to 180 @ 15%. So although this is good in both % and scale, my lean mass dropped which isn't the best ... but the rate I did it at was a good trade off. I then maintained for a while, without any goals and then decided to get stronger and build some muscle. A year later I weighed 234#. But guess what my BF% was ? It was 17% because although I did increase my body-weight by 20#, my lean mass also increased to 194#. All of my clothes fit the same (except a bit tighter in chest, biceps and legs) and I have not had to buy new underwear or anything. Right now, because I'm back on this site, I am targeting some weight loss .... BUT ... I'm trying to do everything in my power to maintain or even increase my lean mass. So the scale may move down some .... but I'm more interested in body re-composition and BF % decrease. The reason why I wish to get lighter ? Is so that I can move faster .... and it would also be nice to get some of the definition popping out - also, because I gained for a year, there was 7 extra pounds of fat gained that could be taken off.
So essentially, I look, feel and perform better now at 230# (BF% is now unknown) than I did at both 15% and 17% ... regardless of what the scale said - at 214, 220 or 234. Also my BF% was the same when I weighed 220 vs 234#. These measurements were all done by dunking too ... not a guess from measuring my neck and wasteline.

NOTE: I am also not a giant bulky hulk looking dude. I'm relatively athletic looking - most people can't believe I weigh 230# ... they think 210#. I am big/broad through the shoulders and 6'2", but I do not look like some jacked body builder or some guy who "picks things and and puts them down" as you would expect @230#

MCNWifey

Bump Bumpity Bump

sgthaggard

You don't have much more to lose, so I would concentrate on gaining muscle. Eat at a small deficit, watch your protein intake, and the fat will take care of itself.

MemphisKitten

Build more muscle and you will lose more fat.

jgsparks89

Build more muscle and you will lose more fat.

This! So, both! Build muscle...eat to feed that muscle...your BMR will go up and your Fat% will go down. And you avoid the dreaded "skinny fat" look people can get when they loss a lot of weight but don't do anything to keep it toned and tight.

clippers50fan

It depends what you want to do. You can easily build muscle and have a calorie deficit--you'll just gain muscle slower but will also lose a bunch of fat. What I do is I focus equally on cardio and weight lifting and as I get smaller and smaller weight wise, I'm getting stronger muscle wise. Do both. Love both. Enjoy both.

It also depends on your goal. If you want to be super skinny and then build muscle so the muscles really pop, then you have to lose a bunch of fat. If you're just going for a healthy look, then doing both will be more than enough for you!

RetiredAndLovingIt

bump

mumx5

bump

vsetter

Your ratios of BF% to weight may not work. They result in approximately the same amount of lean mass and it is unlikely you'll meet this goal. What is more likely to happen, is that if you target weight loss only, then your lean mass will also decrease so once you're at 123#, you BF% may still be above 20% because the lean mass has decreased too.
Conversely, if you target muscle gains (where weight loss may occur) then your weight may stall at 130# but your BF % may decrease because your lean mass increased.
It's really a balancing act. The latter scenario may tip the scales higher but your clothes will be loose and your health better .... even though the BMI may not say so. The BF% will. However, the "loose 12# scenario", you will lose lean mass too which may make the scale look good, but that might be the only thing that does. Sure your clothes may well fit looser too .... but that may not mean you look good or are any healthier for it.

I would be okay with a higher weight (130). I will admit, not watching the scale is a new way of thinking for me. I always strived to be 118-120. It was a crazy internet calculator that told me 123 was do-able. I'm okay with my size now, i suppose, as long as I could get rid of the fat.

So -- I guess that means I should focus on the lifting. ???

Cr01502

Lose fat PRESERVE muscle.

Eat at a calorie deficit. Strength train 3xs a week. Do cardio 3x a week and maintain protein status. (Ideally about 1 g per pound of lean body mass)

vsetter

And another problem --- I really don't miss eating 1200 calories. These higher calorie levels have been sooooooo much better!

psuLemon

It depends what you want to do. You can easily build muscle and have a calorie deficit--you'll just gain muscle slower but will also lose a bunch of fat. What I do is I focus equally on cardio and weight lifting and as I get smaller and smaller weight wise, I'm getting stronger muscle wise. Do both. Love both. Enjoy both.

It also depends on your goal. If you want to be super skinny and then build muscle so the muscles really pop, then you have to lose a bunch of fat. If you're just going for a healthy look, then doing both will be more than enough for you!

It is extremely difficult to build muscle on a calorie deficit. You want a small caloric surplus. And based on the stats the OP doesnt actually want to build muscle. Now if she said 135 @ 20% bf then it would justify muscle growth. What people tend to forgot is you need to gain weight to gain muscle.