n00b question.

MallorieGreiner

I saw someone post on here that you can't lose fat and build muscle at the same time. Whhhaaaa?

Why is this/how does that work? I do both cardio and strength training 4-6 times a week, to me, it makes sense I would be "burning" the fat and putting on muscle.

Firefox7275

It is possible but extremely difficult especially for women and involves a very regimented training regime and diet. In general fat is cut in a calorie deficit, muscle is built in a calorie surplus. Strength training when dieting generally helps maintain muscle mass and boost or maintain the metabolic rate. If you are doing cardio and strength in the same session you are compromising one of the other, usually the one you do second.

MallorieGreiner

It is possible but extremely difficult especially for women and involves a very regimented training regime and diet. In general fat is cut in a calorie deficit, muscle is built in a calorie surplus. Strength training when dieting generally helps maintain muscle mass and boost or maintain the metabolic rate. If you are doing cardio and strength in the same session you are compromising one of the other, usually the one you do second.

Thanks so much for the reply. I've never thought of that before.

WrenStory

Whether you are losing (fat or muscle) or gaining (fat or muscle) has more to do with your calorie intake... whether it's in a deficit or a surplus.

A good way to start out thinking about it is this: Eat for fuel. Cardio for cardiovascular health. Strength train for strength.

Gaining & losing has everything to do with your calorie intake vs your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). Sure, you burn calories when you exercise. But you should focus your diet around your TDEE... no matter if you are completely sendetary or working out 7 days a week.

When you eat at a slight deficit you should not gain... and that means, no gaining fat or muscle. Now, if you are a newb to lifting you have some small inital gains that will level off. Any weight lifting you do while eating in a deficit will cause you to burn fat and (if you are eating adequate protein) and to hold onto the lean body mass you already have.

To GAIN muscle you must eat in a calorie surplus. Bottom line. And this is usually referred to as bulking. You also will add on some fat as well. And that's why people "cut" later... with the idea that you are maintaining as much LBM as possible while shedding the fat you put on during your bulk.

You are doing it correctly if you are trying to shed some fat still by eating in a slight deficit, cardio a few days per week, weightlifting a few days per week... that's fine.