Muscle building/Fat burning question...

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hiphopdisco
hiphopdisco Posts: 27 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been lifting for about a 1 1/2 now, and while I love it and it's caused me lose massive amounts of fat, I still don't look like a guy who lifts 3x a week....

My issue, and maybe some of you guys could help me on this, is every single book I read on huge gains talks about eating lots of meals with high calories to put on muscle. Well, I cant do that as I have still body fat to lose and I'm worried it would make me gain fat again which I cant have.

Is there any way to make muscle gains and be on a calorie reduction? Any tips would be really helpful....Thanks

Replies

  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
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    From what I understand, you can't gain muscle on a calorie deficit. You have to feed them to make them grow. You can build muscle AND lose fat simultaneously.
  • hiphopdisco
    hiphopdisco Posts: 27 Member
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    From what I understand, you can't gain muscle on a calorie deficit. You have to feed them to make them grow. You can build muscle AND lose fat simultaneously.

    Are you saying you can't? Thats what I feared is true.....Damn!
  • HappyBayou
    HappyBayou Posts: 28 Member
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    Hiphopdisco, if you haven't already, I suggest looking up Lyle McDonald. He has written extensively about ways to allocate calorie partitioning. It gets pretty scientific. Here's a start from his blog:
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/calorie-partitioning-part-1.html

    His methods have to do with cycling the way you eat with the way you work out to achieve maximum muscle gain and either reducing or sustaining fat levels.

    I think Timothy Ferris' book, The 4-Hour Body, describes similar methods, though it's not quite as exacting.
  • mhwiggins
    mhwiggins Posts: 27 Member
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    Lose the weight first then concentrate on building muscle mass. Keep up with the weight training, low weights with high reps. Once you lose the weight you want start increasing the amount you are lifting with lower reps but more sets. I also supliment my diet with whey protien shakes. one or two a day depending on what my dietary protien intake is. Dont forget the cardio!!

    Good luck!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    This explains it..but basically, if you have been lifting for a bit and are not particularly overweight - you cannot gain muscle while losing fat - you will need to do a bulk/cut cycle (or a long slow inefficient recomp)

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818594-building-muscle-and-losing-fat-at-the-same-time

    What is your strength training routine?
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    I've been lifting for about a 1 1/2 now, and while I love it and it's caused me lose massive amounts of fat, I still don't look like a guy who lifts 3x a week....

    My issue, and maybe some of you guys could help me on this, is every single book I read on huge gains talks about eating lots of meals with high calories to put on muscle. Well, I cant do that as I have still body fat to lose and I'm worried it would make me gain fat again which I cant have.

    Is there any way to make muscle gains and be on a calorie reduction? Any tips would be really helpful....Thanks

    1 1/2.. what?
  • hiphopdisco
    hiphopdisco Posts: 27 Member
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    What is your strength training routine?

    I do 3 full body workouts a week, focus on a different area each day with cardio mixed in. On non lifting days I do pure cardio...soccer, running, bike that kind of thing. Been pretty much doing that for a year and a half now. I don't know they bulking/cutting stuff but I will look into it...

    Thanks everyone for your help. I'll try to lose more weight then pile more on and look into Lyle McDonald.
  • Vini9
    Vini9 Posts: 343 Member
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    Bump
  • JennieKillough
    JennieKillough Posts: 10 Member
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    Congrats on your outstanding weight loss, btw. At this point in the game, you'll need to be in a calorie surplus in order to gain muscle. I wouldn't worry too much about your net muscle gain at this point. It's hard and slow gaining muscle. Be in it for the long haul. You have come a long way. Your pics tell a great story.
  • hiphopdisco
    hiphopdisco Posts: 27 Member
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    Congrats on your outstanding weight loss, btw. At this point in the game, you'll need to be in a calorie surplus in order to gain muscle. I wouldn't worry too much about your net muscle gain at this point. It's hard and slow gaining muscle. Be in it for the long haul. You have come a long way. Your pics tell a great story.

    Thank you so much!! I appreciate that allot
  • loriband
    loriband Posts: 54 Member
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    Bump

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