Newbie Questions :)

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fordermommy
fordermommy Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello! I am still trying to figure things out, but for the most part I'm well on my way! I have been researching like crazy, but I'm still a little confused about a few things:

1. OK, so you can't build muscle AND lose weight at the same time. So then what is the point of doing, say, P90X while trying to lose weight (or any other program specifically geared towards toning/building muscle)? Or is it possible to tone while still working with a calorie deficit?

2. Sometimes I forget to eat. What effects does "fasting", or only eating half of your required calories for the day, have on the metabolism (if any). This is assuming this only happens once a week, so the 24hrs before and after this period you ate perfectly balanced meals at the right amount of calories.

3. I want to lose about 60 pounds, which will put me at "skinny-fat". Then I want to tone up. Is there a "stopping point", where I should switch from dieting to building muscle? i.e. a percentage of body fat, an ideal weight, etc? I am 26, female, 5'3" ish, 181.2 lbs and currently 37% body fat (according to my scale...which leads me into my next question). I have squishy new-mommy-tummy, and most of my fat is hips and tummy.

4. I have a "Taylor" Body Fat Analyzer and Scale. If I remember correctly, it was about $80 at Canadian Tire or Walmart. How effective is it? Is there a better way to find out my percentage of body fat?

Thanks everyone!

Replies

  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
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    If you do #1 (lift weights/work out) you won't get to #3 (skinny fat)
  • katiedidit1
    katiedidit1 Posts: 39 Member
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    You should work out to build muscle while losing weight. The pounds won't look like they are coming off as fast but the inches will and really isn't the goal to be healthy? You'll look better faster:wink:
    Have fun getting healthy!
  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
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    You should work out to build muscle while losing weight. The pounds won't look like they are coming off as fast but the inches will and really isn't the goal to be healthy? You'll look better faster:wink:
    Have fun getting healthy!

    Replace "build" with "maintain" as you really don't BUILD muscle on a deficit but you can help to maintain it so you don't lose as much.
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
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    I don't suggest the lose-THEN-muscle thing. If you lift and do cardio AND eat properly (a SMALLER deficit of .5-1lb a week depending on how much to lose) then you can have a rocking body at goal instead of reaching goal and still being unhappy like I was. Try finding TDEE and taking a 10-15% cut from that and eat that daily. Be honest with your activity level, though. Unless you have a mobility disability your 95% likely of NOT being sedentary.
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
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    You should work out to build muscle while losing weight. The pounds won't look like they are coming off as fast but the inches will and really isn't the goal to be healthy? You'll look better faster:wink:
    Have fun getting healthy!

    Replace "build" with "maintain" as you really don't BUILD muscle on a deficit but you can help to maintain it so you don't lose as much.

    yes :)
  • fordermommy
    fordermommy Posts: 12 Member
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    Wow thank you for the fast replies! Ok, so just to make sure I'm understanding this correctly, it is important to exercise while eating at a deficit so that you maintain the muscle you already have, but you will not build any new muscle at this time?
  • Emtabo01
    Emtabo01 Posts: 672
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    I'm very close to goal weight ( I think my body thinks it is already at goal weight) and I eat at a slight, maybe 10% cut from TDEE and I do cardio 2 x week and heavy lifting 3 x week and I definitely am building muscle, I can see it and feel it. I don't lose scale weight anymore but am still losing inches, slowly, very slowly but surely.
  • MavenMassage505
    MavenMassage505 Posts: 53
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    Working out with a trainer that can help you gain muscle while losing fat is your best bet. It's total crap if someone told you otherwise. The more muscle you have the more calories burned even while the body is resting. Have you seen those body builders who have to eat enormous amounts of food to feed all of that muscle they created. So please don't think that building muscle is bad for your weight loss goals.

    Forgetting to eat is the worst thing we can do to our bodies, especially breakfast. It's sets the pace for the day and when you skip it you're basically telling your body your going to starve it all day and it goes into a protective mode and holds onto everything you put into it thinking this is all I might get. Your body will not lose weight and most likely will gain weight in the process of skipping meals. Ideally, you should be fuelling your body every 3hrs in SMALL portions to show your body it will be fueled at regular intervals.

    Yikes, this third one is very scary. This concept of starving your body and not building muscle is just crazy. When you try this method your are basically going catabolic, which means your body will fuel itself by consuming the muscle already there.

    Your scale is unreliable. You're better off going to a trainer or a health fitness store in your area and most of them offer free body fat testing. The most accurate would be in a pool where they actually have the ability to tell your BMI. Our local University has this ability. Check to see if yours does?

    As for your mommy tummy, there are several things you can do. The most effective one would be finding a Massage Therapist who specializes in Myo treatments. I offer a treatment that will actually get that skin to tighten up with a massage technique that stimulates this skin and brings blood flow back into the area so the body will pay attention to it again. Fat never gets blood flow so you need to make your body pay attention. That's what I do for so many who are losing weight and they don't want that left over flabby skin. By unsticking the fat from the fascia, a therapist can make that happen for you.

    While the diet, excercise and myo treatments are happening there are certain supplements you want to make sure your body is receiving. If you want more info, just let me know as I'm not trying to overwhelm you.

    Good luck,
    MavenMasage505
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    It's possible to gain muscle while losing fat. Look up lean gains or intermittent fasting. I've been able to at least double my weight for every machine in the gym and every lift while eating at a deficit. I do 20/4 btw.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
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    If you do #1 (lift weights/work out) you won't get to #3 (skinny fat)

    This ^^
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    It's possible to gain muscle while losing fat. Look up lean gains or intermittent fasting. I've been able to at least double my weight for every machine in the gym and every lift while eating at a deficit. I do 20/4 btw.

    Increasing your strength does not equate to "gaining muscle" (hypertrophy). Gaining strength is a function of neuromuscular adaptation and can happen in a deficit. You get some slight hypertrophy but very limited. IF for muscle gains is a very slow and tedious process. "Gaining muscle" in the sense of hypertrophy is most effectively done in a calorie surplus.

    That being said, is gaining muscle, meaning having muscles get bigger, really the important thing for the OP? Or is getting the muscle that exists and is dormant or in atrophy developed, stronger, looking better and more metabolically active? Either way, strength training is the ticket.
    A good article on this subject. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/adding-muscle-while-losing-fat-qa.html
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    1. OK, so you can't build muscle AND lose weight at the same time. So then what is the point of doing, say, P90X while trying to lose weight (or any other program specifically geared towards toning/building muscle)? Or is it possible to tone while still working with a calorie deficit?
    Doing resistance training preserves LBM while dieting. You can get some 'newbie' gains (1 - 2 pounds) plus you will have some neuromuscular adaptation - sort of puffing up the muscles you have as they get used. Plus you will make strength gains.
    2. Sometimes I forget to eat. What effects does "fasting", or only eating half of your required calories for the day, have on the metabolism (if any). This is assuming this only happens once a week, so the 24hrs before and after this period you ate perfectly balanced meals at the right amount of calories.
    It really all depends on your weekly deficit. If you have a low day, there really is no issue unless those a creating a larger than ideal deficit over the week
    3. I want to lose about 60 pounds, which will put me at "skinny-fat". Then I want to tone up. Is there a "stopping point", where I should switch from dieting to building muscle? i.e. a percentage of body fat, an ideal weight, etc? I am 26, female, 5'3" ish, 181.2 lbs and currently 37% body fat (according to my scale...which leads me into my next question). I have squishy new-mommy-tummy, and most of my fat is hips and tummy.
    Lift weights now - take advantage of the newb gains
    4. I have a "Taylor" Body Fat Analyzer and Scale. If I remember correctly, it was about $80 at Canadian Tire or Walmart. How effective is it? Is there a better way to find out my percentage of body fat?
    BIAs are not accurate at all. Try getting calipers but they are subject to a lot of error as well. If you really want a more accurate (but still with limitations) have a hydrostatic test or a DEXA scan. Although, to be honest, the more accurate estimate eyeballing sometimes.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Options
    Working out with a trainer that can help you gain muscle while losing fat is your best bet. It's total crap if someone told you otherwise. The more muscle you have the more calories burned even while the body is resting. Have you seen those body builders who have to eat enormous amounts of food to feed all of that muscle they created. So please don't think that building muscle is bad for your weight loss goals.

    Forgetting to eat is the worst thing we can do to our bodies, especially breakfast. It's sets the pace for the day and when you skip it you're basically telling your body your going to starve it all day and it goes into a protective mode and holds onto everything you put into it thinking this is all I might get. Your body will not lose weight and most likely will gain weight in the process of skipping meals. Ideally, you should be fuelling your body every 3hrs in SMALL portions to show your body it will be fueled at regular intervals.

    Yikes, this third one is very scary. This concept of starving your body and not building muscle is just crazy. When you try this method your are basically going catabolic, which means your body will fuel itself by consuming the muscle already there.

    Your scale is unreliable. You're better off going to a trainer or a health fitness store in your area and most of them offer free body fat testing. The most accurate would be in a pool where they actually have the ability to tell your BMI. Our local University has this ability. Check to see if yours does?

    As for your mommy tummy, there are several things you can do. The most effective one would be finding a Massage Therapist who specializes in Myo treatments. I offer a treatment that will actually get that skin to tighten up with a massage technique that stimulates this skin and brings blood flow back into the area so the body will pay attention to it again. Fat never gets blood flow so you need to make your body pay attention. That's what I do for so many who are losing weight and they don't want that left over flabby skin. By unsticking the fat from the fascia, a therapist can make that happen for you.

    While the diet, excercise and myo treatments are happening there are certain supplements you want to make sure your body is receiving. If you want more info, just let me know as I'm not trying to overwhelm you.

    Good luck,
    MavenMasage505

    Sorry, but the bolded part is not correct at all.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
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    Working out with a trainer that can help you gain muscle while losing fat is your best bet. It's total crap if someone told you otherwise. The more muscle you have the more calories burned even while the body is resting. Have you seen those body builders who have to eat enormous amounts of food to feed all of that muscle they created. So please don't think that building muscle is bad for your weight loss goals.
    1) Gaining muscle in a caloric deficit is nearly impossible. You are not providing your body with the excess "building materials" it needs. Beyond slight 'newbie gains', you're not going to build significant amounts of muscle while in a deficit. Bodybuilders eat massive amounts of food to fuel their workouts and to create a caloric excess and anabolic body state, which facilitates muscle gain.

    2) Muscle burns a negligible additional amount of calories - approximately 6 kcal/lb. of muscle. Here's a quote from Lyle McDonald in response to a question after this article (http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/reducing-body-fat-percentage-by-gaining-muscle-qa.html):
    The most recent value I’ve seen for caloric expenditure at rest for skeletal muscle is about 13 kcal/kg. 6 kcal/lb. Whoopee. If you gained 40 lbs of muscle, you’d burn 240 calories more per day. Which does add up but will take years to achieve. And of course, a female will never gain that. The major calorie burn will come from the weight training itself and the energy required to synthesize the muscle.
  • fordermommy
    fordermommy Posts: 12 Member
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    Wow you guys are incredibly helpful!!! Amazing responses. So I've set up a weight training area in my home, and have signed up with a personal trainer. To answer a PP, gaining more muscle is not important to me. I'm just worried that I really don't have much to begin with (not sure if that makes sense...I was "skinny-fat" for many years, and haven't exercised since grade three. seriously.). I just want to tone up and look very lean but also healthy :)
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Options
    Wow you guys are incredibly helpful!!! Amazing responses. So I've set up a weight training area in my home, and have signed up with a personal trainer. To answer a PP, gaining more muscle is not important to me. I'm just worried that I really don't have much to begin with (not sure if that makes sense...I was "skinny-fat" for many years, and haven't exercised since grade three. seriously.). I just want to tone up and look very lean but also healthy :)

    Start strength training and I think you'll be surpised and how much dormant muscle you'll bring to life!! You are taking great steps. Keep on it and give us some updates to let us know how you are progressing!! Bravo!!

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