gaining muscle mass vs burning fat

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  • GODfidence
    GODfidence Posts: 249 Member
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    You build muscle and lose fat at the same time. You have to balance your Protein, Carb and Fat intake. Lift weights and increase you cardio to cut the fat. Gainng muscle isn't hard, but gaining lean muscle is what you want.

    What the heck is lean muscle?
    Gaining muscle isn't as easy as you think either.
    If it's easy then you're probably putting on UNlean muscle,and by
    That I mean fat.
  • standoug888
    standoug888 Posts: 126 Member
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    Should i be watching my fat calories or as long as im at my daily calorie limit its ok?
  • richiefixo
    richiefixo Posts: 104 Member
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    Hey All!

    It is definitely very POSSIBLE however you have to be mentally ready for it!! i lost about 90 pounds and gained a significant amount of lean muscle as well and i will tell you that the key to the fat burning part is your DIET and the Muscle building part is EXERCISE!

    40/40/20 is ideal for this body recomposition mission. you must consume about 300-400 calories above maintenance of quality calories. Super foods rich in antioxidants! such as berries, leafy greens, chia, flax seeds etc basically nutrient dense foods.

    TRAIN (weights) for about an hour 5 days a week. HEAVY lifts, good form, lots of water.

    CARDIO (MUST!) every morning on very little carbs or preferably fasted( empty stomach). I personally am a natural runner so i do sprint intervals the most. I also swim and i ride that elliptical rather fiercely ;) ....the excess calories will make the cardio part fun trust me...once your body gets into the rhythm you will be the master of any exercise.

    you WILL BE SORE most days of the week but this will soon be a pleasurable part of your life :).


    Give yourself 3-4 months of doing this...get into a schedule and be consistent. dont ever break your routine!! you will be a supersonic lean machine!!

    REMEMBER...feed your body junk and you WILL look like junk ...simple...

    peace and love! :)
  • Wetcoaster
    Wetcoaster Posts: 1,788 Member
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    You build muscle and lose fat at the same time. You have to balance your Protein, Carb and Fat intake. Lift weights and increase you cardio to cut the fat. Gainng muscle isn't hard, but gaining lean muscle is what you want.

    What the heck is lean muscle?
    Gaining muscle isn't as easy as you think either.
    If it's easy then you're probably putting on UNlean muscle,and by
    That I mean fat.

    Exactly....no such thing as lean muscle.
  • standoug888
    standoug888 Posts: 126 Member
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    How much cardio do you think i should do?
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    Should i be watching my fat calories or as long as im at my daily calorie limit its ok?

    I'd watch it for the sake of making sure you have a reasonably balanced diet. This doesn't mean lower equals better as many people think. Just balance and moderation. Fats are good, but so are other things.

    In terms of fat loss all you really need is a calorie deficit. Get enough protein to help maintain your muscles. Macro %'s (fat/carbs/protein) are up to you and with what amounts you feel best at. Example: If I just eat starchy carbs all day long for my calories, I'll probably feel bloated, and not as full as if there was more protein, but it wouldn't really affect fat loss.
  • Annerk1
    Annerk1 Posts: 372 Member
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    It's very possible to do at the same time. My increasing calf and arm muscles and decreasing belly fat prove it.
    Just curious how you measured your progress. Did your arms and calves increase in size but waist and hips decrease or did your arms stay the same size calves stay the same size but more defined and you lost inches on your waist and hips?

    My arms and calves have increased in size. My waist and hips have decreased in size.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    How much cardio do you think i should do?

    As much as you're comfortable with. If your fitness levels aren't that good, you could probably benefit from some (2-3 times a week?) but it's not necessary for fat loss, unless you are struggling with a calorie deficit through food alone.

    Calorie deficit (through food and/or exercise): Weight loss
    Lifting: Muscle maintenance or building (depending on how much you eat) + strength gains.
    Cardio: Increased cardiovascular fitness.
  • marybowldseddington
    marybowldseddington Posts: 71 Member
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    I think it depends on what you are eating. Protein breaks down into amino acids which are utilized to build back the small tears that are part of weight training.

    Carbohydrates are broken down into sugar that our bodies use for energy. If we take in more calories whether from fat, carbs, etc than we are using then our body stores it as fat.

    If you are taking in 1200 and your body uses all 1200 then there is no caloric deficit..however if you take in 1200 calories and there is not enough protein to build up the minuscule tears in weight training then you will not build muscle mass.

    1. There are not enough calories to fuel the repair.
    2. There are not enough amino acids to build the tissue.
    3. Protein is in every cell in our body will need not only protein for muscle repair but for the replacement of every other cell as well.

    The way to build muscle while at a caloric deficit is to eat lean sources of protein while eating less calories than your body needs for fuel. Carbs are necessary for energy but when given a choice while weight training....better to consume a food with protein than carbs while meeting your caloric number.
  • Annerk1
    Annerk1 Posts: 372 Member
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    I think it depends on what you are eating. Protein breaks down into amino acids which are utilized to build back the small tears that are part of weight training.

    Carbohydrates are broken down into sugar that our bodies use for energy. If we take in more calories whether from fat, carbs, etc than we are using then our body stores it as fat.

    If you are taking in 1200 and your body uses all 1200 then there is no caloric deficit..however if you take in 1200 calories and there is not enough protein to build up the minuscule tears in weight training then you will not build muscle mass.

    1. There are not enough calories to fuel the repair.
    2. There are not enough amino acids to build the tissue.
    3. Protein is in every cell in our body will need not only protein for muscle repair but for the replacement of every other cell as well.

    The way to build muscle while at a caloric deficit is to eat lean sources of protein while eating less calories than your body needs for fuel. Carbs are necessary for energy but when given a choice while weight training....better to consume a food with protein than carbs while meeting your caloric number.

    Nice reply. On the days I strength train I up my protein levels. On the days I do cardio I have more carbs in my diet. I don't cross train as it aggravates my asthma.
  • richiefixo
    richiefixo Posts: 104 Member
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    some form of cardio 5 days a week man!.....2-3 times a week do very vigorous cardio, high intensity intervals etc....the rest of the week.....easy steady state and some hectic jams to dance to ;)......rest for 2 days in you will get fitter quicker and avoid injuries :)
  • 19bulldog60
    19bulldog60 Posts: 96 Member
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    You sure can. Must lift (exercise) and supply proper nutrients. First you must create micro tears (damage) the muscles. The body will respond by first repairing the damaged tissue and then add additional tissue in order to prevent future tearing. This repairing and building process creates muscle mass. It does this by using amino acids (a component of protein). These specific amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine) not only repair muscles but also increase stamina and endurance, The results = muscles that are bigger in volume and are also stronger and more resistant. And eating at a slight defict will allow fat cells to be burnt to supply the body engergy needs.

    It worked for me. As another poster said TAPE MEASURE DON'T LIE.
  • tcraw15
    tcraw15 Posts: 223 Member
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    It's very possible to do at the same time. My increasing calf and arm muscles and decreasing belly fat prove it.

    You are probably just losing arm and lower leg fat along with your tummy fat, allowing the muscle mass you already had to show. :)

    Last time I checked, if you can see a progress in strength (i.e. you can lift more), you are getting stronger, is that not a sign of building muscle??
  • arl1286
    arl1286 Posts: 276 Member
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    It's very possible to do at the same time. My increasing calf and arm muscles and decreasing belly fat prove it.

    You are probably just losing arm and lower leg fat along with your tummy fat, allowing the muscle mass you already had to show. :)

    Last time I checked, if you can see a progress in strength (i.e. you can lift more), you are getting stronger, is that not a sign of building muscle??

    :drinker:
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
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    It's very possible to do at the same time. My increasing calf and arm muscles and decreasing belly fat prove it.

    You are probably just losing arm and lower leg fat along with your tummy fat, allowing the muscle mass you already had to show. :)

    Last time I checked, if you can see a progress in strength (i.e. you can lift more), you are getting stronger, is that not a sign of building muscle??

    Not necessarily. Central nervous system is adapting to the work as well.


    I saw muscle gains for a while on a deficit. Newbie gains. That's over now for the most part, but when I started jump rope I found out my calves were still newbies.


    Now, if I expect to make muscle gains I need to eat more.
  • eazy_
    eazy_ Posts: 516 Member
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    "A lot of the approaches advocated for ‘gaining muscle while losing fat’ aren’t very effective. In fact, I’d tend to argue that most people’s attempts to achieve the above results in them simply spinning their wheels, making no progress towards either goal. Because invariably they set up a situation where neither training nor diet is optimized for either fat loss or muscle gain. Calories are too high for fat loss and too low to support muscle gains and outside of that one overfat beginner situation, the physiology simply isn’t going to readily allow what they want to happen to happen."


    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/adding-muscle-while-losing-fat-qa.html
  • tcraw15
    tcraw15 Posts: 223 Member
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    It's very possible to do at the same time. My increasing calf and arm muscles and decreasing belly fat prove it.

    You are probably just losing arm and lower leg fat along with your tummy fat, allowing the muscle mass you already had to show. :)

    Last time I checked, if you can see a progress in strength (i.e. you can lift more), you are getting stronger, is that not a sign of building muscle??

    Not necessarily. Central nervous system is adapting to the work as well.


    I saw muscle gains for a while on a deficit. Newbie gains. That's over now for the most part, but when I started jump rope I found out my calves were still newbies.


    Now, if I expect to make muscle gains I need to eat more.

    Well.. would you say it would depend on your body type as well? Cause some gain muscle more easily than others. I know I gain muscle and strength fairly easily. Then again, I'm also not eating on much of a deficit. But I've always been one to gain muscle and strength easily.
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
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    Here's an article on the subject:
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/adding-muscle-while-losing-fat-qa.html
    That's a good article. In a nutshell over fat beginners and those who are over fat returning to working out after a lay off of about 6 mths can gain muscle and lose fat. For those who have been lifting for a while are pretty much SOL as far as gaining muscle and losing fat.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    It's very possible to do at the same time. My increasing calf and arm muscles and decreasing belly fat prove it.

    You are probably just losing arm and lower leg fat along with your tummy fat, allowing the muscle mass you already had to show. :)

    Last time I checked, if you can see a progress in strength (i.e. you can lift more), you are getting stronger, is that not a sign of building muscle??
    No, that's neuromuscular adaptation.
  • almc170
    almc170 Posts: 1,093 Member
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    It's very possible to do at the same time. My increasing calf and arm muscles and decreasing belly fat prove it.

    You are probably just losing arm and lower leg fat along with your tummy fat, allowing the muscle mass you already had to show. :)

    Last time I checked, if you can see a progress in strength (i.e. you can lift more), you are getting stronger, is that not a sign of building muscle??
    No, that's neuromuscular adaptation.
    Exactly!

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