Loseing weight vs building muscle ?

daniel2012w
daniel2012w Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone I have a dilemma.. I'm 5'8 and I weighed 240 a week and a half ago and today I weighed in 231 and making good process and I'm learning what foods to eat and how to eat and it's become easier.. My question is.. I always believed that I should lose thirty pounds first then work out but gym people tell me at my size I should work out because at this weight I can see gains and I shouldn't focus on the scale.. But i go to the gym daily (8 day streak) and do 400 calories of cardio (elliptical hard) and with MFP I'm loseing quick.. Should I slow down and build muscle or go the fast road and focus on weight lifting when I'm slimmer?

Replies

  • hwoeltjen
    hwoeltjen Posts: 199 Member
    You should focus on weight lifting now. However, since you need to maintain a caloric deficit, muscle building is not your goal. You are trying to maintain your muscle mass and lose fat.

    Don't listen to jar heads at the gym unless they are certified trainers or nutritionists. Lots of stupid information circulates at these gyms.

    Get down to a decent body fat % and then increase calories to start building muscle. You need to be at a caloric surplus to build muscle. You don't want to do that with a bunch of body fat still hanging off you.
  • GradatimFerociter
    GradatimFerociter Posts: 296 Member
    Hey everyone I have a dilemma.. I'm 5'8 and I weighed 240 a week and a half ago and today I weighed in 231 and making good process and I'm learning what foods to eat and how to eat and it's become easier.. My question is.. I always believed that I should lose thirty pounds first then work out but gym people tell me at my size I should work out because at this weight I can see gains and I shouldn't focus on the scale.. But i go to the gym daily (8 day streak) and do 400 calories of cardio (elliptical hard) and with MFP I'm loseing quick.. Should I slow down and build muscle or go the fast road and focus on weight lifting when I'm slimmer?

    It depends on what you want to achieve. Honestly though there is almost no reason for you not to start on some form of lifting program. You can either continue cutting weight fast or go on a long, slower cut down to whatever weight you want to be. You have to decide what is important to you. If you plan on lifting at all you may as well start lifting now.
  • hwoeltjen
    hwoeltjen Posts: 199 Member
    Wanted to emphasize...start lifting now. Weight training is the best way to boost fat loss. Cardio is great...cardio and weight training is better.
  • daniel2012w
    daniel2012w Posts: 5
    ahh ok I see I see because having a high body fat and smaller I won't like how it looks.. Ok sooo I understand but working out will keep my size lol I'm confused
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
    Lift weights to retain muscle, drop body fat to reveal the muscles. If you're dropping fat (eating at a deficit) you should also drop weight, though you may see an initial increase in weight from water retention if you're just starting out on a new lifting program.
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
    One other thing: if you're lifting be sure to give yourself a day off in between lifting days so your muscles can actually recover and repair - it's important. It's fine to do cardio on those "off" days, though.
  • mrsamanda86
    mrsamanda86 Posts: 869 Member
    ahh ok I see I see because having a high body fat and smaller I won't like how it looks.. Ok sooo I understand but working out will keep my size lol I'm confused
    Weight lifting will help preserve the muscle you have RIGHT NOW so you don't lose a major amount of it(doing cardio only and with a deficit). Once you get to your goal bf% if you feel you want more muscle, then bulk and cut.

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