Can I LOSE Fat and BUILD Lean Muscle at the Same Time? If so

I would think just doing some basic body-building excercises mixed with some cardio to trim the fat should do both for you just fine. Jillian Michaels does circuit training, which is both, I believe. Just keep up with what you're doing and you will be doing a lot better than me!

You are doing GREAT, and you are a role model for all of us here! Keep up the good work!

You need to alternate cardio with strength training. I do a 30 minute circuit (alternating step cardio and weight machines) 3 days a week followed by 30 mins of just cardio. Then I do 60 minutes of cardio on alternating days. I've lost 8.5 pounds in 8 weeks and am seeing fat loss and definition in my arm and leg muscles.

Continue to exercise while you're dieting, lifting weights would be best, and as long as you’re getting suitable nutrition you should gain muscles and only lose fat. You don't need to go heavy just use light weights for multiple reps, which though personal experience I find is best for toning muscles without adding a lot of bulk. The secret is to find what works best for you

Thanks...

I actually do strength training every day. Usually about 45-hour of cardio and then go up to the strength room to work one part of the body each day (upper, lower, or core). On days when I'm not at the gym, I'm doing Jillian Michaels circuit training which mixes cardio with a lot of weights/strength moves.

Unfortunately at my gym unless you pay big $$ for the kettlebells classes led by instructors, we're not allowed to use them. They claim its not safe if we don't have the proper technique and we could hurt ourselves. I do the free demos though

As with any free weights if you do not use proper technique you can hurt yourself. Just go buy a 10-20lb kettlebell.I got mine from walmart they run between $20-40 depending on weight. There are tons of free online videos that will show you how to use them... Mine came with a sheet of exercises also and when you can get in on the free classes you can take what you learn there and use it at home. I take mine to work and use it. They are much better then dumbells IMO. Alot more can be done with them and you can use them just like regular dumbells if you chose to.

Edit: Also if you are trying to lose fat and gain muscle then I would have my goals set to only lose one lb a week at the most. The reason for this is to make sure that you are getting enough calories to grow muscle. If you dont eat enough your body will burn muscle to make up for the calorie deficit.

Resistance bands are great also

Edit: Also if you are trying to lose fat and gain muscle then I would have my goals set to only lose one lb a week at the most. The reason for this is to make sure that you are getting enough calories to grow muscle. If you dont eat enough your body will burn muscle to make up for the calorie deficit.

You can't lose weight and add muscle at the same time. One requires a calorie deficit and the other requires a surplus. Muscle increases your metabolism and burns more fat while at rest. But to build muscle you must have a surplus of calories.

Well you need to tell that to my muscles then.... cause some of them have gotten bigger :P

No they have definately gotten bigger... They are deffinately bigger then when I started... they are physically bigger not just looks. I have had at least 7 weeks since I started when I didnt lose any weight where my muscles got bigger and my clothes fit better. I gained muscle mass. I didnt lose weight but I did gain muscle. I know alot of people say it cant be done, but it is not true. my chest was 48" when I started now it is 50".

I agree with you can't try to lose fat and try to build muscle believe. However, everyone is different with different bodies. I think someone pointed it out that beginners might gain muscle while trying to lose fat because they really haven't had much muscle to start with. With this in mind its your body reacting while you are lifting weights. Some might define a beginner in different ways too.
For example I just started to show friend of mine how to lift weights and what to do, and after 1 month he switched to doing cardio every other day and weights on alternative days and he is showing signs of muscle build and some fat lose, I believe this is because he is a beginner. For those of us who been around lifting weights and have some mass on us it doesn't work. And I have tried it too. I lost weight on the scale with it, but I also noticed a drastic change in my lifting, my strength started to go down. I believe everyone is different and needs to find what works for them, take all the formulas and advice as general practice and find what works for you. I found that doing 1 month of cardio and concentrating on my ab's and doing slight weights with more repetition less weights gets me the weight loss I want with keeping my muscle. And then switch to strengths training to gain more muscle after. And fine tune it as you go along.

No, you have lost fat and they have started to show. So they look like they've gotten bigger.

Actually you can. This thread has been started before and people were all over my *kitten* so I asked an exercise physiologist. In conjunction with proper diet, lifting, and cardio you can. I think the misconception lies within "can you do it at the SAME time'. Physiologically, no... every second you won't be doing both. However, every day you may be doing both if the nutrition and workouts are right.