Should I lose weight, gain muscle, or both?

Are you in a public bathroom?

Are you in a public bathroom?

i seriously thought this same thing!!!!

Muscle helps to burn fat. So go for the muscle!

You don't really look very overweight, so I would probably focus on weight/strength training a little more than losing weight. You may initially gain a little weight because muscle is more dense than fat, but if you increase muscle mass, you're naturally going to burn off excess fat and be more toned. Maybe check out Bill Philips Body for Life program...he has a lot of good weight training tips that helps to shed excess fat while gaining muscle.

Are you in a public bathroom?

bahaha too funny! What if someone walked in..or better was already in, lol

And I say muscle. Don't lose weight.

Body recomposition, adding muscle while burning fat, is not impossible. It just takes a VERY meticulous diet and workout regimen. However, to answer your question, I'd say to gain some muscle, which will carry with it some fat too. Right now it looks as though your fat is fairly low.

However, to answer your question, I'd say to gain some muscle, which will carry with it some fat too. Right now it looks as though your fat is fairly low.

I don't think muscle gain necessarily adds fat. It just adds weight sometimes because muscle weighs more. Is that what you meant? I think with a careful diet, you can add muscle but avoid fat. (at least, I hope so!). :bigsmile:

However, to answer your question, I'd say to gain some muscle, which will carry with it some fat too. Right now it looks as though your fat is fairly low.

I don't think muscle gain necessarily adds fat. It just adds weight sometimes because muscle weighs more. Is that what you meant? I think with a careful diet, you can add muscle but avoid fat. (at least, I hope so!). :bigsmile:

No. There's only one way to build muscle, generally, and that's eat more calories than you burn. The excess calories will turn into fat. Now depending on the person and their insulin sensitivity, metabolic rate, testosterone levels, and such, they may gain a pound of fat per 2 pounds of muscle. This would be what may be called a bulking phase. Then the person would burn off the excess fat with a negative caloric balance. They may burn 2 pounds of fat but lose a pound of muscle. This would be the cutting phase.

You are right, however, in that there is another way, through a careful diet. I mentioned it above in my previous post and like I said it takes a VERY careful diet, sufficient cardio, and a weight program to match. And it would involve a cyclical type diet, usually through carbs, but may be done with calories in general. These methods are most often too much for the typical dieter to deal with, so they go through the bulking/cutting cycles.

You are also right that muscle weighs more than fat, but that's not what I was alluding to.

However, to answer your question, I'd say to gain some muscle, which will carry with it some fat too. Right now it looks as though your fat is fairly low.

I don't think muscle gain necessarily adds fat. It just adds weight sometimes because muscle weighs more. Is that what you meant? I think with a careful diet, you can add muscle but avoid fat. (at least, I hope so!). :bigsmile:

No. There's only one way to build muscle, generally, and that's eat more calories than you burn. The excess calories will turn into fat. Now depending on the person and their insulin sensitivity, metabolic rate, testosterone levels, and such, they may gain a pound of fat per 2 pounds of muscle. This would be what may be called a bulking phase. Then the person would burn off the excess fat with a negative caloric balance. They may burn 2 pounds of fat but lose a pound of muscle. This would be the cutting phase.

You are right, however, in that there is another way, through a careful diet. I mentioned it above in my previous post and like I said it takes a VERY careful diet, sufficient cardio, and a weight program to match. And it would involve a cyclical type diet, usually through carbs, but may be done with calories in general. These methods are most often too much for the typical dieter to deal with, so they go through the bulking/cutting cycles.

You are also right that muscle weighs more than fat, but that's not what I was alluding to.

agree with this Unless you're on the juice haha.

What is your current workout regime? WHat is your current diet? Have you just been losing weight/gaining/maintaining lately?

I would be focussing on gaining strength and eating at slightly above maintenance. Monitor weight changes per week, as well as BF% (or skinfold mm's is best for at home IMO) and adjust calorie intake if required. Focus on big compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, chins and dips.

I am not on the "juice" I have managed to gain muscle, mostly lean muscle. If you want to gain a lot of muscle then yes you do need a caloric surplus, but to maintain or gain a moderate amount it is quite possible to do so while being on a lower caloric intake.