Building muscle vs burning fat

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squatsandsuch
squatsandsuch Posts: 20
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi!

I have about 35-40 lbs to lose and just finished a 4 week bootcamp workout. We worked out about 30 minutes 3x a week. Now, I am thinking about running and doing dance workouts on the xbox1 for the next month.

Would building muscle one month and burning fat the next and continuing this routine work? I don't want to hit a plateau and want to keep shocking my body every 4 weeks with something different.

I am also starting to count calories tomorrow. According to MFP with 5 60 minute works a week, I need 1530 calories.

Any advice would help.

Replies

  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    First of all "shocking the body" the way you describe is marketing gibberish. Varying your training stimulus in a planned way (e.g. Including endurance and high-intensity workouts in your routine) in an important training principle but randomly changing activities to "shock" is counterproductive.

    If you have 35-40 lbs to lose, your best approach is a balanced program with cardio and resistance training. Maintain an appropriate deficit and macronutrient balance, and the fat/muscle ratio will take care of itself.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    What Azdak said.

    FYI, the calorie goal MFP gives you doesn't take exercise into account until you actually log that in your exercise diary. When you set that up in your diet/fitness profile, it's just a goal setting tool. You should also know that calorie burns from MFP tend to be overestimates so plan to only eat about half of the earned calories.

    Good luck!
  • eatsyork
    eatsyork Posts: 71 Member
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    I think it's a good idea to lift something continuously if you are losing weight. Firstly, using muscles prevents a portion of the lean mass loss that comes with eating at a deficit. You want to be losing fat, not your muscles. Secondly, any small newbie gains you get in lean mass will burn more energy just existing. Do some kind of resistance exercise a couple times a week. As far as cardio, everyone has a different opinion. A couple times a week, five days a week, whatever fits your lifestyle, goals, and beliefs.
  • NikiMG1681
    NikiMG1681 Posts: 36 Member
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    MinnieInMaine wrote: »
    What Azdak said.

    FYI, the calorie goal MFP gives you doesn't take exercise into account until you actually log that in your exercise diary. When you set that up in your diet/fitness profile, it's just a goal setting tool. You should also know that calorie burns from MFP tend to be overestimates so plan to only eat about half of the earned calories.

    Good luck!


    Yes! Be careful of this! I don't ever try to eat back my "earned" calories anyways. Unless I'm ravenous.

    Unless you have a heart rate monitor! Then your calorie count will be more accurate!

    I have this inexpensive heart rate monitor, it has been reliable.

    http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_529252_-1___
  • squatsandsuch
    squatsandsuch Posts: 20
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    Thanks everyone. I don't usually eat my earned calories. Just what MFP says to eat BEFORE I add exercise.

    A friend gave me this site

    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    I am going to use that and do "custom" goals on MFP. He has used it and went from a pretty big guy to a slim and muscular guy.

    I feel like I should be working out 5 days a week with 2 rest days. I had planned on doing 3 days of dancing, 2 high intense workouts to build muscle and sometimes one of the 3 days of dancing, run instead.

    I am trying to actually do this right. I finally have motivation and determination. In the past four weeks my weight hasn't moved and I haven't lost fat but I have gained muslce in my arms, calves and thighs. I want this fat GONE.
  • bryandynaxus3
    bryandynaxus3 Posts: 51 Member
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    Well I would say you have lost some fat if you still weigh the same but have gained muscle. I'm still fairly new to this lol.
  • squatsandsuch
    squatsandsuch Posts: 20
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    That makes sense. I guess since putting on muscle makes the scale go up?
  • fireguychris
    fireguychris Posts: 58 Member
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    building muscle will also cause an increase in calories being burnt at rest. by increasing your metabolism...
  • squatsandsuch
    squatsandsuch Posts: 20
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    Thanks everyone! I'll take all of this into consideration.
  • paul_lennon01
    paul_lennon01 Posts: 1
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    If you're planning to workout 4-5 times a week then start think about periodising the workouts which will optimise recovery and have the greatest effect on anatomical change. Resistance training is key to a weight loss/toning goal as its effect on the endocrine system and metabolic adaptation revamp the effectiveness of your overall result. HIIT training is good and yes it has it papers to prove its effectiveness plus you feel like you've been worked hard so it's also good psychologically...but to much will begin to cause adrenal fatigue and immunosuppressant issues. Your motivation to train plus response to change/adaptation will be dampened. In a nut shell keep it simple...do something you like doing so it becomes a good habit former once a week. Try 2/3 weights or resistance sessions, 1 HIIT with another CV session at a steady state HR (maintaining a specific HR for longer periods of time), this way you'll cover a lot of the exercise physiological markers for adaptation and the results will come along nicely coupled with good nutrition.

    If you'd like more information pdjl01@hotmail.co.uk

    Good luck.
  • Lissa_Kaye
    Lissa_Kaye Posts: 214 Member
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    That TDEE calculator seems to have crazy low totals. Try this one here
    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
    then multiply your calorie total by 0.85 and eat that amount. You should then lose weight fairly easily and comfortably. It may be only as much as 0.1 to 0.2 of a pound a day, you should lose. I found for me long hikes work wonders for my fat loss. I would be out there everyday, but I broke my toe :(
    Also recalculate your calories after every 10 lbs of weight loss.
  • squatsandsuch
    squatsandsuch Posts: 20
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    Thanks everyone! I'll take all of this into consideration.

    I do like HIIT workouts! I am going to do them at least 2-3x per week. But, I also enjoy dancing and want to do that a couple times a week. I lost 40 lbs doing Zumba 5-6x per week for 45 minutes each time for a year. I have hit a plateau and have been stuck for over a year. So, I'm trying something new now.

    Thanks again for everyones advice. It really helps. Thanks for the link Lissa.
  • squatsandsuch
    squatsandsuch Posts: 20
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    That site says my tdee is 2889. Another site said something similar and for fat loss eat 2100(ish) calories or for extreme fat loss eat 1900(ish) calories if working out 3-5x per week. I usually use www.freedieting.com calculators. I will try the 1900 and if nothing changes I'll go up or down with cals and see if there is any difference.
  • tanyabecka
    tanyabecka Posts: 39 Member
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    I have lost 31 pounds in 2 months eating 1550 calories per day and exercising 6 days per week with weight training and cardio. Feel free to add me to chat more
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    Are you on a structured lifting program?
  • squatsandsuch
    squatsandsuch Posts: 20
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    No, I'm not. I'm not using weights at all, actually.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    squatsandsuch wrote: »
    No, I'm not. I'm not using weights at all, actually.

    Then you won't build any muscle.

  • lili61
    lili61 Posts: 231 Member
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    I'm not sure how you're magically gaining muscle while eating at a deficit and not lifting heavy weights. Seriously, no snark intended--it's just likely not possible. You could certainly be getting stronger, which does not mean you are gaining muscle. It's difficult for women to build muscle even intentionally (which means you're eating a surplus of calories with structured training/lifting).

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