What are the benefits of weight training while losing fat?

MDCT
MDCT Posts: 28
edited September 27 in Fitness and Exercise
I heard that you can't lose fat while gaining muscle because you would have to have a calorie surplus, so if you can't gain muscle while losing fat because of a calorie deficit, then what good is weight training? To keep the muscle that you do have?

Replies

  • squishycow7
    squishycow7 Posts: 820 Member
    wait. whaaaaaat?

    your post confused me, but I CAN tell you that the more muscle you have on you, the more calories you burn by just EXISITING - breathing/sleeping/etc. and therefore weightloss is easier and more effective.

    you'll also be more toned if you have muscles, so you don't get "skinny fat." I wish I had the link here with me... just search it in the forums :)
  • MDCT
    MDCT Posts: 28
    wait. whaaaaaat?

    your post confused me, but I CAN tell you that the more muscle you have on you, the more calories you burn by just EXISITING - breathing/sleeping/etc. and therefore weightloss is easier and more effective.

    you'll also be more toned if you have muscles, so you don't get "skinny fat." I wish I had the link here with me... just search it in the forums :)

    You can't lose fat while gaining muscle - because you're starving your body of the necessary nutrients

    You can't gain muscle while losing fat - because you're eating too much
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    A friend of mine tried telling me the same thing, but it's not right. Strength training HELPS you burn fat and it helps you build muscle. Muscle burns fat so if you're building muscle, that's helping you burn! :happy:
  • MDCT
    MDCT Posts: 28
    A friend of mine tried telling me the same thing, but it's not right. Strength training HELPS you burn fat and it helps you build muscle. Muscle burns fat so if you're building muscle, that's helping you burn! :happy:

    How can you build muscle if you're not taking in enough nutrients to fuel muscle growth?? I've heard that strength training doesn't burn anywhere near the amount of calories as cardio (which is key for steady weight loss on top of a calorie deficit)...

    Will I have any muscle growth while strength training with a calorie deficit and losing weight? If so, how much will it grow compared to eating a surplus of calories?? Will it be 1/10th as effective? 1/2 as effective? I'm just throwing out figures to try and get the correct answer... Aren't you losing quite a bit of muscle tissue along with your fat when you're "losing weight" on a calorie deficit??
  • sweebum
    sweebum Posts: 1,060 Member
    How can you build muscle if you're not taking in enough nutrients to fuel muscle growth?? I've heard that strength training doesn't anywhere near the amount of calories as cardio (which is key for steady weight loss on top of a calorie deficit)...

    Actually, cardio burns more calories during, but strength training equals or exceeds that burn for hours afterwards.

    http://www.google.ca/search?rlz=1C1CHHJ_enCA416CA417&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=burns+more+caloreis+cardio+or+strength#hl=en&pwst=1&rlz=1C1CHHJ_enCA416CA417&sa=X&ei=Q0zTTciPAsn20gGT9YjKCw&ved=0CBcQvwUoAQ&q=burns+more+calories+cardio+or+strength&spell=1&fp=ed79ce8913019a5d

    The goal is to maintain and build muscle while losing fat. Losing lean mass (muscle) is slowed down with weight training. Otherwise you end up losing the weight (fat and muscle) and can't eat more than 1200 calories a day on maintenance because your metabolism slowed down (a result of lost muscle).
  • fromaquasar
    fromaquasar Posts: 811 Member
    Every pound of muscle you have burns more cals at rest and is denser (therefore making you smaller) than every pound of fat.

    You can build muscle while loosing fat provided you are taking on enough protein (1gram for every pound of your goal weight) and strength training.

    You may find that your WEIGHT loss slows if you are building muscle while burning fat. But the composition of your body (fat to muscle ratio) can definitely change while you are restricting calories.
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