Gain Muscle, Lose Fat?

Kman4evah · May 2015

I know I've seen discussions on here about how these two activities don't really work together because of the calorie counts needed for the two (more calories to build muscle, less calories to lose weight), but I would like some advice. I'm about 220lbs, around 24-25% body fat, and I want to start gaining muscle. I've been doing some strength training with cardio the past 2 months, and my goal is to get down to about 14-16% fat.
Should I continue with what I'm doing right now with eating more and building muscle and the fat will go down with time, or should I slim down and eat less to get to a lower percentage first?

delipidation · May 2015

You and I are fairly close in weight (I'm about 205) and goals (recomp by losing fat and gaining strength), although judging from your profile picture I'm probably somewhere north of twice your age. You'll get advice all across the continuum on your question, but you could do a lot worse than just eat at the maintenance level for your desired weight and activity level and continue with the strength and cardio work you've been doing. Folks who are in a hurry in either direction (gotta build muscle for an upcoming competition / gotta lose weight for an upcoming photo shoot / whatever) will lean in different directions from that recommendation, but you don't sound like you're in a hurry. Eat good stuff, not too much of it, train hard, keep getting stronger, and the body fat will come off in due course.

I started strength training about two months ago and have been eating at a very slight deficit for my current weight, cycling carbs a bit by eating the full MFP recommendation on strength days and knocking off about a third of the carbs on other days. Schedule has been a little hectic to get much cardio in, but I've been able to work in a mile or two of walking, three or four times per week. The results are not earth-shattering, but moving in the right direction: body weight has stayed about the same, body fat percentage has dropped from about 25% to about 24%, maximum girth has dropped two inches, and I've added 10 pounds to the overhead press, 20 to the bench, 35 to the squat and 110 to the deadlift.

A small NSV: I was at the store a couple of weeks back to pick up a new electric lawn mower, complete with a couple of hefty batteries, and it felt nice to be able to respond to the clerk by saying "No, I won't need any help getting this to my car." Sure enough, after toting it across the lot on the cart, it was one easy squat (straight back, maintain lumbar curve, take the weight straight up) and I was standing there with that awkward box in my arms. Loading it into the car, and taking it back out at home, was easy. Felt good.

colors_fade · May 2015

I started out (almost 2 years ago) at 6' 0" tall, 250 lbs, 26% body fat. Started doing StrongLifts 5x5. My goals were basically the same as yours. I want to get down to 14% body fat. I didn't understand the cutting aspect yet, or quite how calorie deficit worked, I just knew I needed to do an exercise I enjoyed, and lifting is what I found I liked.

I found myself enjoying the lifting so much, and getting stronger, so I didn't cut calories. It took me a long time to get to the point where I was determined enough to go cutting.

Not sure what my bodyfat is now (getting measured this week). But I'm 15 lbs. away from 1,000 lbs. on the combine bench/squat/deadlift, and my actual weight is down to 234 after cutting hard these past three months.

If I had to do it all over again, I'd probably start by lifting heavy and cutting. I'd go 100% fat loss first. And after I reached my target body fat percentage, then I'd worry about adding muscle.

Cutting is so much harder (for me) that I feel like this has to be the focus.

Kman4evah · May 2015

colors_fade wrote: »

I found myself enjoying the lifting so much, and getting stronger, so I didn't cut calories.

This is where I'm at right now haha. I absolutely love lifting. I love the way my muscles hurt at the end of the day, it makes me feel like i accomplished something. I just don't know if that will affect me being able to lose fat later on without also losing whatever gains I get right now.

SezxyStef · May 2015

You can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time...it's called a recomp. It's a long process and takes a bunch of patience...doesn't sound like you...sorry. I prefer that method as I can't eat to purposefully gain.

Cut first, lose the fat, continue to life and get in your protein to preserve your muscle while cutting...you will lose some but shouldn't be a whole lot if you consistently lift doing a progressive overload program like SL 5x5 and get in your protein.

Then once you are at the weight you want...bulk...apparently it's fun...eating lots of food to add muscle...but at the same time you are adding fat...then cut again to show the new muscles...I have a friend who has done cut bulk cycles for 2 years and he has added quite a bit of muscle mass.

Chieflrg · May 2015

Finish your goal and access what you want to do from there. Your on the right path young man.

Kman4evah · May 2015

SezxyStef wrote: »

You can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time...it's called a recomp. It's a long process and takes a bunch of patience...doesn't sound like you...sorry. I prefer that method as I can't eat to purposefully gain.

Cut first, lose the fat, continue to life and get in your protein to preserve your muscle while cutting...you will lose some but shouldn't be a whole lot if you consistently lift doing a progressive overload program like SL 5x5 and get in your protein.

Then once you are at the weight you want...bulk...apparently it's fun...eating lots of food to add muscle...but at the same time you are adding fat...then cut again to show the new muscles...I have a friend who has done cut bulk cycles for 2 years and he has added quite a bit of muscle mass.

It's not that I don't have patience. I have plenty of patience, especially with nutrition and fitness because I know changing the body is a relatively long process in itself. I'm just trying to get opinions from more than just the people that are around me to see what other people have success with.
I also haven't heard the term recomping, all the PTs at my gym just say to eat more and better and make sure to keep working out.

Walter__ · May 2015

I've been there before.

Lose weight first. Even if you gain some muscle, you're still not going to like the way you look at 25%+ bodyfat.

SezxyStef · May 2015

Kman4evah wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

You can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time...it's called a recomp. It's a long process and takes a bunch of patience...doesn't sound like you...sorry. I prefer that method as I can't eat to purposefully gain.

Cut first, lose the fat, continue to life and get in your protein to preserve your muscle while cutting...you will lose some but shouldn't be a whole lot if you consistently lift doing a progressive overload program like SL 5x5 and get in your protein.

Then once you are at the weight you want...bulk...apparently it's fun...eating lots of food to add muscle...but at the same time you are adding fat...then cut again to show the new muscles...I have a friend who has done cut bulk cycles for 2 years and he has added quite a bit of muscle mass.

It's not that I don't have patience. I have plenty of patience, especially with nutrition and fitness because I know changing the body is a relatively long process in itself. I'm just trying to get opinions from more than just the people that are around me to see what other people have success with.
I also haven't heard the term recomping, all the PTs at my gym just say to eat more and better and make sure to keep working out.

recomp is a very slow process...most don't have the patience for it. I personally only know of maybe 3 people on this site (I am sure there are more) that have done a successful recomp...most do bulk/cut cycles.

I agree with the lose your weight first then bulk...

Kman4evah · May 2015

Awesome, thanks for the suggestions guys.

galgenstrick · May 2015

SezxyStef wrote: »

Kman4evah wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

You can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time...it's called a recomp. It's a long process and takes a bunch of patience...doesn't sound like you...sorry. I prefer that method as I can't eat to purposefully gain.

Cut first, lose the fat, continue to life and get in your protein to preserve your muscle while cutting...you will lose some but shouldn't be a whole lot if you consistently lift doing a progressive overload program like SL 5x5 and get in your protein.

Then once you are at the weight you want...bulk...apparently it's fun...eating lots of food to add muscle...but at the same time you are adding fat...then cut again to show the new muscles...I have a friend who has done cut bulk cycles for 2 years and he has added quite a bit of muscle mass.

It's not that I don't have patience. I have plenty of patience, especially with nutrition and fitness because I know changing the body is a relatively long process in itself. I'm just trying to get opinions from more than just the people that are around me to see what other people have success with.
I also haven't heard the term recomping, all the PTs at my gym just say to eat more and better and make sure to keep working out.

recomp is a very slow process...most don't have the patience for it. I personally only know of maybe 3 people on this site (I am sure there are more) that have done a successful recomp...most do bulk/cut cycles.

I agree with the lose your weight first then bulk...

Definitely this. I personally wouldn't want to wait years to see a change in my body when I can cut the fat off first and look more muscular in a relatively short amount of time. Progress keeps me motivated.

Gain Muscle, Lose Fat?

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