Fat Loss First Or Over All Fitness?

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Oriel94
Oriel94 Posts: 22 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Should you shape your body while losing fat or focus on fat loss and then shape your body? Please help!

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  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    I agree that you should be strength training while losing fat. It helps you keep more of the muscle you currently have. If you do not you could lose a good about of muscle along with the fat.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    If you start with the strength training now you'll lose mostly fat. If you focus on fat loss without the strength training you'll lose fat and muscle, which will leave you further from your final goal.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    To echo the others, I would definitely start strength training now
  • Oriel94
    Oriel94 Posts: 22 Member
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    Thanks you guys! I was just scared to do so because I have a lot of natural muscle mass but I don't want to look too bulky when I lose the fat
  • kimothy38
    kimothy38 Posts: 840 Member
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    I started strength training at the same time as losing fat - best thing I ever did. Now I can see some muscle definition it encourages me even more to lose the fat.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    I wouldn't worry about getting bulky. I have run two actual bulk cycles, I am still not bulky! And if you find yourself maintaining/building massive amounts of muscle while you are losing and aren't happy with how you are progressing, you can always back off certain exercises or don't use progressive overload on those (basically not increasing your weight or reps each time)
  • Oriel94
    Oriel94 Posts: 22 Member
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    rybo wrote: »
    If by shape your body you mean strength train...start strength training from the beginning. You will be exponentially further ahead in the long run

    Mainly get rid of my "turkey wings", "hamhock thighs" "muffin top tummy" and round out my "plateau" of a bum lol
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    I am going to agree with the others. But I am going to give you a slightly more nuanced answer.
    One thing that many people find when they train for a marathon, which should be the most-calorie burning type of training you could do, is that they do not lose weight.

    Why not?

    Because when you exercise heavy, you make yourself hungry.
    Same is true with weight lifting. Maybe more so if you are lifting to build muscle.

    On the other hand, research has shown that people who lose weight and are able to keep it off, invariably have adopted some sort of regular exercise program.

    My advice, therefore, would be to focus on the weight loss. And start to explore exercise and find what you like. Then begin to develop your skills doing that exercise. But do it gradually.

    Many people start an exercise program and they push too hard, because they are desperate to lose weight. But, that makes the exercise a chore, and people lose motivation for a chore.

    Exercise that you drop after a month, or two months, because it is too hard, will not have served you. You want an exercise program that you will still be excited about, and enjoying, two years from now.

    Keep the exercise fun.
    Focus on the weight loss.
    Good luck.
  • mca90guitar
    mca90guitar Posts: 290 Member
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    Bust out the weights my friend, will be glad you did.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    "Oriel94 wrote:
    Mainly get rid of my "turkey wings", "hamhock thighs" "muffin top tummy" and round out my "plateau" of a bum lol

    That's body fat. Exercises don't target body fat, as you might have heard. For now i would focus on eating fewer calories and being an active person (walking, cardio, etc). Strength training is overrated for fat loss, but if you choose to do it, follow a proven program designed by a pro - don't modify to target your fatty areas extra. :+1:
  • DamieBird
    DamieBird Posts: 651 Member
    edited July 2017
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    I have a hard time with this concept myself. I know that I *should* strength train more (I do probably the bare minimum of core and body weight exercise) but I've found that I genuinely love cardio and I look forward to my treadmill sessions. The thought of lifting instead of running makes me kinda bleh. How can I increase some strength training without losing the cardio? I can't spend too much more time in the gym, and usually do 3x45 minute runs and 1x60 minute run per week.
  • Okiludy
    Okiludy Posts: 558 Member
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    Lost over 25lbs since April and have been lifting heavy for over a month. I do not notice much in terms of muscle mass growth or loss. I do see fat loss and some decent imho strength gains.

    I started early to preserve the strength I gained from being fat. I might as well take away something positive from all those beers and pizzas. I found that I actually like lifting a lot.
  • Oriel94
    Oriel94 Posts: 22 Member
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    Cherimoose wrote: »
    "Oriel94 wrote:
    Mainly get rid of my "turkey wings", "hamhock thighs" "muffin top tummy" and round out my "plateau" of a bum lol

    That's body fat. Exercises don't target body fat, as you might have heard. For now i would focus on eating fewer calories and being an active person (walking, cardio, etc). Strength training is overrated for fat loss, but if you choose to do it, follow a proven program designed by a pro - don't modify to target your fatty areas extra. :+1:

    Really? Why not target areas if you want to create a certain silhouette?
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
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    You can target muscle groups when trying to add bulk but that is going to require calorie surplus. There is nothing wrong with working out or lifting while in deficit but it will preserve muscle more than build it. Think of it as more in line with fitness.
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
    edited July 2017
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    Oriel94 wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    "Oriel94 wrote:
    Mainly get rid of my "turkey wings", "hamhock thighs" "muffin top tummy" and round out my "plateau" of a bum lol

    That's body fat. Exercises don't target body fat, as you might have heard. For now i would focus on eating fewer calories and being an active person (walking, cardio, etc). Strength training is overrated for fat loss, but if you choose to do it, follow a proven program designed by a pro - don't modify to target your fatty areas extra. :+1:

    Really? Why not target areas if you want to create a certain silhouette?

    your silhouette is mostly determined by genetics. fat loss is going to happen through a calorie deficit and unfortunately we can't direct where we lose fat from first. exercise won't help that because the way we lose fat is an entirely different process than the way we build muscle. that being said, it's not easy to build muscle in a deficit (to lose fat) so you don't have to worry about bulking up. what you may notice as you lose fat is that you have considerable muscle under the fat already (from supporting the weight you've been carrying). the reason you strength train in a deficit is to preserve that muscle, which will give the 'toned' look that a lot of people prefer.

    if you focus on weight loss first and don't strength train than you're most likely going to lose weight that is comprised of both fat and muscle - sometimes this can lead to an appearance of being slimmer, but with more loose skin or still softer or flabbier looking.

    there isn't one that is inherently better than the other, but it's a matter of your preference.

    edited to clarify: exercise will help with fat loss by increasing your deficit if you track calories burned, but you still won't be able to control which areas lose fat first.

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