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20kg (45lbs) to lose and muscle to gain

Paul20KG
Paul20KG Posts: 3 Member
edited November 2024 in Getting Started
Hi everyone!!

I'm Paul from Hove, England.

I'm a newbie looking to shed weight, tone up, build muscle and generally get healthier. I'm pushing 40 now. Well, actually I've more than pushed it, I'm 42, but in my head I still feel about 18! Lol

Trouble is, my body is now refusing to do things my 18 year old self did without batting an eyelid, such as run up stairs 2 at a time, run for a bus, climb a hill without panting like a pervert on a phonecall, and eat all manner of sugary foods without putting on so much as a pound (something my other half can still do. Dontcha just hate people like that!?)

Anyway I'm looking for new friends (if you'll have me?). Any age, and any stage, I don't mind. If you're new to this game like me then we can egg each other on, and if you're a fitness expert then it'd be great to get your wisdom, and I'd be happy to offer and motivation if you're having a bad day too.

Please feel free to add me, or drop a message to me and I'll add you

Thank you :)

Replies

  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,159 Member
    Hey Paul,

    It can be pretty difficult to lose weight and build muscle at the same time. Might want to focus on getting close to your goal weight by eating at a moderate deficit, maintaining your existing muscle by ensuring you've adequate protein and lifting and then either looking into calorie cycling or re-comping when you're closer to your goal.

  • Paul20KG
    Paul20KG Posts: 3 Member
    edited September 2017
    Thanks Tinkerbell, so you'd recommend focussing on weight loss and fitness until I've lost what I need to, then crank up the weights?
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,159 Member
    Paul20KG wrote: »
    Thanks Tinkerbell, so you'd recommend focussing on weight loss and fitness until I've lost what I need to, then crank up the weights?

    You'd still be weight training throughout but you would increase your calorie intake once you've gotten closer to your goal.

    To build muscle you generally require a calorie surplus, if you eat in a calorie surplus you're also going to gain fat, this is why you see most serious folks doing bulk and cut cycles. If you're in a calorie deficit and eat enough protein/do strength training you will maintain the existing muscle and lose the fat, so you will with time likely see more of the muscle that is behind the fat.

    Then as you get closer to your goal you could either move to bulk/cut cycles or re-comp which is a slower process of lowering body fat and gaining muscle but allows you to basically eat at maintenance on lifting days and a small deficit on rest days.

    There's a sticky in the Maintaining forum on re-comp and plenty of info on the Fitness boards too.

    I am around 40lbs down myself with another 35lbs to go to my initial goal, and then it's my intention to switch to re-comping for a year or two to build a little more muscle.

    You'd be surprised how much difference just losing some fat and maintaining the existing muscle can make to your appearance.

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