Just can't seem to get there!

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Hey everyone, How would you suggest that I shred off some fat, but also build muscle? I burn at least 900 calories a day just working out, and I eat about 2500 calories. I'm not seeing the results that I want though. What does anyone suggest?
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  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    you didnt really give a lot of details about your exercise, but i would suggest lifting heavy - if you dont already. cut back on cardio if thats all you do. technically you cant gain much muscle while at a deficit (unless youre very new to lifting) but it will help keep the muscle you have, and when the fat goes away theyll look more defined.
    i lift 3x/week, and do cardio 2x...for a weekly total of 3.5 hours. last month i lost a pound a week, and from jan 1st to feb 12 i lost 20 inches over all.
  • zafferFL
    zafferFL Posts: 402
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    Hey everyone, How would you suggest that I shred off some fat, but also build muscle? I burn at least 900 calories a day just working out, and I eat about 2500 calories. I'm not seeing the results that I want though. What does anyone suggest?

    What are you doing to burn 900?
  • eokane96
    eokane96 Posts: 4
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    running and body weight in the AM, rowing in the afternoon
  • foremant86
    foremant86 Posts: 1,115 Member
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    you can't shred fat and build muscle at the same time....
  • eokane96
    eokane96 Posts: 4
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    Oky, I wasn't sure. I guess I'll just have to start lifting!
  • zafferFL
    zafferFL Posts: 402
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    you can't shred fat and build muscle at the same time....

    Why not? I'm doing that right now. 5% down BF and increased strength on all lifts. Absolutely possible.


    The the OP, caloric surplus on lifting days, deficit on non lifting days. Good luck.
  • _snw_
    _snw_ Posts: 1,305 Member
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    you can't shred fat and build muscle at the same time....


    What? Wow - I need to tell my body this cause it didn't get your memo.
  • _snw_
    _snw_ Posts: 1,305 Member
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    Oky, I wasn't sure. I guess I'll just have to start lifting!


    yes yes yes. I started lifting heavy about, oh, 6 weeks ago and I've started to notice the fat going down and muscle going up from a decreasing BF%age. good luck!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,574 Member
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    Hey everyone, How would you suggest that I shred off some fat, but also build muscle? I burn at least 900 calories a day just working out, and I eat about 2500 calories. I'm not seeing the results that I want though. What does anyone suggest?
    Can't really do both at the same time. To gain muscle you'll add fat and vice versa. You just need to decide what's more important to you first.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,574 Member
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    you can't shred fat and build muscle at the same time....

    Why not? I'm doing that right now. 5% down BF and increased strength on all lifts. Absolutely possible.


    The the OP, caloric surplus on lifting days, deficit on non lifting days. Good luck.
    Strength increase isn't the best marker for indicating you're building muscle. While some athletes who had a long lay off and return to lifting can build back some muscle lost, the average person practically really can't on a deficit.
    Strength gain is more about your nervous control system while on calorie deficit. You may be using more synergists in your lifts than previous lifts which would explain the strength gain. Not uncommon.
    And you need surplus on REST days to build muscle since that's when they are rebuilding.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Mompanda4
    Mompanda4 Posts: 869 Member
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    Ok but what if you want to continue burning fat by doing cardio 5 times a week, but just want to tone by flabby arms by strength training with weight machines (ie triceps, biceps, chest, shoulder n back)? Is this doable?
  • _snw_
    _snw_ Posts: 1,305 Member
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    Can't really do both at the same time. To gain muscle you'll add fat and vice versa. You just need to decide what's more important to you first.

    i'm sure you have probably explained before .. but can you expand or point me somewhere to read? When I started working out heavily ... i gained about ~8lbs. Now I've lost those 8 lbs and I'm going down again and now i'm seeing my BF% go down. So I know i'm losing fat and gaining muscle. was the inital gain the fat gain you mentioned? Or am i just completely wrong?
  • Newf77
    Newf77 Posts: 802 Member
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    you can't shred fat and build muscle at the same time....

    Such a shocker, so back in '05 when I lost body weight and increased muscle mass, I did was wrong. I have also been lead to believe that by increasing your muscel mass you would increase you metabolism and thus burn more calories, equaling more fat burn.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,574 Member
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    you can't shred fat and build muscle at the same time....


    What? Wow - I need to tell my body this cause it didn't get your memo.
    It's true. While there are some exceptions (obese/very overweight on a lifting program, athlete returning after long layoff, newbie who has NEVER weight lifted before) it's practically IMPOSSIBLE to gain muscle on calorie deficit. The misconception that people see is that their muscle definition is showing after body fat % is being reduced giving them the illusion that they are building muscle when in fact they really aren't.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • zafferFL
    zafferFL Posts: 402
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    you can't shred fat and build muscle at the same time....


    What? Wow - I need to tell my body this cause it didn't get your memo.
    It's true. While there are some exceptions (obese/very overweight on a lifting program, athlete returning after long layoff, newbie who has NEVER weight lifted before) it's practically IMPOSSIBLE to gain muscle on calorie deficit. The misconception that people see is that their muscle definition is showing after body fat % is being reduced giving them the illusion that they are building muscle when in fact they really aren't.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Explain increase in lifts?

    Again, calorie surplus on lift days, deficit on rest, cardio days.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,574 Member
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    i'm sure you have probably explained before .. but can you expand or point me somewhere to read? When I started working out heavily ... i gained about ~8lbs. Now I've lost those 8 lbs and I'm going down again and now i'm seeing my BF% go down. So I know i'm losing fat and gaining muscle. was the inital gain the fat gain you mentioned? Or am i just completely wrong?
    People will gain water weight from working out. It's common. Think about it, to gain 8lbs of muscle you have to have consumed 600 calories daily over your set calories and have all those calories become muscle (1 pound of muscle is about 600 calories). So 8lbs of pure muscle is 4,800 calories surplus. To gain muscle, you HAVE to gain weight. To gain weight you have to have a calorie surplus. Not all of those calories will become muscle, some will become fat and some will be stored as glycogen in the liver and muscle.
    You're seeing more definition, so you may think you're seeing muscle being built, but it's just an illusion. You lift weights to try to RETAIN what muscle you have since weight loss will take away fat and muscle in the process.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • tataliciousd89
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    you can't shred fat and build muscle at the same time....


    What? Wow - I need to tell my body this cause it didn't get your memo.
    Yeah, we must be out of the loop.
  • beach_chelle
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    you can't shred fat and build muscle at the same time....

    Why not? I'm doing that right now. 5% down BF and increased strength on all lifts. Absolutely possible.


    The the OP, caloric surplus on lifting days, deficit on non lifting days. Good luck.

    thanks I was wondering how to do that! hadn't considered the deficit and surplus
  • Devlyn_P
    Devlyn_P Posts: 294 Member
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    you can't shred fat and build muscle at the same time....

    Why not? I'm doing that right now. 5% down BF and increased strength on all lifts. Absolutely possible.


    The the OP, caloric surplus on lifting days, deficit on non lifting days. Good luck.

    This works! Cut your cardio and up your heavy lifting. Try a 5x5 program that incorporates compound lifting. I am assuming you don't do this based on your OP stating you work with body weight only. I went from 21% to 14% in 8 weeks following proper nutrition and heavy lifting. Good luck!
  • _snw_
    _snw_ Posts: 1,305 Member
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    (sorry to hijack)

    but wow, that really sucks. illusions are lame.