Opinions needed on muscle building while lowering body fat

go to fitradio.com and get your goal weight based on your desired BF percent.

The other thing that I think needs stressing is that even if you are in deficit and not technically building muscle you will continually be able to lift progressivly heavier stuff (unless you are already a pretty sh!thot lifter in which case you're not asking these questions!) So aside from the scientific stuff, you will get better form, better technique, more confidence with the weight... Seeing those improvements week in and week out is awesome for motivation, pride and confidence.

This is a very good point. Plus, you will get the muscles to show more, even if it is not new muscle and there is also my usual 'other' reason for lifting - improved bone density.

The other thing that I think needs stressing is that even if you are in deficit and not technically building muscle you will continually be able to lift progressivly heavier stuff (unless you are already a pretty sh!thot lifter in which case you're not asking these questions!) So aside from the scientific stuff, you will get better form, better technique, more confidence with the weight... Seeing those improvements week in and week out is awesome for motivation, pride and confidence.

This is a very good point. Plus, you will get the muscles to show more, even if it is not new muscle and there is also my usual 'other' reason for lifting - improved bone density.

Just part of why I've come to love you both in my own little way!

Awwwwwww! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

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Thanks Rach. I should point out I'm a sponsored Gaspari Athlete and also act as a private prep coach. I'm not some random giving out random advice. Its my job.

I always recommend to the guys I prep (I currently have around 10 paying customers on my books) to cut fat first and lean bulk second. That way confidence improves as you feel lean and more muscled (even tho in reality you are just less fat) and when you bulk you are more anabolic and can register fat gain better as you put on muscle and retard calories as required.

what about a girl? do you have females you train? im in pretty good shape now i strength train 4 x a week with only 20 min of cardio= total work out about an 1 1/2 hours i have 4 different routins. i cant get my stomach to show the six pac, you can see a little definition but i need to see it. also my back needs to be more toned. legs and arms are beautiful and you can see the cuts, so can you help me with that question?

Hi - I do train women (got one to the NABBA Worlds in Italy last year... but I define the training (weights, cardio, diet etc). As I say I prep coach, not offer advice that may or may not be followed. Too intensive to only be partially listen to!

Carb/calorie cycling...not just carb cycling.

But yes...it's definitely effective. For pure fat loss (even at large bodyfat %'s) it seems that ESE has been more effective in my experience...and a combination of the two even moreso.

Cris,

ESE=Eat, Stop, Eat?

Yes. Even Martin really only recommends leangains for those already lean. I think maybe your body having larger fat stores interferes with the efficiency of the hormonal triggers to build muscle....or cut fat.

ESE on the other hand has no muscle building component. The fasting directly targets fat stores while the growth hormone and adrenalin response protect lean mass. There may be more to it...I don't know...but I can speak for its effectiveness.

When I mentioned a mix being even more effective...I meant ESE 3x a week...and a 16/8 eating window 2-4 days a week. On the 16/8 days you eat at or near maintenance. The ESE days control your deficit.

I wouldn't recommend ESE for athletes, or anyone who's already pretty lean, but if you have quite a bit to lose it's fine.

I guess that depends on your definition of 'quite a bit'. I used it effectively to get to 15%ish last year. My job is very physically demanding as well...and if anything...I gained in performance.

create your deficit with exercise (more so super set weight lifting) and HIIT cardio...that will burn fat and build muscle...but u have to eat...if you create your deficit with through diet more so than exercise then u will waste away

thread starter's post...i was dealing with the same issue and this seems to be working for me

I wouldn't recommend ESE for athletes, or anyone who's already pretty lean, but if you have quite a bit to lose it's fine.

I guess that depends on your definition of 'quite a bit'. I used it effectively to get to 15%ish last year. My job is very physically demanding as well...and if anything...I gained in performance.

I should've specified "competitive" athletes, but like anything else YMMV (performance-wise).

As far as body comp is concerned, as long as you're over 15% or so it shouldn't be an issue. Once you get below that, I would be a bit concerned with insufficient protein on the off days. A modified version (ie PSMF on the "fasting" days) might work well.

I train on fasted days (3x a week), and get in a minimum of 100-150g of protein on those days, within my 1000-1500cal target window. On off/rest days, I get my full 150-170g of protein.

Guys, which pathways are you suggestion being in negative calories allows muscle to be built?

My guess is the Yellow Brick Road.

Guys, which pathways are you suggestion being in negative calories allows muscle to be built?

My guess is the Yellow Brick Road.

I'm genuinely interested. I've been doing some more reading, so would like to see how they reckon it works?

The only method that I've seen...and it's 'cheating'...is leangains and its derivatives.

Understand however, I've never full on run through leangains myself. I can only look at those using it who are eating at maintenance or a slight deficit (as determined by process of elimination, not a calculator), yet still put on muscle mass, while remaining lean, or becoming even more lean.

im in the same predicament but this morning i had an epiphany! i think im going to eat a surplus of protein enriched foods while workingout and building uscle everyday for 2 weeks. then the next to weeks i still eat protein foods but in a muccccch lower caloric intake. and during these 2 weeks you dont have to workout becaause after going a few days of the low calories/high protein fast, your body goes into a fat burning stage called ketosis. ill try it out and let you know how it goes

Guys, which pathways are you suggestion being in negative calories allows muscle to be built?

Alan Aragon's "culking" method.....I've not read his book, but I've seen Leangains compared to it as a slow, laborious method to lose fat and gain muscle. I do know it involves calorie and carb cycling. I don't think it involves IF, as he's spoken out against that in the past.

TBH the methods I see only seem to result in lean but stringy looking people.

I'm genuinly not sure how much muscle if any is added, hence I want to understand how when you get down to the protein synthesis level of mTOR - for nutrient/energy/redox sensor and controlling protein synthesis. The activity of this complex is stimulated by insulin, growth factors, serum, phosphatidic acid, amino acids (particularly leucine), and oxidative stress.

Basically, I'm not sure how one can stimulate the body to grow without the relevant factors in place.