Lose Weight AND Build Muscle

[skimmy]

Hey everyone,

I am 5'10" and approximately 200 lbs. Unfortunately the majority of this weight is not muscle but instead fat. I just moved and in my new house I will finally be able to dedicate a room for my weights/fitness equipment. That said, I hope to be able to start working out in the next 2 weeks. My problem is that I have ~50 lbs of fat to lose. From most of what I've read I understand that I have to have an excess of calories in order for my muscles to have the calories they need to grow. Given that, I don't understand how I can go about losing the fat that I need to while at the same time build muscle. Not only do I have a fairly comprehensive exercise/weight set but I also have an exercise bike for cardio. My concern is that if I lift weights and do a lot of cardio at the same time that I am not going to be able to build any muscle. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

[Baconbits]

Hey everyone,

I am 5'10" and approximately 200 lbs. Unfortunately the majority of this weight is not muscle but instead fat. I just moved and in my new house I will finally be able to dedicate a room for my weights/fitness equipment. That said, I hope to be able to start working out in the next 2 weeks. My problem is that I have ~50 lbs of fat to lose. From most of what I've read I understand that I have to have an excess of calories in order for my muscles to have the calories they need to grow. Given that, I don't understand how I can go about losing the fat that I need to while at the same time build muscle. Not only do I have a fairly comprehensive exercise/weight set but I also have an exercise bike for cardio. My concern is that if I lift weights and do a lot of cardio at the same time that I am not going to be able to build any muscle. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

As far as humans are concerned, we can't build muscle and lose fat at the same time. Anabolism, the process of building muscle, requires more calories taken in than expended, plus appropriate resistance exercise to stimulate the many cells involved in muscle development, and adequate rest to allow repair and growth of muscle tissue.

Muscle tissue is comprised of 15 - 20 percent protein, 70 - 75 percent water, and glycogen (carbohydrate), fat, vitamins, and minerals in the remainder. Because of the work involved, rest required, and calorie intake needed, it's unlikely for a person to be able to gain more than two pounds of muscle in a week. As a person adds muscle, her/his metabolic rate increases slightly.

With weight loss, the goal for many is to lose fat and keep muscle. The body does not burn fat only when fewer calories are consumed; carbohydrate and protein are also utilized for energy. When a person loses weight, s/he usually loses not only fat, but also water and protein. If one is restricting carbohydrate in his/her eating plan, protein will be used for energy and will not be available for muscle repair. If a person is taking in too little protein, s/he will not have an adequate amount available to fulfill its many functions, including muscle and tissue repair, enzyme and hormone production, fluid balance, and red blood cell production, among others. Weight loss involves fewer calories taken in than expended, so in this deprivation mode, one would not have the excess calories required to build muscle. As a matter of fact, low calorie eating plans can result in protein deficiency and loss of muscle tissue.

While trying to lose fat, it's important to work on preserving muscle. Dieters frequently lose lean body mass and experience decreases in basal metabolic rate. Stopping or excluding resistance exercise does nothing for maintaining strength, muscle tone, and bone health. Keeping lean body mass by weight training will also help to keep one's metabolism up. In order to preserve lean body mass, taking in sufficient protein (2 g/kg. or 0.9 g/lb of body weight) is recommended. Timing of protein intake may play a significant role in its use to repair muscle tissue — within two hours of a workout can help assure its availability. The amount of protein will depend on the intensity of the workout and a person's energy needs. Including protein, along with carbohydrate, post-exercise seems to be optimal in muscle repair.


In other words, keep your protein intake high to preserve muscle mass and concentrate on lowering your body fat first.

[Ritch]

Good post up there! Mr. skimmy, how is your knowledge when it comes to nutrition?

[Freebsd1977]

Hey skimmy, good luck with the weight loss goal. Feel free to post here any questions you may have. The CBB is full of former butterballs :)
You'll hear many different diets and ways to lose weight and your first goal should be to reach your preferred weight goal. Go on a diet and lose the 50 lbs and then worry about muscle gains. One important point is that muscle weights 2.5 times what fat weighs, so you will put on weight again but it's gonna be muscle weight and not bodyfat.
My weightloss was done doing a low carb diet, which is bad for bb'ing I know but I weighed 274 lbs at 5 feet 11 inches and needed to lose the weight quick. I reached my first goal of 220 lbs and started to eat normally again. I'm cutting once again, want to reach 200 lbs this time by doing a 3 day low carb (around 50-100 grams)/1 day carb up (+100 grams) cycle. That way, my body enters a starvation mode and burns fat and I'm sure some protein as well but the 4th day is a top up time to replenish the fuel cells. I lowered my pant size from size 40-42 to a 38 doing this and have a size 52 chest. Good luck once again and keep us posted on your progress.

[Vomit]

Im new here so I dont want to step on any ones toes (especially bacon bit- he gave you excellent advice), but you might want to try a cyclical ketogenic diet. The anabolic diet or bodyopus are great places to start. Bacon is right that caloric amounts are the determining factor for anabolism or catabolism, however hormones play a big part to. Under the right hormonal circumstances you can gain fat even though you are eating under your bmr (basal metabolic rate) or you can lose muscle even if your eating calories above your BMR. what determines these is the hormone status of your body. In the first example I posted high insluin levels cause fat gain even when under feeding. In the second low testosterone causes muscle loss even when over feeding. Certain diets like bodyopus are designed to maximise the effects of the hormones to simulatanously build muscle and lose fat on a caloric equivalent diet.
However the protocal is quite complex and not easy to implement. Also be aware that cyclical ketogenic diets are not the best for either muscle gain or fat loss. They just allow you to do both at the same time
For any other diet Bacon bits is right in saying fat loss = eating under your caloric needs and muscle gain = eating over.
Hopefully this gives you some leads on how to achieve your desired body.

[The Terminator]

CKD = t3h pwn at fat loss. That is all.

Matt

[Baconbits]

Im new here so I dont want to step on any ones toes (especially bacon bit- he gave you excellent advice), but you might want to try a cyclical ketogenic diet. The anabolic diet or bodyopus are great places to start. Bacon is right that caloric amounts are the determining factor for anabolism or catabolism, however hormones play a big part to. Under the right hormonal circumstances you can gain fat even though you are eating under your bmr (basal metabolic rate) or you can lose muscle even if your eating calories above your BMR. what determines these is the hormone status of your body. In the first example I posted high insluin levels cause fat gain even when under feeding. In the second low testosterone causes muscle loss even when over feeding. Certain diets like bodyopus are designed to maximise the effects of the hormones to simulatanously build muscle and lose fat on a caloric equivalent diet.
However the protocal is quite complex and not easy to implement. Also be aware that cyclical ketogenic diets are not the best for either muscle gain or fat loss. They just allow you to do both at the same time
For any other diet Bacon bits is right in saying fat loss = eating under your caloric needs and muscle gain = eating over.
Hopefully this gives you some leads on how to achieve your desired body.

Good points!

Bye the way, Welcome!

[CreatineAmonster]

Damn wish this kind of help was available to me back when I started. Great advice out here. I too am new and don't want to do any toe stepping. However there is this thing called the first 6 months that tends to be a great time for a lifter. Like using AAS almost you get stronger at an extreamly fast rate and you have a window as they say. This window is debated highly but some say you can actually gain muscle and loss fat at the same time.

OK here is what I would suggest and this is just me find the caloric level it takes you to lose 1 lbs a week then make sure you are getting 1g of protein per lb of body weight so in your case 200g of protein. Learn how to lift properly (form form form) it's like location in realty. do your half hour of cardio a day and a quality starter lifting program and you may be supprized at how fast you get to a weight where you are happy.

Then start thinking about what is the priority lossing more fat or putting on some muscle. First 6 months though IMO have at it and you will do a little of both. I know many say its impossible but if that is not what happens it seems like it thats for sure.

I would give anything to be able to start back there now.

[Gib]

"it's unlikely for a person to be able to gain more than two pounds of muscle in a week."

Do you mean two pounds of muscle in a month?? That ^ translates to over 100 pounds of muscle in a year (2 pounds a week x 52 weeks in a year).

Ill be SERIOUSLY pissed if some of you dicks are putting on 100 pounds of muscle a year!!