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Losing Body Fat While Gaining Muscle Mass
Posted on 6/7/23 at 9:11 am
Posted on 6/7/23 at 9:11 am
I was discussing the age old argument that you can’t lose weight and build muscle at the same time with a gym rat co-worker yesterday, and I said not only did I think it was possible, but that I believed a significantly overweight person could do both while limiting daily caloric intake to 9-10/cal per lb of target weight, as long as they were consuming sufficient protein. He responded that you can’t fuel effective workouts by limiting calories that low. I agreed in the case of an healthy person, and said the calories were coming from the obese person’s fat stores in this instance. He still disagreed. Am I off here?
11
Posted on 6/7/23 at 9:16 am to GeauxldMember
As a fat arse that sometimes works out, I hope you are right.
Posted on 6/7/23 at 9:22 am to GeauxldMember
quote:
I was discussing the age old argument that you can’t lose weight and build muscle at the same time with a gym rat co-worker yesterday
You can but it is just really slow compared to bulking/cutting and it is called re-composition.
Posted on 6/7/23 at 9:24 am to GeauxldMember
There are plenty of diets and programs for recomp. As long as you keep your protein levels high (.80 per lb) and adding steady state cardio at decent volumes and lift heavy you can absolutely do both.
You can't gain as MUCH muscle or lose as MUCH fat as bulking / cutting cycles, but it's certainly achievable as long as you are making strength gains progressively and fueling body enough during workout days and caloric deficit on recovery days.
You can't gain as MUCH muscle or lose as MUCH fat as bulking / cutting cycles, but it's certainly achievable as long as you are making strength gains progressively and fueling body enough during workout days and caloric deficit on recovery days.
Posted on 6/7/23 at 9:59 am to GeauxldMember
If you’re overweight by a lot and new to weight training then you absolutely can lose weight and gain muscle. Even after a few months of this, you can still recomp (stay roughly same weight and lose fat but gain muscle) but the progress/visible changes are very slow, and if you aren’t really pushing yourself in lifting you may find yourself just plateaued and not be making much progress. Even in a slight deficit, you can grow muscles as a new-ish lifter; you just need to make sure you keep your calories and protein in pre- and post-workout sufficient and cut diet away from exercise.
If you think about it, you can’t put on more than 1-2lb lean mass/month in best case of a bulk; so a lot of “bulking” is just fat (and water) you’ll have to diet/exercise off in a few months anyway. So staying a weight you are comfortable with for a year (maintenance) and gaining 0.25-0.5 lbs lean/month may actually be easier to sustain than having to lose the same 10lbs of fat/water every 3-4 months…
If you think about it, you can’t put on more than 1-2lb lean mass/month in best case of a bulk; so a lot of “bulking” is just fat (and water) you’ll have to diet/exercise off in a few months anyway. So staying a weight you are comfortable with for a year (maintenance) and gaining 0.25-0.5 lbs lean/month may actually be easier to sustain than having to lose the same 10lbs of fat/water every 3-4 months…
This post was edited on 6/7/23 at 10:07 am
Posted on 6/7/23 at 10:22 am to GeauxldMember
As a previously morbidly obese person and current obese person, I believe it's possible. I've dropped 55 lbs and 6 BMI points over the last 18 months. It has come in waves with slight hiccups and bumps here and there. Like others have said, it's not easy and I've had to make adjustments along the way.
I started by just getting in the gym doing cardio and cable-iso machines. This worked at first, but progress started slowing. Thats when I started making better food choices. This restarted the weight loss again. After a year or so I moved over to free weights and cut out a lot of the cardio. This is where I actually started gaining weight. At this point (where I am currently), I started tracking calories and making an emphasis on protein. It's been almost 3 months since making this last change and I've dropped 22 lbs while going up on my lifts. During this time I've had several "bad" diet days due to traveling and other obstacles.
All this to say, yes I think it's possible. However, it seems to be slower on muscle gain and weight loss. After reading other stories/articles/etc, I think it's one of the better options for a few reasons. The weight loss is slower so less chances of extra skin. You seem to retain more muscle mass during the weight loss so you aren't starting from scratch again. The heavy cardio I was doing previously caused some issues in my knee that went away once I started focusing on free weights. Lastly, the increase in muscle mass leads to more NEAT calories being burned.
I started by just getting in the gym doing cardio and cable-iso machines. This worked at first, but progress started slowing. Thats when I started making better food choices. This restarted the weight loss again. After a year or so I moved over to free weights and cut out a lot of the cardio. This is where I actually started gaining weight. At this point (where I am currently), I started tracking calories and making an emphasis on protein. It's been almost 3 months since making this last change and I've dropped 22 lbs while going up on my lifts. During this time I've had several "bad" diet days due to traveling and other obstacles.
All this to say, yes I think it's possible. However, it seems to be slower on muscle gain and weight loss. After reading other stories/articles/etc, I think it's one of the better options for a few reasons. The weight loss is slower so less chances of extra skin. You seem to retain more muscle mass during the weight loss so you aren't starting from scratch again. The heavy cardio I was doing previously caused some issues in my knee that went away once I started focusing on free weights. Lastly, the increase in muscle mass leads to more NEAT calories being burned.
This post was edited on 6/7/23 at 10:51 am
Posted on 6/7/23 at 10:44 am to GeauxldMember
I hate cardio and like carbs. But I also like to lift a lot. The result is muscle mass progression but retention of a pot belly.
I’m fine with it. I’m not a pro athlete
I’m fine with it. I’m not a pro athlete
Posted on 6/7/23 at 10:53 am to GeauxldMember
I’m 66 years old and I’m doing exactly that. I am visibly losing fat and visibly gaining muscle mass.
I am using protein supplements to increase my protein intake because I can’t eat enough in the time I have allotted for eating since I am doing 16:8 IF. I limit my simple carbohydrate intake and try to eat enough healthy fat.
In other words I’m trying to properly maintain my macros. I do struggle with it because in that eight hours I am working out as well as getting my nutrition while making sure I am taking care of my wife’s nutritional needs so at times it’s a struggle and I fail.
If I was working I don’t know if I could do it. I guess I would figure something out. I do feel like sometimes I am stuffing myself but I am still slowly but steadily losing fat and gaining muscle.
I am using protein supplements to increase my protein intake because I can’t eat enough in the time I have allotted for eating since I am doing 16:8 IF. I limit my simple carbohydrate intake and try to eat enough healthy fat.
In other words I’m trying to properly maintain my macros. I do struggle with it because in that eight hours I am working out as well as getting my nutrition while making sure I am taking care of my wife’s nutritional needs so at times it’s a struggle and I fail.
If I was working I don’t know if I could do it. I guess I would figure something out. I do feel like sometimes I am stuffing myself but I am still slowly but steadily losing fat and gaining muscle.
This post was edited on 6/7/23 at 10:55 am
Posted on 6/7/23 at 8:05 pm to GeauxldMember
I went from 23%bf to 11.5% and maintained the same muscle mass. I gained like .5lbs of muscle mass while shedding like 25 lbs of straight fat. I tracked macros. I was eating at a deficit while eating a little over body weight in protein.
Posted on 6/7/23 at 8:21 pm to wallowinit
quote:
I do struggle with it because in that eight hours I am working out as well as getting my nutrition
Can you shift your eating window or your workout time so it’s outside of your window?
Posted on 6/7/23 at 8:45 pm to GeauxldMember
I’m struggling with this as well.
For reference: I’m an RN and use to work at an ASC. I got a new job where I work from home and am mostly sedentary during the day. When I switched jobs, we changed my caloric intake to try to compensate for the change in activity. My BMR is around 1200. My TDEE is supposedly 1800. I’ve been eating around 1500 calories a day but have still managed to gain fat while losing muscle. I do a 30 minute HIIT 3-4 times a week and a 60 minute strength training 2 times a week. I burn anywhere from 300-700 calories depending on what I do during my workout. Yes I’m sedentary now for work but I feel like I should still be at least losing fat. My BF has gone from 26% to 31%. I don’t know if I need to drop my calories even more or what.
For reference: I’m an RN and use to work at an ASC. I got a new job where I work from home and am mostly sedentary during the day. When I switched jobs, we changed my caloric intake to try to compensate for the change in activity. My BMR is around 1200. My TDEE is supposedly 1800. I’ve been eating around 1500 calories a day but have still managed to gain fat while losing muscle. I do a 30 minute HIIT 3-4 times a week and a 60 minute strength training 2 times a week. I burn anywhere from 300-700 calories depending on what I do during my workout. Yes I’m sedentary now for work but I feel like I should still be at least losing fat. My BF has gone from 26% to 31%. I don’t know if I need to drop my calories even more or what.
Posted on 6/7/23 at 10:30 pm to Lesmeez
Sounds like you need to move more or eat less. It ain’t rocket science.
Posted on 6/7/23 at 11:54 pm to OysterPoBoy
quote:
Can you shift your eating window or your workout time so it’s outside of your window?
Can you clarify this? I’m not quite sure what you are saying unless you want me to decrease my fasting window and increase my eating window which I would rather not do.
Posted on 6/8/23 at 12:15 am to wallowinit
I thought you were saying you find it hard to get the macros you need because of time. Working out and caring for your wife during your eating window. If you can workout before your eating window that would free up an hour or so. Maybe I misunderstood the problem.
Posted on 6/8/23 at 6:32 am to OysterPoBoy
No I see now. I consider the supplements that I take before I work out to be breaking the fast. Then my workouts take about two hours which I could probably compress.
That leaves me about five hours to consume what I consider the proper nutritional requirements.
I often feel like I am stuffing myself. But it does seem to be working.
I just feel it’s important to get proper nutrition especially proteins. And when I say I fail it’s not a major fail. I don’t think I’m getting my body weight in grams of protein though. It’s probably closer to .6 to .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
I have used the Carb Manager App in the past to track all macros I just haven’t got there yet.
That leaves me about five hours to consume what I consider the proper nutritional requirements.
I often feel like I am stuffing myself. But it does seem to be working.
I just feel it’s important to get proper nutrition especially proteins. And when I say I fail it’s not a major fail. I don’t think I’m getting my body weight in grams of protein though. It’s probably closer to .6 to .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
I have used the Carb Manager App in the past to track all macros I just haven’t got there yet.
Posted on 6/8/23 at 7:11 am to wallowinit
It’s hard for me to get my body weight and I eat all day so I get it.
Posted on 6/8/23 at 1:27 pm to BigPerm30
quote:
I tracked macros. I was eating at a deficit while eating a little over body weight in protein.
This is the trick IMO. Tracking macros.
Posted on 6/8/23 at 1:42 pm to Lesmeez
quote:
I’m struggling with this as well.
For reference: I’m an RN and use to work at an ASC. I got a new job where I work from home and am mostly sedentary during the day. When I switched jobs, we changed my caloric intake to try to compensate for the change in activity. My BMR is around 1200. My TDEE is supposedly 1800. I’ve been eating around 1500 calories a day but have still managed to gain fat while losing muscle. I do a 30 minute HIIT 3-4 times a week and a 60 minute strength training 2 times a week. I burn anywhere from 300-700 calories depending on what I do during my workout. Yes I’m sedentary now for work but I feel like I should still be at least losing fat. My BF has gone from 26% to 31%. I don’t know if I need to drop my calories even more or what.
You haven't gotten a good answer yet. In short, you aren't counting calories correctly. My wife who works from home, does zero exercise, and is a normal weight, eats 1500 calories a day. She does track calories closely. That's what she eats when she wants to drop a couple, then ups calories back to 1700 to maintain
Posted on 6/8/23 at 3:34 pm to bad93ex
quote:
You can but it is just really slow compared to bulking/cutting and it is called re-composition.
this although with someone who is very overweight with little muscle, the transformation will still be pretty radical.
Posted on 6/8/23 at 3:42 pm to Lesmeez
as stated once, re-evaluate your caloric intake calculations. something is probably off there.
second advice
dont factor this into your diet too much. How are you calculating this? its probably way off. if your BMR really is 1200 your pretty small. you arent burning 700 calories an hour doing anything unless its some type of herculean effort. if this is what some type of watch or fit bit is telling you, dont believe it. those things cant be wildly inaccurate. ive seen too many people bust there diet because they think they burned something silly like 1k calories in a workout session and thing they deserve a candy bar treat.
second advice
quote:
I burn anywhere from 300-700 calories depending on what I do
dont factor this into your diet too much. How are you calculating this? its probably way off. if your BMR really is 1200 your pretty small. you arent burning 700 calories an hour doing anything unless its some type of herculean effort. if this is what some type of watch or fit bit is telling you, dont believe it. those things cant be wildly inaccurate. ive seen too many people bust there diet because they think they burned something silly like 1k calories in a workout session and thing they deserve a candy bar treat.
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