How to lose body fat and gain/maintain muscle?

[bryan2010]

I was wondering if anyone could help me with a way to lose fat% and gain muscle mass/maintain it without losing it while cutting body fat%... Workouts..? diets??? Also. i would like a somewhat detailed information on what i can do..And i kinda wanna do both at the same time.

[mikelog]

I was wondering if anyone could help me with a way to lose fat% and gain muscle mass/maintain it without losing it while cutting body fat%... Workouts..? diets??? Also. i would like a somewhat detailed information on what i can do..And i kinda wanna do both at the same time.

That is kind of like saying you want to grow and shrink at the same time. Building muscle mass requires extra calories since you are growing. You really can't maximize fat loss if you are taking in extra calories. Similarly, to lose fat you have to reduce calories, and you can't build much muscle if you are reducing your calories. Normally, people do these two in separate phases.

[imranumer]

Ya, you can but you need to take proper diet and proper work-out will help you achieve goals, take 6 small meals in a daily, calculate you are calories maintanance level and try to take protein atleast 1gms/ lbs body weight, you can take more calories from protein, protein will not store as a BodyFat in body, its fuels the muscles and burn the fat as well

[abhishek77]

This is what i am trying to achieve as well.

I consume slightly over 1g/lb protein of my body weight, somewhere around 150g.
My current weight is 130lb's.

For past few months, i did not have any luck in losing any fat especially around stomach area. I used to weight train 4 times a week and do cardio also 3-4 times a week. Cardio sessions used to last 30-40 minutes.

Now for past 1 week, i am doing lots more cardio every morning and also in evenings on those days i do not weight train. So i lift 3 times a week in the evenings and the other 3 evenings, i perform cardio. Sunday is usually rest day.

My cardio sessions last from 1 hr to 80 minutes burning around 900 cal/session. I lift for just over an hour doing 16 to 20 sets per bodypart.

what are your thoughts?

[acid_override]

This is what i am trying to achieve as well.

I consume slightly over 1g/lb protein of my body weight, somewhere around 150g.
My current weight is 130lb's.

For past few months, i did not have any luck in losing any fat especially around stomach area. I used to weight train 4 times a week and do cardio also 3-4 times a week. Cardio sessions used to last 30-40 minutes.

Now for past 1 week, i am doing lots more cardio every morning and also in evenings on those days i do not weight train. So i lift 3 times a week in the evenings and the other 3 evenings, i perform cardio. Sunday is usually rest day.

My cardio sessions last from 1 hr to 80 minutes burning around 900 cal/session. I lift for just over an hour doing 16 to 20 sets per bodypart.

what are your thoughts?

16 to 20 sets? Im no expert but isnt that crazy high? Also Ive read full body workouts 3 days a week with HIIT for about 20 to 40 mins on your non lifting days is best for burning fat. Someone tell me if Im wrong!

[hellawaits77]

This is what i am trying to achieve as well.

I consume slightly over 1g/lb protein of my body weight, somewhere around 150g.
My current weight is 130lb's.

For past few months, i did not have any luck in losing any fat especially around stomach area. I used to weight train 4 times a week and do cardio also 3-4 times a week. Cardio sessions used to last 30-40 minutes.

Now for past 1 week, i am doing lots more cardio every morning and also in evenings on those days i do not weight train. So i lift 3 times a week in the evenings and the other 3 evenings, i perform cardio. Sunday is usually rest day.

My cardio sessions last from 1 hr to 80 minutes burning around 900 cal/session. I lift for just over an hour doing 16 to 20 sets per bodypart.

what are your thoughts?

Sounds pretty good to me. But yes, 16-20 is a bit much, especially for smaller body parts. Everyone is different, but generally that's a bit.

[SuffolkPunch]

Yes, it can be done, especially if you have a high bodyfat %age.

Just lose weight slowly (0.5 - 1lb per week) and get plenty of protein. Keep improving your lifts on the big compounds (screw all those iso exercises) - deads, squats, bench, pullups and you are good to go

[abhishek77]

Compound exercises is what i am focusing on when i lift three times a week.

16-20 sets per body part may be too much but if i do any less, i don't get a good pump especially when working out biceps. I tend to lift heavy performing 4 sets per exercise. One light set followed by 3 heavy sets or sometimes i alternate as well using a combination of light and heavy weight between sets.

Just another thing, i am consuming apprx. 250gm to 300gm protein daily all within a daily diet of around 1850 calories.

Above i mentioned i am consuming only 150gm protein daily but this was incorrect.
During breakfast, i consume 50g protein, lunch and dinner combined, i consume around 250g protein. That makes it 125g protein per meal which i get from around 400g of chicken breast or 6 pieces of boneless chicken.

[SuffolkPunch]

pump is irrelevant

I strongly advise you to read the sticky threads in the routines section - choose something like all_pros or madcow 5x5

[Nutshell20]

Compound exercises is what i am focusing on when i lift three times a week.

16-20 sets per body part may be too much but if i do any less, i don't get a good pump especially when working out biceps. I tend to lift heavy performing 4 sets per exercise. One light set followed by 3 heavy sets or sometimes i alternate as well using a combination of light and heavy weight between sets.

Just another thing, i am consuming apprx. 250gm to 300gm protein daily all within a daily diet of around 1850 calories.

Above i mentioned i am consuming only 150gm protein daily but this was incorrect.
During breakfast, i consume 50g protein, lunch and dinner combined, i consume around 250g protein. That makes it 125g protein per meal which i get from around 400g of chicken breast or 6 pieces of boneless chicken.

At 123 pounds taking in 1850 calories, I think you are in a caloric surplus...not losing any fat on that diet, good for putting on muscle though.

[hankst]

I don't think it's possible if you are not a newbie / on juice, but I have found a way to work around that:

2 weeks cut, 2 weeks bulk
This way you'll end up stronger, a bit more muscular and with less BF at the end of each month. If you don't have to lose much fat, adjust the time spans accordingly.

I am trying this out right now, I'll be posting my results after my first complete cycle after the current cut.

[SocratesTX]

You can not gain muscle and cut fat at the same time.

Gain muscle = eat more, gain some fat
Lose fat = eat less, lose some strength and no physically noticeable muscle

Now, with that said there is a way to make it seem like you are doing both. You can change the overall bf% in relation to your LBM % on a clean bulk, but the fact remains you are still gaining some fat, it's just fuzzy math.

[Josephits]

Ya, you can but you need to take proper diet and proper work-out will help you achieve goals, take 6 small meals in a daily, calculate you are calories maintanance level and try to take protein atleast 1gms/ lbs body weight, you can take more calories from protein, protein will not store as a BodyFat in body, its fuels the muscles and burn the fat as well

I've heard that if you eat too much protein, that you do not consume through the day it WILL turn to fat!!!

How sure are you about that statement bro?

[patkoch]

Many begginers can build muscle mass as there losing fat. Reasonable goals need to be set tho. You are not gonna lose 15 pounds in a month without losing muscle. Get on a "three day a week training program," typically one with heavy compound lifts, (squads deads etc). A great place to start would be starting strength by mark rippetoe. Next what you will wanna do is set a "realistic fat goal loss" for a month, Realistically I would shoot for about 6 pounds of fat in a month. Adjust your caloric intake as to lose about a 1.5 a week. Do not go overboard with dieting, try to get all your colors and a bit of an increased protein intake, about a gram per pound of body weight, eat foods you enjoy but in moderation. WHEN in a caloric deficit, the only thing that will keep muscle on your frame is lifting heavy ass weight, try to increase poundages on your lifts every single time you go and master form. This may seem like bad advice but if you follow it you will see redicoulous results.

[patkoch]

I don't think it's possible if you are not a newbie / on juice, but I have found a way to work around that:

2 weeks cut, 2 weeks bulk
This way you'll end up stronger, a bit more muscular and with less BF at the end of each month. If you don't have to lose much fat, adjust the time spans accordingly.

I am trying this out right now, I'll be posting my results after my first complete cycle after the current cut.

I don't think this will get you anywhere.

[kingof_queens]

I'm not sure if I have been actually gaining muscle mass, but I have gotten a lot stronger AND I have lost over 25lbs in a little over a month, with lot's and lot's of heavy lifting, clean diet with a big time deficit, and taking in protein.

I am now able to do 25 reps of 135 on the bench, with good form, and very stable. When I first started, I could barely pull of 10, and the last couple were all over the place because my stabilizers were weak.

Also, I am now curling 45's with perfect form (literally only my arms move, nothing else, my entire body is perfectly still) and I can bench press curl 65's now, about ten times. All of this is not a lot, but it's a HUGE improvement for me from when I first started.

But like I said, i'm not sure if it's just that I conditioned my existing muscle or if I have gained muscle mass, but I have lost a **** ton of weight and everyone always said I would lose muscle.

Also, this is without me taking pure whey protein before and after. I just found about the benefits of doing that yesterday, and I bought a big tub of ON's Gold Standard. I think I am going to see some good gains with that.

Overall my body composition has improved a lot too. My shoulders/neck/forearms are a lot more defined.

edit: I weighed myself yesterday and I was @ 325. On September 16th I was 354.

[Mississippi601]

I'm not sure if I have been actually gaining muscle mass, but I have gotten a lot stronger AND I have lost over 25lbs in a little over a month, with lot's and lot's of heavy lifting, clean diet with a big time deficit, and taking in protein.

I am now able to do 25 reps of 135 on the bench, with good form, and very stable. When I first started, I could barely pull of 10, and the last couple were all over the place because my stabilizers were weak.

Also, I am now curling 45's with perfect form (literally only my arms move, nothing else, my entire body is perfectly still) and I can bench press curl 65's now, about ten times. All of this is not a lot, but it's a HUGE improvement for me from when I first started.

But like I said, i'm not sure if it's just that I conditioned my existing muscle or if I have gained muscle mass, but I have lost a **** ton of weight and everyone always said I would lose muscle.

Also, this is without me taking pure whey protein before and after. I just found about the benefits of doing that yesterday, and I bought a big tub of ON's Gold Standard. I think I am going to see some good gains with that.

Overall my body composition has improved a lot too. My shoulders/neck/forearms are a lot more defined.

edit: I weighed myself yesterday and I was @ 325. On September 16th I was 354.

In the end that's what really matters though. Being better defined and such. You'll get where you're going just keep at it.

[phal]

I don't think this will get you anywhere.

Why not? :P

I've been 'recomping' myself and it's been going quite nicely. Slow, but that's the whole point.

[Poetique]

I'm tired of disproving the "you can't lose bodyfat and gain muscle" comment, but if you search I promise you'll find plenty of ways of doing it.

I'm doing it right now, heh... No growth supps and I've been working out consistantly for over a year now, so I'm not getting newbie gains either.

It takes a very specific, semi-anal kind of diet to do it, and it's definitely not for everybody or even most people, but it can be done.

I will say this though, if you're not an easy-gainer, you might not want to bother with it.

[SuffolkPunch]

I'm tired of disproving the "you can't lose bodyfat and gain muscle" comment, but if you search I promise you'll find plenty of ways of doing it.

I feel your pain

I've done it myself when I was fatter - it works! And I am not exactly genetically gifted.

[hankst]

I don't think this will get you anywhere.

We'll see after 1 or 2 cycles.

[jay24k]

Ya, you can but you need to take proper diet and proper work-out will help you achieve goals, take 6 small meals in a daily, calculate you are calories maintanance level and try to take protein atleast 1gms/ lbs body weight, you can take more calories from protein, protein will not store as a BodyFat in body, its fuels the muscles and burn the fat as well

So much misconception here.

6 small meals a day isn't going to help this.
Excess protein WILL be stored as fat if you go over your calories. The same is for carbs and fats.

Just stay at maintenance or slightly above and you should be good. Might see minimal fat gains but very very low. Nothing that a week or two of hard work would burn off.

[itstheteam]

That is kind of like saying you want to grow and shrink at the same time. Building muscle mass requires extra calories since you are growing. You really can't maximize fat loss if you are taking in extra calories. Similarly, to lose fat you have to reduce calories, and you can't build much muscle if you are reducing your calories. Normally, people do these two in separate phases.

people always say you cant do both, yet people still achieve exactly that. The lower body fat you have id assume it would be harder because your body doesnt have as much fat to utilize as energy but if your reducing calories and you have a higher body fat percentage and your protein intake is good you should still be able to maintain and even build a little muscle while using your fat as a energy source. I understand the concept but it's not 100 percent accurate

[SocratesTX]

No you can't gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. If you could, we'd all be ripped with a ton of muscle on us. What you can do is lower your overall body fat % while gaining LBM through a clean bulk, but in the end, you are just putting on more muscle than you are ft, but you are still putting on some fat. You have to in order to gain any mass. You have to eat more calories than you use. Again, its fuzzy math, but the fact remains, in order to gain LBM, you have to eat more than maintenance and by doing that, you have to put on fat.

[trance__dreamer]

people always say you cant do both, yet people still achieve exactly that. The lower body fat you have id assume it would be harder because your body doesnt have as much fat to utilize as energy but if your reducing calories and you have a higher body fat percentage and your protein intake is good you should still be able to maintain and even build a little muscle while using your fat as a energy source. I understand the concept but it's not 100 percent accurate

^^ this is what i strongly believe, too.

[abhishek77]

At 123 pounds taking in 1850 calories, I think you are in a caloric surplus...not losing any fat on that diet, good for putting on muscle though.

So you mean that if I workout a lot and take in more calories from food than I burn through exercise, my body will use the extra calories to rebuild and repair the muscles?

what if i consume around 250g protein, burn 1600cal daily through exercise and BMR is around 1400 cal? That burns 3000cal daily.

[-SLIX-]

Male 2100 and female 1900 - 2000 calories to maintain 123 lbs.

[abhishek77]

I've heard that if you eat too much protein, that you do not consume through the day it WILL turn to fat!!!

That all depends on the intensity of my workout. cirrect me if i am wrong?

[abhishek77]

I am considering a stimulant free fat burner. I am very sensitive to caffiene and this i have experienced once i have completed the cycle.

some of the ones listed on this site as being stimulant free are:

MAN Vaporize
Species Nutrition Lipolyze
Controlled Labs REDuction PM
Species Nutrition ****lyze
Designer Supplements Lean Xtreme

Regd Designer Supplements Lean Xtreme, i thought that contains caffiene as i expereicned withdrawal symptoms once i stopped taking it.

With an intense workout plan, i aim to lose around 6 to 7kg by end of November. Could someone advise on which would work best?

[SuffolkPunch]

I am considering a stimulant free fat burner. I am very sensitive to caffiene and this i have experienced once i have completed the cycle.

some of the ones listed on this site as being stimulant free are:

MAN Vaporize
Species Nutrition Lipolyze
Controlled Labs REDuction PM
Species Nutrition ****lyze
Designer Supplements Lean Xtreme

Regd Designer Supplements Lean Xtreme, i thought that contains caffiene as i expereicned withdrawal symptoms once i stopped taking it.

With an intense workout plan, i aim to lose around 6 to 7kg by end of November. Could someone advise on which would work best?

CLA might do something... but there is no real proof. Otherwise, AFAIK there is no such thing as an effective stimulant free fat burner.

Think about it. Fat loss = calories in vs. calories out. How does a fat burner make you use more calories than you would otherwise use? The only diet drugs that work either:
- jack your metabolism up to burn more calories (i.e. a stimulant)
- block certain foods from being digested effectively - why not just eat less and not screw around with your guts?