Lose fat and gain muscle at the same time? Possible?

[p0lish_sausage]

I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on diet, sleep patterns, lifting routines etc. on doing such a thing. Usually people either bulk to build muscle and cut to lose weight, but not both at the same time. I'm roughly 150 lbs with 25% body fat, 5'10"ish, and I have lifted before; so no honeymoon period of muscle gain for me.

Ideally I'd like to lose 3 lbs a fat a month, and gain 2 lbs of muscle. Any tips on how to do so?

Thanks!

[shffl]

Not impossible but to keep everything simple - it cannot be done. You are 150lb at 25%bf. What I would do is cut down first while minimizing muscle loss to a level of bf% you are comfortable with, then clean bulk from there.

[spiderman997]

Won't happen without illegal drugs in your bloodstream.

[PeterGibbons316]

At 25%BF you might be able to. Lift heavy, eat just a little under maintenance with close to 50% of your diet being protein.

Can't hurt to try anyway, if it isn't working after a month or so then try something else.

[bixbysnyder]

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat...ng-fat-qa.html

[delhi1]

Ive been able to do it since august, i was also VERY fat and previously was a college football player so it seemed like my body wanted to get back to that point. You however i would guess it would be very hard.

[jgreystoke]

I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on diet, sleep patterns, lifting routines etc. on doing such a thing. Usually people either bulk to build muscle and cut to lose weight, but not both at the same time. I'm roughly 150 lbs with 25% body fat, 5'10"ish, and I have lifted before; so no honeymoon period of muscle gain for me.

Ideally I'd like to lose 3 lbs a fat a month, and gain 2 lbs of muscle. Any tips on how to do so?

Thanks!

150lbs @ 25%BF is only 112.5lbs lean weight.

You have very underdeveloped muscles. If you cut you'll likely lose muscle as well as fat. And your metabolism will slow down, meaning you burn fewer calories. And if you get to say 15% Bf, you'll just be an underdeveloped 135 pounder who looks weak. You wouldn't be visibly muscular, because you don't have enough muscle. No matter how lean you got, you'd just look thin and weak.

If you had lot more muscle mass like me, you could afford to cut first, and build up muscle after. That is nonsense for someone who hasn't enough muscle to start. You must build up some muscle first(I used to be much smaller than you).

So you need to build muscle by strength training with progressive poundages:

Rippetoe's Starting Strength
Bill Starr's 5 x 5
Allpro's beginner
DeFranco's WS4SB(WestSide For Skinny Bastards)

Any one of them will put tens of pounds of muscle on you if you get your scheduled reps in decent form, and reward yourself by getting the scheduled poundage progression. You'll have to eat a calorie surplus to keep the gains coming. Don't be afraid to do that, unless you want to stay small and weak all your life.

When you are much stronger, you'll have a lot more muscle mass. Your metabolism will speed up. You'll burn a lot more calories just lying on the couch watching TV. It will be easier to get lean. And you'll be visibly muscular even at 15% BF.

Don't give me any crap about having lifted before. You have less muscle than most people who never looked at a weight. So you have novice muscle. And you will benefit from noobie gains. Take advantage of that.

Best of luck.

[p0lish_sausage]

Thanks to everyone for their input.

You have very underdeveloped muscles. If you cut you'll likely lose muscle as well as fat. And your metabolism will slow down, meaning you burn fewer calories. And if you get to say 15% Bf, you'll just be an underdeveloped 135 pounder who looks weak. You wouldn't be visibly muscular, because you don't have enough muscle. No matter how lean you got, you'd just look thin and weak.

Let me put things into perspective for you. Here are some pics on what I look like:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=131483673

I have a very small frame. A DXA Scan revealed I have only 5.5 pounds of bone mass. In January I attempted to bulk first and I gained way too much fat. At that rate I'd have to hit 180 - 200 lbs before I start cutting. That doesn't sound pleasant or very safe.

Don't give me any crap about having lifted before. You have less muscle than most people who never looked at a weight. So you have novice muscle. And you will benefit from noobie gains. Take advantage of that.

Best of luck.

Luckily I still have my initial attempt at muscle gain on my profile on this site. Take a look:

http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/do...37390&t=weight

If that isn't a honeymoon period I don't know what is. I lift hard (relatively) but things move only in small directions. I have to deal with what I got.