Best way for me to shred the fat but maintain muscle mass

[robocopz]

Hey guys,

So, I've got some body fat to lose. I want to lose about 10 kg. Now, my routine for about a year now has been:

Mondays: Weights (my weight training consisted of entire upper body, heavy lifting, 3 sets per exercise, staggered sets of 6/8/10 reps. Heavy enough weight that it causes fail/almost failure in the last couple reps. Increased weight every 4-6 weeks once it wasn't pushing me anymore)
Tuesdays: Cardio
Wednesdays: Weights
Thursdays: Cardio
Fridays: Weights
Weekends: Rest

Now, I know I should have cut a heap of fat first before gaining muscle, but I didn't, so shoot me. I am happy with the lean muscle mass I've gained, the muscle is noticeable but I've still got way too much fat on me and want to cut that down so I actually look really good and not just like a chubby guy with muscle underneath. Now here's where I'd like some input.

Basically, I want to lose a bunch of weight and I don't care what strength I lose, I can always get that back, but I want to go about it in a way that I don't go catabolic and lose the muscle I've worked hard to get, or at least minimise the muscle loss. I'm looking for any tips that may help. My diet is fairly good, very high in protein, basically hardly any carbs through the day and moderate amounts with dinner 70% of the time. I've just picked up a container of L-Carnitine tablets, and am wondering if this kind of change to my workout routine would help burn the fat, not really build any more muscle but not lose it either:

Mondays - Cardio
Tuesdays - Weights (This time however, lower the weight I lift and instead do 3 sets of 15? The weights part are where I need help the most)
Wednesdays - Cardio
Thursdays - Weights
Fridays - Cardio


So basically in a nutshell, I want to start losing as much fat as I can, without losing any/minimal lean muscle mass, and I don't care what strength I lose in the process, I'll build it back afterwards.

I am going to thank you all SO much in advance for any help I can get!

[iTONYdahTIGER]

I have the same exact problem!

[fade2green514]

what are your stats? you dont just go ahead and lose weight. to shed the extra fat, sometimes the easiest way is to build up more muscle. im 175 pounds and i feel like a little guy compared to others in this forum

[samsont]

lift lift lift lift lift lift lift. never stop lifting.

if you truly wanted to maintain all muscle mass, you'd just dial in your diet and lift. forget cardio.

[Astrex2301]

It's all down to diet, I only work out 3 times a week but my diet is in check.

[qstebom]

My 2 cents are that there are two options:
(1) Loose fast -> Loose muscle
(2) Loose steady -> Retain muscle

Below 8% BF or so, I would say the only thing you can do is option 2.

For countering the muscle breakdown there are options, such anti-catabolic supplements and intermittent fasting (for increasing the hGH). However, the effectiveness of these are controversial.

[Dawginit]

It's all about your diet. Bodybuilding is really about 70% diet.

1. Keep lifting heavy. Cardio looks good.
2. Cut your calories to about 2000 a day (depends on your size).
3. EAT CLEAN! If you will eat (almost) only meat and veggies you will lean out.
4. Make sure you are getting your protien. 1 g per pound of bodyweight as a minimum.


It wouldn't hurt to try one of the regimented strength programs to force forward progress in your lifting.

Focus ou your diet. Get on fitday.com and record every meal. Once you track your calories, it is easier to see what you are doing wrong.

Good luck!

Hey guys,

So, I've got some body fat to lose. I want to lose about 10 kg. Now, my routine for about a year now has been:

Mondays: Weights (my weight training consisted of entire upper body, heavy lifting, 3 sets per exercise, staggered sets of 6/8/10 reps. Heavy enough weight that it causes fail/almost failure in the last couple reps. Increased weight every 4-6 weeks once it wasn't pushing me anymore)
Tuesdays: Cardio
Wednesdays: Weights
Thursdays: Cardio
Fridays: Weights
Weekends: Rest

Now, I know I should have cut a heap of fat first before gaining muscle, but I didn't, so shoot me. I am happy with the lean muscle mass I've gained, the muscle is noticeable but I've still got way too much fat on me and want to cut that down so I actually look really good and not just like a chubby guy with muscle underneath. Now here's where I'd like some input.

Basically, I want to lose a bunch of weight and I don't care what strength I lose, I can always get that back, but I want to go about it in a way that I don't go catabolic and lose the muscle I've worked hard to get, or at least minimise the muscle loss. I'm looking for any tips that may help. My diet is fairly good, very high in protein, basically hardly any carbs through the day and moderate amounts with dinner 70% of the time. I've just picked up a container of L-Carnitine tablets, and am wondering if this kind of change to my workout routine would help burn the fat, not really build any more muscle but not lose it either:

Mondays - Cardio
Tuesdays - Weights (This time however, lower the weight I lift and instead do 3 sets of 15? The weights part are where I need help the most)
Wednesdays - Cardio
Thursdays - Weights
Fridays - Cardio


So basically in a nutshell, I want to start losing as much fat as I can, without losing any/minimal lean muscle mass, and I don't care what strength I lose in the process, I'll build it back afterwards.

I am going to thank you all SO much in advance for any help I can get!

[madmatty69]

I too am in the same boat and have found that its all diet. Everywhere I read its diet this diet that. I hope that helps reiterate what people like Dawginit has said.

Anyways, in hopes that people who come across this thread and look at my response and help me with a small problem. I want what every other stooge wants and thats get stronger with less fat. I dont care for the quick fixes. But I would like an opinion on what I should do.
I am a slighty chunky 175 5 foot 5 small guy with some decent strength.
(bench 215lbs, deadlift 200lbs, squats 285lbs) I would say I have about 19% body fat so not too much but I would like to get down to the lower teens.
I am going to school right now for a couple months and then getting tossed into construction right afterward. As of right now my plan is to take this opportunity to bulk up as much as possible and then once work begins i will begin to "cut" down. But I was wondering if there were any suggestions of what I can do to build muscle while trimming the fat?
I just read I should be eating 40% protien 40% carb 20% fat. I am close to that but not a 100% so I will implement that factor.
I am lifting 4 days a week with a non religious cardio 2 days a week(*cardio will change to a firm 2 days unless suggested otherwise).

[robocopz]

Thanks for the input so far guys. So you reckon I should just maintain my current routine but just be very mindful of my diet while maintaining a very high protein intake?

I am probably between 25/30% body fat (yeah I know, gross) and although the fat is coming off slowly, I just find my 'weight' not really going down due to the rate I increase muscle mass underneath.

So should I be keeping my routine as it is? Or make a slight modification and maybe cut it down to two weights sessions a week, two cardio and one kettlebell cardio? (my kettlebell circuits are a combination of some of the hardest cardio I've ever done, that also work every muscle group)

Or should I just keep going strong as I have been, get very restrictive of my diet, and watch the fat slowly but surely burn away as my metabolism increases as I build more muscle?

[robocopz]

Oh and for those asking for my stats, well, I am 189 cm tall, weigh 125 kilos. I am currently:

Benching 95 kg
Single arm Bicep Curling 22.5 kg
Tricep Pulldown max (level 20) on cable machine - apologies I don't know the actual weight value of the levels on the machines
Shoulder pressing level 10 on the should press machine
Standing row 50 kg with barbell
trap/shoulder pull ups with barbell 50 kg

[nlite2000]

Thanks for the input so far guys. So you reckon I should just maintain my current routine but just be very mindful of my diet while maintaining a very high protein intake?

I am probably between 25/30% body fat (yeah I know, gross) and although the fat is coming off slowly, I just find my 'weight' not really going down due to the rate I increase muscle mass underneath.

So should I be keeping my routine as it is? Or make a slight modification and maybe cut it down to two weights sessions a week, two cardio and one kettlebell cardio? (my kettlebell circuits are a combination of some of the hardest cardio I've ever done, that also work every muscle group)

Or should I just keep going strong as I have been, get very restrictive of my diet, and watch the fat slowly but surely burn away as my metabolism increases as I build more muscle?

Your routine looks good either way. People have mixed feelings about cardio, and they should because there are many confounders, but the fact is, there's a reason people do it. And it's just something that fit people do. So, if an obese person tells you to forget cardio, feel free to trust your own judgement.

[umadjelly]

It's all about your diet. Bodybuilding is really about 70% diet.

1. Keep lifting heavy. Cardio looks good.
2. Cut your calories to about 2000 a day (depends on your size).
3. EAT CLEAN! If you will eat (almost) only meat and veggies you will lean out.
4. Make sure you are getting your protien. 1 g per pound of bodyweight as a minimum.


It wouldn't hurt to try one of the regimented strength programs to force forward progress in your lifting.

Focus ou your diet. Get on fitday.com and record every meal. Once you track your calories, it is easier to see what you are doing wrong.

Good luck!

Fuuu been looking for that site, reps!

[robocopz]

Ok so in terms of protein intake, normally on weights days I have a protein shake w/ water an hour before workout, one straight after, and another before bed. Then on cardio days I usually only have one for breakfast and maybe one for lunch. All with water.

So for me to be having 1g/protein per pound of weight, should I be having like maybe closer to 5 shakes a day, yet still modifying what else I'm eating to stick to around the 2000 calorie mark?

[LiftToSurvive]

No, don't do 5 shakes a day. Try to get your protein from other food sources. Usually, 3 shakes a day max.

[NickCaissey]

Like previously stated;
It all comes down to your diet, dieting doesn't mean eating nothing but salad, etc. Diet as in, eat right. Eat what you need to build muscle and keep down the fat and with your workout routine you will see results if your workout routine and diet coexist in your lifestyle.
I've been lifting lately just to maintain but my diet has been so sloppy and I have seen poor results. Diet, diet, diet. That's what it comes down to in the end.

[robocopz]

Ok cool, well my diet through the day is basically just fruit and tuna aside from the shakes, occasionally some eggs. So I guess my protein intake is ok. I think my main problem is saying no to the alcohol haha.