Protein Shakes/Abs and general confusion

[FB41]

In order to have a six pack you need to have a low body fat percentage. In order to reduce the amount of fat you have, exercise more and consume less. However in order to bulk up and also have a six pack,that is the conundrum.

Also do protien shakes not add to the calorie intake ? Taking the supplements plus reducting your calorie intake would leave you with such a small amount of food !

I do upper body workouts twice a week, legs twice a week as well as ab workout alternatively. I'm confused as to how to approach it.

[BeingPaid]

Edit took out wrong info

Protein shakes (or ANYTHING else) count as calories. Just because it's marketed as a supplement doesn't mean it's void of calories. In fact, protein powder is just a highly processed food.

[Sarcobium]

It's impossible to gain muscle mass while simultaneously losing fat.

Of course you can. It's been repeatedly shown in research.

[EjnarKolinkar]

1. Build a large amount of muscle.

2. Reduce fat percent to display large muscle mass.

There may a cyclical approach to building in surplus and reducing fat in deficit, this works best for most people. The number of build, reduce cycles is dependent on the starting muscle mass, the starting fat mass, and the tolerance for extra fat of the individual, as well as diligence and intensity of workouts.

[WonderPug]

It's impossible to gain muscle mass while simultaneously losing fat.

This is absolutely not true.

[FB41]

Care to explain a bit further ? Two contradicting replies..

[xRedfern]

It's impossible to gain muscle mass while simultaneously losing fat.

I lift weights 3x per week following Bill Starr's 5x5 program, i then go swimming afterward before a steam, shower and home.

Over the past 5 weeks my stomach fat has shrunk significantly - im now infact already a waist size smaller but my muscle size has also increased quite nicely and some of my tops are already starting to feel tight on me, with diet and regular excercise, i think its certainly possible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time - gotta love the noob gains!

[jlsnyderTypeR]

Care to explain a bit further ? Two contradicting replies..

Well, the first reply was wrong, you can build muscle while simultaneously losing fat. However, it's my opinion that there is no use in cutting unless you have developed some muscle first.

[BeingPaid]

Care to explain a bit further ? Two contradicting replies..

I was wrong, you can build muscle while losing fat at the same time...

However I still believe it's better to aim for a cut or a bulk, rather than aim for a result from eating at maintenance.

[Sarcobium]

I was wrong, you can build muscle while losing fat at the same time...

However I still believe it's better to aim for a cut or a bulk, rather than aim for a result from eating at maintenance.

Yes, as the old saying goes jack of all trades master of none

[n0useforaname]

I think this really depends on how you look, etc... because I honestly NEVER did abs... ever. And about a month into my cut I started focusing on my core 3 days a week for 15-20 minutes per session. I can say for a fact that my ab muscles did grow a bit and pop more than they were. Now they weren't huge or anything, but they grew enough to make me happy. But if you are one of those people that NEVER worked out.. ever.... and want to cut, you really aren't going to have anything there to show for it... because while I didn't focus on my core for years, it still got a small workout from other exercises.