Workout question - add muscle or lose weight first?

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dsiomtw

New member
Mar 12, 2007
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End of the rainbow
I know at least a couple of you guys are workout junkies so here goes...

I need to lose about 10-15 lbs. I'm currently working out - combination of HIIT and weights - on a regular schedule but I'm basically just maintaining my bodyfat percentage.

On one hand it seems like if I add more muscle first it will be easier to lose weight later, but on the other hand I don't really want to get any fatter and from what I can understand and my limited experience it's pretty hard to find the perfect balance point where you can bulk without gaining fat too.

I know some people say it's possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time, but it seems like you have to be pretty hardcore to get everything just right for that too happen. I'm not.

So what should I do - focus on losing weight with a small calorie deficit (say 500 cals max) and just try to maintain muscle mass, or should I just keep pounding the weights and eating a little over maintenance cals??
 


Make sure that whatever your workout regimen is, that you add ---> 2 daily - 20 minute pump/hump sessions on your fleshlight. It's a great calorie burner. It's the secret of my weight loss success.

Fuck your way to skinny in the palm of your hand.
 
You should do insanity workout then move into p90x. Do a bunch of cardio to lose the weight then get ripped.
 
If you want to add muscle, you're much better off doing that before you lose weight - otherwise you are going to lose weight and then have to go into calorie overload to put muscle on (which will cause you to gain a little fat as well).

Sure you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, but it's ineffective.
 
whats your bf%?...you will be happiest with the results if you could muster up the will power to get to 10-12% bf and then worry about gaining muscle. it is ridiculously hard to keep a single digit bf% and gain muscle. it can be done, but it usually involve anabolics and a spot on diet or very good genetics. i know a ton of guys at 20 plus bf% and are on a perma bulk and look like shit. lose the fat and you will be able to see the muscle you build. also, if you are truly just starting out you are going to gain some muscle no matter what the hell you do.
 
tencentpiece said:
If you want to add muscle, you're much better off doing that before you lose weight - otherwise you are going to lose weight and then have to go into calorie overload to put muscle on (which will cause you to gain a little fat as well).

Sure you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, but it's ineffective.
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wrong and wrong
 
AllBizNiz said:
You should do insanity workout then move into p90x. Do a bunch of cardio to lose the weight then get ripped.
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This^. That's exactly what I did, but if you can't afford p90x or Insanity (Or dont want to torrent it), I recommend you do a shitload of bodyweight exercises every other day (3 days a week), and do minor weight lifting in between those days with a mix of rigorous cardio. I'm making a workout program I may release to WF in the next week or two :D
 
do daily runs @ a high heart rate + muscle building workouts
 
Your diet is everything. Are you eating tons of food or downing protein shakes? If you are then cut all that shit out and do this..

6-7 meals a day. Try to keep them smaller but eat frequently and only eat fruits ,vegetables, nuts, etc. Chicken is perfect for meat, but I have an uncle who's been doing the whole raw thing for 6-7months and he swears by it and his results back it up so if you can stand going without meat then try that also.

Keep up with the interval training and add in some quick interval cardio on off days or in the morning if you can(Not too much maybe I like to do anywhere from 10-15 sprints on the treadmill).

Also, you might want to try swimming. You can get these fins that go on your hands that add resistance and your arms will be ready to fall off after 15-20minutes your first couple months and then you can keep doing harder and faster sets.

Trust me, swimming can be a pain in the ass because it's very repetitive but I was forced to do it in high school for water polo and the results you can get are insane. If you use those fins and do actual flipturns those extra 15 will fall off easily in a month and your arms, shoulders, and abs will still bulk up so you get the best of both worlds.

Good luck bros.
 
+1 on Insanity and P90x if you are the type who can stick to a workout alone. Weight training has helped me keep the lb's off even when I am not doing cardio but I find it hard to get into the gym.
 
Read t-muscle.com, hundreds of articles on what to eat/workouts to do, etc. Don't do "lots of cardio". If you're a beginner, "lose weight" and "gain muscle" are pretty much the same thing.
 
mpbiz said:
Your diet is everything. Are you eating tons of food or downing protein shakes? If you are then cut all that shit out and do this..

6-7 meals a day. Try to keep them smaller but eat frequently and only eat fruits ,vegetables, nuts, etc. Chicken is perfect for meat, but I have an uncle who's been doing the whole raw thing for 6-7months and he swears by it and his results back it up so if you can stand going without meat then try that also.
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There is so much fail in this - I don't even know if I want to spend the time on it...
 
As someone who personally has lost a lot of "fat", it's about calories and clean diet. The twinkie diet is a good example about calories Twinkie diet helps nutrition professor lose 27 pounds - CNN.com

but the fact is your at your last 10-15lbs of fat, and that is the hardest to get off, your body is healthiest at 15% and doesn't want to shed any more. The secret here OP, is Cheat Days! But not like the cheat days you read about, it's technically not a cheat day, and infact is sometimes harder then regular diet days.

What you want to do is google "Refeeds". You'll find you need to Blast your Carbs/Sugars off the roof, and keep you Protein up, and your fat almost non existent for the day. You can make your calories at maintence level or above doesn't matter to much. So Mashed potatoes, corn, gatorades, etc.. stay away from fructose though, and keep your table sugar at around 25%. This will honestly get your metabolism kick started again, and you'll start losing, plus you'll refeed your muscles.

Also New Year Resolutions are so gay, if your going to do something do it for yourself not a day.
 
Who said anything about new years resolutions? I started working out religiously last October ...

Just trying to get some clarity on how to lose 10-15 lbs of fat without losing a bunch of muscle. Obviously there's conflicting advice everywhere lol
 
dsiomtw said:
Who said anything about new years resolutions? I started working out religiously last October ...

Just trying to get some clarity on how to lose 10-15 lbs of fat without losing a bunch of muscle. Obviously there's conflicting advice everywhere lol
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lift heavy in the 8-12 rep range concentrating on the compound movements

moderate cardio, too much can cause muscle loss

1.5-2x your weight grams of protein daily-beef,chicken,salmon, tuna,cottage cheese

.5x your body weight grams of healthy fat daily-coconut oil (for cooking), extra virgin olive oil (dont cook with, low burn point), avacados, almonds, and some of your meats depending on the quality...

0-50 grams carbs on non training days
75-150grams carbs on training days
eat your carbs in the morning and around your workout, and cut them out after 6pm-oatmeal,fruit, ezekial bread, etc...
 
Add muscle first, then clean cut. I wouldn't cut out protein shakes entirely, I drink about two per day and they've given me great results. I have my own workout and diet program and absolutely hate P90x and that shit.

Diet is the most important aspect though. Load up on veggies, fruits, chicken, beans and shrimp.
 
Don't listen to any of the schmucks talking about specific numbers of reps, carbs, calories, etc. Working out doesn't need to be that fucking complicated it just makes them feel like they are getting better results if they hit 713.98 calories on tuesday.

Interval lifting + some interval cardio + 6-7 meals a day will easily drop that extra 10-15 your metabolism is gonna be on fire all day long, but you'll still be able to maintain and build more muscle.
 
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