Stupid Question?

[Stoneman]

So is it possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time? Because I've been doing full-body splits every other day, alternating with cardio on my off days, and I'm concerned that this is the incorrect way to do it. Any thoughts?

[mewletter]

You do know that the bodybuilders have 'off-season'. It's that time to bulk up and build muscle mass. Before competition, they focus on losing any fat during the off season. You CAN build muscle and burn fat, but depends on which one you focus at I think.

And from your short description, I think you are edging close to overtraining, unless your a day's workout is less than an hour. Ask Drew. His mom is a trainer.

That's not a stupid question btw.

[inflated]

A quick answer to a question that is not stupid at all. Yes you can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time, diet is very important as is intensity of training but yes it can be done.

[BIGJOEY]

its a question that is asked all the time. as a bodybuilder you bulk then cut , it is a process. let's get rid of fat is one misconception. you cannot get rid of a fat cell or any cell in your body unless you chop off a limb or physically have cells removed. You are geneticaly encoded with a certain amount of cells. That number never changes unless you did one of the 2 reasons as listed above. What your doing with a fat cell is dehydrating it. Picture your muscles as red ballons and fat cells as white ballons, the red ballon is inside the white one. as you inflate the red you decrease the air in the white.till all u see almost nothing but the red. your fat and muscles work the same way. they are 2 different cell structures and your body uses them as protection and other reasons. if your trying to build( inflate muscle) and drop fat ( let the air out of the white) its done by nutrition and training and cardio. its a process and it takes time. it depends how hard you work and if your willing to put that work into it.

[digger]

I agree with what the others here have written. Yes, it's possible. Yes, if you add lean body mass then your body should burn more calories at rest. I'll add that if you veer into an overtrained state, your body will produce more cortisol which will likely cause it to burn calories more conservatively--you could increase fat reserves and break down muscle if you stay overtrained for a long time. But you don't have to take it that quickly. A slow transformation over a year or two can be yours by reducing fat and gaining muscle at the same time.

[Stoneman]

Thanks for all the responses, guys. My work-outs are less than an hour (each of them) but I do hit all the major muscle groups. I'm sort of gearing up before I start actual splits in a few months.

Also I would hardly call myself fat, like, proper American fat, but I've just got a little bit of a spare change around the middle and what looks like cellulite on my thighs (shudder). I guess I would say that I look out of shape, and I'm trying to lose that look.

[Stoneman]

Okay:

I just got a bf% test recently and came up 25% which is technically speaking, obese, and I am really disheartened.

I was bulking for the past few months, since I started lifting (is it still considered bulking if you're just getting into it? Aren't you still gaining muscle/losing weight at this point?).

Now that I've discovered that I have this much bodyfat, I've started cutting. Is this a mistake so early in the game? Am I shooting myself in the foot here not continuing to 'bulk' when I still have the potential to gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously?

I am just so mad at myself and I want to make sure I'm doing this right. I know I should go on a bodybuilding forum or something where there are more people to address this, but for now I'm just asking on here.

Thanks for all your advice.

[mewletter]

Don't be mad about yourself. Learn from the experience and move on. You can check out this guy's routine to get the idea on how to do 'cutting' phase.

http://www.johnstonefitness.com/

Another advice is to keep protein intake high and carbs intake low.

[Mdlftr]

[QUOTE=Stoneman;100150]Okay:

I just got a bf% test recently and came up 25% which is technically speaking, obese, and I am really disheartened.

I was bulking for the past few months, since I started lifting (is it still considered bulking if you're just getting into it? Aren't you still gaining muscle/losing weight at this point?).

===================

Stoneman,
Don't take this single measurement as a final judgement on your ultimate condition, or even your condition at this time.

Why?
1. This is a measurement at a point in time. It is merely one measurement, and is not necessarily indicative of any trends (i.e., whether you are getting fatter or leaner).
2. You continue to work out, so this number will change, as your body composition changes. The point is, you want the change to be in the right direction -- more muscle. THere's no reason to think you're not going there.
I would do more cardio for fat loss, rather than lighten up on the muscle building.
3. The BMI charts are made for the general population (that "proper American fat" you so cleverly describe) not for athletes or bodybuilders. Per those charts, Mike Dragna (2003 Nationals champ) 5'7", 215# in shape, is considered morbidly obese at >30% BMI. What do you think about that?

4. BBing is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time, but you will see results.

[Personal story. I'm 6'3", traditionally "skinny". Started with a trainer a year and a half ago. 4 months in, I get tested. 25%! Aughh! I kept with it. Pants are loose now, and I've permanently taken in two belt notches. My chest and arms and legs, however, are getting tight in my clothes. Persistance! Rome wasn't built in a day, and muscles aren't, either!]

Don't be discouraged. the fact that you are lifting and working out is the best thing you could do to change your body composition.

Good luck!

[Stoneman]

So should I continue bulking and hope that I slim down because I'm still so new to BBing, or should I cut before I start bulking again?

I am just so abjectly depressed about this, I am absolutely at my wits end. I hate my body, and I hate the way that I've been at it for 3 months and nobody believes me when I tell them this.

[inflated]

Work to get your bodyfat lower but continue lifting, just eat a cleaner diet and eat more often instead of a few large meals.

[Stoneman]

Okay guys, thanks for all of your advice and support.

I've decided (after much consideration) to cut for one month, and go back to bulking and hope things even out.

I've been cutting using the anabolic diet. It's been working great but I can't decide whether to stay on the diet or go back to eating normally (i.e. clean). It is still for a beginner to remain on the anabolic diet instead of just bulking regularly to where he can't go further?

[Stoneman]

Also, sorry for spazzing there. I've just been in a real funk lately about how I look.

[Stoneman]

Hey guys, I wanted to let you know I've lost 8.5 pounds over the past five weeks, which is immensely encouraging. Tomorrow I'm switching to a 3-day split routine, having been on a full-body routine for around 12 weeks. I'm excited.

[inflated]

Originally Posted by Stoneman

Hey guys, I wanted to let you know I've lost 8.5 pounds over the past five weeks, which is immensely encouraging. Tomorrow I'm switching to a 3-day split routine, having been on a full-body routine for around 12 weeks. I'm excited.

Good job, keep switching things up whenever you hit a plateau or are feeling stale, thats the best way to stay on track with your goals.

[WhoDunIt]

Ditto, great job Stoneman!

[Stoneman]

Okay. So I've stalled after losing around 14 pounds. I can't decide whether I should really try and hit my original goal, which was down to 180, or just to throw in the towel and try to bulk from here, and hope I'm still enough of a newb to burn some fat while building muscle.

BUT ALSO I got another body-fat bio resistance test yesterday and it said that my bf was exactly the same! Which makes no sense at all, since my lifts have actually improved and my face is thinner and I have to wear a belt a lot now. So really I'm thinking the crummy machine is broken and I should invest in a caliper.

So that's where I am. Any thoughts?

[inflated]

Are the core lifts--deads, squats, bench press--the foundation of your workouts? If not put more emphasis on these especially squats and deadlifts they are great for your overall strength and help your metabolism. The best bodyfat tests are done in a water tank but most people do not have access to that, the machine tests are often inaccurate, and calipers are only as accurate as the person administering the test.

[Stoneman]

THEY ARE. I finally landed on a great workout plan for beginners on Bodybuilding.com. Lots of emphasis on the big compound ones. I start with one of those every workout, and my personal records been improving pretty much every week. So I guess still down to 180?

The goal was to lose weight till I look good, but that's turning into a pretty hazy (unreachable?) goal.

[Stoneman]

Okay. Maybe I should start posting in "Watch Me Grow" or whatever, even though I'm losing weight.

I'm down to 183. I've lost 17 pounds in the past 3 months, and a lot of people have noticed it. That said, starting next week, I'm gonna start bulking, as intently as I can. So. Y'know. Wish me luck?

[Stoneman]

Down 20 lbs +. Unbelievable.