Most of us who workout are trying to build muscle, and along with that we’d all like to get rid of some fat too. One of the first and most common questions that comes up next is this:
“Is it possible to build muscle and lose fat at the same time”
The answer depends on what your definition of ‘building muscle’ is.
The look and size of your muscles is a transient state based on how many calories you’re eating, the type of food you eat, the supplements you do or don’t take, the drugs you do or don’t take, and the volume, frequency and intensity of your workouts.
If you change any one of these factors you’re likely going to have some change in the look and size of your muscles.
When it comes to fat loss you must eat less calories than you burn, this might also cause your muscles to be less hydrated (less full looking) than when you’re eating as much as you like. This doesn’t mean you’re losing muscle, it just means that they’ll be more full looking when you go back to eating maintenance.
Keep in mind that a muscle is over 80% water and the hydration status of your muscles plays a big part in how they look on a day to day basis. You can get refresher on what muscle growth is here: WHAT IS MUSCLE GROWTH
The question shouldn’t be: ‘can I build muscle and lose fat at the same time’ but rather ‘what will my muscles look like once I’ve lost the fat’
In todays audio lesson we’ll talk about the factors that go into muscle building and fat loss and why this muscle building vs fat loss question isn’t easy to answer.
We’ll also talk about government regulations on fat loss claims and why you might see and hear different claims online vs on television or in print magazines.
For a refresher on the calories required for weight loss go here: HOW MANY CALORIES TO LOSE WEIGHT
John
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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sounds like an awesome podcast, and I think something right up my alley at this point in my training.
Cant wait to give it a listen tomorow when i get time
I’m glad to say that I’ve made it through my first fast. 16h of productivity and energy! Wow. I’m gonna try out a fasted state training session real soon. But I’d like to ask you guys if it’s possible to lose 3Ibs of fat if you’re a pretty fit and lean individual by eating at BMR all week. I feel that that last 3-5Ibs will really let me see my abs without needing to tense my midsection and I was wondering if losing fat is as easy when you’re 12% body fat lean vs 18%. I guess you guys haven’t really discussed if there’s a difference between the two cases or if a plateau might be reached or progress would slow, assuming the same deficit was hit every week.
Hey Clement,
Congratulations on finishing your first fast. It’s not as hard or as scary as you thought it would be huh.
I hope I’m not out of place trying to answer your question since I’m not associated with AE (just a member) but i think the short answer is yes. It’s possible but not without a ridiculous amount of exercise.
1 lb of fat = 3,500 calories(3lbs) = 10,500c total
Divided by 7 days = 1,500 calories a day deficit
If you’re eating at your caloric requirements for the day every day, you would need to burn that fat through additional activity.
There are countless activity calorie calculators online, but 1,500 calories a day is roughly how much you would burn jogging 15 miles (to give just one example).
Better to stick to a reduced calorie long term program or use IF like in ESE than to try to snuff out 3 pounds in one week just through exercise… It’s not likely.
And just to comment quickly on your other question, I’ve been as high as 20% bodyfat trying to bulk up, and I’ve gotten back down to a more natural 8% or so. It’s no harder at a lower bodyfat to lose it. Not sure what happens around competition level bodyfat percentages like 3 or 4 percent but that’s probably not what you’re shooting for anyway, so it’s irrelevant I guess.
I’d suggest signing up for the Adonis Lifestyle website and get your user name and get in the forums if you haven’t done so already…
Hope this helps and good luck,
Mac
p.s. Thanks John and Brad, great stuff as always
Thank you very much for your reply, Mac. I think that’s what John and the Brads would’ve told me too. I’ll aim for about a weight loss of 1-2Ibs per week. Thanks for your advice!
Question for JB/BP/BH:
Would eating significantly less calories for an extended period of time mean a slower RATE of muscle growth (growth as in volume and not counting the body fat that covers the muscle) or is the rate going to be the same if you were to eat closer to maintenance?
If the rate is actually slower, wouldn’t it be more efficient to eat closer to maintenance if you’re trying to increase the size of your muscle, then eat less calories once you get to your ideal size.
If the rate is the same whether you eat much less than maintenance or you eat close to maintenance, then I would think it wouldn’t matter since you’ll ultimately get to the same place at the same time.
User,
You’re still not picturing ‘muscle growth’ correctly. It’s a transient state and there is no real way to determine a constant ‘rate’ of growth.
JB
JB,
Could you use strength? like consistent fat loss with consistent strength gains.Or a better question, should or can you’re strength gains be the same if you’re in a calorie surplus, deficit or maintenance.
Chad
Question for JB, BP, BH? (if you ever used steroids) How much of your muscle growth is due to the steroid use?
I’ve never used… but according to Barban, there’s no “muscle memory” from steroid use.
If you use once, the growth is transient and directly based on amount of drug use.
Case in point, we’ll take a picture of all of us together when we’re in Austin in a few weeks and you’ll see that all of us are roughly the same size.
(Height, weight, overall build)
can you make script again please? I know its a big wish, but a non native speaker like me a very big help.
Sure, we just got a little behind due to traveling. Coming right up.
In my 8th week of the burn module and am enjoying the challenge. Have never worked so hard and been so nicely rewarded.
Latest podcast talks of the new contest starting Sept 1 and I have seen the date listed in emails I have gotten from you but no details as yet. Am I missing something or am I just being notified that it will start in less than a week?
Noticed in the podcast you talked of it being “unfair” that a 20+ something has to compete against someone in their 30s/40s. Where does that leave some like me who is 59?
Love the concept and the product. Keep up the great work.
This weeks podcast talks about the contest specifics.
(as well as Adonis 3.0)
A few questions. Does strength loss happen more due to low calories for a period of time or over training? I have added in high intensity interval training (sprint, body weight training)3-4x a week along with my standard strength training (4x a week,same body parts twice a week), and then added low calorie diet(about 1000-1500kcal?) for about a 3 weeks now,just to really hit it. I got a electrosis weight scale test a month ago,saying I was 173-175lbs and 13%body fat, liars
. I went back yesterday and I was at 11% 166lbs 6’2″. The problem is that my strength is down a lot. Lets say I was doing 205 on incline 4-5x a set a month ago, and now I can do only 185 for 3-4x a set. So is it too aggressive? or not enough kcal or overtraining? or just being thinner my frame wont/cant handle that much weight/strength anymore? anybody have any ideas? I am going back to more stable maintenance/less hiit/dropping a day of strength training and relaxing now.
Hi, if I may put my 2 cents in, I’d suggest dropping the HIIT and really going all out on your lifting. Then, cut your calories if you wish and get enough sleep. I think you’re just exhausting yourself by adding in too much. As said in the podcast, try to focus on doing less. Don’t fix more with more.
yeah clement thanks for input, I am going back to the basics with compound lifts, no isolation exercises and dropping Hiit down to maybe twice a week if that, and going maintenance for a week and taking a day off after every workout day to see how I feel. If I look the same, great, I just cant do this much work anymore. I already feel better and my strength today was better after taking tues off. Isn’t that part of the reason to exercise, to feel better too? I’ll try to keep off as much fat as I can while I recover from this experiment, and clean up my diet portion sizes!
This is the exact reason we pulled intervals out of the AI Systems… trying to do more with more.
And yes, it makes sense that your strength is down.
Personally, I don’t like beating the hell out of myself when on a cut down. There’s just too much negative feedback (strength loss, exhaustion, higher potential for injury, hunger, etc) that gets people flustered.
I am 20 years old and am about 5′ 7″. If my main goal is to be able to have ripped six pack abs, what weight should I be shooting for? I work out 5 times a week currently and even add in some cardio 2x a week. Around how many calories should I be taking in a day to constantly be losing weight?
It’s about body fat percent, you need to get your bodyfat lower than 8% I’ 5’7″ as well and get ripped at 180 but I believe 164 might be alot closer to the adonis index of 48″ shoulders and 29″ waist
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