Workout Thread II

[KingGibbs]

I'm not really trying to lose weight. My goal is to continue to add muscle but also slightly cut out some fat. I'm pretty lean as it is at 6'1" 183 lbs. I'm thin, but would like to reduce a little softness in places. I eat extremely healthy already. In fact, my birthday was on Monday and I've only eaten a sliver of my cake (which isn't a very unhealthy recipe to begin with. KDawg suggested a while back that I eat slightly over my maintenance to continue to add muscle (although slowly) and reduce any small fat deposits. I don't have the time to count every calorie I eat, but I have a good idea as to whether I've eaten too many or too few. My worry with undereating and doing cardio is that I will lose muscle. At the same time, I want to lose the little flab I have and get really lean.

The only way to tell if you are losing muscle along with fat is bodyfat measurements. If you are losing weight and your body fat % is dropping then you are good to go. I suggest increasing your protein to limit or even prevent muscle loss.

The approach you are taking is one that will take a LONG time. Building muscle needs a calorie surplus and fat loss requires a calorie deficit (as you already know) and trying to do both at the same time would take a total commitment to your diet EVERY day.

Very few people can build muscle and lose fat and those few are genetically gifted. I wish you luck in your endeavor, but IMO you would be better off choosing either bulking or cutting if you want to see faster results.

[Chicken Fried]

My maintenance is 2780 cals, so I guess I'll shoot for 3000 a day. I don't have access to most of my nutritional facts, so I guess I'll eat until I'm full and make sure the food is substantial? What happens if I'm slightly under maintenance? Will that prevent muscle gain or even promote it's loss?

[Chicken Fried]

The only way to tell if you are losing muscle along with fat is bodyfat measurements. If you are losing weight and your body fat % is dropping then you are good to go. I suggest increasing your protein to limit or even prevent muscle loss.

The approach you are taking is one that will take a LONG time. Building muscle needs a calorie surplus and fat loss requires a calorie deficit (as you already know) and trying to do both at the same time would take a total commitment to your diet EVERY day.

Very few people can build muscle and lose fat and those few are genetically gifted. I wish you luck in your endeavor, but IMO you would be better off choosing either bulking or cutting if you want to see faster results.

Could I just eat well above maintenace, continue lifting hard, but also step up cardio/HIIT and see good results that way? I know what to do in the weightroom, but I'm always confused when it comes to diet.

[KingGibbs]

My maintenance is 2780 cals, so I guess I'll shoot for 3000 a day. I don't have access to most of my nutritional facts, so I guess I'll eat until I'm full and make sure the food is substantial? What happens if I'm slightly under maintenance? Will that prevent muscle gain or even promote it's loss?

As mentioned, you are going to have to be "meticulous" about your diet in order to achieve your goals. Being above maintenance one day and below the next will essentially keep you at maintenance levels which equals spinning your wheels.

Like I said. To eliminate frustration and confusion, choose one or the other.

[KingGibbs]

Could I just eat well above maintenace, continue lifting hard, but also step up cardio/HIIT and see good results that way? I know what to do in the weightroom, but I'm always confused when it comes to diet.

You can choose to do that, but results will be marathon like.

[Chicken Fried]

You can choose to do that, but results will be marathon like.

I think I will do this . I just don't want to gain much fat because it's always hard to take off.

[KingGibbs]

I think I will do this . I just don't want to gain much fat because it's always hard to take off.

You keep going back to fat. Clearly the fat you have now is bothering you. You WILL gain some more fat even if it is minimal. Don't you think you will still be bothered by the fat even with muscle (minimal) gains?

[LaxBuddy21]

The only way to tell if you are losing muscle along with fat is bodyfat measurements. If you are losing weight and your body fat % is dropping then you are good to go. I suggest increasing your protein to limit or even prevent muscle loss.

The approach you are taking is one that will take a LONG time. Building muscle needs a calorie surplus and fat loss requires a calorie deficit (as you already know) and trying to do both at the same time would take a total commitment to your diet EVERY day.

Very few people can build muscle and lose fat and those few are genetically gifted. I wish you luck in your endeavor, but IMO you would be better off choosing either bulking or cutting if you want to see faster results.

So since I am clearly building muscle, I am screwed losing fat? What the heck do I need to do to lose fat though at at least maintain muscle?

[KingGibbs]

So since I am clearly building muscle, I am screwed losing fat? What the heck do I need to do to lose fat though at at least maintain muscle?

Based on your previous posts you already know that you aren't losing fat. Some people (myself included) have to keep tinkering with their diet/exercise regimen to find what works.

The only thing that I can suggest to you is what has already been suggested and that's calorie deficit, more protein, continued weight routine and yes cardio. You are gaining muscle, so you are at a calorie surplus either in diet or lack of cardio (IMO).

I know it's frustrating Lax, believe me I know. I'm nowhere near where I want to be, but I keep going at it and will continue to go at it.

What concerns me about you is that you are only 25 so your metabolism should be much higher then someone my age so therefore you should be seeing results quicker then you are. Something is wrong somewhere.

[tone_dubbz]

Last year during my checkup, I had a body fat percentage of 19%.

I had a physical trainer check it today, and it was down to 12%. Holly !!!!!

I know it probably doesn't seem like much, but damm......that's good progress to me.

I've already hit a personal best on my dead lifts. I know my number pails in comparison to some of you other monsters, but hey you got to start somewhere. I remember when I hated doing dead lifts so much that I think I used my back injury from my car accident as an excuse to not do them. Same thing for the squats. But now, those two exercises have become a staple in my regime.

This is week 4 day 2 of my 5x5 program. I won't bother you guys with the details because its pretty much the same stuff I posted earlier.

Take it easy on me, I'm still a novice

[mattsb84]

So since I am clearly building muscle, I am screwed losing fat? What the heck do I need to do to lose fat though at at least maintain muscle?

What was your first recorded weight and bf% reading? And your most current weight and bf% reading?

[Chicken Fried]

You keep going back to fat. Clearly the fat you have now is bothering you. You WILL gain some more fat even if it is minimal. Don't you think you will still be bothered by the fat even with muscle (minimal) gains?

I'm not really bothered by it. Again, it's minimal. Basically, I look good and am happy with my appearance. At the same time, I wouldn't mind losing a LITTLE bit of that fat at least to look even better. It's not my primary concern, just something I would like to address in my quest to continue to add muscle. I've always had a little bit of fat, nothing that makes me look chunky or anything like that, so I think I might not have the genetics to ever get Lance Armstrong lean (obviously, he's a freak). Even before my bulk, I wasn't void of any fat. I don't have much fat at all, but I figured it would be nice to find a way to get rid of whatever I have. Again, it might be genetics, but I'll keep trying.

[LaxBuddy21]

Based on your previous posts you already know that you aren't losing fat. Some people (myself included) have to keep tinkering with their diet/exercise regimen to find what works.

The only thing that I can suggest to you is what has already been suggested and that's calorie deficit, more protein, continued weight routine and yes cardio. You are gaining muscle, so you are at a calorie surplus either in diet or lack of cardio (IMO).

I know it's frustrating Lax, believe me I know. I'm nowhere near where I want to be, but I keep going at it and will continue to go at it.

What concerns me about you is that you are only 25 so your metabolism should be much higher then someone my age so therefore you should be seeing results quicker then you are. Something is wrong somewhere.

My metabolism slowed down a ton when I stopped playing sports. What concerns me is that I was eating around 1600 calories a day. Not losing weight. Everyone told me to increase since my maintenance is supposed to be around 3400 or so. I upped my meals and snacks plus my protein intake so now Im at around 2300 calories a day. I eat healthy foods. Low fat high protein foods. I eat a lot of veggies. I have my carbs mostly in the morning. I have something a little fattier like once a week (maybe a fast food chicken sandwich or some pizza) on the weekend. There is no way that is messing up 6 other days of eating well. Its not like I binge or anything. Tonight for dinner, Im going home and eating the turkey chili I made last night. Ground turkey, beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions. Nothing unhealthy! WHAT THE HECK ELSE CAN I DO WITHOUT BEING MISERABLE!!! lol

[LaxBuddy21]

What was your first recorded weight and bf% reading? And your most current weight and bf% reading?

My weight was 248 before I started working out but I didnt have a bf%. I did a bf% about 6 months ago and it was at 21.4% I believe. A year after working out, my weight is 218 and my bf% is 20.8%. My weight has not changed much in the last 6 months. Im getting stronger every time I go to the gym though and I can see the muscle building. I just thought I would have cut more fat by now. Still got a gut though even though there is really no fat anywhere else.

[KingGibbs]

Last year during my checkup, I had a body fat percentage of 19%.

I had a physical trainer check it today, and it was down to 12%. Holly !!!!!

I know it probably doesn't seem like much, but damm......that's good progress to me.

I've already hit a personal best on my dead lifts. I know my number pails in comparison to some of you other monsters, but hey you got to start somewhere. I remember when I hated doing dead lifts so much that I think I used my back injury from my car accident as an excuse to not do them. Same thing for the squats. But now, those two exercises have become a staple in my regime.

This is week 4 day 2 of my 5x5 program. I won't bother you guys with the details because its pretty much the same stuff I posted earlier.



Take it easy on me, I'm still a novice

You SHOULD be proud of yourself TD. Nice work. Has doing the 5x5 program help you shed fat?