Gaining while losing - JP Fitness Forums

Barrett · 12-01-2007, 08:22 PM

I know this might be a stupid or crazy question but I think Ill ask anyways. Is it possible to lose fat and gain muscle? Here is the catch my doctor told me not to run because of a problem with my foot. Is it still possible???

mrroach · 12-01-2007, 08:54 PM

Maybe. Don't count on it though (I'm assuming you're not obese and untrained :-) ). You'll probably get better results picking one goal.

There are quite a few people who do cycles of bulking for a few days and cutting for a few days, and it seems to work for them. I think it would drive me crazy to do things that way though.

kfisherx · 12-01-2007, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barrett

I know this might be a stupid or crazy question but I think Ill ask anyways. Is it possible to lose fat and gain muscle? Here is the catch my doctor told me not to run because of a problem with my foot. Is it still possible???

My trainer tells me it is not possible.

If your Dr is telling you to not run why would you? Did he say you could NEVER run or just to lay off of a problem until it heals?

jrwhisky · 12-03-2007, 01:50 AM

Yes you can. Don't ever think your body hasn't the potential to do such basic things as loosing fat and gaining muscle at the same time. Its been done before. Beginner weight lifters can do this much more easily. The human body has extrodenary potential, it will never be achieved if you allow yourself to be limited. There are thousands un-explainable human achievements that doctors and scientist could never explain. Gaining muscle while loosing fat is not one of them, its infact fairly simple.

If your talking about doing this while running and not weight lifting good luck... Endurance exercises like jogging force your body to eat its own muscle so that makes it very difficult. But you got a lame foot so I say go for it. Can't say you'd ever regret trying.

and to kfisherx if you have a trainer that doesn't believe or trys to limit your potential I don't see how hes going to motivate you by saying you can't do somethig. Jack Lalane did 1033 pushups in 23 minutes for a world record ask your trainer if thats humanly possible. If he tells you no then I just helped you prove hes a dummy. Lalane did that at the age 43. a couple years Later he did 1000 pushups and 1000 pull ups in a little over an hour.

JoshDunn · 12-03-2007, 02:33 AM

It is possible however is slower then someone doing a traditional bulk/ cut cycles. If you want alittle extra muscle and drop some fat then I'd say target both at once by increasing training a bit. However if one goal outways the other (say dropping 20lb) then focus and train for that will lead to faster achievement of your goals.

Whats wrong with your foot?

rem1956 · 12-03-2007, 06:54 AM

It is possible. I did it. Once, over a two month period of training and strict diet control, I lost fat and gained muscle. but it is hard to do.

Frank.S · 12-03-2007, 08:38 AM

When I watch my diet closely it tends to happen for sure.

Never really gain all that much muscle, nor loose all that much fat though.

BjsAust · 12-03-2007, 04:21 PM

I do it every time I start lifting again. The better trained you are, the less likely it is though.

kfisherx · 12-03-2007, 06:26 PM

Let me clarify what I was told. You pick one goal. Either gain muscle or loss weight. You are not going to do both and achieve any sort of happiness. Of course if you pick gain muscle the fat will begin to melt but you will likely gain weight or stay the same. I don't think that is a limiting statement. I rather think it makes sense...

jrwhisky · 12-03-2007, 08:40 PM

Well if you gain weight but with muscle while loosing fat isn't that the same thing we've been talking about its a good thing. I don't see that clarifying anything. What I have a problem with the term "not possible," is not good training philosophy. Thats my point.

Also doing both will not achieve any sort of happiness? I was very happy when I did both I don't know what your talking about. Is there anyone here thats overweight or has more wieight then they'd like to have that wouldn't be happy with loosing "fat" and gaining muscle? Please share

BjsAust · 12-03-2007, 08:56 PM

I think the general consensus is, that if you want to lose weight and gain musle, you'll get better results over the same period of time if you concentrate on one then the other separately, rather than trying to do both for that same period of time. Also the more experienced you are, the harder it apparantly is to do.

So I think the general rule is its best to concentrate on one at a time, and just be happy if the other occurs during that period, than try to setup a plan hoping to do both at the same time.

So someone might be able to lose 10 lbs of fat and gain 10 lbs of musle in say 6 months, but they'd probably be happier if they lost 20 lbs of fat and gained 20 lbs of muscle by focusing on one at a time.

jrwhiskey, just because something is 'possible' doesnt mean its optimum, or even a very good idea.

jrwhisky · 12-04-2007, 10:56 AM

Again my point isn't what the best workout plan is, and I agree with your statements above.

Look, the stupid trainer said "not possible" and "no happiness" to loosing fat and gaining muscle. I feel that is absurd expecially coming from a trainer. With enthusism like that you might as well hire a trainer that makes you dig your own grave, nah thats a bit of stretch but I thought it was mildly clever.

BjsAust · 12-04-2007, 04:18 PM

If the worst thing a trainer tells you is that its not possible to lose weight and gain muscle at the same time, you're not going to go too far wrong.