Okay, I admit it, I just don't get it!
The more I try to read up on fat loss and muscle gain, the more confused I get. There is an abundance of information available and thanks to trainers such as Tracy Anderson, I never know what to trust. However, you people on this forum seem really knowledgeable so I hope you can help me understand all this better.
1. Fat loss - I understand that to lose fat, it's as simple as creating a caloric deficit, whether through diet or cardio or a combination of both. Correct?
2. Muscle gain - I understand that to build muscle, you must integrate heavy lifting into your routines as well as create a caloric excess - is that true? why is eating in excess a necessity? Is it not possible to get enough protein from a normal range of calories?
3. Why is it impossible to do both at the same time, gain muscle and lose fat, when increasing your amount of muscle will in return help you lose fat by increasing your metabolic rate?
4. What's the deal with lifting light weights for high reps? I've seen some people (usually) women swear by this. Even though some of them look fit, the whole concept baffles me - what's the purpose of lifting someone over and over if it's not challenging to your body? wouldn't this just be cardio?
As someone who is trying to lose body fat and 'tone up' (and yes, I know, that's not an acceptable term but I use it because we all know what it means regardless), I am at a loss. Building muscle is important to me, I don't worry about getting bulky because I know women don't have the sufficient testosterone levels to do that, I also realize that I won't just randomly wake up one day and look like the incredible hulk - it's a slow process, but losing fat is also just as important to me.
Based on the concept that you cant build muscle and lose fat, it seems like the only option left would be to do cardio and diet until you achieve your ideal body fat % and then take on a strength training program. However, I know that this isn't for me. I don't think I could commit to a non-strength training program of just cardio! I enjoy lifting and really enjoy the NROLFW program I just started and ideally would like to shape my body to be tighter and leaner with less fat.
Can someone straighten out the fact for me please!?
edit - I just realized I put an apostrophe in the word 'just' in the title! hahaha
Okay, I admit it, I just don't get it!
The more I try to read up on fat loss and muscle gain, the more confused I get. There is an abundance of information available and thanks to trainers such as Tracy Anderson, I never know what to trust. However, you people on this forum seem really knowledgeable so I hope you can help me understand all this better.
Read the first chapter of the book linked in my sig to get a better idea on how to judge information.
Quote:
1. Fat loss - I understand that to lose fat, it's as simple as creating a caloric deficit, whether through diet or cardio or a combination of both. Correct?
Yes.
Quote:
2. Muscle gain - I understand that to build muscle, you must integrate heavy lifting into your routines as well as create a caloric excess - is that true? why is eating in excess a necessity? Is it not possible to get enough protein from a normal range of calories?
Your first statement is more or less correct.
As for why it's a necessity, it has to do with the same reason your body needs a deficit to lose fat: mass doesn't just come from thin air.
If the body isn't bringing in enough energy to cover it's basic operating needs (basal metabolic rate/BMR), then it's not going to divert those scarce resources to luxuries - of which muscle growth is most assuredly, in survival terms.
Think of it as a simple economics problem. If you've only got so much money to go around, it makes sense to cover your rent and light bill before going shopping for shoes.
Quote:
3. Why is it impossible to do both at the same time, gain muscle and lose fat, when increasing your amount of muscle will in return help you lose fat by increasing your metabolic rate?
Because muscle only adds a minuscule amount to your daily calorie burn.
The reason why it's impossible is that you either have to be overfeeding or underfeeding. There's no real middle ground (there is, actually, but they're not things the average person needs to be concerned with).
Quote:
4. What's the deal with lifting light weights for high reps? I've seen some people (usually) women swear by this. Even though some of them look fit, the whole concept baffles me - what's the purpose of lifting someone over and over if it's not challenging to your body? wouldn't this just be cardio?
Exactly.
Which is also part of why it "works" in those populations that swear by it.
Quote:
As someone who is trying to lose body fat and 'tone up' (and yes, I know, that's not an acceptable term but I use it because we all know what it means regardless), I am at a loss. Building muscle is important to me, I don't worry about getting bulky because I know women don't have the sufficient testosterone levels to do that, I also realize that I won't just randomly wake up one day and look like the incredible hulk - it's a slow process, but losing fat is also just as important to me.
Based on the concept that you cant build muscle and lose fat, it seems like the only option left would be to do cardio and diet until you achieve your ideal body fat % and then take on a strength training program. However, I know that this isn't for me. I don't think I could commit to a non-strength training program of just cardio! I enjoy lifting and really enjoy the NROLFW program I just started and ideally would like to shape my body to be tighter and leaner with less fat.
The best way to really improve body composition is to just alternate "muscle building" and "fat loss" stages.
What I do in both instances is keep more or less the same workouts, but just vary the emphasis.
A muscle-building phase will have more calories and generally use higher volumes (which is to say, more exercises and sets each workout).
A fat-loss phase shifts that to maintenance (i.e., the bare minimum of strength-training that will still retain strength and muscle on the diet) and then focus more on a dietary deficit and calorie-burning exercise methods (aka cardio).
If you're a newbie, you actually will partition very well during the first few months at least (meaning, build muscle and drop body fat at the same time). It just won't last forever.
Best bet is just to eat a moderate level of calories, perhaps a slight deficit, and just do a basic strength program and moderate amounts of cardio.
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Read the first chapter of the book linked in my sig to get a better idea on how to judge information.
Yes.
Your first statement is more or less correct.
As for why it's a necessity, it has to do with the same reason your body needs a deficit to lose fat: mass doesn't just come from thin air.
If the body isn't bringing in enough energy to cover it's basic operating needs (basal metabolic rate/BMR), then it's not going to divert those scarce resources to luxuries - of which muscle growth is most assuredly, in survival terms.
Think of it as a simple economics problem. If you've only got so much money to go around, it makes sense to cover your rent and light bill before going shopping for shoes.
Because muscle only adds a minuscule amount to your daily calorie burn.
The reason why it's impossible is that you either have to be overfeeding or underfeeding. There's no real middle ground (there is, actually, but they're not things the average person needs to be concerned with).
Exactly.
Which is also part of why it "works" in those populations that swear by it.
The best way to really improve body composition is to just alternate "muscle building" and "fat loss" stages.
What I do in both instances is keep more or less the same workouts, but just vary the emphasis.
A muscle-building phase will have more calories and generally use higher volumes (which is to say, more exercises and sets each workout).
A fat-loss phase shifts that to maintenance (i.e., the bare minimum of strength-training that will still retain strength and muscle on the diet) and then focus more on a dietary deficit and calorie-burning exercise methods (aka cardio).
If you're a newbie, you actually will partition very well during the first few months at least (meaning, build muscle and drop body fat at the same time). It just won't last forever.
Best bet is just to eat a moderate level of calories, perhaps a slight deficit, and just do a basic strength program and moderate amounts of cardio.
Okay, what exactly is a 'newbie'? Ive been working out for a while not but I am a newbie to the NROLFW. The reason I decided to start the program was because I plateaued at the gym - no more fat loss, no more muscle gain.
How long have you been lifting heavy (ie heavy for you....as in no pink barbie dumbbells)? I think most of the newbie lifting gains come in the first year of lifting heavy.
How long have you been lifting heavy (ie heavy for you....as in no pink barbie dumbbells)? I think most of the newbie lifting gains come in the first year of lifting heavy.
I've never lifted light... meaning, I've always tried to challenge my muscles (even though sometimes the weight isn't very heavy, lol).
I've been doing cardio and strength since about November but Ive been using machines and such. Nothing as challenging as NROLFW.
My 2 cents: if you want to lose fat, do a deficit of a couple hundred calories. Do NROLFW as challenging as you can. You might gain muscle, you won't lose much of it, you will lose fat, and you will love how your body begins to change, regardless of what's happening with the fat/muscle.
Once you're at the fat level you are happy with, then take a look at how much muscle you want to gain, and eat at surplus and lift heavy until you're there, or your fat increases until you don't like it anymore. Then cut calories/fat again. Repeat, repeat, repeat.....until you are the goddess you want to be.
Fat loss vs Muscle gain - I jus't dont get it.
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