What is the TRUTH about muscle gain & fat retention?

Question

I have heard from some sources that it is impossible to burn fat WHILE gaining muscle because building muscle causes the body to retain fat. Yet from other sources, I am told that if you do not have adequate calories in your system, your body will not build muscle and will use muscle for energy INSTEAD of your fat reserves.WHAT IS THE TRUTH? How do I lose some fat and build muscle at the same time?

Answer 1

This is a complicated question, and I'd like to point out that even scientists and folks who study this stuff obsessively don't know the precise ways for adding mass and dropping fat concurrently. The general consensus is that people who are often beginning an exercise program stand the best chance at achieving fat loss and lean tissue gain at the same time, but that over time, this really starts to become tricky. If you believe 98% of studies out there, then it takes eating more calories than your body burns while hitting the weights hard to gain muscle, since at the end of the day extra mass requires energy from somewhere. And you're aware that one needs to be in a caloric deficit in order to burn fat. But this is all in theory -- because losing fat and gaining muscle isn't something that happens at one specific time in the day, it's more of a gradual process. I'm sorry if I haven't really answered your question, but I would say there is a lot we don't know about the human body in regards to concurrent muscle gain/fat loss. One interesting thing to consider is that to some extent, ones diet may not have as much of an impact on how you look as what we've been led to believe. Think of those guys in prison who pump weights -- they eat slop, often not enough to create any true caloric excess for theoretical muscle gain, yet they're ripped! How can it be? It's almost as though conventional logic is thrown out the door.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Don't get too bogged down with all that. The proven way to lose fat and build muscle at the same time is to do aerobic ecxercise 5 days a week and strength train 3-5 as well in addition to a high protein, reduced-calorie diet. It's tried and true.

Some excellent exercises for building muscle while burning fat are rowing and running and stair climbing.

Answer 4

The more muscle you have the less body fat you will have. Muscle burns calories at a higher rate than fat. That is why most "muscle bound men" have very little body fat.

Answer 5

it is quite common to see a person that is new to resistance training gain muscle while decreasing body fat. this effect however if very short lived.

focus on cleaning up your diet, counting cals, monitoring your body fat and being productive in the gym you will see results.

Answer 6

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