Weight loss question

[Dark Fox 151]

Long story short im trying to lose weight and gain muscle, everyone recommends doing both cardio and strength training, however in order to lose weight you need to use more calories then you consume, but in order to gain muscle you need more calories then what your body requires.

For example, based on my weight I need 2500 calories a day to maintain my weight, according to everyone else in order to gain muscle i'd need to add 500 extra calories to that in order to provide my body with the resources needed to add muscle mass.

SO, that being said, what is the point of adding strength training to a fitness routine if 1. It burns less calories than cardio alone, and 2. Will not increase your muscle mass.

Anyone have any answers here? Or am I wrong? Can you actually gain muscle without giving your body extra calories?

Edited July 15, 2014 by Dark Fox

[Shanks 10,816]

If you are aiming to lose weight the fat already present in your body becomes the fuel your body is going to burn to make the muscle, someone who has a slimmer build does not have this sort of reserve and because of this would need to consume more calories but from the sound of things you don't fit that category. The purpose in nature of fat is to act as a kind of reserve, with the proper combination of weight lifting and cardio you can use that to your advantage. Once you do lose that though you may need to increase your caloric intake though but that will not happen overnight and tends to vary depending on the type of program as well as the individual. Some people gain muscle more quickly than others some more slowly, it all depends.

[Professor Annabella 330]

Calories? Who needs calories?!

 

DO CROSSFIT

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

You can gain some muscle mass despite not consumeing more than you would normally. A lot of the stuff you see about gaining mass is for people trying to bulk up. You consume more protein in order to give your body more to repair and build stronger muscle. But if you are just looking for some muscle tone, and some minor gains then you can do it while still on a diet, just remember to substitute some of your consumed carbohydrates with protein for the building of muscle.

[Twilight Dirac 721]

What EarthbendingProdigy already said.  Your fat will be consumed to provide the additional calories required for muscle formation.  That is why you consume fewer calories than required to maintain respiration to lose fat to begin with.

[Yellow Diamond 7,568]

If you're looking to build muscle a la bodybuilding, then cardio and weight training would conflict, yes; however, if you're looking to increase strength while losing some weight, you can mix in both routines without missing a beat. Cardio should be about building some strength anyway (e.g., cardiovascular efficiency; leg strength), so it's not as though cardio comes entirely at the exclusion of muscle -- and since you'll need to build strength in order to later increase muscle size, you might as well prioritize exercises geared toward steady repetition.

 

Don't so much count calories as you should make certain you're taking in enough fuel to keep your body running through your workouts; additionally, watch what you consume. As they say, it's the garbage in, garbage out principle: if you put crap into your body, your body will feel like crap. Balance out your diet first; then you can start to look into adding calories for muscle building once you've gotten a healthy baseline.

[Shanks 10,816]

If you're looking to build muscle a la bodybuilding, then cardio and weight training would conflict, yes

Not necessarily, a lot of weight lifters do make the mistake of not getting enough cardio into their routine the result often being a very muscular yet still unhealthy body. What people don't realize is that there are many different methods and school of thought in weight lifting ranging from emphasizing light weight and more reps to heavier weight and fewer reps which is often called "power lifting". Another thing to note is that both work on entirely different functions light weight and more reps is great for building muscle endurance which is the ability to go for prolonged periods of time by working on the "slow twitch" muscles while more weight and fewer reps works primarily on muscle strength by working the "fast twitch" muscles. Most beginners would benefit from less weight and more reps until they get the proper form down and learn their limits but one they become proficient I believe a mix of both is optimal but how much one is emphasized of course depends on the goals and needs of the individual. The heart itself is a muscle if anything one of the most important muscles in the body holding an enormous influence on the muscles worked in both cardio and weight lifting excerizes so I don't see much of a confict.

[Yellow Diamond 7,568]

Not necessarily, a lot of weight lifters do make the mistake of not getting enough cardio into their routine the result often being a very muscular yet still unhealthy body. What people don't realize is that there are many different methods and school of thought in weight lifting ranging from emphasizing light weight and more reps to heavier weight and fewer reps which is often called "power lifting". Another thing to note is that both work on entirely different functions light weight and more reps is great for building muscle endurance which is the ability to go for prolonged periods of time by working on the "slow twitch" muscles while more weight and fewer reps works primarily on muscle strength by working the "fast twitch" muscles. Most beginners would benefit from less weight and more reps until they get the proper form down and learn their limits but one they become proficient I believe a mix of both is optimal but how much one is emphasized of course depends on the goals and needs of the individual. The heart itself is a muscle if anything one of the most important muscles in the body holding an enormous influence on the muscles worked in both cardio and weight lifting excerizes so I don't see much of a confict.

 

You're absolutely right. I would likewise emphasize repetition of proper form with lighter weights before moving on to heavier weights and shorter reps. One of the dynamic issues is getting a sense of how many calories you might need in order to build and maintain the muscle you desire. A person will likely need to compensate more if they add on intensive cardio routines to their weight lifting regimen.

[IceeBrony 251]

I was actually thinking of starting a thread for weight-loss. I'm trying to get healthier, and could really use some friendly support. As to your question, I'd need more details to give decent advice. Most of what needs to be said already has been.

 

Weight loss is actually easier if you have more muscle. Also, cardio is improved by strength training as well. A solution (besides crossfit if you can do it) would be to focus on some muscle gain, then switch to weight loss while keeping strength at a maintence level. Further, muscle building has prolonged effects on metabolism. Simply, muscle burns more calories than does fat. Finally, from my understanding, the 500 Calories you speak of to add muscle, while mostly true, is more accurately stated as needing 20 grams of protein per meal and three meals a day.

 

I recently switched to a no calorie counting diet and lost 15lbs in 4 weeks (of which 10lbs was fat). So make sure your diet matches your activities, it makes a huge difference. I have plenty more info, depending on what you want to know.

 

TL;DR 1: cardio burns more in the short term, strength adds muscle, which burns more while resting (BMR)

2: strength training does add mass

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

http://boards.4chan.org/fit/thread/17018018/supplemental-reading

 

for those looking to loose weight, gain mass, and just be healther in gernal I would recamend this link. It may be 4chan, but it contains a great guide to fitness, with links to proven workouts and studies.

[Ezio Auditore 702]

I would personally recommend losing weight first, doing cardio is best for that, and dieting of course. if you're looking to gain muscle afterwards and lose weight somewhat faster, I would choose a low carb, high protein diet, the protein will help you lose weight and build your muscles once you've lost the weight and begin strength training. 

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Cardio is the best thing. It's best if you run at least a mile or a half-mile everyday, or even walk. Running is better though. After losing all of the fat, go to strength and weight lifting to get muscle. 

[Invincible 2,091]

I'm no expert, but it seems to me you're trying to lose weight as well as gain muscle mass. I'm sure you know that muscles constitute part of your mass as well. I'm guessing you're trying to reduce your body fat percentage and raise muscle mass?

 

Also, there are other factors in play than a simple diet change. How often do you eat the foodstuffs? What time of the day do you work out and what time of the day do you consume food? How fast is your body's metabolism?

 

You're not entirely wrong, muscle growth requires something to happens, just like you need building blocks to make a building. But i think there may be several things here that you've not taken into account?

[IceeBrony 251]

I feel like I should point out that muscle gain almost always is accompanied by fat gain. Also, judging by the calorie intake of 2500, @Dark Fox's (I STILL feel like I'm doing this tagging thing wrong ) weight is over 200lbs. So while cardio will help to lose weight, having to redo the weight loss after gaining muscle feels like a two steps forward one step back approach. That said, a mile or even half mile of walking is almost essential to a healthy lifestyle, and shouldn't be counted as part of 'exercise.' I think it works out to something like 1 mile in under 6:30min five times a week is 'healthy.' But as long as you do a mile in under 20min every other day, you will still get some benefit (definitely try to work up to a bit more).

[kelseymarie805 301]

You should try using some Slim and Sassy essential oil (from DoTerra) as well as their trim shakes, I haven't tried them yet but I know a lot of people have had a lot of success from them, and they are designed for weight loss so it might be worth trying out. As well as lemon (and maybe lime) essential oils in your water.

 

Just maybe not all in one drink.

[Dark Fox 151]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, right now I think im set on a 3/4 day a week cardio/full body strength training routine.

 

If anyone is still reading this, is it detrimental to do 15 minutes or so of cardio and stretching on off days? Or will this impede muscle growth and repair?

[Shanks 10,816]

If anyone is still reading this, is it detrimental to do 15 minutes or so of cardio and stretching on off days? Or will this impede muscle growth and repair?

I don't think it will, stretching is pretty much always good it helps prevent injuries by warming up the muscles and can also encourage healing by increasingly blood flow throughout the body. 15 minutes is not that much time so a tiny little bit of cardio on off days is probably not going to do any harm anymore than this though than something like that may indeed be pushing it though.

[IceeBrony 251]

@Dark Fox

You could easily walk a mile or 3 to no detriment. Running/jogging would depend on how fast, but roughly a mile should be fine. Up to a mile in about 6:30 a day is about a much as you want to do. I think at slower paces it's about 3 miles in an hour.

 

Stretching is (as EarthbendingProdigy said) pretty much always good. A rule of thumb for stretching: stretch until it is uncomfortable, then easy back just a little and HOLD it. 20-30sec. You can trust me on this one, at 250lbs I was still able to put my foot behind my head Long muscles are happy muscles

[Frith is Magick 1,471]

There are already plenty of good answers here, I just want to throw in a couple of quick things. First of all, weight is pretty useless as an indicator. Building muscle will add mass, so even if you are burning fat, the shift in weight may not indicate that. Don't be frustrated and don't go by weigh alone. Secondly, don't go crazy on the shakes and mixes; focus on giving your body the nutrients and fuel it needs. You may need more protein to build muscle, but there is much more than just that. Thirdly, try to focus on overall health. Eat well in general and try to add bits of activity to your day. Working out can be great, but you likely won't get a much out of it if it becomes an isolated activity rather than a lifestyle.

 

Finally, focus on maintainable lifestyle changes rather than diets an short term regimens. Don't be afraid to start small if it means you will keep doing it and reap long-term benefits.