Adding Muscle while Losing Fat

Canuck709

New Member
Hi all,

I definitely want to do an HST cycle, however I also wouls like to drop my BF levels as they are too high (22%). IS it possible to still gain muscle while dropping bodyfat?
 
If you are 22% bodyfat, the only thing should interesting you is losing fat. And i don`t realy think it`s possible the gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.
 
Read up on HST, define your routine, learn the exercises, find your maintenance calories: SD then start your HST cycle.

Give a basic vanilla cycle of HST a fair go, then use the SD period to determine your next plan of attack.

Food & cardio/cal deficit are where you lose fat or gain LBM. The basic HST program of compounds does not alter.
 
at 22% you will more than likely gain some muscle while losing fat.

It is possible, and where you currently are is around the best area for it to happen.
 
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(Aaron_F @ May 20 2007,01:49)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">at 22% you will more than likely gain some muscle while losing fat.

It is possible, and where you currently are is around the best area for it to happen.</div>
I agree with aaron , although I know that scientifically this is considered impossible I have experienced it and witnessed it in others. It seems to work up until about 15%bf.
 
Regardless, I would still probably focus on cutting down if the bodybuilder or fitness-guy look is what you are going for. It depends on what is important to you. If you decide to lean up, you will probably gain strength and maybe a bit of muscle on the way. However, if you just want to get bigger and stronger, then you could bulk... but this could fall apart if you are effected by your appearance and become discouraged as you become bigger/fatter.

So, what exactly are your goals?
 
Thanks everyone I would like to develop a lean but muscular appearance. So to be clear should I be cutting calories? If so how much?
 
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(Morgoth the Dark Enemy @ May 20 2007,16:05)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Pi squared.</div>
Apple Pi or Cherry?
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I guess I'll take it. You ought to be losing around a pound a week. It's possible that at your %, you may easily lose a bit more at first, but the rule is always calories in: calories burned. Whatever your maintenance is, you will want from 250-500 calories less per day. The idea is, if you lose too fast, you lose muscle with it.
You must train with the diet of course. Even if you don't gain much muscle in your first cycle(s), you may appear to be; that's just part of cutting. Why not post a pic for reference? They're worth a thousand words you know.
 
Wow gents thank you all for you're hard work. I feel as though I have stumbled across the best website for developing efficient musular hypertrophy.

I was reaady the reference on this site to the Lyle Macdonald article. Maybe I should ask for some clarification.

Here are my stats 175lbs at 22% bf

Using the formulas from the article

Caloric Defecit 38.5*31=1193.5

Maintenance intake 15*175=2625

Revised Intake 2625-1193.5=1431.50

Can this be right? I have calculated my basal metabolic rate and it comes out at 1824.9 How can I only consume 1431.50 without losing LBM? My biggest concern is I don't want to lose what minimal lbm I have at this point. In fact I would like to add some. Is that possible using the above approach???


My target goal is 180lbs @ 10%bf

Thanks again for all of your help and guidance.
 
<div>
(Canuck709 @ May 21 2007,10:24)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Wow gents thank you all for you're hard work. I feel as though I have stumbled across the best website for developing efficient musular hypertrophy.

I was reaady the reference on this site to the Lyle Macdonald article. Maybe I should ask for some clarification.

Here are my stats 175lbs at 22% bf

Using the formulas from the article

Caloric Defecit 38.5*31=1193.5

Maintenance intake 15*175=2625

Revised Intake 2625-1193.5=1431.50

Can this be right? I have calculated my basal metabolic rate and it comes out at 1824.9 How can I only consume 1431.50 without losing LBM? My biggest concern is I don't want to lose what minimal lbm I have at this point. In fact I would like to add some. Is that possible using the above approach???


My target goal is 180lbs @ 10%bf

Thanks again for all of your help and guidance.</div>
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=811783

Go there and ignore the stuff about carb cycling, just use the equation for caloric intake. Don't get hung up on all the BS about gaining muscle and losing bodyfat simultaneously. Just cut your calories appropriately and do your HST program. If you are a noob and you gain muscle/lose fat simultaneously than good for you, if not..then just gain muscle later.

Just eat appropriately and exercise correctly and see what happens.
 
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(RUSS @ May 21 2007,06:05)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(Aaron_F @ May 20 2007,01:49)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">at 22% you will more than likely gain some muscle while losing fat.

It is possible, and where you currently are is around the best area for it to happen.</div>
I agree with aaron , although I know that scientifically this is considered impossible I have experienced it and witnessed it in others. It seems to work up until about 15%bf.</div>
I wouldn't say that within 'science' its considered impossible.

Science says its quite possible, just under certain circumstances
 
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(Aaron_F @ May 22 2007,00:12)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I wouldn't say that within 'science' its considered impossible.

Science says its quite possible, just under certain circumstances</div>
are you a scientist?
 
I am no scientist , and I imagine that it only APPEARS to be happening simultaneously - in reality a noob may gain x ounces of muscle on monday and lose y ounces of fat on tuesday or something (and even this is of course a gross oversimplification), but for practical purposes it seems safe to assure noobs that are going from a mostly sedentary lifestyle or non-lifting to lifting that they will in fact (and for a limited period of time) find themselves in essence accomplishing what 6 mo. to a year later will be highly unlikely - namely  &quot;re-composition&quot;.
     As for why this happens or appears to happen (an increase in body weight with an apparent drop in BF) I dont feel qualified to say - only that I have observed it .
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    This also can &quot;appear&quot; to happen to &quot;vitamin T&quot; users.

I actually think quad and stevejones had very practical responses esp. steves call to just lift and eat right and see what happens...
 
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(drpierredebs @ May 22 2007,06:25)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">are you a scientist?</div>
Actually, I'm pretty sure he is.
Many in here have their strong points, Lol and Blue for training, Vagrant for first aid and basic medicine, Sci for guinea pig (joke!), Steve for PL'ing, Leige for Oly stuff, and if I want to know something about proteins, the BB'ers friend; Aaron. I know he's not the sweetest cupcake around, but hey...
If I ever get into pedal type biking, you would get my questions, and I'm sure you're strong in a lot of other things.
 
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(drpierredebs @ May 23 2007,00:25)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">are you a scientist?</div>
thats what my job title says
 
Ah, the old &quot;gain muscle and lose fat&quot; question. A chicken/egg question if ever there was one.

Certainly, gaining muscle and losing fat simultaneously is not unheard of. Trouble is, as Aaron pointed out, all of the ducks have to line up, and the window of opportunity is usually quite brief.

In the end, I think it's far more important to look likeyou gained muscle whilst stripping away bodyfat. A person weighing 175 at 7% bodyfat will, most times, look more muscular than a person weighing 195 at 20% bodyfat. I have seen this happen in my own training/diet experience, which is why I refuse to ever bulk again (despite helpful prods from good buds encouraging me to do so!
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)

But in the end, it depends on your goals. If you'd rather look massive in streetclothes, and a softer middle can be carefully concealed with the right shirt/pant combo, then by all means, bulking is the right choice for you. If your goal is to look great nekkid, cutting is the way to go. It's all individual, depending on your goals.
 
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