Thread: eating to build muscle but lose fat

The fats aren't always the bad guy. Its mostly the processed carbs that cause alot of fat gain. 3 meals a day isn't gonna hinder you if you get your macros in. The 6 meals a day thing is just funny to me. Don't go crazy about too many things. Its really not hard as long as you track and be consistent.

Read the stickies, they work wonders.

ps - Just so I'm clear - I'm not advocating deep fried foods. I stay away from them for the most part. And where are you to have all this sweet fried food?

Originally Posted by andyc425

i have recently been shipped overseas for work and the gym facilities are not that good at the moment, there is mostly dumbbells benches and barbells so my routines are limited, but my question is i only have the opportunity to eat 3 times a day instead of my normal six , is this going to change my ability to lose weight and gain muscle? i seem to be eating more during theses meals to compensate for not eating throughout the day and also alot of the food is fried for example the chicken etc so i cant keep my fat intake as low as i wud like but iv incorporated 20 minutes running at the end of my weight session 3 day a week to lose any excess fat. any advice would be much appreciated

af92 speaks the truth.

You can read homework 1 to see what we're talking about. Believe it or not, you're likely more comfortable on low calories eating 3 meals a day than eating six unsatisfying micro-snacks, and there is NO metabolic advantage to eating more frequently, so eat your three larger meals and be done with it.

Fat loss is a matter of eating a bit less than you need (to ensure you run a deficit) while lifting weights (to risk-manage muscle). You're unlikely to gain muscle while losing fat, unless you're a rank novice, but you may gain a little muscle while dropping fat if you don't run too deep of a deficit, keep your protein up, and avoid overtraining. Let the diet make the deficit. Use the iron to protect the muscle - and sure, a 20-minute cardio session at the end of your workout is fine.

What equipment appears to be missing from your gym? You have barbells and dumbbells. What else could you possibly need? Is there at least a squat rack of some sort? If not, you can do one-leg at a time work, split squats, single-leg squats, walking lunges, higher-rep front squats (whatever you can clean into position), and of course you're fine for deadlifts and bench press. Find a chinup station and you're golden.

Just stay consistent. As long as you meet your nutrient targets for the day, you're good. And barbells, dumbells, benches? That's perfect. That's all you need.

For me high fat, moderate protein, and low carbs works. Of course there is a carb loading day once a week.

High fat = keep the body in a fat burning metabolism. Utilizing the fat eaten and body fat burned for energy. Byproduct of fat burning = ketones. In caloric deficit these can also be used for energy and also by the brain for energy in place of carbohydrate.

Moderate protein = just enough for muscle synthesis and repair, no extra. Excessive protein is converted to glucose keeping one in a glucose burning metabolism, defeating the purpose of the low carb diet. Also by keeping the glucose going, in the presence of caloric deficit, catabolism is a risk.

Low carbs = no insulin spikes, no excessive glucose to be stored as body fat once the glycogen stores are full and there is no where to put the excess except into fat storage. Forces the body to burn fat for fuel...and isn't that the idea?

Carb loading = fill those glycogen stores to capacity once a week, preferably the day before the heaviest day in the gym so that day on can really kill the weights. Helps maintain sanity by giving one something to look forward all week instead of just more beef and greens.

Cut wheat, vegetable oil and processed foods

Add saturated fat, root vegetables and grass fed and organic animal protein

Protein, Protein, Protein.....Limit your carbs like under 50 a day and no sugar at all, it will stable your blood sugar around 60 to 100 which is the normal range, then after you cut the weight you wanna lose, start introducing different foods to your body, like nuts, avocado and so on, still limit the carbs just set it ti a higher level.... goood luck bro

Originally Posted by Vincent M.

Cut wheat, vegetable oil and processed foods

Add saturated fat, root vegetables and grass fed and organic animal protein

This can work.

Originally Posted by .V.

For me high fat, moderate protein, and low carbs works. Of course there is a carb loading day once a week.

High fat = keep the body in a fat burning metabolism. Utilizing the fat eaten and body fat burned for energy. Byproduct of fat burning = ketones. In caloric deficit these can also be used for energy and also by the brain for energy in place of carbohydrate.

Moderate protein = just enough for muscle synthesis and repair, no extra. Excessive protein is converted to glucose keeping one in a glucose burning metabolism, defeating the purpose of the low carb diet. Also by keeping the glucose going, in the presence of caloric deficit, catabolism is a risk.

Low carbs = no insulin spikes, no excessive glucose to be stored as body fat once the glycogen stores are full and there is no where to put the excess except into fat storage. Forces the body to burn fat for fuel...and isn't that the idea?

Carb loading = fill those glycogen stores to capacity once a week, preferably the day before the heaviest day in the gym so that day on can really kill the weights. Helps maintain sanity by giving one something to look forward all week instead of just more beef and greens.

This can also work.

Originally Posted by HH25

Protein, Protein, Protein.....Limit your carbs like under 50 a day and no sugar at all, it will stable your blood sugar around 60 to 100 which is the normal range, then after you cut the weight you wanna lose, start introducing different foods to your body, like nuts, avocado and so on, still limit the carbs just set it ti a higher level.... goood luck bro

And of course, this can work too.

Please read homework 1 - you'll be able to see how to make your particular situation work for you.

The fats aren't always the bad guy. Its mostly the processed carbs that cause alot of fat gain.