Minhkey

I read about how fat loss through cardio and dieting will help me get ripped, but if I really devote myself to running every day and being in a caloric deficit, how much muscle will I be losing? I really want definition, but I don't want to sacrifice the little muscle I've been gaining for the past two years.

Additionally, if I do lose like the majority of my muscle after running and dieting, will it be harder to gain it back? It seems like the really skinny guys in my weight lifting class have a harder time getting stronger than the guys that are bigger(fat and muscle wise).

Thanks for the help in advance. :

16yr old. 200 pound. 5'8.
Just here to learn

XFatMan

The only way to more definition is to lose body fat. You will lose some lean mass on the way, but it’s far from some of the horror stories out there. Especially if you’re training during the cut, the damage will be limited. And, as you’re losing body fat, you’ll actually look bigger. You should educate yourself on the topic. One thing you can and should do is reading the stickies in Diet and Nutrition forum. You should also read up on training and make sure you’re not overdoing it. My opinion is that you should not worry about strength or size until you hit 10 or 12% body fat.

Goal: < 15% Body Fat by June 30, 2008
December 30, 2007: Body Weight: 75.8 Kg / 174.3 lbs Body Fat Percentage: 21.9%
Current (January 13, 2008): Body Weight 75.7 Kg / 174.0 lbs Body Fat Percentage: 21.4%

CowPimp

You shouldn't need to do cardio every day to reach a low body fat level. Lifting 3-4 times a week with cardio another 2-3 times per week should be sufficient. 1-2 of those sessions can be some type of higher intensity cardiovascular activity as well.

As long as you utilize good nutrient timing (Proper pre and post-workout nutrition), you aren't a state of complete starvation, you are eating frequently, and you continue to lift heavy shit, I seriously doubt you are going to lose any significant amount of muscle mass.

The only time it's bad to feel the burn is when you're peeing...

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XFatMan

Just a dumb off-topic question: Why did the apostrophes in my previous post come out as question marks?

Goal: < 15% Body Fat by June 30, 2008
December 30, 2007: Body Weight: 75.8 Kg / 174.3 lbs Body Fat Percentage: 21.9%
Current (January 13, 2008): Body Weight 75.7 Kg / 174.0 lbs Body Fat Percentage: 21.4%

KelJu

Cardio is over-rated. I can cut extremely fast with just a proper diet and resistance training, and I'm a fat ass by nature.

Read the stickies in the diet and training forums.