Muscle Gain vs. Fat Loss

[The Rose]

Okay guys let's put an end to this issue once and for all. We all know that it is virtually impossible to gain muscle mass while you are on a cutting diet. It is also virtually impossible to lose bodyfat while you are on a bulking diet, given that you are not on steroids. However, there are rumours floating around that you can actually gain muscle mass on a bulking diet and AT THE SAME TIME maintain the same amount of bodyfat (actual number in pounds). For example, Bob weighs 180 lbs. and wants to gain 10 lbs of muscle mass. He can get to 190 lbs. in which his 10 lb. gain will be all muscle and no fat with a strict diet. I think this is impossible because you will always gain some bodyfat (once again in lbs.) when trying to gain muscle. What do you guys think?

 

[Dr. Pain]

I hope your not the ROSE I trained!

"Bob" could lose 10 pounds of BF, and gain 10 pounds of LBM and still weigh180!

How?

He is using a "Harden diet", kind of like a gradual cut!

Let's use 2700 calories.

360 P 90 C 120 F

He then uses the fat to fuel his metabolism, sparring the the protein for muscle repair and resynthesis!


FC

 

[Arnold]

I think it can be done, however it's much easier and more common to see that type of transformation in a beginner.

Example, the people that you see in the Body For Life pics, they went from being fat and out of shape to lean and musclular (in most cases). Most of them were successfull at losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously.

However, it's much more difficult for a seasoned lifter to do this. Why? Becuase they already have the muscle mass, so to gain muscle while losing fat would be very difficult.

 

[rks1969]

The people you see in the Body For Life contest were just 'tater chip,2 sandwich eatin' couch riders that just couldn't stand to be that way anymore. ANYTHING they could possibly have done in the way of exercise would be improvement.
I agree w/ Prince that seasoned lifters would have a harder time losing fat and replacing it w/ muscle.Fat cells can multiply,but you only have so many muscle cells & hopefully you've already swelled them almost to bursting.

 

[mikeCFD]

I have always ben told to do eather one or the outher

 

[pumpit]

Its really a careful balance of diet (calories), training and cardio work.
If you have got the mass then focus a little bit more on cardio and diet, but keep your weight training the same. Then you should be able to lose fat and gain muscle(a bit slower) it also depends on genetics too.

 

[Bigtex111]

The key is cycling in weeks of cutting with your mass building. If you go 3 months of building, yes, you are going to gain fat too. But if you cycle 2 weeks of building and 1 week of cutting then you can keep your fat down. You will sacrifice "some" mass but overall I think your body will look better and you will feel better.