First Step: Lose fat, or gain muscle?

The general idea I get from most boards is that losing fat % and gaining muscle at the same time can't really be done efficiently. Apparently if you focus on one or the other, you get better results over time then focusing on both.

(I think the example I was given is: If you focus on loosing weight for 8 weeks, then focus on getting stronger for the next 8.. it'd end up better than 16 weeks trying to juggle both)

If anyone thinks that's not true feel free to say so. I'm somewhat of a beginer so I can't say if that's true or not. But... My question is, which is better to focus on first?

I've been on the fence about this for a while, but neverreally asked. My personal ideas on it is..if I focus on weight loss first when I get down I'll probably look less healthy than I do now. Which makes me lean towards muscle gain first. But on the other hand fat generally seems to shed off faster than muscle is gained, so to see rel results faster fat loss may be better. Plus when somone's skinny and theywork out the differences seem to show faster...

So honestly I don't know. I guess I want to know which wouldbe the best route health wise? Would it be better to put on muscle after you're skinny, or better to lose fat after you're in shape?

(By the way, I'm Male, 6'2" 238lbs, 24 years old. Doctor put me at 20% Body fat.)

you should start doing cardio first (fat loss...) which DOES also build muscle because you are using them.  then incorperate weight training, which will tone you up :)  if you onlydo weights to being with, and dont do cardio, you will not lower your body fat, and most likelywill gain weight because lifting really doesnt burn ,any calories.  personlly, ithink the way to get the best results is to do cardio 3 or 4 times a week and weights 2or 3 :)

I started off with about the same stats as you. Give yourself a calorie deficit and do both lifting and cardio. I dropped from 21 to 16 percent body fat in 2 1/2 months and have definitely gained muscle.  I consumed 1500-1600 Cal/ day (30-40 % protein , 25-35% fat, 25-40 % carb)

I've now added an extra 40g protein, a fruit, and hitting the weights hard.

p.s lifting does burn calories.

Actually, this rule does not apply to beginners. You can do both for about 6 months or when you feel that you hit a plateau before you need to switch to a cycle. You could just look at a weight and get bigger even with a calorie deficit. I started about 12 weeks ago and I was wondering the same thing. At the 24 week mark I plan to start cycling on a 6-8 week schedule.

Currently after 12 weeks I am down 6 lbs but look and feel much bigger. Right now I do an intense weightlifting routine. I recently stopped doing cardio to build some leg muscles. I only stopped cardio because my legs get really sore after lifting for the first few times. If you want to check out what I've been doing, go to my journal. I have tracked my progress, changes, and problems to help other like yourself. Considering that I was facing the same issue when I started you may find my journal information helpful.

Overall, the workout should be focused on both with fat loss only  getting an edge as your primary goal because of your calorie deficit. You can do both as a beginner but when you hit a plateau, switch to a full body workout 2 or 3 times a week rather than concentrating on specific muscle groups. Then hit the cardio hard! If you do it right, you should be able to cut a minimum of 6 lb of fat in 8 weeks. After your first six months, you may not need to cut anymore weight. I am down 6 lb but probably added at least 4 lb muscle which means that I lost about 10 lb of fat in 12 weeks. At 24 weeks I could be down 18 lb of fat with 10 lb of muscle added and may just go right into a weight gain cycle.

Best thing to do is look in the mirror and decide what to do. I want both but I decided to trim down first but I am still hitting the weights hard and gaining mass.

Good luck, if you have anymore questions just send me a message.

Original Post by alabamawhitman:

you should start doing cardio first (fat loss...) which DOES also build muscle because you are using them.  then incorperate weight training, which will tone you up :)  if you onlydo weights to being with, and dont do cardio, you will not lower your body fat, and most likelywill gain weight because lifting really doesnt burn ,any calories.  personlly, ithink the way to get the best results is to do cardio 3 or 4 times a week and weights 2or 3 :)

This is actually not true, weight lifting is the most efficient way to burn fat. See the article at the following link:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=15265 39