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2007/03/07, 03:06 AM
Out of curiosity if you balance calories to neither lose nor gain weight what will happen? I am aware that fat does not turn to muscle but in time will the amount of muscle increase while the amount of fat decreases? Is this a reasonable way of changing body composition?
The reason I ask is I spent the Autumn and Winter doing a bulking phase and gained approximately 30 pounds in 6 months. Now that I have started my cutting phase I cannot seem to lose any fat/weight. In a months time I lost a whopping 2 pounds LOL and am getting a bit worried.
I can tell my muscle size has increased but was it worth it since it is covered in a layer of fat?
I currently weigh 210 and am right at 6ft tall.
My daily caloric intake is right around 2000 calories a day with each day averaging 250gr protein, 150gr complex carbs and 25gr fat.
Protein sources are chicken breast, venison, fish and a heavy reliance on protein shakes.
Complex carbs consist of brown rice, red potatoes, whole grain breads and pinto beans.
Fibrous carbs come from grean beens, broccoli and asparagus.
Fat is 4000mg Omega 3 and of course whatever occurs in the above foods.
I have recently split my workout into 5 days so I can concentrate on a single muscle group each day.
Monday - chest
Tuesday - back
Wednesday - shoulders
Thursday - bicep/tricep
Friday - legs
Saturday - off
Sunday - off
Since I want to spare muscle I am not currently doing any cardio. Would a limited amount of low intesity cardio 2-3 times a week cause accelerated muscle loss along with the fat?
Any help would be appreciated since I am at a stanstill.
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2007/03/07, 07:18 AM
Do a fitBuddy search on cutting as there is a vast amount of information on this, mort.
However it is my understanding that in the cutting phase some cardio is inevitable.
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2007/03/07, 08:00 AM
Mort look at you first sentence......"balance the calories to neither lose nor gain". That answers the question. It is pretty much you either cut cals and lose or add and gain....no other way about it. If you keep calories at a balance as you call it. You will MAINTAIN, meaning you will keep what you have neither lose nor gain.
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Curl Jockeys, get outta the squat rack!
I wish everyone would get a partial amnesia and never use 'tone' ever again. (thanks Menance)
7707mutt@freetrainers.com
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2007/03/07, 01:47 PM
Thanks for the replies.
I understand you will maintain the current weight if you eat your maintenance calories but will body composition change over time? Would you gradually become leaner if lifting consistantly or would you just stay at the same percentage of fat and muscle?
For example start out weighing 205 with 50% muscle and 50% fat. 6 months after hard working out and still weigh 205 would the percentages change?
Thanks again
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2007/03/07, 01:55 PM
I think that's a good question. What does it mean when I work out and lose inches but don't lose weight? This is what happened to me in the pro challenge, for the most part. My bodyfat is lower, my weight the same. It is confusing to me when I read that you can't gain muscle without gaining fat, but did I not gain some muscle and lose some fat? My calories weren't at a maintenance level, they were a weight loss level, yet I didn't lose weight and I definitely have more muscle.
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2007/03/07, 01:59 PM
Listen, each of us is different. You may lose some fat and gain muscle or the reverse. However to make no changes in diet and calories (keeping things at a maintenance level) you most LIKELY will NOT change. That is depending on that fact that you are not making any changes in you workout and calorie burning either. Bottom line is in order to gain mass you need to eat more. Or the reverse.....it is very hard to do both at the same time.
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Curl Jockeys, get outta the squat rack!
I wish everyone would get a partial amnesia and never use 'tone' ever again. (thanks Menance)
7707mutt@freetrainers.com
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2007/03/07, 05:30 PM
I understand what you're asking and have actually wondered the same thing myself from time to time. My thoughts were more along the lines of: if you get enough protein (1-2 g/lb. bw per day) but your total calories are say 100-150 under maintenance what would happen over the course of say 6 months.
I would think that it could help your body composition. Obviously not gain huge amounts of muscle or shed large layers of fat but overall a positive change maybe.
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2007/03/08, 09:40 AM
This is one of those issues we argue constantly - can you lose fat and gain muscle at the same time... i would say, in my experience and in the experience with the people in the challenges - you definitely can boost your lean mass while losing fat - because it has happened. I think once you get to a certain bodyfat level, the calories amounts become more vital and the goals may have to be more specific - but maybe, just maybe the amount of calories you think are 'diet' calories are maintainnace and so you are adding muscle, losing fat..does that make any sense?
I think that if you are on a 'comfortable' calorie amount and busting your ass in the gym - you will see fat loss and more muscle.
You could probably gain MORE muscle with a slight calorie increase, but you also run the risk of gaining more fat if your calroies are too high.
Msmogreen - i think part of what you experienced is that your metabolism responded well to a better nutritional plan and boosted the fat burn, and your muscles responded to the routine and incraesed your lean mass. Also - I don't consider the diet on the challenge to be low-calorie - just that the ratuios are better for muscle retention and fat loss than the same calories with different ratios. Maybe you never ate enough protein previously to support muscle growth? But that extra muscle helps you shed fat. So...
Like Mutt said - every body is different. But most people find it easier to seperate their training into phases of muscle gain and then fat loss - mostly because the intensity of your training will suffer if your calories are too low and therefore you usually cannot gain muscle while in such a low-cal or low-bodyfat state.
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If you doubt you can accomplish something, then you can\'t accomplish it. You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.
Rosalyn Carter
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