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build muscle or lose fat first?

fatdada Posts: 1 Joined: 2007/10/28	2008/02/06, 09:31 PM im currently trying to build and shape up my upper body and lose fat on my torso at the same time ive been doing a balance of muscle building and workouts to lose fat for like a month now. ive lost 7lb but havent seen any change in fat, though ive been gaining a fair amount of muscle what should i focus more on? losing more fat and work on muscle later or building up and let the fat drop as i go along?
SFGiantsMVP Posts: 1,533 Joined: 2005/12/04	2008/02/06, 10:26 PM Mr Upper Body why don't you work on the lower body as well? You will burn more calories during lower body training which should help increase your fat loss. Now it all depends on how fat you are when it comes to build or burn 1st! -------------- Knock-Um Down & Keep-Um Down!
bb1fit Posts: 11,105 Joined: 2001/06/30	2008/02/07, 09:02 AM More often than not losing fat is much more difficult. This is due to dietary restrictions you must place on yourself to achieve the goal. If overweight, I would concentrate on losing fat first. Another large reason for this is the self esteem you will build from finally feeling good and wearing smaller size clothes, etc. Then you can logically proceed with a diet that is adequate for gaining, as this diet will be higher in calories and inevitably add some fat mass. -------------- Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer
bb1fit Posts: 11,105 Joined: 2001/06/30	2008/02/07, 09:04 AM Mind you do not infer from my post that gaining muscle is easy. It is just that the dieting to lose fat is a daunting task, witness the millions of weight loss ads on TV, it is a multimillion dollar business. -------------- Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer
gohogs Posts: 1 Joined: 2007/12/26	2008/02/08, 09:29 AM Sounds familiar, I have been back in gym for 6 weeks now, I am 49, when I was in college, I lifted, layed off for years, building my beer belly, so would love to see it reduced. I feel my muscle growing, chest,back, arms, and legs, no weight loss on scale, pants a bit looser. Trying to change lifestyle with more protein, fewer hollow calories. Have eliminated soda pop, was drinking way too much diet coke. Feel like I am drowning in the water I am drinking....5 to 7 20 oz bottles a day. Have read that a whey rpotein drink after workout is helpful, so started drinking 1 scoop protein shake after workouts. Have been lifting 3 days a week with cardio on same day...Thanks for listening, presently 270 pounds, would love to drop 50 lbs then whittle more off, but I am happy with muscle gain too. John