OT: burn fat and gain muscle mass

[Br0nc0Buster]

I am trying to lose some belly fat I developed over the past break from drinking a bit too much beer, but I am also trying to gain muscle mass.

I am just wondering what kinds of specific workouts I should look into that may be more effective for burning fat but not losing weight necessarily.

I lift about 3 times a week, and I do some cardio also about 3 times a week.
But while I am gaining weight, which is what I want to do, I am not having success thus far with the belly fat going away. I have been told that I can gain mass and lose fat at the same time.

How often should I do cardio and what kinds of workouts would be best?

I was wondering if anyone was knowledgable in fitness, because I am not really at all.

[DenverFanMan6]

Your best bet would be doing lower ab workouts because those are the hardest to get. Also do plyometrics.

[Bronco Boy]

You can't lose fat in one specific area. Just do more cardio, or eat better. It's pretty tough to build muscle mass while losing fat unless you have a really strict diet or are just starting to work out.

[tsiguy96]

as far as cardio goes, do high intensity interval training, not steady state.

lift heavy and intensely in the gym, dont be a weiner.

[loborugger]

www.crossfit.com

[tsiguy96]

www.crossfit.com

good for burning fat and increasing cardio health and endurance, not so much for gaining muscle.

[loborugger]

good for burning fat and increasing cardio health and endurance, not so much for gaining muscle.

If you say so

[chaz]

muscle burns fat, thus the more muscle you add the faster you'll burn fat.

Also, as far as burning fat goes: lifting elevates your metabolism for 24 hours or so afterwards, while cardio doesn't have such a prolonged effect. (although cardio obviously has a lot of other benefits).

Make sure you're incorporating squats into your workout, probably the single most effective lift there is.

Make sure to pack your meals with protein (although less red meat or pork) and healthy carb(rice, pasta, fruit), especially right after workouts.


just some random thoughts, hope it helps!

[chaz]

It's pretty tough to build muscle mass while losing fat unless you have a really strict diet or are just starting to work out.

Not so much. It's hard to lose weight while adding muscle, but it's not hard to burn fat. Muscle does the work for you. So while you're total weight may not decrease, your body fat % will change. Spot on about diet though, very important. Obviously your body won't burn fat if you keep a constant supply coming in.

[tsiguy96]

If you say so

i know so :)

people who are going from not doing anything to crossfit will get some hypertrophy from it for sure, but its not the intention of crossfit to make people jacked.

[DenverBrit]

Go low carb.....no white rice, pasta, bread.

Lot's of protein.....try Isopure Zero carb protein powder. 200 calories and a whopping 50g protein. I drink one with every workout. Plenty of cardio.

Fish, chicken, veggies. Nothing fried, but use olive oil.

Whole foods have fruit juices for 3.99....they contain 8 servings of fruit in each bottle.

To get rid of belly fat, you have to cut way back on the foods that like to live there.

Good luck.

[loborugger]

Well, I have gained a fair amount of lean muscle mass from it, and if I followed a decent diet more rigously, I would have under 10 percent body fat easily... but whatever.

But you are right, if you wanna look like you stepped on a tire pump and got inflated then crossfit is not for you. If instead you are interested in total body fitness - decreasing your run times while at the same time developing your deadlift totals or increasing core strength while lower your heart rate, then crossfit rocks.

Having read thru the weight lose thread in the maniac community, there are those who will argue ad nauseum over the trivial matters in work out routines. I am not here to say that crossfit is superior to everything ever created for every human being.

However, I know this... 1. It works for me. 2. It has worked for others. 3. It is was created by people that know a crapload more about the physical body than I do (and most likely you, too). 4. Its free. 5. It has A TON of resources. 6. More than just a work out routine, it has great diet info. 7. did I mention its free? 8. It was created for initially for the SEALS and Marines - people who are interested in functional strength and not vanity. 9. If you get into a crossfit gym, you will get a support system that is 2nd to none. 10. If you don't, did I mention all the stuff on the website is free?

So, I am gonna throw it out there for Broncobuster. Its not for everyone. But, I would be SHOCKED if he followed it for a period of time and didnt improve. If he likes it, then more power to him. If not, nothing lost.

But, hey, thanks for your nitpicking.

[tsiguy96]

Well, I have gained a fair amount of lean muscle mass from it, and if I followed a decent diet more rigously, I would have under 10 percent body fat easily... but whatever.

But you are right, if you wanna look like you stepped on a tire pump and got inflated then crossfit is not for you. If instead you are interested in total body fitness - decreasing your run times while at the same time developing your deadlift totals or increasing core strength while lower your heart rate, then crossfit rocks.

Having read thru the weight lose thread in the maniac community, there are those who will argue ad nauseum over the trivial matters in work out routines. I am not here to say that crossfit is superior to everything ever created for every human being.

However, I know this... 1. It works for me. 2. It has worked for others. 3. It is was created by people that know a crapload more about the physical body than I do (and most likely you, too). 4. Its free. 5. It has A TON of resources. 6. More than just a work out routine, it has great diet info. 7. did I mention its free? 8. It was created for initially for the SEALS and Marines - people who are interested in functional strength and not vanity. 9. If you get into a crossfit gym, you will get a support system that is 2nd to none. 10. If you don't, did I mention all the stuff on the website is free?

So, I am gonna throw it out there for Broncobuster. Its not for everyone. But, I would be SHOCKED if he followed it for a period of time and didnt improve. If he likes it, then more power to him. If not, nothing lost.

But, hey, thanks for your nitpicking.

there we go.

it makes you better at basically everything, but not great at any one thing. what most people need. not many are going to have the dedication to stick with it though.

[sgbfan]

Not so much. It's hard to lose weight while adding muscle, but it's not hard to burn fat. Muscle does the work for you. So while you're total weight may not decrease, your body fat % will change. Spot on about diet though, very important. Obviously your body won't burn fat if you keep a constant supply coming in.

Not so much? Didn't you support what he just said?

I think its pretty tough to burn fat and gain muscle mass at the same time. It is possible, but the fat will burn off fairly slowly. In order to gain mass, you have to work out correctly, and supplement with an appropriate diet. In order to burn fat, you have to burn more calories than you consume. Eating a diet to help gain mass takes away from the calorie deficit needed to burn fat.

I do think it is possible to do both, but it takes away from both aspects when you do so.

Just keep up the hard work and eat right. It might come off slowly, but the fat will come off.

[Dagmar]

Just gonna leave a bookmark here.

[loborugger]

Just gonna leave a bookmark here.

Because of gained knowledge or because of the potential for internet bitch slapping?

[ZONA]

Stop drinking beer for one. Lift like your life depends on it. You need to go intense if you want to see quick changes. At least 1/2 hour of pure weight training 4 times a week. You will get faster results of course the harder and more often you work out. I do cardio 3 times a week and weights 6 times a week. You do this, along with eating right, you will lose that gut fast, in 3 months, I promise.

Do 30 minutes of medium cardio before lifting weights. Then 30 minutes of weight training, and don't go wimpy here. Be smart but be intense. Push yourself.

Tons of protien 5 times a day, at least 30 grams every meal. Limit most of your carbs until an hour before you work out (I eat 50% of my carbs for the day and hour before my workout). Most of your carbs should be from fruit and veggies, some whole grain pasta is ok and oatmeal is terrific.

[bombquixote]

Crossfit rocks. It won't make you look like a bodybuilder, it will make you look like an athlete...because you'll be training athletically. If done with dedication, crossfit will harden your body. You'll get stronger in virtually every way. You will build muscle, just not superfluous muscle.

If you choose something other than crossfit, definitely do lift. Center you workouts around compound movements, e.g. deadlifts, squats, cleans, bench, pullups. Isolation movements, e.g. curls, tricep extensions, lateral raises, should be supplementary.

Someone mentioned high intensity interval training for cardio, and I second this. It will quicken you metabolism more than long slow cardio will, and won't cost you any of the muscle gain from lifting that long slow cardio sometimes can. That being said, long slow runs are still good for you. :)

As for losing fat, diet is more important than virtually any workout. Think in terms of nutrient value per calorie. By that I mean ditch the junk food and booze. Get as many of your calories as possible through fresh salads, steamed vegetables, fruit, legumes and lean meat. Avoid as much processed food as possible. Supplement your carbs with a little brown rice or sprouted grain bread. The zone diet is a very good place to start your diet research.

Good luck and have fun!

[Florida_Bronco]

Go low carb.....no white rice, pasta, bread.

Lot's of protein.....try Isopure Zero carb protein powder. 200 calories and a whopping 50g protein. I drink one with every workout. Plenty of cardio.

Fish, chicken, veggies. Nothing fried, but use olive oil.

Whole foods have fruit juices for 3.99....they contain 8 servings of fruit in each bottle.

To get rid of belly fat, you have to cut way back on the foods that like to live there.

Good luck.

Good post. I had great luck with the low carb diet I was on.

[SonOfLe-loLang]

Less calories, more cardio. It's fairly simple. But yeah, less carbs, more protein.

[Swedish Extrovert]

What worked for me:

Go vegetarian for about 6 months.
Drink 1-2 myoplex shakes a day (you should be getting 100-150 grams of protein a day depending on your size/workout intensity)
DONT neglect cardio.

Edit - Eat plenty of COMPLEX carbs (try to limit, if not cut out simple carbs - ie anything processed, high sugar, or if corn meal or white flour is the main ingredient, which is a lot of stuff).

[enjolras]

Less calories, more cardio. It's fairly simple. But yeah, less carbs, more protein.

That won't lead to muscle gain. That's the real problem, in order to gain muscle you have to take in a LOT of calories (I do in excess of 3500 and sometimes more than 4000 a day during hypertrophy periods).

I suppose it's possible to do both, but I can't do it and I've never worked out with anyone who has. After a period of muscle building I'll inevitably have some extra fat that I need to work off (now the metabolic effects of increased muscle make that pretty easy to do).

Lowering your caloric intake while attempting to gain muscle almost never works.

[OCBronco]

Myself, I've been working out quite a bit with kettlebells, and I love that stuff. That said, I wouldn't recommend getting into it unless you have a qualified trainer nearby. There is a bit of a learning curve, initially.

As for the diet, I've been getting good results with this company: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/

The fundamentals of their diet are free. You just have to sign up for their e-mail packet. I haven't signed up for their full diet plan, because I don't really have the time to really readjust everything. It's pretty thorough.

The basics are easy enough, though:

1. Eat 5-6 times a day

2. Eat Vegetables (and/or fruit) with every meal.

3. Eat lean protein with every meal.

4. Eat some mono or poly unsaturated fat with every meal (olive oil, nuts, avocadoes, etc.)

5. Save heavy carbs for after your workout.

6. The 90% rule: the difference between following a diet 90% of the time and 100% is negligible. This means that if you're eating approximately 42 meals a week, you could cheat for 4 or 5 of them, and suffer little ill effect.

[orinjkrush]

anybody else here do P90X? worked for me, dropped 20 lbs and increased muscle size nearly everywhere.

[yerner]

Somebody explain Crossfit. I've looked at the website a bunch but am still not sure what it is. I may be full retard.

[elsid13]

Somebody explain Crossfit. I've looked at the website a bunch but am still not sure what it is. I may be full retard.

It designed around trying to create functional strength and explosiveness. A good example taken to the extreme, because it follows a similar workouts pattern, are actors in the movie 300. It also what BJ Penn uses as part of his training for MMA. Google the "Fight goes bad" workout

At it's core, it designed around Olympic style power lifts (explosive strength), gymnastics (flexibility and strength),plyometrics (explosiveness) and intense cardio workouts (like rowing, or sprints). Most of it is done for time, one exercise after another with little breaks.

You do the standard warm-up/workout (3 Sets of 10 to 15 reps of push-up, pull-ups, back extensions, overhead squats, sit-ups) then do the workout (either called Girls or Hero) of the day. Today it is

3 rounds for time of:
Walking lunge, 100 ft
50 Squats
25 Back extensions

The good thing about it, is that is scalable and you can sub body weight exercises if you don't have the equipment.

You are not going to bulk up like weight lifter, but rather you going to look like Triathlon if you watch your diet and do this.

[LonghornBronco]

Somebody explain Crossfit. I've looked at the website a bunch but am still not sure what it is. I may be full retard.

Don't you know... you never go full retard. Hilarious!

[Slade]

Do P90x. It is a complete lifting/cardio program as well as diet. The first time I did it, I was 14% BF...after 12 weeks, I was 7% BF. After 3 times, I also could do 44 pullups in a minute.

[gunns]

Go low carb.....no white rice, pasta, bread.

Lot's of protein.....try Isopure Zero carb protein powder. 200 calories and a whopping 50g protein. I drink one with every workout. Plenty of cardio.

Fish, chicken, veggies. Nothing fried, but use olive oil.

Whole foods have fruit juices for 3.99....they contain 8 servings of fruit in each bottle.

To get rid of belly fat, you have to cut way back on the foods that like to live there.

Good luck.

This is a great place to start. Amazing what it does for your body and overall health. Add your cardio and weightlifting and you'll be making it look athletic, as the low carb diet helps melt the fat away and not adding any!

[Rabb]

Do P90x. It is a complete lifting/cardio program as well as diet. The first time I did it, I was 14% BF...after 12 weeks, I was 7% BF. After 3 times, I also could do 44 pullups in a minute.

I haven't done P90x yet but I am halfway through Power 90 right now which is like P90x's little brother and I am down 21 lbs so far and really seeing a difference

the BeachBody programs in general are solid but just like anything else it takes some dedication in terms of working out 6 days a week and eating "clean"

I plan on moving to P90x once I am done with this

[bowtown]

I find that if you just drink more, you will care less about how you look.

[yerner]

I find that if you just drink more, you will care less about how you look.

ha. nice.

[yerner]

Do P90x. It is a complete lifting/cardio program as well as diet. The first time I did it, I was 14% BF...after 12 weeks, I was 7% BF. After 3 times, I also could do 44 pullups in a minute.

How many pullups did you start with? They are the bane of my workouts in P90x.

[Smiling Assassin27]

diet=75-85%

if your diet's not 'there', your progress will be slow and ordinary. P90X is no joke, as far as the workouts go. They are sufficiently difficult, when done with proper intensity, to create fast changes but the diet is where the degree of change will come from, from personal experience.

eta: for those who presently struggle with pull ups, get yourself these to add to your pull up bar:

http://www.stretchtofitness.com/

[bowtown]

How many pullups did you start with? They are the bane of my workouts in P90x.

They've been the bane of my entire life. I still rememebr my 7th grade gym teacher calling me a pussy because I couldn't do any pull ups in the Presidential Physical Fitness Challenge. And even today, I go to the gym 5 days a week and do a ton of lifting, cardio and strength training. I can do pushups and dips like it's my job, but for the life of me I've never been able to get more than 5 pull ups. I just hate them so effing much. Maybe I will try this P90X you all speak of and see if I can overcome my lifelong challenge.

[loborugger]

They've been the bane of my entire life. I still rememebr my 7th grade gym teacher calling me a p***Y because I couldn't do any pull ups in the Presidential Physical Fitness Challenge. And even today, I go to the gym 5 days a week and do a ton of lifting, cardio and strength training. I can do pushups and dips like it's my job, but for the life of me I've never been able to get more than 5 pull ups. I just hate them so effing much. Maybe I will try this P90X you all speak of and see if I can overcome my lifelong challenge.

You just gotta jump into the pull ups head first. Lifting wont improve pull ups. I am a big guy, so pull ups will never be my strength. But you can improve.

I took my early 30s off from the gym, and when I returned to the gym a few years back, I avoided pull ups like the plague. But, I got involved in crossfit, and they do pull ups frequently. I did what I could. I remember when about all the pull ups I could do in an entire work out was 5... as in do 2 pull ups, rest, do one more, rest, one more, rest, and then one last one that involved more jumping off the ground than pulling up.

Now, when I am fresh I can do about 15 pull ups at one time, and can complete 100 pull ups in about 15 - 20 minutes. Its not stellar, but considering where I started its the difference between night and day.

[TheReverend]

You just gotta jump into the pull ups head first. Lifting wont improve pull ups. I am a big guy, so pull ups will never be my strength. But you can improve.

I took my early 30s off from the gym, and when I returned to the gym a few years back, I avoided pull ups like the plague. But, I got involved in crossfit, and they do pull ups frequently. I did what I could. I remember when about all the pull ups I could do in an entire work out was 5... as in do 2 pull ups, rest, do one more, rest, one more, rest, and then one last one that involved more jumping off the ground than pulling up.

Now, when I am fresh I can do about 15 pull ups at one time, and can complete 100 pull ups in about 15 - 20 minutes. Its not stellar, but considering where I started its the difference between night and day.

That's one of the silliest things I've ever read.

[azbroncfan]

Eat less calories than you burn in a day along with working out. There isn't a magic formula for it. Find a diet that you can stick with not one that will fail you and isn't a sustainable one like the atkins or some of the other high protien diets. Like someone said above eat fruits/veggies, meats, whole grain breads and pastas. Stay away from the bleached white flour, high fructose corn syrup and other processed sugars. Just find a workout that works for you any of them work if you push yourself hard enough and burn enough calories. I would swim, run, and hit the gym if I were you. If you got a bike use it too.

[yerner]

I've been using the Flexbands a little. I guess I just need to do them more and drop some bodyweight and just remembe. It's just seems that I don't get the workout I need because I'm not doing enough reps. It's frustrating because I'm strong in every other time excercise but I'm not bodyweight fit I guess.

[yerner]

That's one of the silliest things I've ever read.

I'm agree that getting stronger will help some. But other than the pullup and its variations its hard to get stronger without that particuliar excercise I think. The only lift you can do for 'Vertical Pull' strength is the Lat pulldown machine. Which I guess works too, but I don't have one.

[Mr.Meanie]

Body for Life is really the best workout system I've ever used. Also, just to lose some fat - low calories, high cardio is really the best solution you can do. Start tracking your daily calories for everything and you will likely be surprised at how much you take in.

[gtown]

You are what you eat. After goofing around with different types of exercises and weight lifting routines, I realized that the only way to get results is sticking to a strict diet and varying your exercies. Someone said something about the 90% rule. I think that is about right. Stick to your strict diet 90% of the time and you will see results even with a moderate amount of exercise. Lots of protein and vegetables, cut the saturated fat, try not to eat breads after lunch, and smaller more frequent meals. It's tough to do this, but you can cheat a few meals per week.

[TheReverend]

I'm agree that getting stronger will help some. But other than the pullup and its variations its hard to get stronger without that particuliar excercise I think. The only lift you can do for 'Vertical Pull' strength is the Lat pulldown machine. Which I guess works too, but I don't have one.

Nearly every back and bi's exercise you do will make pull ups easier...

Strengthen your back + lose weight = more pull ups

[Circle Orange]

Good post. I had great luck with the low carb diet I was on.

only prob is you can't sustain that too long, you build up 'ketones' in your kidneys and urine...acid levels go through the roof. Supplement that with apple pectin and one of the green 'superfoods' on the market. Also, eat several small portions of food a day rather than singular huge meals. eat FIBER carbs more than processed carbs. And drink lots of water with each meal. Ice water makes you burn more (your body has to heat the water, believe it or not!)

Good luck!

[Br0nc0Buster]

Will protein shakes on off days hurt my goals?

Is there a point to drinking them on days I dont lift, and will they make it harder to burn off the fat?

If I eat carbs right after I work out, like a bowl of pasta or something, is that gonna make it harder to burn off the fat, should I just stick to high protein stuff?

[Florida_Bronco]

only prob is you can't sustain that too long, you build up 'ketones' in your kidneys and urine...acid levels go through the roof. If you do it right that shouldn't be a problem. I've been on a low carb diet (5 days on 2 off) for almost a year now.


Will protein shakes on off days hurt my goals? Not at all. They're usually low calorie as it is and your body burns off a good share of that just digesting the protein.

Is there a point to drinking them on days I dont lift, and will they make it harder to burn off the fat? I would keep taking them. No it won't hurt your goals.

If I eat carbs right after I work out, like a bowl of pasta or something, is that gonna make it harder to burn off the fat, should I just stick to high protein stuff? Pretty much. As a rule your body always looks to carbs for fuel. That's why I'm a big proponent of low carb diets for fat loss. Trains your body to burn the fat for fuel instead.

You can still lose weight without a low carb diet. It just takes longer.

[Broncos4tw]

As long as you are burning fat, you'll lose it eventually. You lose fat equally across your body. You just notice in the belly last, since that's typically the greatest reserve of fat. Just keep at it.

[Slade]

How many pullups did you start with? They are the bane of my workouts in P90x.

I was decent shape to start with. I could do 14 pullups

[underrated29]

P90x is definitely for real...


Something I heard was that you want to keep your body heart rate around 160...atleast that was for me. I do not think it is your target heart rate, but something else.


Apparantly, if you are within this range- you will burn off fat calories. Above it and your body switches to burning up sugar calories and below it, well, you arent really doing anything. So try to get into that heart range or find out what yours will be.

Also I have been told if you go for a light 10 min jog when you first get up, that your body will only want to metabolize fat cells. Then come back and wake up and eat.


Doing a bunch of situps will not rid the belly fat. Your body does not shed fat in specific areas. It shed fat in body sheets. So you will lose weight everywhere evenly all over your body. The thin parts like forarms, legs etc thin out first. Unfortunately, belly fat for dudes is amongst the last to go, but your body does not just target one area. Sit ups will only help the abs underneath the fat. But wont make the fat go any faster than regular cardio.

[azbroncfan]

You can still lose weight without a low carb diet. It just takes longer.

It all comes down to how many calories you intake to what you burn. Yes you can go straight protein but your setting yourself up for a heart attack and you will feel sluggish a lot of the time. Balanced diet and exercise watching calories is the key plus it is sustainable and will help resist binges better.

[Florida_Bronco]

It all comes down to how many calories you intake to what you burn. Kinda.

Yes you can go straight protein but your setting yourself up for a heart attack and you will feel sluggish a lot of the time. It's not "straight protein" though.

[Bob's your Information Minister]

Low carb is the quickest way to burn fat. Google velocity diet, it will rip the fat right off you.

But really, it's just caloric deficit.

Google basal metabolic rate. As long as you eat under your BMR every day you will be burning fat.

[Circle Orange]

It all comes down to how many calories you intake to what you burn. Yes you can go straight protein but your setting yourself up for a heart attack and you will feel sluggish a lot of the time. Balanced diet and exercise watching calories is the key plus it is sustainable and will help resist binges better.

Another drawback of too much protein is water weight gain and constipation. That is, you tend to hold a lot of fluid even though you lose fat weight (gas is another issue with too high protein diets. Body gets acidic). Metabolism is another factor. You can do short bursts of activity, nibble a raw carb snack, then do it again off and on during the day. You can cycle back and forth between carbs and protein. age, activity and metabolism are key factors (and genetic disposition. This affects where you gain weight first.) Even hormones can affect the ability to lose weight!

BALANCE is the key, as someone mentioned. By keeping your body "off balance" it can't adjust to any one physical routine, or the same foods which react the same way in your body. Also, eat when you're hungry and only then! It's amazing how so much eating is not related to hunger. http://scosoft.com/s/i/360d8101.gif

[bowtown]

Nearly every back and bi's exercise you do will make pull ups easier...

Strengthen your back + lose weight = more pull ups

Are you calling me fat?

[TheReverend]

Are you calling me fat?

Or weak. Or a combination of both. Yes. :kiss:

[Cito Pelon]

Best plan for a quick intense workout? Find a hill and run as fast you can to the top. Then some windsprints.

[bowtown]

Or weak. Or a combination of both. Yes. :kiss:

LOL Bastard.

[Taco John]

I'm on day 18 of P90X.

72 days to go.

[Br0nc0Buster]

Bump de bump

I have a couple questions for anyone that knows this stuff because I dont

Will my body burn muscle if I get a caloric deficit?
I went on a high carb diet to build muscle, and did that pretty well
but I got kinda fat and have recently along with lifting been eating less, and eating smaller smaller amounts more often
but now I am worried I might lose some of the muscle I gained

I can lift as much as I always have, so does that automatically mean I am not losing muscle then?

also are there any supplements I should know about for gaining muscle mass?

I have just been using whey protein and making a shake right after I work out and that is all

is creatine worth trying?

[bronco_diesel]

Bump de bump

I have a couple questions for anyone that knows this stuff because I dont

Will my body burn muscle if I get a caloric deficit?
I went on a high carb diet to build muscle, and did that pretty well
but I got kinda fat and have recently along with lifting been eating less, and eating smaller smaller amounts more often
but now I am worried I might lose some of the muscle I gained

I can lift as much as I always have, so does that automatically mean I am not losing muscle then?

also are there any supplements I should know about for gaining muscle mass?

I have just been using whey protein and making a shake right after I work out and that is all

is creatine worth trying?

You can totally gain muscle while on a lower calorie diet..but you do need to make sure you are taking in enough. (Look up Alwyn Cosgrove - he is the master in this stuff)

Supplements - You really don't need to...I thing going natural is best. That said I would suggest, especially for a low cal diet to use a BCAA drink. These are excellent for building muscle without having to take in all the calories of a protien shake)

Creatine works - but it also has some down sides. You retain a bunch of water and there are some claims that it is hard on your kidneys. If you do any, make sure to cycle.

[mr007]

Bump de bump

I have a couple questions for anyone that knows this stuff because I dont

Will my body burn muscle if I get a caloric deficit?
I went on a high carb diet to build muscle, and did that pretty well
but I got kinda fat and have recently along with lifting been eating less, and eating smaller smaller amounts more often
but now I am worried I might lose some of the muscle I gained

I can lift as much as I always have, so does that automatically mean I am not losing muscle then?

also are there any supplements I should know about for gaining muscle mass?

I have just been using whey protein and making a shake right after I work out and that is all

is creatine worth trying?

You already have plenty of good advice on this thread and so much **** on the internet it's ridiculous.

Fix your diet, stop drinking beer, eat lean healthy meats or those with good fat content (chicken breast, 99% fat free turkey meat, salmon, tuna, etc). Get rid of unnecessary sugars (your sugar should only come from fruits, fat-free milk/soy products, etc). For carbs you should focus mostly on whole grains - brown rice, whole wheat bread/pasta (the first ingredient should read "whole wheat xx").

Beyond that, moderate cardio and some lifting will get you in great shape in no time, you just have to be dedicated.

[HILife]

Try HIIT. I've started doing it running sprints and it kicks my butt everytime.

30 sec sprint
90 sec walk
5 times

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training

You might want to start with

10sec sprint
50 rest
5-10 times

or something that you can handle

[tsiguy96]

Try HIIT. I've started doing it running sprints and it kicks my butt everytime.

30 sec sprint
90 sec walk
5 times

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training

You might want to start with

10sec sprint
50 rest
5-10 times

or something that you can handle

2nd. might be the most challenging and effective form of fat loss there is, in terms of exercise.

[bronco_diesel]

Try HIIT. I've started doing it running sprints and it kicks my butt everytime.

30 sec sprint
90 sec walk
5 times

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training

You might want to start with

10sec sprint
50 rest
5-10 times

or something that you can handle

I do HIIT with weights...that is a major caloric burn.

If you do legs followed by an upper body in a circuit/superset/giant set format, you will get great results.

I also try to avoid isolation movements and do excercises that pull in multiple body parts (pullups as an example)

[broncolife]

So far in 19 days I have lost 26.5 pounds. Just by lowering my calorie intake alot(probably too much) and running on the treadmill for about 40 minutes a day. At 20 pounds I added pushups, situps and jumping jacks.Plan on adding more exercises every week thats why I am here. Seeing what I can add:) I would usually eat a bannana in the morning, an apple at 10 another apple at 12, then dinner which was either beef soup(a ton of sodium though) with veggies, chicken or beef stir fry with veggies, tuna sandwich, salad,bbq chicken. Snack was a cucumber or mini ranch rice cakes.
I cheated with prime rib and mashed potatoes, pizza, spaghetti and sausage

I dont know how much it helped but I also drank 2 glasses of water with 2tblsp of lime juice a day. I also drank alot of water.

week 1-lowered my calorie intake. Cheated on sundays dinner
week 2-added treadmill. Cheated on Sun
week 3- added pushups,situps,jumping jacks. Cheated on Wed

[elsid13]

Try HIIT. I've started doing it running sprints and it kicks my butt everytime.

30 sec sprint
90 sec walk
5 times

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training

You might want to start with

10sec sprint
50 rest
5-10 times

or something that you can handle

If you like that you might enjoy this routine I am starting to incorporate into my workouts using a jump rope.

* 100 Rope Turns
* 10 Burpees
* 10 Pushups
* 10 Bodyweight Squats

Repeat the circuit 10 times, no rest between exercises and complete the circuit with as few breaks as possible.

[Tombstone RJ]

If you like that you might enjoy this routine I am starting to incorporate into my workouts using a jump rope.

* 100 Rope Turns
* 10 Burpees
* 10 Pushups
* 10 Bodyweight Squats

Repeat the circuit 10 times, no rest between exercises and complete the circuit with as few breaks as possible.

yep, schit like this is all the rage now-a-days. it's painful...

[tsiguy96]

speaking of this, after i finish my masters im considering opening a gym in denver. me and my GF love it there. i assume getting property for that is going to be a real biatch, isnt it..

[Tombstone RJ]

speaking of this, after i finish my masters im considering opening a gym in denver. me and my GF love it there. i assume getting property for that is going to be a real biatch, isnt it..

you assume right. I hear Commerce City is "reasonable". and damnit, get married already...

[Tombstone RJ]

I plan on doing KingNeckbeard's work out this weekend... it won't be easy my friends...

[Bob's your Information Minister]

I gotta tell you guys, fasting and 0 carb diets are the bomb.

I gained 10 pounds in Missouri binge eating on Kansas City barbecue and grandma's home cooking.

Came home and lost 11 pounds in about two weeks.

It's great cheating like that and knowing you have the power to revert in a short period of time.

[tsiguy96]

you assume right. I hear Commerce City is "reasonable". and damnit, get married already...

i dont care if im in the heart of denver by any means, but need to be reasonably priced, have a fair bit of area to work with and located so its accessible.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Step up the aerobics (20-30 minutes per day/5 days per week on elliptical machine or alternative.)

Do ~300 crunches per day - 5 days a week.

Eighty-six the saturated fats and refined sugar.

[Requiem]

Starting a new diet/lifestyle routine for the next few months to monitor some weight loss progress. Will be eating lean meats, vegetables, fruits and wheat related grains. Yogurt and milk as well. Water drinking, some juice -- but mostly water. No pop.

Gotta take meds for my kidneys in the morning so I always like to get a good breakfast. Do about 5 miles or so on the bike after breakfast. Relax an have a small lunch with protein and fruit.

Crunches and pushups. Thinking about runs too. Rest and relax, then go for a bike ride again -- sometimes up to ten miles. I'll be hungry and have a nice meal, but nothing bad and just try to burn it off after.

Hope to make some good progress.

[tsiguy96]

Starting a new diet/lifestyle routine for the next few months to monitor some weight loss progress. Will be eating lean meats, vegetables, fruits and wheat related grains. Yogurt and milk as well. Water drinking, some juice -- but mostly water. No pop.

Gotta take meds for my kidneys in the morning so I always like to get a good breakfast. Do about 5 miles or so on the bike after breakfast. Relax an have a small lunch with protein and fruit.

Crunches and pushups. Thinking about runs too. Rest and relax, then go for a bike ride again -- sometimes up to ten miles. I'll be hungry and have a nice meal, but nothing bad and just try to burn it off after.

Hope to make some good progress.

get some split squats in there. easy to do at home, even with weight, and are great for quad development but especially glute activation and strengthening. put something heavy in your hands or on your back as you do them.

[Br0nc0Buster]

Does changing up your lifting routine really help a lot?
when I first started lifting I was making progress very quickly and now it seems I am sort of stuck around the same weight as far as how much I can lift

Do you just start out fast like that or am I doing something to hinder my progress?

I can lift as much as I ever have, but it takes me a lot longer to bump up to higher weights now that it used to when I first started

[TheReverend]

Does changing up your lifting routine really help a lot?
when I first started lifting I was making progress very quickly and now it seems I am sort of stuck around the same weight as far as how much I can lift

Do you just start out fast like that or am I doing something to hinder my progress?

I can lift as much as I ever have, but it takes me a lot longer to bump up to higher weights now that it used to when I first started

Plateauing is 100% natural. And yes, your body does adjust to your workout routine so changing it a little here and there is beneficial. More importantly, if you want to continue getting stronger: Eat more.

Also, ffs, go to a different forum for questions like this. You've gotten a wealth of terrible information in here that I hope to god you're not following.

[bowtown]

<object width="640" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sFV2KgZIK9k&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sFV2KgZIK9k&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object>

[TheReverend]

<object width="640" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sFV2KgZIK9k&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sFV2KgZIK9k&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object>

Shake weight bro.

[BroncoBuff]

TwinCities is right, you can't lose fat in a specific area, except maybe the gut, because proportionally it has more that everywhere else.

Bob is ... umm ... err ... right too (ouch). A no-carb diet drops pounds like a bad habit. It's almost like cheating. Be prepared for three things: 1) You'll have low energy in days 2 to 5, though it will pass, 2) Constipation ... get a stool softener, and 3) Drink lots of water, you'll need it. Carbs are carbo-HYDRATES, their hydration must be replaced.

Chaz is right, lifting is better for what you want than cardio. Better for retaining/building muscle mass of course.

enjolras I dunno ... protein shakes are fine on a zero-carb diet, and they pack huge calories. Besides, I think he wants to just maintain the muscle he has.


I'm not as big a beer-hater as some of these guys ... there is one beer, don't remember which, that has just 5 carbs per 12 oz. You can have three if you lay off all other carbs that day.

[azbroncfan]

I'm not as big a beer-hater as some of these guys ... there is one beer, don't remember which, that has just 5 carbs per 12 oz. You can have three if you lay off all other carbs that day.

That would be any of the domestic light beers. This whole carb per 12 oz of beer has been one of the most overhyped BS in awhile. I think Coors light has only 3.5 carbs or something I am too lazy to look but it isn't much.

[Irish Stout]

Want to lose weight and not deprive yourself of carbs? Train for a marathon. Give yourself 6 month. Seriously train and push yourself in your training. Nights before you're going on 10-18 mile training runs, eat pasta, drink a beer.

You're not going to be able to massively bulk up on muscles, but you can supplement your training with lifting and come away from the whole thing with good definition and strength.

Then again, most people can't stand running that much.

[BroncoBuff]

That would be any of the domestic light beers. This whole carb per 12 oz of beer has been one of the most overhyped BS in awhile. I think Coors light has only 3.5 carbs or something I am too lazy to look but it isn't much.

You're right az ... I must've been thinking Coors Light.

There's several good choices here:


http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/6001/beerg.png


Miller Lite at 3.2 works for me ... :thumbs: