Hey everyone,
I have a question about gaining mass vs. losing fat. I weigh about 175 lbs right now, with, my guess is, 17-19 percent body fat, and have been doing hypertophy and maximum strength training for the last 5 months and was wondering whether I should first continue gaining mass and strength before going on a fat loss program, or cut some fat right away, or should I alternate small phases of each? My goals are around 190lbs. w/ 10% bodyfat.
I’m 5’10". I’ve been following Stuart McRobert’s “Beyond Brawn” book for about the past 4 months, and have just completed one cycle. His book is a progressive overload method with cycles that can last up to a year, using basically compound lifts only. I’ve been using Stiff legged deadlifts, squats, bench press, pullups, dips, and military presses. My diet is kind of shabby, I’ve been basically just eating six times a day on a high protein, low carb, low fat diet, but recently I have been looking at the diets on T-mag, trying to figure out which one would be best right now.
I’m 5’10". I’ve been following Stuart McRobert’s “Beyond Brawn” book for about the past 4 months, and have just completed one cycle. His book is a progressive overload method with cycles that can last up to a year, using basically compound lifts only. I’ve been using Stiff legged deadlifts, squats, bench press, pullups, dips, and military presses. My diet is kind of shabby, I’ve been basically just eating six times a day on a high protein, low carb, low fat diet, but recently I have been looking at the diets on T-mag, trying to figure out which one would be best right now.
If you’re truly in that bodyfat % neighbourhood then you should diet down instead of continuing on your mass pursuit.
The fatter you are the more likely your ‘new weight’ will be fat. Said another way, a greater proportion of your new weight will be fat as opposed to muscle.
In terms of bodyfat, I’ll disagree a bit with Pat. I don’t think you need to get it tested. I think people put way too much stock into what the calipers tell them. What your absolute bodyfat percentage is doesn’t matter much. The relative changes do, so in that sense you may want to track skinfolds, which will tell you if you’re gaining or losing fat.
For myself, I never get bodyfat tested. I go by the mirror. If I look fat, and I’m not happy with my conditioning then it’s time to diet. If I’m ok with my condition, then I keep on eating.
I don’t see how knowing your bodyfat will help you that much.
“I don’t see how knowing your bodyfat will help you that much.”
Wow…how would you know if your current training/nutrition regimen is meeting your targeted goals?!
I guess you’re able to judge quickly using the mirror, but my changes tend to be slow and invisible to my naked eye. The only way I can measure if I’m on the right track or not is to use them calipers…