So, I’ve been lifting for about 8 years now and I’m 42. Before I started lifting I was fat and miserable. Now, I’m beefy and fairly content. I’m muscular, but not like I want to be. I keep getting conflicting information on what type of workout I should be doing. I want to cut the fat, but at the same time I want to build muscle and strength. Is this a hopeless goal?
Yes.
In order to lose fat you need to have a calorie deficit.
In order to build muscle you need to have a calorie surplus.
Do you see the problem here?
No.
It’s not hopeless but it does become more difficult with biological age and especially training age. There are many ways to cycle calories and macronutrients that will allow you to maintain or even gain a bit of muscle while reducing bodyfat. If you’re down to 12% bodyfat and want to get down to “ripped” status while maintaining most of your mass/strength check out the Carb Cycling for Idiots article on the main page. It addresses this very issue.
If you’re looking for short term results however, I would definitely recommend that you pick a goal and focus on that. Trying to do both at once is possible but takes dedication and PATIENCE.
[quote]teeroy65 wrote:
I want to cut the fat, but at the same time I want to build muscle and strength. Is this a hopeless goal?[/quote]
Personally, I think it is best to focus on one or the other.
Some can do both at the same time, but I think they are rare.
Most of us can either lose fat OR build muscle.
For a while I alternated months - a month of cutting the fat, then a month of building muscle. The approach seemed to be working until I got sidelined for a while with a shoulder injury.
Currently my approach is to lean out as much as possible (while my shoulder finishing healing) and then go back to building muscle once I am stronger and have my bodyfat at a low percentage.
BTW as I lose fat, I look “BIGGER” because you can see more of my muscularity. No doubt the same thing will happen to you.
Try the carb cycling or try the paleo or evolutionary diets. Basically get rid of grains, starchy carbs and milk and start eating the way our ancestors ate, lots of meat, fruits and vegetables.
[quote]stuward wrote:
Try the carb cycling or try the paleo or evolutionary diets. Basically get rid of grains, starchy carbs and milk and start eating the way our ancestors ate, lots of meat, fruits and vegetables.[/quote]
this is right on the money. eating like this will help you.
sb
[quote]teeroy65 wrote:
So, I’ve been lifting for about 8 years now and I’m 42. Before I started lifting I was fat and miserable. Now, I’m beefy and fairly content. I’m muscular, but not like I want to be. I keep getting conflicting information on what type of workout I should be doing. I want to cut the fat, but at the same time I want to build muscle and strength. Is this a hopeless goal?[/quote]
Since you asked about training for fat loss, here is an excellent article on exactly that subject.
http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1756065&cr=
You can’t ignore the fact that training is only half of the picture and so you simply have to face the fact that nutrition is just as important as training - probably more so.
Your body composition is the result of your lifestyle. How you train, how you eat, how you recover, it all works together and the result is what you see in the mirror. In order to change your body composition, you have to change your lifestyle and that is not an easy or trivial thing to do. In point of fact, it is literally impossible for most people. Is it hopeless? No way. Is it easy, simple and can you learn how to do it by reading a couple of posts in a forum? No way.
Look around and ask yourself how many lean and muscular guys you see. Probably none outside of the gym and probably very few even there. Make no mistake, being lean and muscular is an extraordinary achievement and it takes extraordinary efforts to get there.
Get a copy of the Anabolic Solution for Bodybuilders, it describes how to lose fat while gaining muscle. (I just got my copy)