Can you lose body fat by gaining lean mass?

[kraze]

Can someone explain please... I want to lose body fat, but I don't want to lose my overall weight, infact, I want to get bigger! What's the best method? I've gone on a cutting diet right now (<10g carbs a day) because of my fat pouch on my stomache, but I'm losing weight! I want to get bigger, but with lean mass.


When I was bulking, I didn't know and I mostly ate a lot of fast food. I gained 45 lbs. over 2 years, but I worked out HARD 3 times a week (1 hr.). I was getting big, but I formed a pouch on my stomache!

My body fat is at 12% right now. Should I drop it to like 8% and then bulk with a clean diet?

I'm too confused. Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[kraze]

Some more info. about me:
I'm about 21 yo / 5'6 / 147lbs. A sample of the new cutting diet I started:

Meal 1 = 2 scoops whey protein + 1 tbsp flax
Meal 2 = steak + scrambled eggs
Meal 3 = salad + hamburger (no bun)
Meal 4 = cooked vegetables
Meal 5 = 3 scoops whey protein
water throughout the day

 

[Musmar]

With that kind of diet you will lose muscle VERY fast. It's reallt low on calories bro and has no carbs. Increase your calories drastically to avoid muscle loss. When you drop your calories so low there will be an initial weight loss stage but after a few days your body will fight back because it will think it's going into starvation. So the end result will be that you will stop losing weight and you'll be very frustrated.

My advice to you is to increase your calories to at leat 1800 per day. Keep protein high (as it is) and add 30-40 grams of carbs for your first 3 meals. You will need complex carbs (the best) such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal and brown rice. For meal 4, add a protein source eg 5-10oz of chicken breast.

 

[IJ26]

1st of all its almost winter. 2nd of all even if u r 2% bf at 147 pounds noone will notice. clean up your diet and try to gain solid lean mass. you will increase your metabolism and burn more cals making it easier to cut the fat u gain in the spring. Take your weight x 20 to get your total calorie intake. You should be getting in 1-2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. hit the gym and train hard, see the training board sticky to find a program that meets your goals. do all this and you will be happy come summer time.

 

[kraze]

I was actually up at 155! But I stopped eating all that fast food/carbs. I can see the upper part of my abs now. I still have a lil pouch on the bottom! My muscles seem to be the same.

And sweet potatoes... are these the same potatoes that these home grilled restaurants use to side STEAK + EGGS with? Also, can I use fruit for my carbs along with the oatmeal, brown rice?

 

[juve]

short - term it's close to impossible without drug implementation to gain lean mass while losing fat...either bulk, or cut..
however in the long run the more lbm you have the higher your metabolic rate will be as muscle requires energy to maintain...fat does not need energy to be kept in your body...so the more lbm the more energy (or fat if the diet is correct) you will be burning

as for fruit, fruit are great but they must have a place within your nutrient partitioning...banana for example is great post-workout since it's a starchy carb (high GI) and also is rich in potassium which can help with recovery after endurance training (although consuming bananas before endurance training makes more sense, but still..)

and bro, i'd be very wary of these 'home-grilled-restaurants'...you have no idea what they put in their food...and if you don't know you shouldn't be eating eat while cutting...simple rule: meal should only consist of 2 engredients (like say, sweet potatoes and steak...spices don't count, although some seasonings are loaded with Dextrose/Fructose Syrups), otherwise you're asking for trouble; best deal is to make food yorself.

 

[rettoforever]

bump for all these bros..

I just say to balance everything: high protein, generous carbs, and enough good fats-- at every meal. This keeps the machine going, and the weight at an incline. (then you just gradually add more)

 

[STEP OFF]

where do u want to me in the next 6mos? a) low bf%, similar muscle mass or b) moderate bf%, greater muscle mass .. choose one (its nearly impossible to do both) and ask questions on this board, we'll help you out

 

[kraze]

damn.. i want/NEED to get bigger, but when i sit down, i don't want a roll of fat! when i stand, it's all good. maybe i'l just stick to a clean carb diet. thanks for everyone's help and if anyone has anymore advice, keep it coming!

ps. i'm forced to eat out, but i try to eat the healthiest stuff. the truth in matter is my whole family is vegetarian and i can't cook anything at home.

 

[STEP OFF]

you could look into doing a super clean bulk if you dont want to gain fat. of course, this is going to be the slow and steady approach. dont expect big gains, rather small gains every month or so. there are some clean bulk diets posted here, just look for them.

have u considered going on a cycle? check the anabolics section for more info.