can you lose fat% and not lose strength

[Phenotype X]

I've lost about 45 pounds of fat, and put on 15 pounds of muscle in the last 10 weeks. I hope its possible... or something is seriously fucked with my body.

1800-2000 calories a day, high rep low weight workouts, and lots of cardio. Wasn't hard for me though, because I had no muscle to begin with

i don't understand how you can determine that you specifically lost the fat and added the muscle. How do you know that the 15 lbs of muscle wasn't already there??? You may have gained sufficient muscle and probably had better defined initial muscle, but that doesn't mean that you gained 15. I'm sure your strength went down too.

 

[Warblade]

I've lost about 45 pounds of fat, and put on 15 pounds of muscle in the last 10 weeks. I hope its possible... or something is seriously fucked with my body.

1800-2000 calories a day, high rep low weight workouts, and lots of cardio. Wasn't hard for me though, because I had no muscle to begin with

High rep low weight huh. If that's your normal routine, cool. Otherwise the difference between cutting and bulking is diet, not training style.

 

[bignate73]

i don't understand how you can determine that you specifically lost the fat and added the muscle. How do you know that the 15 lbs of muscle wasn't already there??? You may have gained sufficient muscle and probably had better defined initial muscle, but that doesn't mean that you gained 15. I'm sure your strength went down too.

bodyfat percentage and weight will tell you.

 

[b fold the truth]

A top strength athlete who begins to diet will lose strength...at least at first. When you starve your body, especially without AAS, you will lose muscle. Take this time to improve things like: weakpoints, technique, abs, calves, etc....

B True

 

[Peyomp]

i don't understand how you can determine that you specifically lost the fat and added the muscle. How do you know that the 15 lbs of muscle wasn't already there??? You may have gained sufficient muscle and probably had better defined initial muscle, but that doesn't mean that you gained 15. I'm sure your strength went down too.

My strength has gone up, and its gone up a whole lot. I've lost 30 total pounds. However, my skin pinch indicated that I've lost about 15 pounds more body fat than is indicated on the scale... and considering the complete transformation of my musculature, its not exactly hard for me to conclude: I lost 45 pounds of fat and gained 15 pounds of muscle.

Why would that be hard to believe?

As far as the low weight high rep, that was to burn calories. Now that my body fat is lower, and I've seen the results I can get, I've started doing 12-8 reps to failure with heavier weights, and doing more cardio to make up for the fewer calories in the resistance training. I also work back/chest, bicep/tricep, in opposition, etc. to keep my heartrate up during workouts.

You can lose fat while gaining muscle. I eat 800 calories worth of protein (200g), and as much complex carbs daily... and not much else. And I'm losing it FAST.

 

[tzan]

Just for GearforQueers- STEROIDS!! Without the use of gear, I think it's near impossible to maintain all your strength while losing weight. However if your strict with your diet, training, rest I think you can come close.

 

[Bobarell]

I think a lot of it depends on where you are starting from.

People that have been seriously lifting for years and want to burn some fat with a diet there is a good chance they will burn some muscle as well.

A lot of people, like me, can burn fat and gain strength because we haven't been seriously training for a long time and just the fact that we are working out a lot more seriously we will gain strength. I have lost 20lbs in 2 months and even though I don't see my muscles growing my strength has gone up greatly. My friends don't believe what I bench when they look at me. I don't bench much, but I have an Asain(legs) build at 5'10" and 160 so my upper body is tiny. At least I think so. For the 1st time in my life I am able to bench my body wieght plus a little. Like I said though, it is not much, but it is a big improvement over what I was at 2 months ago(before dieting)

 

[Peyomp]

I think a lot of it depends on where you are starting from.

People that have been seriously lifting for years and want to burn some fat with a diet there is a good chance they will burn some muscle as well.

A lot of people, like me, can burn fat and gain strength because we haven't been seriously training for a long time and just the fact that we are working out a lot more seriously we will gain strength. I have lost 20lbs in 2 months and even though I don't see my muscles growing my strength has gone up greatly. My friends don't believe what I bench when they look at me. I don't bench much, but I have an Asain(legs) build at 5'10" and 160 so my upper body is tiny. At least I think so. For the 1st time in my life I am able to bench my body wieght plus a little. Like I said though, it is not much, but it is a big improvement over what I was at 2 months ago(before dieting)

Agreed. I know I've lost weight... cause of the pinch and the scale. And I know I've gained muscle... cause of the heavier weights and the fact that many of my muscles (triceps for instance) have like 4 times the mass they had in their delapidated state.

But I'm sure it would be hard for someone with an alreadly really solid musculature to lose fat without losing some muscle.

 

[Phenotype X]

bodyfat percentage and weight will tell you.

Dude I'm not dumb, I just thought he would say something about it. He even said he didn't know if it was possible, just wanted him to respond telling me he had a BF test and its results.

 

[bignate73]

i never assume someone knows. there are still those on here working their lower abs......