Lose body fat only ?

[solrosenberg]

I am trying to gain weight, or stay at current 218, but only lose body fat. I am currently working out 5-6 days per week for around 45 mins, then 15 min of cardio after. Is it possible to lose body fat and gain muscle at the same time ? I have some pretty good muscle and don't want to lose any , but at the same time, I want to lose some belly fat. I don't need a 6 pack, just look respectable at my stomach. I am not a fatass at all, just need to lose probably 10 lbs of fat. Any suggestions ?

 

[Tristen79]

Well there are good news and bad news points to all of your questions so I'll try to answer in chronological order for you. It is very difficult to gain weight and lose body fat at the same time I would recommend trying to focus on cutting first or bulking then cutting as you will see more dramatic gains on either end of the spectrum if you focus on one or the other. The reason being if you are trying to cut down bodyfat you can still add muscle but the gains will be very minimal (as to cut you will be calorie depleting somewhat) and to add on the muscle you are hoping for you need enough calories and nutrients to help them grow as well.

The only bad news is you cannot necessarily "spot" train to target losing the fat in your belly and unfortunately this is the area where men tend to store the hardest to lose fat as women do in their thighs and ass.

So....just focus in on your diet and keep up the good workout routines (would also reccommend that you switch up your routine every other month or so) to target other muscle movements and you will see the results you want soon enough

 

[solrosenberg]

Thanks for the help. I am just trying to eat as clean as I can, lift heavy ass weights 5-6 times per week, do 15 mins of cardio after my w/o and hope for the best. I have come to the realization I will never have a 6 pack, and all I want is a somewhat flat stomach. I have pretty good muscle size, but I still want to get bigger. Hopefully my stomack will go down a little with a better diet. I have just recently added the 15 mins of cardio at the end. If I wasn't so tired in the morning, I would do 30 mins of cardio on an empty stomach, but that just isn't going to happen anytime soon. Maybe over the winter when work slows down.

 

[GUARDIAN]

u r not doing nearly enuf cardio to burn much fat. start with a separate am cardio session for 45-mins 5-7X ew.

 

[solrosenberg]

u r not doing nearly enuf cardio to burn much fat. start with a separate am cardio session for 45-mins 5-7X ew.

My weight training is very high intensity will very little rest between sets. Approx 2 minutes. 45 minutes of heavy weights with little rest followed by 15 mins of cardio = 60 mins of intensity, 5-6 times per week. That's about all I can do. I am hoping with that and a good diet will add more muscle and reduce my stomach. I will list a sample of my diet for a typical day

8:30 Muscle milk rtd
11:00 Turkey sammy on wheat with a little miracle whip light
2:00 tuna sammy on wheat with a little miracle whip light
4:00 w/o
5:30 protein shake 50+ grams of whey or eas 42 gram shake
7:00 chicken or some type of protein dinner
10:00 2 scoops of whey

This is about as good as I can eat. I have no idea how my protein / carb / fat ratio is , or the amount of calories I am taking in. I am going to buy a coffee grinder this weekend and start mixing in some flax seed to my protein shake. i have heard that it is good for you.

 

[GUARDIAN]

just a recommendation bro. i do high intensity in the gym as well with no more than 45 secs rest between sets. except for the most gifted metabolisms i think cardio is the way to go.

if u have no idea how many calories u r taking in u have no idea what adjusments u may need to make in your diet imo.

start a diet log u may be suprised. most of the stuff u have listed has caloric information on the back of it. u just have to be accurate with the actual serving sizes u truly ingest. u can estimate the remainder of your foods that don't have nutritional info with this site. http://www.thedailyplate.com/

as was said previously it is very hard to naturally add both muscle and lose fat at the same time. even under the right circumstances the results are mediocre at best. it would be better to choose one goal (diet or muscle) and go all out for that.

My weight training is very high intensity will very little rest between sets. Approx 2 minutes. 45 minutes of heavy weights with little rest followed by 15 mins of cardio = 60 mins of intensity, 5-6 times per week. That's about all I can do. I am hoping with that and a good diet will add more muscle and reduce my stomach. I will list a sample of my diet for a typical day

8:30 Muscle milk rtd
11:00 Turkey sammy on wheat with a little miracle whip light
2:00 tuna sammy on wheat with a little miracle whip light
4:00 w/o
5:30 protein shake 50+ grams of whey or eas 42 gram shake
7:00 chicken or some type of protein dinner
10:00 2 scoops of whey

This is about as good as I can eat. I have no idea how my protein / carb / fat ratio is , or the amount of calories I am taking in. I am going to buy a coffee grinder this weekend and start mixing in some flax seed to my protein shake. i have heard that it is good for you.

 

[solrosenberg]

Is the only way to lose belly fat is to burn more calories than you consume ? Or, as I have always read, muscle burns fat, even while you sleep . Does this mean the muscle is burning the fat that I have ate that day, or is it burning stored fat ? This is really confusing to me. I am hoping that with these new 45 min intense workouts with the added 15 mins of cardio at the end, my metabolism speeds up and starts burning stored fat. I have been lifting heavily for about 9 months ( after a few month layoff), and have seen some decent size added. I just don't want to lose any muscle.

 

[GUARDIAN]

Is the only way to lose belly fat is to burn more calories than you consume ? only way to lose weight. u dont get to choose where it comes off.

Or, as I have always read, muscle burns fat, even while you sleep . increased muscle mass needs more calories. it doesnt burn fat. u need more calories to support it.

Does this mean the muscle is burning the fat that I have ate that day, or is it burning stored fat ? u r a little confused on this point. muscles burn calories. whether those calories are from protein, fat, or carbs. though your body typically uses carbs first for energy. any excess calories u dont need get stored as fat (oversimplified here)

This is really confusing to me. I am hoping that with these new 45 min intense workouts with the added 15 mins of cardio at the end, my metabolism speeds up and starts burning stored fat. I have been lifting heavily for about 9 months ( after a few month layoff), and have seen some decent size added. I just don't want to lose any muscle. then make sure u keep the protein up.

bro u got a lot of studying to do. there is a good book out there called burn the fat feed the muscle i think????

 

[solrosenberg]

I guess I am a little confused. I want to lose some belly fat, but keep my muscle. I am hoping that with eating cleaner, and keeping the workouts intense , I will see some results. As I mentioned earliers, 45 mins of heavy, intense weights, followed by 15 mins of cardio 5-6 times per week is about all I can do.

 

[gjohnson5]

15 minute cardio session will not cut it in terms of oxidizing bodyfat. Increase that to 60-90 minutes @ 65% VO2MAX...

Secondly to conserve muscle while doing the above I would use some protein and/or amino acid drink mixed with a small amount of glucose/dextrose beforehand. Insulin will pretty much stop fat oxidation, but the first 15 minutes of cardio will probably not oxidize much if any fatty acids anyway..

Also don't do this first thing in the morning on an empty stomach....

I am trying to gain weight, or stay at current 218, but only lose body fat. I am currently working out 5-6 days per week for around 45 mins, then 15 min of cardio after. Is it possible to lose body fat and gain muscle at the same time ? I have some pretty good muscle and don't want to lose any , but at the same time, I want to lose some belly fat. I don't need a 6 pack, just look respectable at my stomach. I am not a fatass at all, just need to lose probably 10 lbs of fat. Any suggestions ?

 

[solrosenberg]

15 minute cardio session will not cut it in terms of oxidizing bodyfat. Increase that to 60-90 minutes @ 65% VO2MAX...

Secondly to conserve muscle while doing the above I would use some protein and/or amino acid drink mixed with a small amount of glucose/dextrose beforehand. Insulin will pretty much stop fat oxidation, but the first 15 minutes of cardio will probably not oxidize much if any fatty acids anyway..

Also don't do this first thing in the morning on an empty stomach....

I do the 15 minutes at the end of my workout. I do high intensity weight training. Heavy weights , medium reps, 2 minute rest between sets. The reason for the 15 min cardio is to make my w/o last one hour. One solid hour of high intensity working 5-6 times per week out has to be buring fat.

 

[GUARDIAN]

I do the 15 minutes at the end of my workout. I do high intensity weight training. Heavy weights , medium reps, 2 minute rest between sets. The reason for the 15 min cardio is to make my w/o last one hour. One solid hour of high intensity working 5-6 times per week out has to be buring fat.

no offense but u r not listening to anyone. it almost appears as all u want is for someone to agree with u. an old saying goes if u ask enough times u will find someone to agree with u.

 

[gjohnson5]

I agree
And I'm horrible about telling people what they want to hear, if they want to hear something thats false

Fat is like diesel fuel... It takes time to burn

I would tell him just to drop his calories to 1500 , but since he wants to keep if not gain muscle , that's not an option

no offense but u r not listening to anyone. it almost appears as all u want is for someone to agree with u. an old saying goes if u ask enough times u will find someone to agree with u.

 

[solrosenberg]

I am listening to you guys. I guess I will have to live with a little belly fat because I am not sacraficing hard earned muscle. Like I said before, all I want is for my stomach to look respectable. I know I will never have a 6 pack. I am not a fatass by any means. I am going to do my thing for 12 weeks, and if I don't see a change, I will bump this thread and listen better. But for now it's going to be lifting my ass off for 45 mins, followed by 15 min cardio 5-6 times per week, and a good diet. Sorry, I am not tyring to be a jackhole.

 

[solrosenberg]

What about that lipo- stuff and the other thing I can't think of the name that I keep reading about ? Are they fat burner, muscle builders, or just energy boosters ? I am very curious about them. Anybody try them ?

 

[kanobez]

Bro, you need to listen to what these folks with experience are telling you. Why ask a question if you're not going to listen to the advice given. Your 15 minutes of cardio is pretty much just a waste of time. Your body will not oxidize any fat in that amount of time.

You have two choices: #1: Keep doing what you're doing and also keep your fat. #2: Listen to what these guys are telling you and get what you want.

If you keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting the exact same results.

 

[solrosenberg]

Bro, you need to listen to what these folks with experience are telling you. Why ask a question if you're not going to listen to the advice given. Your 15 minutes of cardio is pretty much just a waste of time. Your body will not oxidize any fat in that amount of time.

You have two choices: #1: Keep doing what you're doing and also keep your fat. #2: Listen to what these guys are telling you and get what you want.

If you keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting the exact same results.

I just started this w/o a week and half ago. I have been lifting for 9 months ( after a few month layoff ) , taking extra time between sets with no cardio. So I was basically not burning any fat at all, plus I wasn't eating very clean. I was just packing on mass the past 9 months. This new 60 min high intensity w/o with a better diet is alot different than what I was doing. I am feeing better already. My energy level is raising. So this isn't a " keep what your doing" thing. Time will tell if I start losing any belly fat. I do appreciate the advise from everyone. This way if it doesn't work, I will have something to refer to.

 

[chazk]

Every guy gets this complex . I dont wanna loose any muscle , I want to keep it all and still loose my fat.

Sorry bud just not gonna happen.
Pick one or the other

build muscle = eat alot and gain muscle and some fat

or loose fat = restrict calories loose fat and keep protien high to prevent as little muscle loss as you can.

You will loose some muscle but over all you will prob look better, you might be confusing loosing fat and thinking it was muscle.

I have seen lots of guys loose weight and think it was muscle but most the time it was fat. They just loose the fat and feel smaller

 

[solrosenberg]

Every guy gets this complex . I dont wanna loose any muscle , I want to keep it all and still loose my fat.

Sorry bud just not gonna happen.
Pick one or the other

build muscle = eat alot and gain muscle and some fat

or loose fat = restrict calories loose fat and keep protien high to prevent as little muscle loss as you can.

You will loose some muscle but over all you will prob look better, you might be confusing loosing fat and thinking it was muscle.

I have seen lots of guys loose weight and think it was muscle but most the time it was fat. They just loose the fat and feel smaller

I have a feeling after reading everyone's posts, that you are right. Thanks for the advise.

ps- It's lose, not loose

 

[gjohnson5]

I agree that losing fat without some muscle loss is highly improbably naturally. With anti-catabolic drugs I do belive it can be done easily.

Naturally you need to plan accordingly in terms of calories and macros as well as when you do the cardio. Protein and amino acid Supplements are necessary. Even with these it's highly improbable naturally, but muscle loss can be minimized

Every guy gets this complex . I dont wanna loose any muscle , I want to keep it all and still loose my fat.

Sorry bud just not gonna happen.
Pick one or the other

build muscle = eat alot and gain muscle and some fat

or loose fat = restrict calories loose fat and keep protien high to prevent as little muscle loss as you can.

You will loose some muscle but over all you will prob look better, you might be confusing loosing fat and thinking it was muscle.

I have seen lots of guys loose weight and think it was muscle but most the time it was fat. They just loose the fat and feel smaller

 

[chazk]

I have a feeling after reading everyone's posts, that you are right. Thanks for the advise.

ps- It's lose, not loose

LOL ? " loose " hahah I am having one of those days.
I wanted to attend a local NPC show to root on a bodybuilder from my gym
Found out the tickets were sold out.
Then came home to bang on the key board .LOL
Yea man I ment to type lose not loose.

 

[treneriffic]

Also you say that you now realize that you will never be able to obtain a six pack...thats bull shit. You werent born without abdominal muscles. If you would listen to what these guys are saying (which most have 6 packs by the way) you would see in a short time that you do have a sixer.

I used to think the same way untill I got my diet and cardio in check.

Try ditching your 15 min of cardio after your workout and just wake up earlier and do about 45 min to an hr of cardio in the morning on an empty stomach.

if you cant do that, then you have to bump your post workout cardio to a minimum of 45 mins to get any fat burning goin on

 

[solrosenberg]

Also you say that you now realize that you will never be able to obtain a six pack...thats bull shit. You werent born without abdominal muscles. If you would listen to what these guys are saying (which most have 6 packs by the way) you would see in a short time that you do have a sixer.

I used to think the same way untill I got my diet and cardio in check.

Try ditching your 15 min of cardio after your workout and just wake up earlier and do about 45 min to an hr of cardio in the morning on an empty stomach.

if you cant do that, then you have to bump your post workout cardio to a minimum of 45 mins to get any fat burning goin on

I can't do the morning this time of year due to work, but I could do more cardio after my w/o if I forced myself. How many times per week do you think ? Please don't say after EVERY w/o . I am hitting the weights 5-6 times per week right now. My weight training and muscle building is doing great right now. I am currently 6'0 218 , 17" arms, 36" waist. No idea about body fat. If I grab my stomach, there is a couple extra inches. I just want to lose those few inches and don't really care about a 6 pack ( ok, I wouldn't mind ) Arms, chest, shoulders look good. Legs and calves are lacking. I love doing chest, arms and shoulders. Hate back and legs and traps, but still do them. I can only do leg presses due to my back. ( spondylolithesis, 2 degenerative discs and 1 bulging disc ). I can tolerate my back as long as I don't do certain movements ( squats, hack squats, bent over rows, leg curl, and when I do seated rows, I have to remain straight, can't lean forward at all ).

 

[treneriffic]

if you cant do cardio after every workout, maybe drop your workouts to 3-4 days a week but keep your cardio 5-6 days...if your main goal is getting rid of that fat, then diet and cardio are going to be your #1 issue, weight training should come in second.

The only thing is that if you do cardio on non workout days, you are going to have to go alot longer than 45 mins. (unless you can get it done in the morning before you eat)

 

[solrosenberg]

if you cant do cardio after every workout, maybe drop your workouts to 3-4 days a week but keep your cardio 5-6 days...if your main goal is getting rid of that fat, then diet and cardio are going to be your #1 issue, weight training should come in second.

The only thing is that if you do cardio on non workout days, you are going to have to go alot longer than 45 mins. (unless you can get it done in the morning before you eat)

If I am doing intense weight training with only 1-2 mins of rest between sets, isn't that considered cardio also ? My heart rate has to be elevated then entire time. Also, when I am doing my cardio, the heart rate monitor has me at 150. Is this good ? What should it be to burn fat ?

 

[ready your god for blood]

If I am doing intense weight training with only 1-2 mins of rest between sets, isn't that considered cardio also ? My heart rate has to be elevated then entire time. Also, when I am doing my cardio, the heart rate monitor has me at 150. Is this good ? What should it be to burn fat ?

Yes if you had different genetics but you don't have those genetics. That is the fact I had to face. I wanted to do what I liked and what worked for other people that weren't me.

I hate cardio but there is no getting around it with my genetics. I put on fat and I need cardio sessions (an hour 6 days a week for me personally) to see results. I need the cardio to oxidize my fat and I truly do feel it. I have to dial in my diet too. Funny thing is I am the only one in my family that has genetics like this. My family runs naturally in males at 8% bodyfat with no regard to diet me personally eating better than them I see 25% bodyfat I would pity myself but pity never got me into shape.

The book Burn the Fat and feed the muscle is great!

Change your mentality I too liked the idea that I could lift hard and burn fat without cardio but for me it was a pipedream for me and my genetics. I like lifting I despise cardio I do that is a simple fact. I get strong real easy so weight training comes easy. I bet the same is for you too but if you want to get lean change your mentality hit the cardio first in the gym start off with 30 minutes before you do your HIT but do it first everytime so you have no excuse. Then ramp it up to 45 then 60. Trust me you will love the results. Yeah it is not an easy answer but you will love the results and be proud in the end when people make the comments on how hard you are working.

 

[solrosenberg]

Yes if you had different genetics but you don't have those genetics. That is the fact I had to face. I wanted to do what I liked and what worked for other people that weren't me.

I hate cardio but there is no getting around it with my genetics. I put on fat and I need cardio sessions (an hour 6 days a week for me personally) to see results. I need the cardio to oxidize my fat and I truly do feel it. I have to dial in my diet too. Funny thing is I am the only one in my family that has genetics like this. My family runs naturally in males at 8% bodyfat with no regard to diet me personally eating better than them I see 25% bodyfat I would pity myself but pity never got me into shape.

The book Burn the Fat and feed the muscle is great!

Change your mentality I too liked the idea that I could lift hard and burn fat without cardio but for me it was a pipedream for me and my genetics. I like lifting I despise cardio I do that is a simple fact. I get strong real easy so weight training comes easy. I bet the same is for you too but if you want to get lean change your mentality hit the cardio first in the gym start off with 30 minutes before you do your HIT but do it first everytime so you have no excuse. Then ramp it up to 45 then 60. Trust me you will love the results. Yeah it is not an easy answer but you will love the results and be proud in the end when people make the comments on how hard you are working.

Thanks for the advise, it is much appreciated. People do make comments regarding my physique too, but the sad thing is it's with my shirt on. lol. They can't see my 2-3 inches of belly fat through my shirt.

 

[solrosenberg]

update:

I am down to 212 from 217 after 2 weeks of doing cardio after my w/o. I have increased the cardio to 20 min instead of 15 per everybody's recomondation. ( I know everybody said atleast 30 min, but 20 is all I have in me right now. 6 x per week after 45 min of weight training ). Stamina is increasing, strength is still good, diet is good. So far so good.

Thanks for all the advise.

 

[bigjd69]

Try a Ketosis Diet until you loose the bellyfat, then slowly add the carbs back in.

 

[dabuffguy]

You can maintain your muscle while dropping fat, you just can;t maintain your bodyweight and lose fat. You want to get ripped? Your body weight goes down, no getting around it. Doesn't mean you'll lose muscle though. A high protein diet with added cardio will preserve the muscle you have, and take the fat off. Your body weight WILL drop.

unless, of course, you took steroids. In which a medium calorie diet with lots of cardio, you can build muscle and lose fat.

 

[gjohnson5]

Yeah , just work that inner pectoralis major muscle of your with some close grip dumbell presses

:sarcasm:

You can maintain your muscle while dropping fat, you just can;t maintain your bodyweight and lose fat. You want to get ripped? Your body weight goes down, no getting around it. Doesn't mean you'll lose muscle though. A high protein diet with added cardio will preserve the muscle you have, and take the fat off. Your body weight WILL drop.

unless, of course, you took steroids. In which a medium calorie diet with lots of cardio, you can build muscle and lose fat.

 

[solrosenberg]

I have kept the protein pretty high. My w/o have been great. My stamina is high. I may try to gradually increase the cardio at the end of the w/o. I just get so damn bored. I have a bad back, so the recumbant bike is what i use. my heart rate is between 145-150 for the entire 20 mins. I am breaking a pretty good sweat. 5x per week is about the average so far. Like I said earlier, I have been hitting the weights for atleast 6 strong months, maybe a little more, but the cardio has been only 2 weeks. I feel good, and I feel strong and am ready to bump it up a little. I did a silly thing last night. Knowing I was going to be gone all weekend for my daughters soccer tourney, I added a chest w/o before it was due. I threw it in after a shoulder w/o. Big mistake. I play softball on fridays, so i just hit shoulders on wed and chest on thurs. Not a good idea. My shoudlers are so fatigued and I felt a little twinge. I have decided to take a three day break from the weights. I may try to sneak a cardio session over the weekend just to keep my momentum going. Chest after shoulders was a dumb idea. I don't think it is anything serious, but that won't happen again. I will keep updating this thread to track my fat loss for anybody interested. 45 min of intense w/o followed by 20 mins of cardio is my program along with a good diet.
217 down to 212 in 2 weeks so far, and muscles look to be doing fine. No muscle loss so far.