Lose Fat and Gain Muscle – Simultaneously?

Hi Joel,
I am 51 years old – on March 1st – weight was 227 lbs. – 5’8” – I’ve been carring this weight ever since I was born – I told my wife even when I had a diapper it was always tight @ belly – till March wearing a belt was always tight @ the belt because of the extra fat that I was carring around. I had a stationary bike – doing 1 hour of bike per day….never dropping my weight and eating properly ( that what I thought) – When I bought your program – I had a good discussion with my doctor in regards to lifting weights….and turning fat to muscles – & following a good food habit – not a diet…..eating fruits, vegtables & salades – no more rice, pasta and patatoes – especially @ dinner…bread ( no sugar & no fat) in the morning….that I find are great eating habits…..now the weight trainning – I followed the program 6 to 7 days a week for the first 2 months ( I love to roller blade in the summer) – March and April I was on lifting weights 40 to 50 lbs. weight – I was back to see the Doctor in May and I had dropped from 227 lbs. to 195 lbs. – losing a lot of fat and gainning it in muscle….so in May I had lost 32 lbs. – I dropped the weight lifting due to good weather I’d go on my roller blades on sunny days and weight trainning on rainy days….since we’ve had such a beautiful summer I’ve been on roller blades mostly every day for approx. 45min. to 1 hour….my weight as of today Aug. 16 @ 183 lbs. – last time I was @ that weight I was in my teens…!!!!….I feel healthier, stronger and my belt is loose & not touching my belly any more because it’s not there for the first time in 51 years….what a feeling!!!!!…..thanks to your program….working on getting to 175 lbs……it works for sure – take 15 mins. a day to lift weights -if you can not take 15 mins. a day for yourself – you have a problem…it’s your body – it’s your life – you have to take 15 mins. a day for yourself – because nobody else will take it for you…..thanks

Looking forward to your further comments. In my “maturing” years I am on a journey to improve my fitness and health. A program to help me lose fat and gain muscle sounds like just what I need.

I am in the process of trying to do this – it seems to be working. My weight is staying the same – about 163+/- 2 lbs at 5′ 08″ – but my waist is getting smaller and my abs are showing more so I am assuming I am losing fat and adding muscle mass – it is slow slogging -I am 50 yrs old.

Every morning on waking I either hit the rowing machine for 10-15 minutes – or row for 5 minutes to warm up- do 5 minutes of tabatas (alternate front squats with pushups), the 5 minutes rowing cool downs. In the tabatas I get in about 60 squats and 50 pushups. I weight train 3-4 times a week, and do yoga for an hour at lunch time 4 times a week.

I eat about 2500 calories a day – almost zero carbs – breakfast is 4 eggs scrambled with chicken, onions and celery and cheese (mmm – my favorite meal of the day)- three meals while at work- either meat with cabbage, salad with nuts and salmon, or coleslaw with nuts, or celery sticks with peanut butter and some nuts on the side. Pick the nuts for the high arginine content – supposed to be good for NO production and HGH production. Only time I have anything approaching high carbs is maybe a bean salad or the occasional protein shake with a half banana and peanut butter in it.

Two days a week I do a 22 hr fast – no food from about 7 pm the night before till about 5-6 PM that day.

I figure by staying very low carbs I keep my body on a fat burning metabolism – upping hormones that promote fat burning and keeping insulin low. The fast days are my tabata days and I do yoga those days – sweat my ass off – and I figure I burn most of my fat those days – and add muscle on the other other five days. It is / has been a slow process – I figure in six months to a year I will be at the body composition I want – 10% BF and 170 lbs. I am about to add one more day of eating a week in – but keep it lower fat / calorie than the other five days – and some serious protein supplementation to further increase Human Growth Hormone.

If these damn lovehandles that hang out over my kidneys would finally go away – I will be one happy camper !

I note some of the comments are equating “lost fat” with “lost weight” – they are not the same especially if you lose fat while building muscle. I would think at first you would gain some weight if you are building muscle then stabilize/lose weight as you lose the fat from the extra metabolizing power of the added muscle…

Congrats again on the wedding. Can’t wait to hear how to gain muscle/lose fat at the same time :)

Ohh – PS – I “bulked up” trying Vince Delmonte’s program to about 180 – seemed to add a lot of fat – for a while I fasted 3 days a week to get myself down to about 165 – had plenty of energy on the fast days – they were my favorite for weightlifting

Joel,
I’m very interested since i’m 43 years old and am find doing both to be very difficult. I can’t pack on muscle like I did when I was in my 20’s and losing the fat that doesn’t even seem possible.

Mr Marion Sir,

Firstly congratulations on your nuptials, wishing you and your good lady a long and fullfilling marriage.

Secondly lose fat gain muscle simultaneously let me think about that one…. ok my curiosity has been suitably aroused(hope I can get away with that on a family orientated blog) kindly run with further information if you please.

regards
Michael

I really am not promoting anything, I really am not under anyone, but check out the Bleed Time Krew (BTK) on bodybuilding.com and there ya go about burning fat and losing muscle at the same time. Oh but don’t expect the results to be obvious in 2 weeks or so. Slow and steady beats everything else.

Can’t wait to hear about it! Have been following your advise(and pal Rob) for several months. My arms, shoulders,legs look fantastic! But still with this stubborn belly flab.

Totally been waiting for a blog post like this! Keep the info coming Joel!

yes, let’s hear it!

I’ve actually had success in simultaneously losing fat and gaining muscle, but it required really restrictive eating for a really extended period of time–meaning it’s not a system that’s sustainable for a long period of time. Although I didn’t even have to exercise to see positive changes, I realize now that I was setting myself up for failure by not incorporating exercise to keep the fat off.

Bring it on dude!!

Joel, I started my new lifestyle change back at the end of February & followed the eating & workout plans of what I call “my people”; you, Rob Poulos, Isabel, Vince & have recently purchased the TacFit Commando program (which I haven’t started yet). I’m a 56 yr old woman with some health issues that were starting to get out of hand for me. This is my reason for starting & I’ve lost 55 lbs, 23″ overall & just about 9% body fat so far. Still have a long way to go, tho, but I’m definitely seeing & feeling muscle building along with the fat loss. However, I know it’s because I had so much to lose because I’ve slowed down on my loss now. It’s true, I have also let me workouts slide some as well since I don’t handle exercising in the heat very well – I tend to get weak & nauseated when I do. So I need to kick my butt in gear again now that our temp is settling down. I am a little worried now that I’ve dropped such a big chunk of fat that the weight loss may start slowing down but I’ll just have to keep plugging away because I’ve reached my limit on spending on programs. I got so excited at the beginning when I started seeing all my results that I was grabbing everyone’s programs instead of just working steady at my starting combos. Now I have so many options that I can’t possibly fit all in to my routines & I think that may be part of my reason for stalling out.

I dont think thats possible but Joel always surprise me so ill wait ;)

I have decided this weekend I would like to get leaner. And when I think lean I think more muscle less fat. In theory I can see how it can be done but how do we put it into practice. This could not have come at a better time.

this sound great!

Would also love to hear more details

Thank-you. Too good to be true! Its a blessing to be able to lose fat and gain muscles at the same time. Those who exercise benefit from the feel-good factor for the whole day.

I know it Joel…..Lets see if you know it or not !!!!

HAHAHA…Just kidding…..I really wanna know it Joel….If allowed, i’ll comment 350 times coz i’m desperately waitiing to hear it from an you !!!

I am 60 & started weight training at 58. After a stroke. I have been body composition tested occasionally, and have lsot 68 lb of fat and gained 22 lbs of muscle! I was horribly out of shape before, tho. Started leg press for example at 30 lbs, now do 315 for 20 reps X3. Thank my trainer, who won’t give up on old ladies!

would love to learn more about that strategic approach…my belly fat will not go down now (did reduce fat but comes back again) thanks!

Joel!

I’ve experienced mixed results. I either get lean and not gain muscle or gain muscle and not get lean or a mixture of both! HELP!

Paul

Hey Joel,

Yeah…in my 25 years of fitness experience, I have NEVER tried to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.

I also never bought into that bulk up and then cut down cycling that all the bodybuilders and fitness pros recommended either. Of course, I never used steroids, HGH, testoreone or prescripion diuretics either!!!

I always had the most success eating a balanced nutrition plan and working out hard, and then switching my nutritional ratios to a higher pecentage of protein and fat and reduced carbs when I wanted to cut some fat.

If I was really looking to cut down for a picture shoot, event, etc., then I would go very high protein, almost no carbs or fat and increase my cardio training in addition to the resistance training.

I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say…

Best wishes,

~ Pete