How to gain muscle and loose fat?

[Anonymous]

This is for all the fitness gurus out there:

I need to gain weight and get stronger for football next year. I've started working out three times a week, and I've been eating a ton. In the two weeks since I've started, I've gained almost five pounds and gotten a bit stronger. I'm happy with this, but I feel like I'm holding onto the layer of flab which covers up my abs. In fact, it may be getting bigger. I like the weight and strength gain, but what foods can I eat to replace the fat with muscle? I've been drinking tons of milk and cut out soda, but I don't think it's enough. I'd really like to get a sixpack! Thanks!

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Which is your primary concern? Strength or aesthetics? If you want both, you're progress in strength will be slower.

3x a week sounds like a chest day Monday, chest day Wednesday, chest day Saturday type workout (hopefully it's not) If you're not incorporating Squats and Deadlifts in your routine, I'd advise doing so. Your quads and your hamstrings are the biggest muscles in your body and therefore can gain muscle the quickest. More muscle = less bodyfat % , less body fat % = more revealed abs. They are also the primary muscle needed in all football positions from linemen to running backs. So you should be squatting once every two days and deadlifting once every four days (since it is much more exhausting). Squatting 3x a week will increase your performance in football, and simultaneously lower your bodyfat percentage and finally reveal those abs.

Milk is great for increasing strength! Wew, the stuff is amazing in recovery. But, unfortunately it's calorie dense too. So try to get your protein from other sources. Either a low calorie protein supplement or some nice tasty beef jerky (very good protein:calorie ratio).

Make sure each time you're working out, you're lifting more weight or more reps. If you fail at less weight or reps, then it is most likely because you are not fully recovered (you probably haven't run into this problem while gaining weight and drinking milk, but if you cut calories just make sure to be aware of it).

Compound lifts are key. Squats (every other day), Deadlifts (every 4 days), Barbell rows (every other), Bench press / Overhead press (alternating every 2 days e.g. Mon BP, Wed OP, Fri BP, Sun OP). Always make sure to focus on compound exercises!

Personally, if I were you, I'd continue to load up on milk and continue my strength training at peak performance. Then when football season comes, stop lifting-- you're not suppose to lift during football season-- and take advantage of the cardio you'll be doing to reveal all that nice muscle you gained.

Off season = bulking phase. In season = cardio and skills training.

[Asker]

I weigh only 150 pounds and an 5'10. I've been doing bench press, squats, and hang cleans at every workout. Also doing cardio in between workout days.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Oh wow.. you're worried about flab at 150, 5'10" !? Noooo.. You just need more muscle and keep drinking your milk. I was 135lbs (I'm 5'7") Jan 1st this year and I've been lifting consistently for 3 months. I'm 150lbs now. My abs look just about the same, which is fine with me since I'm not self-conscious about that really. And I'm way stronger. Keep drinking milk, make sure you're lifting more weights or more reps each workout. I do 3x5 (3 sets of 5) and if I get all 3 sets..(continued)..

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

completely (so all 15 reps), I move up 5lbs the next workout session. If I don't, I stay at the same weight and try to get all 3 sets of 5 the next time. I always either go up in weight, or complete more of the 15 total reps. <-- thanks to milk.^^ Your muscle gains are far more important. I'd really advise holding off on cutting your calories until you're in season, where you won't need as much nutrition since you're not tearing up your muscles as much.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Also, since Squat and Bench Press are both compound lifts that really strain your CNS, I can not lift as heavy on Bench after doing Squats and vice versa. So I typically have a Day 1. Day 2, Day 1, Day 2 , Day 1, Day 2, REST Day for each week. With Day one including my Bench Press (and I do BP before any accessory lifts) and Day 2 including my Squats and Deadlifts (and I do Squats before my DLs and then my DLs before any accessory lifts). Having them on the same day is too taxing, least for me.

[kheserthorpe]

If you're not that skinny right now, your best bet is to lift and bulk till closer to the season, then cut the fat before preseason.

Focus on overall strength and steady state cardio for now - those are best for offseason.

When you get closer, cut the fat, add more HIIT and more sport specific drills.

[rachiee]

You need protein! Chicken, tuna, fish, nuts, peanut butter, etc. You need to consume healthy protein (nothing fried or covered in better) as well as have a balanced and healthy diet still. Just because you're trying to get bigger doesn't mean you can eat whatever. You still need to eat veggies and fruits and cut out all the unhealthy foods, just make sure you eat a good amount of protein. You should also look into protein shakes. This is what all guys I know who workout to gain muscle/weight use religiously. Also, try to workout more. 3 days is good but you need to really workout for at least 4 days a week. Add cardio into your workout as well. Make sure you're working out at an intense level. If you don't push yourself you won't get where you want to be. Also drink a lot of water! Milk is great but its still filled with fats that you shouldn't have in your diet. Switch over to almond milk or skim milk.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Sorry but I'm gonna have to take whole milk for the win ^^

[rachiee]

Whole milk is good but its loaded in calories... not the best thing if you're trying to lose weight.

[Caustic_Fox]

no, but if you want to get stronger its the best thing you can drink

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

^true. But if I was to drink milk, I'd go whole milk and either drink less of it, or eat less elsewhere. I would not replace whole milk with skim milk.. seems defeatist to rob it of the cream, and therefore some of it's nutrition (and taste). It's a 1.0:1.6 calorie ratio roughly.. so not enough for me to justify drinking a watered down version. Point being, I rather have 100 calories of whole milk (since those fats have fat-soluable vitamins absorbed in them) than a 100 calories of skim milk

[rachiee]

The portions are different though. 100 cals of skim milk and 100 cals of whole milk is a big difference when you are trying to get the nutrients. You definitely won't get a full serving of vitamins that milk offers by trying to cut the calories. Almond milk is the best choice. Twice the calcium.

And I'm not talking about being "strong" I'm talking about him gaining muscle and losing weight at the same time. If he just wanted to gain muscle then whole milk is fine.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

I drink about 1/2 to 2/3 of a gallon of whole milk a day, and am not gaining more fat than muscle. I've slightly decreased bodyfat % (increased fat, but more increase in muscle) and gained a lot of strength. Just personal experience. So, I don't see anything wrong with a 1/3 a gallon+ unless he's eating like a monster with other foods as well. Anyways, he's kinda small so he needs to bulk ;) He can cut during football season when he isn't allowed to lift. No harm? <3 you Rachiee

[rachiee]

Lol he's asking how to lose weight/fat though... Milk contains a pretty big amount of fat. You may be fine but it sounds like his goals are different than yours. Also, everyone's bodies are different. I'm not talking about what will make someone stronger, I'm trying to tell the question asker what he should do to achieve HIS own personal goals. Whole milk is fine but definitely not the best when you're trying to lose weight/extra fab.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

No he wants to gain weight. e.g. be more than 150lbs. He just doesn't to gain much fat while gaining muscle. So he has to be surplus calories regardless.

[rachiee]

Lol you gain weight by working out and lots of protein which is gaining muscle. Read his question, he's asking how to get rid of FAT. Gaining FAT and gaining MUSCLE is two different things and require two different workouts/diets.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

"Question Asker Yesterday I don't want to loose weight, though. I'm trying to get bigger."

Hun.. ^___^ you can reveal the abs without losing weight. bodyfat % can be decreased by gaining more muscle than fat.

[rachiee]

Lol you really don't understand that there's a BIG difference between weight gain from PROTEIN and weight gain from eating FAT. He wants to gain weight but HEALTHY weight which is from PROTEIN, NOT fat. Fat can cover muscles. Don't call me hun either.

[Caustic_Fox]

*facepalm* omg rachiee you have no idea what you're talking about. please tell me where you get all of your information so I can warn people to stay far far away from there.

[rachiee]

Who asked you...? Anyways, just answering what the question asker asked, NOT writing a whole essay on milk.

[Caustic_Fox]

its not the milk, its your severe lack of knowledge about anything you're talking bout

[rachiee]

I'm done with this conversation. If you guys really think that a diet high in fat will help you gain HEALTHY weight then you need to seriously reevaluate your "workout." Otherwise don't you think people would be eating at McDonald's everyday to get body builder status? smh

[rachiee]

LOL Ohhhh okay, because you think its okay to have a diet high in fat when you're trying to get rid of flab/fat.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

eek.. I understand perfectly. You don't. If he eats only protein.. he has no energy.. becomes lethargic, his muscles deteriorate. He has to eat fat/carbs too, this is common sense. It's an energy source. Without fuel, your body takes from the energy stored in your muscles, making him lethargic and incapable of gaining strength. So fats are fine. He can drink loads of milk. I drink half a gallon and my bodyfat % is decreasing and I'm gaining weight. Meaning more strength + better abs.

[rachiee]

I do understand, you just aren't seeing what I'm saying. He can get energy from plenty of places other than foods high in fat, don't you think? I never said to cut out milk, I just said to stick with lower calorie milk or almond milk. He wants to get rid of his flab as well.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Okay you really don't seem to understand.. I'm going to tell you about a diet that's gonna blow your mind... It's called the Atkins diet. It's shown to be a very successful diet and guess what? Here it comes, hold on to something... It's a high-fat diet. *gasps* How do people lose weight eating mostly fats? It's crazy. There's no way people are doing that. -.-

[rachiee]

Whole milk is high in calories. NOT a good thing if you want to lose weight. You burn more calories than you take in. If you drink a ton of whole milk you will have a lot of calories to burn. Which is why I suggested he switch to a lower calorie milk.

"but I feel like I'm holding onto the layer of flab which covers up my abs. In fact, it may be getting bigger." <--- he's trying to get rid of his flab, HELLO.

[rachiee]

Also, your all mighty Atkins diet is known to not give you enough energy. What a contridiction to your enery rant, huh?

[rachiee]

energy*

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Okay I get that. But we never said drink more milk than you need. You can cut back your calories a little, without switching foods. You just consume slightly less so that you're still on a surplus but not so much that you're gaining more fat than muscle. In order to ensure he gets the most strength possible, he is gonna have to be on a surplus of calories which means a little more fat for a lot more muscle = less body fat % = more revealed abs. You don't have to lose fat to decrease body fat%

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Weird because your McDonalds rant bounced off my noggin' once I remembered most elite athletes (e.g. Mike Phelps) eat McDonalds for the extra fuel.. Which by the way, is very high fat. And the atkins diet is a weight loss diet, meaning less calories than you burn.. so it goes into what I just said.. you can't lift effectively while on a cutting diet (burning more calories than you consume).

[rachiee]

It was acted like he needs to drink a ton of milk, as he also stated that he does. He needs to lose that fab though before he gets into only focusing on gaining muscle. Burn before you build. If he has a diet high in calories and the amount is higher than what he is actually burning then its just going to add onto his flab (which he also stated is getting larger probably due to the high calorie intake from the "tons" of milk he's consuming, his words not mine).

[rachiee]

The atkins diet lacks carbs which is what you said is where he should get his energy (which is where a lot of energy comes from anyways). I'm sure these athletes you're talking about have no flab and don't need to lose the extra fat.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

This is what I'm trying to tell you.. because maybe I'm not being clear. Say he burns 2700 calories a day and he is currently eating 3300 calories a day 1000 of those calories are from milk. He can cut that down to 3000 calories, and still be on a surplus of calories and can cut 300 calories of whole milk out, or take it out from somewhere else. He doesn't have to drink skim, to do that.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

The 2nd thing that maybe you need the numbers for is this..

Ex.

150lbs 15% bodyfat 22.5lbs of fat

165lbs 13% bodyfat 23.1lbs of fat

See? He gains .6lbs of fat, his weight goes up, but his bodyfat % goes down. Because he increased more muscle than fat. And at 13% boyfriend your abs are much more defined than at 15%, and doesn't matter that he has more fat. Because it's his overall composition. E.g. Think of someone who is 50lbs with 10lbs of fat vs someone 100lbs with 12lbs of fat.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

That was suppose to be Body Fat abbreviated.. but the dumb site corrected it to boyfriend. -.-

[rachiee]

And you know this is how his body/what his body fat percent is because? He needs to get rid of his flab. A surplus in calories won't help him do this.

[rachiee]

All of that would work if he didn't want to get rid of his extra flab.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

As for where your energy should come from.. I like to have a carb spike before lifting. To get a sugar level spike beforehand. That doesn't mean carbs are better than fats-- only for a preworkout energy drink they are. Fats are usually more nutritious, in that a fat (like in milk) usually has absorbed vitamins in them (which you lose if you take out the creme in milk) and carbs do not. So preworkout carbs, yeah.. but that's like 120 calories that's not my whole diet.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

I don't know how else I can show/tell you.. he can have the same amount of fat... increase muscle.. and bam his flab is gone. Defined abs is about body fat % not body fat total. If you can't agree with this, I don't know what else to say.

[rachiee]

You still get the vitamins from skim milk. I think we're both on two different topics. If he doesn't cut down on his calories then he'll just be right where he's at currently (with his flab growing larger) unless he amps up his workout. You may not be drinking a ton of milk, but he is. Too much of a good thing is bad when it comes to dieting. I'm done with this question though. So I'll just agree to disagree.

[Anonymous]

Protein, and exercise. Not swimming, that has been shown to not work for weight loss, but long distance running works. Stead pace stuff , not the kind of exercise where you doing as fast and hard as possible till you are exhausted, but slow and stead and for long periods of time.

[Asker]

I don't want to loose weight, though. I'm trying to get bigger.

[Caustic_Fox]

start doing stronglifts or starting strength

drink a half gallon of milk a day

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

^If you do stronglifts.. please don't start off at the bar.. that's just completely retarded. Benching 45lbs day 1, 50 day 5, 55 day 9... 155lbs on day 90.. that's just ridiculous. At the end of the program you likely haven't increased your bench press at all and you do not need 90 days of form perfecting (you should be able to get it down after watching YouTube vids for 30mins). 5x5 is a good program-- just don't start off at the bar.