Best way to lose weight and increase muscle mass

[Zurawa]

Does anyone have any input on this? I'm looking to lose weight as optimally as possible while at the same time building muscle. On that note, as far as supplements go, would you recommend anything for this purpose or just sctrictly exercise? And I guess lastly, what would be some good exercises for this? Long distance running is very good, as it helped me lose a lot of weight in the past, but I've heard that it also saps away a portion of lean muscle as well. What would you recommend?

[Rams]

You're body isn't designed to lose weight and build muscle at the same time.

[Rawb]

Best way to lose weight - running

Best way to gain muscle mass - weightlifting

Although, it is very important that you maintain a clean diet as well. You're not going to lose wieght if you run 3k a day but chow down on burgers 'n pizza.

[TAND]

Swimming. It'll build lean muscles, and it's aerobic.

[Dinosawesome]

TAND wins the prize. Swimming will not only build lean muscle but it will also tone it while giving you broad, manly shoulders.

[Ethan.]

Lose weight? Make your heart beat fast.

Bigger muscle? Lift heavy weights.

That's all there is to it and there are no shortcuts other than plastic surgery and steroids.

[chorbalan]

I think I can help you. Like someone above said, it's not very easy to build muscle mass and lose weight. Once you start working out however, you will lose some of the fat you have. After you've reached a certain point of musclemass you're happy with (which shouldn't be for at least 3 or so months) you can change up your routine and go on a diet. A diet doesn't mean starve yourself it means eat the right things. I would also go read around this place.
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/
Hope that helps

[uhhyeah]

Look at it this way: If you begin working out, you'll be working your muscles and burning calories. As you keep working out, you will increase the amount of lean body mass in your body, while losing fat. You will lose weight first because your metabolism is being increased and you will begin to burn more calories and fat. You will be building muscle during this, but you won't get "buff" at first.

[Dinosawesome]

Oh, also, the effort the body uses to repair tissue torn during a weights session also helps to burn away fat.

[NOOB]

Whatever you do, you will get easy gains at the start.

[Spikey]

I've been wondering this too. For the past month I've gotten serious about losing weight and I've only lost 10 pounds. I'm not able to work out everyday becaues it's a busy time of school for me right now until dec. 1., but I try to at least do an hour of pilates to the tv every day, and i haven't been to the gym in like 2 weeks at this point due to a cold and homework, but when I go I run a mile, do 15-20 min on a bike, do the whole circuit, some ab work, and another 15-20 min on a cardio machine. I eat almost nothing but fruit, baked potatos (with butter and cheese, so that's my junk food), bread and peanut butter, and granola yogurt. And I don't drink pop and am going down on coffe. What am I doing wrong to have only lost 10 pounds?

[slack]

Looks like you're eating alot of carbs. How much protein do you get on a daily basis?

[Spikey]

Protein? Isn't that in fruit? I drink these protein smoothie kind of things... ever heard of Bolthouse Farms? I drink those, normally the Green Goodness or the Blue Goodness. And I only eat, like, one piece of fruit a day as my meal(s) for the day, or just a sandwich all day, or only the yogurt. Sometimes I do have two meals though.

erg. like today so far I've had granola yogurt and worked out for an hour, and then I go to class, after which I'm going to the gym for about two hours I guess, and I'll swim if the pool is open (although I bet it won't be... stupid cheap school!). Then I might come home have an orange or a banana and rest and then do another hour maybe of working out.

[slack]

Wow, aren't you hungry?

There's alot of sugars and carbs in fruit. I mean, fruit is great as a daily snack, but you should be having equal amounts of protein and carbs in every meal.

From what you posted, it looks like you're basically starving yourself. I would be so hungry. When you don't eat enough, your body will lower it's metabolism, which means the rate at which your body burns fat will be slower. You also risk losing muscle tissue.

You have to eat the right stuff. Chicken breast is like the best food ever. I have two Tyson chicken breasts a day diced and stuffed into fajitas with lettuce, tomatos and other good stuff. And that's basically lunch. Guess what, I'm still losing weight.

[AA-12]

My problem is that anymore I eat like once a day. I stay fat, haha.

[uhhyeah]

Protein? Isn't that in fruit? I drink these protein smoothie kind of things... ever heard of Bolthouse Farms?


Bolthouse farms is right by my house. Not too much protein in fruit. Try to add more protein into your diet in the form of lean meats (chicken is great, as stated already), beans, etc. You need to eat a balanced diet.

My problem is that anymore I eat like once a day. I stay fat, haha.

That's because your metabolism is slowing down. Eating only once per day is bad, bad, bad. Eat 3-5 smaller healthy meals and combine with excercise to increase your lean mass and speed up your metabolism.

[Cybergasm]

Protein? Isn't that in fruit? I drink these protein smoothie kind of things... ever heard of Bolthouse Farms? I drink those, normally the Green Goodness or the Blue Goodness. And I only eat, like, one piece of fruit a day as my meal(s) for the day, or just a sandwich all day, or only the yogurt. Sometimes I do have two meals though.

erg. like today so far I've had granola yogurt and worked out for an hour, and then I go to class, after which I'm going to the gym for about two hours I guess, and I'll swim if the pool is open (although I bet it won't be... stupid cheap school!). Then I might come home have an orange or a banana and rest and then do another hour maybe of working out.

After reading that post I think you should be more worried about working your brain out then your body. I am all about positive encouragement, but if you actually do this then you are a true bona fide moron. With that in mind, let me explain why.


Your body is essentially no different then a car. A body that is in shape- meaning low body fat and high muscle- is equivalent to a car with lots of gas and a good engine. Your engine will never be any good if you don't give it lots and lots of fuel to use. Same is true for your muscles. They will never grow or optimize if you do not feed them. Feeding them is constituted through six square meals a day: none of which are covered by fruit.

Each meal should have around 30g. protein and 30g. of crabs as the basic components. Protein does NOT come from fruit... I mean seriously women... was that a joke? Fruit can be a great source of simple carbohydrates and a nice supplement to your meal (like at the end as a replacement for desert). Good protein comes from lean meats like chicken and fish (salmon). I remember you're a vegetarian, so you should look into All Natural Peanut Butter and Soy Products.

Carbohydrates should be complex in structure- basically, all things wheat.


As for your workouts, well, back to our car analogy. Now, you've given your car a full tank of gas and your drive it non-stop three times around the globe. Where are you? NOWHERE... in a ditch somewhere because your engine blew sky-high.

Translation?

You're working out too much. 30min. -> 1 hour is enough. Make it intense, and alternate weight with cardio. Look to that huge thread about fitness that I made for more information.


If you continue like you have, you will not only LOSE MUSCLE and GAIN FAT, you will have serious health consequences, which are even more severe for a women.

EDIT: Zurawa... take out all morons and idiots and this post is directed to you.

[Spikey]

well, you don't need to call me names.

well, yesterday i ate a veggie sandwich and cheated on my diet by eating sweet and sour chicken for dinner. today i have eaten a bowl of cheerios with skim milk, did a small half hour ab workout, at the rest of last night's dinner, went to my rock climbing class, and am now eating 3 scrambled eggs with cheese, and am considering a baked potato later. better?

and i have another question for you health experts. I weighed myself this morning after my ab workout and was 145.5, then ate lunch and was 143, and after my rock climbing class I was 146.5. I know that the time of day effects the gravitational pull on earth, which in turn effects the numbers on the scale, but how was the lightest I weighed today at around noon after eating junk food? :confused:

[kamiccollo]

Just dodgy scales. The scales you used are probably zero'd wrong (if its the spinning needle kind) and different scales will always tend to give slightly different results to each over.
Two different scales once put me at a 6 kg diffence between 2 days

[Cybergasm]

well, you don't need to call me names.

well, yesterday i ate a veggie sandwich and cheated on my diet by eating sweet and sour chicken for dinner. today i have eaten a bowl of cheerios with skim milk, did a small half hour ab workout, at the rest of last night's dinner, went to my rock climbing class, and am now eating 3 scrambled eggs with cheese, and am considering a baked potato later. better?

and i have another question for you health experts. I weighed myself this morning after my ab workout and was 145.5, then ate lunch and was 143, and after my rock climbing class I was 146.5. I know that the time of day effects the gravitational pull on earth, which in turn effects the numbers on the scale, but how was the lightest I weighed today at around noon after eating junk food? :confused:

Sorry for the names... it was probably late. But yes, that is a much better diet... but for your safety I would recommend even better.

As for your question; there are tons of things that can affect scale weight. From when the last time you went to the bathroom was, to the tilt on the floor, even when you took a shower. The numbers don't vary too much for concern; you should be comfortable calling yourself 145lbs.

[Amit]

hey emin whats up we need to talk hehe

[Cybergasm]

hey emin whats up we need to talk hehe
Yeah we do. Are you huge yet?

http://www.hindu.com/mag/2006/04/09/images/2006040900140201.jpg

[Amit]

i'm really pleased with my weightlifting results thus far but i want to talk about how a good plan to convert to the six meals a day system with

what a horrible sentence haha

[Cybergasm]

i'm really pleased with my weightlifting results thus far but i want to talk about how a good plan to convert to the six meals a day system with

what a horrible sentence haha

:-\ You haven't been on...