Such frustrated utterances are only that. The constant ideal I have
sought is to be lean and muscular—specifically, lean and muscular and huge. What
about cardio endurance, speed, agility, athleticism, and overall health. I
desire and have pursued all of these goals and they are not mutually exclusive.
But when I lay my head on the pillow, I imagine Scott as a muscle-bound
juggernaut—kind of a super hero in my own mind. Doesn’t everyone do that?
I am nearing my 43rd birthday. I am six feet tall (my
driver’s license says 6’1’’ but I must have stood straighter twenty-five years
ago when they measured me). I weigh about 193 pounds with the build of an
average athlete. I have lifted weights, practiced martial arts, and suffered
all manner of cardiovascular endurance routines—including four years on a college
rowing team—and could reasonably continue without anyone noticing how fat and
out of shape I feel.
Is losing fat harder than building muscle? Do you have to choose? What
is in it for you?
Is it easier to lose money or save money? Is it easier to build a house
than burn it? Destruction has always been easier than construction. It should
be the same with fat. Currently, I am looking for medical research on this
question, with limited results. My Google task bar only wants to come back with
“lose fat while gaining muscle.” I have tried both, and feel that building
muscle is much harder than losing fat. I think most personal trainers or medical
professionals would advise common sense. Your first goal should depend on your
starting point. Or you can do what I am doing; workout, eat right, and learn
where your true starting point is. Build the foundation for the main event,
which is consistently awesome workouts and outstanding nutrition.
The “bulk up and then cut weight” has been the strategy for becoming
bigger and more muscular. Stronger muscles are bigger muscles, which might lead
you to wonder why the power lifters don’t seem in better shape than
bodybuilders. There are several reasons, but one is that power lifting is a
skill and neuromuscular pathways become more efficient. This also equals strength.
The 135 pound guy you see jerking 500 pounds over his head is—well, just a
stud. He has practiced.
For ten or twenty years there have been promises by magazines, books,
health clubs, personal trainers, and doctors promising methods to lose fat
while building muscle. I believe this is possible, but challenging—similar to
saying you want to be a concert pianist or the CEO of a corporation. Building
muscle while losing fat must take dedication, consistent effort, a reasonable
strategy, and a tactical plan. Yet, a musician or business person of this
caliber will find the task easier than I would, because he or she has
established a successful plan and routine. These
characters have put in the work.
I must strive to lose fat, no matter the end goal, because it is easy for
me to justify a candy bar based on this logic. “I need a king-sized Snickers
Bar because that is all I can find right now (really) and I don’t want my body
to into a catabolic state.” Never mind that Quick Trip sells fruit and other
healthful snacks. Never mind that a king-sized Snickers (my personal vice—I
want to get a Snickers and Coca Cola tattoo) has similar total calories than a
plain Quart of Greek Yogurt. But wait:
Snickers Greek Yogurt
Calories: 440 480
Fat grams g: 22 0
Carbohydrate g: 56 36
Protein g: 8 88
Choices matter. Try eating a
quart of (plain) Greek Yogurt versus a candy bar.
The advantage of losing fat first is that you must establish good
habits. You must select an exercise routine that you will stick with. I like to
lift weights. I like running and exercise videos such as the Insanity program. I
like martial arts, a lot. But most of all, I like each activity more when I
have done my physical conditioning homework. If a person is starting or
returning to the fitness life, a period of basic conditioning and healthy
eating can’t go wrong. For my quest, I plan to lose fat and build muscle at the
same time, relying on patience as my secret weapon. My mantra: get serious,
stay on a workout schedule (come hell, high water, or surprise overtime and
call-outs), and chose every bite of food I put in my mouth. That way I will
have no one but me to blame.
Neuromuscular Pathways in the Body (by Brian Oates)
http://ezinearticles.com/?Neuromuscular-Pathways-in-the-Body&id=4150888This is also a good article on perceived athleticism.
Three Reasons to lose fat before building muscle (by Marc Perry, CSCS,
CPT)
