Which should I do first? Lose fat or build muscle?!
Question: I'm about 5'8" and I weigh 180. I'm fairly muscular, but I could stand to lose around 15 pounds of fat. I want to get more muscular and more cut, but I don't know which to do first. From what I've read, you can't do both at the same time. So how do I know where to begin? Should I put on the muscle and then lose the fat? Or should I lose the fat and then build the muscle?
Answers: I'm about 5'8" and I weigh 180. I'm fairly muscular, but I could stand to lose around 15 pounds of fat. I want to get more muscular and more cut, but I don't know which to do first. From what I've read, you can't do both at the same time. So how do I know where to begin? Should I put on the muscle and then lose the fat? Or should I lose the fat and then build the muscle?
Ya the best thing to do is gain muscle, and then lose the fat. The first reason is that muscles burn energy all the time, while fat doesn't do anything. With lots of muscle, you burn calories while you friggen sleep, so its easier to lose fat. The second reason is that once you start doing intense cardio to lose the weight, you'll also lose some muscle. But your muscles have "muscle memory", so if you lose a little after you've gained it, its a lot easier to get it back than if you never had it. To help, eat tonnes of lean protein and vegetables and fruit while you're building and you won't gain so much fat. Good luck man
lose fat
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I'd build the muscle first. The leaner you get the faster your metabolism will run and the harder it will be to gain the muscle. So try putting on ten or so pounds and then lose the weight.
Its easier to gain muscle when you have fat and its easier to lose fat when you have muscles.
But I'd add some cardio to your workout and do it all at once!
Check out this site. They offer a free E-book on weight loss that might be able to help you.