Build Muscle or Lose Fat First?
I received a question recently that I get asked quite a lot.
It’s one I usually get from newbies or people who haven’t trained in a long time.
I’m also certain that this question has crossed your mind at some stage too.
I think it’s a good one so I thought I would share it with you.
The question is: “Is it better to build muscle or burn fat when first starting out?”
As with a lot of things, the answer to this is situational and depends on your starting point.
However, I can give you some clear guidance on this based on two common scenarios I encounter:
- You can start out as being overweight and on the fatter side.
- You can start out being underweight and on the scrawnier side.
In today’s obesogenic society, most people fall into the former category.
When I consider a person’s body composition goals, the health of the person comes foremost.
If a person is NOT sitting within a leaner and healthier body fat range, they’re eating too many of the wrong foods.
Eating more to build muscle and not addressing this issue will usually result in more fat gain.
…and also more fat to cut off is the person does try to lean down later on.
A better approach for most people is to lean down first.
This way you know what you’re working with, and how much muscle you really need to gain.
People can also end up building some muscle while leaning down anyway.
This usually applies to those who are newer to training or quite large to begin.
Another thing to consider too is that when you get leaner, your body is more responsive to additional food.
This often means that gains in lean mass are usually easier to come by… as opposed to when your body has been accustomed to packing on fat.
What’s the take home message from all this?
If you are in an unhealthy body composition range and you’re looking to bulk up, think about your health.
Also consider how much harder it might be to cut fat later on in if you continue to eat more in a higher body fat range.
And what about burning fat and building muscle at the same time?
I answer this question in my Youtube video – Click >>HERE to discover the real truth about the topic.
– Michael
P.S. Have you been struggling to achieve and maintain a desirable body composition? Then you might want to check out the following page by clicking >>HERE. Everyone has unique challenges and an individualised approach to both training and nutrition is what’s warranted…That is if you’re looking to get in your best shape WITHOUT sacrificing your health.
