Balanced diet to lose fat and gain muscle

ptahm22 · Feb 2, 2017

A friend of mine is in the state where he needs to both lose weight and gain muscle. His current diet is a shake /w milk in the morning with 2 scoops of whey, a sandwich for dinner (e.g. turkey, chicken, tuna, etc.) and another similar sandwich with another shake with 1 scoop of whey for dinner. He also goes to the gym every morning for weight lifting, but not for cardio (which he intends to do soon). I understand that the body needs more intake to actually gain muscle mass, but he was under the impression that he could utilize body fat for energy instead of carb intake, and a high protein diet will help with muscle recovery. Is this considered a balanced diet to help him lose weight i.e. body fat and gain muscle mass? He is currently weighing in at 194 lb at 5' 7".

to7update · Feb 2, 2017

Body fat for energy is easier said than done because that fat burning will just happen when all the other sorts of available energy are not there. So summing it up, according to my understanding, we do need energy to work out and burn all that excessive fat most of us might have.

Decentlady · Feb 3, 2017

to7update said:
Body fat for energy is easier said than done because that fat burning will just happen when all the other sorts of available energy are not there. So summing it up, according to my understanding, we do need energy to work out and burn all that excessive fat most of us might have.

This is correct. The body fat only comes to aid as an energy source as a last resort. Banking on it may not work and he can actually break down muscular proteins before the fats are broken down.

to7update · Feb 3, 2017

Yep. It's a big mistake to think that we can workout without energy, that is impossible! What we can and should to is be smart in what concerns the sort of energy we are ingesting, meaning, cut on the fats and highly caloric foods because those don't contribute to our workout performance and make us gain weight.

Alexandoy · Mar 4, 2017

Pardon me but this is the first time I’ve heard of a person doing a workout and eating a sandwich. I get the impression that your friend is on a diet huh. As I had posted in another thread, the workout will take care of the excess weight and the food will take care of the energy. Rice for carbs is the best for me if eaten with beef so I get protein. If you eat rice for lunch and dinner, you are supplied with enough energy for a long workout. And the workout will make you lose weight since the fats from the food you eat would be converted into muscles.

CRobin · Mar 4, 2017

I think the question is how much work is your friend putting in verusus how many calories is he taking in along with many other factors. To gain muscle one must be in a caloric surplus but also be tearing muscle fibers so that the calories taken in are utilized for repairing the body. Your friend must figure out how many calories exactly does his body need to be in a small caloric deficit. If the deficit is minor and your friend stays consistent then with time muscle will be built and fat will be used each day as part of the used energy source.

CRobin · Mar 4, 2017

I think I made that really confusing but basically it's going to take some math and consistency in both your friends diet and work out regimen.

Decentlady · Mar 4, 2017

CRobin said:
I think I made that really confusing but basically it's going to take some math and consistency in both your friends diet and work out regimen.

If he is serious enough then he will get that calculator out and punch in some numbers. Otherwise he may just want to incorporate more protein food and avoid fatty stuffs.

jp1234 · Mar 6, 2017

I see 2 Major Flaws in your friends Diet.
1st ~ an Overreliance on Shakes ~ they are meant to Augment your Diet ~ not be a Major Component of it.
2nd ~ He needs to get rid of all these Sandwiches, Bread (specifically processed wheat), is turned to sugar by the body.
Tell him to think more Whole Foods, Lean Meats/Fresh Fish and Green Vegetable's, along with some Oats/Rice/Sweet Potatoes.
If he want's to build muscle and lose fat, you have to give the body what it needs, not what's convenient to eat.

Balanced diet to lose fat and gain muscle

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