Gain Muscle, Lose Fat - Can You Do Both?

By: http://superbodybuildingtips.wordpress.com

Yes, you can. I have done it myself. There are several ways to gain muscle and lose fat. Remember, fat loss is not the same as weight loss. In this article I will be concentrating on strategies to change your body composition (i.e. gain muscle lose fat). The easiest time to accomplish this dual goal is when you are in what has been termed the "novice stage". Once you pass the novice stage you will need to decide which of the two goals is the priority: gain muscle or lose fat.

The novice stage is a magical period where you can with comparative ease gain muscle and lose fat. The novice stage is the period when you first start resistance training to build muscle. This also applies if you use to train but have not in a while. During this stage you can make strength gains between each workout, if you are on a good program. Your muscles should be adapting and growing at a rate that will use up more calories. You should be able to eat at a level above what was maintenance before and still lose fat. Depending on your past history, age, and the quality of the program (also how will you stick to the program), you could be in the novice stage anywhere from a few months up to a year! A novice program should contain three full body workouts per week on nonconsecutive days. The novice stage ends when you can no longer recover in time to make gains (even small ones) in the next work out.

Now it is decision time, do you want to keep making strength and muscle gains or do you want to reduce your fat? In this next stage you will not be able to do both build muscle and lose fat effectively. You can build muscle while losing very little or no fat or lose fat while building a little or maintaining your muscle. Another choice is to build muscle without regard to fat or the reverse. Whichever way you choose your diet is the key to success.

If you truly need to worry about gaining muscle and losing fat then you will most likely qualify for the novice stage. If not then you will need to make your decision and follow a nutrition and exercise program that will support that goal.

For more on nutrition aspect check out gain muscle lose fat. Finding the right program can take a lot of time and energy. The best overall program, combining all the physical nutritional and metal parts of gaining muscle and losing fat is at http://superbodybuildingtips.wordpress.com.