Bodyfat Pictures

Why It’s Best To Lose Fat First, Then Build Muscle

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If you’re currently overweight or even obese, then it’s best to lose the fat before you try and put on lots of muscle. The struggle to gain muscle is hard enough when you’re at optimal weight, but when you’re fat, it becomes a psychologically difficult as well as physically tough. The best advice you will get is to drop as much bodyfat as you can before you try and build muscle. Now, take note, this doesn’t mean that you won’t lift weights. Lifting weights is an important part of losing fat. You want to maintain as much muscle as possible, otherwise you will end up skinny fat. Ideally you want to drop down to a good bodyfat percentage (for men this is in the 15 percent range, for women it’s in the 23-25 percent range). This is not elite fitness, but it will show definition and you will certainly be “in shape”.

You Can’t Build Muscle Without “Bulking” Up

You can’t be on a caloric restrictive diet if you want to build muscle. You need to eat calories in order to create muscle. However, when you eat excess calories, you won’t just build muscle, you will also put on some fat. This process is called “bulking”. Bodybuilders and fitness models bulk during the off-season when they are in training. During the competition season (or the summer for regular people who want to look good at the beach in a bikini or no shirt) it’s cutting time. You cut once you have built muscle. The idea is that you start off at a low bodyfat percentage and then bulk up, adding muscle. Then you cut and drop weight, which will be mostly fat.

Here’s A Quick Visual Guide To Body Fat Percentages For Men and Women.

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So you can see the problem with not dropping down to a low bodyfat first. If you’re a guy who is 25 percent bodyfat, and you bulk up to 35 percent, you will look really fat. It’s also going to be insanely difficult to get back into shape in a decent timeframe. You won’t look good with your shirt off. Ladies also have the same problem. If you’re at 30 percent bodyfat, and eat to put on muscle you might go up to 40 percent. That’s just too much fat. Yours glutes won’t be defined and pop, and your arms will be flabby, not to mention your tummy will be too soft. If you want a nice booty, you need to drop down to a low bodyfat and then build the glute muscles. Then you can slim down and really get a sexy physique.

You Need To See What You’re Working With!

This one is a simple concept. You need to see how much muscle you have. If you slim down, you might see that you don’t need to add much muscle. That’s great. If, on the other hand, you slim down and don’t see much definition or size, then you will know how to construct your routine. Guys might see that they have well developed pecs or biceps, but virtually non-existent triceps or lats. Ladies might see that they have a flat booty, but decent obliques. Without this information you will be spending too much time on areas you might not need to train. Think about it, you might end up over training certain muscles which would not be necessary.

You Will Look “More Muscular” With Less Fat

No matter how much you lift, if your bodyfat is too high you won’t look muscular. Everyone has heard that a six pack is hidden under fat, but so are most muscles. The more fat you have, the less muscular you look. Guys who want to look like they lift should focus on dropping fat.

The 3 Best Tips For Dropping Fat

Don’t Eat After 6 P.M.

This one is based off of a schedule where you go to bed around 11 P.M. or Midnight and wake up between 5:30 and 7 A.M. If you have a different schedule, it would be best to adjust the schedule. The idea is to eat early then cease eating a few hours before you go to bed.

No matter how much you lift, if your bodyfat is too high you won’t look muscular. Everyone has heard that a six pack is hidden under fat, but so are most muscles. The more fat you have, the less muscular you look. Guys who want to look like they lift should focus on dropping fat.

Drink Water

 

There’s nothing better than regular water for losing fat. It hydrates your body, which is important for when you’re exercising (weights or cardio) and it also makes you feel full. Water has zero calories and it’s healthy. You should get a BPA free water container and try and drink either spring water or filtered water.

Juice Fasting

You need to get nutrients into your body. A great way to get nutrients without a ton of calories is to drink juice. You might want to try an intermittent juice fast where you drink only green juices one or two days a week. Don’t try a water only fast as these can be dangerous. Green juices have calories, so you won’t be putting your body into starvation mode. This is an important point because when you are in starvation mode your body slows down its metabolism and burns fewer calories in an effort to survive.

Two interesting things happen when you are on a fast. First, glycol and palmatic acid levels increase in your body during a fast. These two chemicals correspond to fat being burned, not muscle, so you don’t have to worry that fasting is burning off your muscle. The idea that you lose mostly muscle during a fast is a myth. Another intersing thing occurs: Growth Hormore is also increased during a fast. Growth hormone is a natural lipolytic chemical (fat destroyer or killer in Latin).