Sport Gain muscle AND loose fat at the same time? (long sry)

[Nomadofthehills]

Background
Hi, I just turned 18, a senior in highschool. I am 6'2 (or almost 6'2 haha), and between 230-240 pounds. AS of last february, I had a lean weight of ~180 lbs, with 29% bf at 247 lbs, and a big frame. If it matters I am a late bloomer, and I still don't have to shave.

Now, my question lies in the topic. I am about to join a gym, and now that I have a car I can actaully go there. 50 bucks a month but I figure its worth it.

I was using a punching bag for a while, and I loved it, but my family hates it cause it shakes the whole house, and my house is old, and I have knocked it out of the beam twice (80lb bag).

I hate running. Despise it. So, as I have gone to the gym a few times, I like the treadmill on max incline, and in about 30 minutes, it says I burn about 400+ calories. I have always been a big eater, which is why i'm fat. However, I used to be a fat kid, but after 10th grade I began slimming down slowly, and now I'd put myself at husky haha.

In 11th grade after getting no excercise other than little league in grade school, I joined varsity football at 230 lbs. I finshed a hell of a lot skinnier, and 250lbs. By feb when I got my bf% calculated, I had lost some muscle and gained some fat. I also did my best mile time ever, at 9:57 haha.



Ok, so senior now, and really wanna get in bathing suit condition for my last summer home before college, basically for girls. Always being a fat kid, never had a lot of self confidence, so never had a gf. Also, I hate being overweight.

Oh yea, off and on with the Total Gym since football was over, and off and on health food crazes (although the price of healthy food noramlly crushes this). I don't like it very much though, even if CHuck Norris endorses it.



So, been to the gym as a guest, and I loved it. I am a boyscout, so I love hiking, and the treadmill on max incline was great. I also like lifting weights, machine and free. Now, to my understanding, and with a 4 on the AP Biology exam, I belive to gain muscle you must take in more calories than you burn in a day. To lose fat, you must burn more calories than you take in. How do these two work together? I don't want to loose whatever muscle I have, but I also want to get rid of the fat. What do I do, I want both.

Also, after the gym on saturday, I have eaten like a pig. All week so far. Like, yesterday, for lunch I had a mozzerlla sticks for lunch (I know, but school lunch sucks). I also brought a large salad from home, but I hate salad and it never fils me. Still hungry so I got a hamburger. That was washed down with 2 pints of skim milk, pears, and peaches.

How can I combat this?


Thanks for reading my long post in advance lol


edit: oh yea, being a straight-edge Eagle Scout, I don't drink or smoke pot (so no munchies haha). Also, I have recently (as of this week lol) been doing weighted situps, pushups and pullups (I can do one, almost two haha)

 

[gbpackerfan]

You cannot gain muscle mass effectively and lose fat at the same time. You will inevitably short change one or the other, or both. You are big so you could try to cut your body fat percentage while just trying to maintain muscle mass. The cardio on the treadmill is great, especially on an incline. You should start lifting free weights on a 4x4 or 5x5 routine, using mainly compound exercises like squats, calf raises, bench press, shoulder press, dumbbell rows, shrugs, chinups, etc. You will need to adjust your diet, maybe by eating more often, but in less quantity. Also, try to eat foods that have a low caloric density--like fruits and vegetables. These will fill you up faster, even though they won't give you too many calories.

 

[malkore]

Good summary. Newcomers to training can do both at the same time, simply because any increase in activity tends to cause fat burning, and any weights picked up instantly start conditioning teh body.

But the body, the amazingly adaptive thing that it is, will quickly adapt to this new level of physical activity, and either the muscle growth slows and fat loss picks up, or vice versa. you'll have to pick one or the other. i'd start with fat loss, since its the harder of the two. plus on a clean bulk, you can gain decent muscle without adding that much fat, making the cutting phase after a little easier.

 

[AJP]

Yeah the guys above said it great. Even though it's gonna be hard, you gotta watch what you are eating, be aware, look at labels. Definitely keep the cardio up and lift too. Once you lose weight, you'll see and feel more muscle mass. Good luck.