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Originally Posted by ZeroTX  Well, I am most interested in weight loss, first. My ideal weight of 225 would hopefully include some hefty looking arms/shoulders, though... not interested in being a "cut" body builder type, pretty much ever. In fact, 25 years of overweight probably means I'll always have some flabby skin leftover in the middle. That doesn't bother me if I can crush someone with my arms  hehe. In seriousness, I'm interested in becoming a high school assistant principal (I'm currently a teacher) and as dumb as it sounds, I don't like it when there are students who are stronger than me... I'd like to limit that possibility.
So, let's hit weight loss for now. I don't think it's impossible to build muscle and lose fat, though, is it??? I'm less concerned with what the scale says on a week to week basis than how my clothes fit and whether I can get down to "regular" sizes... I hate shopping at the "Big & Tall" shop.... which I have since age 13, FYI.... That was when I went into a size 44 or perhaps 46 pants, which can no longer be found in most "regular" stores (I know it's easier now, as America has gotten even fatter since my own childhood). I want to slip comfortably into a pair of 38 or 40 pants. Man, that would be nice.
Also, what range are you saying my heart rate should be in? I'm staying from 128-145 on the treadmill. I don't have ANY CLUE what the "right" range is....
Thanks,
Michael |
There's a best of both worlds here.....when you are trying to lose weight, which requires you to setup a calorie deficit (eating less calories than you burn) you need to be cognizant that your body wants to burn not only fat, but eat away at your muscle too. One of the best ways to maintain your muscle while you lose fat is to lift heavy weights with low repetition. This will allow you to get stronger, build a little muscle (not as much as you could if you ate a lot more food) while you lose weight.
I think what OD is saying is that if you are trying to build muscle while you lose weight, you won't build muscle as optimally as you would if you were just focusing on building muscle. Professional body builders and serious weight lifters focus on "bulking" and "cutting" for that very reason. They get better results by focusing on one and not both at the same time.