I'm confused on exercising

So I have been trying to develop some sort of program in order to accomplish two goals:

1) Lose fat
2) Gain muscle

I know that in order to lose fat a person needs to eat properly and take in less calories than used in a day. With some cardio included into a routine this seems possible. I however have been lost as to how much less of what i need i should aim for so I don't starve myself and kill my current muscles.

I also know that to gain muscle a person has to take in more calories than used in a day, with a majority of the calories coming from proteins i think. This coupled with weight training should build muscle.

So now I get confused, it doesn't seem possible to do both at the same time.
So should i concentrate on first losing weight and only manage a diet and do cardio? Or should muscle workout be included as well?

once weight is off do i drop the cardio or just eat more?

Anyone have any suggestions or good sites to help get started?
 
Generally, it is most effective to focus on one of the goals you mentioned for the reasons you mentioned! When losing fat, you can combine cardio and resistance training to preserve and strengthen the muscle--you just won't add bulk at this point. However, even though you are not adding bulk, you are definitely refining the muscle, making it stronger and healthier, and it will be ready to show up once you reduce the fat that is hiding it!

This is a great site, full of ways to accomplish your goals. Read around here, you'll learn a lot!
 
Beginners often do gain muscle while losing fat, as the muscles used doing whatever exercise grow in response to being used.

However, reasonably fit people will find it more difficult to do both at the same time, which is why people sometimes alternate bulking and cutting. Bulking = attempting to gain muscle while minimizing fat gain (but fat gain usually happens anyway). Cutting = attempting to lose fat while minimizing muscle loss.
 
Thanks guys you helped clarify a few things.

I will be attempting to plan a routine that will emphasize weight loss and incorporate muscle training into it.

Now all I have to do is figure out how to plan a routine.
 
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