Losing weight vs. Building muscle?

I weigh around 195 lbs and I'm 5"11 at 19 years old.
The past few months I've been eating properly - less calories, no "junk" whatsoever, lots of water, plus I exercise 3 times a week, each workout consists of weight-lifting and cardio (cycling) of 30-40 mins.
What I'm wondering - is wether the weight-lifting has any positive effect on the process or not, and wether I can build muscle alongside losing weight.
I've been working out for a few months and I've seen some results considering my muscles - not drastic but defenitly an improvement.
What guides me - is eating plenty of protein. I eat around 100-150 grams of protein every day (I consume two Whey Protein shakes per day). I have protein immidiately after my work out, as body-builders do.
Question is - will lifting weights + eating plenty of protein build my muscles, eventhough I do not obtain a calory surplus? Am I just causing myself damage, and rather do aerobics only?
Thanks for any advice..
 
You should rest 8 hours between cardio and training and/or do it on different days. Its hard to lose fat and gain muscle at the sametime but it does happen.

Best to focus on one. If you want to burn fat continue to train hard eventhou your not on a calorie surplus to preserve your exisiting muscle.
 
Really, they don't have to be that different. You do not need to be following a bodybuilding rountine and the doing cardio! Do full body exercises and High Octane Cardio. Do some pushups, then jog some, then drop down and do some more pushups, keep going untill you are whooped (which won't be long).
 
i'm not sure if this is related but in my thread on zig zag dieting someone posted a link for a site . . . the site says that by zig zagging your caloric intake you can reduce fat while gaining muscle

good luck!
 
Weird

I was in the EXACT same situation as you. I was 195 and 5'11" september of last year. What I did was eat healthy and RAN. I ran 20-30 minutes 5 days a week. By May I was 159 (my lowest) and that held for a while. but lately I'm up to 165. Partly cause I've been eating crap but also because I've been doing increased weight training 3-4 days a week. Don't base it on what you weigh base it on how you look. I look better now than I did in May and I'm 7 lbs heavier. So to lose weight Cardio is key, but the chiselled look is way better than just a lank.
 
Weight

Something to keep in mind. As you start to develope muscles thru weight training, the scale might start to fool you a bit. You may not be gaining fat, but rather muscle, so the scale is going to tip a bit higher.

Keep the protein diet part going and split up your weight & cardio training throughout the week.
 
Back
Top