Build Muscle in the Gym – Lose Fat With Your Diet

As far as I’m concerned the gym is mostly (if not entirely) meant for building muscle. Sure you can do some ‘cardio’ there and try to burn a few extra calories, but I think the bulk of your time in the gym should be spent building muscle (that includes women too)

Muscle Building Happens in the Gym

Muscle Building Happens In The Gym

I think many people run into a problem trying to make their workouts do more than they really can. For example the other day I was at the gym and saw a personal trainer making her client push a sled (loaded with 150lbs of weight) back and forth across the entire length of our gym (about 30 yards).

The poor guy pushing the sled must have been at least 70lbs overweight and I’ll bet he is hoping that these workouts are going to somehow make him lose weight.

This is a perfect example of having the wrong expectations. If that guy doesn’t start revamping how much he eats (aka eat less) then all the sled pushing in the world isn’t going to cause him to lose any weight.

It just seems like a lot of wasted effort because pushing that sled around isn’t even building his muscles in a way that will look good when he finally does (if ever) lose the weight.

The point is not to mix up what your diet and your exercise can do.

Use the gym primarily for building muscles and use your diet for weight loss.

IF you don’t have much bodyfat to lose (ie: you’re in that last 10lbs range) then you can certainly accelerate the process in the gym…but it’s still dependent on keep your calories in check.

The bottom line is to stick with a consistent workout for building muscle and use your diet to lose bodyfat.

John

Posted by johnbarban in Fat Loss, Muscle Building
Tags: building muscle, Fat Loss, lose fat, muscle building workout, the gym |10 Comments

10 Responses to “Build Muscle in the Gym – Lose Fat With Your Diet”

  1. clementinho Says:
    August 30th, 2010 at 9:34 am

    Hi John, I can’t agree more. Usually, cardio just drains the heck out of you if it’s too intense. Eat less, lose weight.

    However, I’ve seen many recommendations come out for fish oil supplements. Do you think I should start on them?

    Also, I’ve been recently eating with simple rules – just eat at BMR every day. Do you think I will be able to reveal my abs this way despite my frequent trips to the Golden Arches (as much as 2x per week at times)?

  2. usernametooshortnowitstoolon Says:
    August 30th, 2010 at 11:44 am

    I totally agree with you, John. Plus, cardio for the sake of fat loss is a grossly inefficient use of time. A better use of time in the gym would be lifting weights. Just don’t overeat.

    However, let me play devil’s advocate for a moment: How do you know the guy pushing the sled isn’t embarking on a similar program as yours? You AE program also asks that overweight people lift weights 4 times a week. I’m sure other enlightened people in the gym wonder why this overweight guy is doing Pushdown & Pulldowns!

  3. blwegrzyn Says:
    August 30th, 2010 at 1:56 pm

    I was wondering what is Vincent Delmonte add doing on your page?
    Is not the adonis workout what we should follow and embrace?

    Also after you click the Vince add you read:
    “…nicknamed Skinny Vinny – and shot up to an impressive 190 pounds – gaining 41 pounds of rock-hard muscle and then…”

    41 pounds? Ha ha this is insane and as far as this site is concerned this is impossible unless you train for a long long time or use stereoids.

  4. johnbarban Says:
    August 30th, 2010 at 3:45 pm

    If you talk to Vince he’ll tell you that he gained that weight when he was younger during his juvenile muscle growth years.

    Vince’s workouts are good too, mine aren’t the only ones and his are pretty good for younger guys who are just starting out.

    JB

  5. volwalker Says:
    August 30th, 2010 at 11:33 pm

    So John, when is your book coming out? I though it was supposed to come out in July? I am anxious to read it.

  6. usernametooshortnowitstoolon Says:
    August 31st, 2010 at 12:09 am

    lol just noticed the link to Vince Delmonte’s page. That was kinda out of the blue, and I don’t agree with a lot of things that Vince preaches, but I’m sure his workouts are solid.

  7. ERV Says:
    August 31st, 2010 at 9:47 am

    Thats so sad. If Dude had the motivation to hire a trainer and put in that kind of effort, he really did have the motivation to get healthy.

    Now (if he isnt being coached on diet and other kinds of exercise), hes going to put in all that effort, hes not going to get the results he wants, so hes going to think there is something wrong with *him* and that he can never be healthy.

    Thats sad. I hope he has other help, and the sleds were just ‘icing on the cake’.

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