Is it Possible to Burn Fat and Build Muscle at the Same Time?

Have you ever wondered if you can burn fat and build muscle simultaneously? Spoiler alert: Yes, you can! And it’s not just a pipe dream reserved for beginners or steroid users. In fact, if you're serious about your fitness journey, you should actually expect to gain muscle while following a fat loss diet!

Now, a lot of folks might raise their eyebrows at this. It's common to hear people say that if you build muscle during contest prep, you're probably on steroids. Why? Because many believe that building muscle and losing fat can’t happen together. Some say it’s theoretically possible but only for newbies, while others insist that natural lifters should focus on cutting or bulking only. But let's dive into the science and see what's really going on!

You might have heard the argument that it’s impossible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time due to thermodynamics. Here’s the classic reasoning:

" To build muscle, you need to store energy. To lose fat, you have to burn energy. So, therefore, to gain muscle, you must be in an energy surplus, and to lose fat, you must be in a deficit."

While the first two statements ring true, the third one is not quite as acurate because muscle and fat are different functional compartments in the body. This is called calorie partitioning, and it means your body can direct calories towards building muscle and burning fat independently.

Thanks to scientists like Heymsfield et al. (1982), we know what our bodies need to build muscle. First off, we need water (easy! We have lots of this), various proteins (also manageable especially if we consume enough in our diet), and energy. No worries there, either! Your body can create the glucose and fat needed for energy. Even ultra-lean bodybuilders will have about 6% body fat and in a 90kg male, this equates to roughly 5kg of fat which can be metabolised into around 50,000 usable calories, which is more than enough to assist muscle growth during a cut.

So, as long as you have a well-structured training program to provide the necessary stimulus for growth, your body has the means to build muscle—yes, even while shedding fat!

Alternatively, your body can store fat and burn muscle at the same time. The law of energy conservation states that body fat is accumulated in a surplus of energy and lost in a deficit. Therefore, simply consuming more calories without considering their nutritional value during a bulking phase may not help maintain muscle mass, but rather contribute to an excess of body fat.

In summary, next time you hear someone insisting that only steroid users can achieve this feat, remind them to take a break from TikTok and pick up a book instead. The science shows that with the right approach, your body is capable of both building muscle and losing fat simultaneously. So go on and embrace your fitness journey—your miraculous body is ready to adapt and thrive!