trading fat for muscle myth or truth
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780 days
mdd posted 2 years ago.
I am a certified personal trainer (CSCS) so I guess that is my source. The answer to your question is not a simple yes or no.
As triathletes it can be very difficult for us to "gain" muscle because we are constantly running a caloric deficit due to our intense and long endurance training sessions. However, your body can still create muscle especially in your legs (riding/running) even though you techinically are burning more than you are taking in.
Your question suggests that you might be looking at muscle gain/fat loss from more of a "bodybuilder" style of training and in that case you would be correct in thinking that you either gain muscle or cut fat because those are two very distinct cycles in the bodybuilder style of training.
However, triathlon requires a slightly different mindset and approach. Without posting a longwinded speech, I wouldn't put much thought into the "gaining muscle vs burning fat" debate. I would focus more on maintaining a clean/healthy diet that provides enough calories to fuel you through your training sessions. If you do that then I think you will be happy with the appearance that your body will naturally take on as it adapts to the specific needs of this great sport!
Hope that helps but who knows! :)
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Bretski posted 2 years ago.
Hey im a PT too, and nah its a myth
To all my fans, keep reaching for the stars, your hero, Bretski :cool:
667
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1097 days
deepbluex posted 2 years ago.
I have a nutrition question about that...
So if you are training hard and running a caloric deficit... your body needs food for 2 reasons: 1. to rebuild, repair muscles 2. to burn fuel for energy
So if you eat a protein while running a caloric deficit, will your body use the protein to build and repair muscle or to burn it as fuel?
784
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1113 days
dr_rios_ec posted 2 years ago.
Protein is a key in every athlete nutrition, to repair all the tissue break down due to trainning. Now, as an endurance athlete, the key food group is carbs, to have enough fuel and energy to go all the way during anyy given trainning session.
So, my recomendation would be, that yes protein is important to repair and build some muscle, no doubt about it, but carbs are essensial to keep us going.
Some athletes, in the endurance group feel tempted to put on some muscle, but is not the best aproach in matter of performance in any given endurance sport
By the way, my source...I am MD so that is my source.
Hope this helps a little my good friend.
-Santiago
"Man!! Defeat is worse than dying, cause´you have to live with it" -My Dad
"It ain´t about how hard you can hit...it is how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward"-Rocky Balboa
784
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1113 days
dr_rios_ec posted 2 years ago.
My friend here is a little piece of info, from this site, hope it gives you a little more help about protein.
http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/nutrition/the-real-value-of-protein-001372.php
-Santiago
"Man!! Defeat is worse than dying, cause´you have to live with it" -My Dad
"It ain´t about how hard you can hit...it is how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward"-Rocky Balboa
478
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1419 days
kona_expat posted 2 years ago.
Also remember that your weight can fluctuate solely due to your hydration status. 1g of stored carbs requires 4g of stored water, which is what will give your muscles a "plumped up" look. Water is counted as lean tissue in a body fat analysis, so that's why it's important to weigh yourself and take body fat measurements at the same time of day under the same conditions. Typically, body fat should be measured BEFORE any workouts are done for the day, because you should be fully hydrated. If you measure after a workout, you can actually come out as fatter, since you've lost fluid and hence lean tissue.
For a triathlete who is very lean, it is common to see a shift in body fat throughout the season. I myself see this. But it is not caused by muscle turning into fat or vice versa (as already said, that's a complete myth), but rather as you fire up your fat burning engine by progressively longer workouts and in particular increase your cycling, you will enlarge burn off some fat, and if you are lucky, you might add a little bit of muscle.
But when it comes to just a few pounds, it can be caused simply by your hydration (or lack thereof) status.
736
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841 days
Red5 posted 2 years ago.
Prior to beginning my triathlon training, I lifted wieght 3 times per week and ran 4-5 times per week. I ran the Phoenix Marathon in Jan. I'm 5'10" and at the time I wieghed about 158lbs. I then began my triathlon training. My training picked up to 12-13 hours per week. I stopped lifting free wieghts and my body wieght plumetted to 148lbs. I lost a lot of upper body mass and became very lean. Since then, I have continued to loss body fat but my wieght has moved back to 152lbs. It's definately additional muscle mass as I am more lean than ever (just based on how vascular I look).
_______
Bryan
Of course it's 'effing hard, it's IRONMAN!
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1340 days
christri25 posted 2 years ago.
protein intake during training sessions should be kept to a min. after a workout, protein is more valuable to your body.
pre workout = carbs , post work out recovery foods such as protein and easy to digest carbs.
Chris
``It's not as if I'm going to sit around and be a fat slob,''
Lance Armstrong 2005
I have heard several people say that since they haven't lost lbs. that they must have just put on more muscle and lost the fat. But I have also read in a couple of books that you can't do both at the same time. You need a caloric deficit to lose fat and a caloric abundance to gain muscle.
Can anyone shed some light on the subject. If you can cite your source that would be awesome, if not no worries.