Can fat be turned nto muscle

[Gai73]

ive read and read about fat being able to be converted to muscle. im not that much into fitness at my own peril, but i always believed fat can be burned, and the energy used to create the muscle. now im not a fat person at all, i just have a little soggy areas round my mid riff that all men in their mid thrities do.

what id like to start doing is to quit smoking, have started the epipe thing this weekend and i realise how bored im going to het not smoking. so i decided to turn to exercise and weights. im not joining a gym or anything so would anybody have any tips for thing is can do at home. im gonna start running and pressups situps etc. but id like ro work on my shoulders and neck. they get quite sore from my awkward posture (i came off a motorbike last year and my resting posture is slightly to the right) i use for comfort.

so if anyone is cool enough to give me practical tips id be grateful. i know im not gonna be arnold swarzeneggar or owt. just tidier and tighter for the lucky ladies lol.

i just would like the tone and strenght but none of the huge bulk. so if i get weights should i do a lot of sets of lights orfewer sets of heaviers.

believe me i have read forums on the internet and they all contradict each other then my post becomes not about my topic just a fight between the people who came on to help sheeeeesh. ill listen to any one who is kind enough to help.

btw muscle building on me is gonna be hard i gain mass very slowly so should i be switching diets so theres the whol protein v carbohydrate thing that peoplexes me.. and should i get myself some supplements to aid the process.

im sure when the time is right ill join a gym its just the ones ive been at are expensive and wasted because i never go back. this time i want tobe knee deep into it before i commit to a yr membership.

 

[jimbojones]

Technically it is not possible to turn fat into muscle.  The building blocks are different, fats are specially stored carbohydrates whereas muscle i functionally organized protein.  The fat would lack the amino acids and protein to build muscles.  You can burn fat and develop muscles while doing to, but I believe trying to turn fat into muscle is bio alchemy.

And I'm a steroid fan, even using PEDs there is no way to make the conversion from fat to muscle.  However all those muscles are still there under that fat, so as the fat melts away you will be left toned up.  I usually stick to 4 sets of 6-8, its more of an athletic workout than a body building one.

As far as diet, body builders don't do carbs hardly ever.  For somebody with you goals I'd just say watch the soda, white sugar and excessive carbs.  Supplements are a total waste of money, save a hundred bucks and run a steroid cycle in a few months.   Or go on TRT right now, it is wonderful, some testosterone to feel young again and a bit of deca to keep your joints feeling good.  Anyhow, other than whey protein isolate drink, supplements are a total waste of money.

 

[Gai73]

Thanks am new to this exercise thing was always thin and fit enough now im getting older, its time to change the oil and a tune up lol.

 

[PTFC]

Technically it is not possible to turn fat into muscle.  The building blocks are different, fats are specially stored carbohydrates whereas muscle i functionally organized protein.  The fat would lack the amino acids and protein to build muscles.  You can burn fat and develop muscles while doing to, but I believe trying to turn fat into muscle is bio alchemy.

And I'm a steroid fan, even using PEDs there is no way to make the conversion from fat to muscle.  However all those muscles are still there under that fat, so as the fat melts away you will be left toned up.  I usually stick to 4 sets of 6-8, its more of an athletic workout than a body building one.

As far as diet, body builders don't do carbs hardly ever.  For somebody with you goals I'd just say watch the soda, white sugar and excessive carbs.  Supplements are a total waste of money, save a hundred bucks and run a steroid cycle in a few months.   Or go on TRT right now, it is wonderful, some testosterone to feel young again and a bit of deca to keep your joints feeling good.  Anyhow, other than whey protein isolate drink, supplements are a total waste of money.

I'm intrigued by Testosterone and steroids to a degree, I boxed in my youth and was in tip top condition 20 years ago. How effective is a bit of TRT? I tend to avoid carbs anyway, with the exception of most fruit and veg. 

 

[trinity]

I'm intrigued by Testosterone and steroids to a degree, I boxed in my youth and was in tip top condition 20 years ago. How effective is a bit of TRT? I tend to avoid carbs anyway, with the exception of most fruit and veg. 

TRT under supervision can be an amazing thing.
I have seen it turn peoples lives around.

I have also seen AAS abuse ruin people. A 24yr friend of mine killed himself recently. I would attribute it down to a mix of a hormonal crash combined with rec drug use and combined with drink = burning the candle at both ends with a blow torch.

I am only speculating here but I was aware of his vices.

 

[Hammerblow]

Just wondering how you are getting on with this? I've had a read through it and it's quite heavy on the bioscience. You can't turn fat to muscle unfortunately or it would be very handy for someone who's 5''8 18 stone of 'fat' to become 18 stone of muscle,  now wouldn't that be nice. You can burn fat and build muscle at the same time that much is true but your looking at body fat % for your muscles to become defined. I've been competing for the best part of ten years so go with me on this one. You first work out your body type, there's three types, ecto being what you described as the 'hard gainer' that's also a bit of bioscience tbh. You just have to adjust your diet according to what type so you would fall in the high carb medium protein and lowish fats. There's tonnes of online tools you can use to work out your macros (daily macro nutrients - calories essentially) your input all your measurements, age, activity level eg. Do you work in an office or construction this matters. And of course what you put in at the gym. It will give you a good idea of what you need to consume. But I say idea because everyone is different and responds differently to foods so you adjust accordingly. Diet is key! I cannot say that enough I never use the word diet it's a lifestyle. You stick with the lifestyle you find is best via your own body and your macro requirements. After this you don't jump straight into a crazy deficit. Look to dropping your calories 500 per day which is fairly easy and won't leave you starving. It allows you room to enjoy yourself never judge a day but weigh in weekly so if there's a day you are off you'll still overall be in a deficit.

However if you are like me and enjoy your food it's a simple case of thermodynamics. Calories in v calories out. I bust my arse at the gym intense weight training for an hour-90 mins. I'll do HIIT twice a week for 20 mins but also walk my dog for an hour so there's my cardio covered. I function at about 4000 calories a day granted I take Anabolics but they aren't a magic pill that transforms you. A cycle of test will help you recover faster from your workouts. Enhance nitrogen intake and protien synthesis which will aid muscle growth. I wouldn't ever recommend anyone doing anything else until they had a 3-4 test cycles under their belt. Then you have aas like tren ace which is pretty much the God of steroids but at a price (side effects) deca or nandrolone you might know it by, that's great but again it's all subjective to how the persons body responds to the drug. That's why you run test only cycles first, regardless of what other compounds you run test will always be the base if you still want to get an erection. Peptides, insulin even HGH have never done anything for me they are expensive and not as effective as a simpler cycle combined with smart training and a good diet. I always tell anyone to stay clear of orals if you can, I've only ever used clenbuterol which is a 'fat burner' but only when I was 4-5 weeks out and my body fat % was low enough for it to bring it down a couple of percent. You then have shit like D-Bol which is not worth it. Makes you feel like shit, toxic as fuck to your liver and will shut you down if you aren't running test with it. Bloated and mostly water weight you are left with. There are so many others but this is getting pretty long. Bottom line imo orals risk v benefit aren't worth it. And a 250 - 500 mg cycle of test eth or cy will be far better, if you enjoy post cycle therapy once done, research and give your body 8-12 weeks to recover and look at stacking test with something like tren ace or deca.

When it comes to working out and you'd think this would be the longest part. It's simple. You find a programme you enjoy ideally comprising of the three main compound lifts squat, bench, deadlift or variants of them and you stick to it. Not for 6 weeks not for 12 but for at least 6 months to a year. It's not an overnight transformation. That's when you see the least results jumping from program to program without giving one enough time to reap the benefits. If you aren't familiar with the compound lifts, how to execute them or know which program to go with get a couple of pt sessions at the gym or religiously research YouTube. You being new I'd put you on a full body 5 by 5 (5 sets 5 reps) with an auxiliary day for smaller body parts. And for cardio do what you enjoy the most. Go 3 5min rounds on the bag or do hill sprints, climb whatever you are into. Again that goes also for the program if you aren't enjoying it research and change to one you will but remember it's never fun at the start. Just enjoy the experience and try not to take it too seriously, it can feel like information overload at times but broken down its simple.

You want to lose fat you must be in a calorific deficit so track macros. The way you choose to do so is yours but remember you can't cheat thermodynamics. Cardio doesn't need to be un enjoyable try to find an activity you enjoy. 

Build muscle you must incorporate resistance training (weights) and use progressive overload - to continue stimulating muscle you must increase the weight over time to keep tearing down muscle fibres so your body can grow new stronger bigger ones.

If you want to recover quicker from workouts and help grow/retain muscle faster and have a general overall 'wellness' feeling then maybe think about aas. But research everything and run a test only cycle to see how your body responds. Proper pct in place and also for during but beware there are potential side effects you have to be willing to risk. 

Its as as simple and long winded as that! I hope your fat lose journey is going ok, if there's anything I can do to help out just pm me and I can go into EVEN MORE detail. Just joking it would be a pleasure to help anyone out if I can so don't hesitate.

cheers.

 

[trinity]

However if you are like me and enjoy your food it's a simple case of thermodynamics. Calories in v calories out. I bust my arse at the gym intense weight training for an hour-90 mins. I'll do HIIT twice a week for 20 mins but also walk my dog for an hour so there's my cardio covered. I function at about 4000 calories a day granted I take Anabolics but they aren't a magic pill that transforms you. A cycle of test will help you recover faster from your workouts. Enhance nitrogen intake and protien synthesis which will aid muscle growth. I wouldn't ever recommend anyone doing anything else until they had a 3-4 test cycles under their belt. Then you have aas like tren ace which is pretty much the God of steroids but at a price (side effects) deca or nandrolone you might know it by, that's great but again it's all subjective to how the persons body responds to the drug. That's why you run test only cycles first, regardless of what other compounds you run test will always be the base if you still want to get an erection. Peptides, insulin even HGH have never done anything for me they are expensive and not as effective as a simpler cycle combined with smart training and a good diet. I always tell anyone to stay clear of orals if you can, I've only ever used clenbuterol which is a 'fat burner' but only when I was 4-5 weeks out and my body fat % was low enough for it to bring it down a couple of percent. You then have shit like D-Bol which is not worth it. Makes you feel like shit, toxic as fuck to your liver and will shut you down if you aren't running test with it. Bloated and mostly water weight you are left with. There are so many others but this is getting pretty long. Bottom line imo orals risk v benefit aren't worth it. And a 250 - 500 mg cycle of test eth or cy will be far better, if you enjoy post cycle therapy once done, research and give your body 8-12 weeks to recover and look at stacking test with something like tren ace or deca.

I have to disagree here. I dont add any test into my cycles as I dont get on with androgens and have gained immensely without any errection issues.

I have also ran nandrolone alone with issue.
Libido issues is part and parcel of the game when you chose to mess with hormones.

Methandrostenolone is like a superman pill for myself even of something as low as 10mg. The feeling is unreal.
Which again equates to the fact that everyone is different and what works for one...

 

[Hammerblow]

I have to disagree here. I dont add any test into my cycles as I dont get on with androgens and have gained immensely without any errection issues.

I have also ran nandrolone alone with issue.
Libido issues is part and parcel of the game when you chose to mess with hormones.

Methandrostenolone is like a superman pill for myself even of something as low as 10mg. The feeling is unreal.
Which again equates to the fact that everyone is different and what works for one...

This probably belongs on another thread as it contains some great information. Is that possible mods?

Anyway I think we're both saying the same thing but in different ways and I'll concede I'm probably biased to a degree as Methandrosrenolone (D-Bol for those who want to follow) has never agreed with me. I can't argue with the gains in strength and weight but the sides for me were just too much. I felt like hell, no appetite, lethargic and I got the most insane back pumps. Couldn't squat or deadlift after about the 3 sets. I wanted it to be a mainstay in my cycle even tried the injectable to see if I'd react differently but to no avail. But like you, a lot of my buddies love it....the superman pill indeed! It's a great drug if it works for you. Look at the Russians back in the day smoking everyone in the Olympics running d-Bol only cycles.

I'd say though if a newbie came to me for advice on a first time cycle I still wouldn't recommend a oral only cycle. You've got to see what works and generally that's a test cycle. Obviously you've been there, probably got more knowledge than I could dream of and it doesn't like you. Which is a shame but you've found what has and it's no great lose. First time cycle though (8-12 weeks) I'd say use Methandrosrenolone for 1-4 weeks as a kick start (milk thistle a must) but do run 250mg of a long ester test along with it and see how you react. Leave the nor-19's until a bit later.

It's so subjective though you're right. The libido one especially.  I've not experienced it either but 'deca dick' is a known side, my libido disappears regardless the closer I get to competition anyway. I just heed on the side of caution and trt when I'm running nandrolone. But who knows I'm lucky, never had any gyno issues with any compound, ache nah, no balding either. I get the wildfire hair growth and when I'm running trenbelone the insomnia is the biggest problem. I can handle the sweats and I love the aggression. I stay usually on ace so if I do get heavy on the sides I can jump off relatively quickly. Again so subjective. The disagreements I see about what ratio to run is silly, whatever works best...try a few different ones until you find the optimal for your body. Tren higher for me but that's preference.

Also I get great benefits harden like a rock, vascular when I add some masteron the last few weeks of a cut but doesn't do shit for others. 

I suppose we we can only guide people based on experience and then let them either make their own mistakes or thrive. Hopefully the latter. Probably the one thing we both can confidently say and agree on is you don't need to run grams & grams of gear to get top quality results. That can physically and mentally be a dangerous thing or just simply a waste of time.

Cheers bro.

 

[trinity]

Totally agree with your last sentiments.
Less is definitely more in the longevity of this game...unless you plan on dropping dead like a lot of pro's by 50.

 

[javaman]

When it comes to working out and you'd think this would be the longest part. It's simple. You find a programme you enjoy ideally comprising of the three main compound lifts squat, bench, deadlift or variants of them and you stick to it. Not for 6 weeks not for 12 but for at least 6 months to a year. It's not an overnight transformation. That's when you see the least results jumping from program to program without giving one enough time to reap the benefits. If you aren't familiar with the compound lifts, how to execute them or know which program to go with get a couple of pt sessions at the gym or religiously research YouTube. You being new I'd put you on a full body 5 by 5 (5 sets 5 reps) with an auxiliary day for smaller body parts. And for cardio do what you enjoy the most. Go 3 5min rounds on the bag or do hill sprints, climb whatever you are into. Again that goes also for the program if you aren't enjoying it research and change to one you will but remember it's never fun at the start. Just enjoy the experience and try not to take it too seriously, it can feel like information overload at times but broken down its simple.

I like this approach. I started doing a 5x5 routine about a year ago, alternating workouts three times a week. Workout A: Squat, bench, row; Workout B: Squat, deadlift, overhead press. Alternate workouts, so week 1: A B A; Week 2: B A B. I throw in a couple sets of pull ups and isolation lifts for good measure, but they shouldn't be the focus. I do 20-30 minutes of intervals on the recumbent bike after lifting, hike my dog a couple times a week. Eat well, and eat a lot... minimize sugars and processed stuff, maximize fruits, veggies, protein, whole grain, nuts, seeds. It's seriously pretty easy... 4 hours a week in the gym and eat right. Stick to a routine like this for a year and anyone will see amazing results as long as you're adding weight to the bar as often as you can in small increments. It just takes commitment.

 

[Hammerblow]

I'd like this   But I'm all out. Keep it up brother you have a solid routine there. It should be fun and feel easy. Well maybe not in the gym but at least sticking to it ha! Also getting your cardio outdoors on hikes with your dog isn't even cardio if you know what I mean. Just pure escapism, unfortunately where I live in the world I have a very small unpredictable timeframe that lets me do that! Good habits in all the key areas...welcome to the lifestyle. 

 

[PTFC]

@Hammerblow, you can make a new thread in this section on anything you wish to discuss steroid related, or use a current thread. Honestly, the floor is yours here! I'm impressed with the wealth of knowledge on the subject and interested also, as I know next to nothing about it. Please, feel free to discuss as I said. 

 

[danharnett1976]

Hi Gui73

I could write about his all day because I have a big interest in the recent studies on type 2 diabetes but I would boar you silly.... I lecture in health modules and I find the two short videos explain a lot in less than 20 minutes......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF7pmUmyzTk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQXGXfpV9d0

 

[Solid Snoop]

In short, no.

I find the best way to lose fat is to gain lean weight in the gym by eating right, getting a good training regime (weights of course) and maybe, just maybe try a short steroid cycle. Do not by supplements except from pure whey protein if you struggle to eat a lot of meat.

Once you are bigger, have some muscle mass, drop the cards, still weight train, add some light ccardio (light cardiovascular training has been proven to burn fat as fuel, high intensity training will eat your muscles) and the fat will start to fall off.

The reasoning behind this is the bigger you are, the more calories you burn when moving around. 

12 weeks of gaining then 12 weeks of cutting can transform your life. Sounds like a long time but 6 months is nothing. After a month you will end up enjoying it and see it as more of a hobby than "I'm fat, must loose weight". That's what happened for me anyway and I got into personal training for a bit on my days off.

Then one day I tried to deadlift 240kg and ruptured a disc. It wasnt the weight that did it, it was poor form because I was in a crap mood.

I can't train like before but I still try to go to the gym as much as my body will allow as the endorphins after a workout are great for depression.

Hope the above helps anyone serious about losing some weight and gaining some lean muscle.

 

[Jellopanda]

As several people have said you can't turn fat into muscle, but you can turn muscle into fat however if you train intensely and then suddenly stop.

I used to train a lot, about 10 years ago, and because of this problem i had, psychologically, where i used to think only the best was good enough and everything i did, i did obsessively, i did 90 minutes to two hours sessions every day (that was all weight-training, not the cardio), alternating the muscle groups i was exercising every 48 hours,to give them enough time to rebuild before i started training them again. I read a lot of books, learned all the latin names for different muscles and what exercises to do to train them best with the least chance of injury and how to do them most efficiently. Used to look at the guys training their biceps by using their entire body to lift up a free-weight very quickly and then dropping them down again just as quick. May make it look impressive as you lift a lot more weight that way, but it won't train you biceps much, if at all. Maybe they were there to impress the ladies.

In addition to that i did cardio to burn fat, but weight-lifting can burn fat too if done intensely enough, especially if training with light weights with more repetitions and not heavy ones (though that'll give you a more sinewy, tough look, but maybe that's what you're after, as opposed to a bulky one). It can still be used as a warm up tho. Jogging, walking up steep inclines (certain exercise machines let's you do that) or lots of other cardio exercise machines (there are a wealth to choose from) are more efficient when if comes to burning fat. ideally you should do both, but weight-training alone will also burn some fat. Some of those machines are good for building muscles too, tho more the kinda staying-power type of muscle as opposed to max weight. It's somewhat about preference. As i mentioned about when it came to training to obsessively. I was frequently pushing a heart rate close to 200 beats per minute. Don't do that!

I never did any steroids or anything. My changes in diet where all very natural, not even protein powder. I ate a lot of chicken, tuna and salads, supplemented with quick carbs when energy was low, like bananas or other fruit (no fruit-juice! Unless you're desperate for energy, and then only in small quantities. That will build fat quickly).

What happened to me after about two years was that i burned out, because my regimen was too tough. Being exhausted and in pain most of the time except after my warm-up, during my endorphin highs (which really beats most highs out there) and for a a couple of hours later. If you're like me, then one of the best pieces of advice i can give is to find a regimen that makes you feel good in general and that you can maintain, maybe for life. This differs from person to person. The professionals for instance have a very high tolerance for hard exercise.

Nowadays i still have some of that strength and bulk, but much of it has turned to fat, and my physical endurance is almost entirely gone.

While i feel my english is generally pretty good, it shows it's limits when talking about more specialized things like training (and the one i wrote in the cooking/recipe section). So sorry for that.

 

[trinity]

As several people have said you can't turn fat into muscle, but you can turn muscle into fat however if you train intensely and then suddenly stop.

I used to train a lot, about 10 years ago, and because of this problem i had, psychologically, where i used to think only the best was good enough and everything i did, i did obsessively, i did 90 minutes to two hours sessions every day (that was all weight-training, not the cardio), alternating the muscle groups i was exercising every 48 hours,to give them enough time to rebuild before i started training them again. I read a lot of books, learned all the latin names for different muscles and what exercises to do to train them best with the least chance of injury and how to do them most efficiently. Used to look at the guys training their biceps by using their entire body to lift up a free-weight very quickly and then dropping them down again just as quick. May make it look impressive as you lift a lot more weight that way, but it won't train you biceps much, if at all. Maybe they were there to impress the ladies.

In addition to that i did cardio to burn fat, but weight-lifting can burn fat too if done intensely enough, especially if training with light weights with more repetitions and not heavy ones (though that'll give you a more sinewy, tough look, but maybe that's what you're after, as opposed to a bulky one). It can still be used as a warm up tho. Jogging, walking up steep inclines (certain exercise machines let's you do that) or lots of other cardio exercise machines (there are a wealth to choose from) are more efficient when if comes to burning fat. ideally you should do both, but weight-training alone will also burn some fat. Some of those machines are good for building muscles too, tho more the kinda staying-power type of muscle as opposed to max weight. It's somewhat about preference. As i mentioned about when it came to training to obsessively. I was frequently pushing a heart rate close to 200 beats per minute. Don't do that!

I never did any steroids or anything. My changes in diet where all very natural, not even protein powder. I ate a lot of chicken, tuna and salads, supplemented with quick carbs when energy was low, like bananas or other fruit (no fruit-juice! Unless you're desperate for energy, and then only in small quantities. That will build fat quickly).

What happened to me after about two years was that i burned out, because my regimen was too tough. Being exhausted and in pain most of the time except after my warm-up, during my endorphin highs (which really beats most highs out there) and for a a couple of hours later. If you're like me, then one of the best pieces of advice i can give is to find a regimen that makes you feel good in general and that you can maintain, maybe for life. This differs from person to person. The professionals for instance have a very high tolerance for hard exercise.

Nowadays i still have some of that strength and bulk, but much of it has turned to fat, and my physical endurance is almost entirely gone.

While i feel my english is generally pretty good, it shows it's limits when talking about more specialized things like training (and the one i wrote in the cooking/recipe section). So sorry for that.

All that happened is the muscle became 'inactive' so there was no hypertrophy happening which gives the illusion of soft ,watery appearance or as you thought 'fat'.

A week back in the gym and glycogen fill to the muscle soon gets it back into shape.

 

[Jellopanda]

All that happened is the muscle became 'inactive' so there was no hypertrophy happening which gives the illusion of soft ,watery appearance or as you thought 'fat'.

A week back in the gym and glycogen fill to the muscle soon gets it back into shape.

I wasn't aware of that. Thank you for clearing that up

 

[Solid Snoop]

All that happened is the muscle became 'inactive' so there was no hypertrophy happening which gives the illusion of soft ,watery appearance or as you thought 'fat'.

A week back in the gym and glycogen fill to the muscle soon gets it back into shape.

True that. 

Felt so fat after my injury. Wobbling everywhere. A year later I was in the gym with light weights and although I had gained some fat, 2.weeks in the muscle memory kicked in. I looked good and felt much better.

 

[monker]

No. But you can easily burn fat while gaining muscle.

An hour of hard cardio will burn about 1,000 calories.

An hour of hard lifting will burn about the same; however you will continue to burn calories for the next 2-3 days after heavy lifting.
Lifting every other day and rotating muscle groups, will keep your entire body sore with "DOMS" nearly 24/7. This is a huge increase in your metabolic rate.

You also burn extra calories per LB of muscle residing on your body. Someone who doesn't have muscle on their body - and basically MOST people who haven't spent a good amount of time lifting (a lot of bouncers look big and strong,but they're just big boned and fat) will not have said muscle on their body, and can fairly easily gain 20, 30, 50 lbs of muscle.

50 additional lbs of muscle on a 6' body isn't that much. noticeable to others....but from toe to head it's not a lot. but it's a huge increase in metabolic rate. There are different claims as to how many calories each lb of muscle burns, from 7-50 calories a day at resting.
of course gaining a good bit of muscle and continuing to work out will really turn up that fat burning furnace.

Lifting is #1 for fat loss. But a strong heart, lungs, and cardiovascular system is great thing to have. it'll help you lift by helping you pump blood, and intake the necessary oxygen.