Can I be floppy and muscular at the same time? Can I cut off fats and get bulk simultaneously? Being a fat guy, shall I lose the fat first to become a muscle man? Is there any fat guy with muscles?
There are many conceptions and misconceptions out there about fat and muscle which give rise to the aforesaid queries. Don’t worry, everything will be sorted out here.
You will get a nitpicking explanation of each query that is spinning in your head. Also, you will get to learn the four muscle-building fundamentals. Which will help you to pack on muscle effectively.
Table of Content
Can Your Fat Convert Into Muscle?
Well, can you turn an apple into an orange? Not possible, right? This case is no different. In the next few minutes, you will come to know why!
We all have a common notion that taking off from the gym after going for a long period can make a person fluffy. Without diving deep, we think it happens perhaps due to their muscles turning into fat.
But, the actual thing is it is not their muscle but idleness which puts on fat in their body. The very first reason why it is impossible to turn skinny fat into muscle is its composition.
According to medical science, fats and muscle are two distinct tissues.
Muscles mainly come in three forms: skeletal muscles attach to the bones, smooth muscle (found in the intestine and cardiac muscles (found in the heart).
Each muscle growth consists of bundles of muscle fibers known as myofibrils. These myofibrils consist of large chain amino acids which are called the bullying blocks of protein.
Contrarily, Fat, medically termed as adipose tissue, is mainly composed of triglyceride. That means there is glycerol along with three fatty chains. As per chemical formulation concern, it is made of C(carbon), H(hydrogen), and O(oxygen) atoms.
Hence, it is not possible to convert belly fat into muscle and vice versa. Well, don’t lose hope for being a fat guy. Being obese, you have better opportunities than skinny people to build muscle. How? That’s what you will come to know next.
Is It Easier to Become a Fat Guy With Muscles?
It’s always a blessing to get a workout partner in your bulk-making or weight loss journey. It makes you stay motivated and accountable for the workout. But a difference arises when one of the mates gets results faster than the rest.
Here the difference creator is none other than the basic body type. If you take a closer look, you will find three category body types in your surroundings. They are :
- Endomorph or fat
- Mesomorph or athletic
- Ectomorph or skinny
Naturally, obese people have bulks but get undercovered by the fats. Contrarily, skinny people possess minimal muscles. Also, their good metabolism works for eliminating all extras out of the body.
However, the mesomorph type is pretty similar to endomorph. Then how will I differentiate between these two? Well, some children are healthy in their childhood.
And therefore, they also develop weight problems in their adulthood due to uncontrolled lifestyles. They are mesomorphs. It is considered ideal for building muscle.
The only way to know whether you are endomorph or not -depends on whether you gain bulk fast or not during training. If it is quicker, then you’re an endomorph.
These two types tend to grow muscles first rather than get stored as fat.
So, with regular training, it becomes easier for them to build muscle earlier than skinny people. Building muscle while fat loss is one kind of a blessing in this sense.
However, this body type is reversible. So, skinny people with hard training can change their type into mesomorph or endomorph.
How Can an Overweight Guy Become Muscular?
The primary goal of almost every fitness freak is shedding extra fats and building muscle. The first thing to do here is to reduce calories either by diet routine or exercise.
Whatever you start with, it should be sustainable and well planned. Without consistency, you will end up gaining nothing but disappointment. Here you will get to know all possible ways to get the bulk you want.
Strength Training for Muscle Building
Success has no shortcut and so is muscle building. You need to be consistent in your training period. Strength training is indeed a good approach to gain muscle fast by working against a force.
As a beginner, you may be wondering where and how to start. Well, before starting, you should talk to your doctor or a trainer. Because it is a common tendency to get an injury like back pain in one side.
For this, he may ask you to perform some pre-exercise for screening purposes. They will help you to choose the right form and work out accordingly to avoid all kinds of injuries.
These are a few forms of resistance training :
- Free weights: In this, you will lift dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells.
- Weight machines: Most popular devices often you see in the gym or at home.
- Resistance bands: These are lightweight versatile stretchable bands.
- Your body weight: You can take the advantage of this during squatting, pushing as well as chin-ups.
Avoid Adaptation
Changing is not good only for removing monotony, it’s a part of your muscle gain training. Doing the same workout can dump you into a tough plateau phase or cause you injury. Yes, it can take a toll and create tears in muscles which takes time to regain.
That’s why experts suggest taking rest or bringing some changes in routine. All you need is to focus on your sets, reps, and intensity. You should sit alone or with your advisor or trainer to make a 1 year segmented (6month, 1 month,5 month) routine. Focus on variation during planning. Tryout on different muscle groups.
| Days | Muscles |
| One | Chest, triceps, and shoulders |
| Two | quads, hamstrings, gluteals, hip abductors and adductors, and calves. |
| Three | Back, biceps, and abs |
Staying Hydrated Is Important
During the workout, you sweat a lot. Although you just see the watery part, this sweat contains electrolytes (sodium, chloride, magnesium, potassium) too. That’s why you may have noticed white lines in your gym outfits.
Loss of these electrolytes can cause electrolyte imbalance and impair overall performance. So, it is essential to keep yourself hydrated before and after a workout.
According to experts opinion, you should drink water in the following amount :
| Time of exercising | Amount |
| 2-3 hrs before | 17-20 ounces |
| 20-30 min before | 8 ounces |
| While exercising | 7-10 ounces |
| Post-workout | 8 ounces |
Eat a Balanced Diet
Remember our primary goal? yes! it was to lose fat and gain muscle. Now, you might be looking for a diet plan which will help you in this journey. Thankfully, you can try out a list of foods to attain your desired goal.
It is very important to get the carbs, fat, and protein along with vitamins, minerals in balance to get the bulk. Excess taking of carbs can cause an erratic sugar spike by inhibiting insulin hormone. Even, it impairs the growth hormone release which ultimately hinders your muscle development.
Here is a list of foods that will help you to shed fats and gain muscle simultaneously:
- Eggs
- Chickens
- Salmon
- Greek yogurt and cottage cheese
- Protein powder
- Lean beef
- Bison
- Ground turkey
- Tuna fish
Related Reading:
Anorexic Diet To Lose Weight Fast: A Tale of Unhealthy Leaning
PCOS Keto Diet: 5 Things Every PCOS Woman Must Know
10 Best Hyperthyroid Diet And Exercise For Hyperthyroidism
Get Enough Sleep
This is often overlooked. But, this has the capability to even ruin all efforts and hard work for increasing muscle mass. Like water, it can also suppress the growth hormone released from your pituitary gland.
So, it is very crucial to sleep at least for seven-eight hours. Sometimes vigorous workouts make our muscles fatigued. Sleep can help to regain the strength and power of your muscles.
How to Know Whether You Are Gaining Fat or Muscle?
As the fat and muscle weigh the same, it may confuse you whether gaining fat or muscle. Don’t worry. A list of methods available to calculate your body fat percentages.
But, they have some drawbacks. Here you will get to know what is the best method to get exact results:
- BMI: The body mass index is referred to as BMI. It’s computed by multiplying your weight in kilos by your height in meters squared. It is possible that you will not receive an exact report of fat vs. muscle weight.
- Waist circumference: It merely tells you how much fat is in your trunk. And no one is overweight in such a place. As a result, it isn’t the best calculator.
- Callipers: This tool is quite easy to use. It works by squeezing your skin to determine the thickness of the skinfolds. However, as your BMI rises and your skin tightens, it becomes more difficult.
- Bioelectrical impedance: if you are a gym-goer, you may have spotted a handheld white device that comes with a metal plate. It calculates body fat percentage by sending electrical pulses through the body. The voltage is safe for your body. Fat is resistant to electric discharge. So, determining the resistance your body provides helps to know the amount of body fat. The more resistant it is, the more fat you contain. Hormonal imbalance, fluid shift, temperature, and a lot of factors can affect the result. So, it is not that reliable for you.
- Dilution method: It is a relatively easy and reliable test to know the result. You will have to drink radiolabeled water. The ingested isotope label will provide the amount of fat mass in your body.
- DEXA scan: In this sort of scan, x-rays are passed at various stages and rates. It provides you with a rough estimate of your body composition.
- CT/MRI scan: Among the suggestions, this one is the most reliable. CT/MRI can correctly quantify visceral, subcutaneous, and fat-free mass. However, this one is a little pricey.
- Underwater densitometry: Here, you will be submerged in a water tank. Fat floats on water more than muscle or bone. So, it will measure that relative Beyonce. However, considering other methods, this one is very time-consuming.
Conclusion
Muscle building is no wonder one of the challenging tasks. It requires dedication, hard work with a pre-planned strategy. The strategies vary according to age, sex, and health status of a person.
However, among the thousands of suggestions, we emphasize only the four aspects that are the secret sausage of thousands of fat guys with muscle success stories.
If they can pack on muscle, then you will too. But, don’t compromise with consistency. If you feel lazy to maintain all that, you can hire a personal trainer. He will make your way. If you have any further queries, feel free to ask below.
