Losing Fat While Building Muscle Is A Myth?

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[@backrewire]

What do we want?! NOTABLE GAINS When do we want them?! After a solid 3-4 mesocycles in a caloric surplus 🤓

[@literathos3171]

I needed that, thanks.

[@backrewire]

@@literathos3171 happy to help

[@DiskoKDiskoL]

After 1st steroid cycle in a caloric deficit

[@cliffonator1111]

After becoming obese!

[@signs80]

@@cliffonator1111 if you become obese in a bulk then you are either bulking too much, don't care about bodyfat because of performance or you're lifting like shit

[@Brisket_and_Barbells]

"Special sports supplements". You mean creatine and protein powder right?

[@PendlayRoe]

Injectible BCAAs

[@jthancock]

Chicken, rice, and broccoli brah

[@hugogodofredo9187]

Whiskey, gypsy tears and bear milk

[@ecosx2618]

Duck eggs and No Fap

[@Magic_beans_]

Big bowl of Wheaties.

[@anananwar]

As someone who experienced a lot of early success with recomp but now struggling to move the needle, this is exactly what I needed to hear.

[@OneBritish13]

When you recomped did your weight stay the same? I'm lifting more weight for more reps over time but my weight is staying roughly the same. I'm thinking once I can't increase the weight + reps anymore then bump cals up a bit?

[@fake-PSL]

@@OneBritish13 it depends on your body composition at that time... Note you can't always progress in the gym... Sometimes you need to deload or maintain before pushing forward... ( Usually a 4 month mark )

[@manuelavendano3891]

Same here. Fuck, did it for too long (1 year hehe)

[@user-vv1do1wg1j]

eh ive been kind of on a recomp for a year... though i do a lot of cardio and thus eat a lot i get 15k steps a day and burn 300-400 with running/cycling on top of weightlifting, at 188cm, 90kg, i eat 3400+ calories a day (i dont track that well) lifts have been going up consistently, but i think if i hadnt been doing these steps and cardio and had to maintain at like 2500 i wouldnt have made gains. i eat 4/5 meals a day, get 250g+ protein a day honestly i like this way of going about it, really high maintenance point seems to be better than a low maintenance point

[@markpozsar5785]

@@fake-PSL jesus christ 4 months until a deload? wtf dude, hell no, 4-8 weeks is the reasonable answer

[@nessingman]

Since I stopped worrying about my calorie intake or fat loss/muscle gain and just focus on good workouts, the whole game feels much more enjoyable. Sometimes I lose fat and sometimes I gain muscle, don't care about the speed but over time the results come regardless.

[@diogobsoares]

Dude, I just looked at your profile picture. If I looked like you do I wouldn't care either. You're killing it bro

[@HeyJerry55]

@@diogobsoares dudes diced

[@michaelscott5653]

Amen.

[@nessingman]

To be fair: that's a picture from 8 years ago and it was the leanest I've ever been, around 8% bodyfat. I'm usually around 12-15% bodyfat 😅

[@_egghead]

This

[@pantopia3518]

I like Jeff nippards video on this. People who are: beginners including those who've trained for a long time ineffectively, detrained (eg coming back after an injury or holiday), using gear, have high body fat percentage can all recomp. If you think about it that's actually the majority of people in most gyms so the majority of people can recomp. With that said most people'll probably get results faster having a bulk and cut phase.

[@williamvanderscheer4327]

What I will say is the distinction is important; It should essentially just be a cut, you want to actually dieting down, and still get newbie gains, thats the newbie advantage. But dont sit around maintenance calories, even if recomping does work for you. You want to cut down asap. So you can start the cycle once your body is ready. As a newbie, cutting and starting a bulk after 3 months is better than recomping over the span of an entire year, even if the latter will still work pretty well. Atleast thats what I am getting from this.

[@rafaelbezerra3044]

This right here, I wish he would stress it more. I feel like 90% of people, even the ones watching this this can benefit from recomping. Most people even ones that frequent a gym, are not under 10% body fat or 18% for females like he mentioned and can definitely gain muscle while cutting fat by just working hard and watching what you eat. But I definitely see how if you are already that lean and have been goin hard at the gym for multiple years, you get diminishing returns.

[@168door7]

@@williamvanderscheer4327would eating 15% below maintenance work for someone at 17% bodyfat?

[@pritok6]

@@ytdiury well I train 16 year and I see hardly any changes and when I see them they are mostly details (like hey I have some new visible musle on my back that's new 50g of muscle lol) So I am really thinking of starting recomp at like 15 percent bodyfat and stop neverending cycle of bulking and cutting lol But my next step is shorter bulking and cutting cycles because 7-8 month bulk cycles don't do me any good lol because I am kind of tired of process at this point. so 3-4 months bulk cycles would be good start I presume lol

[@aonirsplayground6224]

@@ytdiury I am currently in recomp, 32y M, was 90kg, on-off training, recent year stable training, BUT NOT COUNTING CALORIES, which was my mistake. Now I am, thus I am having stable protein intake, in caloric deficit (not large) and I'm gaining strength slowly, lost 5kg in roughly 3 months (1,74cm tall). Already HAD a good muscle base (I got them by average training, and being fat, thus mainted most of it overall) Now I'm far far more consistent with GOOD training techniques, 4-6x/week, on a deficit and its 100% working. I went from PR deadlift 67kg(each side) to now 6 reps in these 3 months, simple bicep curling from 8-10kg to 3-4 sets with 12-15kg (depends on the rest of the week, life also exists, unfortunately). If you're a fat POS you can 100% gain muscle and lose fat, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE GOOD PROTEIN INTAKE.

[@Josiah_Harder]

He looks way younger here and it's only 3 years old

[@jarlwhiterun7478]

Shut up b1tch

[@user-oi3jn5ct8v]

Roids

[@neila6340]

lol yeah I noticed the same. Aged like shizz

[@austinpatton3771]

He's also tan (and more lean it looks like?) which definitely plays a factor.

[@neila6340]

@@austinpatton3771 true he probably just got fat

[@doughtyism]

That one dislike is from a person content with technical gains

[@tim..t175]

All 22 are greg Douchette accounts. He still hates Dr Mike 😅

[@brookegazy2096]

@@tim..t175 why? How do you know?

[@tim..t175]

@@brookegazy2096 lol!! The 22 dislikes was a joke . The hating Dr Mike , well Greg makes fun of his ideas when possible.

[@Eric.Bodrenok]

When you’re that guy who’s made technical gains in the last 2 years😔

[@chriscottingham4368]

Yes!!! They’re happy with their 1% more muscle mass💪🏾😝

[@TeyCallMeBigMac]

"You dont mix spaghetti and cake" Lasagna would like know your location

[@bonkersdonkers7381]

My mind is blown. Lasagna is essentially a pasta cake. Good God, he's right.

[@rdptll]

epic comment

[@seancavey5220]

I was the 69th like........Nice

[@Humonic]

Hahaha

[@HealthandExercise-ht1zl]

@@bonkersdonkers7381na man. Lasagna is just a hot multiple layer sandwich. Pasta is just a weird type of bread.

[@bradhobbs_]

Instructions unclear: made spaghetti cake

[@Raymal100]

Lasagna?

[@Niksplaylist1]

instructions unclear, fucked a lasagna

[@harryv6752]

😄😄😄

[@StephenMarkTurner]

"Just flexing my 1% more muscle..." - I almost choked on my lunch at that part

[@avssify]

You're an idiot.

[@man94xxBIG]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😆😆😆😆I couldn't stop laughing 🤣🤣

[@supagreatman2826]

"Should be easy to see with my 1% less bodyfat" made me hit like

[@jakesmith6337]

This makes so much more sense than what coach Greg has to say on the subject.

[@soonahero]

It doesn’t. “You’re not used to much of any training or diet structure” applies to nearly every American. It applies to basically everyone, which is why his casino analogy is wrong. It works basically 100% of the time with most Americans.

[@drumline17]

@@soonahero This channel isn't for "most Americans".

[@soonahero]

@@drumline17 every English speaking country is fat and this channel is in English

[@drumline17]

@@soonahero This channel is for people semi-serious about fitness and weightlifting, it doesn't matter what their general population looks like. Get a life

[@MikoZyskowicz]

Hes basicly saying the same thing as greg but people cannot see the fucking connection, greg tells ppl to maingain at certain bodyfat they feel good at. So if ur too lean u bulk if ur too fat u cut. Hes saying the exact same thing except hes telling you basicly to cut for summer/any events (like bodybuilders) and then bulk back up to keep making gains. If you just wanted to keep building muscle u would maintain as greg with a small surplus says. Most people dont do shows and go 4-5% bodyfat and then back to 10-15%. This argument is so ridiculous and people should stop Fighting about it.

[@KeeperOfKale222]

If you're fat, and start lifting, you will gain muscle and lose fat. I lived it.

[@Pedaissance]

Yep. If you're fat-- don't over eat, just clean up your diet and eat at maintenence calories, add alot of protein, lift weights. Lose fat, build muscle.

[@hands-ongaming7180]

@@Pedaissanceyup. I don’t know why this lunkhead didn’t mention that. Only person to mention this is coach Greg.

[@Ederick1936]

@@hands-ongaming7180 i know this is an old comment but if you are living that life. 1. hope you are killin' it. 2. most of the information and advice dr. mike (and most guys and gals in this space of youtube) gives is targeted towards already fit or mildly unfit people trying to improve and bulk up. if you are (pulling a number from an educated guess) over 30% body fat I don't think a lot of the things he's said will apply. an example would be the video on how walking is not exercise, and for the majority of his targeted audience, he's right, but for somebody who is morbidly obese it absolutely is. @keeperofKale222 awesome friend, hope you've made and maintained yoru goals!

[@albinjohnsson2511]

I'm not even fat and I have lost 8 kg in the last 5 months while getting significantly stronger in all my lifts (and growing my muscles). I'm in his category B (coming back to training after time off) and it's definitely the most rewarding time working out lol.

[@cl3935]

​@@albinjohnsson2511lost weight but gained muscle? Do you mean lost fat? Because gaining muscle would increase your weight

[@Professional.Bro.777]

Waiting for greg doucette to make a response video where he tells that it is reasonable to recomp for 20 straight years

[@smeedal3343]

Yea dude ngl I was convinced Id be able to do this and tried it out for a while and sure like I still made really slow gains but at the rate it was it just wasn't worth it and now am just gonna start messing around more with just fluctuating between a 300 calorie deficit and surplus and see how my body reacts, although ironically I am in a recomp phase rn do to a phat injury lol I'd imagine the only other scenario, other than the ones that were mentioned, where you could have truly good lean gain maintenance is if you have hyper elite genetics, buuuttt I think at that point you'd realize how good your genetics are and prob be hopping on some *cough* special sports supplements *cough*

[@vladomiljkovic8099]

@@smeedal3343 the thing is Greg don't tell people to be in constant calorie deficit, more so to stay at around comfortable weight and start from there, if u are 15-20% bf u don't need bulk because when u eventually cut u will probably lose that difference between main-gaining and bulking, but u had to force feed yourself, and u had to suffer cutting, that is why main-gaining is arguably the best.

[@BaldyMacbeard]

I'm pretty sure he's saying to recomp until you reach a reasonable amount of body fat, then "maingain" at maintenance level or the tiniest caloric surplus. In contrast to bulking until you reach well beyond 20% body fat, then dieting down back to 10, then bulking again etc.

[@smeedal3343]

@@vladomiljkovic8099 yea that makes sense I definitely know now that ultimately, if you can so help it, taking a slower approach to all things dieting so you either dont lose weight too quickly or gain weight too quickly as it will probably be a good amount of muscle loss or a high amount of fat gain. I still do think greg, in select videos, whether he really means to or not, paints a picture of this magical scenario that you can be super lean and still actively gain muscle and strength forever while maintaining the same body fat %, which sure some people can do with the right circumstances and luck, but I dont necessarily think it's that simple for most people even with all the discipline and willpower in the world. But I've watched a ton of his videos and I know overall he preaches to just get to a comfortable body fat % and stay there.

[@Magic_beans_]

@@BaldyMacbeard Thing is, the evidence-based community hasn’t supported those 20%-plus megabulks for a long time. It’s basically a strawman at this point.

[@t0ny1189]

I'm 34...played multiple sports at a high level growing up...been in and out of the gym since...got off drugs a year ago when I was 260 lbs at 5'9...got back into the gym and dialed in nutrition and over the last 7.5 months I'm down to 215 and have hit PRs in all my lifts...over the last month the fat loss has slowed down and strength gain is plateauing so I'm gonna just start cutting hard and doing what I can to keep muscle.

[@laughoutlos]

Great progress brother keep it up

[@MrBottlecapBill]

You were already carrying around the excess supply to make that muscle gain, that's why. The same happens to someone who is overweight and just starts working out for the first time. They already have the energy reserves so they can actually gain muscle and lose fat at the same time........until they hit the plateau where the reserves needed and the gains desired don't work out mathematically. You'll hit that same plateau eventually but until then...........enjoy. It feels great!

[@taylordwyer6363]

Im 35. Last 10 years I struggled with drugs and alcohol as well. Mainly alcohol and a terrible diet. I packed on weight and carried it for years. I hated how I felt and looked. Depression consumed me. Once I decided to get sober, I hit the gym with a vengeance. Over the course of a year or so, I lost about 50 pounds. I understand i was essentially bulking for a decade and unintentionally adding muscle, as well as fat, but body recomp is real. Im actually grateful for the discomfort I endured, it really puts things into perspective. I never thought id look the way i do now, I went from a B-cup to a 6-pack, lol. Just like living sober, health and fitness is a lifestyle. I wish everyone the best on their fitness journey. Thanks Tony for writing that, I needed it.

[@johnmansfield1222]

thankyou, just started back in the gym, been 4 years off over a bike spill, at 70 i found you a great help, regards john.

[@thepool3974]

I just started training again a few months ago after a year off. Been watching all these fitness vids and was pretty much recomping the whole time and made some decent gains but slowed down a lot now and I think this is what I needed to hear. Thanks doc

[@reidandre99]

Mike always speaks really well in these videos. Great stuff

[@inhatzulu]

Mike’s topics are like an open book,and for free!A big THANK YOU Mike for all of these awsome stuffs!

[@bizzyrizzy4075]

Man! The way you broke this down is the BEST way I’ve heard this. It makes so much sense. Obviously you can maintain or Recomp but the reality is that it takes a LONG time to see results. But it can be done. Depending on your situation you need to prioritize and make a decision on what you need to do more of. Not saying you can’t keep weight lift and hit your protein max during a caloric defecit. You can, but the priority is the caloric deficit and some cardio to aid. Versus if you just focused on Gains you would limit some cardio so u can focus more on weightlifting and a small surplus with a protein max. I Get it!. I also will note for anyone reading this. You still have to be patient. No matter what you do results won’t show until about 6-8 weeks or 3 months of being CONSISTENT not going back and forth. I’m learning this now and often I find it’s mental. I always want to switch things up halfway when I don’t see anything noticeable but in reality you just have to keep doing the right things more and more often. Especially when it comes to some thing like losing stubborn love handle fat or chest fat you have to be patient. Some things in our bodies take longer to leave

[@TheSFShogun]

I appreciate this video. I never understood bulking and cutting because when I was a beginner (completely untrained and obese) I lost 60lb of fat in a year while taking my bench press from 135lb to 225lb. But then I plateaued for another 6-7 months (I added strength in other lifts but these were noob gains). Now that I want to get my bench to like 245 for reps, I am trying be hyper caloric. It makes me nervous because being fat is ... the worst. But I need to break this plateau.

[@TheSFShogun]

@@LowEnd824 Thanks for the tip. I've been thinking about that "tricking" the muscles, so I might give that a try.

[@RightDragon88]

Try it out but don't take the bulking phase too crazy. Eat good nutritious foods and you'll bulk. No McDonalds! 😅 I'm actually trying to bulk a little more and get ready for a massive cutting phase.

[@Hedgeflexlfz]

5:05 This pretty much sums it up, folks.

[@grimrhythm666]

Yup. I’m nearing the end of my “noob recomp” where I’ve been on a high protein calorie deficit (8 months in) and my results are definitely starting to slow down. I lost 50lbs and put on a good bit of muscle. I’ve been eating at maintenance for about a month now and I’m still slowly losing weight though. I’m thinking I’m gonna go back into a cut and see how the recomping goes and if I don’t see as strong results I’ll make the decision to strictly cut or bulk. Good video. It has definitely helped me with my thought process.

[@nmnate]

I think I've been at both ends of the spectrum. I used to wrestle and lift 3-4x a week at maybe 10% body fat or slightly less (depends on which weight class I was wrestling in). After doing that for years, "recomping" is laughable. However, now that I'm older and noticeably fluffier (18-20% bf) I can milk newbie gains (set up a home gym a couple months ago) at a slight caloric deficit. Excellent topic and well explained.

[@palabrajot505]

Just go easy on the Blake's and the Allsup's and you'll be fine.

[@hardassteel]

Lol

[@3komma141592653]

Honestly i think 80 % of people watching are noobs like me and it works just fine to get in a better spot.

[@jonathancruz5848]

Thank you so much for these type of videos. Fitness truths are what we need with less bs and this hits all points of what people need to hear, do and then try to figure out what works best with them!

[@Lilron1991z]

I love this video, it was very helpful in helping me figure out, what I should focus on when it comes to my fitness goals.

[@boblangdon5253]

Man, I wish I had KZbin back in the late '79s/early '80s, especially Drr. Mike! All I had was Franco Colombos book.

[@SantaAnaGeorgeJ]

I’ve often thought the same thing. Growing up in the sixties and seventies, the only information available was through books and magazines/newspapers. The information, or at least quality information, was harder to find. Today, there is such a plethora of information you must be careful to pick and choose wisely what you listen to.

[@boblangdon5253]

No shit. Me too! That was all. Good book, but...

[@X_JISH_X]

I just got back into the gym after years of not going and this helped me a ton. Thanks for the info and I'll definitely be checking out your other videos.

[@Leon6584]

I’m so glad I heard this. I was worried my fat gain would hinder my muscle gain. I’ve been keeping my diet consistent but I was gaining more fat weight. Luckily I’m starting at 140 so getting to fat isn’t a huge worry

[@theperfectprogression2294]

I really think I’m in one of those groups where recomp is possible, but this video convinced me that I still should go ahead and just cut fat (while retaining muscle) first and then work on building up muscle more

[@emartinezr]

If you are relatively fit, a newbie in terms of weights and have patience and will power... recomp is VERY possible. But the gains are slow. I think fat loss (cut) is faster, but a straight muscle gain or lean bulk would be a bit slower if you're not already a decent lifter.

[@juwitahasin9904]

what about overweight

[@smeshsmesh9695]

I agree. I was 260lbs at 181cm and 35% bf and I’m cutting hard to 187-190lbs. (1000cal/day deficit). I’m now at 220 and 26% bf. When I reach 190 I’ll bulk and properly gain muscle till I’m 200lbs probably. Also if you’re that heavy I think it’s healthier (also mentally) to just lose weight and not focus on muscle to much.

[@dustintate1599]

I'm going to learn multiple languages at the same time, drive way over the speed limit, and travel 50 minutes to eat only an egg roll and you're not going to stop me.

[@Sparkie075]

Dude, I’m so glad I found this channel. You are effing amazing. I’d heard about bulking and cutting for decades, but never knew the reasoning behind it. I thought it was bro science or something.

[@Trynabethicc]

This makes so much sense. Thank you for quality video !!

[@TK-en2hq]

Lost 40lbs this year and hit PR's every other week. Starting to slow down on the weight loss and PR's. I now see I was a *lot* fatter than I thought. Gonna keep pushing it until it stops, but I'm still aiming for the 3 plate bench while cutting to 180lbs(currently at 198lbs/275lbs bench)

[@Credi44]

Im in a similar situation, hows it going

[@TK-en2hq]

Went from 240lbs to 195lbs, tweaked my shoulder and rebounded to 210lbs while recovering. Now starting to work my way down again, focusing on reps instead of weight.

[@Credi44]

@@TK-en2hq that’s great!! Keep up the good work!!. I went from 255 to 190 doing keto. I put on about 7lbs now again, want to drop down to 180

[@TK-en2hq]

@@Credi44 I do carnivore for my cuts just because I am a sugar addict. It makes the rebound a big more dramatic but I also lack a large intestine so I get pretty big bodyweight swings regardless. Glad to hear it's working for you.

[@Credi44]

@@TK-en2hq I’m going through the exact same thing, my 1 day refeed turns into one week and i diet for another week to undo the damage and the cycle repeats. I’ve been thinking about getting off keto cause ive been doing it for a long time now, any tips or anything to watch out for?

[@SWISS-1337]

Initially I was blasting away with newbie gains, able to lose fat and gain about 0.6 lbs of muscle per month. That dried up recently when I lost fat but gained strength, and only put on 0.2 lbs in just over a month. I am going to start from now ensuring I get at least a little over 2500 calories (I'm a "short king" 5 5" with crohns, so eating the calories is difficult) I'll update in 3 months! Although 90% chance I forget.

[@MusclesandBooks]

There's a similarly short king at my gym and dude is RIPPED. I'm 4'10" so always appreciate seeing strong Hobbits.

[@fabiansandoval6132]

Fude youre not a king at all. Dont call yourself thats sounds gay AF

[@Bruh-lm4zr]

Update?

[@lilsheba]

Update!

[@SWISS-1337]

OK so update is a little skewed, but I'm happy considering. So after I made this, I had 4 seriously bad colds/flus almost in a row (unusual for me to get ill at all, but I think because I got one I ended up getting them all due to the first weakening me, and the last destroyed me), 2 of which I was out for about 4 days and the last took me out for 2 weeks and made me lose 4 KG of body weight. Considering I lost that much body weight my muscle mass only went down 1.5 KGs and my body percentage of muscle went up as my body fat was the main thing that was lost. Since then I have basically had to slowly build back up, as it basically caused a mini reset, which really sucks but all I can do is keep going. Since end of February I have only put on 0.2 of muscle but I think it took a while for me to be to feel good again. I haven't been able to push as much as I have these last few weeks since before all the illness, so I am hoping next update will be more positive lol, but I'm feeling good finally and looking better because I basically was forced into a rapid cut, but now I am starting to push hard again.

[@PureWaterSolutions]

Mike I keep commenting on IG how great these videos are! This one is great! 💪

[@KilledKenny01]

For me it worked… I was a newby and had 30% body fat and applied a 500kcal deficit. Now around 12-15% it’s almost impossible. A surplus for gains… a deficit for getting lean… that’s how it is

[@sarthakbhardwaj3333]

Bro can you tell me what you did for cardio

[@fightmilk8613]

@@sarthakbhardwaj3333all you have to do is walk brother. Eat what you have been eating but add around 10,000 steps to your daily step count and you will lose weight (provided you are currently eating at or below your maintenance calories.) Use your phone to track it. It’s literally that easy.

[@Lothar445]

@@sarthakbhardwaj3333 Not the original poster, but I've gone from 112kg (unknown bf%) to 95kg (27%) and then to 90kg (19%) in the last 4 years. 2 years were strict weight loss, 1 was light/moderate exercise and the last year has been a full on gym year with a recomp phase and 4-5 workouts every week. And the reason why I'm telling you this, is cause I mostly did it with barely any cardio. I've tried cardio for a total of maybe 4 months in that whole period, and it fucking sucked, mind you I only did cardio during the last year or so while I was recomping, but yea. I was training to failure pretty much every other workout, and topping it off with half an hour of running. My life was miserable in that period, and I was barely noticing any difference. Honestly, from my experience I think just walking a normal amount a day (around 10k steps/7.5km) is fine for cardio. If you got trouble with your appetite being bigger from losing weight a ton, then cardio can help a lot, but if you rely too much on cardio for appetite you will most likely just bounce back once you're comfortable. The point of losing weight is to stay at that weight, so you need to lose your old habits/appetites. I used to eat like half a kilo of cookies with milk each night while watching movies or youtube garbage, all throughout highschool and a little afterwards, but now thanks to my adjusted appetite, I would need to forcefeed myself to even eat half of it. So far I've only had to rely on walking a little bit. And I only walk more than the average after a cheat meal/day when I'm out drinking with my friends or something. Overall, if you're trying to lose weight while gaining muscles, from my experience I'd suggest mostly maintaining your daily calorie intake and training like crazy, cause your body most likely has more than enough fat to burn and convert into energy. As long as you consume enough protein, train and maintain calories, you will continue moving in the right direction. It's a tough process, losing weight and gaining muscles, because your gains aren't really as pronounced as most other lifters in the gym, and even if you lift more than someone, they still might look 10 times more impressive while you hate how your body looks, but I feel like it's worth it in the end if you got the patience to see it through. If you don't have the patience to recomp (which should be at least 6 months if not a year or multiple, at least according to some other youtubers I watched talk about it), then just strictly cut down, but beware that you're most likely just going to be skinny looking once you lose all those stores of fat, and idk about you, but to me it's better to be at least a little muscular or plump than straight up skinny.

[@videogazer801]

@@sarthakbhardwaj3333rucking

[@Archsage]

For the year and a half that I worked out seriously, 3 - 5 days a week/ 1 - 2 hours a session, this was never explained to me.. Feel like I spent a lot of time chasing the rabbit. Thank you for running through this. Excited to finally bulk up

[@kristyna1312]

Exactly, same here.

[@EpicRivers1]

Most people who have this question are starting out at high body fat percentage. We are much more concerned with this question. I can confirm that at around 2400 calories a day, often less, closer to 2,000 and 200g of protein, 270lbs roughly 35% body fat when I started, I have absolutely been gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time, and my strength lately has been skyrocketing. My working sets have gone up to 205 on the bench press, I haven't tried a 1 rep max. My working sets on shoulder press are 240 currently, When I started my preacher curls were like 50lbs, now I'm at 120lbs working sets, I have never lifted weights before in my life, It took me a good while to learn a routine and what lifts I like to do, but in 7 months I like to think this is actually great progress. I had very little muscle starting out. Very fat dude. I have a lot of patience, I know this is headed somewhere amazing, and I know it's a forever commitment, and I'm really happy with the results so far.

[@evec2022]

People who are untrained or detrained can accomplish this when they first start working out seriously and paying attention to nutrition. This is clear... What isn't clear is for the people in the middle. Not ultra lean and muscular, but not completely untrained. However, I think is more attainable that the industry says. I did it with a normal starting BMI.

[@robertdy1952]

Youre experiencing called "Newbie Gains" Your first year of proper lifting you'll be experiencing massive gain of strength and muscle and lose fat the same time

[@evec2022]

@@robertdy1952 Yes, this has been clear for a while. It is possible for those who are 1) Untrained or 2) Overweight. But good job @EpicRivers1 for making it happen!!

[@evec2022]

BTW Great job on making it all happen!

[@chabosmulm]

didnt he literally explain your scenario in the video? If you are high bodyfat + beginner, you can gain muscle and lose fat, but the less fat you have and the more advanced you get, the worse this works

[@natanbreslow1672]

So glad I found your channel! Amazing content. Thanks so much!!! 🙏🙏🙏❤

Sold! I’ll stop the recomp thing now, now it makes sense why I feel like I’ve wasted 4 years of training

[@garbygarb31]

This guy has a very head shaped head

[@andrewmaynard7569]

I'm on month six. What he's saying is like he looked at my logs. I've lost 30lbs and gained a shit ton of muscle but the fat loss has slowed and the gains are slowing. 100% accurate

[@spikenjam]

That was VERY helpful. Now everything that has been frustrating me makes total sense. Thank you!!

[@kennyvanwinkle1721]

This if almost all the information I’ve been scouring for in one video. Thank you.

[@nicolasa6789]

Thanks for this. The degree at which recomp is possible is maybe over stated by some people. Just don't use this as an excuse to dreamer bulk on a 2k surplus

[@ralphellis4569]

Hey doc! I'm 44. I started my workout (recomp) @ ~383lbs @ 42 years of age (2021). Given my age and your recommendation I focused primarily on *safe* motions but I absolutely tear up my workouts (powerlifting/strongman focus), given 3 days splits with generalized focus (chest/back/arms, shoulders, legs). I walk as fast as possible every day, twice a day, 1.7 miles per (3.4 total). Google Maps says I have done 60 miles in the past 3 weeks. Even though I am not *trying* to hypertrophy I absolutely am "puffing out" kind of like a strongman does. This is the first time I have ever seen solid traps on my neckline with any sort of prominence. My bench started @ 225 and is now 355 1RM. I am beelining for 405. My deadlift started @ 315lbs in April of this year. I am now @ 515lbs 1RM, with an end goal of 800lbs by ~49 years old. No, I am not "on gear". The gains can be attributed to immense back work, form correction coaching (which was very effective), and pure hatred (hah!). Doing this I dropped 60lbs in 2 years while *SAFELY* gaining a metric fuckton of strength. I know most people are trying to hypertrophy so I can very much respect that these "technical gains" are not the kind of progress they are looking for. However, when you are old and a slow progression with low risk of injury is preferred, and you're a patient old codger with time to spare, absolutely this methodology ("cut and burn") works. At least it very much does for me (and my wife who also powerlifts). The part that is hard to track doing this and why it is so deceptively ineffective to most people is they are not monitoring physiological form changes when weight loss seems to stagnate. (i.e. measuring muscular growth and carefully measuring waistline or arm fat, etc.) You can be initially depressed when you see the same weight for 3 months on the scale, like it is locked in place, but you notice your waistline slimming, biceps, chest, quads, and other groups showing far more prominence, and fatty areas starting to recede. If I was younger I would probably run the excess weight off then focus on strength gains separately, but as an older fella this slow-cooker approach is excellent.

[@theogonia1983]

This is great to hear! I’m 40 and at 330lbs and i started a week ago doing basically what you’re doing. The employees at the gym are telling me to eat up and massively weight train even though I told them I really want to skim down by at least 100lbs. I just had a feeling they weren’t listening to my goals, and Mike’s advice here pretty much confirms that. I’m eating at a caloric deficit

[@ralphellis4569]

@@theogonia1983 If you are obese it will simply melt at first. Yes, small dietary changes are absolutely essential, but not the gut-wrenching arduous dieting some will try and foist upon you. Here were my basic rules: #1. No more fast food except for once on a cheat day. Even then it must be carefully considered (I like two chicken soft tacos and a diet Pepsi from Taco bell on Sundays, personally). Incorporate more salads and go ahead and stuff them with lean proteins (I like chicken breasts in salads personally). Make sure you are at a very slight caloric deficit. #2. Be relentless. Do not let any bullshit stop you. I am absolutely known by everybody at my gym (a very large gym) and they fist bump me, give me "the nod", wave, etc. and I do *NOT* say this to say I am "so cool", but more so that I am there 5 days a week and always chasing my strongman/powerlifting goals. None of us even know each others names, and that is saying something. The behaviors I point out are due to my endless hard work and never-quit attitude. Just do NOT stop, except for when... #3. ...your body is screaming for a break and/or you have acquired a minor injury. We are older now and the body is absolutely ridiculous at how long it takes to heal from injuries. This is a long and steady march, not a sprint. The only person you have a competition and debt to settle with is yourself. I am one of the biggest and strongest guys in my gym now and 2 years ago I did *NOT* start that way. Which also brings me to... #4. ....stopping before doing something stupid and reaching out to trained professionals for their guidance and advice on form and movements when needed. I pulled my back once on 505lbs worth of deadlift not because I couldn't do it, but because my starting position was slightly misaligned on this particular pull. It took 3 frickin weeks to get back to it (more weight, actually) because I didn't stop to ask the trainer I am friendly with, "Hey, can you give me a second-look at this starting position?" when I really should have. I knew something was "off" but shrugged it off and paid the price. So now when not sure precisely what exercise is going to give me the best results I ask for a moment of the trainers time and guidance if he is willing and/or able to share some that particular day or moment. Example: I felt like I was struggling to get upper pec engagement on any sort of movement. Incline press was marginal at best, particularly in a mind-muscle kind of way. I struggled to engage them and get them sore even when decline press was fine for lower chest. I go up to the physical therapy/strength trainer and ask and he says, "Oh that's easy. When you do your pec flys on the machine for the mid chest, lower the seat to the lowest position (for my height) and you will do what looks like a diving motion with your arms at a very high fly height." I thought this looked stupid as I have seen other people do it. However, I trust this trainer so I go do it. I'll be damned. I *INSTANTLY* could feel immense contraction of the upper pecs and they were sore as hell by time I left. I couldn't help but go back, chuckling a bit, and thanking him as I didn't know that kind of mind-muscle was even possible to the upper pecs. I am immensely grateful for this. So, beyond this, the first thing you need to solidify is your core. I did core work for the first 6 months. Back press, abs, obliques, etc. Not to try to "strengthen them" per se, but to bring them online and used to contracting significantly again for stabilization after long periods of sedentary behavior. From there I went straight to a strongman/powerlifting routine and the weight flew off in 2 solid years. (I am now 75lbs down). You got this!

[@KingDarius_]

Thank you so much for sharing this. (And I've read the comment below as well) this is week #6 for me, I'll be 32 next month. I started at 384 and now I'm 366. I started falling off on my calorie deficit, but love lifting so far. This is helping me consider to finding a balance diet wise, thank you so much for sharing!

[@moyesfifa8925]

This is great content. No BS, straight to the point answers.

[@davidlefebvre6988]

Really love the yays and nays as you break it down, Bravo!! I tend to gain little muscle while loding little fat by eating extremely well, high protein, supplements, but the main key is none of the above, its how intense i go, i go FAR beyond the limits that 99% go in intensity, i dont count reps, i go to failure, then go past failure, then even more past failure with isometric holds. No one but serious bodybuilders will do this type of intensity. If i want to bulk, then i can gain lots of muscle and gain little fat.

[@chrism5126]

mmhmmmm ok

[@coreydw1]

Lol, Dr Mike is so patient. There is a video of him debating Coach Greg about this topic and always training harder.

[@rockyevans1584]

Haha watch their first debate, he's more passive aggressive than patient in that one

[@beardy7124]

I’d like to see that. Greg always thinks he’s right.

[@CanwegetSubscriberswithn-cu2it]

Special supplements.

[@Superdub74]

Man GREAT info!! I'm 2 months in to my recomp. I've noticed notable strength gains and muscle gains. I'm really trying to lose my beer belly and love handles. I have lost 3 inches around my belly so far, so I'm happy about that. I guess I'll see where I am in 4 more months and then change it up accordingly. Your videos are great and help emensly. Thank you

[@jacksimmons9180]

How’s the recomp going ?

[@Superdub74]

@@jacksimmons9180 Still going really well... my weight is still maintaining and I'm noticing some serious density in my muscles right now. My belly and love handles are slowly melting away. Being consistent with my nutrition and workouts are really paying off.

[@ibrahiim2499]

@@Superdub74 are you eating in a defecit or maintenance?

[@Bunny11344]

@@Superdub74 do u ever have cheat days

[@eddiev.261]

Hows it going now?

[@PACIFICBboy]

This is good to hear. I’m coming back from a long lay off and this time I’m calorie/macro counting. 2 years off I think I’ll bounce back pretty well

[@johnchavez2521]

Needed this ! Thank you👍🏽

[@RDS_Armwrestling]

Lol check out Jeff Cavalier's most recent upload, "You CAN'T build muscle and burn fat at the same time!", think he's been watching your channel for inspiration

[@DanielDimov358]

Shit is getting real!

[@LasTortugasAzules]

His video is all about how you CAN do both. The two videos contradict each other. I'm going with the scientific approach

[@MiguelRaggi]

@@LasTortugasAzules To be fair, his point is that, in his experience, a lot of people start a bulk and then never get off it. If you are serious about this, then he does say bulking and cutting is the best method, but maybe there is something to his claim (I don't know, we'd need a behavioral psychology study for this)

[@GVS]

@@LasTortugasAzules they aren't really contradicting, I actually agree with most of both of what they said.

[@RDS_Armwrestling]

Jeff's video titles/thumbnails are definitely designed to be a little more click baity but I do appreciate Jeff's take on things most of the time, I didn't watch the video but I read the description haha I knew what he was gonna say anyway

[@nightrunner14]

Lost 120+#s, reversed my type 2 diabetes, and got off all 14 meds for good by WFPB lifestyle and fasting. Wife said, "Glad you lost all the fat, but I miss your muscles." Had gone from over 50" waist to 28" pants. After I got over the shock of her statement, I decided to give her the muscles she longed for, lest she seek it out elsewhere. Applying your AWESOME content! I'm now about 200#s, strongest I've ever been & feeling GREAT!!! KEEP THE VIDEOS COMING!!!

[@Kanfachan]

Did you have loose skin when you lost all that weight? If so, his did you deal with it? If not, how did you achieve it?

[@BobBob-rt1vl]

Thanks Dr Mike! Exactly what I needed to hear to let go of my expectations of recomping!!

[@iberaku]

I’m about to turn 45 and this information, I feel, is helping come to an end of the my beginner phase. I’ve been watching RP a month or two now and have seen great improvements applying this golden information. I’ve also dropped many bad habits I knew or wasn’t aware of until being enlightened by RP. Thank you for all the great advice. You are at the head of internet fitness gurus!

[@x1987knights1]

I missed the whole FKN year…and it wasn’t due to laziness, my old man has a compromised immune system, and I couldn’t risk it for the biscuit, so now since we’re both vaccinated, I’m slowly getting back to it…wishing everyone the best! 💯👊😎💪🤙

[@jamesostendorf1518]

Did you make any progress with calisthenics?

[@ivankacic2808]

Did he get heart problems from the vaccination?

[@Sleeping_Giants]

Oof. Have fun with that spike protein in a few years or months

[@toddlerscanread]

More nuanced than last time

[@thechosenone7875]

I definitely like doing different phases. It’s more simple and allows me to maximize each phase.

[@m14hh5]

Was writing a comment about beginners and was almost done before the video got to the part where you talk about it. What’s best depends on goals. I think recomp/lean gains can work not bad at all for many intermediates as well but if they have bodybuilding aspirations it would be worth bulking. For me, lacking such aspirations, I’m fine with the idea of recomp and mostly lean gains. If I reach a bit of a stall and want to gain more muscle later then maybe shorter bulk/cut phases.

[@martingamer5591]

A-X released a video on this same topic just an hour later. Would love to see a round table discussion between these two on the topic.

[@oneset6545]

@xxtine that u can do both at the same time. I’m rolling with Dr. Mike. 💪🏽

[@mortsnerd5100]

@Bradley Puppies He also says it's not realistic to recomp at low body fat.

[@eriks8315]

Coach Greg is bringing up main-gaining a lot as the best thing you can do, and i never understood why. Now i am pretty sure he is talking to the “average” viewer who is overweight and untrained. Those people will benefit from newbie gains even on a maintenance calories + they will lose fat rapidly. Main-gaining is a bad idea for advanced lifters, especially if they are lean.

[@ClanLeader30k]

The exact thing he touts isn't exactly that. It's to be at as lean of a body fat you're comfortable at and can make gains in, and the raise your calories when you're getting too lean. He's even agreed in a discussion with Mike that at a certain point, you have to raise your calories a significant amount to make gains, but that if you get above 20%, you've gone too far.

[@eriks8315]

The eco chamber on Greg’s channel is insane. If you are past the newbie gains and serious about gaining muscle, solid clean bulking phases and cutting fazes are absolutely crucial. I lost 9 kgs in 2 months going on a pretty big cut, which took dedication. The difference in appearance is insane and i would take me years to achieve the same result if at all on recomp. And you gain back all the lost muscle after a cut in 2-3 months.

[@SwaggMessiah69]

I'm beginner, Was on the line of obesity, lost 55lbs so far in a 2 month cut and 6 month recomp. I feel like my muscle visual growth and strength gains have improved significantly while a recomp while cutting in the 2 months slowed my progressive overload. Really my recomp is maintaining my overweight status while in a low deficit to slowly lose weight on the scale, while honed in on macros.

[@jcbarquet]

Excellent information, thanks for putting it out there.

[@fadsfit2799]

Mike will you ever make " special drugs " videos , I would love to see your scientific / periodic approach to PED's

[@fadsfit2799]

@A i will start listening to him then , i don't know him , still hoping that mike tells us what he thinks of sum stuff

[@chadjames1808]

So you’re saying I can eat the whole pizza because I’m bulking???

[@soulie2001]

I did and gained no weight.

[@ibrahimtastekin275]

@@soulie2001 Probably because you didn't enter a caloric surplus.

[@soulie2001]

@@ibrahimtastekin275 Yea but my calories expended are huge. 10-14 miles at job, plus workout after, plus walk home sometimes. 5000 about.

[@mohammadumar5217]

Yeah in 6 days with regular meals at maintenance should put you in a good surplus 😅

[@lovergurl454]

@@soulie2001 u have to eat more then that's all

[@xpeter1000]

I haven't lifted weights nor dieted for almost a year because of coivd, I did a few pull ups every now and then but not really a proper workout, this motivated me into starting a recomp

[@sorrysock3269]

ah Dr. Is, 100% needed to hear this. Thanks, boss.

[@valman008]

Hi Dr. Mike! Can you do a video on how to bulk without getting too fat? Thanks!

[@HughMorristheJoker]

Just don't be a fatty boom boom

[@Chaosdude341]

Absolutely busting out the quality content lately. Great, great, great way to start the day.

[@aaronmacdonald8077]

This was my experience for sure. I had notable gains for the first year and then almost none the second year. Eventually I learned about cutting and bulking, got my diet in order and started making gains again.

[@IBeinstine]

Thank you for the information. I needed this

[@watersheep4979]

Been looking forward to this one

[@CCSABCD]

When is the RP analogies scienctific principles book gonna get released?

[@qv8075]

Love me some average joe analogies

[@armoredcoreenjoyer]

brilliant analogies. it made everything so much easier to understand. thank you for making such high quality informative videos.🗿

[@nicomaxfield]

Really informative. I'm convinced to download the app! Thanks Prof. Maybe I'll see you at the Apex one day.

[@zealotscout]

What do you think about going to a 2-3 week maintenance in between hard cutting and bulking phases? And how long should a first cut last?

[@MachoMaster]

As told by Mike in other videos: - cuts should be 8-12 weeks. - the maintenance should be at least 2/3 of the time of the cut. So 12 weeks of cutting means 8 weeks of maintenance. Especially important if you want to run cut phases back to back.

[@barrywilliams9698]

Very informative and I can totally understand his points, however most people are not training to be body builders and prepping for a show. I think the average gym goer wants to look decent 365 days a year. Going into a muscle gain phase means you going to look a bit soft for 50% of the year. That doesn't sound very appealing to me even if the gains are faster.

[@TheGreektrojan]

Most people can't get bodybuilder shredded and maintain that year around (another myth/dream online charlatans prey on). Being "a bit soft" below 20% or so (for males) is just a healthy body. If you bulk between 10-20% (as a male), you never look meaningfully soft (aka you're are still aesthetic). You can very easily bulk/cut and keep your aesthetics. Now after a few years when you get to a good body comp (and don't want to go full on bodybuilder huge), then you can go into maintenance/'recomp' mode. Its often guys who are naturally skinny/lean who are disproportionately afraid of any trace of fat making one look awful who get stuck in recomping when they could put on a lot of fat before anyone actually noticed/cared.

[@SCP-001DatabaseAdministrator]

@@TheGreektrojan goes right to the stomach first, legs and arms don't hold fat unless the stomach looks a bit oversized for their frame

[@loua8656]

I still can't believe he puts out so much knowledge for essentially free. What a great and funny dude.

[@aprilaurie]

Absolutely crazy watching this video after watching your most recent. Huge gains…but didn’t notice til now

[@gabrielisiordia2123]

I needed this video. Dr mike just slapped me across the face, time to get off this maintenance faze and switch to real massing.

[@kpotassium]

Is there a consensus on how long each hypocaloric / hypercaloric phase should be?

[@MicheleAncis]

Really great content - especially for noobs that's a lot of well explained info. Thanks a lot for that! Now I just need to understand how much my "maintenance", "under" and "over" caloric levels are, and how does the macro split look like :-D

[@camerontait9132]

When you put it like that it just makes a lot of sense.

[@groundzerogaming5319]

Quality content. Quality laughs. Every time.

[@DavetheLeg]

In my experience you can totally gain mass and loose fat dramatically at the same time when your first starting out (the first few months or first year) but the more advanced you get the further apart the 2 goals get. Kind of like mass training vs strength. I did nothing during COVID then when I started up again and lost 10% fat and went up 10% in just a couple months only 3 days a weak plus increased NEAT.

[@gunsandcommissions]

I was a very experienced lifter who had 25 years of legit training under my belt. I got away from the gym for close to a decade (ugly divorce, depression, substance abuse....you know the deal). I got fat. Like 5'11", 285 fat. I got back in the gym about 4 years ago (after first just getting my diet on point and losing 50lbs) and it's been like when I first started lifting (kinda, I'm 47, so I do have some physical limitations from old injuries and back problems). I've completely recomped my body. I've gotten a bunch of mass back (natural) and I've continued to lose bodyfat to where I've got visible abs all day, every day. No onion skinned/peeled and I've still got plenty of bodyfat to lose. But in great shape for a guy my age with a full life, 2 teenage boys, and a very demanding job.

[@narcoman]

@@gunsandcommissionsbro nice story but share tips not just on how ur wife got fucked by Mandingo

[@ceshadow]

@@gunsandcommissions sir, how do you build muscle and stay lean? I'm geniunly curious!!

[@george.r]

8:04-8:37 This is literally bodybuilding summed up. Lift heavy, eat big to get big, then eat less to burn any excess fat you gained. Repeat cycle until beast mode.

[@kefkefkef6347]

Can't believe this is free. Thanks Doc.

[@x2x3456]

Good video Dr M I. What evidence is there that a surplus is much better for building muscle tissue than otherwise? I know you mentioned most top athletes use this method, but I find as a late novice/intermediate lifter maintenance (or a slight deficit) has comparable increases in gains/strength to a caloric surplus when performed correctly (without the unwanted fat gain!)

[@TheGameFreak013]

I mean just as he mentioned in the video, your body will resist you based on your diet, whether caloric surplus or deficit, I'm sure theres proper medical research on this, but it is probably too heavy for a youtube video. I'd take the word of Dr. Mike, he knows what he is talking about :)

[@gregfields011]

There’s literature showing natty bodybuilders doing contest prep and gaining muscle into the show. Also, heaps of resistance training studies shows recomposition, including a study on advanced gymnasts. Curious why Mike is saying this.

[@peetos-chan2835]

He gathers all the data, and then goes through that total info, and then makes his claims based on total science. Using just one, two, or 5 studies isn't appropriate for the scientific process.

[@signs80]

Do you have an example of these studies that show significant recomposition for people that aren't new to barbell training stimuli?

[@michaelshannon9169]

Sir, you are spoiling us with this high frequency content output, you might want to consider a deload week at this rate.

[@nicola6917]

My trainer told me I did it. He was amazed.i took a break as I lost my appetite and got thyroiditis.goiter went away after I stopped the extended intermittent fasting.now I'm gonna do it again but will switch to keto -5 days a wk and do i.f.1-2 days sooner than before.

[@Sam-py9qq]

I think there is some miscommunication here. Mike seems to implicitly assume we're talking about or to lean non-noobs while recomp strategies are generally targeted at overweight out of shape people to begin with. Pro BB's or otherwise advanced people don't exactly need to lose fat at the same time, while on the other hand it's often ideal for beginners motivation (and best returns on investment appearance-wise) to see improvements in both faculties instead of getting a bit stronger but also fatter or becoming skinny fat instead.

[@darthhelmet8532]

He went into that in the second half of the video

[@jakesmith6337]

That’s what he said

[@anniegthepack5095]

"You could bike 50 miles but it'd take you forever" *Distance cyclists have entered the chat*

[@free2be]

My "Forever" will be 3 hours, give or take an hour. 😂

[@starship1701]

I'm just a fat newbie but this video felt incredibly helpful. When I was in college I learned about bulk and cut phases when I heard a buddy mention it, and I was always confused about it until now.

[@intothekey]

Yeah, I'm in the same boat. I'd just recomp at a slight calorie deficit till you hit a brick wall.

[@emerson-sheaapril8555]

Lol he just made a video on this comment ​@@intothekey

[@newyorkforever5779]

coach greg like nah you can main gain. good video. very well put together.

[@nicolaskeith8872]

hey guys, just stopping by for my daily dose of technical gains

[@andrewwhite4111]

The home-run quote from this video is the gym bro celebrating his 1% muscle gain and 1% fat loss. I don't have anything against anyone who wants to train hard at maintenance and fight tooth and nail for gains, but let's not pretend is the quickest road to Rome.

[@Sapphvannah]

Really appreciating your channel as someone trying to get back into weight lifting and fitness after almost 10 years away!

[@epicryan14]

This is my favorite series