How Much Protein to Eat to Gain Muscle (Visual Portion Guide) 

I'm glad you found the video helpful! I appreciate your feedback, Rivaldo.

I'm glad you found the video helpful, Seohee! Thanks for watching. :-)

Thanks! I'm glad you find them helpful.

Hello, lisbliss! Good question - and one that is hotly debated. The answer to “Is it possible to simultaneously lose fat and gain muscle?” (otherwise known as ‘body recomposition’) is “maybe”. There is not enough scientific evidence to state that it is definitely possible for everyone, but some small (relatively recent) studies have suggested that it can be possible in some individuals (with some notable caveats). It’s been the general scientific understanding that body recomposition isn’t possible, due to the first law of thermodynamics (i.e. energy cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system). However, the body can’t be modeled as a simplistic singular system. There are many interconnected systems within the body. Still, the first law of thermodynamics plays a fundamental role in the processes of fat loss and muscle gain. Some studies have found that it is possible to lose weight and gain muscle within a period of time (e.g. 8 weeks), but it isn’t certain if the body literally loses fat and gains muscles in the very same instant. There might be a fluctuation back and forth (e.g. losing fat for a 1 week, gaining muscle for a week), so that it appears like body weight remains constant while losing fat and gaining muscle (if there is just an initial weigh-in and then 1 final weigh-in). Body recomposition seems, and is assumed by many, to be most powerful in: - Those with relatively higher amounts of fat tissue - Those who are new to strength training - Those who are genetically predisposed to relatively higher rates of muscle gain If body recomposition is more relevant for beginner-types, there is an issue in that it also appears to require strict adherence to a strength training program and relatively rigid nutritional approaches (high protein intake, slight & sustained calorie deficit, close attention to counting calories each day). This highly-regimented approach tends to be less attainable for those new to nutritional changes and strength training, although it depends on the individual. As alluded to, in some of the studies that have investigated body recomposition, it is suggested that the calorie deficit needs to be very slight, resulting in slow fat loss and slow muscle gain. Even if it is possible, body recomposition may take just as much time, and offer the same result, as devoting 2 distinct phases to strictly fat loss and muscle gain (e.g. ‘12 weeks of body recomp’ vs. ‘6 weeks of fat loss followed by 6 weeks of muscle gain’). For the sake of my ~5 minute video that explains the fundamentals of muscle gain, I stated that you must eat more than you burn in a day to experience muscle growth . The current scientific understanding suggests that this assertion is “more true” than being able to lose fat & gain muscle at the same time, even if the latter is possible for some individuals. Body recomposition has a lot of anecdotal evidence, but not enough scientific validation (yet) to show that it can be done predictably in many types of individuals. But a lack of current evidence doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t possible. Maybe if I made this video 20 years in the future, I would have stated things differently. However, it’s definitely possible to LOSE weight and GAIN strength at the same time, especially for beginners.

@@cojabr Thank you so much for your thorough and informative response!

@@lisbliss You're welcome!