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This makes sense to me, because how can you build muscle with a caloric deficit, and how can you shed fat with a caloric surplus?

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If you use stored calories (fat) for energy, whether you expend that energy walking to your car or repairing microscopic muscle tears (the way muscle mass is increased), you will lose fat.

Once you have built muscle, your body will use more calories sitting still (basal metabolic rate), and you can lose fat (slowly) without reducing your caloric intake.

IOW, it does matter which you focus on first, but they are not mutually-exclusive.  You will build muscle while losing fat (if you are consuming the appropriate number of calories AND stressing your muscles), and you will lose fat while building muscle (ditto).

For the greatest metabolic boost, I suggest cardio intervals 6 days a week in the early a.m. + 6 days of alternating upper/lower body weight training.  Caloric restriction can result in metabolic slowing (an evolutionary mechanism to conserve body mass during famine), so continue to eat good-sized portions of health-promoting foods.

WhiskeyClone said:

Over the past four years I've gained maybe 20 pounds of body fat, mostly around my midsection.  My eating habits were pretty terrible for that time and the only exercise I got was incidental (my job is fairly physical in the summer months.)

A few weeks ago I put my foot down and changed my eating habits, started doing cardio 3 times a week and weight training 2-3 times a week.  I'm making healthier choices at every opportunity and I feel much better in general.

My first goal is to improve my general health.  My other goal is to increase muscular definition.  I am aware that this involves a)shedding body fat and b) adding muscle mass.

I've read and been told many times that it is not really possible to do both at the same time.  This makes sense to me, because how can you build muscle with a caloric deficit, and how can you shed fat with a caloric surplus?  Obviously I'm no expert in this field

In any case, which should I focus on first?  Does it make sense to put my efforts mainly into cardio and reducing caloric intake until I've lost most of my spare tire, before I gear my diet and exercise routine towards building muscle?

Thanks for reading my post.

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