One of the most common questions I get as a coach is: Do you need to lose fat before you build muscle?
It’s a great question, but like most things in fitness, the answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. Your ideal approach depends on where you’re starting, your body composition goals, your lifestyle, and how you want to structure your diet and training for long-term sustainability.
But because I hate when people unnecessarily drag content out, before they get to the answer, the short answer is no. You don’t need to lose fat before you build muscle. In fact, you should probably think about building muscle as your primary objective, regardless of whether you have fat to lose or more muscle to gain, or if you want to do a complete body recomposition.
But let’s break this all down in a way that gives you all the tools to make the best decision for your physique and performance goals.
Do You Need To Lose Fat Before You Build Muscle?
It’s very common for people to think, “Okay, I want to get into better shape. I’m going to lose the fat first, and then when I’ve achieved the body fat levels that I’m happy with, I’m going to focus on muscle building.” This is a very common thing we hear when people come to us for coaching, and while on the surface it sounds like it makes sense, in reality, it isn’t the best way to go about things.
If you just focus primarily on fat loss first, before you engage in habits that will build muscle, you’re just going to become a smaller version of yourself.
That might be something that you’re actually aiming towards, but the vast majority of people who are trying to change their body composition have a specific look in mind. What they’re trying to do is potentially lose some body fat, but they only want to do that as a means to create a certain shape, and it’s muscle that gives you that shape.
You don’t want to just lose a load of body fat and end up looking like a smaller version of yourself. You want to lose that body fat while actually crafting the look of your physique.
You are still able to build some muscle as you diet, and this is especially true if you are someone who hasn’t built muscle before (i.e. you’re a beginner, a novice in the gym). It’s very easy to build muscle even in a calorie deficit. While yes, it’s not going to be the most amount of muscle you could possibly build, that doesn’t mean that you can’t build any muscle. That’s really important to keep in mind.
The next thing that you need to take into account if you do still think that you need to lose fat before you build muscle is that if you do eventually want to focus on building muscle, why would you not build the habits and understanding of how to go about building muscle right away? Why are you putting it off and waiting until the future to learn how to lift weights correctly, or to learn how to structure a good training program?
You can still build all that understanding, knowledge, and habits while you are focusing on fat loss. But then, when it comes to muscle building, you’re able to really put all your efforts into muscle building because you already have the understanding of how to train effectively and you have good habits in place.
You already know what to do because you’ve been doing it while you were focusing on fat loss.
Further to this, if you do know that you want to build muscle in the future, you should start as soon as possible, because muscle building takes a long, long, long time.
Fat loss is actually relatively easy. It’s a much quicker process compared to muscle building. You can lose fat at an incredibly fast rate, whereas building muscle, even if you are on all the anabolic drugs in the world, you still don’t build muscle as fast as you can lose fat.
If you are struggling with fat loss, then I hate to be the one to tell you, but muscle gain is also going to be a struggle because it’s also going to be something that takes time, patience, dedication, and lots of effort.
Now, the final thing I want to bring up is that people who generally focus on fat loss first tend to favour training programs which aren’t as favourable or don’t lead to good overall training adaptations. They’ll focus on these kinds of wacky routines they find online, focusing on doing super high reps because they sweat more and they feel like they burn more energy (this is because they tend to not have a good understanding of calories and calorie balance).
A Better Approach
Whereas if you just go into it with the idea that, “With training, I’m focusing on building muscle, and the time I spend in the gym is muscle-building focused time.”
When we coach people, we generally don’t change a training program massively whether someone is focused on muscle gain or fat loss. We will still be focusing on doing resistance training two to five times per week, really trying to build muscle and strength, and then trying to get some sort of cardiovascular training in as well. Generally, focusing a lot more on the aerobic system rather than the anaerobic system, but some anaerobic work in there can be quite beneficial.
And then we let the diet take care of the fat loss. We let the diet create the calorie deficit, and yes, that can be further potentiated with the addition of extra cardio, for example.
We can also add in stuff like extra steps per day. Maybe you’re doing 5000 steps; maybe we get that up to ten thousand, maybe we even get it up to 15,000. We do have the ability to use movement to create a larger calorie deficit. However, it’s not generally going to be the thing that moves the needle. It’s way easier to just not eat an extra 100 calories than it is to do 100 calories of cardiovascular training or burn 100 calories with resistance training or anything like that.
Actually, it’ll just be easier to flesh out your understanding of fat loss versus muscle gain, as that will really allow you to make the best decisions about whether you should focus on fat loss or muscle gain first.
Understanding Fat Loss vs. Muscle Gain
Losing fat and building muscle are two distinct but interrelated physiological processes:
- Fat loss (cutting) happens when you’re in a caloric deficit (burning more calories than you consume). Your body taps into stored fat for energy, leading to a reduction in body fat percentage. However, if the deficit is too extreme, it can also lead to muscle loss, reduced performance, and metabolic slowdown.
- Muscle gain (bulking) occurs when you’re in a caloric surplus (eating more calories than you burn). This provides the extra energy and nutrients needed for muscle growth, especially when combined with progressive resistance training. However, if the surplus is too high, it can lead to excessive fat gain, which may require another cutting phase later on.
Unfortunately, these two processes generally work in opposite directions. While it is possible to gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously in certain scenarios (which we’ll discuss later), most people see better results by focusing on one goal at a time.
When Should You Lose Fat First?
For most people, starting with fat loss makes sense. Here’s when you might want to cut before you bulk:
1. You Have a High Body Fat Percentage
If you’re above 15-20% body fat (men) or 25-30% (women), losing fat first can be beneficial. Excess fat can make it harder to see muscle definition, and staying in a prolonged calorie surplus when you already have a higher fat percentage can lead to unnecessary fat gain, making it harder to get lean later.
Carrying excess body fat may also negatively impact insulin sensitivity, which can make it more difficult for your body to efficiently shuttle nutrients into muscle cells instead of storing them as fat.
2. You Want a Leaner Look First
If your goal is to achieve a lean, toned look relatively soon (e.g., for summer, a wedding, or an event), starting with fat loss helps reveal muscle definition before adding size. It also helps you get used to managing your diet and activity levels before transitioning into a muscle-building phase.
3. Insulin Sensitivity and Hormonal Health
Higher levels of body fat can sometimes reduce insulin sensitivity, making it harder for your body to efficiently use carbohydrates for energy and muscle growth. Losing fat first can improve your body’s ability to process and utilise nutrients for muscle gain later on.
Additionally, higher body fat levels are associated with increased estrogen levels and decreased testosterone levels in men, which can negatively impact muscle-building potential.
4. Psychological Factors
Some people feel more motivated when they start from a lean position. Seeing definition early can provide the momentum needed to stay consistent when transitioning into muscle-building. Additionally, many people find it mentally easier to eat in a caloric surplus (for muscle gain) after they have already leaned down rather than feeling uncomfortable with more body fat.
When Should You Build Muscle First?
For others, focusing on muscle gain first is the better option. Here’s when you might want to bulk before you cut:
1. You Have a Low Body Fat Percentage
If you’re already lean (10-12% body fat for men, 18-22% for women) but lack muscle mass, focusing on building muscle first makes more sense. Cutting at an already low weight could make you look too thin and lose muscle you don’t have much of yet.
2. You’re New to Strength Training
Beginners often experience newbie gains, meaning they can gain muscle while losing fat simultaneously. If you’re just starting, you might not need to pick one over the other, you can make progress on both fronts! This is one of the rare cases where body recomposition is highly effective.
3. Performance Goals
If you want to get stronger or improve athletic performance, eating in a slight surplus to build muscle is key. Strength and endurance can suffer if you’re constantly in a calorie deficit, making it harder to progress in your training.
4. You Struggle to Gain Muscle
Some people find it difficult to gain weight. If you’re naturally thin (often called a hardgainer), a focus on building muscle first is almost always the better strategy. Trying to cut when you already struggle to put on mass could leave you looking frail instead of lean.
Do You Need to Lose Fat Before You Build Muscle
Now, you may be thinking, “hold on, you just said everyone should be focused on muscle building, rather than fat loss”. And this is still true.
The key is, even if you are actually focused on losing fat, you should also still be focused on building muscle.
You still want to focus on building as much muscle as you can, getting into really good habits with your resistance training, and building out your understanding of how to train effectively for muscle building.
You don’t need to focus ALL your attention on losing fat before you think about building muscle.
The diet will will dictate whether you are losing or gaining weight, but you should be focusing on getting into a good rhythm with resistance training as your number 1 priority.
To help you better understand this, I want to just discuss the topic of body recomposition.
Body Recomposition: Losing Fat & Building Muscle at the Same Time
Many people wonder if it’s possible to lose fat and build muscle at the same time. While these two processes typically require opposite conditions, fat loss needing a calorie deficit and muscle growth requiring a calorie surplus, certain situations allow for both to occur simultaneously. This process is known as body recomposition and, while slower than dedicated cutting or bulking, it can be highly effective for certain individuals.
Who Can Recomp Effectively?
Body recomposition works best for specific groups of people. If you’re a beginner, someone with a higher body fat percentage, or returning to training after a long break, your body is primed to make simultaneous improvements.
For beginners, the body is highly responsive to resistance training, allowing them to build muscle even in a calorie deficit. Those with a higher body fat percentage can use stored fat as an energy source to fuel muscle growth, making it easier to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. Similarly, people who have trained before but taken time off can regain lost muscle (due to muscle memory) while shedding excess fat.
How to Make Recomp Work
Recomposition requires a well-balanced approach, as it’s easy to lean too far toward either muscle building or fat loss. To make this strategy work, you need to carefully control your diet and training.
First, you should eat at maintenance calories or a very slight deficit (around 200-300 calories below maintenance). Unlike a traditional bulk, where you consume a significant surplus, recomp relies on providing just enough energy to support muscle growth while still allowing fat loss to occur.
Protein intake is a crucial factor. To build muscle while losing fat, aim for 1.8-2.2 grams of protein per kg of body weight daily.
Resistance training is another essential component of recomp. You should lift weights, with sufficient volume and focus on progressive overload, meaning you gradually increase the weights, reps, or intensity over time. Compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and chin-ups should be staples in your training, as they engage multiple muscle groups and provide the greatest stimulus for muscle growth.
Additionally, patience is key. Unlike a dedicated cut or bulk, where changes in physique may be seen relatively quickly, body recomposition is a slow process. You might only gain small amounts of muscle while losing fat over months, so tracking progress through body measurements, strength gains, and progress photos is essential.
Ultimately, body recomposition is a great option for people who want to build muscle and lose fat without going through the traditional bulk-and-cut cycle. However, it requires discipline in training, diet, and consistency over time to see the best results.
Now, the reason I wanted to round out this discussion by bringing up body recomposition is that most people can actually build muscle while losing some fat. So you don’t need to “lose fat first” before you begin thinking of building muscle. You should be trying to build muscle the whole time.
The Best Approach: A Phased Strategy
But let’s assume you do have fat you want to lose, but you also know that you need to gain muscle. Well, one of the best ways to go about this is to periodise your approach. You put all your focus into training to build muscle. You get an effective program set up, and then you let the diet dictate whether you lose weight or gain weight. You strategically alternate between periods where you actively diet down, and periods where you actively eat in a surplus.
A Comprehensive Phased Approach:
A structured fat loss phase should last anywhere from 6-16 weeks, depending on your starting point and how aggressively you want to lose fat. The goal here is to gradually reduce body fat while maintaining (or even building) as much muscle as possible by prioritising protein intake, resistance training, and avoiding extreme calorie deficits.
Once you’ve reached a desirable level of leanness, you can transition to a lean bulk. This phase focuses on gradual muscle gain without excessive fat accumulation. Instead of dramatically increasing calorie intake, you should aim for a moderate surplus of 200-300 calories per day while continuing to follow a progressive resistance training program. This allows you to build muscle efficiently while minimising unnecessary fat gain. A lean bulking phase can last anywhere from 3 months to 3 years, depending on your goals and how much muscle you want to gain.
To prevent excessive fat accumulation during a prolonged muscle-building phase, incorporating mini-cuts is highly effective. These are short fat loss phases lasting 2-4 weeks, designed to shed any extra fat gained during the bulk without sacrificing muscle. Mini-cuts help maintain a lean appearance while still making long-term progress in muscle development. They also improve insulin sensitivity, making it easier to continue building lean muscle efficiently.
By cycling through these phases, you can effectively manage body composition over time without getting stuck in an endless bulk or cut. This approach also keeps training exciting and provides structured goals to work toward, ensuring that you continue making progress without frustration.
Do You Need To Lose Fat Before You Build Muscle Final Thoughts
So to wrap this up, no, you don’t need to lose fat before you build muscle. You should be focusing on muscle building from the start, if you do actually want to create the physique you desire.
While it may make sense in your head to focus on fat loss first, muscle gain takes an extremely long time, and the sooner you get into a good rhythm with resistance training, the sooner you will build the physique you want.
Don’t fall for the trap of thinking you must remove all the fat from your body before you can build muscle. It just isn’t required, and you are just delaying the process unnecessarily.
If you are really struggling to set up your diet effectively, and can’t figure out the best diet set up for you, then it may make sense to look into online coaching. It isn’t for everyone, but if you need specific help, then obviously getting professional help is going to solve your issues in the most time efficient manner.
Alternatively, you can interact with our free content, and specifically our free nutrition content, if you want to learn more about how to set up your diet properly.
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