Should a beginner focus on losing weight? Or perhaps building muscle is the better approach? 

 

Many eager newbies start their training journey unsure of what goal they should pursue, often wasting time they could use productively.

 

So, let’s talk about it.

 

The Simplest Way to Determine What to Focus On First

 

Everyone starts exercising for a reason. Maybe you’re skinny and want to add some muscle to your frame. Or perhaps you’re overweight and are fed up with your body. A simple way to determine what goal to focus on is to look at your body and think about why you started weight training. 

 

Thinking about your reason for weight training will often be enough to tell what to focus on at the start. For example, it wouldn’t make sense to aim for muscle gain initially if you’re overweight. Instead, you should go on a calorie-restricted diet to shed some excess fat and get to a comfortable body fat percentage.

 

Similarly, skinny individuals interested in building muscle should increase their calorie intake, eat more protein, and lift weights a few times per week.

 

It Goes Deeper Than That

 

The above point outlined the two most common situations and their respective approaches: 

 

• Skinny – gain weight
• Overweight – lose weight

 

But what about those in the middle, the people who appear thin but lack muscle definition and have a layer of fat covering their bodies?

 

Such individuals are better known as skinny fat and often struggle to pick the right goal. They don’t have much muscle to justify fat loss, but they also aren’t lean enough to focus on weight gain. 

 

The good news is there is a third option: a body recomposition. It means building muscle and losing fat at the same time.

 

A skinny fat individual will typically do well on a body composition because they are in a good position to build muscle, and caloric restriction will help them shed fat. As a result, visual improvements occur more quickly.

 

How to Start Eating Based On Your Desired Goal

 

Before wrapping up the post, let’s go over some important points for how to tackle each goal.

 

1. Weight Gain

   a) Calculate your calorie needs (total daily energy expenditure) using a formula or online calculator.

   b) Add 200 to 250 calories to create a surplus. For instance, if your TDEE is 2,850 calories, start with 3,050 daily.

   c) Aim to gain 1 to 1.5 percent body weight each month. For example, if you start at 70 kg, gain up to 0.7 to 1 kilogram monthly.

 

2. Weight Loss
   

   a) Calculate your calorie needs using the same methods.

   b) Remove 400 to 500 calories to create a deficit. If your TDEE is 2,850 calories, start with 2,450 daily.

   c) Aim to lose 0.5 to 1 percent of your body weight per week. If you start at 90 kilograms, lose 0.45 to 0.9 kg weekly.

 

3. Body Recomposition
   

   a) Calculate your calorie needs.

   b) Remove 200 to 250 calories to create a small deficit. If TDEE is 2,850 calories, start with 2,600 per day.

   c) If done correctly, you might not lose or gain much weight, but you will notice visual improvements: muscle definition and development.

 

Need extra help with your training? Book a walkthrough at one of our locations and we’ll have a chat with you about your goals and how we can help you.