Rebel Fitness or Rebel Strength?

[RedRightHand]

Hoping this is the right place to post this; I'm new here but anxious to get started.

I was all set to purchase the Rebel Strength Guide when I noticed the Rebel Fitness Guide in the store; after reading the description I'm unsure which to purchase. Any help, one way or the other, would be tremendous.

About me: I'm 6'3 and seem to move between 180 - 200 lbs, though it's been closer to 200 lately. I've been working out on and off for the past 10 years; I generally really get into it for about 6-8 months, start to see results, then wander off and eat cookies for the next 6 or so months, completely erasing my progress. One of my goals is to shed the gut I've slowly been accumulating as well as add + define some muscle weight. Unsure if those are cross purposes or not. I like the gym, I like working out and I'm looking for a plan I can stick with. Which would be more appropriate: Rebel Fitness or Rebel Strength?

Thanks!

[Cienfuegos]

The strength guide (deluxe) has some awesome material with it. A bulk up program...slim down program...weights...body weight etc. The fitness guide I can't speak about since I don't own it.

I recommend the strength guide because it will help you build the muscle needed to shed that gut. The fitness guide seems like it will help you get started with that...but won't help you build the strength and muscle mass wanted.

[ebm1224]

i haven't read either but i think i may be misinformed about something. darkkent, to get rid of a gut don't you need to burn fat? building muscle is great and all but if you don't burn fat as well, the gut won't really go away...or am i just way off on this one?

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

i haven't read either but i think i may be misinformed about something. darkkent, to get rid of a gut don't you need to burn fat? building muscle is great and all but if you don't burn fat as well, the gut won't really go away...or am i just way off on this one?

The way I understand it is if you eat a certain amount of calories, your body can only support so much weight. If you build up 10 pounds of muscle then eat the same amount of calories as before, you shed 10 pounds of fat (a little more actually since the body has to work harder to maintain muscle).

The only problem with this theory is that to build muscle mass, you need to eat excess calories to give your body the energy it needs to do the building work. This results in muscle gain and some fat gain. This is why you see a lot of talk about muscle building phases followed by fat cutting phases.

[RedRightHand]

Thanks all! I'm going to go with Rebel Strength and will hopefully be posting results after the new year!

[scott82962]

I think increasing the ratio of muscle mass to overall body weight is the most effective way to lose fat. I'm married to a marathoner and through her have met some pretty chubby runners! I read it explained this way - we work out, be it running or lifting or whatever, maybe one or two hours every 24 - 48 hours. The rest of the time we're pretty sedentary - working, sleeping, eating, etc. The increased muscle mass burns more energy at "idle", i.e. increases one's metabolism. So weight training is, in my opinion, a better way to lose the gut than running.

[Cienfuegos]

@ebm1224: Basically it goes like this: Fat is different than muscle in that it doesn't take as much energy to keep fat as it does to keep muscle. But if you build strength, and therefore muscle, you will lose fat in the process. If you eat correctly and give your body the right ingredients you will shred fat and gain muscle. For women it is a bit different (see: http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/). But for men since for some reason we can burn fat much easier than women (must be because someone a long time ago looked at a bbw and thought "Mmmm...I want all my women and kids to look like that").

[Sloth the Enduring]

I think increasing the ratio of muscle mass to overall body weight is the most effective way to lose fat. I'm married to a marathoner and through her have met some pretty chubby runners! I read it explained this way - we work out, be it running or lifting or whatever, maybe one or two hours every 24 - 48 hours. The rest of the time we're pretty sedentary - working, sleeping, eating, etc. The increased muscle mass burns more energy at "idle", i.e. increases one's metabolism. So weight training is, in my opinion, a better way to lose the gut than running.

To add on to this, weight training boosts your metabolism for 36 hrs. or so after you've finished, especially if you've worked your large muscles (legs & butt); running boosts your metabolism while you run.