Is it possible to lose fat whilst in calorie surplus?

I know this sounds quite dense but I was thinking....working along the lines of atkins/keto principles:

If you adopt a low/no carb diet but still intake above maintenance cals will the body continue to metabolise the fat in order to replace the carbs it's missing?

As you know 'a calorie is not a calorie', some are used more efficiently so it is possible but you need to be

Eating the right things: choices and timing

Doing the right things with the food: have the physiological and metabolic tricks all working for you.

ta - I'm not considering it but I was interested to know if it was a theoretical possibility

I know it sounds nuts but once I stopped counting cals the fat flew off me.  Ive platued now but there was a noticable improvment when I just started to eat quality food when I felt I needed too and kept portion sizes small.

Yes its possible. high input, high output works very well. I find high energy work is key.

I really thought the answer to this would be no!

I have read so many times that a calorie is a calorie! if you eat less cals then you burn you lose weight. If you eat more then you burn you gain, simple as that but now you guys are saying you can lose wieght even on a calorie surplus, I'm confused??

I understand metabolism plays a key role, I recently read of an obese girl eating 700 cals a day and not losing weight because her body was in starvation mode? surely she was burning more then 700 cals a day so that would mean she wasn't losing wieght even though her cals were way below maintanance.

The iopener, so do think eating lots and burning lots works because your metabolism will be fast because your eating lots? and burning lots.

Any help clearing this up for me?

I really thought the answer to this would be no!

this is what got me thinking in the first place.

I was thinking about the idea that without carbs your body needs to utilise fat stored to synthesize the necessary nutrients means that you could in theory at least, eat above maintenance and still reduce BF%. 

Too far above maintenance and your body would be storing fat as quickly as it was utilising it maybe?

Either way, I think the timing and dietary restriant needed puts it off limits for me as a workable way forward.

Interesting theory though.

If I train hard and eat tons of clean food I loos fat as seem to gain mucsle if protein is in there and I stick to 1g per 1bl bodyweight.

If I dont train and eat tons of clean food I gain fat.

Interestingly, if I train and dont eat enough clean food my fat loss stops dead.

Summery - Eating clean but as much as I like and training my nuts off intenstity wise around 8 - 10 cardio sessions a week is the way to fat burning paradise.

Counting cals achieved very little for me

Rhyso....

It is in the wording. The question was can you lose fat whilst in a calorie surplus. To which as above people have answered yes it is, if everything is in place/order.

You have said "I though it was impossible to lose weight whilst in a calorie surplus". And you are quite right as in this case a calorie is a calorie.

Don't confuse fat loss with weight loss - it's hard enough as it is.

ERGO

If you adopt a low/no carb diet but still intake above maintenance cals will the body continue to metabolise the fat in order to replace the carbs it's missing?

Why would your body need to metabolise body fat when you are providing it with an excess of fat and protein cals in your diet? My answer to your question would be no.

... CC because when you drop carbs and increase fat and whole protein you get and increase in beta oxidation and the production of glucagon.

Is this why I havent the energy to train on no/lo carb diets drew?  Because I have no glycogen left as its been broken down via glucagon?

I dont do lo carb anymore but interested?

CheekyChappie

If you adopt a low/no carb diet but still intake above maintenance cals will the body continue to metabolise the fat in order to replace the carbs it's missing?

Why would your body need to metabolise body fat when you are providing it with an excess of fat and protein cals in your diet? My answer to your question would be no.

 

It's my understanding that ones body can synthesise carbs from stored fat.

If you are intaking no or low carbs your body will need to aquire the carbs elsewhere - ie stored fat.

So it's not metabolising the fat for 'energy' but for carb synthesis.

My knowledge and understanding of this is shakey hence why I'm asking the question.

tubbyman

It's my understanding that ones body can synthesise carbs from stored fat.

If you are intaking no or low carbs your body will need to aquire the carbs elsewhere - ie stored fat.

So it's not metabolising the fat for 'energy' but for carb synthesis.

My knowledge and understanding of this is shakey hence why I'm asking the question.

Gluconeogenesis is the process in which the body uses a few different substrates (AA's, glycerol and lactate) to make carbhydrate when dietary levels are low, for a full explanation just google 'gluconeogenesis' should be plenty of .edu or .ac.uk sites with info.

If carbs are low (but still present in the diet) and there are reasonable levels of fat then you actually upregulate the pathway that burns fat, in some intances with the right training enviroment this may actually have the practical effect 'protecting' glycogen levels in muscle cells, this is what the metabolic diet for example relies on, low carbs but you can still get the work done in the gym.

There's actually a long line of research on this area with and interesting beginning - stemming from when doctors on polar expeditions studies the effects on explorers as they ran out of kendlemint cake and went over onto eating seals etc

thanks drewski - will have a chew through gluconeogenesis and see if I can wrap my head round it.






lol @ '.' - wtf mate? Enthusiasm for the subject is one thing but...blimey 

Hi .

I'm sure long term respected member Cheeky Chappie will be delighted that you've tarnished his name by association.

No one likes internet trolls, as you are too scared to give abuse in real life.

Others, completely ignor this troll, please.  He's not out to give information, he's merely out to troll.

Just so you know - the troll and related posts in this topic have been removed

Ooh, I've just been away for 3 days, was someone being mean about me?!! What did they say, I can take it I'm made of stern stuff!

CC because when you drop carbs and increase fat and whole protein you get and increase in beta oxidation and the production of glucagon.

So the body will switch over to oxidising more fat for fuel as carbs are scarce, I understand that. But you will also be eating more fat in the diet, so given that you are in a calorie surplus your caloric needs are being met via the fat and protein in the diet so why would the body need to tap into your bodyfat stores?

No, CC, some troll was being mean about Drew and me, so much so we started to cry!  They were saying you knew them from another board.

That's weird, I can't see how they can know who I am as I don't have this username on any other board and in fact I only lurk at one other fitness board, rarely posting. Think they were just trying to stir trouble in saying they knew me!