Can You Actually Lose Fat and Build Glutes at the Same Time?

1. Training History:

When I say training, I don’t mean random workouts from your YouTube feed. I’m talking about a structured strength program designed to meet your specific goals. A solid program accounts for intensity, volume, frequency, and exercise selection.If you’ve been following a well-designed strength program for a while—say 2-3 years or more—it will be much harder to lose fat and build muscle at the same time.Why? Because your body has likely adapted to your current level of training and nutrition, which means building muscle will require eating in a calorie surplus.

But if you’re new to strength training, the story is completely different. When you’re in the “newbie gains” phase, your body responds extremely well to strength training because it’s a brand-new stimulus.

During this time, you can lose fat and build muscle simultaneously by pairing strength training with a slight calorie deficit and high protein intake.

2. Your Nutrition Habit History

If you’ve been in a calorie deficit or dieting phase for a long time, your body may not have the energy it needs to grow muscle. Building muscle takes resources, and if your body doesn’t have enough fuel, it’s going to prioritize maintaining what it has instead of growing something new.

That’s why I recommend starting with a calorie deficit only if you’re new to lifting and still have fat to lose. Focus on high-protein meals to preserve the muscle you already have while shedding fat.

3. Body Fat:

Now, here’s the tricky part: If you’re not at your desired body fat level and you start eating in a surplus to build muscle, you’re going to gain fat along with muscle.And the frustrating thing is, you can’t control where your body stores fat. It might show up in areas you’re already self-conscious about, which can be tough to handle mentally—even if you’re gaining muscle at the same time.

So, what’s the solution?

Focus on decreasing your body fat to a level you’re happy with. This creates a solid foundation for muscle building. Once you’ve reached that point, you can transition into a calorie surplus to focus on growing muscle without feeling like you’re compromising the progress you’ve already made.

The good thing about this is your training will remain the same throughout.

But if you skip this step and try to chase both fat loss and muscle growth at the same time, you’ll likely end up spinning your wheels—making minimal progress in either direction.

By focusing on one goal at a time, you can make real, measurable progress and set yourself up for long-term success.

So just a recap:

If you’re new to strength training, you have the best chance of losing fat and building glutes at the same time. During the “newbie gains” phase, your body responds quickly to training, making it possible to achieve both goals simultaneously.

But if you’re more experienced, it’s smarter to focus on one goal at a time. Start with fat loss, then shift to muscle building. Stay consistent, follow a well-designed training program, and trust the process.

If you’re unsure how to structure your workouts to align with your goals, I created a workout creator guide eliminate all the guess work. Whether you want to lose fat, build muscle, or both, this step-by-step tool will help you create a personalized plan that actually works.

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