If you’ve ever attempted to reduce body fat and increase muscle mass simultaneously, you know how frustrating it can be. We tend to narrow our fitness efforts to achieving one thing, which is either weight loss or muscle gain. That is why reducing body fat while building muscle seems counterproductive since eating fewer calories helps you lose weight, while building muscle requires adding more calories than you burn. So whether you’re a gym rookie or an expert in the field, you’ll find helpful information in our guide on the best ways to lose weight and gain muscle.
There is no universally effective method for losing fat and gaining muscle, but rather success depends on an individualized plan considering your unique body type, diet, and exercise. A little increase in muscle strength can also speed up your metabolism, but it comes with unique challenges since it contradicts the typical weight loss requirement of reducing calorie intake. However, you may be able to achieve both goals by fine-tuning your food and exercise routine.
Say farewell to the bummers of short-lived fitness gains and welcome the best ways to lose weight and gain muscle.
Does Your Body Burn Fat or Muscle First?
There’s a common misconception that your body will burn muscle before fat if you are dieting. Even though there’s some truth to this, things are more complicated in reality.
The Focus is Mostly on Carbs
If you’re trying to lose weight by starving yourself, will you end up shedding muscle before shedding fat? When in need of energy, the human body will primarily use your glucose storage in your body, mainly the liver, and after that your body will utilize the fat storages. However, the body will also start breaking down the protein within the muscle tissues to produce energy due to long periods of starvation. Therefore the answer is yes, you will end up losing muscle mass if you starve yourself.
Your diet plan does not make progress.
Even if your body does its best to avoid tearing down muscle cells, a poor diet will still hinder you from gaining muscle. Working out and adding muscle mass won’t help if your diet lacks protein and calories. You may even lose muscle if you don’t get enough of both as indicated before.
Muscle Breakdown
If you aren’t refuelling properly, you may experience muscular breakdown when your cells lack the nutrition they need to repair.
To maintain muscle strength while losing weight, you must eat a lot of protein and mix muscle-building and cardio exercises. Adopting an appropriate strategy like this allows you to lose weight and keep your muscles intact in the long run.
How does the weight of 5 pounds of fat compare to that of 5 pounds of muscle?
Five pounds of fat and five pounds of muscle may seem the same, yet they have distinct effects on the human body.
Fat affects your body in a different way than muscle. Even if you shed 5 pounds, you may not see a major shift in your shape. In contrast, even a little increase of 5 pounds in muscle mass may improve your appearance, strength, and metabolic rate.
When you shed that extra 5 pounds, the way you feel will alter significantly. A higher metabolic rate and a leaner, more muscular physique are other benefits of developing muscle. On the other hand, too much fat links to several health problems, such as cardiac disease, diabetes, hypertension, and more. It may also cause fatigue, drowsiness, and insecurity about one’s physical appearance.
Strength training seems to be the best way to lose weight and gain muscle for many people and will certainly help them feel better about their bodies.
Can you lose body fat without losing weight?
Yes, it is possible to lose body fat without losing weight.
The components of total body mass include fat and lean muscle, bone density, and organ weight. Muscle is thicker and occupies less room in the body than fat, so losing weight and gaining a bit of muscle at the same time will lead to this neutral effect.
Therefore even if you don’t lose weight, your body composition will alter with your increasing lean muscle mass.
How to lose body fat without losing muscle?
Maintaining strong muscles while reducing fat is not always easy. While lowering calories and doing more activity can help you lose fat, it may also cause you to lose muscle as explained previously.
To your relief, losing weight is possible without giving up any of your hard-earned muscle. The trick is to engage in strength training, which not only helps in maintaining muscle but also revs up the metabolism to aid in the fat-loss process. Try to do some weight lifting exercises at least twice a week.
If you maintain a record of your calorie intake, you may avoid losing muscle while dieting. You should instead go for a modest deficit, where you’re still receiving enough food to keep your muscles functioning. It takes some practice and experience, but monitoring your dietary intake of calories and macronutrients might help you find that sweet spot.
Ensure you get enough water, and allow yourself some downtime. These easy measures will aid muscle rehabilitation and prevent muscle loss as you work toward your fat reduction goal.
The best way to lose body fat without losing weight
Body re-composition is a winning approach for fat loss that does not lead to a loss of muscle mass. Yet, the goal of body re-composition is not to shed pounds but rather excess fat. It’s possible to stay the same weight or even increase when on a body re-composition diet. That is why you must combine it with other methods to gain and maintain lean muscle mass while reducing your total body fat percentage.
At the other hand, you should rank muscle gain and metabolic rate by engaging in strength training at least twice weekly. Protein intake should be not less than one gram per body weight each day.
Regulating your calorie intake might help you stay on track with body re-composition. Though a calorie deficit is required for fat reduction, too much of one might lead to muscle loss. it is good to note that including cardio in your workout program may aid in fat loss, but to keep your muscular mass, you must do weightlifting besides your cardio.
Rest and rejuvenation are crucial, so keep that in mind. Rest days, enough sleep, and a healthy fluid intake are all essential for muscle repair and growth. By concentrating on body re-composition you may lose body fat without losing your hard-earned muscles.
How to reduce body fat percentage from 25 to 15?
If you’re knowledgeable about fitness and health, you probably already know that 15% body fat is a popular goal for many people. While some people focus solely on reducing weight and having rigorous exercise to get a healthy body, getting a flat belly does not mean you are fit.
Examining the individual’s body composition is the first step, and in turn assessing your body fat percentage is the best way to determine how much weight you need to shed. For a decrease in body fat percentage from 25% to 15%, a combination of a nutritious diet and regular exercise is necessary, as tt ensures that only the essential fat is shed and no muscle is lost.
Try eating more high-fiber, nutrient-dense foods like fruits, veggies, and lean protein while cutting down on your calorie consumption just a little.
Compound motions like squats, deadlifts, and push-ups are ideal for fat loss and muscle gain and should be done at least twice per week. You can engage in aerobic workouts like jogging, cycling, and swimming to cut increase your calorie burn count. Don’t focus on the scale’s weight; it doesn’t necessarily state the actual picture. Focus on what you see and how your body composition changes over time rather than on the number on the scale.
Remember that decreasing your body fat percentage is a long game that requires time and dedication. You can keep yourself motivated and make necessary adjustments by analysing your body composition regularly.
Final Words
There is no best way to lose weight and gain muscle, and it may even seem impossible, but you can achieve your goals with the correct strategy. Maintaining your muscle while sculpting a slimmer, sculpted figure is the goal of body re-composition.
Strength training, high-protein nutrition, calorie counting, and recovery are the linchpins of a successful body re-composition plan, as these four essential pillars will help you burn fat while preserving muscle, thus making your journey healthier and more long-lasting.
Drop the crash diets and fast cures in favour of a sustainable, lifelong strategy for body re-composition.
It’s crucial to understand that the result is to get fit, not skinny. So, why do you hesitate? Go ahead and adopt these victorious methods, and relish the journey to a more confident and alluring self. Good luck!
