By Kelsey Kennedy
You want to get sculpted abs and gain muscles while losing weight. The scale is moving down with your efforts to control what you eat, exercise, and lift weights, but the strong figure you were hoping to get just doesn't seem to be materializing.
It can be fantastic to lose weight, but what's the deal? Is it possible to grow muscle while losing fat and weight?
It will take a lot of discipline for the average Joe to lose weight and build muscle, which can be challenging and even painful (imagine self-discipline kind of pain), but it is possible to have the best of both worlds.
Muscle growth versus fat loss
The first two key ideas are the differences between weight loss and muscle gain, which frequently conflict with one another.
Your body needs to be in a calorie deficit, which means you are consuming fewer calories each day than it takes for you to maintain your present weight, in order to burn fat or lose weight.
The challenge here is that your body must be in a calorie surplus in order to grow muscle. The energy your body needs to heal itself and subsequently add muscle growth is provided by this surplus.
Some people could believe it's impossible to gain muscle and lose weight. This is due to your body breaking down other portions of itself for energy needs when you’re consistently in a caloric deficit. Unfortunately, this may lead to a situation in which your body starts using muscle as fuel rather than fat.
Say it isn't true, please! When science is against you, how can you put on muscle while losing weight?
How to lose weight while gaining muscle
Keep in mind: You are what you eat
The first thing to keep in mind is that exercising won't help you lose weight and then build muscle mass. What you consume is really what matters. When it comes to growing muscle and losing weight, the old adage "You are what you eat" is particularly accurate.
To ensure that your body and cells are properly nourished while maintaining your caloric deficit, it's critical for certain people to choose foods that would be low in calories but also rich in nutritional content. It is said that eating choices account for about 80–90% of the weight loss process, while exercise typically accounts for 10–20%.
You'll eat a certain number of calories every day. At that point, your body has three options for what to do with the calories it has: burn them as fuel, use them to develop muscle, or store them as fat. For our bodies to simply function, there must be a controlled caloric intake. The term "basal metabolic rate" refers to this.
Your metabolic rate can become messed up if you don't consume enough calories. Your metabolism slows down because your body believes you are starving and wants to help you live. In addition to making your body cannibalize muscle and retain fat, eating insufficient calories is not what you want.
Give protein-rich foods top priority
Make sure the food you eat has enough protein if you want it to be low in calories, yet high in nutritional value. Your body will burn more calories than you ingest if you maintain a calorie deficit and consume adequate high protein food.
Additionally, it gives your body the nourishment and energy it needs to rebuild muscle. Protein-rich foods are essential for simultaneously gaining muscle mass and losing body fat.
Do strength training several days a week
Strength training is a terrific tool for anyone looking to gain muscle mass, you will grow stronger and more defined in the process.
However, it's crucial to remember that while strength training, you should consume enough calories to fuel your body and aid in muscle recovery. If you don't, your body will use the mass of your muscles as fuel, which is essentially the opposite of what you want to do.
Keep the tortoise in mind, not the hare
In our culture of instant gratification, patience is undoubtedly a virtue, but it also has many advantages, especially for our long-term health. Keep in mind that even Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't become a bodybuilder overnight if you want to grow muscles and shed fat.
While it may be tempting to lose weight quickly, you risk losing both muscle and fat. Consider limiting your weight loss to no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week. And don't give up if the rapid progress you initially made gradually slows down.
Steady wins the race
Your body can use its fat reserves as fuel and potentially as a source of muscle growth if you can maintain a lifting regimen and eat in caloric deficit. Protein-rich diets should be prioritized if you want to simultaneously build muscle and lose body fat.
Keep in mind that changing your body won't happen overnight, so having patience will pay off in the long run.
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