if you are looking for The goal of getting in shape boils down to achieving two things: losing fat and gaining muscle.
Achieving only one of these is not an easy task. Achieving them together is an entirely different ball game. This is called “body restructuring” by scientists and fitness experts. In other words, the process of changing body composition by decreasing body fat mass and increasing muscle mass.
The biggest hurdle to meeting these goals is that they require vastly different requirements. To lose fat, you need to burn more calories than you take in. To build muscle, you need to increase your protein intake and prioritize strength training so your body can build more muscle fibers. People who want to make big changes often try to do both at the same time. Is it possible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time? I asked an expert.
Can I burn fat and build muscle at the same time?
2020 metadata analysis from Strength & Conditioning Journal It suggests that it may be possible to increase muscle while decreasing fat mass at the same time. However, there is one problem with this. All studies compiled for the report were based on small samples of young athletes, lacking a comprehensive sample population. Further research is needed to understand exactly how body reconfiguration occurs in different types of subjects and whether these results are applicable to different demographics.
It may be possible to burn fat and build muscle at the same time, but it’s not always optimal, he says. Lee Boyce, CSCS, MH Advisory Board Member. He warned that aiming for both at the same time could slow the rate of change to achieving both goals.
A more effective approach is to prioritize one goal over the other, especially muscle gain over fat loss. The good news is that stressing muscle building can trigger habits and physiological responses that may help you burn unwanted fat.
When someone focuses on gaining muscle first, “that by-product will be the trigger.”[ing] Some fat loss Kurt EllisNSCA, Performance beyond the numbersIs called. “In the long run, you will develop more beneficial habits.”
Increasing muscle mass increases your metabolic rate, which means your body needs more energy to maintain muscle tissue than adipose tissue (also known as body fat), so your body burns more calories. For example, assume you and your gym partner are the same height and weight. Your body fat percentage is 10 percent, but their body fat percentage is 20 percent. Both of you will probably burn more calories than each other on a day when you exercise the same amount (and neither of you have other health problems that could affect your metabolism). is the premise).
If you follow the right steps and focus on building muscle, you may be able to achieve the fat loss you want even faster.
3 tips to lose fat and gain muscle
Prioritize strength training
To build muscle, you need to incorporate strength training into your exercise routine. Then the muscles become tense, create The body repairs micro-tears in muscle by creating more fibers. As we’ve already proven, you need to burn calories to lose fat. Luckily, strength training does both.Yes, cardio can burn more Calories are necessary, but too many can hinder weight gain.
For longevity, focus on strength training with small doses of low-intensity cardio to achieve muscle gains. After all, you’re still burning the calories you need to lose fat mass.
protein, protein, protein
You’ve probably been preached to the importance of protein by your muscle buddies. This is no mere hype. Protein is the building block of muscle tissue and deserves praise. Deficiency can cause muscles to start breaking down. This is especially important to consider in case of a calorie deficit. Restricting calories is the key to losing fat, but restricting protein also reduces muscle mass, says Boyce.
“If you want to gain muscle without gaining too much weight, you can’t afford to have excess to do it,” says Boyce. “So the challenge is to create that [low] Reduce your caloric intake, but change your choice of nutrients that make up that calorie. ”
Make high-protein food sources a major pillar of your nutrition plan. Boyce suggests aiming for at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Do this with real food sources whenever possible, and make up the difference with supplements.
recovery is key
Be careful not to go too hard or too fast when starting your fitness routine. Overtraining can lead to injuries, which can take you out of the gym en masse. That’s why it’s important to prioritize recovery if you’re looking to burn fat and gain muscle, says Ellis. Recovery gives your body time to repair after an intense workout, so don’t neglect your rest days.
Proper rest also means proper sleep, says Ellis.a 2020 Survey Published in Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise The journal found that sleep deprivation led to lower emissions. cytokine— The protein that builds our muscles.
Best workouts to lose fat and gain muscle
We already know that prioritizing strength training is the best way to gain muscle and lose fat. The most effective way to do both is to anchor your workout with big multi-joint movements like squats, deadlifts and presses.
“Compound lifting movements incorporate a large amount of muscle, and you need to recruit the right amount of muscle to elicit a hypertrophic response,” says Ellis. More muscle recruited means more calories burned, leading to fat loss.
That doesn’t mean you have to do the same barbell squats and dumbbell RDLs every time you go to the gym. There are many variations to these compound movements that you can incorporate to keep your routine fresh.
You can train in full-body splits, use strategies like push-pull leg splits (as in this example), or alternate upper and lower body workouts. This way, you can rest your lower body on days when you train your upper body. This creates an efficient system that allows you to complete more reps and sets without risking overtraining. Boyce says the built-in rest feature will allow you to safely tackle more workouts.
Cori Ritchey, NASM-CPT, is the Health & Fitness Associate Editor for Men’s Health and a Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor. You can find more of her work on HealthCentral, Livestrong, Self, and more.
