Can You Lose Weight and Gain Muscle Simultaneously?

Losing weight and building muscle are typically considered to be twin goals of physical reconditioning and weight training. However, most times the body resists doing both at the same time. This is because the body tends to increase the level of muscles and fat when the supply is in plenty and loses both them when the availability of food is scarce.

As such, those looking to maintain muscle require large amounts of fats. On the other hand, to lose weight, you will need to reduce your calories intake and burn more stored fats.

It’s already becoming clear that there’s nothing easy about doing these things simultaneously, but let’s dig a little deeper.

Differences between Losing Weight and Building Muscle

What it Takes

Weight loss is considered to be more of a mental challenge.

This is because losing requires you to embrace a new lifestyle. You will need to incorporate some significant changes (doing away with bad habits that lead to weight gain) and breaking habits is tough work regardless of whether it’s smoking or taking three sugars in your morning coffee.

Building muscle, is both a mental and physical struggle. You will not only be required to take in more calories, but the level of exercise intensity is on the extreme side. Building muscle is a process that takes quite a long time and often requires you to work for a long time before you seeing progress. The discipline required can take a toll on both your mental and physical wellbeing.

What’s Heavier?

Muscle is denser than fat, which means success in gaining muscle can sabotage the goal of losing weight.

Should I Build Muscle or Lose Fat First?

Unfortunately, biology goes against achieving both goals at the same time, so we encourage you focus on building your strength up as part of your long-term goal for weight loss. Even though muscles are technically heavier, building your strength will make it easier and safer to do the activities you need to do to lose weight.

Why not so both simultaneously?

While biology doesn’t exactly make it easy, don’t lose all hope! With a few strategies from an expert you can achieve both weight loss and muscle gain simultaneously.

• Consume Proteins for Every Meal

Research shows that a low-calorie diet combined with a high protein diet will help you lose fat while at the same time helping you gain muscles. As a general rule protein should be spaced out evenly across your daily meal plan.

• Lose Weight Slowly

You may feel like you need to lose weight as fast as possible. However, if you want to ensure you keep your strength, consider a long-term strategy that doesn’t throw your strength out with the fat bathwater.

• Strength Train at Least Three Times a Week

Concentrate on high-intensity interval exercises to help you burn fat and build muscles at the same time.

Conclusion

The truth is that everyone could use a little help when it comes to losing weight without losing muscle, and we can help!

Best-practice aside, we offer something extra that makes losing weight and keeping muscle a heck of a lot easier. Contact one of our advisors today and ask them to tell you more.