The ultimate question: how do I lose weight without losing muscle?
You put so much energy and dedication into building muscle; it would be a complete shame and waste if you lost it all just to drop some pounds. Like anything worthwhile, keeping that muscle and losing weight is no easy task and may not be possible for everyone. The facts are that it is very hard to target just fat and spare muscle. But there are a few tips and tricks that can help. Let’s break it down.
Don’t Cut the Protein
This one is a no-brainer. Protein is the life blood of muscle building. It’s the very ingredient that helps muscles grow during recovery. If you want to lose weight, your diet will most definitely have to change – but make sure that you’re not sacrificing protein when you cut some of that food off the menu. We’ve already talked about the importance of protein in a bodybuilding diet. Without it you will most definitely lose muscle.
It is important to have a diet high in protein from food because the essential nutrients you receive along with that added protein is great for not only your athletic performance but also your overall health. Depending on a diet you may have, this can be challenging, but that is where whey protein can come into play. Whether you decide on a whey isolate or a whey concentrate protein is up to you and your individual needs, but for those looking to cut back on carbs and fat yet load up on protein, a whey isolate is great because the filtering process leaves this whey supplement with tons of protein to aid in increased lean body mass and muscle growth (1).
Take It Slow
When you want to lose weight, the first thing most people want to do is start cutting calories and pump up the cardio so they can lose as much weight as possible – as fast as possible. That’s great if your only goal is to lose weight, but you’re also trying to hold onto muscle here.
They key is to take it slow. Of course you need to cut calories and carbs – just don’t do it all at once. Take the gradual approach by slowly cutting calories and carbs every week. Everyone’s body is different so experiment with what is the right amount for you. The ultimate goal is to not lose ten pounds in one week. Take it slow and your body will slowly burn off the fat – not the muscle.
Another trick that may help – but isn’t necessarily proven – is to cut carbs at night. When you eat your last two meals of the day simply make them light on the carbs. This will prevent the carbs being stored as fat while you sleep over night.
And whatever you do – don’t starve yourself. This is not an effective way to lose weight for anyone – and is especially ineffective if you want to keep your hard earned muscle. You are much better off finding your daily caloric intake amount and working to stay within that range. The process for losing fat can be slow and at times frustrating, but it is worth it in the end to stick it out. Starving yourself will only encourage a binge sending you back down a spiral of negative self talk and poor results. Take it slow and stay determined in your goals.
Don’t Go Nuts With Cardio
The obvious choice whenever you are trying to lose weight is to do a lot of cardio. But when you are trying to keep muscle – cardio must be done in moderation. While it is a useful tool for weight loss – it is not the sole solution.
You shouldn’t be running on the treadmill for hours at a time – that’s a sure fire way to lose all that muscle. The key is to diet properly and hit the weights with everything you got – your heart and lungs should already be pumping enough to only require a small amount of cardio in your routine. This is where HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) can really help you. This has become a very popular way to burn fat and build strength (2) and with HIIT, you alternate low interval exercises with high intensity intervals to burn fat more effectively without spending hours doing cardio.
Increase Intensity in Weight Training
If you pick up the tempo and intensity of your lifting, you can boost your body’s ability to naturally burn fat. This way you are still building up your muscles but also cutting the fat at the same time. Try cutting down the time of rest in between each set – this will keep the blood pumping and burn more fat.
Drop sets are a great way to build more muscle in a targeted muscle group because it works to get deep in the muscle fibers as opposed to just the top layer (3). For those who feel they have hit somewhat of a training plateau, drop sets can do wonders if you are really trying to get a good pump.
Whatever you decide to do, the more you can maximize exercises that stress your muscles and also keep your heart rate up, the more you will be able to burn fat while also building muscle. This will make for a tight lean body and that toned physique you work so hard to get.
Wrap Up
Ultimately, every person’s genetics are different. What might work for someone else may not necessarily work for you. Losing weight without losing muscle is definitely challenging – but hopefully some of these tips will work for you and make the challenge a little bit easier. With a dedicated diet and engaging workout regimen, your goals are not as far away as you may think.
Be sure to sound off in the comments below if you have any other suggestions on how to cut the pounds but keep the muscle. You can also drop us a line on Facebook and Twitter too!
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
- Bell, Kirsten E.; Snijders, Tim; Zulyniak, Michael; Kumbhare, Dinesh; Parise, Gianni; Chabowski, Adrian; Phillips, Stuart M. (2017). “A whey protein-based multi-ingredient nutritional supplement stimulates gains in lean body mass and strength in healthy older men: A randomized controlled trial”. (source)
- Laursen, Paul B.; Jenkins, David G. (2002). “The scientific basis for high-intensity interval training: optimising training programmes and maximising performance in highly trained endurance athletes”. (source)
- Bentes, Claudio M.; Simao, Roberto; Bunker, Travis; Rhea, Matthew R.; Miranda, Humberto; Gomes, Thiago M.; Da Silva Novaes, Jefferson (2012). “Acute Effects of Dropsets Among Different Resistance Training Methods in Upper Body Performance”. (source)
