Your potential to burn fat and develop muscle boils down to your food and workout habits. Within M&F and outside of it, plenty of fitness fanatics have attained these goals concurrently, offering anecdotal proof that it’s feasible to achieve body recomposition. Follow these seven methods to burn fat without sacrificing hard-earned muscle.
How to lose fat and keep muscle? 7 Quick & Easy Ways
1. Combine strength with hypertrophy
Getting maximum muscle fiber activation and switching quickly from Type I to Type II muscle fibers are critical components of pure strength training like squats, deadlifts, and other heavy lifts.
When they are great for pushing yourself to new heights in the gym, they aren’t the best ways to pack on muscle while you’re in a cutting phase.
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Mix the two methods to get the most out of your workout and grow muscle mass. Rest for 20 seconds after doing five demanding reps, then perform three more reps with the same weight. Do two more reps with the same weight.
You’re still able to lift a lot of weight, but you’ve been able to do it for ten reps. As a result, larger muscles and a “pump” are encouraged.
2. Use slow aerobic cardio
Cardio exercise is a necessary part of any weight-loss regimen. However, the Type of cardio you perform may either preserve or eradicate all of your hard-earned muscle.
As an aerobic exercise, walk on an incline treadmill, ride a bike, or jog a few times a week. Keeping a relaxed pace will only activate your Type I muscle fibers, which have a high tolerance to exhaustion, and increase blood circulation to aid in removing lactic acid and metabolic waste.
You’ll be able to train harder, recover faster between sets, and see more significant gains in the gym when you do this.
3. Eat more lean protein
If you want to maintain as much as possible (if not, grow it) during a cutting phase, you consume the optimal amount of protein.
Because protein requires more energy to break down than carbohydrates or fat, it raises your metabolic rate throughout the day. Second, it prevents you from overeating by making you feel full.
Last but not least, it reduces the risk of significant muscle loss following a cut. Get your protein from clean sources like lean meats, nuts, eggs, and fish, as well as supplements of high quality.
4. Drink BCAAs
An essential amino acid cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained from food. BCAAs are stored in muscles and can provide energy during physical activity because of their role in protein synthesis.
Protein powders with a lot of calories aren’t ideal while trying to lose weight, but if you’re on a strict calorie-restricted diet, they’re an excellent substitute.
5. Eat carbs after your workout
Carbohydrates are not a bad thing. Even if you’re attempting to lose weight, you still need carbs, especially if you’re still training weights at a vigorous intensity.
A hypertrophy-focused workout damages muscle fibers and depletes your energy stores. Carbohydrate deprivation slows recuperation and worsens performance in the gym. Post-workout, eat carbohydrates instead.
Your metabolism is soaring, and your insulin sensitivity—the capacity of your body to metabolize carbohydrates—is at its peak.
Start the recuperation process and give your body the energy to work at a high level by eating starchy foods like rice, baked potatoes, and sweet potatoes.
6. Sleep 8 hours a night
Cutting-phase recovery is just as critical as the training itself. Your muscles need time to recuperate and regenerate after putting your body through calorie restriction and intense weightlifting.
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Even while your body secretes growth hormone throughout the day, its peak occurs during sleep, when your rest is most profound and is also at its maximum. However, if you don’t get enough sleep, your muscles won’t be able to develop and mend properly.
7. Maintain Only a Moderate Caloric Deficit
No matter what you do, going on a crash diet will result in muscle loss. If you do, your body will not get the nutrients it needs to repair and recuperate. You’ll also put yourself in danger of injury and possibly overtraining.
A 500-calorie deficit is a correct amount to get you started on a fat-reduction diet without losing muscle or strength. Body-fat percentage, circumference measures, and pictures are good ways to monitor your progress over time.
