The weight room will be a necessity for you. lose fat and gain muscle aren’t as simple as they appear. Experts, on the other hand, say that it is possible, and that doing so is actually better for your health in the long run.
Phil Catudal, a NASM-certified personal trainer and nutrition expert, can speak to this. According to him, it’s called body recomposition. “I work with it the most,” he says. There are two things that you need to keep in mind when you’re trying to lose weight and build muscle: consistency and understanding.
After giving birth to her two children, Ann (not her real name) came to him looking for the best way to lose weight while also gaining muscle. Six weeks after giving birth, the two began working together, and he devised a plan for her that focused on both protein and calorie intake. Finally, “she was squatting 120 pounds with chains around her waist and looking like a total badass,” Catudal says.
It is best to seek the advice of a registered dietitian or doctor before making any significant changes to your diet or nutrition plan In order to follow what fitness and nutrition experts consider best practises, you can find general guidelines and information applicable to healthy adults.
If you’re a beginner looking to get in shape, Catudal and other fitness experts have some tips for you in this guide.
Aim for calorie neutrality and increase your activity level.
A 500-calorie deficit is the most common rule of thumb for people trying to lose weight or body fat, Catadul explains. The National Academy of Sports Medicine has approved this (NASM). However, this is only true if your sole goal is to lose weight.
Remember that calories provide your body with the energy it needs, but they can also be stored as fat. Either reduce your calorie intake or increase the amount of exercise you do in order to avoid this. Both fat loss and muscle gain are necessary if one wants to achieve both goals.
To avoid losing muscle mass while losing weight, you need both, says Dina Khader, RD, CDN, a registered dietitian and certified nutritionist. A calorie deficit of less than 1,200 per day will result in muscle loss, so avoid going below that amount.
Catudul’s fat-loss and muscle-building strategy involves eating only as many calories as your body requires, sometimes a little more. Depending on age, weight, height, and activity level, the average caloric intake for women is between 1,600 and 2,400 calories. When it comes to finding out how many calories your body needs, Kader recommends having your dietician conduct a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), a highly accurate test for body fat and muscle mass done through electrodes.
For the time being, let’s assume that your body requires 1,800 calories per day. On non-workout days, Catudul recommends that you eat 1,800 calories. Increase that by an additional 200–300 calories on days when you exercise, as advised by the NASM.
You’re giving your body exactly what it needs to function at peak efficiency when you do this. Catadul says that because you’ll also be increasing your strength training and HIIT training, you’ll be gaining muscle rather than fat when you refuel your body with food. Your body will use the fat you do have for energy during your tough workouts.
In addition to focusing on calories, Erin Oprea, a certified personal and celebrity trainer and founder of the Pretty Muscles workout app, says that is an option as well. There should be no obsession with calorie intake, she insists. Instead of counting calories and numbers, I focus on portion size and making sure you get a complex carb and a protein with each meal.”
The trainer also restricts her starch intake to the early morning hours. “Because starches are your primary source of energy, I eat them first thing in the morning. You eat them to get the energy they provide into your system and then expel it through exercise “She says so herself.
Advice from Oprea: “Don’t obsess over the scale.” Body recomposition, as opposed to weight loss, places more emphasis on the distribution of fat. As you add muscle mass, you’ll see a reduction in body fat volume. Muscle, on the other hand, is more compact than fat, so it occupies less space. In other words, it’s the same weight, but it appears to be so.
Using Catadul’s advice above, you should aim to keep your weight within a 4-pound range. “Consider a woman who is 5’8” and weighs 140 lbs. Catadul says he wants to keep her between 138 and 142 for the duration of their work together.
Protein should be a main source of your caloric intake.
Adults should consume at least 0.8 grammes per kilogramme of body weight per day, or about 7 grammes for every 20 pounds, according to the National Academy of Medicine. Let’s say your weight is 140 lbs. A typical daily protein requirement is 50 grammes.
You’ll need to increase your protein intake if you want to build muscle and lose fat at the same time. Why? A lack of protein during heavy weight training will result in a reduced ability to recover and perform, which in turn will reduce the amount of muscle mass gained and fat burned, according to Catadul. Protein should make up at least 30% of your daily caloric intake, according to the trainer.
In a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that among 24 women, 30 percent followed a low-carb, high-protein diet, while the other half followed a standard carbohydrate-based diet. Every day, each group consumed 1,700 calories. Women in both groups lost 16 pounds over the course of 10 weeks, but the standard-diet group lost 10.4 pounds of body fat and 3 pounds of muscle mass, whereas the higher-protein group lost 12.3 pounds of body fat and only 1.7 pounds of muscle mass on average.
So, let’s return to the 1,800-calorie target. 540 x 0.30 = 540 x 4 = 135 grammes of protein if you want to consume 30 percent of that as protein. For most people, 100-150 grammes per day is a good target for protein intake, according to Catadul.
After your workout, Oprea advises that you consume 30 to 60 minutes of post-workout protein.
You’ll also want to incorporate protein into your meals on a regular basis. “Every meal should include some type of protein. Before and after your workout, you’ll want to eat carbs “Catadul has something to say about this. It will give you the energy you need to get through the workout, as well as the energy you need to refuel afterward. After a workout, it’s important to replenish your muscles with protein. Between 30 minutes and an hour after your workout, Oprea recommends consuming your post-workout protein.
Khader recommends pea or sprouted rice protein because they don’t put a strain on the kidneys, which is important for those with kidney disease. Khader recommends lean meats like chicken and turkey if you like to eat meat and fish. Wild fish, salmon, and beans are also excellent sources of protein, according to experts. Do not eat red meat like beef more than once a week because of its high fat content.
If you’re interested in losing weight, but you’re lacking in vegan protein options, keep reading. Take a look at this video:
There are some similarities between Catudul and Oprea’s recommendations, but for those who are concerned about boredom, Oprea suggests focusing on seasoning. What is her secret ingredient? Anise from coconut. In terms of flavour, it’s not as salty as teriyaki sauce, but you won’t be bloated after eating it.
According to Khader, there are a few foods you should avoid while shopping for these proteins before you rush to the nearest grocery store. Soy is first on the list. She claims that soy protein can have an effect on the thyroid. It can also make you feel sluggish and make it more difficult to shed pounds if you consume it frequently. Nuts should also be avoided. It’s a common misconception that these foods are high in protein, but Khader argues that they are actually high in fat.
Weightlifting and HIIT training are where you’ll see the most gains.
As Oprea tells her clients who are concerned about looking jacked, “Don’t be afraid of weight training.” Fat loss and muscle gain can both be achieved with this technique.
With weights, not only do you gain more muscle mass, but your metabolism speeds up as well. How? Why is it better to have a lot of muscle and less fat? “It is common for people to believe that they do not want to build muscle because they do not want to look bulky. In order to burn more fat, you need to lift weights “Khader is quoted as saying.
Lifting weights aids in the efficient burning of calories.
Catadul recommends 45-minute strength and weight training sessions three to four days a week (using machines or free weights, for example), with 60-second rest periods in between.
But he’ll also do an HIIT workout for 15-20 minutes. Oprea’s go-to workout is a four-minute round of tabbata. You’ll do eight rounds of 20 seconds of all-out effort, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Catadul claims that HIIT is the most effective method for burning fat. A 15-minute hit session will burn as many calories as an hour of jogging.
As for recovery, you can certainly rely on post-workout carbs and proteins, but Khader also suggests some natural remedies. Having a lot of soreness or inflammation in your muscles will make it more difficult to burn fat or gain muscle, Khader explains. As a result, the body will focus on reducing inflammation. That’s why she recommends taking weekly salt baths to relax and aid in recovery. Taking a break from intense workouts to engage in active recovery activities can speed up the healing process.
All of this means nothing if you’re not getting enough sleep and hydration.
This is something that all three experts couldn’t stress enough. It’s more difficult to build muscle and burn fat if you don’t get enough sleep, Khader says. Because people who don’t get enough sleep are constantly hungry, the nutritionist said, they run the risk of consuming more calories than they need.
This is supported by a number of studies. Public Library of Science researchers analysed 1,024 people’s sleeping habits and found that those who got less than seven hours of shut-eye had higher levels of certain hormones linked to appetite regulation, and their weight rose as a result.
It’s important to remember that hydration is an essential part of both body recomposition and daily life. “In normal life, you can’t build muscle if you haven’t recovered from the day before,” Catadul says. “Hydration and sleep are essential for human survival on the most fundamental level. Doing all of this and not drinking water or sleeping for four hours a night will either not work at all or work much slower than if your body is in good health..” Then again, who doesn’t want to see progress?
The experts all agree that if you’ve been consistent, you should begin to see results within four weeks. Soon, others will begin to take notice. After six months, you’ll notice a marked improvement. As Oprea puts it, “It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.”
Conclusion
If you follow these simple tips then you can easily lose fat and gain muscles. You don’t need to go to a gym, you can also do exercises at home. So, start practising these tips right away and get the best of your body in a healthy way.
