Lose Weight and Gain Muscle? Is it possible?

Losing weight is a good thing, perhaps the best of things. But it is counter-intuitive if the weight loss is achieved through a loss in muscle mass.

Unfortunately, the problem usually arises, especially when people are trying to perform weight loss in Pakistan, because of proper instruction and guidance, they end up with a lot less muscle than they initially began with. Some even find that their body fat percentage starts to decrease.

The reason behind this is simple when you consume fewer calories than you burn every day – an important factor in losing weight – you tell your body to put yourself on the back burner. According to a report,  “lower calorie diets can decrease the reduce the synthesis of new protein in your body”. The research also states that, on a low-calorie diet, your body is less sensitive to the protein you eat. The result is that you are less likely to use any protein in your diet that would strengthen your muscles.

Muscle cells replace protein every day and are ready for your body to replace them with newer, healthier ones. So when newer ones do not show up, you lose muscle. A lot of the times, the change is rather drastic.

Muscle is the best determinant of your metabolic system, the number of calories you burn daily. Therefore, the muscle loss explains a great deal why a lot of people struggle to lose weight.

On the other hand, though, building muscle while you lose weight is the exact opposite. It gets easier to build up muscle and lose weight at the same time. Muscle increases your body strength and reduces the risk of injury, which improves overall health.

The following tips are for you to gain muscle naturally and lose weight in the process as well. Following these six strategies will help you make more informed decisions about your health goals.

1. Eat More Protein at Every Meal

According to a study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was found that men who followed a low-calorie diet which was high in protein lost 10.5 lbs of at while gaining 2.5 lbs of lean muscle. Those who followed the same amount of diet, but with a little less protein, lost only 7.7 lbs of fat and gained a quarter pound of muscle.

In a review published in the Sports Medicine, it was recommended that consuming between 2.3 to 3.1 grams of protein per kg of your weight is beneficial for muscle gain. The protein intake should be divided throughout the day. As a general rule, it is recommended to consume at least 25 to 30 grams of protein in every meal – and even less if you are a vegan/vegetarian.

2. Lose Weight Slowly

While it is very tempting to lose weight as quickly as possible, drastic drops in weight tend to be the result of losing not only fat but also muscle. For example, in one obesity study, when people followed a very low-calorie diet, 18 pc of their weight loss was just from muscle. When people followed a more moderate approach, that percentage was reduced to 7.7 pc.

It is recommended that you lose no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week followed by the protein regimen discussed in step 1. Perhaps the best place to start is to reduce caloric intake by 500, this will differ from person to person.

3. Strength Train at Least Three Times Per Week

Several people, who try to lose weight increase their cardiovascular activity, like running and walking. This is beneficial to them, but it should never replace weight training. According to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health in 2015, 10,500 of individuals who performed weight training gained less abdominal fat over a period of 12 years as compared to those who spent approximately the same amount of time on cardio.

In order to lose weight and gain muscle, you need to include at least 2 days of weight training in a week to maintain existing muscle mass and two or three more times a week to build muscle. Focus on fitting these workouts in your in your diet first and then you can add the right amount of cardio to the mix.

4. Keep Your Cardio Workouts Short and Sweet

If you are keen towards performing cardiovascular exercises and want to gain the most out of your cardio workouts, it is best to focus on high-intensity interval exercises such as constant sprints, burpees, elliptical or bike workouts. These high-intensity workouts will help you burn fat considerably while moderate-intensity workouts will burn both muscle and fat.

5. Give Your Muscles a Break

Many people believe in the notion of “the more, the merrier”. When it comes to building muscle, this is not important. Muscles need rest to grow and though the exact time will differ slightly from person to person and variations in the workouts that you do. A study explained that for optimal strength building, it is best to let your muscles rest up and build it from there.

So if you perform an intense upper-body workout on Monday, it is best to wait till Wednesday to target your upper body again. Let the muscles rest and you will be rewarded with impressive gains. A structured approach to exercise is your best option in this regard.

6. Be Patient

When you are first starting out, it might look and feel as though you’re not gaining enough muscle or losing fat as you had initially hoped it would turn out to be. Just remember, the first week is always the hardest. There will be times when you just want to give up and quit, but you have to be patient in your approach.