Are you looking to lose fat without losing muscle? Following these simple tips on what to do and what not to do should get you off to a great start.
As a former wrestler, it was always important to me to lose fat without losing muscle. I was always trying to get lean in order to compete at my maximum performance in the proper weight class.
It took me many years to figure out the correct balance of caloric intake in connection with fat loss without losing muscle in order to maintain lean muscle mass.
After 14 years of wrestling, I finally got a knack for the proper way to make the cut to a certain weight class and maintain my strength at that weight class. Oftentimes, I’d shed 20 to 30 pounds below what I was at during the preseason.
You are probably looking to “shred” up to increase your appearance or perhaps change your lifestyle. Whatever your reason, I will provide tips on what not to do then counter them with proper methods to lose fat without losing muscle when getting lean. It worked for me, it can certainly work for you.
How to lose fat without losing muscle
What not to do
For starters, DO NOT try starving yourself. Yes, it is true that in order to lose weight you need to have your calories in be less than calories out. That is just basic math.
Your body is like a machine. Like machines they run on fuel. If you do not give a car gasoline it will not run. The same principle applies to humans, starve them of food and they will not “run” properly.
Another thing I learned from experience is that you should not do is overexercise. How is overexercising a bad thing? Everywhere you look exercise is promoted as being a good thing. However, if you do strictly cardio or strictly strength you will not achieve the goal that you set out.
When I was running several hours a day plus starving myself (an absolutely horrible combination) I was not seeing results. Yes, I was still lighter than previously but my body fat remained the same. If your body doesn’t have the nutrients to replenish after a cardio workout it is forced to take from your lean mass storage.
What to do
With all of whimsical practices aside, it is important to note the do’s when looking to lose fat without losing muscle while gaining lean muscle mass. Yes, there is a need to cut back calorie intake, but that should not be done through skipping meals and intentional starving. Rather, you should eat good foods, foods that are going to provide direct energy for your body.
A low carb diet would be a wise incorporation because these types of foods allow the body to burn fat storage while replenishing the rebuilding muscles with the nutrients they need to get back to full recovery.
There are many delicious low carb recipes like my crab imperial. You should also ensure that you are eating plenty of proteins to help rebuild your muscles. Otherwise you will be feeling sore much longer.
Another thing to do when looking to lose fat without losing muscle is to balance cardio and strength training. You do not want to be dominant in either or you will likely see imbalanced results.
If you lift and do cardio on the same day you should consider lifting first and following up with cardio. If you do your cardio first your body will be more tired and you will not get the same muscle push that you would normally experience.
So if you are looking to lose fat without losing muscle, consider changing your diet habits to eating foods that promote caloric and fat burn. And, be sure to balance your cardio and strength training.
You may also want to try taking a supplement like L-Glutamine which helps to build muscle and lose fat. Once you shed the weight it is easy to keep it off because your metabolism works faster with muscle instead of fat!
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