One of fitness’ biggest questions: how to achieve weight loss WITHOUT losing all that hard-earned muscle mass??
When losing weight, the body is burning more energy than is being taken in (caloric deficit). And ideally, we would want this energy to be coming from body fat and not muscle mass, both of which can be burned for energy, depending on the weight loss approach.
Now it’s normal to lose some muscle mass when losing weight, especially for those who are already on the leaner side and trying to get shredded. But how can fat loss be optimized while muscle mass is retained? Let’s discuss..
KEY COMPONENTS
There are three key components to maintaining muscle while losing weight:
Size of the calorie deficit you’re in
Getting enough protein
Resistance training
SIZE OF CALORIE DEFICIT
As stated, In order to lose weight, you must consistently be in a caloric deficit. That is, burning more calories than you’re consuming. The thing is, the size of the deficit will have a big impact on how your body burns energy.
A larger deficit, let’s say over 500 calories or more, will be more likely to result in losing not only water weight, but potentially more muscle mass than body fat.
The reason why is because your body can more easily burn muscle mass for energy than it can body fat, so if there’s a bigger demand for energy (from a large deficit) it’s easier and quicker for the body to turn to muscle tissue than it is body fat.
On the other hand, a smaller deficit, let’s say 200 – 400 calories, can be just enough to give the body the energy it needs to perform while allowing it to gradually burn stored body fat, rather than muscle. But this is a slower process.
That is why it’s important to not jump into a massive deficit when trying to lose weight. But rather, a more slow and gradual approach is necessary.
For those who are more overweight or obese, sometimes a larger deficit can actually be beneficial in the beginning.
HOW TO DO THIS:
- Start with a calorie deficit of around 200 – 400
- Track calories or gradually subtract foods/portion sizes you typically eat
- Aim for 0.5lb – 1lb of weight loss per week – this range is ideal for not only sustainable weight loss, but also muscle retention
- If weight loss occurs too rapidly, add some food/calories back in
PROTEIN
Protein is essential for not only building muscle, but also for helping to retain it in the process of weight loss. But how much exactly?
Protein requirements vary, and depend on various factors such as a person’s height, weight, body composition (muscle to fat ratio), activity levels, and goals (build muscle, lose weight, or get enough for general health). Based on research, here are the current recommendations:
- Protein for general health: 0.8g per kilo / 0.36g per pound
- Protein for building muscle: 1.6g – 2.2g per kilo / 0.7g – 1g per pound
- Protein for weight loss/cutting: 1.8g – 2.7g per kilo / 0.8g – 1.2g per pound
When losing weight, protein requirements, especially for those who are leaner and training hard, should be slightly on the higher end. This is because when you’re giving your body less energy for fuel when you’re already lean, the body will see muscle mass as an easy energy source. Therefore, fueling and repairing the muscles with plenty of amino acids will help mitigate potential muscle losses.
Research has shown that the best results come from getting in that 1.8g – 2.7g per kilo / 0.8g – 1.2g per lb range for protein intake to avoid muscle loss during a weight loss phase, or cut.
RESISTANCE TRAINING
Out of these three key components, it has been shown that resistance training is top priority for retaining muscle mass. This is not only true for weight loss, but also for maintaining muscle over the course of years.
Your muscles need a reason to exist. And your body needs a reason to rely on your muscles, rather than use them as energy. This is especially true when losing weight.
By resistance training, with enough intensity, your body will utilize and preserve muscle mass while turning more to stored fat for energy.
And intensity is key. Just because the goal is losing weight and not bulking doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still lift hard. In fact, because the goal is losing weight, it’s better to train harder and closer to failure as a way of preserving as much strength and muscle tissue as possible.
TRAINING RECOMMENDATIONS DURING WEIGHT LOSS:
- 2-3x per week / or whatever your normal workout routine is
- Train at higher intensities and/or closer to failure
- Make sure to incorporate heavier weights and/or higher volume if necessary
WAIT, WHAT ABOUT CARDIO?!
When it comes to weight loss, many people still think that cardio is key. It’s not. Especially when trying to maintain muscle. Let me explain..
Cardio is absolutely necessary and essential for heart and respiratory health, and should be done by everyone. And the method doesn’t matter either. Any activity that gets the heart rate up is a form of cardio… it could be a steady pace walk, a run, playing a sport, using an elliptical, etc.
In terms of weight loss, however, added cardio doesn’t really burn a whole ton of extra calories. It can assist in putting you in a calorie deficit, but not really by much. A full hour of moderately intense cardio will only end up burning anywhere from 150-300 calories, depending on the person.
And higher intensity cardio (such as HIIT), or long cardio sessions, can sometimes result in the body burning muscle mass for fuel, which is exactly what we don’t want here.
CARDIO RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Incorporate cardio for the purposes of heart and overall health, not solely for weight loss
- Zone 2 cardio is the best heart rate zone for not only heart health, but also for preserving muscle mass, and can be done everyday / aim for 30 minutes to an hour
- Avoid or limit higher intensity HIIT sessions to 1-2x per week / 10-20 mins total
SUMMARY
Maintaining as much muscle as possible while trying to lose body fat can be tricky, but it is manageable. Key components:
- Start with a smaller calorie deficit, and track progress
- Aim for 0.5lb – 1lb of weight loss per week
- Prioritize protein, and aim for 1.8g – 2.7g per kilo / 0.8g – 1.2g per lb
- Resistance train with enough volume and intensity to help retain as much strength and muscle size as possible
Thanks for reading!
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