Build Muscle and Lose Fat

When you start a weight loss program, there is more to it than losing a couple of pounds. A successful weight loss program must lead to decrease in body fat, not in body muscle. And above all, you should aim to get rid of the fat in areas that it shouldn't reside, like the belly, the waist, the legs. While it is true that you can't turn all your fat into muscles (nor that it is necessary), turning your muscles into fat is likely not the desired outcome of a weight loss program.

It might look incredible that a weight loss program can lead to muscle loss and increase of fat but it is absolutely possible, if you don't exercise. It is a known fact that your organism adapts to decreased input of food and if you don't activate your metabolism with exercise, your muscles can pretty well be turned into a fat reserve. So the key to success is that you need to preserve your muscle, while losing fat.

In this relation, there is an interesting issue. When starting a fitness program, people often aim to gain muscle and lose fat. There is nothing wrong in it except that this is not achievable. At least not in the same time. Why? Because gaining muscle requires not only intensive training but higher daily input of calories, which often includes increased consumption of proteins, carbs and even fat. Rigorous strength training is not possible when you eat an apple or two daily. So is it really impossible to simultaneously gain muscle and lose fat?

You can gain muscle and lose fat but not at the same time. Usually you first gain muscle by active strength training and higher calorie input and then you „cut“ the fat by changing the type (and intensity) of exercise in addition to lower-calorie diet. While this applies to professional athletes, it is not useless for common people to know because if you start a really serious fitness program, soon you will notice that you have gained muscle and your weight has not dropped (even it might have been increased). This is pretty normal (though hardly what you wanted) and there is no reason to blame your fitness program for becoming fat!

So, how can you preserve your muscles and get rid of the fat? It depends on where you come from – from the active muscle gain group or from the group of people who didn't exercise at all. If you have been actively gaining muscle recently, you need to change your program to include less strength-building exercises and stress on aerobic ones, like jogging, swimming, etc. If you come from the second group, you can start with daily walking or slow running to activate your metabolism. Don't be afraid that walking or running will build you muscles – it won't; muscles are built mainly by weight lifting. If you need to get rid of fat in particular areas, like your belly, include special exercises for that area.

But no matter from which of the two groups you come from, a lower-fat diet is mandatory. A general decrease in calorie input that involves cutting of proteins and carbs as well is also recommendable. The only thing that you shouldn't decrease is water. On the contrary, when you exercise actively and when you sweat a lot, your body needs more water than when you don't lead an active life. As already mentioned, drinking water will not make you fat but avoiding to drink water, especially when you exercise and sweat, can lead to dehydration, which is dangerous.

The worst thing you can do is have a heavy meal right after exercise. Yes, you might get hungry after a short walk in the park because short exercise is known to increase appetite, while longer and more intensive practising burns fat but make some effort and don't eat for at least 2 hours after you have been exercising. If you exercise just a little and then have a sandwich or a bar of chocolate, the positive effects of exercising are neutralized by the food.

Also, for fat loss, it is better to exercise in the evening, when the normal tempo of your metabolism is slowed down, while for gaining muscle it does not matter so much at what time you exercise. And the best you can do is to have a jog in the park, skip dinner and then go right to bed. This is very healthy! When you wake up the next morning, you might feel very, very hungry but this is normal and at breakfast you can afford to eat much more than at dinner and still successfully lose fat, not muscle.