When trying to lose weight and excess fat, it is normal to reduce muscle mass a little. Losing too much, however, is neither healthy nor appropriate. To prevent this from happening, there are several diet plans, foods and types of exercises to help you lose weight, burn fat and maintain muscle mass at the same time. By carefully planning which foods you should eat and the portions, you can safely lose fat and keep yourself healthy.
Steps
Step 1. Aim to lose 0.5-1 kg per week
This is considered a safe and healthy pace of weight loss. If you lose weight too quickly, you risk losing muscle mass.
- It is usually recommended that you never consume less than 1200 calories per day. If your calorie intake is too low for your age, gender or level of physical activity, you risk losing muscle mass, as you are not getting an adequate amount of the nutrients your body needs to perform its functions normally.
- You can manage to lose 0.5-1 kg per week by cutting off about 500 calories per day, but don't go any further.
Step 2. Eat adequate amounts of protein
When trying to cut calories, you also limit your protein intake throughout the day; however, an insufficient amount of this nutrient causes a loss of muscle mass.
- Women should consume a minimum of 46g of protein per day and men 56g. You can achieve this easily by eating a source of protein with every meal and snack. Never go below this minimum threshold.
- Choose high-quality protein sources, such as lean red meat, poultry, fish, beans, lentils, tofu, walnuts or natural nut cream, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.
- A serving of protein weighs around 85-115g and corresponds to a slice of meat the size of the palm of a hand or a deck of cards.
Step 3. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables
Both of these food groups are low in calories, but they are high in nutrients and allow you to feel full, as you can get plenty of them. This allows you to consume low-calorie meals, but at the same time abundant and satisfying.
- You should eat two servings of fruit and 4-6 of vegetables each day. To respect this amount, you should eat a fruit or vegetable dish with each meal.
- A portion of fruit corresponds to a small fruit, while that of vegetables is equal to 60-120 g of green leafy vegetables.
Step 4. Eat 2-3 servings of carbohydrates per day
Following a low-carb diet helps you lose weight faster and reduce more fat than a low-fat or low-calorie diet.
- This type of diet focuses on reducing the daily portions of carbohydrates. Depending on the type of diet you follow, this could be as much as 60-200g of carbohydrates per day. The lower the amount of carbohydrates allowed in the diet, the lower the choice of foods must be.
- These nutrients are found in many food groups, such as grains, fruits, starchy vegetables, dairy products and legumes. Eat 1-3 servings of these foods every day to help with the weight loss process. Read the label or keep a food diary to figure out how many carbs you are eating.
- A low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet has been found to be more effective for losing fat and maintaining muscle mass.
- Talk to your doctor before starting a low carb diet. While it is believed to be safe for the general health of adults, it is not always suitable for everyone.
Step 5. Consider taking protein supplements
These are drinks that have a relatively low amount of calories, but are rich in protein instead. If you consume another 15-30g of protein per day from these drinks, you can meet your minimum requirement for this nutrient, making it easier to lose weight and avoid losing muscle mass.
- Whey protein is ideal for the body. They contain all the essential amino acids that the body needs and cannot process on its own. If you decide to buy protein supplements, choose whey if possible.
- If you are allergic to whey or don't want to take it, consider other protein sources. Those derived from eggs or soy are valid alternatives.
- Protein supplements have been shown to be particularly suitable for maintaining and building lean muscle mass when taken after a workout.
- If you decide to take protein supplements to improve weight loss, be sure to choose those that are not too caloric. Also, don't mix too many ingredients or high-energy foods that could excessively increase the supplement's total calorie intake, otherwise you could gain weight, frustrating your efforts.
- Protein supplements are available in several stores. Look for them in supermarkets, pharmacies, health food stores, sports stores, or even online.
Part 1 of 1: Maintain Muscle Mass with Exercise
Step 1. Do cardio exercises 3-5 times a week
A crucial factor in losing fat is physical activity. Cardiovascular or aerobic exercises help the body burn calories and promote weight loss.
- Regular cardio exercises allow you to maintain lean muscle mass and burn calories.
- Aim for about 150 minutes of cardio each week. Ideally you should do a moderate intensity workout, so as to accelerate your heart rate and respiratory rate to a still acceptable level that allows you to speak without having to stop for a breath.
- Among the different types of aerobic exercises are walking / running, cycling, elliptical biking, swimming and dancing.
- Interval training is a combination of intermittent strength and cardio training that involves short sessions of intense exercise alternating with other moderate ones. You can train this way for short periods. Studies have found it to be a great exercise for losing fat.
Step 2. Exercise with weights 2 or 3 times a week
This is another key aspect of reducing fat and maintaining muscle mass. Consistency in this kind of training helps you avoid muscle loss and allows you to increase it.
- You should perform strength exercises in sessions of around 20-30 minutes. Try to work on each major muscle group during each session. Make sure you work on your torso (back, abs and buttocks), chest, arms, and legs.
- Among the various strength exercises are: weight lifting, isometric exercises and practices such as yoga or pilates.
- If you are still a beginner with this type of training, start with light weights and a few repetitions. You don't have to overdo it and train with excessive weights or for too long as you could injure yourself.
- Don't stimulate each muscle group too often; you can train the same muscle every other day at most. Each muscle group should be worked directly no more than 1-2 times a week, to allow time to recover between sessions.
Step 3. Make sure you have enough days to rest
Schedule a day or two off to help your body recover from workouts to maintain lean muscle mass and continue to develop. It is important to take a break between cardio and strength training during the week.
- Allow at least 24-48 hours between strength training sessions.
- Stay active even during the "rest" day. This day is not dedicated to bed or sitting rest, but to low intensity and toning exercises. You should walk, take a leisurely bike ride, or practice relaxing yoga.
Step 4. Focus on adequate physical and energy recovery
When you are dieting, exercising, and committed to maintaining or building muscle mass, it is also important to pay attention to getting the correct nutrients right before and after a training session.
- Before a session, it is essential to drink plenty of moisturizing fluids and have a small meal rich in carbohydrates. You should eat at least 30 minutes before exercising to make sure you don't have any gastrointestinal problems during the session.
- Among the snacks you can eat consider: a small cup of oats, some fruit, a portion of yogurt or whole wheat crackers.
- It is important to maintain a good level of hydration by drinking other fluids immediately after training. You should also have a small meal or snack that is high in protein and carbohydrates. This combination is especially important for aiding muscle recovery. Try to eat within an hour of finishing your exercise session.
- The snacks you can eat after training are: hummus with whole Arabian bread chips, a small apple with peanut butter, chocolate milk, dried fruit and nut mix or a fruit smoothie with added protein powder.
Advice
- Before making any changes to your diet, always ask your doctor for advice. He will be able to tell you if it is a healthy and appropriate solution for you.
- Always talk to your doctor even before starting a new exercise routine.
- The best way to maintain lean muscle mass while dieting is to lose weight slowly and steadily.
