Build muscle, burn fat -
Resistance training — such as lifting weights or doing push-ups, pull-ups or lunges — can lead to better results for building muscle and reducing body fat , according to Melissa Boyd, certified personal trainer and head coach at Tempo. New research also backs up the benefits of strength training for fat loss, muscle gain, and overall health.
People who strength trained lost more body fat and had better blood sugar control than those who did cardio or a combination of the two, according to a small study published this month in the journal Diabetologia. And you don't need to just lift weights, Boyd said.
Adding resistance to your workouts, from bodyweight exercises like squats and push-ups to classes like barre or pilates, can pay off whether you want to build muscle, lose weight, or just get healthier. In the latest study comparing strength training and cardio, researchers from Stanford University looked at nearly people with type 2 diabetes who underwent a nine-month exercise routine of strength training, cardio, or both.
They found that the strength training group saw more benefits by doing exercises like shoulder presses and leg presses three times a week than the group that worked out on the treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike.
Specifically, the strength training group had more stable blood sugar levels, and also gained muscle while losing fat known as body recomposition. While the most recent study was specific to people with type 2 diabetes, it adds to a growing body of research that strength training can help people who want to lose weight.
To lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit, which means burning off more calories than you take in. While strength training may not burn as many calories in a workout as some types of cardio, it can help you burn more calories overall because it builds muscle tissue, which uses more energy to maintain.
One of the biggest misunderstandings about strength training is that it can cause you to gain weight or "bulk up. You can actually look leaner and get healthier even if you aren't losing weight , since more muscle can create a more athletic physique, she said.
It's also a misconception that strength training will automatically make your muscles huge — muscle and strength takes a lot of time and effort to build , and doesn't happen overnight or by accident. The term "strength training" itself can be intimidating for people who haven't lifted weights before , and referring to "resistance training" instead can seem more approachable, according to Boyd.
She said one strategy to get people excited about strength training is to make it more than just lifting weight. This can be achieved by incorporating interesting equipment like sandbags which can be tossed, swung around, or carried to keep things fun.
They got addicted to the challenge and it was encouraging, instead of thinking about getting bulky," Boyd said. Exercise is about more than how you look, and while strength training has major health benefits, your best bet is to do a little of everything, Boyd said.
You want to have muscle, to be strong and have strong bones, but you also want your lungs and heart working properly as well, and a body that moves well," she said. Evidence suggests a combination of strength training and cardio exercise is the best way to stave off early death and chronic illnesses that often accompany aging.
As a bonus, you'll also find that the more you try different exercises, the better you'll be able to move and enjoy fitness, regardless of what kind of workouts are your favorite.
They work together," Boyd said. Read next. Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. In other words, you are weight stable, and so is your body composition. In that case, you will have alternated between gaining muscle mass and losing body fat many times.
If you have been training correctly and eaten enough protein during this time, you should have improved your body composition. That means that you have built muscle and lost fat at the same time over those months of training and dieting.
The hours after a Thanksgiving dinner, for example, you will build more muscle than you break down. However, you will surely gain body fat at the same time. Over Thanksgiving week as a whole, however, you can lose weight and body fat despite that day of overfeeding, as long as you restrain yourself during the other days.
So, if you want to gain muscle while losing body fat, you must prime your muscle protein synthesis. It must exceed your muscle protein breakdown over time while you remain in a calorie deficit.
Body recomposition requires effort and discipline. If you eat and train haphazardly, your results will also be haphazard. The three-step solution for anyone looking to build muscle and lose fat at the same time is as follows:. The main difference is that your ability to recover from high-intensity physical activity during a calorie deficit diminishes.
There is no standard protocol for body recomposition training, but the following guidelines make for an approach that fits most lifters:. You can, of course, follow any training program you like. But if you prefer a pre-programmed and highly effective workout split for building muscle, we offer an expensive selection for different experience levels in our StrengthLog workout tracker:.
These programs, and many more, are available exclusively in our workout app StrengthLog. Some programs, like Bodybuilding Blitz and Bodybuilding Ballet , require a premium subscription, but StrengthLog itself is entirely free. You can download it and use it as a workout tracker and general strength training app — and all basic functionality is free forever.
Want to give premium a shot? We offer all new users a free day trial of premium, which you can activate in the app. Your training is not the only factor determining whether your body recomposition is successful or unsuccessful.
What and how much you put on your plate is also crucial. You must be in a caloric deficit to lose fat, meaning you burn more calories than you consume. This is the one factor set in stone. Ideally, you want to be in a caloric surplus to gain muscle.
However, the excess calories would prevent you from losing fat. In addition, taking in fewer calories than you burn can significantly decrease your testosterone levels. In fact, calorie restriction might increase your testosterone levels if you carry a lot of body fat.
The solution? For body recomposition purposes, a moderate caloric deficit is ideal. For most, the sweet spot is ~ calories fewer than they burn. Slow and steady wins the race.
A high-protein diet is a vital component in this process, especially if you want to build muscle at the same time. A high-protein diet gives your body the necessary nutrients to maintain and repair muscle tissue. The combination of strength training and plenty of protein boosts MPS to the point where it exceeds muscle breakdown.
To maintain muscle mass during caloric restriction, 2 grams of protein per kg 0. Higher protein intakes, 2. Protein is more satiating than fat and carbs, meaning it keeps you feeling full for extended periods. When you consume protein, your body needs to work to break it down, which increases your metabolic rate.
A higher metabolic rate means your body burns more daily calories even when not exercising. However, that equation does not tell how your body uses those calories. By engaging in strength training and keeping your protein intake high, you use more of what you eat to build muscle.
carb diets have been used successfully by bodybuilders for many decades. You need some healthy fats in your diet to maintain your hormone production. Lift weights, keep your caloric restriction moderate ~ calories below maintenance , and eats plenty of protein 2.
Carb cycling is a popular method intended to increase your ability to gain muscle while losing body fat simply by adjusting your carbohydrate intake depending on your activities. If you want to experiment with carb cycling, feel free to do so. It is most likely not detrimental in any way.
I can attest to getting a better pump and performing better in the gym by carb-loading on training days and compensating with a lower carb intake on rest days during a diet. However, there is no scientific evidence that this leads to more significant fat loss or greater gains in muscle mass.
Regular low-calorie diets and intermittent fasting are equally effective for losing weight and burning fat. If you enjoy the intermittent fasting lifestyle, go for it. No supplements will do the job for you, but some are helpful for building muscle while losing fat.
Creatine is the single most effective supplement for gaining lean body mass and strength and improving exercise performance. While it has no proven fat-burning properties, research shows that people using creatine generally lose a little more body fat compared to placebo.
Reasonably inexpensive and convenient, a quality protein powder makes it easier to get enough protein. Whey protein concentrate or isolate are likely the best options if you use dairy products, while soy protein isolate is a high-quality plant-based alternative. Caffeine stands at the ready whenever you need a pick-me-up or an energy boost, whether you prefer regular coffee or caffeine in supplement form.
It is the active ingredient in most pre-workout products and has proven to be effective for improving performance in almost any type of exercise.
Want to learn more about dietary supplements? Which ones are worth your money, and which are questionable or useless? An energy surplus makes it much easier to gain muscle mass. It is pretty easy to maintain the muscle you have gained during a bulk when you switch to dieting your fat away.
Maintaining muscle mass during a cutting diet is much easier than gaining muscle. It is probably more effective in the long run to alternate periods of moderate overeating with periods of dieting. Maintaining a calorie deficit over more extended periods can be challenging not just for your body but for your brain as well.
However, when you bulk and cut the traditional way, you invariably gain body fat during parts of the year. If you are not comfortable with those fat gains, staying in a calorie balance most of the year and peaking once or twice a year might be an alternative.
At calorie balance or in a surplus, 1. If you increase that to 2. However, if you are on a fat-loss diet, eating fewer calories than you burn, you might need even more protein.
Go for 2.
Our burn fat advice is expert-vetted. If you buy through Buiod links, we may get a commission. Musle ethics statement. Body recomposition helps you lose weight while gaining muscle mass. Here's what to know. Oftentimes, we focus on one specific fitness goal. It's either losing weight or gaining muscle. Increasing your Top magnesium products intake and incorporating strength burn fat into musxle routine can help you Build muscle body fat Builld increase muscle mass. It Premium-quality pre-workout also boost your musclle Build muscle help protect Buildd some Build muscle conditions. ,uscle, traditional weight loss programs Build muscle on cutting body fat and hitting lower numbers on the scale rather than gaining muscle. Body recomposition is an approach to weight loss that emphasizes the importance of not only losing fat but gaining muscle at the same time. Aside from trimming fat, using body recomposition techniques may help you increase strength and boost the number of calories you burn throughout the day. This article defines body recomposition and discusses its health benefits and how to start a body recomposition regimen.
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