As a nutritionist, I’ve received this question many times:” How can I lose fat without losing my body bulk”? It’s a typical problem for many people. We all need to keep our muscles in shape because they support our systems in everything we do, from carrying foods to working out. But, when we’re trying to lose weight, we usually worry about losing our beautiful muscle mass in the process. To address this issue, we sought the advice of two registered dietician, who offer advice backed by experts on how to lose weight without sacrificing your muscle size. How Do You Lose Weight? There are many variables that can affect our system weight, including non-modifiable genetic factors like biology. The compromise between the energy we consume and the calories we burn is one thing that we can change. You officially need to be in a calorie deficit if your goal is to lose weight. When you consume fewer calories than your body requires, you have a calorie deficit. For instance, if you require 2, 500 calories per day to keep your weight, you would need to take less than 2, 500 calories per day to make a gap. Increasing your electricity consumption through exercise, reducing your overall calorie intake, or doing both can help you achieve this. Marie Spano, M. S., RD, CSCS, CSSD, sports nutritionist for the Washington Nationals, recommends a healthy approach. She suggests that increasing normal activity or activities would lower a person’s daily calorie intake by 300 and lower their daily caloric intake by 200. You can do this by limiting your intake of calorie-dense foods like packaged sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages that do n’t contribute many other nutrients. Additionally, a daily walk, jog, or climb may require adding time to your normal walk, jog, or trek. Even simple issues like gardening and dancing can add up; just make sure you’re more likely to stick with it because it’s someone you really enjoy. A 500-calorie daily gap is all that spano recommends, but he warns against having too many calories. According to her,” Research indicates that reducing tissue loss is less painful and easier to maintain.” Amy Goodson, RD, sports nutritionist and author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook, agrees, and says,” Focus on reducing carbohydrate intake slightly—300 to 500 calories per day—to promote regular fat loss without significantly cutting energy, which can lead to muscle damage and other health issues”. Remember, while a calories imbalance plays an important role in supporting weight loss, other components like a child’s diet, exercise routine, sleeping schedule and stress-management techniques also play a role and need to be considered. How to Maintain Muscle Mass Protein is primarily made up of. It’s essential for building, repairing and maintaining muscle tissue. Unlike fat or carbs, our bodies do n’t store large reserves of protein. Therefore, we must consume protein sources consistently throughout the day to give our muscles the required building blocks ( also known as amino acids ). Exercise in strength training, also known as resistance training, is necessary for building and maintaining muscle mass, in addition to a sufficient amount of protein. To maintain muscle mass, both Spano and Goodson advise incorporating a regular strength-training regimen into your week. Tips for Keeping Muscle Mass While Losing Weight 1. Consume More Protein Eating enough protein, choosing high-quality sources, and evenly distributing it throughout the day is necessary to maintain muscle while losing weight. According to Spano,” You need to reduce calorie intake to lose weight, so protein intake needs to go up to prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue.” Your protein needs increase the higher the caloric deficit to prevent muscle loss during weight loss. Goodson agrees, claiming that a high-protein diet can aid in maintaining lean muscle mass while losing weight. She advises consuming one-third of a kilogram of body weight with about 1.5 grams of protein. For a 150-pound person, this translates to about 102 grams of protein per day. According to Goodson, distributing protein consumption throughout the day assists in supplying the body with the amino acids it needs to build and repair lean muscle mass. She advises eating between 30 and 15 grams of protein each meal and snacking between 8 and 15 grams. To meet this goal, consider starting your day with a high-protein smoothie. A combination of 1 cup of Greek yogurt ( packing 22 grams of protein ), 1 cup of dairy milk ( 8 grams of protein ), frozen berries, leafy greens and a spoonful of nut butter can hit over 30 grams of protein per serving and provide you with a balanced and nutrient-rich breakfast. For more recipe inspiration, try one of our high-protein smoothies with at least 15 grams per serving. Your body receives the necessary amino acids by consuming your protein throughout the day, which also aids in promoting satiety. This can help you stay full longer and prevent overeating. Finally, our experts recommend focusing on high-quality protein options, such as those found in whole foods. and make an effort to consume a variety of different protein sources to help you get the best nutrition. Opt for lean cuts of beef, turkey, chicken, seafood, eggs, dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese, as well as plant-based proteins like tofu, lentils and beans. 2. Prioritize Strength Training Goodson and Spano both stress the value of strength training in order to maintain muscle mass and aid in weight loss. Research shows that combining strength training with calorie restriction for weight loss promotes muscle growth while reducing body fat. Muscle is also metabolically active, which means that it only needs energy to keep itself running. Therefore, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even at rest. Both during and after your workout, strength training burns calories. Strength training can increase your overall energy expenditure, whether you’re using a resistance band or lifting weights. Additionally, the afterburn effect—also known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption ( EPOC ) —continues to burn calories after your workout as your body works to restore its temperature, repair damaged muscle tissues and replenish oxygen levels. 3. Focus on Whole Foods Counting calories can aid in weight loss, but it’s difficult to do so long-term. Focusing on consuming whole foods is a more sustainable and effective approach. Spano advises,” Eat the majority of your food from whole, less-processed foods while also fitting in your favorite foods so you do not feel deprived”. The key word being majority. We know no one’s diet is going to solely focus on nutrition 100 % of the time, and there are many reasons we eat, like personal preference, celebration and socializing. It’s important to have a flexible eating pattern and to understand that it’s okay to include less-nutritious foods in moderation. You can align with your goals and meet your needs by focusing on whole foods the majority of the time, including things like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean proteins. Whole foods are typically more calories-dense than highly processed foods. Spano explains,” In addition to typically containing fewer calories than their more-processed counterparts, there are a few studies showing we absorb fewer calories from some less-processed foods”. Additionally, Spanisho also stresses the value of a fiber-rich diet and advises males aim for 38 grams per day while females aim for 25 grams per day. Additionally, research has shown that a high-fiber diet with minimally processed foods reduced calorie absorption and helped to lose weight. ( 7 ) 4. Avoid Bad Diet: Avoid Medications While a calorie deficit is necessary for weight loss, unhealthy habits like skipping meals and excessive exercise are important. According to Goodson, skipping meals can cause the use of muscle mass as a source of energy, which is ineffective for keeping lean muscle. Not to mention, if you’ve ever skipped a meal, do you remember what happens later? You might be more inclined to overeat. Goodson explains,” It can also set people up to feel extremely hungry at the next meal or snack, which can lead to overeating and hindering weight-loss goals”. Bottom Line: A moderate calorie deficit, increasing your physical activity, and increasing your intake of protein are all ways to lose weight while also maintaining muscle mass. Prioritize including high-quality protein options like meat, poultry, fish, legumes and dairy in each meal or snack of the day. Dietitians advise focusing the majority of your meals on whole foods and limiting your intake of processed, highly processed foods. Additionally, they advise aiming to meet daily fiber intake recommendations and refrain from skipping meals to help maintain muscle mass and aid in weight-loss goals.

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