Whenever you gain muscle, your metabolism rises and you automatically burn more calories when you are resting. As a matter of fact, a pound of muscle burns 30 to 50 calories per day just to maintain itself, according to the University of Michigan Health System. That said, there are cases where people tend to put on excess weight while still maintaining muscle. To burn this fat, you need to make several lifestyle adjustments.
Step 1
Reduce your calories, but do not go overboard, because you want to maintain muscle. Track all of your calories for five days, add the totals together, and divide by five to get an average. Don't forget to include calories from beverages. Subtract 250 calories from this total and eat that many calories a day.
Step 2
Eat foods that are healthy and beneficial for building muscle. Avoid french fries, burgers, wings, ribs, baked goods and white flour products. Eat nothing but fruits, vegetables, lean meats, eggs, low-fat dairy products, nuts, seeds and beans. These foods are quality sources of protein, complex carbs and healthy fats that are all beneficial to muscle growth and energy boosting.
Step 3
Consume small, frequent meals throughout the day to increase your metabolism, constantly supply your muscles with nutrients and boost your energy levels. Combine protein, carbs and healthy fats with each meal and do not go more than three hours without eating. Have your first meal as soon as you get up in the morning. Broiled salmon with steamed broccoli and quinoa is a meal example.
Step 4
Drink water to hydrate your muscles and prevent empty calorie intake. Give up sweetened teas, soda, lemonade, fruit punch, slushies, lattes and alcohol. The Institute of Medicine recommends that women get approximately 2.7 liters of water a day and men get approximately 3.7 liters. This comes out to about 11 cups and 16 cups, respectively.
Step 5
Perform cardiovascular exercise to burn fat. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes of cardio to obtain health benefits and 60 to 90 minutes to lose weight. Aim for about 45 minutes of cardio, if you want to maintain muscle as you lose weight. Train three days a week on alternating days and do something you enjoy, such as running, brisk walking, inline skating, elliptical training, stair climbing or rowing.
Step 6
Lift weights to preserve your muscle. Perform exercises that target all of your major muscle groups to ensure you keep as much muscle as possible. Bench presses, shoulder presses, back rows, triceps dips, biceps curls and deadlifts are examples. Do 10 to 12 reps, three to four sets and use the heaviest weights you can lift. Work out three times a week on the alternating days of your cardio.
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