How To Build Muscle Mass & Lose Weight

To build muscle mass, you need to increase your daily calories and engage your muscles to failure weekly through weight-bearing exercise. For many, this standard muscle-mass building principle also packs on an extra layer of fat. If you want to build muscle and lose fat, what you eat is just important as how much you eat. Eating a diet of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and essential fatty acids will ensure your body is getting the vital nutrients it needs to build muscle without gaining fat. Adding cardiovascular exercise to your weekly workout routine will also help you get a more ripped look, according to BodyBuilding.com.

Step 1

Determine the appropriate muscle-mass building workout for you. There are many styles of weight lifting, though many programs follow the basic principle of working each muscle to failure once a week and alternating body parts. A basic weight-lifting program will split exercises into body parts, working opposing muscles on different days and only training four days out of the week. An example of a basic four-day weight-lifting is to work biceps, abs and back on Monday, off on Tuesday, legs and calves on Wednesday, off on Thursday, chest, triceps and abs on Friday, shoulders on Saturday and off on Sunday. Doing cardiovascular exercise on your days off from weight training is recommended for weight loss.

Step 2

Figure out the amount of calories you need to gain mass while losing weight. Eating the appropriate number of calories is key to gaining muscle mass and losing weight or body fat percentage. BodyBuilding.com recommends using the formula of 10 to 12 times your body weight for lean muscle mass gain and fat loss. So if your goal weight is 160 pounds, consume between 1,600 and 1,900 calories.

Step 3

Cycle your carbs and fat. To gain muscle mass, your body needs calories from protein, complex carbohydrates and essential fatty acids, according to the American Dietetic Association. Cycling the days you eat your carbs and fats can help you build muscle mass while lowering your overall body-fat percentage. A cycling diet varies the amount and type of calories you intake throughout the week. A basic cycling diet consists of eating 20 percent protein, 75 percent complex carbs and 5 percent fat on your high-calorie weight training days, and eating 50 percent protein, 30 percent fat and 20 percent complex carbs on your low-calorie cardio training days.

Step 4

Eat the correct types of essential fatty acids. To gain muscle, your body needs fat. Eating the right type of fat will make the difference in weight gain or weight loss. Essential fatty acids such as monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids provide your body with the vital nutrients it needs to rejuvenate and rebuild muscles. Monounsaturated fats, also prevent and eliminate fat accumulated around your stomach, according to the Journal of Diabetes Care in its March 2007 issue. Add essential fatty acids such as lean fish, nuts, seeds, avocados, dark chocolate, olives, olive and sunflower oils to your daily diet.

Step 5

Rest your body for recovery. For your muscle to grow, it needs to regenerate after being taken to failure, which depletes it of energy. It is essential that you take one to two days off a week from lifting to allow this recovery time. Sleep is also an essential part of muscle recovery. Opt for seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep every night.