Gaining muscle mass without gaining excess weight may seem counter-intuitive, but successfully accomplishing both at the same time is achievable. With proper nutrition, exercise and timing, it's possible to not only increase muscle mass but also to burn fat, according to Bodybuilding.com. Sticking to a specific diet and exercise schedule each day is key for accomplishing concurrent goals. Also modifying typical bulking up and cutting phases of weight lifting regimens will help weight lifters reach fitness goals in a healthy manner and avoid yo-yo dieting and malnutrition.
Step 1
Eat healthy foods to bulk up muscle. Avoid relying on popular fatty or sugary foods and supplements for bulking. These cause fat gain, not muscle gain. Follow a regular nutritious diet to build muscle and keep from pushing your body into a starvation response, which is the body's natural reaction to lack of nutrition. Once a starvation response occurs, your body automatically reduces the amount of calories it burns to cope with apparent starvation, according to The Diet Channel.
Step 2
Include regular cardio exercise in your workout routines for fat burning. Although bulking up muscle is important, the goal is to gain lean muscle and reduce fat. Cardio exercise helps burn fat and leads to easier weight loss.
Step 3
Reduce calories during the day. Fitness expert and performance consultant Kelly Baggett suggests staying in "a fat burning mode the majority of the time," which involves eating fewer carbohydrates, reducing calories and participating in routine cardio exercise during the day, according to Bodybuilding.com.
Step 4
Adhere to a set diet and exercise schedule. Timing is key for consistent muscle gain, according to Baggett, who suggests scheduling weight training during the late afternoon or early evening. This will allow you to burn fat during the main part of the day when you're following a lower calorie diet.
Step 5
Take advantage of natural body rhythms to maintain a healthy weight and build muscle, suggests Baggett. Schedule your weight training early if you work out during the evening and end weight training sessions at least six hours before you go to bed.
Step 6
Increase your caloric intake at night to "drive protein synthesis and replenish glycogen stores," during the six-hour period before bedtime, suggests Baggett.
Step 7
Strength train on alternate days three times a week. Perform a total-body lifting routine during each session to promote anabolic hormone stimulation and muscle growth.
Step 8
Participate in lighter and longer-lasting cardio on lifting days but more intense cardio on weight lifting rest days, recommends Baggett.
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