One of the biggest concerns for dieters when they try to cut body fat is how to do this without losing muscle simultaneously. Fat and muscle loss will lead to a weight reduction, but losing muscle can hinder your fat burning efforts. Since muscle is an active tissue that increases resting metabolic rate, it is important to retain muscle while dieting. The traditional methods of diet and exercise are most effective at helping you preserve lean muscle tissue as you cut body fat.
Step 1
Eat smaller, more frequent meals daily. Instead of the standard three square meals per day, eating smaller meals every two to three hours keeps your metabolism revved and burning fat all day long. It also reduces the likelihood of gorging due to hunger pangs and regulates blood glucose levels.
Step 2
Pay attention to the types of foods you eat. Be sure you are not consuming empty calories like donuts, pastries and sodas. These have little nutrient value but heavy caloric and sugar content. Choose complex carbs like whole wheat pastas and breads as well as high quality proteins like fish, chicken and turkey. Each meal should have an equal balance of complex carbohydrates and protein.
Step 3
Engage in aerobic activity to cut body fat. Aerobics do not build muscle, but they help strip away fat covering up the muscles. Activities like swimming, cycling, stairclimbing, jogging and walking help increase heart rate and your fat burning engine. Aim for 30 to 45 minutes of moderately intense cardio five days a week.
Step 4
Lift weights and perform resistance training exercises to increase lean muscle tissue. This does not directly burn fat the way cardio does, but it does increase your overall metabolism while at rest. You must work all of your major muscle groups, including shoulders, chest, arms, abdominals, buttocks and thighs. A full body circuit training program three days a week will suffice. However, you can also alternate upper and lower body every other day six days a week.
Member Comments