Most dieters have two goals: lose body fat and keep muscle tone. This is often accomplished through resistance training, aerobic exercise and a well-balanced diet. However, if you seek to lose excess fat and retain muscle, you must strike a balance with your workouts and eating habits. If you eat too much of one food and not enough of others, or do too much or too little resistance or cardio, you might end up with results opposite to your fitness goals.
Step 1
Keep a diary that notes what food and drinks you consume, and what physical activity you perform on a daily basis. Sometimes, it is hard to remember details unless they are written down. Aim to eliminate 500 to 1,000 calories out of your diet every day, to lose 1 to 2 lbs. a week. This should be accomplished through diet and exercise, rather than only one or the other.
Step 2
Change your dietary habits if you consume too much junk food or empty calories, which contribute to excess body fat and do not help improve muscle tone. You must include a healthy balance of high-quality proteins, complex carbs and healthy fats for the best workout performance. Shun empty calories such as doughnuts, candy bars, hot dogs and sodas.
Step 3
Burn body fat with cardio training. Any activity you enjoy that elevates your heart rate, such as walking, jogging, jumping rope, dancing or elliptical training, can burn fat. It is best not to work out longer than 60 to 75 minutes, or you might burn up muscle as an energy source.
Step 4
Perform full-body resistance training at least two to three times a week. This helps improve the shape of your physique and boosts resting metabolism. For efficiency, train using compound exercises because they work several muscle groups in one exercise. Examples include the leg and chest press, lateral pulldowns, bench dips and torso twists. Complete four or five sets of 8 to10 reps using lighter weights. Be sure you allow at least one full day of recovery between resistance training sessions.
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