It’s possible to lose body fat but not weight. All it takes is building lean body mass that will take the place of the unwanted fat. Eating the right foods, timing your meals, taking in enough calories, and using the correct exercise techniques are the keys. It’s important not to restrict calories too much as you seek to improve athletic performance that will lead to muscle gains because the practice can sabotage muscle-building efforts. It can also diminish metabolism and lead to fatigue or illness.
Step 1
Do strength training exercises. Strength, or resistance, training will help you build muscle, which weighs more than fat and is metabolically active, meaning it will burn calories even when at rest. For muscle and strength gains, lift 85 percent of the maximum that you can lift and do five to six repetitions for each exercise, according to Dr. David K. Spierer, director of the Human Performance Laboratory at Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York. Start with three sets and work up to five sets of each exercise. Strength training signals your body to retain its muscle mass and burn the fat instead, according to Double Your Gains.
Step 2
Eat enough calories to maintain your body weight. Use a formula from the American Dietetic Association to get this number, or meet with a dietician. Most people are able to multiply their weight by 13 to find a good daily calorie need estimate. However, if you are obese and sedentary, multiply only by 10. If you are extremely active boost the number and multiply by 15. If you experience unwanted weight loss, add 250 to 500 calories a day.
Dr. Melina Jampolis, physician nutrition specialist at CNN, advises staying closer to 250 if you gain fat easily and going to the higher calorie range if it’s tough for you to gain weight. It may take some trial and error to find the right number of calories to add while staying lean, she warns, noting that the body can build about one-half pound of muscle per week at the most.
Step 3
Boost intake of protein and healthy fats such as omega 3s and 6s and cut out “empty calorie” foods like sugary sodas and fast or processed food. Choose lean meat, fish, poultry, low-fat dairy products, eggs, dried beans, nuts and energy bars containing 7 to 14 grams protein, according to Rob Skinner, sports nutrition director at the Georgia Tech Athletic Association. Be careful of high-protein supplements, however, because protein not used by your body can be stored as fat. When working out steadily, consume 0.5 to 0.8 grams protein per pound each day. Take in 20 to 35 percent of daily calories via fat.
Step 4
Time your meals carefully, and eat about every three hours. Breakfast and a post-workout meal are especially important, advises Strong Lifts. Eating protein and carbohydrates within 30 minutes of a workout will effectively restore needed amino acids and carbohydrate in muscles, helping prepare you for the next workout, according Skinner. This will ensure you have less hunger and avoid binging. It also will provide your body with steady fuel to keep the body’s furnace “on.”
Step 5
Swap steady-rate, long-distance cardio for interval training. Interval training burns body fat more effectively, according to Double Your Gains. Interval training is done by alternating bouts of high- and low-intensity cardio. Run, bike or use a workout machine like the elliptical faster for one to two minutes and then slower the next one to two minutes.
Step 6
Drink water so you stay hydrated. Dehydration harms metabolism. Drink water before, during and after workouts. It’s optimal to drink fluid four hours prior to exercising. When exercising heavily, you need 2 to 3 milliliters per pound of body weight. After your workout replace fluid lost by sweating by taking in 16 to 24 ounces of fluid for every pound lost during an exercise session.
References
- Dr. David K. Spierer, director of the human performance laboratory and assistant professor, Division of Sports Sciences, Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York
- Bodybuilding For You: Four Tips to Fat Loss
- CNN.com: How Should I Eat to Build Muscle Mass
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