Losing Fat? Gaining Muscle? Don’t make these Mistakes if either of these are your goal
When you lose weight, with the goal to lose fat and you will also lose muscle. When you are working on gaining muscle you will also gain fat.
These are totally normal responses. You cannot completely eliminate fat gain when building muscle or muscle loss when losing fat. Complete avoiding either is never the goal in the first place.
What you CAN and DO want to do is Minimize how much muscle you lose or fat you gain when working toward either goal. And there are a couple of key ways you can do this…
What will NOT help you in either circumstance?
Extremes
Rushing the process
Creating a large calorie surplus or deficit through diet and/or exercise
How to minimize muscle loss when your goal is fat loss?
Eat enough protein
Create a moderate or as minimal calorie deficit as possible while still seeing results
Minimizing stress (see my stress post/blog for exactly what I mean by ‘stress’)
Lift weights, stimulate muscles with resistance training
Try the eat less exercise less approach (contact me for coaching through this)
Patience
Consistency
Do some but just enough cardio and aerobic exercise
Pay attention to your body’s feedback and progress so you can adjust along the way
Prioritize produce, and whole real foods
How to minimize fat gain when your goal is gaining muscle?
Lift weights, resistance training and progressive overload
Create a moderate or as minimal calorie surplus as possible while still seeing results
Try the eat more exercise more approach (contact me for coaching through this)
Patience
Consistency
Do some movement,
Pay attention to your body’s feedback and progress so you can adjust along the way
Make conscious food choices, prioritizing whole real foods
Consume whole complex starches as your carb sources
Steady, patient and consistent practices in the direction of your personal goal is the priority.
I know it can feel frustrating when progress is taking forever, or maybe not even being seen. So, that’s what I’m here for. To coaching you through the process, and be there for your journey.
Want some help? Contact me at fusionfitbluffton@gmail.com