It may sound like an impossible feat, but yes, you can lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously!
There's no denying that losing and gaining are the exact opposite of each other. They’re each other’s North and South poles, so it’s quite hard to believe they can be done at the same time. As a matter of fact, fat loss requires decreasing your body mass, while gaining muscle requires the opposite. But we kid you not! There's no leg pulling in this fact, only pure Science.
Here's how it can be done:
Balance Strength Training and Cardio
Cardio is usually encouraged to lose weight, while strength training is for building muscle. Infusing these two can absolutely unlock so many benefits, including toning your muscles and shedding off the fat, all at the same time.
According to James Shapiro, an independent trainer with PES certification and master's degree in exercise science based in New York, it is important to focus on large movement requiring a number of muscle groups to work at the same time, such as deadlifting, bench pressing, rowing, and squats.
These routines are the best way to work the muscle fibers. As for cardio, Shapiro says that the more cardio you perform, the less muscle synthesis promotion happens in your body. Therefore, it would be ideal to minimize your cardio workout to about 20 minutes.
Consume Enough Protein
Protein plays a vital role in building muscles, so it only makes sense that you should add enough of it on your diet. Eggs, almonds, chicken breast, milk, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt are some of the popular protein-rich foods. And by the way, it's important to choose a protein source that will give you full amino acid blend.
Consider Doing Fasted Workouts
A fast workout is a great way to get your body to burn fat while also promoting muscle building. Since glycogen is usually drained in the morning, your body turns to fat instead of energy. In other words, you'll burn more fat when working out with an empty stomach. Additionally, fast workouts are known to improve insulin sensitivity.
A new study backs up the fact that a fasted workout helps you burn fat and build muscle because it increases your body's growth hormone.
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