How To Lose Fat WITHOUT Losing Muscle

Fat loss is an awesome goal.

And a super common goal at that.

After all, a lot of people want to lose body fat and have a leaner, more toned physique.

But there’s an aspect that a lot of people don't realize.

In order to achieve a more lean or toned physique, it isn’t ONLY about losing fat.

It’s also about maintaining (or in some cases even building) muscle.

This is why I try to emphasize the difference between losing fat and losing weight.

Because if you lose 50 pounds…

And that 50 pounds is made up of some fat as well as some muscle…

You’re most likely not going to have that lean or toned physique that you’re looking for.

So it's not only about losing fat.’

It’s about losing fat WITHOUT losing muscle.

Now there are a few super important keys to do this.

And I’m about to go through all 4 of them.

So pay close attention, and you’ll be able to lose fat and avoid losing muscle mass as well!

Number One is…

STRENGTH TRAINING

This is probably the most important out of the 4 keys.

I hear all the time, people get on a ‘fat loss program’ and strength training isn’t included in the program.

(Notice I put quotes around ‘fat loss program’)

NOT strength training is one sure fire way to lose a shit ton of muscle along with all of the fat that you’re losing.

And further, it’s also a sure fire way to make SLOWER fat loss progress!

Yes, you read that right.

Strength training won’t only help you maintain (and potentially build) lean muscle mass.

It’s also going to aid in your fat loss progress.

There are a few reasons for this…

For starters, strength training helps maintain and build lean muscle mass.

^this is a given^

And the more lean muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn at rest! 

So by having more muscle (as a result of strength training) you are going to burn more calories and have a much easier time losing fat!

But further, by strength training, you’re going to be moving more…

And moving more in of itself is a huge key for fat loss.

So in conclusion, PLEASE do not neglect strength training when you’re trying to lose fat.

It is a huge key for maintaining your lean muscle mass, and it’s also going to aid in fat loss.

And you don't need to be throwing weights around 7 days per week, anywhere from 3-5x per week if plenty.

Number Two is…

PRIORITIZE PROTEIN

This is another aspect that I see get forgotten from time to time.

Yes, creating a calorie deficit is going to be the MOST important thing when it comes to fat loss.

But, you need to prioritize protein as well if you want to hang on to your muscle mass.

Also, side note, you can do both!

The two are NOT mutually exclusive!!

So while you should be eating in a calorie deficit, you should be doing so while prioritizing protein.

And there are a few reasons for this…

The most important one is that protein helps repair and maintain muscle tissue.

Basically meaning that, without getting enough protein, you’re going to have a really hard time holding on to your precious muscle mass.

And yes, it is precious.

But similar to strength training, prioritizing protein is also going to help with the fat loss aspect.

Protein is the most satiating macronutrient (meaning it keeps you fuller for longer).

So consuming more protein is also going to be super helpful in achieving and maintaining that calorie deficit that we were talking about earlier.

I recommend aiming  to get 1 gram of protein per pound of GOAL body weight.

This puts you in a GREAT range for maintaining your muscle mass, and also helping with fat loss.

Number Three is…

EAT IN A MODERATE DEFICIT 

We established earlier that you need to be eating in a calorie deficit to lose fat.

Also if you’re not sure how to calculate your calories for fat loss, check out my article…

In a Day, How Many Calories Should I Eat?

But, the severity of your deficit can be super important in maintaining your muscle mass.

Let me briefly explain what this means…

A calorie deficit just means you are eating less calories than you burn.

But the ‘severity’ of this deficit is exactly HOW MUCH less calories.

In a more severe or harsh deficit, let’s say anywhere from 500-1000 calories below maintenance, it's going to be much harder to maintain muscle mass.

Now I’m not saying nobody should ever eat in this harsh of a deficit.

If you have a lot of weight or fat to lose, you are more than likely going to need to be in a ‘harsher’ or more ‘severe’ deficit like this.

But if you have the choice, the less severe the deficit, the easier it’s going to be to maintain muscle mass.

This is why, dependent on the client, I typically recommend people start with a 300-500 calorie deficit.

With clients in my online coaching program, we specifically look at where THEY are currently, and then determine exactly where we need to put their calories based on that.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer for exactly what your calorie deficit is unfortunately.

But if you're able to eat in a less harsh deficit, it’s much easier to maintain than a harsher deficit, and it’s also going to make maintaining your muscle mass much easier.

Fat loss progress may be a little slower with a less harsh deficit, but if the goal is to maintain muscle, a less harsh deficit is going to be much more effective in doing so.

And finally, Number Four is…

REST

After everything I just listed, you might be thinking that rest is pretty low on the totem pole…

I'm here to tell you that it’s not.

Rest is super overlooked and underrated.

And if you don't get enough rest, it's going to be a lot harder to…

A.) maintain your muscle mass

and

B.) achieve your fat loss goals

So make sure you’re getting enough sleep at night (7-9 hours is ideal).

And also make sure you’re taking at least 1-2 rest days per week.

If you never allow your muscles to recover, it’s going to be much harder to maintain/build muscle, and your workouts are going to suffer.

Notice I suggest 3-5 days per week of strength training earlier, not 7.

And also, a lot of people don't realize that when eating in a calorie deficit your energy levels are going to be down a little bit…

So rest becomes even MORE important.

So don't forget to rest, okay?

Thanks so much for reading! I hope this helps you and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out. 

Follow these 4 keys, and you will have a MUCH easier time maintaining your muscle mass while losing fat.

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