How to Gain Muscle and Lose Weight at the Same Time

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We all know that to lose weight, we need to eat fewer calories than we burn. And to gain muscle, we need to actually eat more while doing resistance training. The two theories seem to be at odds. But there is a way to get it done. Here are 3 tips to help you lose weight while gaining muscle.

1. Skip the long cardio workouts. Long cardio workouts are not the answer. Studies have found that short, high intensity workouts done consistently resulted in fat loss. Also high intensity interval training (HIIT) targets belly fat – the fat that wraps around your organs and increases your risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even cancer.
2. Don’t starve yourself. If you want to lose fat, you need to decrease the calories you eat. But you also need to have adequate calorie intake levels to maintain or build muscle. Cutting calories by 20% seems to be the magic number according to a Norwegian study. For example, if your target caloric intake to maintain your current weight is 2000 calories, you would want to cut down to 1600 calories per day. The goal should be to lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week.
3. Choose your protein wisely. You need protein to build muscle. If you want to lose fat, you will need to increase your protein. Protein should make up about 1/3 of your total caloric intake. An easy way to accomplish this is to make sure that lean protein takes up about 1/3 of your plate at each meal.
4. Use a portion control program. The portion control program you find with the Ultimate Portion Fix helps you make sure you are eating in the portions, including getting adequate protein.