How To Gain Muscle While Losing Weight

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Individuals who begin the journey to better health may start with the intent to shed excess body weight and add to the muscle on their frame. These new workout warriors will sometimes hear discouraging comments regarding the possibilities of achieving both of their goals at one time. But people who take a smart and balanced approach to the tasks will find that losing weight and gaining muscle is an attainable goal.

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Diet

Your body will need to experience a caloric deficit in most cases to facilitate weight loss. Conversely, a calorie surplus is necessary to build muscle. This set of facts would seemingly lead to a conflict of interest when devising daily menus. However, it is not very difficult to maintain a caloric deficit and build muscle if you know which foods to eat.

The first diet tip is to eat as many “real” foods as possible. Eating natural foods will allow you to provide your body with all the nutrition it needs while keeping your daily calorie count low. Suggested foods include:

  • Lean meats
  • Fish
  • Fruit
  • Vegetables
  • Nuts

You will also help your cause by remembering to add a little extra protein to each meal you eat.

Exercise

Lifting weights is the simplest way to increase the amount of muscle on your body. But just participating in strength training alone is not enough to increase muscle mass while losing weight. Weightlifters should use a concept referred to as progressive overload.

Progressive overload with weightlifting means you will consistently increase either the weight you are lifting or the number of repetitions you complete when lifting the weight.

Lifters should concentrate their efforts on compound exercises that work out multiple muscle groups at once. Suggested weightlifting exercises to add to your routine include squats, bench press, overhead press, and deadlift. These exercises are known for triggering muscle growth.

Individuals who make all of these exercises a part of their regular workout routine will also enjoy new muscle gains that are evenly throughout the body. Three to four workouts each week will provide the proper balance between exercise and rest for muscles.

Supplements

The right supplements are another factor that can play a role in gaining lean muscle mass while losing weight. According to the experts at Legion Athletics, casein protein powder is one of the best choices for achieving this goal. This slow to digest dairy protein will provide your body with the amino acids needed to fuel muscle growth. Casein protein powder will also not add excessive calories to your diet and make it difficult for you to lose weight.

More than half of the skeletal muscle on your body contains glutamine. This amino acid tends to become depleted after strenuous workouts. A good glutamine supplement will help maintain muscle mass and support muscle protein synthesis. An added benefit of glutamine is blocking fat storage in the body.

Arginine is another viable option for individuals who want to build more muscle while shedding pounds. This amino acid is a precursor to nitric oxide and enhances the gains from regular workouts. Arginine widens blood vessels so that more nutrition and blood can reach the muscles targeted with exercise. The amino acid is also great for burning fat.

Individuals who want to take the excess fat and pounds off their bodies while adding muscle to their frame should not allow naysayers to deter them from their goal. Careful planning and a disciplined approach are all that is necessary in most cases to earn the body you want.