Lose Fat, Safe your Gains with these 3 Tips!

For a majority of the population losing weight can have great side effects!  The CDC states that for most people, losing just 5-10 percent of your total body weight  can lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and bad cholesterol.

The one negative effect to weight loss can be the loss of muscle tissue.  Muscle tissue burns more calories than body fat at rest, it gives your body shape and increases your functional abilities!  According to research you will lose some weight from muscle when cutting 20-30% of your body weight.

So what can you do to help prevent losing muscle?  Here are 3 tips to help you save muscle during your weight loss journey and make your journey easier!

Tip #1 - Eat More Protein!

If you want to lose body fat, not just weight you MUST increase the amount of protein you are eating!  Consuming 1.2-1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight while in a calorie restriction up to 30% will allow you to maximize fat loss while maintaining existing muscle mass!

Focus on whole foods such as chicken, fish, meat, fat free greek yogurt, or egg whites. If you still need help getting enough protein you can always add in protein powders!

Tip # 2 - Add Resistance Training

If you don’t use it you lose it!  And this goes for your muscles especially! 

Weight training has been proven time and time again to help preserve muscle while dieting. Resistance training does break down muscle, but it also stimulates muscle protein synthesis or the process of repairing broken tissues.  Now if you are following tip number 1 and eating enough protein, this will help your muscle grow back stronger!

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends beginners start with 2 or 3 strength training sessions a week.  After 6 months of consistent training, you should either add more weekly sessions or increase the variety of exercises and intensity, beyond just the fundamentals.

Tip #3 Do NOT do too much cardio!

Most people wanting to lose weight go straight for the cardio machines but this could end badly.  We all know the saying, too much of anything can be bad!  Cardio should be done in moderation.

Cardio when combined with a healthy diet can certainly help increase calorie burn and hence lose weight and lose body fat.  Not to mention cardio provides many other health benefits such as decreased risk of heart disease!

If you're goal is to shred body fat while saving those winter gains make sure to incorporate these 3 tips! 

Instead of going crazy adding cardio and over stressing the body with repetitive movements, just stick to a combination of strength training with some cardio.  If you are just beginning, you can even focus on daily steps and strength training to start.