Are you losing weight/body fat but not happy with your look on the way down?
Are you finding it’s tough to lose any more weight and/or do you see things spike up the moment you are done with fat loss?
A common mistake made when trying to lean out is too much focus on just losing scale weight.
While this is necessary in 99.99% of cases, it becomes an issue when your goal is to see your scale weight go down at all costs.
Common things I see here:
- Restricting more food (typically at the expense of protein)
- Exercising more (usually more cardio)
When you do this, you put your body in a position where it thinks muscle is not important.
So you end up losing muscle in the process because of your methods.
This makes fat loss tougher during and after. And it makes your goal of looking better unlikely.
You’re robbing Peter to pay Paul as they say.
Read on to see why our number goal during the fat loss process with clients is to maintain all of your muscle.
Improved look at a higher body weight
Less body fat and more muscle gives your body that shape you want.
While you might not have your smallest scale weight ever, you will find that you will start to look better at a higher body weight if you keep your muscle (or build more in the future).
The other plus side to being at a higher body weight is that you will be burning more calories for every movement.
I made my case as to why just aiming for weight loss might not be beneficial. You can read it HERE.
The goal is an improved look, not just a number on the scale right?
Would you rather wake up at your smallest scale weight ever, with not your greatest look and feeling your worst?
Or would you rather wake up with a little more scale weight, feeling and looking good?
Improved insulin sensitivity
Muscle helps with insulin sensitivity. This means your body will do a better job at utilizing the nutrients you give it.
If want to learn more about insulin sensitivity listen HERE.
Can offset some of metabolic adaptations effects
Metabolic adaptation is there to make sure you dont starve to death. It will make your body more efficient with how much energy it expends daily. You can learn more about it HERE.
This can make weight loss tougher the more weight you lose.
Doing things that maintain your muscle (i.e resistance training) can offset metabolic adaptation effects on weight loss.
Helps with hunger levels
When you lose muscle, you will get hungrier during and after weight loss.
By keeping your muscle you can help offset some of the hunger that comes with weight loss and the hunger that comes following weight loss.
Helps with energy levels
When you lose muscle your energy levels will plummet.
You will feel sluggish, your workouts will suck etc.
By keeping muscle you will offset the lower energy levels that come with weight loss.
How to keep muscle during the fat-loss process?
- Lift weights and dont do more cardio in replace of weights.
- Eat enough protein (.8g+ per lb of body weight.)
- Sleep 6-8 hours per night.
- Dont lose weight too quickly (no more than .5 to 1% of body weight per week)
- Manage stress.
Other things to focus on besides just scale weight when trying to lean out
- Progress pics
- How clothes are fitting (looser in mid-section)
- Measurements (particularly the mid-section)
- Biofeedback (sleep, hunger, energy levels, stress, etc.)
If you are ready to tackle fat loss the right way, then sign up for 1:1 online coaching program HERE.