When losing weight, it is a common misconception that all this weight is fat. This however is false. In my previous article I talked about the importance of creating a calorie deficit to lose weight. This article will expand on this topic and explain the importance of maintaining muscle mass and what you need to do to prevent this loss of muscle mass.
When we are in a calorie deficit, our body looks for energy to keep running. This doesn’t necessarily have to be fat. If our body burns muscle at a high rate, you’ll notice that no matter how much weight you lose, you may never gain definition. The gold standard established by society is to have visible and defined abs, to achieve this we must eliminate the fat that surrounds them, not the abdominal muscles themselves.
So, here are some tips to make sure you keep muscle loss to a minimum while on a cutting cycle:
1. 1. Eat 1g of protein for every pound of fat-free mass. For example, a 180 pound man with 20% body fat would have approximately 144 pounds of lean body mass. This would mean that he would like to consume approximately 140 g of protein in his daily diet. Protein contains amino acids which are the building blocks of muscles. Even with proper strength training, if he doesn’t consume enough protein, he’s doomed to lose muscle.
2. 2. Keep your caloric deficit relatively low. Using the calculation I provided in my last article, we know that it takes a deficit of about 500 calories per day to burn 1 pound of fat per week. This is the safest deficit to use for both moderate weight loss and muscle maintenance.
3. 3. Strength training! This is necessary! Try to work each muscle group approximately every 3 days. You could work 2 muscle groups at the same time. This sends signals to your body telling it that you are using that muscle and not to use it as a source of energy!
4. 4. It’s important to note that sometimes your propensity to maintain or lose muscle in a cutting cycle is genetic. Some people find it extremely difficult to maintain muscle, while others effortlessly maintain their muscle mass during a cutting cycle. However, following steps 1, 2 and 3 will give you a fairly even playing field.
For all the ladies who are afraid of building big muscles and losing their femininity: it is impossible. Men are naturally born with more muscle fibers and the hormones necessary for hypertrophy. Women will not gain big muscles unless they are taking a hormone supplement. Strength training is NOT just for men.
If you are going to lose weight, you can also do it in one go and correctly. It makes no sense to hit your goal weight and still be well above the body fat you need to get those visible abs. No apologies.