How to lose fat and maintain muscle
To lose fat in bodybuilding is called “cutting”. Cutting is the process of losing body fat without losing muscle. To cut properly you need to follow these 3 golden rules:
1.) Eat at a calorie deficit. To lose weight you have to burn more calories then you consume. A 500 calorie deficit daily (your maintenance calories minus 500) will net you 1 pound of fat loss a week. A 1000 calorie deficit daily will net your 2 pounds of fat loss a week and so forth. It is easier to maintain muscle, maintain strength, and have enough energy in the gym if you aim to lose 1-2 pounds a week. But if you can create a bigger deficit and still maintain muscle mass go for it. It all depends on you and your body type. Do what works.
2.) Eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass. This is to ensure that while your in a calorie deficit you are giving your muscles enough protein to stay and not burn away on a cut. Remember you want to lose fat, not muscle. So if you are 200 pounds with 20% bodyfat (160 pounds of muscle, bones, organs, etc) you want to consume at least 160 grams of protein. Usually I eat a little more then 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass to ensure I don’t lose any muscle.
3.) Lift heavy weights in the 3-6 set, 4-6 rep range. This helps you maintain your strength, and ultimately help you maintain muscle mass. It is hard to put on muscle on a cutting diet especially if your a beginner so that is why I don’t advocate lifting in the 8-15 rep range.
If you follow the three rules I gave you along with all the little diet tweaks (taking the right supplements, getting in all your vitamins and minerals, consuming enough liquids, getting a good 8-10 hours of sleep) you will be on your way to a successful cut.
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