Many people want to know whether it is true that you can lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously. This is one of the old body-builder questions which you can find the answer to quickly. Here is more information on how to achieve this.
When The Body Gains Muscle And Loses Fat At The Same Time
The first thing that you should know is that the body is not very useful in association with building muscle and losing fat simultaneously. The only time this becomes possible is when you are first starting with bodybuilding. If this is the case, then weight training is the stimulus that the body will need to start losing fat and gaining muscle efficiently.
The other situation where this becomes possible is when you return from a time-frame where you did no weight-training. This is where the body will start gaining back muscles which were previously built. If you have stayed away from a training program for two weeks or more when you return you will notice an increase in muscles and a decrease in fat.
Focus On Losing Body Fat Before You Gain Muscle
If your current body-fat is over 12% if you are a woman or over 10% if you are a man, your focus should first be on losing fat. An ideal hack for your diet is to add keto protein powders. This kind of protein powder is extremely low in carbs and mainly the ingredients from it help contribute to muscle growth and help your body recover faster after a workout. Dropping below this level needs to be your primary goal while you retain or gain moderate levels of muscle. An excellent way to start would involve following a diet that contains 40% carbohydrates, 40% protein, and 20% fats.
This particular ratio will work for the majority of individuals excepting hard gainers that need to be eating more carbohydrates and fats. Carbs should be derived from the slow-releasing sources like sweet potatoes, brown rice, and oats, combined with good fiber sources like green beans. Good protein sources include salmon, tuna, turkey and red meats that are lean.
While you are aiming at lowering the fat in your body, it is a great idea to cut out all dairy products as these will not help when you are trying to reduce fat levels. Your fat should mainly come from olive oil, coconut oil, and fish oils. You should try to aim for 1,5 grams of carbohydrates and protein for each bodyweight pound along with three tablespoons of the good fat sources every day for women and 1 gram for men.
Once You Are Lean, It Is Now Time To Gain Muscle
As soon as you reach a good body fat level, you can move onto muscle building. Once you arrive at this stage, you should increase food intake to 1,5 to 2gm of carbohydrates and 1.5gm of protein, while keeping your fat levels the same. From here you should begin gaining muscle until such stage that you go over the 10% body-fat level, where you once again need to lower the calories that you are ingesting.
Keep in mind that if you are eating more than your body can burn, a portion of these calories will store as fat in the body. However, if you are following the right training program, then most of the calories will be used.
Cardio And Weight Training
The weight training you should be doing weekly should include 4 to 5 sessions of up to an hour. To prevent stagnation, look at changing the rests and reps, workout routines, in an orderly and logical way to achieve successful results. For example, for 4 weeks training with reps that are higher like 20 along with rest periods that are short between each set. The next four weeks will include lower reps of just 10 with rest periods that are longer.
Your cardio workouts should include 2 to 3 sessions a week of 20 to 30 minutes each. If you are classified as a hard-gainer which means you are naturally skinny and find it difficult to pick up weight, stay away from cardio. In addition, increase the carbohydrates and fats in your diet.
It is a possibility to gain muscle and reduce fat at once, yet it is much easier to first focus on losing fat and then gaining muscle. The best way to go about this would be to alternate between periods of lower caloric-intake and periods of higher caloric-intake. It is also important to follow a structured routine when you exercise to achieve the goal of losing fat and gaining muscle. If you follow this advice, you can stay in better shape and gain muscle.
If you are not sure about the right workout routine for your needs, consult with an expert personal trainer who can help you with your goals. These professionals can organise a work-out plan week by week so that you quickly start achieving your goals. Make sure that you are eating correctly and that you stay well hydrated.