How can I make sure that I'm not burning muscle when I'm working out?
Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss
Goal: It is important to realize that altered body composition and fitness goals are attained through fat loss and lean muscle tissue gain, not weight loss. When your body receives the proper amount of calories and nutrients, you can reach and maintain your fitness goals. Additionally, eating foods that fuel muscle tissue will help burn fat efficiently during exercise and when at rest.
Why is it important to understand the difference between fat loss and weight loss?
Calories are burned in muscle tissue. One pound of lean body mass burns approximately 15 to 50 calories daily (depending on movement) and stores 788 calories of energy. Conversely, body fat is a storehouse for calories. One pound of fat burns approximately six calories daily, and stores 3500 calories of energy.
A minimum of 25 percent of weight lost quickly (more than two pounds per week on average) will be lost from lean muscle tissue. If 25 percent or more of the weight you lose is from lean muscle tissue, you may easily regain the lost weight, and will most likely gain additional weight. Muscle tissue is denser than fat tissue because it is 70 percent water, while fat is approximately 20 percent water.
Rapid weight loss and under-eating cause muscle tissue to be used for energy, which decreases metabolism.
Providing your body with the food and nutrients it needs will sufficiently fuel working muscles, initiate fat loss and develop a healthier metabolism. How can I lose body fat instead of muscle tissue?
To decrease body fat, focus on:
- Loss of body fat rather than weight loss
- Loss of inches rather than weight loss
- Positive changes in your daily eating and exercise habits
- How you feel
- How your clothes fit
- Your commitment to achieving your fitness goal
- Adhering to your meal plan
- Eating one to two hours prior to training to fuel muscles and preventing muscle tissue loss
- Eating within 90 minutes after exercise to replenish nutrients in the muscle tissue
- Proper supplementation
Co-Founder of STOP, Stop the Obesity Pandemic
