Unfortunately, gaining weight often means gaining weight at the same time.
Many bodybuilders struggle to find the perfect balance between diet and exercise that allows them to lose weight while getting stronger without stressing the system.
Although there is no one-size-fits-all solution, it can be important to pay attention to what you eat and how you exercise when you burn fat.
Diet
While consuming too many calories is never a good idea, you should also avoid eating too few.
Too few calories, mainly from protein-rich foods, can cause muscle loss.
This can slow down your metabolic rate, which in turn makes it harder to keep the weight off after losing it.
Too many bodybuilders find themselves in a vicious diet cycle that makes it nearly impossible to maintain an ideal weight.
It would help if you ate enough calories when you were full, but those calories need to come from the right foods.
Packing your diet with refined sugar and saturated fat may help you gain weight in the short term, but it won’t do your muscles any favors.
The best foods you can eat to enhance muscle gains are those that are low in fat and high in protein.
Your body needs to be able to replace the protein that muscle cells naturally lose every day.
Red meat is a good food option from time to time, but overeating can increase your risk of developing heart disease or certain cancers.
Lean proteins like fish and poultry are a better option for healthy muscle development.
Vegetarians and vegans can get their protein from sources like leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, beans, and more.
Strength training
To gain muscle mass, you need to do a lot more than switch to a high-protein diet.
It is important to train three to five times a week using a routine that includes moderate to intense strength training.
Lifting heavier weights with fewer reps is the key to building muscle. It’s also important to remember that while it may be tempting to focus only on your upper body, you should never skip leg day.
Cardio
While strength training helps you build mass, cardiovascular exercises help you lose weight safely and effectively.
Running, jogging, swimming, and other activities that get your heart pumping are great for burning unwanted calories.
These exercises will not only help you lose pounds, but will also improve your endurance, lung capacity, cardiovascular health, and much more.
It would be helpful if you tried to include at least twenty to thirty minutes of cardio training in every workout.
If you want to lose weight while filling up, the key is a careful diet and regular exercise.
With a little patience and commitment, you can make 2018 the year when you will achieve the toned physique you’ve always wanted.
