Losing fat and gaining lean muscle is one of the most common goals we hear from Working Against Gravity members. It is also nuanced and unique to each person—your current body composition, goals, exercise routine, and more play into your body’s ability to drop fat and put on muscle. 

That being said, there are a few tips that almost everyone can use to start working towards that goal.

 

3 tips to lose fat and gain muscle

 

Lose Fat and Gain Muscle: Can You Do It?

For some people, the answer is yes.

You may be able to lose fat and gain muscle relatively quickly if:

  • You are a beginner athlete starting a new weightlifting program
  • You’ve taken a substantial about of time off and are getting back into a lifting program
  • You have a significant amount of weight to lose

If you fall outside of those three categories, you may find it tougher to build muscle and lose fat at the same time. It doesn’t mean staying strong and dropping fat is impossible. It just means you need a more intentional approach.

Our Quick Tips for Losing Fat and Gaining Muscle

So, can you lose fat and gain muscle at the same time? Yes! And following these three tips are a great first step to get there.

#1: Chase One Goal at a Time

For most people, this looks like focusing on a period of fat loss before shifting goals to muscle gain. 

It’s also important to be realistic about the timeframe to avoid frustration. For most, losing fat and gaining muscle is a long-term time and effort investment. A WAG coach can help you outline how long it will take and develop a personalized nutrition plan to help you get there.

#2: Follow a Weightlifting Program... Regularly

This doesn’t mean you have to become the next CrossFit Games champion or Olympic Lifting pro… It just means regular, intentional progressive overload (read more about it in the article!) is the name of the game when you want to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.

Resistance training (aka lifting weights) can preserve muscle during a fat-loss period while reaping the metabolic benefits of having more muscle.

#3: Eat Enough Protein

I’ll say it louder for the people in the back. EAT ENOUGH PROTEIN. 

For most individuals, "enough protein" is between 0.8-1g per pound (yep, pound) of body weight.

(You can calculate how much protein you need here.)

From there, ensure your overall calorie intake accurately accomplishes your goal. If you decide to focus on losing fat first (remember, this is generally the most common approach), this means eating in a calorie deficit. If your goals require you to put on muscle first, this means eating in a calorie surplus. 

Want to dig even further into losing fat and gaining muscle? Check out this article!

Final Thoughts

Losing fat and gaining muscle is not accomplished overnight. It requires time, intention, and hard work. A 1-on-1 nutrition coach can help you nail down exactly what to eat and when to help you get there, make plan adjustments as needed, and support you along the way. Learn more about working with a WAG Coach here!