Best way to gain muscle and lose fat at same time? Topic
Daniel
05/31/23
Hey.. I’m at a normal weight but I’d like to reduce my body fat and replace that excess fat weight with muscle.
My idea is to do a small calorie deficit and consume enough protein to feed the growing muscles whilst losing fat from the calorie deficiency.
I expect to lose a little weight at first doing this, and then eventually start gaining weight once my fat is low enough. Any tips? Is this the right way to go about it?
I am targeting a 40:20:40 macro ratio (20 being the protein), and being 300-500 calories under my maintenance level. So far this has been easy but I have a feeling the app is overestimating how many calories I need.
My primary concern is to avoid not eating enough to feed my growing muscles, but also avoid eating too much that it becomes fat.
Thanks! (first time posting here)
U1195577307
06/01/23
you def need more protein than that to stay satiated and support muscle growth. just focus on protein and vegetables. carbs are the easiest to cut down on. check out the podcast called Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth it’s all you need.
Daniel
06/01/23
You’re saying 20% of cals from protein isn’t enough? The science seemed to show that it would be sufficient
Dietician
06/01/23
Hi Dan428,
Thanks for reaching out. I would definitely pay attention to your weight status to make sure you are not losing when going 300-500 calories under your maintenance needs. For building muscle, you want a slightly higher protein intake (see below) along with resistance exercise.
Strength-training: 1.2-1.7 g/kg (source: American Council on Sports Medicine) Aim for the upper end of the range for building muscle and the lower end of the range for maintaining muscle mass.
Here are a few articles you may find useful.
https://www.mynetdiary.com/protein-needs-for-muscle-gain.html
https://www.mynetdiary.com/get-started-on-high-protein-diet.html
https://www.mynetdiary.com/protein-powder-pros-and-cons.html
Best of luck meeting your goals! Brenda (MyNetDiary Dietitian)
Daniel
06/02/23
Thank you, I’ve increased my protein to 22%, I think the recommendation for this varies a lot but this seems a safe bet. Thanks!
Best way to gain muscle and lose fat at same time?
