4 Best Ways to Build Muscle and Burn Fat at The Same Time

[caption id="attachment_19278" align="alignright" width="400"] Build muscles with HIIT[/caption]

Yes, you can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.

The common known fact about this is that to gain muscle, you have to gain some fat— the bulk up before you cut down debate. But, is this an exact approach to putting on muscle? There's a ton of varying opinions out there, but I believe much of the misconceptions surround the fact that people don't fully understand the "how" behind creating muscle and losing fat.

Let me explain how it happens...

How Much Muscle is Gained:

Annually, with proper training and nutrition, people can see a muscle increase of about 10 to 15 pounds. As your training experience increases and your workouts progress, you may potentially see a decrease in the amount of muscle gains. There's no guarantee and it's largely subjective, based on a person to person case - some people might only see an increase of 5 pounds, because someone who is really dialed in and of a more endomorph body-type might see a swell of 15 to 20 pounds in a year. You want to grow more muscle - you need more calories! (Don't know your body type, check this article )

Regardless, to better understand the science behind muscle growth, here's a great article:  How Do Muscles Grow? The Science of Muscle Growth

How you Lose Fat:

Losing fat, quite frankly, is much simpler than gaining muscle. It comes down to calories in and calories out. You tend to lose weight when you create a deficit either through diet, exercise or a my preferred method which is a combination of both methods.

But to know what you need to add or subtract in your daily calories, you'll need to know your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). Use this calculator to figure your's out.

[caption id="attachment_19290" align="aligncenter" width="496"] Your diet (way of eating) shouldn't be boring... have fun with it![/caption]

If a person wants to lose about a pound of week, that would need a deficit of about 500 calories per day (3500 calories = 1 pound) above and beyond their TDEE. The difference to take note of is that to gain weight (add muscle)

The main thing to note is that the calorie surplus to gain muscle is very, very small when compared to the calorie deficit required to lose fat.

Losing weight while building muscles doesn't come easily. You have to be patient when you strive to build muscle and burn fat. Don't believe all the hype out there - losing double-digit amounts of body fat while gaining the same in muscle mass is a misnomer and shouldn't be taken seriously. However, some key point to note include...

4 Key Points for effectively Gaining Muscle and Losing Fat

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1. Follow a set meal plan that keeps you in a moderate calorie deficit

Don’t rush your diet by putting yourself in a daily calorie deficit greater than 20 to 25%. Instead, follow this routine:

• 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight, per day


• 1 gram of carbohydrate per pound of body weight, per day


• 2 grams of fat per pound of body weight, per day

Calculating your goal body mass, cut and fit meals according to the calorie requirements and make a chart of how much to eat. With proper dieting, you can lose up to 1 – 2 lbs of fat per week, you should never feel starved, and you still have plenty of energy for your daily commitment to fitness.

Want a pre-made plan that you stick to? Check out the 21 Day Sugar Detox , Zone Diet or the  Paleo Plan - both great options for all levels to plug into and have success with weight loss and muscle growth.

[tweet_box design="box_12"]"The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook" - Julia Child[/tweet_box]

2. Focus on heavy, compound bodybuilding workouts for mass

To build muscle while losing fat, you'll need to incorporate workouts that will induce muscle growth. Focus on heavy (4-6 or 5-8 rep range), compound movements like the squat , dead lift, bench press, and military press while training with a moderate workout volume (9-12 heavy sets workout). These compound movements are irreplaceable and should be foundation for any strength program, period.

[tweet_box design="box_12"]"I'm addicted to exercising and I have to do something every day." - Arnold Schwarzenegger[/tweet_box]

3. Maximize your protein synthesis

When you are on a low-calorie diet, paying attention to the quality of foods you eat is extremely important (think quality in place of quantity). All foods are comprised of 3 macro-nutrients : Fat (9 calories per gram), Protein (4 calories per gram) and Carbohydrates (4 calories per gram). It's incredibly important to ensure you are eating your daily protein requirements. Muscle building supplements can fill the missing spaces between meals. But, as convenient as supplements might be, they should not be a replacement for real, whole foods.

[tweet_box design="box_12"]"Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint" - Markus Herz[/tweet_box]

To make sure you're eating adequate amounts of protein, supplementing in 2 scoops of a reputed protein powder may offer 30 to 40 grams of easily digestible protein. Along with a protein powder, consider also including BCAA 's pre and post training, either adding into your post-workout smoothie or between meals on training days.

4. Do HIIT Cardio Workouts to burn fat and build lean, strong muscles

High intensity training is really you should be doing if you want to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. Why HIIT works :

• HIIT burns more fat per minute than steady cardio.


• HIIT preserves more muscle than steady-state cardio.

HIIT spikes growth hormones (HGH should be called "repair and regrowth hormone") production, which is powerful muscle preserver and re-generator. Therefore, a 20 to 30 minute HIIT session turns out to be one of the best bodybuilding workouts for mass too! Pretty good deal, hey?

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Do you have any thoughts, suggestions or recommendations for building muscle or losing fat? Leave a comment below.

[tweet_box design="box_12"]"If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself" – Mickey Mantle[/tweet_box]

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Author Bio:

Nick Wilson is an ardent blogger, sports lover and a fitness enthusiast. Who believes in healthy living and l oves sharing tips online about health, fitness, nutrition and muscle-building . He occasionally blogs about   best muscle builder supplements and shares info about how to use supplements properly. You can connect to him on Twitter.