Hello, friends! 
I wanted to chat a little about one of the most widely asked questions in the fitness world. I have wondered about it myself before, and always have clients telling me their goals are to ‘gain muscle and lose fat.’
If you have often wondered the same – you are not alone!
From a black and white perspective, it is not possible. To gain muscle, you must eat more, fueling muscle growth. To lose fat, you must eat less, putting yourself in a caloric deficit. Quite the contradiction, eh?
Yet, we see many people drop the pounds and appear to have ‘muscle.’ Why?
Well, the person may have had a great muscle base to begin with. When they lost the fat, it showcased their frame more. They are leaner, therefore appearing to have more muscle. They also may have fabulous genetics. It happens.
There is also something called recomposition: building muscle and losing fat at the same time. An expert on recomposition is Lyle McDonald. He delivers accurate, research-based information, and is very lifestyle-based.
Recomposition can occasionally be achieved. If you are already lean, it is much more difficult. If you are overweight, it may happen more easily. To learn more about recomposition, click here.
If you are looking to become more ‘toned’ or lean, you may have to change what you are doing.
If you are at/within 5-10lbs of a healthy weight, but would like to appear leaner with more muscle, you may have to build the muscle. You may need to eat a bit more and follow a regimented strength training program. It can be challenging physically and mentally, but is worth it in the end.
If you are more than 15-20lbs overweight and want to appear toned/leaner, work on losing the weight first. Follow a regimented strength program, and you will probably do some recomposition. The main goal is to get your weight into a healthy range through realistic, consistent exercise – then focus on muscle gain.
If you have no desire to gain muscle, or to look leaner and are happy with yourself, that is fabulous! However, for health reasons, you still want to have a bit of muscle mass. Find something you love – a form of strength training, group class, or yoga that will help maintain the muscle you do have.
With ‘diets’ running rampant in the beginning of this new year, I think the best thing we can focus on right now is preventing muscle loss while trying to lose those extra pounds.
Did you know that one pound of muscle burns an additional 50 calories each day? Muscle revs the metabolism, allowing us to eat more. Who doesn’t want to eat more?!
Tips to preserve muscle during weight loss:
Strength Train – cardiovascular exercise does not build muscle, so if you want it, you gotta work for it! Perform a strength training routine 1-3 times a week. And don’t worry about ‘only using the arm machines.’ It is a waste of time. Work out your BIGGEST muscles and get more bang for your buck.
Cut Down the Cardio – You cannot tell your body to lose muscle instead of fat. Doing too much cardio will burn fat and muscle. Make your cardio sessions efficient, intense, and 20-45 minutes or less. You will see better and quicker results from a change in your diet.
Eat! - If you aren’t eating enough calories, your body will drop weight very quickly. While most people desire this, it is not the best choice. You will lose more muscle, therefore slowing your metabolism. You may also look skinny-fat. Eek! No one wants that. Eat up.
Take It Slow - Again, keep those calories in a realistic, healthy range that allows you to drop .5-2 lbs per week. Not only will this keep you sane, satisfied, and consistent, it will also preserve muscle mass!
I think we all desire quick and easy weight loss at one point or another. But just like everything else, nothing comes easily unless we work at it. It is always worth it in the end!
Do you appreciate your strength? Are you concerned with muscle loss?
I have religiously lifted weights for more than 10 years, but it wasn’t until I saw my grandmother in her last years that I truly appreciated my strength. She was very weak, suffered from osteoporosis, and had a tough time lifting her limbs. I can’t help but think that some of it could have been prevented or alleviated had she done some form of strength training. However, it wasn’t happening for that stubborn Swede.
Have a fantastic evening!
{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }
Okay, did you read my mind today or something? Seriously, this post could not have come at a better time….
Here’s my issue (I’ll just give you my stats so you can see where I’m coming from
). Right before Christmas I was a pound away from my goal weight, which is 120 (I was 121, obv haha). And now, I’m all the way up to 125! I only had a few days of indulging over the holidays, and I don’t usually gain weight that easily from food. The only thing I’ve been doing different is MORE strength training – specifically the 30 Day Shred. Do you think the weight gain is from the muscle gain? I’ll be honest, I’ve noticed that I’ve been eating more due to an increased appetite since beginning the Shred….
So if I want to get back down to 120, should I cut out the Shred for now? I know you’re not an expert but I’m just looking for as much advice as I can get
What do you think?
It could possibly be a muscle gain, but in such a short amount of time, I doubt it. You also said you were hungrier and eating more? It could also be that your calorie intake has been higher. And – intense exercise can cause us to retain water, so perhaps you are just retaining a bit?
A few questions:
1. Why do you want to be 120? Have you been there before? If so, was it realistic (i.e you weren’t in 8th grade, you weren’t crash dieting)? If you have never been at 120 before, don’t feel like you have to be at a ‘specific weight.’ Maybe you looked great at 120 before, but now since you are strength training and gaining muscle, you may look best at 125. As long as you are happy with yourself, are exercising, feel great and can maintain your healthy habits, you should be happy at whichever weight that happens to be. Know what I’m sayin’??
2. I would stop paying attention to the scale. In all honestly, a 4lb weight gain is nothing – it could be water retention, etc. My weight fluctuates 4lbs in a DAY, depending on the foods I eat and water I drink. Also, if you are near your period, you may be retaining water. When you have weighed yourself, has it been consistent? The only way you can really accurately measure is to weigh in at the same time (1st thing am), same day, same clothes, same scale every week or so. If you MUST weigh yourself, make sure you stick to those guidelines, like every Friday at 6am before the gym. If you weighed yourself in the morning and were 120, then weighed yourself at night (after food) and were 124, that is not considered a weight ‘gain.’ If I were you I would stop weighing yourself, keep up with the workouts, and pay attention to how you feel and your clothes fit.
I definitely wouldn’t cut out the Shred – you want to continue strength training!!
Thank you so much for your response! I really appreciate your thoughtful comments
The reason I want to weigh 120 is because I truly feel as though that’s my body’s “happy weight.” Due to a thyroid disorder, I’ve weighed everything from 135 to 89 pounds (eek, I know). With my petite frame, when I’m 120 I actually look very healthy and athletic, which I prefer over looking “skinny.” If I wanted to look skinny I’d aim for my high school weight of 110! No way, no how, haha
Anytime I weigh more than 120, there’s something “off” that triggers bloated-ness (if that’s a word, haha) or increased appetite, and that’s why I was wondering if maybe my body is just in some sort of weird adjustment to my new exercise routine. Before, when I was hovering around 121-122, I enjoyed my steady exercise routine and actually ate A LOT, yet I was naturally losing weight (that’s another reason why I think my happy weight is close to 120).
I think you’re totally right about not focusing so much on the scale, though. I guess what’s really the issue is that I’m just not sure I like how doing the Shred has made me *feel.* I can’t even really put my finger on it…maybe it’s even just a mental thing! Maybe I should try experimenting with some other forms of strength training (other than the gym machines too, which I’ve gotten kind of sick of!). I’m thinking something less intense, like pilates maybe!
Thanks again so much for your response…and the post in general!
xoxo G
Gracie,
I gained weight while doing the shred, too! I stopped doing it (except I still do level 3 once in awhile) and do more cardio with pilates and yoga. Thoughts?
Amy – how long did the do The Shread for? Were you consistently tracking your food? Unless you consistently tracker, there really is no way of knowing what cause the weight gain.
Was it a significant weight gain? Not sure if you saw above, but I mentioned to Gracie that intense exercise can cause some water retention and cause inflammation.
Were you going by how your clothes fit? Or just by the scale? Woman do not bulk up from lifting weights – however, if you are eating too many calories, you will gain weight whether you are lifting or not.
Perhaps quitting the intense Shred video cause a small loss of appetite? Therefore you ate less = loss of weight.
Hi! Thanks for the questions. I have always tracked what I eat- nothing changed in that department. I gained about 1 pound/week steadily… and I stopped weighing because it was driving me crazy (up to 148ish from 142ish- I’m 5’7”). My clothes were fitting great and I felt great… would get on the scale and feel much less than great. I see the point you’re making, but I always feel like I bulk up when I lift and have found pilates and yoga to be better for me. What do you think?
fyi- I’m still about 146 and looking to loose a little.
p.s. the shred also just got too boring for me, unless my husband joins me!
Great post! And so true – everyone I know that has super sculpted bodies had to make big changes in their eating habits first (bye-bye fat).
GREAT tips!!
This is great for those who are stuck in a plateau. I will forward the article. I love lifting weights! Feel the burn and the metabolism KICK in!
LC
Very interesting info! I’ve often wondered about this. Thanks for clearing it up!
this is a great post! and so true…definitely something that a lot of people (myself VERY much included) will benefit from!
This was REALLY interesting. I’m in that “5-10 lbs” away group and I have a few months before I start training for a half marathon so I wanted to work on my strength from now until then. I’m planning on following (well buying then following) that book “New Rules of Lifting for Women,” have you read it? So it’s interesting that you say I have to eat more…that’s hard for me to grasp since I’d like to be like I said 5 to 10 lbs less than I am now. I’d love to hear more of your thoughts on that, but I know your area is more fitness than nutrition.
Hey darling!
The whole ‘eating more’ thing depends on if you want to see gains in muscle mass. Have you had your body fat percentage taken recently? It would give you a rough idea of how many lbs of fat/muscle you have. You said you wanted to get ‘stronger’ – this usually indicates that the muscle is growing. In many cases you can feel stronger by lifting and without increasing your food intake. I fyou are looking to build some muscle, it doesn’t happen over night. I have seen building programs for women that last 6-12 months, and they may only gain 5-8lbs of ‘real’ muscle in that time frame.
If you are beginning to train soon, I wouldn’t stress about eating more. I would eat what you are eating now, and focus on your strength training for now. It probably wouldn’t hurt to add in a bit more protein. You will most likely see results!!
And yes, I think NRLW is a pretty great book!!
Great tip! More people should take strength training seriously, and tone down the cardio.
I’ve really come to appreciate my ability to strength train recently, and I just love the variety you can find with it! So many muscles, so many way to work those muscles…it’s neverending fun
Thanks for this post. I really need to focus on strength training. I am a cardio queen! But I have watched my grandmother suffer breaks from osteoporosis and it breaks my heart. I don’t want to end up like that.
Thanks for this post. I’m settling into a weight I like now and am starting to dream of being “toned” so this post is right up my alley. Thinking about signing up for a Pilates trainer or something along that line since I can’t do straight out weight lifting due to health concerns.
You’re always so informative and knowledgeable – again another reason why your book will be so interesting to everyone
from trainer to trainer…great post! smoetimes people come to me with some contradicting goals, they say they want muscle tone, yet run on the treadmill and wonder why they aren’t seeing any…this is such a great explanation plain and simple
Great post Jessica! Very informative!!
This is good to know… I”m trying to trim down & get more tone, so this is good info. Thanks!
I appreciate my strength, no doubt! I may be thin and lean, but I am one strong beeotch! LOL Seriously, I havent lifted a weight in 20 yrs other than hovering and arial balancing my own body weight of course. For me, yoga and lifting my own body weight works. For others, it may be lifting weights but I totally believe as well that maintaining our strength is soooo important. When I see fragile little old ladies my heart kinda breaks actually….and I pray I never end up weak where someone could take advantage of me. Great post, Jessica!
Totally starting up my intense weight workouts again when I get back to Madison this weekend (only reason it isn’t today is my weights are back in WI!)
This is a really informative post! I didn’t know that if you are 5 or 10 pounds away from your desired weight you should focus on muscle gain. And if you are 15 to 20 pounds over weight to focus on losing fat first. Very good to know, thanks for posting.
Whit-
No ‘need’ to focus on muscle gain unless that is the goal. If someone is more than 20lbs overweight, it is in their best interest to lose that weight first for healthy reasons, before focusing on a ‘building’ program to gain muscle – if they want that.
This is great. Do you have any tips for mixing up your strength training to keep muscles challenged? My trainer had me on doing different muscle groups for different days (before she quit) and I need to mix it up again to challenge myself!
Great post Jessica. This was very informative. Can you believe I have never received this question before? I mean maybe I have, but I don’t remember it. Thanks for your great explanation. I think it does make sense, and I’m going to be referring to this post in the future!
Great post, it is so important to lift!
Interesting! I’ve actually started added calories/protein to my diet and started lifting more. I guess I’m on the right track, since I have 10 pounds at most to lose.
You are a wealth of information
Thank you so much for writing about this! It’s something I’ve always wondered and is especially helpful now as I train for my first 5k. Weightlifting is one of my favorite workouts – I hate cardio. So as I up my cardio it’s important to me that I maintain my muscle, AND weight. I found this very helpful!
I am concerned with muscle loss – I haven’t done much for exercise in the last few months
I need to start soon.
great post- muscle is so important! strength training is just so hard to get motivated to do sometimes
Great post! I enjoyed reading it. I know, I’m so totally NOT into the whole scale and weighing yourself thing. People become obsessed with it so easily.
Amy – responded to you in an email because we outgrew our comments!
It wouldn’t let me reply.
What a great post. I really need to integrate more strength training into my workouts…but to be honest I don’t know where to start! I started doing the machines at my gym last night but I’m not sure what the best muscle groups are to target first!
Great post! My mom has osteoporosis (and she’s still only in her 50s…eek!), so I’m trying to incorporate more strength into my routine. Thanks for the info!
Great post. I never understood this until I was following the Body For Life program where you’re only doing 20 minutes of HIIT cardio. I did a bit more towards the end of the 12 week challenge, just because I liked doing classes and stuff, but it never made sense to me until then.
On another note, I’m thinking of training to enter a figure competition. Is the diet insane and do you have any tips or opinions on this sort of thing? Thanks girl!
great post, jess! i found it was easiest for me to drop fat and gain muscle by concentrating on weights and keeping the calories in check. i ended up losing 10% fat in 12 weeks~ but i guess the part about just appearing more muscular may have come into play.. although i had to have gained muscle too since i could lift heavier/was stronger. anyway~ thanks for the info and getting my wheels turning!
Ha ha! I come from a long line of stubborn Swedes too!
Oh boy, such a great post. I went to the body recomposition site and my head spun and my eyeballs almost fell out of my skull. Ack. So much info.
I did once lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously (I know from being underwater-weighed) by dieting (sigh) and keeping my exercise at a lower intensity with the exception of a few bursts of HIIT per workout.
Thanks for the insight!
Any suggestions for someone who is within their recommended weight range, but wants to tone and get leaner? I’m doing 20 minutes of weights a day along with an hour long brisk walk on most days. I don’t diet, but eat a generally healthy diet with a few treats thrown in here and there. I drink only water, eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies, but I also don’t obsess over food, so I also allow myself sweets on occasion.
Thanks in advance!
ps. I just found your site today and love it, so I’ll be checking back often!