How to Gain Mass and Lose Fat Simultaneously?
29-08-2017 | Posted By: Chhavi | 2523 View(s)
Do you want to gain mass and lose fat concurrently? Well, the goal of most bodybuilders and fitness freaks is to lose fat while building muscle. It might seem too hard to achieve that purpose, but believe me, it’s not! Yes, the question might pop up in your head that how can we gain muscle mass by not getting fat, isn’t it? But, let me assure you that with the right bodybuilding tips, you can achieve these two goals easily. So, let’s get started and understand the tips and ways to do this!
5 Effective Ways to Gain Mass and Lose Fat
1. Eat, Eat and just Eat a Lot
I think you have got the idea of what I am talking about here. If you want to gain mass and lose fat at the same time, it is important that you eat frequently. Now, the question is how frequently? Well, fitness experts say that you need to eat five to eight times per day, which means that you need to fill in your stomach with food every two to four hours.
So, feeling happy, aren’t you that there is no need to give up on a diet to lose fat and build muscle? Well, you must be feeling happy! Imagining yourself eating Pizza and Fries and drinking your favourite cold drink? Well, hey stop right there! Do not get the wrong idea; yes you must eat five to six times a day. But, there is a diet plan that you need to follow to achieve your fitness goals. So, curb those fast food cravings and follow a five-meal-per day plan that might look like this:
Meal 1
-Egg Whites
-Peanut Butter
-A fruit
-Oatmeal
Meal 2
-Chicken
-Almonds
-Broccoli
Meal 3
-Any meal Replacement Powder
Meal 4
-Oatmeal
-Almond Butter
-Whey Protein
-Almond Butter
Meal 5
-Oatmeal
-MRP (Meal Replacement Powder)
This is a sample diet chart which you can follow to revive your energy. So, start eating five times a day and see yourself getting leaner and building muscle.
2.Fall in Love with Protein
You may already be in love with protein foods if you are trying to build mass. It is because protein is required to gain muscle! But, eating a small amount of protein is not enough to gain mass and lose fat; you need to load up on protein food to get the body like your favourite bodybuilder. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in the year 2016, when you take a high protein diet, it contributes to the growth of lean muscle while burning calories to lose weight.
A study was conducted in 2016, in which young men participated. They had to eat a low-calorie diet, but their protein intake was increased significantly. These young men had to exercise six days per week with high-intensity intervals. After four weeks, the participants observed a significant increase in lean body mass and a decrease in fat mass. People who consumed the higher-protein diet experienced better results as compared to those who consumed less protein on a daily basis.
So, the bottom line is that you need to load your stomach with enough protein. Some of the rich and healthy sources of protein are lean meat, eggs, soy, fish and low-fat dairy. Another trick to build mass and lose fat is that you should fill the rest of your daily calorie intake with vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats and fresh fruits. And, eat less of sugary food, refined grains and saturated fats.
3.Get Up and Exercise
Losing fat and gaining muscle mass is impossible without proper exercise. So, what kind of workout should you do to achieve both the goal? Well, the workout plan should be the appropriate blend of cardio and strength training.
Do you like to drown your worries in the swimming pool? Do you love tuning into the music while you are jogging? Do you like jumping up and down with a skipping rope and cherish those golden childhood days? Well, if you do, then good news for you- Cardio exercises can be easily done by you! Cardio such as swimming, jogging, cycling, skipping rope, etc. increases blood flow, and blood flow increases the delivery of nutrients to your muscles. This, in turn, helps your body repair, recover and grow lean mass while burning calories.
On the other hand, strength training exercises such as squat, push-ups, dumbbell row, etc. help in reducing calories as well as maintain lean muscle. If you are a workout-virgin, then you can start with light weight and just two workouts per week. You can start with doing at least one set of eight to twelve reps of an exercise to work each of the major muscle groups. You can start with light weight exercises such as pull-ups, rows, lunges, shoulder press and push-ups.
As time goes by, you can start lifting heavier weights, which means performing up to six sets per muscle group and a total of six strength workouts per week. Also, do resistance training by the last two to three repetitions in each set. Everybody’s body is different, so it is best to talk to a fitness trainer who can help you design an appropriate workout program for you.
4. Watch ‘Friends’ and Beat the Stress
No matter how much efforts you put in following the diet plan and doing rigorous exercise, the results won’t show if you are not happy from within. Stress influences your health and body adversely. Taking too much stress can increase certain hormones, which can make you put on weight and can even make you sick.
So, stay away from negative thoughts and stay calm and happy. I know, it’s easier said than being done! But, you can try beating stress by doing things you like. For me, watching an episode of ‘Friends’ takes all the negative thoughts away. I know, there are rare chances that you are not a fan of ‘Friends’; so next time you feel stress, beat it by giving time to your hobbies.
5.Break Up with High-Calorie Foods
Yes, I can understand that breaking up with something you love can leave you emotionally shattered. But, come on, don’t you want to kill people with your attractive looks? I am sure, you do! So, for that, you must ditch the high-calorie foods and eat a healthy diet. But how would you know if you are eating the right amount of calories or not? Well, for that you must count your daily intake of calories and then see how much calories do you have to intake to maintain your weight according to your age, gender, size and activity level. A fitness trainer can help you with the numbers! He or she can tell you how much calories should you consume on a daily basis.
If you are a woman, you should avoid eating fewer than 1200 calories and if you are a man, then avoid eating less than 1800 calories per day. If you eat fewer calories than required by your body, then it can lead to muscle loss. Hence, eat calorie but not too much if you want to gain mass and lose fat.
So, stay consistent and stay focused; you will surely achieve your aim to gain mass and lose fat. Always, remember that the road to success has to pass through hard times at some point. So, yes at some point you might feel disturbed for not getting the desired results, But, be patient as results do not come overnight. Just enjoy training, and the goals will come. The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places, once you avoid those temptations, you will reach your destination!
If you are not able to lose weight even after exercising and eating a healthy diet, get a health checkup done because weight gain can also be a cause of many health problems like thyroid, PCOS, and so on.
