Preparation for some sporting competitions often involves a drastic reduction in body fat while maintaining muscle mass. Typically, this is achieved through a decrease in calories and an increase in training. It is possible to gain muscle and still cut body fat but completing the phases separately can improve your results.
The Key to Cutting Body Fat
In order to cut body fat, you need to burn more calories than you take in on a daily basis.
The Key to Gaining Muscle
The Key to Gaining Muscle
It might seem as if you are doing two opposite things at the same time. To pull this off can be difficult, although not impossible. Most people choose the more straightforward approach and bulk before cutting. This is building a good foundation of muscle before stripping away excess fat to reveal muscle.
Bulking up doesn't mean eat whatever you like and it is important to remember the focus is to build muscle whilst also keeping fat gain to a minimum. A clean eating approach is recommended and cheat meals are best avoided. When you reach the cutting phase, the ultimate goal is to lose fat yet emphasise all of the muscle you have worked hard to build.
What Should My Body Fat Percentage Be?
Body fat percentage is a measurement which identifies how much of your total body is made up of fat. A healthy male taking part in regular physical activity should aim to maintain around 15-18% body fat whereas a female should aim for approximately 20-23% body fat.
Fat requires no energy to remain in the body, but muscle burns Calories just by sitting there. It is estimated that you need to burn 3,500 Calories (an entire 24-hours worth of calories) to lose 0.45kg (1 pound) of fat. Each pound of muscle burns approximately 30-60 Calories per day. Following the right meal plan and exercise program, your body is capable of putting on 0.5kg of muscle mass per week. Over a month this can equate to 2kg of muscle, resulting in your body burning an additional 200 Calories per month by doing absolutely nothing.
What is Thermogenesis?
Remember to Measure Fat Loss, Not Just Weight Loss
It is important to measure fat loss, not just weight loss, as muscle gained during training can mask improvements. Most changes of body fat will not take place until 8-12 weeks of training so it is important to remain focused and continue through your program until you achieve your goals.
