Can you lose body fat and gain muscle at the same time?
The short answer to this is, yes, it is possible to lose body fat and gain muscle simultaneously!
To be able to do it, you need to set up your diet right. Maintain a high protein intake but at the same time get good carbs and healthy fats.
In this article, we are going to take a closer look at how I did it.
I lost 44 lbs. In Less Than a Year
I have lost 44 lbs. of body fat in less than a year and rebuilt my physique, getting some of my lean muscles back, which I used to have in my younger days. I was 48 at the time I did this.
Like so many guys, I got comfortable too, and still do from time to time. Eating way too much food, having too many beers, and not working out.
The most ironic part, I used to train people and tell them how to lose weight, as a personal trainer. So I should know better right?
Well, we are just humans, we do like to space out sometimes, and that is OK. You just have to make sure to be able to grab yourself and get back on track with healthy eating habits and working out.
In my article, I will reveal what my diet looks like and how I made it possible to lose 44 lbs. of body fat and get some solid muscle gains.
What I Eat to Lose Body Fat and Gain Muscle
It’s essential to eat plenty of protein when you want to lose fat and gain muscle mass.
I prefer to keep a balanced diet with both proteins, carbs, and healthy sources of fat. That way, you will have plenty of building blocks to maintain and build lean muscles in the form of protein.
Because of your carb and intake of fat, you will have plenty of energy available to do your daily duties and workouts.
Finally, healthy fat is essential to your health, regeneration of body cells, absorption of vitamins, and brain function. So don’t be afraid to get some fat from your diet as well.
If you only eat protein, as some people do, then your body will start using the protein for energy instead of burning carbs and fat for energy.
It can cause a loss of lean muscle mass which in the long run will lead to a weight gain because fewer muscles are burning calories. So, eat protein with carbs to get rid of the excess fat without losing power.
It is important to stress that I maintain a high protein intake of around 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
It makes me feel good and gives me some good gains in the gym regarding muscle mass and strength.
My Best Diet for Lose Body Fat and Gain Muscle
Let’s have a closer look at some of the foods I am eating. They are all pretty simple as I prefer not to spend too much time in the kitchen.
My Protein Sources for Losing Body Fat and Gaining Muscle
First, let’s have a closer look at what foods I am getting my protein from. Remember, protein is among the best macros for losing fat and gaining muscle.
Eggs
To get protein, I like to start my day with three fried eggs. Having between 1 and 3 eggs daily will keep your intake of cholesterol low and should not cause any issues with high unhealthy cholesterol levels. Also, it is unclear how many eggs are too many. But three eggs keep me full and satisfied.
Together, they contain close to 20 grams of proteins and many admins and minerals, including zinc, crucial to my body.
Cholesterol, together with zinc and selenium, is highly needed to produce testosterone in your testicles.
Chicken
Chicken is another protein-rich food I eat at least a couple of times during the week. Chicken is always tricky because getting too much of it and you get sick and tired of eating it. But having chicken frequently is excellent as a way to lose fat and gain muscle mass.
Therefore, make sure to cook your chicken in different ways using different salsas and sauces.
I prefer it grilled, boil it and you get sick and tired of it faster.
Lean Red Meat
I also consume lean red meat, preferably Rib Eye, a couple of times during the week. Since I live in Mexico, the meat quality is not always good for Sirloin or Flank Steak. It can feel like eating shoe soles sometimes. But having Rib Eye, I have a higher rate of success.
Ground Beef
I also have regular ground beef, a form of burger patties, a few times during the week.
I don’t mix them with anything other than salt and pepper, keeping things simple.
Tuna
Since I live in Mexico on the coast, I have access to freshly caught tuna daily.
I aim to have it a couple of times during the week. I prefer having my tuna raw in chopped pieces on a Mexican tostada with chili and lemons.
If I were back in my home country Denmark, I would aim to get some fresh salmon instead. It comes with the benefit of being rich in omega-three fatty acids.
Milk
To get enough proteins, I also consume lots of milk. It also provides me with lots of calcium, suitable for your bones, and can help you burn fat.
Calcium may lead to a slight increase in thermogenesis, which means your body’s core temperature will increase and boost your metabolism.
Lala 100 is a milk product in Mexico that comes with 14 grams of proteins per 250 ml. Having a Lala 100 after your workout is an excellent way to get some fast proteins.
Regular milk normally comes with around 7 to 8 grams of proteins for 250 ml.
Protein Supplement for Losing Fat and Gaining Muscle
Occasionally, I do use protein supplements. I prefer Crazy Nutrition Tri-Protein because it gives you 4 different types of proteins with 4 different release times. It means you can use it both for recovery right after a workout. As a snack when you have a sweet tooth, and as a snack before bedtime.
Because of the 4 different release times, your body will have proteins available for recovery during longer periods.
My Carb Sources to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle
As I mentioned earlier, I am also eating lots of carbohydrates daily. It gives me plenty of energy and ensures that the proteins I am consuming are used for muscle building and not as energy.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is my most important source of carbs, and I have it daily for breakfast together with my eggs in the morning. When I use a protein supplement like Tri-Protein, I sprinkle one scoop of protein on my oatmeal and mix it with milk. (I hate drinking proteins with water)
It gives me a boost of energy and provides me with lots of minerals and vitamins.
Rice
White rice isn’t the best choice when it comes to carbs. Brown rice is a much better choice that is more nutritious.
But they take longer to cook, and I never get them right when I make them. So, out of pure laziness, I stick to white, Basmin or Jasmin rice.
Usually, I limit my rice intake to between half and 3/4 of a cup in one meal and 1/4 of a cup in another meal if I have it two times a day.
Potatoes
Potatoes are another choice when it comes to my carbs. Here I stick to 3 or 4 medium size potatoes in each of my meals. Less in the second meal if I get twice in a day.
Usually, I boil a whole batch of them and then enjoy them cold for a couple of days.
There are a lot of health benefits to having cold potatoes. They form a firm texture known as resistant starch that cannot be adequately digested in your stomach. Instead, they will make you feel full and satisfied longer after having your meal.
Resistant starch is also a prebiotic that contains a fiber that doesn’t dissolve in your colon. Here they will feed good bacteria called the microbiome, which in return will signal to hunger hormones that you should eat according to what you need.
If you don’t have healthy bacteria in your colon, it will affect your need for cravings, lower your metabolism, and give you a bad mood.
Cold potatoes are a power food I highly recommend incorporating into your diet.
Vegetables
I eat a lot of vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, carrots, etc.
Furthermore, I usually cook a whole bag of frozen vegetables and eat half of them each meal.
Vegetables are great because they fill up your stomach, so you feel full and satisfied. At the same time, they are incredibly low on calories, so you can eat a lot of them.
Vegetables are also a tremendous and vital source of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients.
My Sources of Fat
Usually, I get most of my fat from the natural content of fat in my sources of carbs and proteins. It means a combination of vegetable and animal fat.
On top of that, I do have some healthy sources of fat, such as avocado and nuts.
I cook my meals in vegetable oil, preferably olive oil, or canola oil. I avoid soybean products and oils because I believe they can hurt my testosterone.
My Meal Plan for Losing Fat and Gaining Muscle
As I said earlier, I wouldn’t say I like to spend too much time in the kitchen cooking.
To avoid that, I keep my meals as simple as possible but still make them delicious enough for me to look forward to having them.
I prepare all my carbs, including vegetables, in advance for a few days to reheat them when needed quickly.
Preparing my meat sources doesn’t take a lot of time since I’m mostly just frying them on a pan or similar.
Let’s break down my meal plan.
Breakfast around 10 or 11 am
Three whole eggs
One bowl of oatmeal with milk and a scoop of whey protein.
I usually wake up somewhere between 7 and 8 am. I grab a cup of coffee but wait at least two hours before having breakfast.
Lunch Around 3 or 4 pm
One cup of rice, or 4 to 5 medium size potatoes
200 to 250 grams of either lean meat, chicken, or fish
As many vegetables as it takes to make me feel full
Post-workout around 8.30 or 9 pm
500 to 750 ml of Lala 100 or
250 ml of milk and a scoop of whey protein
Dinner around 10 pm
A half-cup of rice, or 2 to 3 medium size potatoes
200 to 250 grams of either lean meat, chicken, or fish
Like many vegetables, it takes to make me feel full and satisfied
Nighttime Snack
250 ml milk and a scoop of whey protein.
I only have this meal if I feel hungry before going to bed.
What About Cheat Meals?
I am not a believer in restrictions when it comes to diets that lose fat and gain muscle. If you start restricting and punishing yourself too much, you may end up having an unhealthy relationship with food.
You know, what we cannot have, we want.
Instead of restrictions, I believe in planning. Plan when you are going to eat unhealthy food instead of letting it sneak in on you. Feeling guilty because of something you ate is never the way to go.
I have two cheat meals per week to curb my cravings for unhealthy meals—one hamburger with fries and one pizza.
In the beginning, it was something I looked forward to. It was nice having a hamburger without feeling bad about it because it was planned.
But with time, when I started to see results, I often forgot about having a cheat meal. New habits started to kick in.
How Many Calories to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle?
In the perfect fat loss world, it takes around 3500 calories to burn one pound of body fat. However, there are a lot of factors involved, so that number will not always be accurate.
I used to count calories a lot when cutting fat or building lean muscles—using all sorts of trackers like MyFitnessPal.com.
Now, where do I have so much control over what I eat and how much I exercise? I know exactly how much food I need in each of my meals!
For sure, you can count your calories and get the exact number. But be careful not to go completely bananas doing so. Remember losing body fat and gaining muscles at the same time must never become an obsession.
A Simple Way of Getting the Right Calories to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle Mass
One way of getting your calorie intake right when you want to burn fat and build lean muscles is to do the following.
– One gram of protein per pound of body weight.
– 1.5 grams of carbs per pound of body weight.
– 0.3 grams of fats per pound of body weight.
Consume as many vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and garrots as needed to make you feel full.
The 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight is your set point. Don’t change that number.
When it comes to the number of carbs you should eat, start with 1.5 carbs per pound of body weight.
Do Weekly Checkups
Check weekly to see if your weight drops. If it does, you are on the right track. If it doesn’t, you can either do more exercising, walking, etc. Or cut your carbohydrate intake down to 1 gram per pound of body weight.
If you feel exhausted, tired, and have no energy, you can try to increase your carbohydrate intake up to 2.0 grams.
Your intake of fat we maintain between 0.2 and 0.4 grams per pound of body weight. Sometimes you will get your energy back by keeping your carbohydrate intake low but by increasing your fat intake. Experiment to see what works for you.
To lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously, you keep your protein intake constant and turn down your intake of carbohydrates.
## Recommended Supplements for Lose Fat and Gain Muscle Mass
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Below is a list of the supplements that I recommend you consider. They will help you get faster results and make it easier to maintain your diet.
Protein Supplement
Finally, it is essential to have a whey protein supplement close by. It will help you make sure you are getting 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily.
Also, to make, getting a shake helps to reduce cravings for sweets such as chocolate.
I recommend Crazy Nutrition Tri-Protein. It comes with 4 different types of protein, that are released in 4 stages, it dissolves easily and the flavors are just great.
Conclusion on How to Eat to Lose Body Fat and Gain Muscle
Here you go, my approach to eating is to lose fat and gain muscle, all simultaneously.
Eat as clean as possible and avoid all sorts of sauces, salsas, and toppings. Many of them are calorie bombs that you don’t need.
Remember, what works for me might not work for you. However, creating a calorie deficit and increasing your protein intake will always work in some form. It is the foundation when it comes to diets that lose fat and gain muscle.
Therefore, make sure to experiment a little. See your diet as a journey; try new things out. Trust me; you will make some remarkable discoveries about yourself, your body, and how far you can go.
Stay tuned, and come back soon because, in my next article, I will reveal my workout and cardio routine. You will learn more about working out to lose fat and gain muscle mass.
Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/how-its-made-cholesterol-production-in-your-body
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/different-fats-nutrition/
https://www.fitnessfirst.com.my/blog/3-reasons-you-need-fat
https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/calcium-weight-loss#1
https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-021-00580-1
https://welldoing.org/article/health-benefits-eating-cold-potatoes-summer
