Losing fat while building muscle isn't a pipe dream. This guide will teach you how to do just that with some very simple diet tweaks.
Some of these changes include maintaining a small calorie deficit, prioritizing protein and drinking plenty of water. With a focused fat-burning diet, a strategic exercise plan, and accountability, you'll reach your body reconstruction goals in no time.
But what does body reconstruction mean, and how can you build muscle and lose fat at the same time?
I will share the right nutritional strategies to build muscle and lose fat without using extreme methods, hours in the gym or deprivation.
Muscle Gain & Weight Loss Meal Plans
1. Be in a calorie deficit
A calorie deficit is necessary to lose weight and burn fat. But the number of calories you cut is a fine line, meaning you don't want to be too strict.A good rule of thumb is to determine your daily baseline calories to maintain your weight, then subtract 500 calories from that to get your calories to lose weight.
2. Prioritize protein
It's not how much you eat, but what you eat that matters. When you're in a calorie deficit, your body will naturally gravitate toward breaking down both fat and muscle if you're not eating enough protein to keep up with those needs.
Keep your muscles stored by prioritizing protein sources in your diet. It is recommended to get at least 1.2-2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For a 150-pound person, that would be about 81-137 grams of protein per day.
Here are the best protein sources:
- Lean chicken breast, fish, turkey, pork tenderloin
- Soy-based proteins like tofu or seitan
- the egg
- Beans, lentils, edamame
- Low-fat or fat-free dairy products: milk, cheese, plain Greek yogurt, plain cottage cheese
- Nuts and seeds
- Nut butter
Individual protein needs may vary based on your activity level, goals, and medical history, so always consult with an expert to determine the optimal amount for your needs.
3. Eat whole foods
It's not just about cutting calories and meeting your macros—you still have to make good food choices. If you're on a 1400-calorie diet but most of your calories come from processed foods like pretzels or chips, you likely won't see the results you're looking for.
Shop the perimeter of the grocery store for most of your meals. Think of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and low-fat dairy as your staples. These foods are in their natural form, highly nutritious, and minimally processed, making them easy to break down and convert into sustainable energy. Because of this, they are more satisfied. Getting more of your calories from these whole foods will make it easier to stay in a calorie deficit.
4. Consider intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting (IF) has many potential benefits, but it has also been shown to preserve lean muscle mass. Studies have shown that people who practice intermittent fasting along with resistance training lose fat, but also maintain muscle.
There are many ways to practice intermittent fasting, and we recommend a gradual approach to start.
5. Mediterranean diet
Jessica Cording, RD, author of The Little Book of Game-Changers, says this diet consistently comes out on top, and there are a few reasons why. "It's high in fiber, which is great for improving digestion," she says. "It's also good for heart health and reduced cancer risk." The Mediterranean diet is rich in healthy fats and "low in unsaturated fat," encouraging you to fill up on good, nutrient-dense foods and avoid unhealthy options, Cording notes.
Based on the heart-healthy lifestyles of Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, the Mediterranean-style diet includes healthy fats such as avocado, olive oil, nuts, and fish at least twice a week, plenty of beans, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and even A daily glass of red wine. You can eat cheese in moderation, but limit red meat to once or twice a week.
How it works for weight loss:
While the primary appeal of this diet lies in its numerous health benefits—it can reduce your risk of both chronic disease and cognitive decline—it can also lead to weight loss if you limit your calorie intake to 1,500 per day. or less Research has shown that following a traditional Mediterranean diet or a low-carb version of it can lead to weight loss of about 5-10% of body weight over 12 months. And that weight stays off – a recent British study found that those who lost the most weight, those who followed a Mediterranean-style diet were twice as likely to keep it off. "This diet is easy to maintain, because the food is delicious!" says dietitian Amanda Beaver, RDN, of Houston Methodist Wellness Services.
6. The Dash Diet
The Low-Sodium Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet was designed as a way to help people control blood pressure without using medication, although a few books have used it as the basis of a weight-loss diet. DASH emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or nonfat dairy foods and limits saturated fat and dietary cholesterol.
How it works for weight loss:
You'll definitely improve your health with this diet, and if you restrict calories while following the heart-healthy rules of DASH, you can lose weight and lower your blood pressure. A recent study of obese older adults found that those who followed the DASH diet lost weight and lost body fat, along with many other health benefits. "DASH is one of my favorite diets," says Meridan Zerner, RD, a dietitian at Cooper Clinic in Dallas. "You're getting anti-inflammatory, high-fiber, heart-healthy benefits, and you can absolutely lose weight if you use a personalized, calorie-restricted plan."
7. Avoid over-processed foods
Ultra-processed foods are basically any foods that are not in their original form. This isn't always a bad thing, but there are a few that you'll want to avoid as much as possible.
Some examples are:
- Bagged snacks: potato chips, pretzels, Cheetos
- Cookies, candies, cakes
- Baked goods such as muffins, donuts, danishes
- Refined carbohydrates such as bagels, English muffins, white bread
All these foods are high in sugar or salt, but low in nutrients. They break down very quickly in your body and don't keep you full for long. Eating them can lead to overeating and weight gain, and they provide no real nutritional value to be considered a fuel source.
You can enjoy them as an occasional treat, but they shouldn't be a daily occurrence.
8. Cut back on sugary drinks
Sweet drinks like sweetened coffee, soda, juice or energy drinks are loaded with added sugar. Replacing these drinks with refreshing H20 as much as possible will help you lower your sugar intake and burn fat more efficiently.
If you're not a plain water fan, you can add lemon, lime or — my favorite — cucumber and mint to your water. If you're used to drinking lots of sugary drinks, you'll be amazed at the difference in your calorie intake (and how you feel) if you cut back.
9.Vegetarian diet
A step up from traditional vegetarian diets, vegans avoid all animal products, including dairy, eggs and honey. While many choose this lifestyle for ethical or environmental reasons, some people also look to a vegetarian diet for weight loss. And with the new age of plant-based meats, eating vegetarian is easier than ever.
How it works for weight loss:
Being vegetarian alone won't help you lose weight. After all, candy, pasta, and potato chips can fall under the vegan label without being particularly healthy or low-cal. "If you eat a high-quality vegetarian diet, such as leafy greens and plant-based protein, you can lose more weight than vegetarians or omnivores," says Beaver. A 2020 Australian study came to the interesting conclusion that vegetarians and vegans were more likely to stick with the diet long-term than those on plans like Paleo, because they were motivated by moral and ethical beliefs, rather than just weight loss.
10. Flexitarian diet
Where a vegan diet is a step beyond vegetarianism, the flexitarian diet takes it a step back, explains Dawn Jackson Blattner, RD, nutritionist and author of The Flexitarian Diet. "It's a very pro-plant diet, but it gives you the flexibility to eat a hot dog at the ballpark or some turkey at Thanksgiving," she says. There are no strict calorie restrictions, although Blattner's book offers a 5-week plan that provides about 1,500 calories a day.
How it works for weight loss:
By filling your plate with more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and plant proteins and sticking to a low-cal plan, you can lose weight and improve your health. A recent review found that people who followed a flexible diet had lower rates of metabolic syndrome than people who ate meat regularly.
Do's and Don'ts
Don't do
- Fatty foods
- Rely on protein supplements
- Take a hormone supplement
- drink alcohol
Will do
- High protein diet
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
- Eat starchy carbohydrates
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Consume proper nutrition before and after workouts
Your diet is starting
Once you find the best diet for you, make a plan to stick to it. Be consistent with minimal cheat meals for at least a few weeks and then reassess how you're feeling and how well you're doing toward your health and fitness goals. Change doesn't happen overnight, and you may not get your perfect diet right the first time. Also, remember that your needs may change as you continue on your health journey.
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