Building lean muscle and losing body fat is known as changing body composition and many people don't know where to start.
Here are 8 tips for you to start changing your body composition that is effective and sustainable.
Building lean muscle and losing body fat can be challenging, but with the right approach, it’s absolutely achievable. It is possible to build lean muscle and still keep your body fat to a minimum.
Below are 8 tips to help you build lean muscle and lose body fat. From nutrition and exercise to sleep and hydration, it’ll cover everything you need to know to get the results you’re looking for.
So, let’s dive in and start building that dream physique!
1. Eat 4 to 5 small meals spaced 3 to 4 hours apart.
When you eat smaller meals more frequently, you keep your metabolism humming along at a steady pace. This means your body is constantly burning calories, even when you’re not exercising. Plus, eating more often helps keep your blood sugar levels stable, which can prevent cravings and overeating.
When it comes to building muscle, eating small meals spaced throughout the day ensures that your body is getting a constant supply of nutrients to help repair and rebuild muscle tissue. This is especially important after a workout when your muscles are in need of fuel to recover and grow.
When you eat large meals, your body can only process so much at once, and any excess is stored as fat. Eating smaller, more frequent meals helps keep your appetite in check and can prevent this from happening.
2. Try to drink at least two litres of water every day!
When it comes to building muscle, hydration is key. Your muscles are made up of about 75% water, and they need water to function properly. When you’re well-hydrated, your muscles are better able to contract and work properly during your workouts. This can lead to more efficient muscle growth and improved strength.
In addition, drinking plenty of water can help you lose body fat. When you’re dehydrated, your body can’t metabolize fat as efficiently, which can make it harder to lose weight. Staying well-hydrated can help your body flush out toxins and waste products, which can help you shed unwanted pounds.
Drinking a gallon of water every day can also help you feel fuller and more satisfied. This can prevent overeating and snacking on unhealthy foods, which can sabotage your weight loss and muscle-building efforts.
3. Avoid fatty foods and foods high in simple sugars.
Fatty foods are high in calories and can contribute to weight gain. When you eat too many calories, your body stores the excess as fat.
Foods high in simple sugars, such as candy, soda, and pastries, can also sabotage your efforts to build lean muscle and lose body fat. These foods are high in calories and can cause your blood sugar levels to spike and then crash, leaving you feeling tired and hungry.
Instead of reaching for fatty foods and foods high in simple sugars, focus on eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates. These foods provide the nutrients your body needs to build lean muscle and lose body fat without the added calories and unhealthy fats.
4. Do not skip meals.
Your body doesn’t get the nutrients it needs to function properly when you skip meals. This can leave you feeling tired, sluggish, and unable to perform at your best during workouts. In addition, skipping meals can slow down your metabolism, making it harder to lose weight and build lean muscle.
When you skip meals, your body doesn’t get the protein, carbohydrates, and other nutrients it needs to repair and rebuild muscle tissue. This can slow down your progress and make it harder to reach your goals.
Skipping meals can also cause your blood sugar levels to drop, leading to feelings of hunger, irritability, and low energy. This can make it harder to stick to your diet and exercise routine. Instead, focus on eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
5. Prioritize weight training.
When you lift weights, you’re putting stress on your muscles, which causes tiny tears in the muscle fibers. This might sound like a bad thing, but it’s actually what helps your muscles grow and become stronger. When your body repairs the muscle fibers, it creates new, stronger muscle tissue. This is how weight training helps you build lean muscle.
But weight training doesn’t just help you build muscle. It also helps you burn fat. When you lift weights, your body uses stored fat as fuel to power your workouts. And as you build more muscle, your body becomes more efficient at burning fat, even when you’re not exercising.
Weight training can also help improve your overall health and fitness. It can help improve your balance, coordination, and bone density. And it can help reduce your risk of injury and chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
6. Prepare meals ahead of time and schedule eating times into your daily routine.
When you prepare your meals ahead of time, you have more control over what you’re eating and how much you’re eating. This can help you make healthier choices and avoid the temptation to eat unhealthy, high-calorie foods on the go.
In addition, scheduling eating times into your daily routine can help you stay on track with your fitness goals. When you have a set time to eat, you’re less likely to skip meals or overeat later in the day. This can help you maintain a steady supply of nutrients throughout the day, which is important for building lean muscle and losing body fat.
Finally, preparing your meals ahead of time and scheduling eating times into your daily routine can help reduce stress and save time. When you’re not constantly worrying about what you’re going to eat or when you’re going to eat it, you can focus more on your workouts and other activities that are important to you.
7. Stick to 60% carbs, 25% protein and 15% fat per meal.
Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred source of energy, so it’s important to get enough of them to fuel your workouts and daily activities. By aiming for 60% of your calories to come from carbs, you can ensure that your body has enough energy to power through your workouts and build lean muscle.
When you lift weights, you create tiny tears in your muscle fibers, and your body needs protein to repair and rebuild those fibers. By aiming for 25% of your calories to come from protein, you can ensure that your body has the nutrients it needs to build and maintain lean muscle.
Fat helps your body absorb vitamins and minerals, and it plays a role in hormone production and brain function. By aiming for 15% of your calories to come from fat, you can ensure that your body is getting the right balance of nutrients to support your fitness goals.
8. Get at least 7-9 uninterrupted hours of sleep each night.
First of all, sleep is essential for recovery and repair of your muscles. When you sleep, your body produces growth hormone, which helps your muscles recover and rebuild after your workouts. If you’re not getting enough sleep, especially the important deep sleep, your body may not be able to produce enough growth hormone to support muscle growth and recovery.
In addition, sleep plays a key role in regulating hormones that affect appetite and metabolism. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces more of the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, and less of the hormone leptin, which helps you feel full. This can lead to overeating and weight gain.
Sleep also affects your body’s ability to use insulin effectively. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body becomes less sensitive to insulin, which can lead to insulin resistance and increased fat storage.
Finally, sleep is important for overall health and well-being. Lack of sleep can lead to stress, mood swings, and a weakened immune system, which can all negatively impact your ability to build muscle and lose fat.
The bottom line…
Achieving your fitness goals takes hard work and dedication, but by following these eight tips, you’ll be well on your way to building lean muscle and losing body fat.
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