lose weight and get stronger
Hi,
I see what I should eat – and not – to lose weight, and what I should do to gain muscle. But I’m trying to work on both right now. A trainer told me I need a calorie surplus to gain muscle mass, but I know I need a calorie deficit to lose weight. What should I eat to lose inches AND gain lean mass? Would the key be nutrients? The type of calories? Is what I want technically impossible?
Just addressed this with another question… haha!!
It is hard to add muscle if you are trying to dramatically cut down and get lean. One promising thing is that when you do lean out, most are surprised to realize how much muscle they really do have underneath the fat lost.
Muscle grows best with protein—at least 1 gram of protein per pound. Stick with a diet that requires eating every 3 hours, with protein at each meal. Eat complex carbs before and after you work out and eliminate them at night to support a leaner physique.
I am not a firm believer on putting on a lot of weight in order to gain muscle, especially for women, as we have a hard time losing it… it becomes emotional!
I do believe in properly feeding your muscles so they can perform at their best rate during intense heavy workouts, as that is what you need to do to make your muscles grow!
