If you’re searching for a way to lose weight fast and effectively, you’ve probably come across the phrase muscle hypertrophy (or muscle boosting) several times. You might have even heard of the fad called “paleo” where eating nothing but meats and vegetables reigns, or you might have seen an Instagram post promoting the next big weight loss secret.
The fact is, you don’t have to knock off a lot of calories to build muscle. In fact, you can build more muscle while eating a regular diet than most people think is possible. It just takes some research and proper nutrition planning.
Here’s how to lose weight while gaining muscle mass.
Eat To Nourish Your Muscles
When you eat to nourish your muscles, you’re ingesting enough calories to maintain your daily activities but you’re not overfeeding your muscles. In effect, you’re shielding your muscles from starvation, which might otherwise cause them to lose their bulk. When you eat to nourish your muscles, you also give your body the nutrients it needs to grow and repair itself. After all, what is muscle if not just a bunch of cells waiting to be fed and watered?!
The catch is you need to find a way to nourish your muscles without overdoing it. To do this, you must learn how to read the caloric contents of what you’re eating, how much water you should drinking, and when to eat certain foods and when to avoid them. For example, if you’re a vegan, you’ll have to take some time to find out which foods offer the best nutritional value without harming the environment. You’ll also want to consider how much fiber you need daily to move your bowels smoothly.
Build Up Your Muscles With Proteins
Your muscles are made up of protein, which is why they grow when you eat enough food. However, not all proteins are equal when it comes to building muscle. Certain proteins called “branched chain amino acids” (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) have the ability to trigger muscle protein synthesis, the process by which your body makes new muscle tissue. This process is called “amino acid stimulation” or “amino acid intake” for short.
While carbohydrates are essential for human functioning due to their role in energy production, your body doesn’t need to be dependent on them to build muscle. In fact, too much of them can hamper your efforts to pack on the pounds. The same goes for fats. If you want to transform your body, you should be avoiding fat-rich foods and instead opting for those containing a decent amount of proteins.
Maintain A Healthy Body Weight
If you try to lose weight quickly, especially if you’re looking to do so without shedding off a lot of muscle, you’ll likely encounter one or more of the following problems:
- A feeling of being constantly hungry
- Energy levels that plummet as soon as you start working out
- Unexplained weight loss
- Loss of muscle mass (especially in the presence of a gain in fat)
- Difficulty sleeping
- Chronic sluggishness
- Headaches
- Mood swings
- Tiredness
- Irritability
- Depression
- Poor appetite (especially towards the end)
- Poor self-esteem
- Mental health issues
To avoid pushing your body to the brink of starvation, you need to learn how to read the caloric values of the foods you eat and how much water you need to drink. You should also set a weekly diet and fitness plan to ensure you stay on track and don’t skip any meals or snacks without serious repercussions. Going from one extreme to another (i.e. too much food to too little food) can cause your body to become unstable, which in turn could make you lose more weight than you’d intended. A healthier approach is to eat to nourish your muscles and try to stay within a healthy weight range.
With any luck, this article will help you navigate the complex world of dieting and shed some light on the fascinating topic of muscle hypertrophy. Keep reading for more information on this fascinating topic!