How to Lose Weight While Maintaining Muscle

The key to maintaining muscle while on a weight-loss program is to strike a balance between eating a healthy diet, doing aerobic exercise, and strength-training. People who only diet are less likely to maintain their weight after weight loss than those who also exercise. According to the American Council of Exercise, "Regular physical activity is much more effective at keeping the weight off in the long run than any diet." Resorting to strict diets might result in muscle loss as well as fat loss.

Instructions

    • 1

      Make sure you get enough carbohydrates and protein in your diet. This is crucial because a person loses water and protein as well as fat when on a restricted-calorie diet. According to the website Go Ask Alice!, restricting carbohydrates in a diet will result in protein being used for energy instead of carbohydrates, which, in turn, leaves less protein available for muscle repair and growth.

    • 2

      Eat many small meals throughout the day instead of a couple big ones. Never let more than four hours pass before you eat something. This ensures that your blood sugar levels stay even and increases your metabolism, providing the perfect environment for fat loss and muscle maintenance.

    • 3

      Do aerobic exercise on most days of the week to burn fat. Start with 15 minutes each time and work up to at least 30 minutes per session. Good choices include biking, brisk walking, jogging, using the elliptical machine, swimming and rowing. Work at a medium intensity to burn the most amount of fat.

    • 4

      Strength train to build and maintain muscle mass. Incorporating strength training into your activity program burns calories, but also ensures that you burn more calories while at rest, making it crucial for effective weight loss. Do one set of strength-training exercises, using a weight that allows you to do eight to 12 repetitions. Include exercises for your legs, trunk, arms, chest, shoulders and upper back. When strengthening your abdominal muscles and lower back, increase the number of repetitions with weights that offer less resistance.