3 Tips to Lose Weight without Losing Muscle Mass

Don't make losing weight your main fitness goal. There are much better goals to aim for that will leave you healthier and leaner---with no turning back to weight gain.


Transform your body's composition to more muscle and less fat to keep weight loss off for good. That's easier said than done but you must keep fat loss as your main goal when trying to lose weight.

It takes longer to transform your body's composition, so be patient. Its worth the wait. Quick weight loss gimmicks will never work for you.

Here are 3 fat loss tips to keep you focused on changing your body:

1. Don't just lose water weight. Burn body fat and lose weight.

If you lose 20 pounds in 10 days using severe calorie restriction with no exercise (you probably won't have the energy to exercise), just about all of that weight loss will be due to lost muscle mass and some water weight.

The problem is further compounded if you gained weight without exercise. The composition of this weight gain is mainly fat and water retention. I have seen individuals with up to 70% body fat!

2. Increase your muscle mass to permanently speed up your metabolism. This will help you burn more calories during the day and at rest.

Muscle is metabolically active tissue and your body has to work harder to maintain muscle. You need to build a lean body that will give you good health and one that will last through the years of your life. If you rush the fitness process, it won't work.

Your muscle mass can be maintained/increased (and body fat decreased) throughout your life through weight training and cardio exercise. Your metabolism does not have to slow down as you age. Weight training also helps to keep your bones strong, helping to prevent conditions such as osteoporosis.

Lose your weight the right way to avoid the "yo-yo effect" of rapid weight loss and even more weight gain.

You must maintain the right amount of caloric deficit on most days to consistently lose weight. Severe calorie restriction for too long will lead to fat storage (your body's survival mechanism) and health problems.

3. Lose as little water weight as possible so your body will burn more body fat. These two steps will help you do this:

a. Eat small meals of whole, natural foods every 3-4 hours. Also, eat protein with every meal. Protein will help you feel full for a longer period and help repair and rebuild your muscles.

b. Exercise regularly with strength training and short interval cardio sessions. Too many long, slow cardio sessions will eat away at your muscle mass.

Don't become frustrated when one week you lose 5 pounds and the next week you lose no pounds. Muscle weighs more than fat. Check your body fat percentage every week to monitor your progress.

You could be burning fat, building muscle and losing inches. Your body shrinks (becomes leaner) because muscle takes up less space than fat. You will lose the weight at the right time.

Be patient and eat right, build muscle, burn the fat and lose the weight. This process will give you a lean, healthy body for keeps.

If you want to take your workouts to a higher level and blowtorch body fat, my FREE Bodyweight Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts are what you need. There are 3 levels: Bodyweight 200, 300 and 500. Start at the level you can handle.


About Mark

Hi, I'm Mark Dilworth, Nutritionist, Dietary Strategies Specialist, Nutrition for Metabolic Health Specialist and Lifestyle Weight Management Specialist. Since 2006, I have helped thousands of clients and readers make lifestyle habit changes which includes body transformation and ideal body weight.