How to Preserve Lean Muscle Mass While Losing Weight

How to Preserve Lean Muscle Mass While Losing Weight

The Importance of Preserving Lean Muscle Mass

Being in a calorie deficit and getting regular exercise both play a big role in reaching your weight loss goals. However, they aren’t the end-all-be-all, especially if you’re trying to change your overall body composition. According to researchers, preserving lean muscle mass during weight loss is essential for improving the way that your fat tissue is distributed. It can also increase your metabolism, lower insulin sensitivity, and improve bone density.

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What Is Lean Muscle Mass?

If you’re unfamiliar with the term "lean muscle," you aren’t alone. Lean muscle is often confused with muscle mass and the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. However, there are a few important differences. "Lean mass refers to your body weight minus your body fat," says Sarah Alsing, a registered dietitian. "It includes the weight of your organs, bones, and muscles. People often use the term ‘lean muscle mass’ to refer to skeletal muscle, or the muscles you think of when you think of a bodybuilder. Your overall muscle mass includes all your body’s muscles like smooth and cardiac muscle."

Why Preserving Lean Muscle Is Important for Weight Loss

There are several reasons to prioritize preserving your lean muscle mass, especially when it comes to weight loss. We naturally lose muscle as we age, which can inevitably cause hormonal weight gain, decreased bone density, and sarcopenia, a loss of mobility and function that diminishes quality of life, especially in the elderly population. So focusing on maintaining lean muscle during weight loss isn’t just important. It’s actually crucial for your long-term health and wellness.

How to Maintain Lean Muscle Mass Through Exercise

There are plenty of ways to preserve lean muscle mass while you’re losing weight. The most obvious one is resistance training, which can help build and maintain muscle, and includes everything from lifting weights to body-weight exercises to Pilates class. Preserving lean muscle gets harder as we age, so it’s important to prioritize strength training, not just cardio workouts, while you’re trying to lose weight.

How Nutrition Affects Lean Muscle Mass

Lifting weights or doing body-weight exercises provides a great way to maintain lean muscle, but if you aren’t eating a nutrient-dense diet, your efforts may not be as effective as you’d like. So make sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, include protein-rich foods at every meal, and drink plenty of water for the best results.

The Benefits of Preserving Lean Muscle

There are so many benefits to maintaining lean muscle mass, both during your weight loss journey and beyond. As mentioned above, lean muscle reduces the risk of illnesses like type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia. Resistance training also boosts your metabolism by burning more calories after your workout, helping you lose weight and improve your overall body composition more than diet and cardiovascular workouts alone.

Conclusion

Preserving lean muscle mass while losing weight is important to keep your body looking and feeling its best. Not only does it boost your metabolism, lower your risk of diseases, and improve your overall body composition, but maintaining lean muscle can actually improve your quality of life as well.

FAQs

Q: How can I preserve lean muscle mass while losing weight?
A: You can preserve lean muscle mass by incorporating resistance training into your workout routine and eating a nutrient-dense diet that includes plenty of protein.

Q: Why is it important to prioritize strength training while losing weight?
A: Prioritizing strength training while losing weight is important because it helps to preserve lean muscle mass, which can be lost as we age.

Q: How can I increase my protein intake to support muscle growth?
A: You can increase your protein intake by eating protein-rich foods at every meal and incorporating protein shakes or supplements into your diet.

Q: What are some benefits of preserving lean muscle mass?
A: Preserving lean muscle mass can reduce the risk of illnesses like type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia, boost your metabolism, and improve your overall body composition.