When on a weight loss journey, lack of protein is a huge culprit of muscle loss. “Our bodies don't store protein like other nutrients, so it's important to eat the right amount every day,” says Kate. “Everybody is different and will have different protein requirements.
The body will break down unused muscle for energy before it breaks down fat because muscle requires more energy to maintain. However, if you consistently consume more calories than you burn, your body will continue to store fat and you may see an overall increase in body fat, even if you are losing muscle mass.
Losing muscle while retaining fat can occur due to various factors such as inadequate protein intake, excessive calorie deficit, or lack of resistance training. To preserve muscle mass during weight loss, prioritize protein-rich foods, incorporate strength training exercises, and avoid overly restrictive diets.
Track measurements - Losing inches around the waist, hips, and arms usually indicates fat loss. Muscle loss may show smaller reductions. Monitor strength - If strength is maintained or increases, weight loss is more likely from fat. Decreasing strength signals potential muscle loss.
The most accurate way to assess any change in your body composition is through body composition testing. A DEXA scan for body composition can accurately measure your lean mass, fat mass, visceral fat, and more, eliminating any guesswork.
The first week you're on a weight-loss plan, almost 70 percent of weight loss is water, Clayton says, a rate which drops to about 20 to 30 percent over a couple of weeks and then stabilizes as your body starts tapping into fat stores.
Gaining muscle and not losing fat often comes down to diet. It's possible that you're eating too much and may need to decrease your calories slightly. You'll also need to analyze your workouts and overall daily activity levels and consider adding in more calorie-burning activities to boost your fat loss efforts.
Vitamin D may be protective for muscle loss; a more alkalinogenic diet and diets higher in the anti-oxidant nutrients vitamin C and vitamin E may also prevent muscle loss.
A walking workout can burn as many calories as a running workout—it just takes longer, because you burn fewer calories per minute if your pace is slower. So yes, walking burns fat. And it does all kinds of other great things for you, too, while it's doing that fat-burning business.
The Science of Fat Loss
Think of it like a balloon losing air—it deflates, but doesn't disappear immediately. Over time, your body adjusts, but the jiggly feeling can be a temporary step along the way.
Protein is not usually used for energy. However, if the body is not getting enough calories from other nutrients or from the fat stored in the body, protein is broken down into ketone bodies to be used for energy.
"A person who is attempting to lose weight by not eating may lose weight in muscle first before fat," he says. How does that happen? Well, the body likes to go for carbs (glucose) for energy first.
While both 12-hour and 16-hour fasting can promote fat burning, it's possible that a 16-hour fast may be more effective. This is because the longer fasting period may lead to a greater depletion of glycogen stores, which can trigger higher levels of fat burning.
What is the most effective fasting time window? Fat burning typically begins after approximately 12 hours of fasting and escalates between 16 and 24 hours of fasting.
When on a weight loss journey, lack of protein is a huge culprit of muscle loss. “Our bodies don't store protein like other nutrients, so it's important to eat the right amount every day,” says Kate. “Everybody is different and will have different protein requirements.
Mostly, losing weight is an internal process. You will first lose hard fat that surrounds your organs like liver, kidneys and then you will start to lose soft fat like waistline and thigh fat. The fat loss from around the organs makes you leaner and stronger.