Did you know that muscle weighs 15 to 20 percent more than fat?
If you want to get into better shape, losing weight shouldn’t be your goal. Building muscle should. You might end up weighing the same (or even more) but look like a whole new person.
Let’s look at 5 tips for turning fat to muscle.
1. Focus On Fat Loss, Not Weight Loss
If your goal is to be more muscular and get your body into better shape, body recomposition is the most important thing.
That means you need to focus on fat loss, not weight loss. Don’t worry about what the scale says. Instead, track your body fat percentage so you can be sure you’re replacing unwanted fat with muscle.
2. Eat Enough Protein
Protein is one of the most important parts of your diet for muscle growth. Fat and carbs give you the energy you need for your workouts but protein gives your body the fuel it needs to repair and build muscle afterward.
There are plenty of good sources of protein, even if you follow a plant-based or vegan diet. Make sure you add some to every meal.
3. Incorporate Strength Training
Weightlifting isn’t just for guys who want to end up looking like some kind of chiseled comic book character. Anyone who wants to convert fat to muscle should follow some kind of strength training program.
Use a progressive overload system when training as well. This means you gradually increase the weight, the number of reps, or both. Your body adapts to the work you do so constant change keeps it from acclimatizing.
4. Don’t Overdo the Cardio
Cardio exercise has plenty of benefits but there’s a point of diminishing returns. And it doesn’t have to be high-intensity exercise to provide benefits.
A brisk walk has a lot going for it and will keep your body in the fat-burning zone. Once your heart rate gets past a certain point, your body won’t burn fat as efficiently.
5. Track What You Eat
Counting calories might seem like a lot of work with little reward but it’s a critical part of building muscle fast. If you aren’t paying attention to what you eat, you could be overeating or not getting enough of certain types of foods.
Once you track your food intake for several weeks, you’ll know where the gaps are. You can add the best supplements for muscle growth to make up for anything you’re missing in your diet.
The Most Important Thing for Turning Fat to Muscle
The most important tip of all when it comes to converting fat to muscle is to be patient. Don’t expect changes to happen overnight.
If you’re starting a new training routine after little or no exercise for a while, you’ll probably see some results pretty quickly. But don’t get discouraged if they slow down or take longer than you’d like.
Patience is an important part of getting into better shape.
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