So, within the fitness community there is an age old conundrum that has baffled casual lifters and experts. Is it possible to lose fat while preserving that precious muscle?  A mythical quest perhaps? This question looms large and is often accompanied by conflicting advice. So do you have to choose between shredding that body fat or gaining muscle mass. Lets delve into this subject and explore the science of Fat Loss And Muscle Preservation.

Understanding Body Fat: Your Energy Reservoir

To put it simply the principle of losing fat is to consume fewer calories than your body expends, putting your body into a calorie deficit. This concept will cause fat to melt away, but what exactly is this elusive thing we call fat?

Body fat is also known as adipose tissue which serves as your own personal energy reservoir which stores energy from consumed food. Fat or adipose tissue can be found not only beneath the skin but also around internal organs, nestled between muscles and within the bone marrow. Where the fat is stored in your body is determined by your own unique genetic blueprint.

Fat cells and the Myth of transformation

The armies of fat cells in our body dutifully await their purpose to store or use precious energy. If you eat more calories than your body needs then the energy reservoir will increase, and if you find yourself in a calorie deficit your bodies demands turn to the stored fat to release as fuel.

When you deplete a fat cell reservoir the fat cell does not undergo a magical transformation and vanish. It remains patiently in the same place waiting to be refilled with energy.  So, as you pursue a fat loss journey, you delete the fat cell energy stores, causing the cell to shrink in size but never truly disappearing.

Contrary to other misconceptions, fat cells also cannot be converted into muscle tissue.  Fat loss and muscle building are two separate processes. The unfortunate reason that many muscle building adventures are afraid of cutting fat is because energy scarcity that triggers fat loss also triggers the loss of your hard earned muscle mass.

In the relentless odyssey to achieve that dream physic of shredding fat while preserving muscle, understanding the interconnected process is crucial.

Determining Maintenance Calories: A tailored Approach

OK, so now we all understand what fat is however, before embracing your fat loss odyssey it is fundamental to establish a solid understanding of you maintenance calories. Maintenance calories are the amount of energy your body needs to maintain its current weight with your current level of activity.  So now our question is how we determining our maintenance calories can. Now there are many tables and formulas out there which can give you a baseline to this. Such as the Harris-Benedict equation which accounts for weight, height and age and establishes you basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is essential the amount of calories your body requires to survive, that’s without moving, comatose. Once you have your BMR you can times this by 1.2, 1.375 or 1.55 depending on your activity levels to find your maintenance calories.  But these types of equations often oversimply the complexities of individual lifestyles, resulting in mere approximations. Now this formal is can be a reasonable starting point for the average person, but are you truly ‘average’ or would you prefer a tailored approach.

The most effective way to find you Maintenance calories requires some diligent work to begin with. You will need to track your weight by stepping on the scale each morning, at the same time, preferably in the nude. You will also need to use a calorie tracking app and log you food intake meticulously. By observing any changes in bodyweight and total calorie intake you will be able to pin point your maintenance calories, the amount of calories consumed when your body weight stays relatively stable.  Now we’re getting somewhere, with this information you will be able to adjust your food intake to create a deficit for fat loss.

Just keep in mind that your maintenance calories will fluctuate alongside your changing body weight. So as you progress on the journey continue to measure you weight and track calories, making adjustments accordingly.

Methods to burn fat: finding your strategy

When it’s time to shred those pounds there are several fundamental approaches to consider, each has its own advantages and its obviously subject to what you want to do.

1. Eating less. This is undoubtedly the best tool at your disposal, portion control and caloric restricting. Simple right, eat less than your body requires, creating the essential calorie deficit. While this may seem challenging to some people, avoiding that doughnut can achieve significant effects compared to slogging through hours of cardio. Remember eating less calories doesn’t mean eating less, you can swap and change your diet so that your ‘volume eating’. To do this eat more fruit, vegetables, high fiber foods and lean protein sources. 
2. Increase your Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT). Embrace an active lifestyle to burn calories outside a structured exercise realm. NEAT accounts for a big portion of an individuals energy expenditure without even realizing. So,  opt for walking instead of driving, take the stairs, do some chores, have a walk after a meal and engage in activities that don’t feel like traditional exercise.  Studies such as this show that just moving your heels up and down while sitting down will have a significant effect on your body.
3. Cardio – This can be a swear word to some people. Cardio can definitely help to burn a few additional calories however, it can be disheartening when your hours work only amounts to a mars bar and that includes your BMR which are calories you would have burnt anyway. But cardio is great for cardiovascular health and can aid in your weight loss journey. Combining cardio with other approaches or bringing it in when you really don’t want to decrease calories any more will create a well-rounded and effective strategy.
4.  Weight lifting. Resistance training may not burn an extraordinary number of calories during the actual workout, but it does offer benefits for fat loss. As you build muscle you metabolism and maintenance calories will increase, meaning that your BMR will increase and you will burn more calories at rest. Building muscle will improve your overall physic (if that’s what you like) it will make you look leaner without actually losing any body fat. Moreover preserving or increasing muscle mass during your fat loss quest is key and one way to do this is from weight lifting.

The role of Protein protecting muscle mass

The building block of muscles, becomes even more critical when in a calorie deficit and trying to preserve muscle mass. In the calorie deficit quest our bodies will prioritize energy preservation, unfortunately this means that muscle can be broken down for protein and energy. To counteract this prioritizing protein intake becomes paramount to burning fat, in fact, I would suggest you eat the same amount of protein, if not more when trying to burn fat.

Protein has a high satiety level which will help you on your quest as this will make you feel fuller and more satisfied for extended periods of times, curbing those hunger pangs.

This study discovered that eating below 1.3g of protein per kg of body weight while resistance training resulted in a loss of muscle mass. Increasing this anywhere between 1.8g and 4.8g of protein per kg of body weight maintained or increased muscle mass. So with this information I would aim for a minimum of 1.8g per kg, and increase this depending on how you feel. Going as high as 4.8g per kg seems extreme and may come with stomach problems. 

Burn fat and building muscle: Exploring the possibilities

The holy grail of burning fat while building muscle might not be as elusive as it seems. Promising research conducted by this study in 2016 suggests that achieving this dual feat is possible. The study used 40 males who engaged in resistance training and maintained a calorie deficit. The males were divided into two groups, one with high protein consumption and the other with low protein consumption. Surprisingly both groups managed to prevent muscle loss however, the high protein group displayed astonishing results, gaining on average 2.5 pounds of muscle while shedding more body fat than their low protein counterparts

The study provides encouraging results for those on their quest but, it is essential to consider that the participants in this study were untrained individuals and had the benefit of noob gains (rapid muscle growth at the initial stages of training).

This more recent study conducted in 2022 focused on trained individuals. The study confirmed that maintaining a high protein intake while resistance training during a calorie deficit left to either no muscle loss or minimal muscle loss.  

In a nutshell

While on your fat loss journey your fat cells do not disappear or magically transform into muscle. The fat cells simply deplete there energy reservoirs leaving the cells intact within your body. You have several options to experiment with to deplete these fat cells including caloric restriction, increasing Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT), engaging in cardio and weightlifting. Whichever option or combination you choose its essential to prioritize protein aiming for at least 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight to support muscle preservation.

For any people new to weightlifting, the magic of simultaneous fat loss and muscle building is achievable for you with a high protein diet. However for seasoned lifters the primary goal of your fat loss journey shifts to minimize muscle loss. So your journey requires a personalized approach, embracing the power of protein and resistance training to safeguard your hard earned muscles or, gaining some muscle for new lifters. By understanding your body and what you are consuming you can find your ideal balance.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9404652/

https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/79/1/66/5936522

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160127132741.htm

Lean mass sparing in resistance-trained athletes during caloric restriction: the role of resistance training volume | SpringerLink