{"id":2484,"date":"2022-04-19T05:48:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-19T05:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/?p=2484"},"modified":"2022-04-19T18:42:31","modified_gmt":"2022-04-19T18:42:31","slug":"the-ultimate-guide-to-losing-fat-and-gaining-muscle-at-the-exact-same-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/everything-else\/the-ultimate-guide-to-losing-fat-and-gaining-muscle-at-the-exact-same-time\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Losing Fat and Gaining Muscle (At the Exact Same Time)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611194 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/vader-punching-bag.jpg\" alt=\"Is Vader on the right track to lose fat and gain muscle? Let&#039;s find out!\" width=\"711\" height=\"364\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/vader-punching-bag.jpg 711w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/vader-punching-bag-300x154-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/vader-punching-bag-600x307-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 711px) 100vw, 711px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>There\u2019s an argument in the fitness world that you can either choose to lose fat OR gain muscle. <\/b><\/p>\n<p>That they just can\u2019t be done simultaneously.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To this, I say, \u201cHogwash!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>We have tons of success stories from our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">online coaching clients<\/a> who have been able to do both simultaneously:<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t<a target=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"cta-button yellow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tLet us help you build muscle and lose fat at the same time! Learn more:\t\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>And that\u2019s what we\u2019ll cover in today\u2019s guide!<\/b><\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;ll do so by discussing:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#what_is_body_recomposition\">What is body recomposition?<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#lose_fat_gain_muscle\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time (The Controversy)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#how_to_lose_fat\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to lose fat.<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#how_to_gain_muscle\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to gain muscle.<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#how_to_lose_fat_gain_muscle\"><b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to lose fat WHILE gaining muscle (The Science).<\/span><\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#tips_to_lose_fat_gain_muscle\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tips to lose body fat while gaining muscle.<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#eat_to_lose_fat_gain_muscle\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What should I eat to gain muscle and lose fat? (A Healthy Plate)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#continue_to_lose_fat_gain_muscle\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to tell if it\u2019s all working (Continuing to lose fat while gaining muscle).<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Plus, I have tons of sweet LEGO photos and silly gifs on their way, which is always a good time.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"more-2248\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><a name=\"what_is_body_recomposition\"><\/a>What&#8217;s Body Recomposition?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to Gain Muscle While Losing Fat\" width=\"950\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gH1mfO0CtSU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>As Coach Matt mentions in the video above, gaining muscle and losing fat simultaneously is called &#8220;body recomposition.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>So yes, the process is indeed possible, as long as you follow the right plan.<\/p>\n<p><em>&#8230;but you don&#8217;t have to take my word for it.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Just ask our friend Aksel here (who achieved an impressive body recomp with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">help of a NF Coach<\/a>):<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3900439\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/aksel-before-after.jpg\" alt=\"A side-by-side of Aksel&#039;s before and after\" width=\"559\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/aksel-before-after.jpg 929w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/aksel-before-after-300x300-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/aksel-before-after-599x600-1.jpg 599w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/aksel-before-after-150x150-1.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/aksel-before-after-768x769-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/aksel-before-after-610x611-1.jpg 610w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/aksel-before-after-600x601-1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/aksel-before-after-100x100-1.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/behind-the-scenes-of-aksels-unreal-transformation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more about his incredible story!<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>However, as I mentioned in the intro, <strong>you&#8217;ll often hear that losing fat while gaining muscle is impossible.<\/strong> The argument goes that you should just focus on one or the other, because doing both at once is destined to fail.<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s explore this claim.<\/p>\n<h2><b><a name=\"lose_fat_gain_muscle\"><\/a>Losing Fat and Gaining Muscle at the Same Time (The Controversy)<\/b><\/h2>\n<h2><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3860051\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-miners.jpg\" alt=\"This picture shows two LEGO miners, who don&#039;t have much to do with fast weight loss, but look cool.\" width=\"835\" height=\"401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-miners.jpg 2498w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-miners-300x144-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-miners-713x342-1.jpg 713w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-miners-768x369-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-miners-1536x737-1.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-miners-2048x983-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-miners-610x293-1.jpg 610w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-miners-600x288-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 835px) 100vw, 835px\" \/><\/h2>\n<p><b>To understand why losing fat while gaining muscle can be problematic, we need to explore both processes.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s consider the following points:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">To lose fat<\/span>, your body <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-many-calories-should-i-eat-every-day-a-look-at-total-daily-energy-expenditure-tdee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">needs to be in a caloric deficit<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This deficit forces your body to use pre-existing fat stores for fuel.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">To gain muscle<\/span>, your body needs to be in a caloric surplus. This surplus provides the energy your body requires to repair and build bigger muscles.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Given this, losing fat (caloric deficit) at the same time one is gaining muscle (caloric surplus) seems impossible.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, if we go a few steps deeper into the science, it IS possible!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611089\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Inconceivable.gif\" alt=\"A foe from the Prince Bride not believing you can lose fat while gaining muscle.\" width=\"457\" height=\"224\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To appreciate the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nuance here<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, let\u2019s get into some specifics on losing fat and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">gaining<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> muscle separately, and then we\u2019ll combine them. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"how_to_lose_fat\"><\/a>HOW DO YOU LOSE FAT?<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3876796\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/homer-simpson.jpg\" alt=\"a picture of Homer Simpson with Donut\" width=\"818\" height=\"366\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/homer-simpson.jpg 2506w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/homer-simpson-300x134-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/homer-simpson-713x319-1.jpg 713w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/homer-simpson-768x344-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/homer-simpson-1536x687-1.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/homer-simpson-2048x916-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/homer-simpson-600x268-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 818px) 100vw, 818px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>There is a simple answer and a slightly less simple answer when it comes to losing body fat. <\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The simple answer: \u201cconsume fewer calories than you expend or burn.\u201d<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-1\" id=\"refmark-1\"><sup>[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eight words, and one or two of those could probably be thrown out. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>When your body needs more calories than the amount you are eating, you are in a \u201ccaloric deficit.\u201d <\/b>Your body doesn\u2019t have the calories it needs as fuel, so it\u2019ll start breaking down parts of itself for its energy requirements<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>(If you&#8217;re curious, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-many-calories-should-i-eat-every-day-a-look-at-total-daily-energy-expenditure-tdee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">calculate your daily caloric needs here<\/a>).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hope is that your body will mostly pull from fat stores, though depending on how you are training it will also break down muscle too.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-2\" id=\"refmark-2\"><sup>[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Said again: when you are eating a caloric deficit, your body will pull from both its fat stores AND existing muscle for energy.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611092\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/surprised-monkey.gif\" alt=\"Yes, if you&#039;re not careful you can lose fat AND muscle while losing weight.\" width=\"437\" height=\"298\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Troubling indeed.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From a physique and health standpoint, obviously we\u2019d prefer that your body doesn\u2019t break down muscle when in a caloric deficit, and instead really focuses on using fat stores instead.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-3\" id=\"refmark-3\"><sup>[3]<\/sup><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>I make this point for a reason:<\/strong> your goal in fitness shouldn\u2019t only be \u201cweight loss,\u201d despite the common vernacular used.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Who cares what the scale says, right? <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611094\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/scale.gif\" alt=\"A scale can be misleading when you&#039;re trying to lose fat and gain muscle.\" width=\"463\" height=\"261\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>The goal instead is to reduce body fat while also keeping the muscle you have (or even building more muscle). <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That leads to a better physique and a healthier body. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is why there is a big market for devices that supposedly assess your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/body-fat-percentage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">body fat percentage<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By reducing your total fat on your body, OR increasing muscle mass, you\u2019ll end up with a lower body fat percentage (it\u2019s just a simple ratio of fat to everything else).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>And lower body fat percentages are where \u201ctoned arms\u201d and \u201c6-pack abs\u201d hang out.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611099\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/arnold-cut-out.gif\" alt=\"Arnold lost body fat and gained muscle to achieve his physique. And maybe some super glue.\" width=\"514\" height=\"289\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ll discuss tips on keeping and growing your muscle while in a calorie deficit later in this guide. For now, remember you need fewer calories \u201cin\u201d compared to calories \u201cout\u201d for weight loss to occur, from either fat stores or muscle. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may be asking, \u201cSteve, what\u2019s easier to do? Burn more calories or consume less?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good question.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Numbers will help tell the story:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> though this is a gross oversimplification &#8211; let&#8217;s use the &#8216;widely accepted&#8217; starting point of &#8220;3,500 calories equals roughly one pound of fat.&#8221;<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-4\" id=\"refmark-4\"><sup>[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to lose one pound &#8211; or half a kilogram &#8211; of body fat in a week (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/just-how-fast-can-i-get-the-body-i-want\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a worthy, sustainable goal for some<\/a>), you need to create a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Your options to create this caloric deficit include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consuming 500 fewer calories<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Burning 500 more calories<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A combination of the two<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Which is easier?<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Here are both halves of that equation. 500 calories equals: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The number of calories found in a Big Gulp of Mountain Dew.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An estimate of the calories required to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/running-properly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">run five miles<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611107\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/batman-surprised.gif\" alt=\"Yes, you will have to run for a long time to burn 500 calories. \" width=\"364\" height=\"215\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yep.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to maintaining a caloric deficit, it really comes down to diet. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">significantly more effective and time-efficient to consume 500 fewer calories<\/span> than it is to burn 500 additional calories.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As Time magazine controversially pointed out &#8211; with tons of cited studies &#8211; \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/content.time.com\/time\/subscriber\/article\/0,33009,1914974-1,00.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">exercise alone won\u2019t make you thin<\/a>.\u201d It\u2019s too easy to add more calories in, and requires too much work to effectively influence \u201ccalories out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>We dig into this in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/what-is-the-cico-diet-how-to-count-calories-for-weight-loss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">guide to The CICO Diet<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><b>This brings us to our slightly less simple answer on getting in shape: <\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>To lose body fat, you need to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/healthy-eating\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">watch what you eat<\/a>, and do so in a sustainable way. <\/b><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here at Nerd Fitness, we are firm believers that 80-90% of the fat-loss equation comes down to diet (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/about-2\/rules-of-the-rebellion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">check out Rule # 4<\/a>). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s another idea we focus on: EAT MOSTLY UNPROCESSED FOOD.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-5\" id=\"refmark-5\"><sup>[5]<\/sup><\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3602602\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/real-food.gif\" alt=\"These image shows some real food, critical if you&#039;re trying to lose body fat.\" width=\"412\" height=\"309\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts are all great examples.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These foods are very nutrient-dense and often low in calories compared to their processed counterparts. Which means you get filled up without overeating. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win-win-win.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have you ever seen the difference between 200 calories of broccoli and 200 calories of a bagel? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisegeek.com\/what-does-200-calories-look-like.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WiseGEEK<\/a> does a great job of displaying this, so we\u2019ll borrow a couple of their photos.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>200 calories of broccoli:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3574949 \" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/what-200-calories-look-like-food-broccoli.jpg\" alt=\"A pic of 200 calories of broccoli\" width=\"605\" height=\"403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/what-200-calories-look-like-food-broccoli.jpg 605w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/what-200-calories-look-like-food-broccoli-300x200-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/what-200-calories-look-like-food-broccoli-600x400-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 605px) 100vw, 605px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>200 calories of a bagel:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611209 \" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/200-calories-of-bagel-713x474-1.png\" alt=\"This picture shows you 200 calories worth of a bagel, which is about 2\/3 of one.\" width=\"605\" height=\"402\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/200-calories-of-bagel-713x474-1.png 713w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/200-calories-of-bagel-300x200-1.png 300w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/200-calories-of-bagel-768x511-1.png 768w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/200-calories-of-bagel-600x399-1.png 600w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/200-calories-of-bagel.png 780w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 605px) 100vw, 605px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>That\u2019s why REAL food is the answer to creating a sustainable caloric deficit. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most people can eat an entire bagel, no problem. Plates of broccoli, with all of the fiber, are much tougher to overeat. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>We lay it all out in our <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisegeek.com\/what-does-200-calories-look-like.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Beginner\u2019s Guide to Healthy Eating<\/a><\/em>.<\/strong> It\u2019ll provide tips on how to gradually create habits that get you to a \u201cREAL food\u201d way of eating, including proper portion sizes, tips on batch cooking, and a cameo from Winnie the Pooh.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3577078\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/getting-ready-to-eat.gif\" alt=\"Pooh knows that to lose fat and gain muscle, he really needs to cool it with all the honey.\" width=\"320\" height=\"271\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With all of this, we advise you to take it slow, so new habits of healthy eating become permanent. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Something you can do for the rest of your life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>It\u2019s a strategy we work closely with our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">coaching clients<\/a> on:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> small <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nutritional<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> adjustments they feel comfortable making. It\u2019s how some of them have been able to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-emily-started-picking-up-barbells-learned-to-meal-plan-and-lost-65-pounds\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">lose 50-100 pounds<\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t<a target=\"\" href=\"\/coaching-overview-page\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"cta-button yellow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tYour own Nerd Fitness Coach will find you a nutritional strategy that works for you. Learn more:\t\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Let me explain again: what you eat will be 80%-90% of the equation for losing body fat. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The other 10-20%? Exercise. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course it\u2019s exercise. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That&#8217;s a pretty good segue into&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"how_to_gain_muscle\"><\/a>HOW DO YOU GAIN MUSCLE?<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3876801\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/hulk-toy.jpg\" alt=\"Toy Hulk and the wilds trunks of huge plants\" width=\"1017\" height=\"343\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/hulk-toy.jpg 2508w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/hulk-toy-300x101-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/hulk-toy-713x240-1.jpg 713w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/hulk-toy-768x259-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/hulk-toy-1536x518-1.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/hulk-toy-2048x690-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/hulk-toy-600x202-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1017px) 100vw, 1017px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you want to build muscle, you\u2019ll have to lift heavy things and ensure that your body has enough calories and protein to adapt by building more muscle.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/the-beginners-guide-to-building-muscle-and-strength\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Beginner\u2019s Guide to Building Muscle and Strength<\/a>, I summarize it as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lift heavy things<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eat a diet based on your goals<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rest so your body can recover<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Let\u2019s chat about each one quickly.<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><b>#1) Lift heavy things<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>I will always be on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/strength-training-101\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Team Strength Training<\/a>.<\/strong> If you\u2019re looking to build muscle, you\u2019re gonna need to lift heavy things.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3581841\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/muppet-strength-training.gif\" alt=\"This Muppet knows strength training will help him gain muscle and lose fat.\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you lift an object (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">or your own bodyweight<\/a>) enough times, your muscles reach the point of failure. This causes your muscles to tear and breakdown. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When your muscle rebuilds itself following the workout, it\u2019ll be bigger and stronger than before. Then you do it again. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And again. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And again. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As long as you are eating enough to rebuild your muscle, you\u2019ll get stronger!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not sure where to start on a Strength Training practice? No problem! You can download our free guide <\/span><strong><i>Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know<\/i><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> when you join the Rebellion (our free community) below:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup-leadin\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup one-column split yellow-cta strength-101 shortcode-form-13 \">\n<div class=\"nf-signup-intro\">\n<div><span style=\"font-weight:700\"><span class=\"pre\">Download our comprehensive guide<\/span> <span class=\"extra\">STRENGTH TRAINING 101!<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-signup-benefit\">\n<ul>\n<li>Everything you need to know about getting strong.<\/li>\n<li>Workout routines for bodyweight AND weight training.<\/li>\n<li>How to find the right gym and train properly in one.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-signup-form\"><img class=\"asset-image\" src=\"&gt;\" \/><\/p>\n<form accept-charset=\"UTF-8\" action=\"https:\/\/tv329.infusionsoft.com\/app\/form\/process\/12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\" class=\"infusion-form\" method=\"POST\" id=\"inf_form_12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\"><input name=\"inf_form_xid\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\" \/><input name=\"inf_form_name\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"Plugin Signup\" \/><input name=\"infusionsoft_version\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"1.68.0.144\" \/><input class=\"infusion-field-input-container\" id=\"inf_field_Email\" name=\"inf_field_Email\" type=\"email\" required placeholder=\"Your Email\" \/><input name=\"null\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"null\" \/><input style=\"display:none;\" class=\"infusion-field-input-container\" id=\"inf_custom_SiteSignupURL\" name=\"inf_custom_SiteSignupURL\" type=\"text\" value=\"http:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/feed\/\" \/><input style=\"display:none;\" class=\"infusion-field-input-container\" id=\"inf_custom_SignupPostID\" name=\"inf_custom_SignupPostID\" type=\"text\" value=\"2248\" \/>\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CoachingOriginURL\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/feed\/\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CoachingOriginLandingPage\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_IPAddress\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"209.126.87.123\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastMedium\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastCampaign\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastSource\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastTerm\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastContent\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CoachingOptinFormFilledDate\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"2022-04-19 17:02:30\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_infcustomcoachvariation\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_FacebookBrowserId\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_FacebookClickId\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"infusion-submit\">\t<input class=\"opt-in-submit button infusion-recaptcha\" id=\"recaptcha_12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\" type=\"submit\" value=\" Get it now\" \/><\/div>\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"clearme\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>#2) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/paleo-keto-slow-carb-vegan-how-to-determine-the-perfect-diet-for-you\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Eat a diet based on your goals<\/a><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because your muscle needs to be rebuilt after exercise, the calories are gonna need to come from somewhere. I\u2019ll talk a lot about proper diet in the next section (with a Harry Potter analogy), so I won\u2019t spend too much time on it here. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Just know that eating the right quantity of foods will be a big part of gaining muscle. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><b>#3) Rest<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Your body rebuilds itself while you sleep, so make sure you get <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/are-you-making-these-mistakes-with-your-sleep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">plenty of rest each night<\/a>.<\/strong> I\u2019m talking 7-8+ hours. This will help ensure your body has the time it needs to grow stronger. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re strength training and only getting 6 hours of sleep a night or less, you\u2019re really doing yourself a disservice. Go to bed!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611115\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/donald-sleeping.gif\" alt=\"Donald knows he has to get plenty of rest to grow muscle. If only that sink would stop dripping.\" width=\"292\" height=\"219\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>That\u2019s the short gist of how to build strength: challenge your muscles, eat well, and get some rest.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s narrow in on our second point, \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eat a diet based on your goals<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u201d It\u2019ll become very important when balancing both losing body fat and gaining muscle. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To do that properly, grab your owl, and let\u2019s chat about Hogwarts. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><a name=\"how_to_lose_fat_gain_muscle\"><\/a>How to Lose Fat WHILE Gaining Muscle (The Science)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3876835\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/microscope.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up shot of microscope with metal lens at laboratory.\" width=\"688\" height=\"356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/microscope.jpg 2508w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/microscope-300x155-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/microscope-713x369-1.jpg 713w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/microscope-768x397-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/microscope-1536x795-1.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/microscope-2048x1060-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/microscope-600x311-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 688px) 100vw, 688px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>To answer the question of losing body fat and gaining muscle at the same time, I\u2019d like to introduce an analogy from the world of Harry Potter.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recall the \u201cSorting Hat:\u201d The Sorting Hat\u2019s job was to determine which of the four houses kids will call their home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3495563 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/gryffindor.gif\" alt=\"The sorting hat will help us tell the story on calories and losing fat.\" width=\"400\" height=\"162\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s almost like a traffic director: \u201cHarry, you will go to Gryffindor! Draco, you will go to Slytherin!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Your body operates on a VERY similar operation: every day it receives new calories (when you eat), and it needs to decide what to do with them! <\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example: <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You eat a chicken parm sub with fries and a 20-ounce soda. Your body then has to know where to route all those calories.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>To keep things simple, it has three choices. It\u2019ll sort those calories into one of three houses:<\/b><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-6\" id=\"refmark-6\"><sup>[6]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A. Burn for Fuel.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">B. Rebuild Muscle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">C. Store as Fat. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Right now, when you eat food, your body sorts most of those calories into \u201cBurn for Fuel.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>There\u2019s a number of calories your body needs each day just existing:<\/strong> to keep your liver functioning, your heart pumping, your brain operating, to regulate your body temperature, and so on &#8211; it burns a good chunk of calories just keeping the lights on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3595570\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/heart-pumping.gif\" alt=\"A beating heart requires calories, which factors into your calorie needs.\" width=\"491\" height=\"321\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is your \u201cBasal Metabolic Rate\u201d which you can calculate for yourself in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-many-calories-should-i-eat-every-day-a-look-at-total-daily-energy-expenditure-tdee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">TDEE calculator<\/a>.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s also \u201cB. Rebuild as Muscle\u201d and \u201cC. Store as Fat,\u201d which I devoted entire sections to above. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>This is where the problems arise:<\/b> When you overeat calories and your body doesn\u2019t need anymore to fuel itself, it takes those extra calories and stores them as fat.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, our goal is the OPPOSITE of this. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We want to keep the muscle we have (or grow it) while getting rid of the fat! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>So let\u2019s imagine a scenario where we pull all this together\u00a0by strength training heavy AND reducing our caloric intake: <\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You strength train regularly, and your muscles break down and need to be rebuilt.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don\u2019t consume enough calories to both rebuild muscle and fuel itself. There&#8217;s not enough to go into the \u201cBurn for Fuel\u201d and \u201cRebuild Muscle\u201d houses. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does your body just shut down?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NOPE!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611117\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/dog-surprised.gif\" alt=\"Yep, if you have fat on you your body will pull from it to take care of its needs.\" width=\"272\" height=\"290\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your body has been preparing for this, by storing any excess calories over the years in the \u201cStore as Fat\u201d house. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This means your body can pull from \u201cStore as Fat\u201d to make sure all the work still gets done, including your daily functions as a human and rebuilding the muscle you tore apart.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Said another way: <\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>If you have fat stores (and we all do), you do not need to be in a \u201ccaloric surplus\u201d to rebuild muscle.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The calories stored in your fat cells act as this required energy. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>There is also evidence that muscle can even be <i>grown <\/i>while in a caloric<\/strong> deficit.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-7\" id=\"refmark-7\"><sup>[7]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meaning bigger muscles with a lower belt size.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-8\" id=\"refmark-8\"><sup>[8]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611122\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/dog-happy.gif\" alt=\"This dog just found out it&#039;s possible to both lose fat AND gain muscle.\" width=\"282\" height=\"159\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, if you want to skip all the experimentation and trial and error, you can have a Nerd Fitness Coach do all the heavy lifting for you (not really, you\u2019ll still need to work out).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t<a target=\"\" href=\"\/coaching-overview-page\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"cta-button red\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tYour Nerd Fitness Coach will build you a custom plan to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. Learn more here!\t\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"tips_to_lose_fat_gain_muscle\"><\/a>TIPS TO LOSE BODY FAT WHILE GAINING MUSCLE<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3876871\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/superheros.jpg\" alt=\"Superhero Couple. Male and female superheroes. Cloudy sky. \" width=\"662\" height=\"396\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/superheros.jpg 2025w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/superheros-300x180-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/superheros-713x427-1.jpg 713w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/superheros-768x460-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/superheros-1536x919-1.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/superheros-600x359-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 662px) 100vw, 662px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Let\u2019s bring this all together and create some actionable steps to losing body fat and building muscle at the same time.<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><b>#1) Sustain a caloric deficit while eating enough protein<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><strong>You need your body to burn more calories than you consume, and also provide your body with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-much-protein-do-i-need-to-eat-every-day-protein-101-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">enough protein<\/a> to rebuild its muscle.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can only lose fat if you\u2019re in a calorie deficit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611184\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/downward-arrow.gif\" alt=\"You need to reduce your calories and be in a deficit if your goal is to lose fat.\" width=\"460\" height=\"232\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Remember the Sorting Hat analogy: <\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re eating too much, your excess calories are being sent to the \u201cStore as Fat\u201d house. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We want to pull from this house instead. So eat less than you burn consistently.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>To help here, I have 3 resources for you: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/healthy-eating\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Beginner\u2019s Guide to Healthy Eating<\/a><\/strong>. If you want tips and tricks to create habits based on REAL food, that guide will help get you there.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>\u201c<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/paleo-keto-slow-carb-vegan-how-to-determine-the-perfect-diet-for-you\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Determining the Perfect Diet for You<\/a><\/strong>.\u201d I talk about the benefits of creating a Mental Model on nutrition like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/a-beginners-guide-to-intermittent-fasting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Intermittent Fasting<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/the-beginners-guide-to-the-paleo-diet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Paleo<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/the-beginners-guide-to-the-keto-diet-or-ketogenic-diet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Keto<\/a> (or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/the-paleo-diet-vs-keto-diet-3-lessons-learned\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Paleolithic Ketogenic<\/a>) to help navigate all the food choices you need to make.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/what-is-the-cico-diet-how-to-count-calories-for-weight-loss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Count calories<\/b><\/a>: <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This means learning your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-many-calories-should-i-eat-every-day-a-look-at-total-daily-energy-expenditure-tdee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">total daily energy expenditure<\/a>, and tracking your other calories through an app (and\/or weighing your food).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don\u2019t have to follow some predetermined blueprint like \u201clow-carb.\u201d You can create your own diet (which is what I do). Learn all about it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/paleo-keto-slow-carb-vegan-how-to-determine-the-perfect-diet-for-you\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">right here<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>#2) Strength train<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you could sell a pill that could be prescribed to every single person on Earth to make them healthier, it would look something like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/strength-training-101\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a strength training routine<\/a>\u00a0in a bottle. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3581189\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/batman-push-up.gif\" alt=\"A one arm push-up can help you lose fat and build muscle, but maybe start with regular push-ups first.\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is one of the best things you can do for your body.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-9\" id=\"refmark-9\"><sup>[9]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>And really, if you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/the-beginners-guide-to-building-muscle-and-strength\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">want to build muscle<\/a>, you\u2019re gonna need to lift something! Either weights or your own bodyweight.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to challenge your muscles in order for them to get stronger. Now, as we discuss in our article on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/the-correct-number-of-reps-per-set-in-the-gym\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">correct number of reps and sets<\/a>, there are multiple ways to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>To build muscle:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Lift lighter weights for lots of reps. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Lift really heavy with fewer reps.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The important thing:<\/strong> pick a strategy and get started.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611182\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/my-girl-lets-go.gif\" alt=\"Vada is ready to strength train! And torment her Dad&#039;s GF.\" width=\"383\" height=\"289\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are 3 paths forward: <\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a beginner bodyweight workout<\/a>. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Follow one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/strength-training-101-where-do-i-start\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">5 Beginner Strength Training Routines<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go through our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/a-beginners-guide-to-the-gym-everything-you-need-to-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">6 Level Gym Workouts<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>To recap:<\/strong> if you train heavy and eat a caloric deficit, your body will pull from its fat stores to both fuel itself and potentially also build muscle. This is a double whammy of AWESOME.<\/p>\n<h3><b>#3) Prioritize protein<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Outside of being in a caloric deficit and lifting weights (or yourself), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/protein-shakes-for-newbies-what-to-buy-when-to-drink\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">eating enough protein<\/a> is one of the key components of both losing body fat and building muscle. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Protein is the number one nutrient for creating new tissue.<\/strong><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-10\" id=\"refmark-10\"><sup>[10]<\/sup><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3568727\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/sponge-bob-ripped.gif\" alt=\"Sponge Bob knows how to build muscle and strength.\" width=\"379\" height=\"253\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So when you cut out calories to create a caloric deficit, don\u2019t cut them from protein sources. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studies have shown that participants can gain muscle, even while in a caloric deficit, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">as long as they eat enough protein<\/span>.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-11\" id=\"refmark-11\"><sup>[11]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>It\u2019s important enough that I\u2019ll say it again:<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don\u2019t want your body cannibalizing its muscles while you are in a caloric deficit, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">you need to eat plenty of protein<\/span>.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-12\" id=\"refmark-12\"><sup>[12]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>How much protein?<\/strong> <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we point out in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/protein-shakes-for-newbies-what-to-buy-when-to-drink\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Guide to Protein<\/a>, roughly 1 gram for every pound of your weight, with an upper limit of 250 grams.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-13\" id=\"refmark-13\"><sup>[13]<\/sup><\/a> Or two grams for every kilogram if you are on the metric system. This means:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you weigh 300 pounds (136 kg), eat 250g of protein.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you weigh 250 pounds (113 kg), eat 250g of protein.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you weigh 200 pounds (91 kg), eat 200g of protein.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you weigh 180 pounds (82 kg), eat 180g of protein.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The gist: don\u2019t skip out on protein. It should be on your plate for every meal (we\u2019ll show you exactly how much in the next section).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>If these generalized recommendations stress you out, and you want to know exactly what to do, we can help! <\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019ll remind you of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nerd Fitness Coaching<\/a>, where we\u00a0help clients lose body fat, gain muscle, and level up their lives. We provide tailored and specific recommendations based on your body and lifestyle, plus accountability and mindset changes to help ensure your new habits stick.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"no-border aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/coach-ad-11.png\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery1\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b><a name=\"eat_to_lose_fat_gain_muscle\"><\/a>WHAT SHOULD I EAT TO LOSE FAT AND GAIN MUSCLE?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3876873\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/dino-birthday-cake.jpg\" alt=\"Toy Dinosaur holding a fork next to a slice of birthday cake on a blue background.\" width=\"681\" height=\"356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/dino-birthday-cake.jpg 1845w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/dino-birthday-cake-300x157-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/dino-birthday-cake-713x373-1.jpg 713w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/dino-birthday-cake-768x402-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/dino-birthday-cake-1536x803-1.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/dino-birthday-cake-600x314-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 681px) 100vw, 681px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Remember, your eating strategy needs to include two points to lose fat while gaining muscle:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sustain a caloric <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">deficit<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prioritize protein so you can build muscle even while in a deficit.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may be thinking, \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s all well and good Steve, but what\u2019s that actually look like?<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It looks like this!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3606758\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/healthy-eating-plate-713x561-1.png\" alt=\"If your meal plate looks like this, you&#039;re doing great!\" width=\"713\" height=\"561\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/healthy-eating-plate-713x561-1.png 713w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/healthy-eating-plate-300x236-1.png 300w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/healthy-eating-plate-600x473-1.png 600w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/healthy-eating-plate.png 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taken from our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/healthy-eating\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Guide to Start Eating Healthy<\/a>, <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which I really want you to read.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>The plate is composed of the following:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1-2 servings of protein (\u00bc of plate)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 servings of vegetables (\u00bd of plate)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 serving potatoes, rice, or pasta. (1\/4th of plate)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 serving of fat (size of your thumb)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 zero calorie or low calorie beverage (water, diet soda, tea)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By sticking to our Healthy Plate strategy above, you\u2019ll focus on \u201cREAL food,\u201d which will help you maintain a caloric deficit over time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s hone in on protein for a moment, because it\u2019s the critical piece for \u201cbuilding muscle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Protein can come from any number of sources, including:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meat (steak, bison, pork).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eggs!<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-14\" id=\"refmark-14\"><sup>[14]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fish and shellfish (salmon, tuna, shrimp).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legumes (black beans, chickpeas).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not a meat-eater? Read our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-to-eat-a-plant-based-diet-a-scientific-look-at-going-vegan-safely\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">massive plant-based guide<\/a>!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>A serving of protein is about the size and thickness of your palm.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3610479 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/protein-serving-size-713x475-1.png\" alt=\"A serving of protein should be about the size of your palm, like so.\" width=\"713\" height=\"475\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/protein-serving-size-713x475-1.png 713w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/protein-serving-size-300x200-1.png 300w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/protein-serving-size-600x400-1.png 600w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/protein-serving-size.png 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>*The 4 oz serving is for an uncooked piece of meat. Cooking reduces about 25% of the weight, bringing it down to about 3 oz.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><b>If you\u2019re curious, here\u2019s how much protein is in a serving of food:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4 oz (113 g) serving of chicken has around 30 g of protein.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4 oz (113 g) serving of salmon has 23 g of protein<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4 oz (113 g) of steak has 28 g of protein.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While all of the Healthy Plate above is important, I want you to pay extra attention to your protein intake since we are trying to build muscle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re having trouble making your protein intake goals, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/protein-shakes-for-newbies-what-to-buy-when-to-drink\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Guide on Protein Supplements<\/a> for some tips and tricks to up your intake, including some awesome smoothie recipes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the exact strategy I followed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/losing-the-last-20-pounds-7-lessons-learned-while-still-eating-carbs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">lose 22 pounds and get to single-digit bodyfat percentage<\/a> WHILE building muscle:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lift super heavy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eat LOTS of protein.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduce carb and fat intake.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>If you are NOT losing weight, it means you are still eating too many calories.<\/strong> Keep your protein intake high, and reduce your fat and carbohydrate intake.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I cover this in greater detail in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/why-cant-i-lose-weight-heres-the-truth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u201cwhy can\u2019t I lose weight?\u201d guide<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eventually, you\u2019ll reach a status where there just isn\u2019t enough fat on you to help with \u201cRebuild Muscle.\u201d At this stage, you can no longer stay with a caloric deficit. You\u2019ll need to flip to a slight \u201ccaloric surplus\u201d to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/the-beginners-guide-to-building-muscle-and-strength\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">build more muscle<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Which means you\u2019ll have to eat more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3611175\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/turtle-eating.gif\" alt=\"Like this turtle, you may reach a point where you have to eat more to gain muscle.\" width=\"450\" height=\"253\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s debatable when this will actually occur, and we are all different. Reaching 8% body fat for men and 16% body fat for women is a good place to start.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>I talk about this extensively in our guide &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/the-beginners-guide-to-building-muscle-and-strength\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How to Build Muscle<\/a>.&#8221; <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It covers ways to increase your calories for muscle gain, from eating plentiful amounts of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/the-beginners-guide-to-the-paleo-diet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Paleo foods<\/a> to drinking enough milk to make Santa Clause jealous.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611176\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/santa-milk.gif\" alt=\"Santa is drinking milk to put on some muscle. The cookies are just because he likes them.\" width=\"339\" height=\"339\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Go check it out if you&#8217;ve been having trouble putting on muscle.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I want to stress that if you are lifting heavy, and not gaining muscle, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">diet is likely the culprit<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was my problem for years, and I\u2019ve seen it amongst countless readers of Nerd Fitness who have trouble gaining muscle. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>If you want an expert who will tell you exactly when to eat more or less, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">1-on-1 Online Coaching Program<\/a>.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t<a target=\"\" href=\"\/coaching-overview-page\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"cta-button red\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tLet your Nerd Fitness Coach calculate exactly how much to eat to reach your goals. Learn more!\t\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"continue_to_lose_fat_gain_muscle\"><\/a>HOW TO TELL IF IT\u2019S ALL WORKING <b>(Continuing to Lose Fat While Gaining Muscle)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611214 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/youth-jumping-713x475-1.jpg\" alt=\"Now you&#039;re ready to start losing fat and gaining muscle!\" width=\"713\" height=\"475\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/youth-jumping-713x475-1.jpg 713w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/youth-jumping-300x200-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/youth-jumping-768x512-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/youth-jumping-600x400-1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/youth-jumping.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>If you&#8217;re trying to improve something, it\u2019s important to track it. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This also holds true of body composition.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most people do this by jumping on the scale. This can be \u201cokay,\u201d but it\u2019s only going to tell part of the story. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re building muscle while losing fat, the scale might not go down. You might even weigh more! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite weighing more, you could potentially have a better physique.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611177\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/breakfast-club.gif\" alt=\"Don&#039;t just look at the scale. You might have lost bodyfat and gained muscle, but the scale won&#039;t show it!\" width=\"414\" height=\"235\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>That\u2019s why in addition to jumping on the scale, I would also encourage you to take progress photos. <\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take front and side photos in your mirror, wearing underwear or a bathing suit. Each week, take new photos, and record the number on the scale under the same scenario. Two forms of tracking here allow us to get the full picture. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The scale sometimes lies!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you eat for a caloric deficit, strength train, and prioritize protein, see what happens. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may find yourself losing some fat and gaining muscle. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>If not, track each category:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Are you really in a caloric deficit?<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-many-calories-should-i-eat-every-day-a-look-at-total-daily-energy-expenditure-tdee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Track your calories to find out<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/strength-training-101\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Are you lifting enough<\/a>?<\/strong> Perform resistance training consistently and track your workouts to determine whether or not you\u2019re progressing via increased weight or repetitions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Are you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/protein-shakes-for-newbies-what-to-buy-when-to-drink\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">prioritizing protein in your meals<\/a>?<\/strong> Track your macronutrient breakdown each time you eat.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data can help tell the story.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3611215 \" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/data-star-trek.gif\" alt=\"Data and numbers will help you know if you&#039;re losing fat and gaining muscle. Numbers, not the robot.\" width=\"374\" height=\"335\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8230;I was thinking of detailed notes. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But an android would be helpful too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oftentimes if you\u2019re not seeing desired results, notes and record-keeping can help point us in the direction to make adjustments. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Test your assumptions if things don\u2019t appear to be on track. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-to-track-progress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Guide on Tracking Fitness Progress<\/a> for you to learn more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The tips outlined above will get you started losing fat while building muscle, but if you\u2019re looking to go a bit further\u2026<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>#1) If you want step-by-step guidance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on how to lose weight, eat better, and get stronger, check out our killer <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1-on-1 coaching program<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t<a target=\"\" href=\"\/coaching-overview-page\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"cta-button yellow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tHave a Nerd Fitness Coach design you a plan to build muscle and lose fat!\t\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>#2) If you want an exact blueprint for getting in shape, check out NF Journey. <\/b>Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).<\/p>\n<p>Try your free trial right here:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup-leadin\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup\" style=\"background: none; border: none;\">\n\t\t\t\t<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/click.nerdfitness.com\/8BxQ\/a0e2674e\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"desktop-show mobile-hide\" style=\"margin-left:auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/NF_Journey_BodyweightWorkout_Desktop_V1A.jpg\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"desktop-hide mobile-show\" src=\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/NF_Journey_BodyweightWorkout_Mobile_v1A.jpg\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><b>#3) Enlist in the Rebellion! <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We have a free email newsletter that we send out twice per week, full of tips and tricks to help you get healthy, get strong, and have fun doing so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019ll also send you tons of free guides that you can use to start leveling up your life too:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup-leadin\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup one-column split yellow-cta nf-diet  shortcode-form-14 \">\n<div class=\"nf-signup-intro\">\n<div><span style=\"font-weight:700\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"title-first\">Download our free weight loss guide<\/div>\n<div class=\"title-second\">THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-signup-benefit\">\n<ul>\n<li>Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace<\/li>\n<li>What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating<\/li>\n<li>3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-signup-form\"><img class=\"asset-image\" src=\"&gt;\" \/><\/p>\n<form accept-charset=\"UTF-8\" action=\"https:\/\/tv329.infusionsoft.com\/app\/form\/process\/12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\" class=\"infusion-form\" method=\"POST\" id=\"inf_form_12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\"><input name=\"inf_form_xid\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\" \/><input name=\"inf_form_name\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"Plugin Signup\" \/><input name=\"infusionsoft_version\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"1.68.0.144\" \/><input class=\"infusion-field-input-container\" id=\"inf_field_Email\" name=\"inf_field_Email\" type=\"email\" required placeholder=\"Your Email\" \/><input name=\"null\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"null\" \/><input style=\"display:none;\" class=\"infusion-field-input-container\" id=\"inf_custom_SiteSignupURL\" name=\"inf_custom_SiteSignupURL\" type=\"text\" value=\"http:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/feed\/\" \/><input style=\"display:none;\" class=\"infusion-field-input-container\" id=\"inf_custom_SignupPostID\" name=\"inf_custom_SignupPostID\" type=\"text\" value=\"2248\" \/>\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CoachingOriginURL\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/feed\/\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CoachingOriginLandingPage\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_IPAddress\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"209.126.87.123\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastMedium\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastCampaign\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastSource\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastTerm\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastContent\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CoachingOptinFormFilledDate\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"2022-04-19 17:02:30\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_infcustomcoachvariation\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_FacebookBrowserId\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_FacebookClickId\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"infusion-submit\">\t<input class=\"opt-in-submit button infusion-recaptcha\" id=\"recaptcha_12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\" type=\"submit\" value=\" Get It Now\" \/><\/div>\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"clearme\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Alright, I think that about does it for this guide.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did I miss anything? Do you have any tips and tricks when it comes to shedding body fat and building muscle? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Share it with us!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>-Steve,<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>PS: Make sure you read the rest of the articles in our \u201cHow to Lose Weight 101\u201d Series!<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/healthy-eating\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Beginner\u2019s Guide to Healthy Eating<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/why-cant-i-lose-weight-heres-the-truth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why Can\u2019t I Lose Weight?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-many-calories-should-i-eat-every-day-a-look-at-total-daily-energy-expenditure-tdee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Many Calories Should I Eat? (Our TDEE Calorie Calculator)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/paleo-keto-slow-carb-vegan-how-to-determine-the-perfect-diet-for-you\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s the Perfect Diet for Me?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>###<\/p>\n<p>All photo sources are right here: <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/23950335@N07\/6032357954\/in\/photolist-b75E9M-as6W75-9pbzs7-ac4pRC-a3PUAh-pEwAoG-4CmS95-5VM4ut-cMmSiY-cMmT8y-cLX2AC-cMmQa1-cLWF2Y-cLVATd-cMmRSb-cMmUSA-cLU6Fu-cMmVG9-cMmLM1-cMmNm7-cMmPFm-cMmKe7-cMmMjm-cMmGRj-cMmTvL-cMmHg9-cMmQzS-cMmKCh-cLVgTN-3QW3Gj\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Venting Off<\/a>, Ekaterina Minaeva \u00a9 123RF.com, czgur \u00a9 123RF.com, morethanl8ve \u00a9 123RF.com, \u041a\u043e\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043d\u0442\u0438\u043d \u041a\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432 \u00a9 123RF.com, Maxim Maksutov \u00a9 123RF.com, Julianna Funk \u00a9 123RF.com, <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/en\/youth-active-jump-happy-sunrise-570881\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">jump<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"footnote-list\" style=\"display:none;\"><span id=\"fn-heading\">Footnotes<\/span> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;( returns to text)<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"footnote-1\" class=\"fn-text\">Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/18025815\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this study<\/a> on energy deficits and fat loss.<a href=\"#refmark-1\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-2\" class=\"fn-text\">You can read a study on calorie deficits causing muscle loss <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/28507015\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">right here<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/17075583\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-2\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-3\" class=\"fn-text\">Here\u2019s a study on the importance of lean muscle <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4889643\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">right here<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-3\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-4\" class=\"fn-text\">3,500 calories in a pound of fat was determined in <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ajcn\/article-abstract\/6\/5\/542\/4729975?redirectedFrom=PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this 1958 report<\/a>, although as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.todaysdietitian.com\/newarchives\/111114p36.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Today&#8217;s Dietitian<\/a> points out, it&#8217;s likely more complicated than that. However, it&#8217;ll work for our intent and purpose.<a href=\"#refmark-4\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-5\" class=\"fn-text\">People are far more likely to over-consume ultra-processed foods due to their palatability, and as such, we should be consuming them in smaller quantities with less frequency if we\u2019re looking to lose weight. For more, read &#8220;Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake.&#8221; Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31105044\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PubMed<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-5\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-6\" class=\"fn-text\">Technically, there&#8217;s a fourth with &#8220;Store as Glycogen,&#8221; but we can skip that for now.<a href=\"#refmark-6\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-7\" class=\"fn-text\">You can read <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21558571\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this study<\/a> for more. Although it should be said that if you\u2019re already relatively lean, and have been lifting weights for a while, you may not grow much muscle in a deficit.<a href=\"#refmark-7\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-8\" class=\"fn-text\">Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/19997019\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this interesting<\/a> study on gaining muscle while in a caloric deficit. It should be noted that the participants drank milk. We\u2019ll touch on macronutrient breakdown being key to muscle growth below.<a href=\"#refmark-8\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-9\" class=\"fn-text\">A study on resistance training benefits can be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/9309627\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">read here<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-9\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-10\" class=\"fn-text\">You can check out <a href=\"https:\/\/jissn.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/1550-2783-9-42\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this report<\/a> for a look at protein intake and muscle growth.<a href=\"#refmark-10\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-11\" class=\"fn-text\">That study on protein and muscle gain is right <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/26817506\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here.<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"#refmark-11\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-12\" class=\"fn-text\">Here\u2019s a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/25169440\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">systematic review<\/a> on protein being critical for muscle retention. You can also check out these studies <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/19927027\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/24092765\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/23446962\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-12\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-13\" class=\"fn-text\">Here\u2019s an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/29497353\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">interesting study<\/a> on protein and muscle growth.<a href=\"#refmark-13\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-14\" class=\"fn-text\">Dietary cholesterol <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6024687\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">doesn\u2019t increase health risk<\/a> as much as conventional wisdom once thought. Go ahead and eat eggs!<a href=\"#refmark-14\"><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/lose-weight-and-build-muscle-or-do-one-then-the-other\/\">The Ultimate Guide to Losing Fat and Gaining Muscle (At the Exact Same Time)<\/a> first appeared on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\">Nerd Fitness<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There\u2019s an argument in the fitness world that you can either choose to lose fat OR gain muscle. That they just can\u2019t be done simultaneously. To this, I say, \u201cHogwash!\u201d We have tons of success stories from our online coaching clients who have been able to do both simultaneously: And that\u2019s what we\u2019ll cover in [\u2026]<br \/>\nThe post The Ultimate Guide to Losing Fat and Gaining Muscle (At the Exact Same Time) first appeared on Nerd Fitness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2486,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":""},"categories":[20,1,21,22,19],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2484"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2484"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2484\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2567,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2484\/revisions\/2567"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2486"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}