Fat burning while preserving muscle

The article is provided by the site ironman.ru.

It doesn't take an expert to distinguish an athlete in off-season shape from a bodybuilder preparing for competition. Off-season bodybuilders show very little muscle definition and usually look much bulkier compared to their pre-competition form.

When you go on a diet, the main goal becomes burning the maximum amount of subcutaneous fat, but at the same time, there is always some loss of lean mass, including muscle. Weight training is one of the most effective ways to minimize the loss of lean mass while dieting. Another aspect is how quickly you lose weight.

Most scientists argue that in order to preserve the maximum possible lean mass, the diet should be prolonged. Attempts to lose weight rapidly often lead to excessive muscle loss. If you sharply reduce your caloric intake and carbohydrates, your body will start using protein stores, that is, muscles, when the energy deficit becomes critical. Therefore, it is recommended to lose only 0.5 to 1 kg per week.

Experiment on Optimal Fat Burning Rate

In a recently conducted study, scientists compared the effects of two weight loss rates, rapid and slow, in a group of thirty high-level athletes. (1) The slow weight loss group aimed to lose 0.7 percent of their total body weight per week, while the rapid weight loss group targeted 1.4 percent, which is equivalent to rates of 0.5 and 1 kg per week for a 70 kg person. All athletes received 1.2-1.8 grams of protein and 4-6 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight daily, as well as 20 percent of their total caloric intake from fats. They ate five to seven times a day and consumed no less than 1500 calories daily.

Additionally, 30 minutes after training, all athletes consumed a recovery drink made of whey protein and carbohydrates. Creatine consumption was prohibited, but a vitamin-mineral complex along with cod liver oil was allowed. The athletes trained four times a week, targeting each muscle group twice a week.

As a result, the slow weight loss group showed a 2.1 percent increase in lean mass, while the fat burning rate was the same. Furthermore, this group had improved scores in athletic performance tests, including strength and power. Athletes in the rapid weight loss group did not exhibit any increase in lean mass, although fat burning did occur. Their performance increased only in the one-repetition squat. The slow weight loss group followed the diet for 8.5 weeks, while the rapid weight loss group's diet lasted for 5.3 weeks.

Thus, athletes in the first group trained for three weeks longer than those in the second group, which may well explain the gain in lean mass observed in the slow weight loss group. The majority of the gained lean mass was concentrated in the upper body, with the highest increase observed in female athletes, possibly because they had the highest level of subcutaneous fat at the beginning of the experiment.

Based on the results obtained, the authors of the study concluded that athletes wishing to increase their lean body mass as well as enhance their strength and power during the fat burning phase, which includes resistance training, should aim to lose no more than half a kilogram of weight per week. Athletes who simply want to maintain their lean body mass can increase their weekly weight loss to one kilogram.