Experts Weigh In: Fastest Way to Burn Fat and Build Muscle

10 January 2023

What is the fastest way to burn fat and build muscle? Well, that depends on who you ask! From low-carb diets to intermittent fasting to high-intensity interval training, everyone has their go-to tricks. But, what yields real results? Let’s look at some of the science-backed diet and exercise strategies that will transform your body.

Why Building Muscle Is Important to Weight Loss

One of the biggest weight loss mistakes is to focus exclusively on cardio and burning calories. While burning more calories than you take in is the key, it’s only one piece of the bigger puzzle. Rather than just looking at ways to reduce your calories and then burning off all the food you eat, it’s crucial to build muscles.

Dieters focused on their weight, especially women, tend to avoid lifting weights. They worry about getting bulky when their goal is to slim down. What they don’t realise, however, is that building muscle doesn’t instantly make you look like a bodybuilder. Gaining muscle will firm and trim your body and, most importantly, help you burn calories.

More Muscle, More Fat Burning

When you build lean muscle mass, your body needs more calories. This means that you can eat more while still losing weight or maintaining your current weight.

There used to be a misconception that it’s not possible to build muscle and lose weight at the same time. Recent studies on body recomposition, however, have shown that progressive resistance training paired with a smart nutrition strategy is the most effective and fastest way to burn fat and build muscle.

As you build more muscle, you can eat more without gaining weight. This means you don’t need to deprive yourself to get a calorie deficit.

Don’t Worry About the Scale

Muscle has more density than fat. As you replace fat with muscle, you might find that the number on the scales goes up even as your clothes get looser. Often, you’ll see differences in the firmness and leanness of your body before you ever see a moment in the scale — and that’s okay!

Remember that your goal isn’t just to weigh less. Unless you are significantly overweight, the scale might never go down. It might even go up as your body gets firmer! If you are getting healthier, stronger, and leaner though, does that number on the scale really matter?

If you want to have a gauge for measuring your progress and aren’t happy to just rely on how your clothes fit, grab a tape measure and start checking your results each week.

Fastest Way to Burn Fat and Build Muscle with Workouts

Exercise is one of the most important weight loss tactics, but not all workout routines are created equally. To boost your results, there are a few tried-and-true training strategies.

Use the Heaviest Weights Possible

As you work toward building muscle, it is important to listen to your body and push yourself. One of the biggest mistakes people often make is not choosing the right weight. If your weight is too light, you’re never going to see real results. On the other hand, if your weight is too heavy, you might not be able to do enough reps to get in a substantial workout or, worse yet, you may get injured.

To decide if you’re using a heavy enough weight, experiment with sets of six reps. Make sure that you can do at least three sets of six movements. By the time you are making that final rep, you should barely be able to finish it. Shakiness and fatigue are essential to building muscle.

Depending on your routine, you may be able to do more reps or sets, but the goal is the same. Make sure that you push yourself to your limit. If you can easily complete the set, it’s time to move to a heavier weight. You can experiment with longer workouts with smaller weights as well as shorter, more intense sessions. Whatever you do, be mindful that you are always pushing yourself.

Before you go on pushing to your limits, before sure to read about these common shoulder injuries and knee injuries & preventions.

Focus On Your Whole Body

Diversity is key when it comes to a good workout. While isolated workouts are great, they need to be part of a circuit. It is also crucial to incorporate compound exercises. These include moves like deadlifts, squats, push-ups and other moves that combine several parts of your body.

Increase Your Cardio

As you progress in your strength training routine, it’s also vital to incorporate cardio. These sweat sessions such as HIIT classes or F45 workouts are still going to be one of the pillars of weight loss. Not only is cardio crucial to your heart health and overall fitness, but it’s going to help you create a calorie deficit.

Watch What You Eat

When you’re looking for the most effective and fastest way to burn fat and build muscle, it is essential to make sure that your body is well-supported. Just like you need variety in your workouts, you also need variety in your diet.
As you start working out more, you are going to feel hungrier. Rather than depriving yourself (which is only going to lead to overeating) make sure that your body is getting the support that it needs.

To lose weight and build muscle, protein is fundamental. Eating a diet that is high in protein will help you build lean muscle and those high-protein meals will keep you feeling full for longer.

So, how much protein do you need to build muscle while losing weight? Aim for about 1.2 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight. If you weigh 70 kg, for example, you’ll need about 84 grams of protein. If you weigh 60 kg, aim for 72 grams of protein in your diet.

What 100 Grams of Protein Looks Like

Believe it or not, you don’t need to chug protein shakes all day! In reality, you need to be careful with them. A lot of protein shakes and smoothies are packed with sugar and calories. If your goal is to lose weight while building muscles, it’s important to be aware of what you’re putting in your mouth.

Here are a few ideas for food that are naturally high in protein.

Nonfat Greek Yoghourt’; 16 gram protein per ¾ cup
Black Beans: 14 grams of protein per cup
Edamame; 28 grams of protein per ⅔ cup
Lentils: 16 grams of protein per ½ cup
Chicken breast: 30-gram protein per 100 grams
Eggs: 15 grams of protein per two large eggs

Consult Medical Help If You Are Injured As Soon As Possible

Ready to get started with the fastest way to burn fat and build muscle? Talk with an orthopaedics professional! Why wait another day to give yourself the body and life that you deserve?

Meanwhile, check out the differences between the differences between physiotherapy and orthopaedic surgery, or differences between chiropractors, osteopaths, and physiotherapists to ensure you get the right help for your injuries.

Here at Ray of Health, we can help you find the perfect plan for you and your unique needs. Call us at +65 6235 8781 or chat on WhatsApp at +65 8028 4572. Prefer to email? We’re always ready to help at hello@quantumortho.com.sg.