![\"Should](\"https:\/\/blog.myfitnesspal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/should-you-lose-weight-before-building-muscle-1024x643.jpg\")
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When it comes to fitness, one of the most common questions people ask is \u201cShould I lose weight before building muscle?\u201d Sometimes, the answers seem to conflict. But here\u2019s the deal: the answer varies from person to person.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, the right choice depends on your fitness goals, your current body composition, and what you want to achieve in the gym. Stick around for the expert insights that can help you figure out the best strategy for you. As always, be sure to consult with your physician before starting any diet or exercise routine to ensure it is right for you.<\/p>\n
There are situations when losing weight before getting serious in the weight lifting room might make sense.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Losing weight might be a higher priority if you have a lot of weight to lose. If you\u2019re living with obesity, evidence shows that health benefits like reduced cholesterol, hypertension, and insulin resistance start to happen when you lose just 5% of your body weight<\/a>. That means you could improve your health with modest weight loss.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dietitians React To Ilona Maher\u2019s Video About Her BMI & Weight ><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n If you are not already exercising, there\u2019s an upside to losing weight before building muscle. This approach can potentially\u00a0ease the strain on your joints<\/a>, but it\u2019s not without its drawbacks.<\/p>\n Starting with\u00a0muscle-building<\/a> means focusing on gaining strength and muscle mass first instead of focusing on the scale.\u00a0<\/p>\n It could be a good idea for people without obesity who have a higher body fat and lower lean mass. This is known as Normal Weight Obesity<\/a> or NWO.<\/p>\n If that applies to you, you may want to focus on building muscle and shifting your body composition to reduce the risks associated with NWO<\/a>, including heart disease and metabolic syndrome.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a look at the pros and cons:<\/p>\n Just remember, even if your focus is squarely on increasing muscle, you\u2019ll still need to pay attention to what you eat.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cProtein and carbs are critical for optimizing muscle gain. Protein intakes of about 1.6g per kilogram<\/a> of body weight have been shown to promote slightly more muscle gain than lower protein intakes, while eating enough carbs<\/a> is important for exercise intensity, a key component of muscle building,\u201d says Stephanie Nelson.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s possible. It\u2019s called body recomposition, and it\u2019s all about creating a\u00a0balanced workout and nutrition plan<\/a> to achieve both goals simultaneously.\u00a0<\/p>\n MyFitnessPal lead nutrition scientist and dietitian Stephanie Nelson explains, \u201cBody recomposition<\/a> is a great goal because it requires sustainable weight loss and a balanced diet to achieve.\u201d<\/p>\n MyFitnessPal<\/a> can help keep you on track as you build healthy habits.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s some tips to keep in mind:<\/p>\n Fun Fact:<\/strong> MyFitnessPal<\/a> has over 40 connected fitness partners. Download the app<\/a> today!<\/p>\n Stephanie Nelson, MS, RD, is MyFitnessPal\u2019s lead nutrition scientist.\u00a0<\/p>\n Here\u2019s her take on this burning question:<\/p>\n Regardless of your weight and health goals, I suggest you always prioritize maintaining the muscle you have. That just happens to require the same behaviors that lead to reaching and maintaining a healthy weight.\u00a0<\/p>\n This includes eating enough protein from nourishing food sources and engaging in regular resistance training\u2014great things to do, weight loss or no weight loss!<\/p>\n So then the question becomes, should I lose weight while building\/maintaining muscle or not? And the answer there depends on your personal health needs and performance goals.\u00a0<\/p>\n With careful planning, it\u2019s possible to preserve muscle mass and maybe even gain muscle mass while losing weight, as long as the weight loss is slow and sustainable. And slow, sustainable weight loss is preferable to fast, drastic weight loss anyway!<\/p>\n Regardless of whether you\u2019re trying to lose weight or gain muscle first, a 500 calorie deficit<\/a> is the maximum recommended for preserving muscle mass while losing weight.\u00a0<\/p>\n And make sure you eat enough protein: 1.2-1.5g\/kg for those with obesity, 1.4-2g\/kg for those without obesity<\/a>. Do resistance training<\/a> two to three times per week if you can. These will help balance a journey of losing weight while optimizing muscle as much as possible.<\/p>\n Originally published October 28, 2020; Updated September 3, 2024<\/em><\/p>\n The post Should You Lose Weight Before Building Muscle?<\/a> appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When it comes to fitness, one of the most common questions people ask is \u201cShould…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ibother.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1264"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ibother.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ibother.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ibother.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ibother.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1264"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/ibother.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1264\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1265,"href":"http:\/\/ibother.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1264\/revisions\/1265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ibother.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ibother.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ibother.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/div>\n\n![\"Dietitian's](\"https:\/\/blog.myfitnesspal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/dietitians-react-ilona-maher-bmi-video-1024x683.jpg\")
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<\/div>\nPros<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Cons<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Building Muscle Before Losing Weight<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Pros<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Cons<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Can You Lose Fat and Gain Muscle at the Same Time?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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An Expert Opinion: Fat Loss vs. Building Muscle<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The Bottom Line: Make The Best Weight Loss Decision For Your Goals<\/strong><\/h2>\n