How to Keep Muscle While Losing Fat

Is it possible to keep muscle when cutting body fat? We separate fact from fiction.

First, let’s dispel some myths.

• It’s impossible to turn fat into muscle, no matter how much we all wish we could.
• Cardio isn’t the only way to burn calories, but it’s not a bad place to start.
• When trying to lose fat and build muscle, the answer is rarely to “just train harder.”

When it comes to building muscle and losing body fat, these are common misconceptions among the fitness community. Another is that to build a strong, lean body, you must first bulk, then cut. That might be the way competition bodybuilders do it, but it’s certainly not the only way.

It’s entirely possible to keep most of your hard-earned muscle while cutting body fat, and it’s also possible to achieve this year-round in a healthy, sustainable way.

Here we explore exactly how.

The mechanics behind cutting

“The term ‘cutting’ is another word for fat loss,” says Madeline Peck, RDN, CDN, on the Huel nutrition team. “If your goal is to preserve lean muscle mass while losing fat, maintaining a moderate calorie deficit—burning more calories than you consume—and ensuring adequate protein intake are both important.”

When you consume fewer calories than your body uses, it draws on stored energy, primarily from body fat. However, an overly aggressive deficit can also increase the risk of losing muscle.

Muscle-building mistakes when cutting fat

One of the most common traps people tend to fall into when cutting body fat is drastically cutting calories and creating an overly aggressive calorie deficit.

“When a calorie deficit is too significant, it can negatively affect metabolism, increase muscle loss, and make it difficult to meet nutrient needs,” Peck says.

“A deficit of 250 to 500 calories per day can result in 0.5-1 lb of weight loss per week, but it is important to do what is most sustainable and feasible,” Peck explains. A dietitian can also help make individual recommendations to support your goals."

“Another common mistake when trying to lose fat is cutting out an entire food group altogether,” says Brett Starkowitz, Master Trainer and Head of Education at Ten Health & Fitness.

Eliminating fats and carbohydrates from your diet can deny your body vital nutrients – especially when exercising.

“Consuming moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, oats, and rice will help your muscles recover and refuel,” says Starkowitz. “Nutritious fats found in milk, eggs, and fatty fish are also essential for the absorption of vitamins and to support healthy brain function.”

Protein, unsurprisingly, is also crucial.

Diets that provide 1.2–1.6 g of protein per kilogram (or approximately 0.55-0.73 g per pound) of body weight per day, including at least 25–30 g per meal, have been shown to support appetite control and body-weight management and reduce cardiometabolic risk factors.

How to keep your muscle mass while cutting fat

So, to keep muscle when cutting, you should reduce your calorie intake moderately while still consuming complex carbs, healthy fats, and plenty of high-quality protein.

That covers the nutrition side, but what about supplements? And how about exercise? Here are five more tried-and-true tips from our experts to help you cut fat without losing muscle.

1. Use cardio strategically

“When structuring a workout program for fat loss, the goal is to elevate your heart rate and stimulate muscle growth,” says Starkowitz. Cardiovascular exercise is a great place to start. But think short-to-medium bursts and sprints rather than marathon slogs.

Balancing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with low-intensity steady-state (LISS) cardio, like steady running or cycling, should deliver the right results. “The key here is sustaining an elevated heart rate for 45-60 minutes per session,” he adds.

2. Keep your muscles guessing

While cardio is a no-brainer for fat loss, resistance training is crucial if you want to maintain—and enhance—your hard-won muscle mass. Four to five times a week is optimal, according to Starkowitz.

“You should vary your strength training too,” he says. “Use a combination of multi-joint compound movements like squats, deadlifts, pressing exercises, and rows, and mix up the load, sets, reps, and tempo to keep your body challenged.”

3. Use supplements sparingly

Beyond a healthy, varied diet, Peck doesn’t suggest worrying too much about supplements regarding fat loss. One, however, deserves a shout-out.

“Creatine is a well-studied supplement that can help provide you with more energy during your workout, especially for weight lifting and recovery,” Peck says. “It also may have some neuroprotective properties, so it could have benefits beyond the gym.”

4. Be patient

When it comes to your health and fitness, shortcuts are rarely the answer. Instead, patience is your friend. “Be realistic. Allow yourself at least 12 weeks to achieve your cutting goal,” advises Starkowitz.

“At a moderate calorie deficit, your aim should be to drop approximately 1% of your body weight per week to preserve as much muscle mass as possible.” But remember, muscle mass weighs more than fat so don’t be disappointed if the number on the scale isn’t shifting as fast as you’d like.

Instead, use progress photos and your performance in the gym as a barometer of success.

5. Eat, sleep, train, repeat

Finally, both Peck and Starkowitz espouse the age-old mantra of consistency. That goes for your diet, your training, and especially your recovery.

“Overtraining and injury are common risks when cutting, especially when you’re consuming fewer calories,” says Starkowitz. “To safeguard your success, schedule active recovery days between your most taxing workouts and get plenty of sleep to restore your energy levels.”

Don’t be disheartened if progress is happening slowly, either. Progress may be gradual, but a consistent approach can help you lose fat while preserving the muscle you’ve worked hard to build.

(Just not magically turning body fat into rippling muscle, sadly.)

Words: Sam Rider edited by the digest team