To build and gain more muscle you need to burn fat. Calories equal fat or so the myths surrounding weight loss say. To lose weight you may be tempted to place your body in extreme calorie deficit. This advice comes from the same idea that tells you to eat a diet high in proteins as the answer to losing weight. Both are not healthy or true. It is accurate that weight loss is losing more calories than you take in, but your body is highly adaptable and will adjust to lower calorie diets hence you stop losing weight. To compensate you ingest less calories and your body again adjusts. A vicious cycle is started and one that will lead to starvation.
If you follow the “expend more calories than you eat” you may lose weight, but the idea is to eat healthy and do toning exercises. If you normally eat 1200 calories a day and you drop your calorie intake to 1000 you will lose weight. However if you eat starches and sugars at the1000 calorie you will not be firm and toned; you will be sick and gain weight. Your body makes use of every calorie you eat in many different ways. Protein calories are used differently than starchy calories. In addition it is not the portions you eat as much as what you eat. One key used by personal trainers suggests that you mini-eat meals throughout the day to keep your body fueled and your metabolism working.
Always include vegetables at every meal and eat fruits at least three times per day. Eat whole and unrefined gains that include oatmeal, brown rice and buckwheat plus sweet potatoes and beans. Eat small portions of protein with every meal. Get your fat stores from salmon, cold water fish and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Do not eat saturated fats and cut the fats off red meats and skin chicken pieces. Cut down on whole eggs or use the whites only.
Your activity level will help you determine what calories your body needs. If you don”t eat enough of the right foods exercise will take away muscle proteins. You will lose weight but you will become flabby as your muscle tissues begin to dissolve.
Give your body the ideal amount of calories it needs to maintain body functions and burn calories from stored fats. Try not to over eat or your body will store the excess calories as fat. The rule is if you eat too much you will retain fat, but if you eat too little your will not be able to firm up your body. Eat the right amount of calories several times a day and as you exercise and do physical activities you will lose excess fats.
