Can you lose fat and gain muscle at the same time?
A Review of Strategies for Achieving Simultaneous Muscle Mass Gain, Maintenance, or Minimal Loss During Fat Reduction: Insights from the Last 5 Years
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Muscle gain or maintenance during caloric restriction is possible with the right diet and training.
Traditional fitness wisdom says you must be in a surplus to build muscle and a deficit to lose fat—this study says you can do both simultaneously.
Practical Takeaways
Eat at least 1.6g of protein per kg of body weight daily and perform resistance training 3x per week while in a moderate calorie deficit.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Muscle gain or maintenance during caloric restriction is possible with the right diet and training.
Traditional fitness wisdom says you must be in a surplus to build muscle and a deficit to lose fat—this study says you can do both simultaneously.
Practical Takeaways
Eat at least 1.6g of protein per kg of body weight daily and perform resistance training 3x per week while in a moderate calorie deficit.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Education, Health and Sport
Year
2025
Authors
Volha Babrova, Weronika Wallach, Julia Twardowska, Solomiia Zhyvan, Iryna Segina, Jakub Wańcowiat, Monika Kołodziejczyk, Paulina Należna, Klaudia Brodowska, Natalia Matysek
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Claims (4)
People used to think you couldn’t lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, but new evidence shows it’s possible if you eat right and lift weights.
A caloric maintenance state combined with resistance training can result in simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain by mobilizing endogenous fat stores to support muscle protein synthesis.
When people are trying to lose fat, eating more protein and lifting weights can help them keep or even build muscle instead of losing it.
When you combine eating more protein with lifting weights, you can lose fat and keep or grow muscle at the same time.