Losing weight and building muscle is not easy, but both can be achieved by adopting a healthy diet and following a consistent physical exercise program! Eat high protein foods and healthy carbohydrate sources as a source of energy when you are lifting weights at the gym (fitness center). Also, do high intensity interval training (HIIT) to burn fat more effectively.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Lose Weight by Changing Your Diet
Step 1. Calculate your ideal daily calorie requirement
You must be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. A calorie deficit means that you use more calories than you consume. Use an online calculator to calculate your daily calorie needs. Instead of using general guidelines, it's best to use a calculator because everyone's calorie needs are different.
- Once you know your estimated daily calorie needs, reduce that number by 300. For example, if your calculator screen displays 1,800, limit your calorie intake to 1,500 calories/day to lose weight.
- Remember that you need a lot of energy when you exercise. So, don't drastically reduce your calorie intake.
- Consult a doctor to find out how to meet nutritional needs.
Step 2. Consume natural food ingredients as the best source of nutrition
Make sure you meet the energy and nutritional needs needed by eating natural foods, namely foods that are not processed at all or through little processing. These foods are the best sources of nutrients and are beneficial for weight loss because the fat and sugar content of natural foods is lower than processed foods. Therefore, consume the following foods:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Legumes
- tubers
- Whole grains
Step 3. Increase your protein intake to build muscle and fill you up
When you reduce your calorie intake, you need to consume more of the protein needed to build muscle. Make sure you meet your protein needs of about 1 gram/kg body weight by eating healthy protein sources, for example:
- Chicken meat
- Turkey meat
- Salmon
- Tuna fish
- Egg
- Dairy products
Step 4. Try to lose -1 kg/week
Losing weight little by little and consistently is an important aspect when running a healthy weight loss program. In addition, the muscles will shrink if you lose weight too quickly. Therefore, aim for consistent weight loss of -1 kg/week.
Method 2 of 3: Build Muscle by Practicing Strengthening
Step 1. Do 45 minutes of muscle strengthening exercises a day 3 times a week
The best way to build muscle is to lift weights regularly. You can train with weights, machines, or both. Get in the habit of exercising for about 45 minutes a day 3 times a week.
- Practice every 1-2 days, instead of practicing 3 sessions in a row.
- Consider the possibility of working out in the gym as you will need equipment for weight training and a professional trainer.
Step 2. Work your leg muscles every time you exercise
Leg muscles are included in a large muscle group that needs to be trained regularly. If you work out at the gym, ask a fitness trainer to show you how to use a machine for weight training. Make sure you work your hamstrings, quadriceps, inner and outer thighs. If you use your body weight as a weight, do the following movements every time you practice.
- Squat
- Lunge
- Deadlift
Step 3. Perform push/pull movements before ending the exercise
For maximum results, you need to do push/lift and pull movements to work all sides of the muscles. Effective push movements, such as the bench press, overhead press, and triceps dip. Pull movements, such as rowing and pull ups.
Determine the weight of the load and the repetition of the movement according to your fitness level. For beginners, use a weight of 2½ kg and do each movement 2-3 sets of 10-12 times each. As you get used to it, gradually increase the weight and repetition of the movement
Step 4. Work your core muscles to build your abdominal muscles
You need to work your core muscles so that your abdominal muscles are strong and flat. In addition, this exercise is useful for increasing the strength and stability of the body.
- Perform plank posture during regular exercise. Start with a plank posture for 30 seconds and then extend the duration to 2 minutes. Also do the plank pose sideways with 1 hand to train the oblique muscles.
- Do the movement of lifting the knee while hanging (hanging knee raise). Hold the horizontal bar on the machine for weight training. Raise your legs to bring your knees to your chest and slowly lower them to the floor. By now, you've done 1 rep. Beginners may only be able to do a few reps. Practice diligently until you do 10-12 reps.
Step 5. Keep a diary to monitor the progress of the exercise
After each exercise, record the number of repetitions of the movement and the weight of the weight used. This way, you have information about your physical condition when you started training and your progress so far. To record your practice progress, use a regular notebook or an app.
Step 6. See a professional trainer if you've never done lifting weights before
Correct posture is very important when exercising using weights. For those of you who have never trained with weights, consult a professional trainer. If you join a gym, find out how to set up a schedule with a trainer.
- Many gyms offer free training sessions to introduce the available sports facilities.
- Professional trainer honors are usually very high. Watch videos from reputable websites to find out what proper posture looks like when weight training, such as ACE videos made by physiotherapists and kinesiologists (the study of muscle and joint movement of the body) or training guide videos made by certified fitness trainers.
Step 7. Do stretching exercises to prevent injury
Get in the habit of stretching for 5-10 minutes after exercising. You don't need to stretch muscles all over your body. Make sure you relax the muscles you just trained.
- To relax your feet, do a toe touch (touching your toes with your fingers).
- Extend your arms out to the sides so that your body looks like a T with your palms facing up. Slowly rotate your palms so they are facing the floor while keeping them stretched out to the sides. Hold it for a moment then turn it up again. Do this movement 4-5 times for both sides.
Method 3 of 3: Running a HIIT Program as an Exercise Routine
Step 1. Do high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to replace time-consuming cardiovascular exercise
HIIT is a great way to increase your heart rate and prepare your body for fat-burning movements. Although cardiovascular exercise can burn a lot of calories, HIIT is more beneficial because it trains muscle as well as burns fat. For those of you who want to lose weight while building muscle, HIIT is the most appropriate exercise.
Step 2. Warm up for 3-5 minutes
Start the exercise by making the body feel comfortable so that it is ready to exercise. As a warm-up exercise, do some light movement for a few minutes before interval training, for example:
- Doing the cat-cow posture while moving
- Twist and swing the arm a few times
- Swing your legs back and forth a few times
- Jump rope slowly
Step 3. Perform the most strenuous exercise for 60 seconds
You're free to practice whatever you want, but you have to do your best for 60 seconds. As you practice, make sure you can still breathe, but it's very difficult to speak to complete a sentence. Set a cell phone alarm to sound when time is up. Practice doing:
- Lunge to the side
- Star Jump
- Sprint
Step 4. Lower the intensity of the exercise to recuperate for 2-4 minutes
At this time, you need to calm the rhythm of the heartbeat for a moment. Keep moving, but with a lighter intensity. To recover the condition of the body, do sit ups, push ups, walk on a treadmill, or rotate the pedals of a stationary bicycle slowly. You have to keep moving to burn calories while restoring your breathing rhythm and physical strength.
Step 5. Perform HIIT 1-3 times a week for best results
Ideally, practice HIIT 2-3 times a week for 20-30 minutes/session. Set your workout schedule to alternate, such as strengthening every Monday and doing HIIT every Tuesday.
- Download the mobile app to practice HIIT as a guide while exercising.
- Many gyms offer in-class HIIT workouts if you're interested.
- Very high-intensity exercise can put a strain on the heart. If your heart rate reaches 80% of the maximum during HIIT training, reduce your workout to 1 time/week to restore and strengthen your heart.
Tips
- Do a variety of exercises so you don't get bored.
- Keep a record of the foods you eat to monitor your weight loss progress and other issues.
Warning
- Stop exercising if you feel dizzy or have trouble breathing.
- Do not exercise using heavy weights without an escort.
- Consult with your doctor before making major changes to your exercise routine to maintain good health.
