3 ways to maintain muscle mass while losing weight to avoid sagging

When we lose weight, not only excess fat is lost, but also some muscle mass is affected. This not only makes the body lose strength but also easily leads to sagging skin or loss of firmness.

To maintain muscle mass and minimize muscle loss and sagging when losing weight, people need to pay attention to the following:

Prioritize strength training

Strength training such as weight lifting, resistance band training, push-ups and pull-ups are extremely important to protect muscle mass when in a calorie deficit. If you cut calories without strength training, muscle mass will decrease significantly. However, this condition will be limited if combined with strength training, according to the health website Healthline (USA).

Strength training helps maintain muscle mass and increase calorie burn during weight loss

PHOTO: AI

One thing to keep in mind when strength training is to work all the major muscle groups, from the chest, shoulders, back, abdomen to the legs. This exercise will help stimulate all the important muscle groups in the body.

Each muscle group should be trained to the point of fatigue, which means each set of about 12-15 times is effective. Instead of prioritizing too much cardio, people who want to lose weight should train each muscle group twice a week.

Make sure you get enough protein

Muscle mass is maintained by muscle protein synthesis and inhibition of protein breakdown. When calories are reduced, the body tends to increase breakdown and decrease synthesis, especially if there is a lack of muscle stimulation and protein deficiency.

When losing weight or fat, the two main factors that help maintain muscle mass and avoid muscle loss are strength training and adequate protein intake. Research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the Journal of Applied Physiology shows that with a low-protein diet and no strength training, 20-30% of total weight loss can be lean muscle. If adequate protein is ensured, about 1.6 grams/kg/day, and strength training is included, the rate of muscle loss is only about 5-10% or less.

Maintain a reasonable weight loss rate

Losing weight too quickly, cutting calories too deeply, or skipping rest and sleep can damage muscle mass and skin. Losing weight too quickly is more likely to cause muscle loss than losing weight slowly.

Rest and sleep are also important because the body synthesizes and repairs muscle during rest. Experts recommend a deficit of only about 300-500 calories/day. This is considered the ideal level to lose fat while still maintaining muscle.

This calorie reduction helps the body mainly mobilize energy from fat reserves, instead of breaking down muscle protein. If the calorie deficit is too high, the body is prone to catabolism, reducing synthesis and increasing muscle protein breakdown.

Additionally, people need to respect sleep, ensuring they get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. They also need to avoid prolonged stress because high levels of the stress hormone cortisol can increase muscle breakdown, according to Healthline .

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/3-cach-duy-tri-khoi-co-khi-giam-can-de-tranh-chay-xe-185251102224247204.htm