Can you really burn fat and build muscle at the same time?

The question of whether you can burn fat and build muscle simultaneously has been a debate now for quite some time.

So can you actually burn fat and build muscle at the same time?

The answer is yes and no.

Yes, you can build muscle and bun fat at the same time. The thing is, if you are using a fat loss exercise routine and a fat loss diet, you will not be able to add a lot of muscle.

This is not to say that more muscle is not an extremely important aspect of trying to burn fat.

The more muscle you have, the more fat your body will burn during exercise and for hours afterwards as well. Most people think that having more muscle will make them get big and bulky, but this simply is not the case.

To illustrate this point about getting big and bulky while trying to burn fat and build muscle, lets take a look at bodybuilders. Bodybuilders are known because they have huge muscles and a very small amount of body fat.

So how do the bodybuilders burn fat and build muscle?

The answer is that they do it in phases. In the exercise world, this is called periodization.

When bodybuilders build muscle, their exercise routine and their diet are drastically different then when they are in the phase of losing fat. For several months, they will build muscle by doing split body part routines and lifting heavy weight with low reps.

Then, they will completely change their diet and exercise program when then shift from trying to build muscle to trying to lose fat.

So how does this apply to you? I want you to see that these bodybuilders build big muscles because they have a training phase specifically for doing so.

If you are a novice exerciser, you will not perform this same phase of exercise to burn fat. Instead, you will do an exercise routine that will be more conducive to helping you burn fat and build a small amount of muscle at the same time.

A great way to do this is to try doing some total body strength training combined with cardio.

Total body strength training will help to build enough muscle necessary to increase your metabolism and help you to burn fat. If you do the right type of cardio (high intensity interval training) as part of this program, you will on your way to being successful with burning fat and building muscle!

As you can expect, your diet plays a big role in being able to burn fat and build muscle. Try eating high quality protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats in small meals 4-6 times per day. This will help you burn fat and build muscle because it will keep your blood sugar regulated and help to control your appetite.

So in conclusion, I hope you now understand more about trying to burn fat and build muscle. You can see that it is possible, but if you are on a fat loss exercise and diet program, you will not gain large amounts of muscle such as (for example) a bodybuilder.

Good luck =)

Want to Reprint this Article How to Burn Fat and Build Muscle?

Reprinting is welcome as long as the content, links, author bio, and resource box are all included and remain completely unchanged.

To avoid making the same fat loss mistakes that 97% of people make, go to Burn Fat and Build Muscle

For my thoughts on the "Burn The Fat" program, Click Here

Tom Gifford is the author of http://www.TheFatLossZone.com, which provides excellent cutting edge fat loss tips for people who have tried all the fad diets and exercise gimmicks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Gifford