Weight loss will come with some muscle loss, and muscle gain will come with some fat gain.
Most people get into a weight loss or muscle gain program with one goal in mind.
To get lean and strong
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They want to lose fat without losing muscle.
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They want to gain muscle without gaining fat.
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They want "perfect results" in the fastest time possible.
But here’s the reality check. That NEVER happens naturally. And if you think you're the exception, you're either:
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On an extremely controlled diet and workout plan where every calorie is tracked and your daily life revolves around training, or
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On anabolic steroids or HRT to force your body into a state where it builds muscle and burns fat at an unnatural rate.
For the rest of us, people who want to get in shape while having a life (and also enjoy it),
Weight loss will come with some muscle loss, and muscle gain will come with some fat gain. (like we said on the first line)
That’s expected. That’s NORMAL.
And that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about today.
Your Body is Not a Sculptor, It’s a Survivor
People expect weight loss and muscle gain to work like chiseling a statue..
just burn off the fat here, add some muscle there (like 5 min ab workouts),
and voilà, a perfect physique. But that’s not how your body works.
Your body is not designed to make you look good in a mirror. It’s designed for one thing.
SURVIVAL.
This means:
When you lose weight, your body doesn’t just burn fat.
It looks for ANY source of energy...including muscle.
That’s why people who lose weight without strength training end up weaker, frail, and looking “flat.”
On the other hand…
When you gain muscle, you need to eat more.
But extra calories don’t just go straight to your biceps (or abs, or your pecs).
Your body ALWAYS stores some of those calories as fat because that’s what it has evolved to do.
If you don’t accept this, you’ll find yourself jumping from diet to diet, training plan to training plan,
never seeing results because you refuse to let your body do what it naturally does.
Perfect Body Recomposition is Rare
No doubt that we have two big problems.
Influencers + “fear of missing out”.
Some fitness influencers will try to sell you the dream of simultaneously losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time.
Can it happen?
Yes, but only in very specific conditions:
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You’re a complete beginner. New lifters can build muscle and lose fat at the same time because their body is hyper-responsive to resistance training. This only lasts a few months.
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You’re coming back from a break. If you used to be strong but took a long break, your body can regain lost muscle quickly while also burning fat. This is called muscle memory.
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You’re on PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs). Steroids, HRT, or anabolic substances change the game entirely. They allow you to build muscle while staying in a calorie deficit…something IMPOSSIBLE for natural lifters
For everyone else, the best approach is to pick a goal and stick to it:
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Want to lose fat - Accept some muscle loss and minimize it by eating enough protein and lifting weights.
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Want to build muscle - Accept some fat gain and minimize it by eating in a controlled surplus and staying active.
You can’t “hack” this. There is no shortcut.
Trust the Process and Play the Long Game
Now that we’ve crushed the myth of "perfect" weight loss and muscle gain, what do you actually do?
1. If You’re Losing Weight, Protect Your Muscle Like It’s Gold
A calorie deficit is the ONLY way to lose fat.
But if you don’t do it right, you’ll lose too much muscle along with it and end up looking and feeling weak.
Here’s how to minimize muscle loss while cutting weight:
Eat enough protein: 1.2-1.6g per kg of body weight. This keeps your muscles from breaking down. See exactly how here
Strength train at least 3 times a week:
This tells your body, “Hey, we still need these muscles!” so it prioritizes burning fat instead.
Again, you don’t need to workout like an Olympic lifter or a bodybuilder.
Here are some simple options:
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Bodyweight exercises like push-ups, squats, or planks.
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Lifting household items (yes, even buckets of water count!).
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Resistance bands or light dumbbells for home workouts.
Don’t starve yourself:
Extreme deficits (crash diets) will make you shed muscle faster.
Aim for a moderate deficit, something like 300-500 kcal/day.
2. If You’re Gaining Muscle, Accept a Little Fat Along the Way
Building muscle requires extra calories. There’s no way around it.
And as we said earlier,
your body won’t just send all those calories to your muscles..It WILL store some as fat.
But you can control how much fat you gain (so you could still stay lean)
How to minimize fat gain while bulking:
Eat in a small surplus - A 200-300 kcal surplus per day is enough to grow muscle without blowing up like a balloon.
Prioritize protein - and you need to eat more protein than what you think.
Aim for 1.6-2.2g per kg of body weight to ensure your gains are actually muscle.
Train hard - Look, building muscle requires hard work (unless you’re on steroids).
Doesn’t mean you must go wreck yourself everyday. You must do something called “progressive overload” …
lifting heavier “over time”..
This ensures those extra calories go toward building strength, not fat storage.
And Finally, Be Patient & Stop Chasing Perfection
You must nail this line HARD in your mind.
“Trust The Process.”
Most people mess up because they don’t trust the process.
They expect to see results instantly and, when they don’t, they jump programs. This is why most people fail.
If you’re losing weight and see some muscle loss, don’t panic. You’re in a deficit. It's expected. Just make sure you’re still eating protein and lifting weights.
If you’re gaining muscle and see a little fat increase, don’t panic. As long as you’re not overeating massively, it’s normal. Stick with the plan.
The real key is consistency.
Stick with your goal for at least 3-6 months before assessing. Constantly switching between cutting and bulking too soon is a guaranteed way to get nowhere.
And most importantly..STOP PROGRAM HOPPING. .
If you push what we spoke so far in your mind, we GUARANTEE you, you’ll manage your weight the best way possible.
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