Weight loss is tricky. There are so many variables to consider when starting your weight loss journey. What should you eat? What kind of workouts should you do? Almost everything has an impact on changes in weight. For most people, the overall goal of weight loss is to decrease overall body fat percentage. Since fat comes with many adverse effects, this is a good target. At the same time, many people hope to increase muscle mass, allowing them to tone and sculpt the body. 

However, you may find that something doesn’t feel right. Instead of burning fat and gaining muscle, you might be losing muscle mass. This can have negative impacts on your overall health and make it difficult for you to reach your fitness and body composition goals. 

The first step is knowing the signs. Once you know if you are losing muscle mass, then you will be able to take steps to improve muscle gains and burn more fat. 

Signs You Are Losing Muscle Instead of Burning Fat 

Use the signs below to find out if you are losing muscle mass. 

You Feel Weaker During Workouts

One of the biggest signs that you are losing muscle mass is feeling weaker during your workouts. This doesn’t mean that one day you are sore or need a rest day from a tough week of strength training. You might be losing muscle mass if you are unable to complete workouts at the same intensity you were able to before. 

This might look like not being able to lift the same weight as you usually can or being too fatigued to complete your normal number of reps. Listen to your body. Does your ability feel out of touch with what you’ve been able to do before? That may be cause for concern. 

Sometimes weakness during a workout can be the result of feeling sick or not sleeping well the night before. Consider weakness during workouts a sign when it lasts for several days or weeks. 

You Are Losing Weight, But Not Reducing Body Fat Percentage 

If you are trying to lose weight, you might step on the scale and be elated that the number goes down. However, the number of the scale can’t tell you what you’re losing, just that you weigh less than you did before. Checking your body composition can give you a better picture of your overall health. Checking your body composition also allows you to see both muscle and body fat gains and losses. 

Using a tool like ZOZOFIT, check your body composition. Has your weight gone down, but your body fat percentage is the same? That is a sign you may be losing muscle instead of fat. Weight loss success should look like decreased body fat percentage. If your body fat is the same, the weight has to be coming from somewhere. Check your measurements. Do you see any muscle measurements that look smaller than before? Pay attention to these. Even small changes can make a big difference when it comes to losing muscle mass. 

You Are Fatigued Throughout the Day

Unexplainable fatigue might be the first sign you are losing muscle mass. When your muscles are strong, they are able to power you throughout the day. However, losing muscle mass has adverse effects on your body, which causes you to become fatigued. 

With less muscle mass, your body becomes less efficient, making it harder to complete normal daily tasks. This, in turn, wears out your body faster. 

Rebuild Muscle You Have Lost

If you can tell you are losing muscle mass, the first next step is to gain that muscle mass back. It’s never too late to correct a problem, especially something like this. By working hard and taking appropriate steps, you will be able to rebuild strength and make gains toward achieving your fitness goals and improving your overall quality of life. 

Eat More & Eat Right 

One of the biggest culprits of muscle mass loss is not eating enough. Many people who aim to lose weight suffer from this issue. Most of the time the calorie deficit is too severe so the body breaks down muscle for energy. 

Eating more, but being strategic about what you eat, can help you rebuild muscle. A good diet for building muscle mass includes a lot of complete proteins. Incorporating a daily protein shake or protein bar into your diet can make a huge difference when it comes to overall protein intake. 

Start a Weight Training Routine 

The best way to build muscle is to use your muscles. Many people notice they lose muscle mass after an injury, illness, or other long break from exercising. Even if this isn’t why you’ve lost muscle mass, putting together a weight training routine will help you build back your muscle mass. 

Commit to weight training at least three days a week. This allows a day for lower body, a day for upper body, and a day for core and full body strength. Even a thirty minute session will help you get back what you may have lost. 

If you need additional help in developing a routine, talk to a coach or personal trainer who can help you form a plan based on your long term goals.

Keep Track of Your Muscle Gains and Losses

You don’t want to realize that you’re losing muscle mass by surprise. A disciplined tracking routine can help spot problems as they arise as well as tell you when it’s time to celebrate all the gains you have made. Taking measurements is the most accurate way to see muscles gains and losses. Using ZOZOFIT, measurements are accurate and automated. The entire scanning process takes less than two minutes — and then you have a 3D scan of your body! 

A good habit to take on is scanning for measurements every couple of weeks. This is enough time to see the impact of your training plan, but not so long that your progress is hard to monitor. You can also monitor your body fat percentage, BMI and even your booty as well.