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What is the Best Way to Lose Weight While Retaining Fat-Free Mass?
Stiegler P, Cunliffe A. The role of diet and exercise for the maintenance of fat-free mass and resting metabolic rate during weight loss. Sports Medicine. 2006;36: 239-262.
The first goal of weight loss protocols is to substantially reduce bodyweight and body fat while retaining fat-free mass. The second goal is to have those body composition changes maintained. Are these goals routinely achieved? Stiegler and Conliffe reviewed controlled diet, exercise, and combined diet and exercise trials from 1990 – 2005. Overall, they found that these goals are usually unmet. Typically, weight and body fat loss are less than expected and body composition changes are rarely maintained. While genetic factors certainly predispose some people toward obesity, genetic factors alone do not explain the rise in overweight and obesity in the United States and other developed countries. Nor do genetic factors entirely explain the failure of diet protocols. Although evidence is not that firm with some inconsistency between studies, Stiegler and Cuncliffe reached conclusions about weight loss and body composition change. Their conclusions were very similar to those in a reviewed in Master Trainer over the last few years. Assuming your goal was a realistic, maintainable weight loss (5% to 7% of your total bodyweight) and you wanted to lose body fat and retain fat free mass then you should follow these guidelines:
1. Modestly reduce your calorie intake by only about 250 to 300 calories per day. Greatly restricting calories may reduce your resting metabolic rate, meaning you will need fewer calories to sustain your weight. A very restrictive diet is not one that can be followed in the long-run. Feelings of hunger and deprivation can eventually undermine motivation. Greatly restricting many foods often means a diet is unhealthy. Following a healthy, modestly reduced calorie diet with foods that you like is an approach to weight loss that has some potential for longer-term success.
2. Maintain a higher protein intake (25% to 30%). This may help weight loss because of the thermogenic effects of metabolizing protein. A higher protein intake also may help retain fat-free mass.
3. Perform aerobic exercise and physical activity. They can contribute to creating a caloric deficit and also appear to have some favorable effects on regulating appetite.
4. Perform resistance training. It can contribute to maintaining fat-free mass and resting metabolic rate.
5. Regulate the amount, frequency, and intensity (the ‘dose) of aerobic training, physical activity, and resistance training downwards to maintainable levels that produce effects.
Bottom-line: Current data from many trials indicate that typical very low calorie diets either alone or with exercise result in less than expected initial outcomes for bodyweight and body fat loss. Many people do not maintain even modest changes in weight and body fat. It appears that the basic approach has not been correct. For many people, relatively modest changes in diet coupled with sensible doses of aerobic and resistance training and physical activity can result in a maintainable 5%to 7% loss of body weight and a loss of body fat while appreciably maintaining fat-free mass.
Stiegler P, Cunliffe A. The role of diet and exercise for the maintenance of fat-free mass and resting metabolic rate during weight loss. Sports Medicine. 2006;36: 239-262.
The first goal of weight loss protocols is to substantially reduce bodyweight and body fat while retaining fat-free mass. The second goal is to have those body composition changes maintained. Are these goals routinely achieved? Stiegler and Conliffe reviewed controlled diet, exercise, and combined diet and exercise trials from 1990 – 2005. Overall, they found that these goals are usually unmet. Typically, weight and body fat loss are less than expected and body composition changes are rarely maintained. While genetic factors certainly predispose some people toward obesity, genetic factors alone do not explain the rise in overweight and obesity in the United States and other developed countries. Nor do genetic factors entirely explain the failure of diet protocols. Although evidence is not that firm with some inconsistency between studies, Stiegler and Cuncliffe reached conclusions about weight loss and body composition change. Their conclusions were very similar to those in a reviewed in Master Trainer over the last few years. Assuming your goal was a realistic, maintainable weight loss (5% to 7% of your total bodyweight) and you wanted to lose body fat and retain fat free mass then you should follow these guidelines:
1. Modestly reduce your calorie intake by only about 250 to 300 calories per day. Greatly restricting calories may reduce your resting metabolic rate, meaning you will need fewer calories to sustain your weight. A very restrictive diet is not one that can be followed in the long-run. Feelings of hunger and deprivation can eventually undermine motivation. Greatly restricting many foods often means a diet is unhealthy. Following a healthy, modestly reduced calorie diet with foods that you like is an approach to weight loss that has some potential for longer-term success.
2. Maintain a higher protein intake (25% to 30%). This may help weight loss because of the thermogenic effects of metabolizing protein. A higher protein intake also may help retain fat-free mass.
3. Perform aerobic exercise and physical activity. They can contribute to creating a caloric deficit and also appear to have some favorable effects on regulating appetite.
4. Perform resistance training. It can contribute to maintaining fat-free mass and resting metabolic rate.
5. Regulate the amount, frequency, and intensity (the ‘dose) of aerobic training, physical activity, and resistance training downwards to maintainable levels that produce effects.
Bottom-line: Current data from many trials indicate that typical very low calorie diets either alone or with exercise result in less than expected initial outcomes for bodyweight and body fat loss. Many people do not maintain even modest changes in weight and body fat. It appears that the basic approach has not been correct. For many people, relatively modest changes in diet coupled with sensible doses of aerobic and resistance training and physical activity can result in a maintainable 5%to 7% loss of body weight and a loss of body fat while appreciably maintaining fat-free mass.
