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Lose Fat, Keep Muscle: The Smart Way to Lose Weight

By April 25, 2025April 27th, 2025No Comments

Gerald Gorman MD, FACEP

Why This Matters

When you’re losing weight, your body can lose both fat and muscle. Losing muscle slows down your metabolism and makes it harder to keep weight off. The good news? You can protect your muscle while burning fat with two simple strategies:

  • Eat more protein
  • Do some form of resistance training

How Much Exercise Do I Really Need?

You don’t need hours at the gym. Just:

  • 2 short workouts per week (20–30 minutes each)
  • Focus on simple moves like:
    • Squats or leg presses
    • Push-ups or dumbbell presses
    • Rows (with bands or weights)
  • Try to get 6–10 total sets per muscle group each week (these are general recommendations and will vary somewhat depending on fitness history and experience but are great places to start)

This small effort helps keep your strength and maintain muscle.

How Much Protein Helps?

We recommend eating at least 0.6 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day and advise striving for closer to 1 gram per pound (That’s about 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight.)

Example:

  • 180-pound person = ~110 grams of protein daily.

There are obviously nuances to this depending on weight and fitness levels and activity but these are good general guidelines.

High-Protein Foods That Work:

  • Grilled chicken, turkey breast, lean beef
  • Eggs and egg whites
  • Nonfat Greek yogurt (15–20g protein per cup)
  • Low-fat cottage cheese
  • Protein shakes (look for 20–30g per serving)
  • Protein bars (check for low sugar, at least 15g protein)
  • High-protein milks like Fairlife or Core Power
  • Canned tuna, salmon, or sardines

How GLP-1 Medications Help

GLP-1 medications (like semaglutide or tirzepatide) work by reducing hunger and cravings. This helps you stick to a healthy eating plan without feeling starved.

Combined with higher protein and resistance training, they help you:

  • Eat fewer calories
  • Avoid muscle loss
  • Burn more fat safely and effectively

We screen all patients carefully to ensure safe, doctor-supervised use.

What the Science Says

Pasiakos et al., 2013:

  • People who ate more protein (≥1.2 g/kg) preserved more lean muscle during weight loss than those on standard protein diets.

Longland et al., 2016:

  • People who combined high-protein diets (2.4 g/kg) with resistance training lost more fat and actually gained muscle—even in a calorie deficit.

Our Program Includes:

  • Personalized protein guidance
  • Beginner-friendly resistance training
  • Doctor-led support
  • Prescription medication when appropriate

Lose weight. Keep your strength. Feel your best.