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Although most exercise programs promote building muscle, some people may be interested in losing muscle mass.
For example, these people may:
feel that their muscles are giving them a ‘bulky’ look
feel that their bodies are aesthetically out of balance and want to trim down specific parts
wish to slim down while maintaining strength
want clothing to look a certain way on their bodies
feel that larger muscles tend to sag as they exit middle age
In this article, we’ll review how muscles are grown and the best ways to lose muscle mass.
Understanding muscle growth
To understand how to lose muscle mass, you have to understand how to make muscles grow.
Muscle growth, or hypertrophy, is typically pursued by a consistent weightlifting program combined with a high calorie, high protein dietary program.
In an intensive anaerobic weightlifting workout, muscle fibers are damaged and then repair themselves during rest periods. When the rate of repair is faster than the damage, muscle growth occurs.
Your body fuels your workout and recovery with calories from food.
How can I lose muscle mass?
To lose muscle mass, you must reduce your caloric intake and alter your workouts.
Consider these adjustments:
Diet. Consume fewer calories and eat a lower percentage of foods that are high in proteins and carbohydrates.
Weight training. If you’re continuing to train with weights, use lighter weights and reduce weight training frequency to no more than 2 times per week to maintain tone.
Cardio. Focus your workouts on long periods of cardiovascular exercise, known as marathon cardio, to burn calories.
