6 Habits That Are Making You Lose Muscle, Not Fat Even the best-intentioned plans can backfire.
You know the routine: Losing weight means chowing down on fewer calories than you’re burning. But if you’re not smart about it, even the best-intentioned plans can backfire. That’s because dropping pounds always means shedding a mix of both fat and muscle. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, having less of it slows down your metabolism, making it even harder to shed pounds, says Albert Matheny, C.S.C.S., R.D., founder of the Soho Strength Lab. Fortunately there are steps you can take to minimize muscle loss. To keep your body’s calorie-burning machine revved, steer clear of these six habits that make you more likely to lose muscle.