3 Ways To Minimise Muscle Loss During A Fat Loss Phase - Sports Dietitian Insights

If you are bulking or building muscle in any way, there is a good chance you will eventually switch to a fat loss/leaning out phase.

One of the common concerns with this is the preconceived idea or worry around muscle losses - all those sweet hard-earned gains going away.

While it is never that simple or easy to just lose your muscle, there are ways to minimise this. 

Here are three key strategies to help you preserve muscle mass during a fat loss phase while still making progress toward your goals.

Disclaimer: Your Muscles Aren’t Vanishing Overnight

Let’s clear something up—losing muscle isn’t as easy as people think. Your body actually wants to keep muscle because it’s useful for, well... pretty much everything. Walking? Muscle. Lifting groceries? Muscle. Dramatically catching your phone mid-air after dropping it? You guessed it—muscle.

To actually lose a significant amount of muscle, you'd have to be doing some things pretty poorly and consistently.

However, if you are worried or simply want to cross the T’s and dot the I’s when it comes to “gain retention”, these 3 considerations will sort you out.

1) Eat Enough Protein – Maintain Your Optimal Intake

When it comes to protecting muscle during a fat loss phase, protein is king. Your body can naturally tend to the side of breaking down muscle when you’re in a calorie deficit, but eating enough protein gives your muscles the building blocks they need to repair, recover, and keep on keepin’ on.

How much protein do you need?
Individual needs and strategy will vary but as a starting point, at least aim for 1.6g/kg of lean bodyweight to be on the safe side. You can tune it up from there as needed based on your strategy, needs, and preferences. 

To purpose is to optimise for muscular retention through further reducing muscle breakdown wne in a technically more vulnerable state - the ol cal deficit.
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Want a personalised protein target based on your training and goals? As a Sports Dietitian, I can help you fine-tune your intake for the best results. Reach out to discuss working together and take out the guesswork and add in accountability.

2) Keep On Training On – The Stimulus Matters

Think of muscle like a plant. If you stop watering it (training), it starts to wither. Your muscles need a reason to stay. That’s why resistance training is non-negotiable if you want to hold onto muscle while dropping fat.
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What alot of people do is drop alot or all of their weights for cardio when trying to burn off extra calories during a weight loss phase BUT this is no bueno. 

It’s a huge mistake to replace all your strength work with cardio. Yes, cardio helps with fat loss in some way, but too much without strength training can eat into muscular stores for various potential reasons, leading to more losses.

Not to mention you don’t actually burn as many calories during exercise as you may think - use it as a health and longevity booster, not a fat loss creator.
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3) Avoid Crash Diets – Don’t Cut Calories Too Aggressively

This one is not as hard and fast or as potentially important for most people as the above 2 as ticking off 1 and 2 will put you in a decent position from the get go. However, it is still worth considering as fat loss efforts can get out of hand and also you may be extra worried about losing muscle and want all the tea dropped.

Speaking of drops...

Dropping too many calories too fast is one way to lose more potential muscle along with fat. Your body can see extreme deficits as a threat and start breaking down muscle for energy.

Couple this with lacking protein, and you have a recipe for muscular atrophy. 

Signs you’re cutting too hard? Here are some to consider at this stage.
🚨 Losing weight too fast (more than 0.5-1% of body weight per week)
🚨 Feeling constantly fatigued and weak in training
🚨 Not recovering well, struggling with sleep, or feeling excessively hungry

Fat loss isn’t a race. A steady, well-fuelled approach will get you better results in the long run for most general people attempting it - without sacrificing more muscle than you need to. 
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Need a sustainable fat loss plan that actually works? That’s where I can come in. A personalised approach ensures you’re getting the right balance in nutrition to lose weight the right way and not get on that hamster wheel of “dieting”.

Get it touch today to explore your options!​

Recap: How to “Protect” Muscle in a Fat Loss Phase

✅ Eat enough protein (1.6-2.4g/kg body weight)
✅ Continue resistance training to keep the muscle stimulus
✅ Avoid extreme calorie deficits to prevent muscle breakdown
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If you nail these three things, you’ll be on your way to losing fat while keeping your hard-earned muscle intact.

Need Help Dialing It All In?Losing fat without losing muscle takes strategy--not just eating less and hoping for the best. If you want expert guidance on your fat loss nutrition and approach, I can help you.

As a Sports Dietitian, I work with athletes of all levels to create personalised nutrition plans that support their goals. Whether you need help with meal planning, performance fueling, or recovery strategies, I’ll take the guesswork out of it and give you a clear, Dietitian-backed plan that works for you as the individual that you are.

There is no one-size-fits-all all approach to nutrition in the end…allow me to go bespoke on you and create some custom-fit nutrition programming. 

So ready to level up your nutrition? Let’s chat about your goals—contact me here (or You can also email me at: [email protected]) and let’s build a game plan that works for you!

If you are ready for “comprehensive level” full nutrition coaching solutions and feel I am the right Sports Dietitian for you, then you can alternatively apply now directly to see if we are a good fit.

Simply CLICK HERE and start the process for reaching your peak potential and getting the body you feel happier, healthier, and more confident in.
Looking forward to taking out the guesswork and helping you “figure out this nutrition thing”. 

To your peak,
Aleksa Gagic

Brisbane Sports Dietitian and Nutritionist