One of the top reasons we’re told we “have” to exercise in order to lose weight is that if you don’t, you’ll lose muscle.
The truth is, it depends on how you go about it.
The first thing to understand is that when you’re obese, your body develops muscle mass under the fat in order for you to be able to move at all. It has no other choice (unless you sit around so much that your muscles atrophy and you lose muscle tissue anyway).
But when you lose the weight (by whatever means, and aren’t trying to build muscle at the same time), yes, you may lose muscle mass just simply because you’re not required to haul as much extra weight around 24/7.
The next thing to understand has to do with a process called gluconeogenesis.
It’s where our body creates glucose from non-carbohydrate sources. Even when you eat carbs, your body may still enter gluconeogenesis after it breaks down the carbs you ate.
Some bodily processes do need glucose, yes, but it’s a misconception that you “have” to consume loads of carbs for your body to get glucose. It can make its own!
The demand for glucose from your diet is greatly reduced on a high-fat, low-carb diet, because most of your body’s processes are using fat for fuel, so your body can use what glucose it gets from veggies or makes itself to send to the cells that need glucose. It’s much more efficient with its use of glucose!
Because of all this, a high-fat, low-carbohydrate way of eating that includes protein, like we eat on Code Red, is muscle-sparing. When you correctly eat the Code Red way, and don’t keep reintroducing carbs and sugar while trying to lose weight, your body doesn’t need to break down muscle tissue into glucose, as some people fear is happening when they hear about gluconeogenesis.
Finally, it’s just a lot SIMPLER and easier to lose the fat on Code Red without worrying about building muscle.
Then, at goal weight, dive in and exercise in a way that builds muscle! You’ll get to do it without the anxiety of also trying to get rid of fat.
In case you’re wondering: NO, I am not saying you “shouldn’t” exercise if you’re losing weight with Code Red.
Just understand that Code Red is a weight loss program, not a muscle-building program, so you don’t get extra calories, cheats, or snacks just because you’re exercising.
Exercise also makes you hungrier, so you’ll have that to contend with, too.
I love exercise and won’t tell you to stop doing it.
But it doesn’t buy you “wiggle room” in weight loss mode on Code Red, because like I said, Code Red is a weight loss program, not a muscle-building program.
It’s also a weight loss program that’s muscle-sparing (which not all weight loss programs are).
If you’re not able to exercise, and you wanna lose body fat while sparing as much muscle as possible, the Code Red Lifestyle™ – when followed correctly, with no cheats – is the way to go!
Have you created your free Code Red Lifestyle™ network account yet?
If not, here’s how to get your account!
1) On your computer, create your account at www.CodeRedLifestyle.com/App.
2) If you want the network on a mobile device, go to the App Store or Google Play Store and search for Code Red Lifestyle.