How to Lose Weight & Gain Muscle in One Month

Losing fat and gaining muscle requires hard work, motivation and dedication. Under ideal circumstances, you would have more than one month to lose weight and gain muscle. However, you may have found yourself in a bind once and need to get in shape fast. Keep in mind that changing your lifestyle is the best way to maintain a healthy figure.

Things You'll Need

• Weight scale

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Instructions

• 1

  Eat healthy foods. Write down everything that you will eat in one day. Six small meals throughout the day will help keep your metabolism high. Healthy foods include lean meats, vegetables and complex carbohydrates. Lean meats like chicken, fish and lean cuts of beef provide a good source of protein and are low in saturated fats. Vegetables will help you feel full without adding excess calories. Complex carbohydrates like oatmeal, sweet potatoes and whole wheat will give you energy and help you feel full as well.

• 2

  Consume less simple carbohydrates and less fat. Avoid sugar as much as possible. If you feel a craving for sugar, try a small portion of fresh fruit instead. Avoid white potatoes and white rice. These are both simple carbohydrates that will leave you feeling hungry. Avoid saturated fat, which is found in the fattier cuts of beef and pork.

• 3

  Do cardiovascular exercise for 45 minutes at least 5 times a week. Cardiovascular exercise burns calories, and burning more calories than you consume is the only proven method of weight loss. Swimming is one of the most effective ways to burn calories. Running, jumping rope and biking are also effective.

• 4

  Lift weights or do body weight exercise. Lifting weights tones and builds your muscles and makes you stronger. You shouldn't expect to bulk up while losing weight. But as you lose weight, your muscles will be more visible as the fat decreases, revealing the muscles underneath. Develop your muscles through push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups or a weightlifting routine.