Shedding pounds is hard. From the eating regimen changes to the inclined up exercises, it can take a genuine update of your way of life. What’s more, for the most part, the objective is to diminish muscle versus fat and increment muscle. However, once in a while in that mission, you can begin to lose muscle rather than fat—and that is not an incredible situation.

“It is bad to lose muscle instead of fat, because muscles are the key players in body movement and function,” says Gerardo Miranda-Comas, MD, Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “With loss of muscle mass, strength and endurance are affected negatively, leading to decreased functional performance.”

Yet, your body shouldn’t normally go for muscle first in weight reduction—in case you’re doing it right.

“All in all, muscle isn’t lost before fat—it is exceptionally subject to nourishment and action volume,” Miranda-Comas says. “An individual who is endeavoring to get thinner by not eating may get in shape in muscle first before fat.”

How does that occur? Indeed, the body likes to go for carbs (glucose) for vitality first. In the event that that is not accessible, it goes for glycogen, which is glucose that has been put away in the liver and muscles, says Dr. Miranda-Comas.

“Fat is likewise utilized for vitality relying upon term of the physical action, and an individual can prepare their body to utilize fat as the essential wellspring of vitality,” says Dr. Miranda-Comas. (Hi, ketosis—the premise of the keto diet.)

“A sound eating regimen is normally 45-65% carbs, somewhere in the range of 15-35% protein, and 20-35% fat,” says Wesley Delbridge, RDN, representative for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “The fact of the matter is having a reasonable eating regimen and not confining any food extremely low.”

This, obviously, relies upon the eating routine you’re following. Some might be low-carb (like the keto diet), high-protein (like the Atkins diet), or low fat. In any case, in case you’re taking it to limits, your body will begin to feel it.

Be that as it may, how might you tell in case you’re losing muscles and not fat? Here are 5 signs.

1. Your exercise feels more stressed.

It might appear to be somewhat self-evident, yet your exercises may feel more diligently – and you may want to skip it inside and out.

“You’ll see less quality in the exercise center. The weight you used to have the option to accomplish for reps may diminish or you will most likely be unable to get the same number of reps as you once accomplished for each set,” says Spencer Nadolsky, D.O., creator of The Fat Loss Prescription.

2. You feel drowsy doing regular exercises.

You won’t simply feel muscle misfortune it in the exercise center.

“Lacking nourishment can prompt an abatement in muscle, which may prompt disabled capacity,” says Dr. Miranda-Comas. “This is generally brought about by a vitality insufficiency and conceivable overtraining.”

“In the dynamic person who is getting in shape alongside an abatement in execution, we should consider overtraining,” says Dr. Miranda-Comas.

3. Your muscle versus fat ratio isn’t moving.

In case you’re getting thinner however your muscle to fat ratio is remaining the equivalent, it’s most likely a sign you’re losing muscle.

“Your body won’t shape the manner in which you need. You’ll see contracting boundaries, however the squeeze capable fat is the equivalent,” says Dr. Nadolsky.

4. You’re getting more fit at a fast pace.

While you might be siphoned at seeing those numbers, it’s most likely not uplifting news for your bulk—except if you have a great deal of fat to lose to begin.

“The more fat you have, the more probable you’ll lose more fat than muscle when shedding pounds,” says Dr. Nadolsky.

Shedding pounds quickly is normally not economical, either.

“Weight reduction requires an extensive stretch of time and showing restraint—it’s a long distance race and not a run. Individuals should (just) shed 1-2 pounds for every week,” says Delbridge.

For tips from genuine folks who lost noteworthy measures of weight, look at our rundown of the year’s most stunning weight reduction changes.

5. Your exercise never advances

It’s a given that it’s difficult to propel yourself when you’re drained. On the off chance that you can never go up in weight while lifting that may be another sign you’ve lost muscle, as per Albert Matheny, C.S.C.S, R.D., organizer of Soho Strength Lab. “A ton of variables influence execution, however not seeing improvement in preparing is a decent sign you’re not hitting your body’s needs,” he revealed to Women’s Health.