3 Signs You’re Gaining Muscle and Losing Fat (And My Full Body Workout Routine)
When embarking on your fitness journey, gaining muscle and losing fat are often the ultimate goals. It's about looking great, feeling strong, and achieving sustainable health. But how do you really know when your body is making progress? Today, I’ll break down three key signs you're on the right track, share my full body workout routine, and provide tips to keep you moving in the right direction.
Whether you're a fitness enthusiast, a bodybuilder, or just starting out, you'll walk away with actionable insights to optimize your results. Plus, stay tuned for some pro tips on recovery and nutrition—two underrated aspects of fitness success.
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Are You Gaining Muscle and Losing Fat? Look for These 3 Signs
1. Your Body Composition is Changing
One of the clearest signs you’re simultaneously building muscle and shedding fat is a visible change in your body composition. Traditional scales can't tell you if the number on display is fat or muscle, so tools like a body fat analyzer or even progress photos come in handy.
What to watch for:
Fat loss in key areas: You notice less fat around your waist, thighs, or arms.
Muscle definition increases: Those “hidden” muscles start to pop. Hello, triceps!
Clothes fit better: You’ll notice your favorite pair of jeans fitting differently—snug in areas like your thighs (thanks to muscle growth) but looser around the waistline (fat loss!).
Personal anecdote? Each month, I track progress through both pictures and a simple tape measure—it’s far more motivating than stepping on a scale!
2. Your Strength is Improving
If you're able to lift heavier weights or perform more reps over time, congratulations—you’re likely building muscle. This strength boost is accompanied by enhanced performance in daily activities, like climbing stairs with ease or carrying groceries effortlessly.
What this indicates:
Your muscles are adapting to the demands you're placing on them.
Neurological adaptations from training are improving coordination and efficiency.
Pro Tip:
Keep a gym journal to track your progress every week. Each small boost in strength means muscle fibers are growing.
3. Your Energy Levels and Metabolism Are Supercharged
Muscle is metabolically active tissue, meaning it burns more calories than fat—both at rest and during activity. A common yet subtle sign you’re gaining lean muscle and losing fat is an increase in overall energy. You might feel more alert throughout the day or recover faster after workouts.
How can you spot this?
Boosted metabolism: You might find yourself comfortably eating more while maintaining or improving your physique.
Sustained energy levels: No more energy crashes mid-afternoon!
Why Track These Signs?
Progress isn’t always linear, especially when juggling muscle gain and fat loss. By focusing on body composition, strength gains, and improved energy, you’ll have a more accurate and motivating way to assess results.
Full Body Workout Routine for Efficient Gains
To maximize both muscle growth and fat loss, my go-to strategy is full-body workouts. These routines keep your metabolism revved up and target all the major muscle groups within one session. You can view the entire exercise collection of this workout here.
Here’s the workout routine I’m currently doing.
Goal: 3-4 rounds per circuit, taking ample rest between sets. Adjust rep ranges based on your training objective:
Strength: 1-6 reps
Hypertrophy (muscle growth): 8-12 reps
Endurance: 15+ reps
Circuit 1:
Trap Bar Deadlift x 8
Engages your posterior chain and strengthens core stability.
Side Plank Hold x 30 seconds/side
Excellent for core strength and oblique activation.
Single-Arm Overhead Press (SA OHP) x 10/arm
Builds shoulder strength and works on unilateral stability.
Circuit 2:
Side Lateral Deficit Squat x 10
Focuses on quads, glutes, and improves joint stability.
Bench Plank 1-Arm Row x 8/arm
Targets the back muscles while engaging the core throughout.
Abdominal Dumbbell Up-and-Over x 12
A dynamic move to activate and strengthen your abdominals.
Circuit 3:
Goblet Reverse Lunge x 8/leg
Perfect for building single-leg strength and stability.
ISO Hold Single-Arm Chest Press x 10/arm
Isometric holds challenge your chest and core muscles.
Modify weights and reps as needed, and focus on proper technique over heavy lifting.
For personalized fitness advice and more routines, I recommend checking out Angie Bloom’s Personal Training Sessions. I have a lot of workouts on my blog, which you can find more, here.
Travel Total Body Workout
Nutrition Tips for Muscle Gain and Fat Loss
Exercise is only half the equation; your diet plays a massive role in achieving results. Here’s how to fuel your fitness goals:
1. Prioritize Protein
Protein helps repair and grow muscle. Aim for at least 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. Great sources include chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, and legumes.
2. Balance Macronutrients
Your macronutrient ratios depend on personal goals, but a good baseline is:
40% carbs for energy
30% protein for muscle repair
30% healthy fats for overall health
3. Time Your Meals
Have protein-heavy meals or snacks within 30 minutes post-workout to kickstart recovery. Don't overlook pre-workout nutrition—carbs fuel your training!
4. Stay Hydrated
Hydration impacts everything from performance to recovery. Drink at least half your body weight (in ounces) of water daily, and more on training days.
Bonus Tip:
Track your meals with apps like MyFitnessPal to ensure you're hitting your nutritional targets consistently.
Rest and Recovery Are Non-Negotiable
Muscle is built during recovery—not while you lift weights. Make rest days and adequate sleep a priority.
Recovery Tips:
Sleep 7-9 hours per night to allow for optimal muscle repair.
Incorporate active recovery (e.g., yoga, walking) on rest days.
Include foam rolling, mobility work or stretching post-workout to reduce soreness.
Your body needs time to repair and strengthen—don’t skip this step!
Take Control of Your Fitness Journey
Spotting muscle growth and fat loss doesn’t have to be a guessing game. Track your changes in body composition, strength, and energy levels to ensure you’re on the right path. Pair this with my full-body workout routine, a balanced diet, and proper recovery, and you’re set to achieve your fitness goals.
Remember, fitness is a personal journey. If you’re struggling to find the right strategy, don’t hesitate to seek expert guidance. For personalized training plans curated to your unique needs, visit Angie Bloom’s Coaching Services.
Now it’s time to lift, fuel, rest, and see results—your transformation starts today!
Looking for more personalized guidance? Join our community of fitness enthusiasts and get expert advice tailored to your needs. Let's make every workout count!
Also, when I’m traveling, I like to do this workout at least a few times during my week stay, so I encourage you to save this or pin it! It helps keep me on track and to keep building muscle during peri-menopause. I know this workout works, because I’ve done it many times and trust me, it’s effective! I hope you enjoy!
This workout would be great to build core strength and for cool down, full-body stretching, I really love this mobility work, here.
I love helping my clients let go of painful experiences to help them rebuild trust, self-confidence, self-worth and belief in themselves by addressing the root causes with subconscious change. The tool I use is called PSYCH-K®, and is a quick, pain-free and completely safe way to reprogram your subconscious and to create lasting change for once and for all.
Within my holistic practice, we help you create a lasting self-care practice to regulate your nervous system in your day to day-to-day life, so you can always hear and follow your whispers, instead of the big Mac truck.
If you’re ready to stop dimming your light, start making easy decisions with confidence, and follow through with what you want to achieve, while trusting your intuition, you can easily set up a free conversation with me.
>>>To Book Integrative Energetic Healing Services, click here
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Here’s a great total body workout that you can do from home. As a personal trainer for over 20 years, the most important piece when it comes to your health is making sure you are CONSISTENT. If you aren’t consistent, then you will never see results.
I love seeing you all tag me on Instagram! It’s so fun when you complete a workout and show me your progress. Allow me to cheer you on! Tag me if you try this workout @__angiebloom__
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