How can you know if you need to lose fat? The best way is by finding out what percentage of your total body mass is fatty tissue. Be wary of the insurance tables that provide ideal weights for men and women of various heights. Rarely do these tables take body types or age into account.

Here are different routines for muscle building and fat burning for you to build muscle mass and burn fat effectively.

1. Exercise as soon as you wake up

What works well are exercise routines every morning. It is best to start fat burning by exercising first thing in the morning. Of course, the body naturally sheds fat from the areas of greater excess. But then, it can shed off more when done in the morning. This is because fats are the only things being burned in the morning. The energy from carbohydrates eaten from last night’s meal was already used up during sleep. Usually, 30 minutes of exercise in the morning can burn fats by as much as 600 calories. That is almost losing the fats you have accumulated by drinking milk shake and hamburger from last night’s meal.

2. Eat small meals at frequent intervals

Rats trained to eat their entire daily ration in one to two hours gained more weight than rats that nibbled at their food whenever they were hungry. Eating just one giant meal increases the rate at which food is converted into fat by twenty-five times. Experts say that this applies to humans as well. In fact, they contend that when you eat might be as important as what you eat.

3. Add pleasurable activities to your schedule

Just an extra half-hour of walking, for example, can burn off five pounds a year. Try to think in terms of the long haul and develop eating and exercise habits that can keep you in shape for months, years, and decades to come. This perspective can help you get over one of the very common disappointments of the first weeks of dieting. These are just some of the routines for muscle building and fat burning. You can count on them if you really want to build muscle mass and shed off excess fats.

No matter what age you are, here are the 12 power foods to build muscle and burn fat (and keep you healthy for life)-

1) Non salted or smoked Almonds and other nuts

- Also great for controlling carvings
- Eat with skin intact

2) Beans and other legumes (including soybeans, chickpeas, pinot beans, navy beans, kidney beans and lima beans)

- Also helps to regulate digestion
- Avoid refried beans (high in saturated fats) and baked beans (high in sugar)

3) Spinach and other green vegetables

- Also helps to fight the molecules that accelerates the aging process
- Avoid frying vegetables and adding fatty cheese sauces

4) Fat free or low fat milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese

- Also build strong bones
- Avoid whole milk and frozen yogurt

5) unflavored, unsweetened oatmeal

- Great for energy, and fights against cholesterol and maintaining blood sugar levels
- Avoid flavored cereals

6) Eggs

- Eggs has the highest levels of protein of any food
- Protein in eggs are more effective for building muscle than any other protein from other sources, including milk and beef
- Contains vitamin B12, which helps to breakdown fat

7) Turkey and lean steak, chicken, fish

- Also improves the immune system
- No sausage, bacon, cured meats, ham, fatty cuts of steak like T-bone and rib eye

All natural, sugar free peanut butter

- Also boosts testosterone

9) Olive Oil

- Lowers cholesterol and boosts your immune system
- Avoid vegetable and hydrogenated vegetable oils, trans fatty acids, margarine

10) Whole Grain Breads and Cereals

- Stops the body from storing fat
- Avoid processed or refined carbs such as white bread, bagels, doughnuts and pasta made from white flour

11) Extra Protein Whey powder

- No soy protein

12) Raspberries and Other Berries

- Great for protecting your heart, improving your eye sight and memory, preventing cravings
- No sweetened jellies

Each of these healthy foods and weight loss boosters will keep you full longer on less calories.

And the best part is they all taste really good.

As a guideline, consider eating 3 standard meals and 3 smaller meals – add two or three of these foods into your three major meals and at least one of the foods into your snacks.

Do this along with exercise, you will build muscle and burn fat to keep you healthy!