How To Build Muscle And Lose Fat

There’s nothing more impressive at the beach than a washboard stomach or bulging muscles that are defined. You have to work hard to build muscle, but if you have excess fat that covers those muscles, nobody will see the results of your effort. You must lose fat as you build muscle tissue to get the best results. People often start an exercise program to get a lean, cut appearance and are disappointed. Either they cut back on calories too much, making muscle building difficult, or didn’t focus on shedding fat that hides all the hard work. It’s possible to do both.

It all starts in the kitchen.

You need the building blocks for muscle to increase muscle mass. The primary building block is protein. Increasing protein intake is vital to building more muscle tissue. A diet higher in protein also fills you and keeps you full longer. That helps reduce the calories you consume each day. Don’t drastically reduce calories. Provide enough to help build muscle mass. Find your ideal weight and add 500 calories to approximate the number of calories necessary. Your diet should get approximately 1/3 of its calories from quality protein like lean meat, salmon, and eggs.

You need carbs and fat in your diet, too.

Carbs provide energy to help you maximize your workout. The key is to eat the right type of carbs. You do need grain products, just make sure that you get whole grains. Whole grains provide antioxidants, some protein, B vitamins, and magnesium. Fruits and vegetables are carbs that provide other nutrients necessary to build muscle.

Maximize your workout benefits.

Use exercises that burn tons of calories and increase muscle mass. Create a HIIT workout using weights. Compound exercises also burn calories because several muscle groups and joints are involved. Lifting heavier will make you stronger. Lifting lighter with more repetitions will build bulk. You can even do both. The key is to lift to failure. Both types of lifting will take you to that destination. Consistency and making your workout more difficult as you become fitter is what counts.

• When working on building consume between 0.8 and 1.5 grams of protein for every pound of body weight. It helps build muscle tissue.
• Cut back on cardio. You can still do it, but not as your primary source of exercise. Cardio burns a lot of calories but it takes those calories from both lean muscle and fat. You’ll lose muscle if cardio is your only exercise.
• Don’t fear fat in your diet. It should be a healthy fat, not from fried foods. Fat makes you feel full quicker and for longer. It helps muscles recover after working out. Use sources like nuts or fatty fish.
• Don’t forget to hydrate and get adequate sleep. Lack of sleep causes an increase in the hunger hormone and a decrease in the satiety hormone so you eat more. When you sleep, your body heals the microtears. The scar tissue is the increase in muscle mass.

For more information, contact us today at Team Worx Fitness