Successful Muscle Workouts for Gaining Muscle Mass With out Body Fat
Chances are, if you’ve looked into muscle workouts, you’ve seen just how different they all can be. A common theme in many of these muscle building approaches is to eat an excess of calories in the gaining phase and then a deficit in the cutting phase. The theory is, first you “bulk” up, then you “cut” the fat. Unfortunately, the downfall with this plan is that while gaining muscle, you are also gaining fat – and usually LOTS of it! But you CAN perform muscle workouts that do NOT involve packing on pounds of bodyfat!
Of course, we all want to know the “secret to that!
Contrary to what mainstream fitness experts would have you believe, it is possible to add muscle without eating an excess of calories. In fact, you can add muscle while eating in a calorie deficit. “Tell me how to do this!” Well, muscle mass is largely a result of how much you use the muscle. Your calorie intake is more closely tied with how much body fat you have on your body. Basically, doing muscle workouts builds muscles, and a low-calorie diet modifies bodyfat. Follow this equation for the ULTIMATE appearance you’ve been wanting for so long!
“Exactly how much food should I consume to still be able to effectively gain solid muscle?”
The general rule of thumb is to simply find out just what YOUR body needs to keep your weight the same, and consume slightly LESS. There’s really no set number; it will vary from one individual to the next. A good starting point is to multiply your body weight in pounds times 10. For example, a man weighing 165 pounds should consume a little less than 1,650 calories each day. Then, as you continue this for two weeks, you’ll want to keep a record of your bodyfat percentage. You can keep eating the same amount of calories throughout your time of muscle workouts as long as during that two weeks your bodyfat did not increase.
“What about protein? How much do I need during muscle workouts?”
Some people in the world of fitness (big business, really) have led us to believe that we need MASSIVE quantities of protein to build muscle. NOT SO! We could go on an on about this touchy subject ALL DAY. But THANK GOD we don’t have to! The book “How Much Protein,” by Brad Pilon, spells it out for us. Brad worked in the supplement industry as the Head of R&D for one of the largest supplement companies in the world. His conclusion was that we really only need 1/2 a gram of protein per pound of body weight. Therefore, the 165 pound man really needs only a daily protein intake of about 83 grams. Round it up to 90, or even 100 if you like. The truth is, though, focusing ALL your efforts on extremely high-protein diets is pointless. Remember, muscle size is much more related to muscle workouts than with dieting. Lower caloric intake is used for losing the bodyfat.
The Best Supplement for Your Muscle Workouts
If you are going to take one supplement during your muscle workout phase, then make sure you take creatine. Creatine is probably the only supplement that has clinically proven to build muscle above and beyond consuming whole foods. All other supplements effects can be duplicated with whole foods. For best results, consume about three to five grams of creatine immediately following each of your muscle workouts.
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