Increasing Muscle Mass: What Are You Doing Wrong?
Millions of men torture themselves at the gym trying to build the ideal physique. Unfortunately, few will find the results they desire, because they fail to understand the importance of the choices they make outside the gym.
Just as it takes wood or bricks to build a house, it takes food to build muscle. If you don't eat enough calories, you simply will not gain muscle mass, no matter how hard you work out or what types of exercises you do. Likewise, if you don't consume enough protein, your body will not have the ability to repair and build lean muscle mass.
How much protein is enough?
There's a big debate amongst health professionals and fitness experts, when it comes to determining just how much protein is needed to build muscle mass. That said, most agree that a minimum of one gram of protein per one pound of body weight is the bare minimum.
This is a lot of protein and it can be difficult for average Joes to meet these requirements on a daily basis, without the use of a protein supplement. Generally, shakes and bars allow most people to consume adequate amounts of protein; however, these should be supplemented with natural sources of lean protein, such as egg whites, baked chicken and turkey or fish.
Getting enough calories
Because they are afraid of accumulating fatty tissue around their midsections, many weight lifters fail to eat enough calories. In truth, because your body needs a caloric surplus to build muscle, you are likely to accumulate at least a little fat in the process. This is just a fact of life for bodybuilders, who tend to build mass during the winter months and cut fat in the spring.
To keep fat from overtaking your body, you can do aerobic exercise when your glycogen reserves are empty. This means working out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach or immediately after your weight workout.
Having realistic expectations
Building muscle can be a time-consuming, frustrating process. Many people have unrealistic expectations, because they've been exposed to bodybuilders who use steroids to get faster results. Generally, if you can gain one pound of muscle per month, youre doing well. That said, you can improve your results by taking supplements, such as creatine. Just remember that nothing will work unless you are eating enough to give your body the materials it needs to grow bigger.
Just as it takes wood or bricks to build a house, it takes food to build muscle. If you don't eat enough calories, you simply will not gain muscle mass, no matter how hard you work out or what types of exercises you do. Likewise, if you don't consume enough protein, your body will not have the ability to repair and build lean muscle mass.
How much protein is enough?
There's a big debate amongst health professionals and fitness experts, when it comes to determining just how much protein is needed to build muscle mass. That said, most agree that a minimum of one gram of protein per one pound of body weight is the bare minimum.
This is a lot of protein and it can be difficult for average Joes to meet these requirements on a daily basis, without the use of a protein supplement. Generally, shakes and bars allow most people to consume adequate amounts of protein; however, these should be supplemented with natural sources of lean protein, such as egg whites, baked chicken and turkey or fish.
Getting enough calories
Because they are afraid of accumulating fatty tissue around their midsections, many weight lifters fail to eat enough calories. In truth, because your body needs a caloric surplus to build muscle, you are likely to accumulate at least a little fat in the process. This is just a fact of life for bodybuilders, who tend to build mass during the winter months and cut fat in the spring.
To keep fat from overtaking your body, you can do aerobic exercise when your glycogen reserves are empty. This means working out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach or immediately after your weight workout.
Having realistic expectations
Building muscle can be a time-consuming, frustrating process. Many people have unrealistic expectations, because they've been exposed to bodybuilders who use steroids to get faster results. Generally, if you can gain one pound of muscle per month, youre doing well. That said, you can improve your results by taking supplements, such as creatine. Just remember that nothing will work unless you are eating enough to give your body the materials it needs to grow bigger.
