Figure improvement does not always mean weight reduction…
… talking of an exercise and nutrition programme everybody thinks of diet, weight and body fat reduction or the like but sometimes figure improvement means weight gain…
I am asked about it very often. I admit, most of the time I am asked this by men. But fitatall is not just for women.
The desire for more muscles, for 2-3 cm additional upper arm measurement, for a firm bottom or for a broader back are definitely a part of figure improvement.
However, the situation is similar to the one concerning nutrition! Everybody has got his own taste.
Again and again I witness men, who madly train their pectoral and neck muscles but neglect their leg and gluteal muscles totally. Their upper body seems to be much more important to them. During the nineties when strength athletes were emulating Schwarzenegger & Co. one could witness them leaving health clubs and weights rooms with a mighty torso on thin legs.
Just recently after a lecture I have been addressed by a young man in his twenties, who wanted to know what to do to gain weight.
Weight gain is similar to weight reduction. But I would like to resolve a couple of falsities.
In the past the so-called "wiry guys", mostly quite fit and athletic boys always told me: "It is easy for you to build up muscles. You bring along more weight. You just have to convert the fat into muscles!" Heard before? CONVERT FAT INTO MUSCLES!
If I were just able to do this! If I were, I would be making a lot of money. But I think I would concentrate on converting WATER INTO WINE and LEAD INTO GOLD then!
It would be a kind of magic because converting fat into muscles is biologically impossible. What is possible? The only and in the long-term useful method to achieve a trained and tight body:
MORE MUSCLES = MORE FAT INCINERATORS
This does not mean to mindlessly consume an excess of calories to build up more muscular mass.
Still there are certain regularities to consider:
If I supply more energy than needed I will gain weight!
If I consume more energy than supplied I will loose weight!
Exactly as with weight reduction it is important to supply the proper energy and respect a couple of basic principles.
Let's begin with the workout!
1.) Train toughly.
2.) Avoid an excess of workout and treat your body with pauses. Your muscles "grow" during the phase of regeneration, not during the workout!
3.) Arrange your workout around basic exercise! Train big muscles: squats/leg press, dead lift/rowing, bench-press/chest press, pull-ups.
4.) Find a coach. Ask for a coach at your health club, who helps you to arrange a useful workout and to regularly adjust it.
Let's have a look at the nutritional part. Again we see the parallel to the healthy and fat burning nutrition.
1.) Eat regularly! Have four meals a day, better six. Supply your body with valuable meals every three hours. Muscles are luxury. Your organism
has to be sure that there is no threat through shortage. Muscles need energy 24/7. With three meals a day your body will not allow this luxury.
2.) Four times a day you should supply a portion of protein, like:
- Meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Dairy products
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Soya products
Tip #1: If you can not achieve your goal through natural groceries complete with dietary supplements. I draw on a tasty protein shake for more than ten years now. This just the perfect answer when there is no time or opportunity to prepare a meal rich in protein.
Tip #2: Compensate missing meals through a valuable protein shake, but no more than two daily. A shake right after the workout makes sense because at this point your body is very receptive. A second shake could be taken as a good night snack right before you go to sleep. Most of the regeneration happens at night.
Rice, bread, pasta, cereals and sugar are energy. Your body is in need of building material! Always remember: No protein, no muscle formation.
3.) Integrate good fats into your nutrition! Preferably:
Canola oil. linseed oil, olive oil, nut oils
Nuts and fish, like salmon provide just the fat you need. Beyond that these fats are valuable for your brain. DHA and EPA play a crucial role to keep your brain performance-capable. We do no want to fulfil any clichés concerning strength athletes, do we? Yes there is a life outside of the health club.
4.) Drink sufficiently. Supply your body with sufficient fluids.
What else is crucial for a successful muscle formation? Be patient. Do not let yourself discourage by your muscles not growing as fast as some advertisements for "miracle cures" promise!
Every journey how long it may be starts with the first step!
Godspeed!
Sincerely, Peter.
