As the weather warms up and spring is in the air, many families are looking forward to fun plans and vacations this summer. It can be exciting to think about pool days and outdoor adventures. If you’re a little concerned about being swimsuit ready, now’s the time to get started with these muscle-building tips so you can feel comfortable and confident in your body.
Diet and exercise can be a powerful combination to change your overall appearance and health. With the right routine, you can not only lose those excess pounds but also improve muscle definition and tone.
Here are some muscle building tips to help you achieve the best possible results:
Choose your exercise routine in advance
Going to the gym for a workout session is a good habit to maintain. But do you have a plan to implement when you get there?
If you don’t have a predetermined plan, you won’t get the most out of your exercise routine. The best solution is to map out your training session in advance so you know exactly what to do during each session.
You can find workout routines online and follow these recommendations. Or the most effective solution is to schedule a few sessions with a personal trainer. These one-on-one sessions are helpful because the trainer can evaluate your fitness level and provide personalized recommendations to suit your goals.
Use the correct amount of weight
If the weights you use are too light, your muscle-building efforts will slow down. For best results, it’s important to consider how many reps you can perform before you burn out.
The weight you use should bring you close to the point of failure when you reach your predetermined number of reps. For example, if you plan to do 15 reps, the weight should be so heavy that you cannot perform another rep by the end of the set.
Focus on parts of the body
Don’t try to do a full-body workout every time you lift weights. Your muscles need time to recover, so one of the best muscle-building tips is to choose a focus area for each weightlifting session.
Choose these days in advance and make sure you also factor in time for cardio. For example, Monday could be leg day, Wednesday abs/core and Friday arm day. Tuesday/Thursday are then reserved for cardio days.
Eat often
Make sure you start the day right with a good breakfast in the morning. You need energy to start the day and get through your workout, and breakfast boosts your metabolism for the rest of the day.
In addition, many people believe that a healthy breakfast sets the tone for the day. Starting with a healthy breakfast will make it easier to maintain momentum so you stay on track with other meals and snacks.
Then make sure you eat at the right time: every three hours. If you’re focused on building muscle, you need more than just breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s also smart to add smaller meals after training, as well as snacks between meals. If you don’t eat for long periods of time, you can often overeat at the next meal. So smaller, frequent meals can help you avoid these problems.
Maintaining your food intake can help you avoid hunger. Plus, your body gets the fuel it needs to build muscle. And staying nourished turns off the signals for fat storage, as the body has enough nutrition to stay out of ‘starvation mode’.
Increase protein consumption
Not only should you eat regularly, but also make sure you are eating the right types of foods. You need enough protein to build muscle and maintain mass.
Ask a nutritionist or trainer for the best muscle-building tips and they will always talk about protein. A general daily recommendation is to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. So if you weigh 175 pounds, you should eat 175 grams of protein daily.
Focus on whole protein sources and eat a variety of ingredients as part of your meal planning. Examples include:
- Poultry: Turkey and chicken
- Red With: Beef, lamb and pork.
- Eggs: Whole eggs or egg whites.
- Fish: Salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, etc.
- Powder: A whey protein powder can be a great supplement for between meals.
- Dairy: Cottage cheese, milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.
- Vegetarian options: If you don’t eat meat, consider nuts, legumes, seeds and tofu.
Understand the difference: bulking versus cutting
There are big differences in diet and exercise recommendations depending on your current goals. For example, if you consume less fat, your calorie intake will be slightly lower and you will change the intensity and frequency of your workouts.
On the other hand, the goal of a bulking phase is to build muscle, which means you need more calories and higher protein consumption. The goal is to find the sweet spot where you can build muscle without consuming so many calories that you start gaining fat at the same time. For most people, a surplus of 300 – 500 calories is the perfect balance to build muscle without gaining fat.
Be patient – it takes time
Remember, these changes don’t happen overnight. It will take weeks of consistency before you start noticing changes in your body, and a month or two (or more) before other people start noticing these changes.
Steady weight loss is the healthiest solution, rather than a crash diet that is not sustainable. So, instead of feeling discouraged because it seems like the results aren’t coming fast enough, focus on the daily and weekly habits that lead to the results you want to achieve. Consistency with these seemingly small steps will yield the desired results in the long run.
If you’re serious about building muscle mass, it can take months and years of eating right and strength training to achieve the results you want. But it’s worth it for the way you look and feel.
Local fitness support and facilities
When you find the right fitness center, you’ll be set up for success with your fitness goals. If you’re looking for a gym you can call home, join Fitness Nation. We are here to help!