To build muscle, you are going to have to take in more calories because unless you use drugs you aren't going to be able to build muscle without them.
Losing fat is different and is going to require to eat less food and be in a negative calorie balance because that allows your body to use stored bodyfat for fuel.
Most people end of spinning there wheels and spending too much time doing both. This cause people to have that skinny but not big enough look that is in between cut and big
Most people accept that they need to add some small amounts of fat if they are going to get bigger. It is the small amount of fat that we can control.
The secret to gaining muscle without getting a gut.
When building muscle, there are one of two things that you can do.
Most people decide that they want to get big at all costs and just eat. They become a human buffet since they think that any hunger pains means that they aren't growing.
The current thinking of how to build muscle and burn fat is useless since the ones who promote it are likely using drugs. I'm sorry to say but you aren't an exception.
These people are going to do nothing but eat for four to six months, which is the time period that most people try to add muscle in. Gorging for this period of time is completely unhealthy and will lead to a point where all your body does is add fat to your gut.
The second option and better option is to use small cycles of eating large amounts of calories to add muscle over a four to six week period so that you can grow but keep your stomach small.
I know that you are thinking. How many calories do I need to take in and how much muscle can be built during this phase.?
You've heard of the guys who claimed that they can build 20,30, or 41 pounds of muscle in a few weeks or month. I call "bull", that ain't going to happen unless you use drugs and adding 10 pounds of muscle will give you a brand new, sleeve busting body. This is only going to happen to people who are brand new to training, have crazy good genetics or are using some other things but for most people this just isn't going to happen.
A natural individual should shoot for a pound or two of muscle a month. If your diet isn't optimal or if you are missing meals then you decrease this chance. It is so vital that you recognize and realize this. You need to be on point or else your ability to grow muscle is going to be limited.
The more calories, the greater the chance to build fat. As a general rule, keep it to about 500 calories above normal so that you can keep your body fat in check. The best way to judge if you are gaining muscle and keeping your bodyfat low is to look in the mirror. How are your clothes fitting? Do you still have a flat stomach. If they are staying there then increase your calories slightly.
It is always best to look in the mirror and realize that you are not going to be a pro bodybuilder but someone that looks really good. Aiming to hit the exact number of calories that you read about isn't going to get the job done and it isn't going to work. Everyone has a different metabolism and you need to play with your own calorie requirements and try to see what works best for you.
Just keep in mind , the better you control your diet when you train for size the less time you have to spend dieting and the more time you can spend growing. The best way to add muscle is to decide that you are going to do it slowly. Trying to get too big, too fast will only result you adding more fat than muscle. There's no reason to stuff you face full of fat foods.
Copyright (c) 2008 Jimmy Smith
You may be lifting weights, doing bodyweight exercises, running on the roads and trails or the treadmill, pedaling your heart out, stepping endlessly on some cardio machine… even if you're doing all of this training, you may still be missing out.
Truth is, after our teens or early twenties, most of us quit doing high intensity sprinting and jumping. This is a huge mistake. Here's why:
You see, there are actually 3 different types of muscle fiber in your body. The first is slow-twitch or Type I and it makes up about 40% of your total muscle tissue.
The other two types are both fast twitch fibers and together make up about 60%. Type IIa is just called fast-twitch. Type IIx is called super-fast.
Now here's the scoop. When you stop doing fast, explosive type training, you lose fast twitch muscle fiber. If you're not doing this type of training, up to 60% of you muscle tissue is being ignored. Ouch.
Even if you do slow cardio, long distance running, non-explosive strength training, etc. you're only maintaining the other 40%. You're letting the other half (+) simply waste away.
So, how can you avoid this atrophy?
Well, the good news is that you can stop the loss of muscle tissue - and even gain it back. Yes, actually reverse the muscle loss.
And the best way to do it is to run sprints (to develop Type IIx muscle) and do explosive plyometric type movements (to get back your Type IIa)
But, wait you say... aren't sprinters ignoring the slow-twitch 40%? Well, it turns out that they're not. Studies show that sprinters generally have more overall muscle (including slow twitch) and a much higher percentage of super-fast twitch. Doesn't seem like their training is creating fast twitch fibers at the expense of slow twitch.
So, when you're ready to get back to working your fast fibers, increase your intensity gradually so you don't put yourself at risk for injury. But, if you do it smart, you can boost your fast twitch muscle tissue (and ultimately your total muscle tissue) no matter what your age or what shape you're currently in.
And remember, more muscle tissue also means a higher metabolism... you'll be burning more calories and fat - even when you're just sitting around.
Anyway, if you've been ignoring a large part of your muscle by avoiding high intensity exercise, then I'm sure this advice won't fall on deaf ears. Start getting your muscle back NOW. Reverse the old-aging and the middle-aging processes. Get jumping and sprinting right now.
Both Jimmy Smith & Tim Kauppinen are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jimmy Smith has sinced written about articles on various topics from Religion, Build Muscle and Fitness. Jimmy Smith,CSCS, is the author of the Muscle Bible and is a training advisor for Men's Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines.His Muscle Bible program has helped thousands of people gain muscle. His muscle building course guarantees that you will add 10 p. Jimmy Smith's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.
Tim Kauppinen has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Health and Fitness. Tim Alan Kauppinen, or Coach K, has over 20 years experience as an athlete and coach. He has developed champion athletes across multiple sports through speed training, strength improvement and conditioning. Coach K is the author of the Uphill Fitness Tr. Tim Kauppinen's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.