WEIGHTS TRAINING WILL MAKE YOU LEAN!
It is as simple as that! Why? The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate, the more calories you burn at rest. Simply put it takes more energy for your body to run when there is more muscle to maintain. Make sense?
Are you now asking yourself one of the following questions....
1. Why am I doing weights but not getting leaner?
2. Why am I doing weights but not getting stronger?
3. Why am I doing weights but my body isn't changing?
4. Why if I'm eating all the "right things" aren't I getting the results I want?
The answer could be that what you are eating isn't allowing you to get where you want to be. You may be training correctly, frequently and with enough intensity but if you aren't fuelling your body correctly, or are under-fuelling it, you will never get the results you want.
Here are my top five guidance tips for building muscle outside of the gym...
1. Are you eating enough?
Not eating enough is probably the number one mistake you can make when trying to gain muscle. The bottom line is, many women overtrain and under-eat in an effort to lose weight but what they don't realise is this can actually have a negative impact on fat loss. Keep track of the amount of exercise you are performing and how hungry you feel. If you are hungry all the time and can't think of anything else but food then chances are you are not eating nearly enough to function let alone build that beautiful, calorie burning muscle you are after. You don't want to pack on the weight too quickly as this won't be the quality lean muscle you are after but stored body fat. Try slowly adding slightly bigger portion sizes or one extra small meal a day and watch your lean muscle increase whilst you body fat decreases.
2. Are you eating enough protein?
If you aren't eating enough then its pretty safe to say you aren't eating enough protein. So increasing your total calorie intake is the first step but making sure you are eating the right amount of each macro-nutrient {protein, carbohydrates and fats} is the next. Failing to eat adequate amounts of protein will result in protein imbalance which will make it not only difficult to build muscle but your body will find it hard to maintain the muscle you have.
3. Carbohydrates ARE NOT the enemy
Complex carbohydrates are an essential part of any muscle building diet. Our body's preferred source of energy is cards. In a nutshell the body stores carbohydrates as glycogen in your liver and in your muscle tissues. Post-workout, when the body needs energy, the stored supply is utilised via conversion of carbohydrates and sugar into ATP or energy through the process of glycolysis.
If you have a high metabolism and have problems putting on weight, chances are your body is burning through its supply of carbohydrates quickly and efficiently. When carbohydrate levels are low, the body will switch from glycolysis to the process known as gluconeogenisis, which is the conversion of protein into carbohydrates as an energy source. This means it may begin utilising your hard-earned muscle for fuel. However, if you are providing your body a sufficient amount of complex carbohydrates {30-40% of your caloric intake depending on the speed of your metabolism as a guide} you will be able to maintain muscle and fuel recovery, repair and muscle building.
Choose complex carbohydrates, which are digested slowly and provide {low GI} sustained energy between meals. Good selections include oats, brown rice sweet potato and legumes.
4. Eat fat = lose fat
Being deficient of fat in the diet, particularly Essential Fatty Acids {EFAs}, can impede muscle building. EFAs help to preserve muscle tissue and even decrease body fat. They can also assist in amino acid uptake, increase insulin sensitivity, provide building blocks for growth factors, boost testosterone production and assist with transport of important nutrients in and out of the cells.
3. Carbohydrates ARE NOT the enemy
Complex carbohydrates are an essential part of any muscle building diet. Our body's preferred source of energy is cards. In a nutshell the body stores carbohydrates as glycogen in your liver and in your muscle tissues. Post-workout, when the body needs energy, the stored supply is utilised via conversion of carbohydrates and sugar into ATP or energy through the process of glycolysis.
If you have a high metabolism and have problems putting on weight, chances are your body is burning through its supply of carbohydrates quickly and efficiently. When carbohydrate levels are low, the body will switch from glycolysis to the process known as gluconeogenisis, which is the conversion of protein into carbohydrates as an energy source. This means it may begin utilising your hard-earned muscle for fuel. However, if you are providing your body a sufficient amount of complex carbohydrates {30-40% of your caloric intake depending on the speed of your metabolism as a guide} you will be able to maintain muscle and fuel recovery, repair and muscle building.
Choose complex carbohydrates, which are digested slowly and provide {low GI} sustained energy between meals. Good selections include oats, brown rice sweet potato and legumes.
4. Eat fat = lose fat
Being deficient of fat in the diet, particularly Essential Fatty Acids {EFAs}, can impede muscle building. EFAs help to preserve muscle tissue and even decrease body fat. They can also assist in amino acid uptake, increase insulin sensitivity, provide building blocks for growth factors, boost testosterone production and assist with transport of important nutrients in and out of the cells.
Try adding a portion of fat to each meal; avocado, olive oil, butter, nuts. The right kind of fats will have you feeling fuller for longer which will stop you snacking in between meals and/or over eating at the next meal!
5. Post Work Out growth
Do you leave the gym feeling hungry and tired? Then hear is the tip you have been waiting for! For about an hour after we finish our work-out we have an "anabolic window" and it is imperative we feed our body the nutrients it needs to recover and build muscle. Aim to consume a 2::1 ratio of carbs and protein post work out to kick start muscle protein synthesis and increase testosterone production. A good amount would be 60grams of carbs and 30grams of protein; pack a protein shake, a banana and a few rice cakes in your gym bag and away you go!
As women we are already at a slight disadvantage when it comes to muscle growth. We need the hormone testosterone to be able to build muscle and women only produce approximately 0.5mg per day whilst men produce 6 to 8mg per day. That's why it is so important to tick all the other important muscle building boxes so your all hard work in the gym doesn't go to waste!
If you have any questions about my top tips or would be interested in receiving further guidance on nutrition please don't hesitate to get in contact with me here.
As women we are already at a slight disadvantage when it comes to muscle growth. We need the hormone testosterone to be able to build muscle and women only produce approximately 0.5mg per day whilst men produce 6 to 8mg per day. That's why it is so important to tick all the other important muscle building boxes so your all hard work in the gym doesn't go to waste!
If you have any questions about my top tips or would be interested in receiving further guidance on nutrition please don't hesitate to get in contact with me here.
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