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Muscle Growth and Weight Loss
10 Top Tips you need to know
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The goal of many body builders is to gain muscle and lose weight simultaneously. However, it is not at all easy but not impossible either.
Anyone who has tried bulking up muscles knows that in order to gain a 6-pack body, they have to eat food – lots of it.
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On the other hand, to shed a few pounds, the body needs to consume fewer calories and indulge in moderate exercise. Those who try to combine both have often seen compromising results.
However, with adequate information and understanding, it is possible to achieve both – lose weight and gain muscle.
How? Below are 10 tips on how to achieve this. Read on to find out!
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1. You have to eat!
Those who wish to achieve their goal of getting lean and building muscles have to eat. Our bodies require “fuel” to stay active. The lack of right nutrients can cause obstacles in achieving your goals.
Therefore, instead of cutting down on meals, focus on eating the right type of foods. You can also adopt a low-carb diet which will be helpful in both scenarios.
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2. Cardio is not everything
Cardio is the best exercise for reducing calories and enhancing weight loss. Unfortunately, the same protocol doesn’t work if you want to build muscles. Too much cardio will hinder your muscle gain by slowing recovery time.
If you wish to gain muscles and lose weight together, then go for weightlifting and body weight exercises.
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3. An Extensive workout is not good
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Of course, you have to follow a high-intensity workout which will increase muscle mass while increasing fat-burning metabolism.
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However, that doesn’t mean you spend most of your time working out.
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4. Eat before you work out
Fueling pre-workout is a must! Our body needs carbs to function effectively and this can only be achieved by fueling the body with the right foods before starting the workout.
Nevertheless, everyone’s body is different and while some people can work out right after eating, others need a good 2-3 hours to digest the meal.
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Experts recommend eating a well-balanced meal approximately 3 hours before going for the workout and a light snack around 30-60 minutes prior to it.
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5. Work out in the right order
Building muscles require a series of exercises. Since high-intensity exercises take up a lot of energy. It is best to perform them in the end.
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The general rule of thumb is to warm up first, then lift weights and leave the high-intensity workouts for the end.
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6. Do eat protein post workout
Consumption of protein is especially important after a workout session. Since your body is breaking down muscle tissues during the exercise period, adequate amount of protein will help build the muscle back up.
Most people who feel exhausted or sore after a workout are often deprived of protein. Experts recommend taking a protein-rich snack within 30 minutes of a workout. Greek yogurt, vegan protein, and protein shakes work best in this regard.
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Allmax Isoflex is another great option and is popularly used by athletes who wish to boost their recovery time through a natural mode.
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7. Make sure you have adequate sleep
Our sleep pattern plays an important role in our health and weight. The right amount of sleep positively affects our hormone levels, mood, and hunger.
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Hence, those who don’t get adequate hours of sleep at night are often at risk of developing health problems. They also lack motivation, energy to work, and have frequent mood swings.
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8. Change your workout routine
It is common to hit a plateau especially if you follow the same workout daily. We all need changes in life and our body can also get bored of following the same routine every day.
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The best way to avoid such hurdles in your weight loss/body building journey is to break the monotony and keep changing your routine.
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Make a schedule with different workouts for different days of the week. This way you will better know which muscle groups you are working with and how much you need to increase to reach your goals.
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9. Don’t stress!
Stress also leads to many heart issues including obesity. It hinders the results from our workout efforts as well.
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Losing weight and building the right muscles take time. For that you have to be patient and being stressed about it won’t help at all.
To keep the stress at bay, you could try some stress-relieving rituals such as yoga or meditation. Even watching a comedy show or reading a good comic novel can bring down stress hormones. In fact, having a good laugh increases hormones that aid weight loss.
Of course, we don’t recommend ditching your routine every day for sitcoms. But once in a while you can cheat on your routine and do something that you enjoy.
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10. Make realistic expectations!
You can’t expect to lose 10 kg in one week and gain muscles like Flex Wheeler in a short span.
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Weight loss and muscle gain requires a lot of effort, time, energy, and motivation, so, be patient. Results might not be instant but with patience, motivation, and determination from your side – there is no way you can’t achieve the desired results.
Guest Contributor: Alycia Gordan
Alycia is a freelance writer. She loves to read and write articles related to health and lifestyle, sometimes on health-tech as well. You can find her on Twitter: @meetalycia
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