|
Home
Muscle Building Program Review
Blog
22nd March 2008
Eating a Lean Mean Diet
Diet and nutrition is an essential
part of body building. If you want to
build a lean mean body then the last
thing you need to do is diet by
depriving yourself of food. The key
is to eat a balanced diet.
Everybody needs the four basic
nutrients – water, carbohydrates,
proteins and fats as well as
vitamins, minerals and other
micronutrients to build muscle. It is
not at all about calorie deprivation.
By choosing the healthiest forms
of water, carbohydrates, proteins and
fats and eating them in the proper
balance you can encourage your body
to function at its optimal level.
Water is essential because it is
involved in every function of the
body. It helps transport nutrients
and waste products in and out of
cells and is necessary for all
digestive, circulatory and excretory
functions. It is also needed to
maintain a proper body temperature.
To ensure health you should drink at
least eight, eight ounce glasses of
water a day.
Carbohydrates supply the body with
the energy it needs to function and
are found almost exclusively in plant
foods such as vegetables, fruits,
peas and bean. Milk products from
animals also contain carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are divided into
simple and complex carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates are simple
sugars such as fructose, sucrose and
lactose. Complex carbohydrates
include foods such as vegetables,
whole grains, peas and beans.
Carbohydrates are the main source
for fueling the brain and red blood
cells.
When choosing carbohydrate rich
foods for your diet, selecting
unrefined foods such as fruits,
vegetables, peas beans and
whole-grain products, as opposed to
refined, processed foods such as soft
drinks, cakes and candies, is
essential for health.
Protein is essential for the
growth and development of the body’s
cells and it also provides the body
with energy. Protein is also needed
for the body to manufacture hormones,
antibodies, enzymes and tissues.
Once consumed protein is broken
down by the body into amino acids,
which help build muscle. If there is
a shortage of protein in the diet
then there may be problems with the
muscles.
Dietary proteins belong to two
different groups. Complete proteins
contain ample amounts of all of the
essential amino acids and are found
in meat, fish, poultry, cheese, eggs
and milk. Incomplete proteins contain
only some of the essential amino
acids and are found in grains,
legumes and leafy green vegetables.
All soybean products such as tofu
and soymilk are complete proteins.
Yogurt is the only animal-derived
source that is vegetarian. Otherwise
protein is found in meat.
Fat is the most concentrated
source of energy for the body so it
is essential to consume as part of a
healthy diet and nutrition plan.
However excessive fat intake is a
major factor in such health problems
as obesity, high blood pressure,
coronary heart disease and colon
cancer.
Keeping these fats below 10% of
your total consumption is considered
to be the healthiest approach to
eating a healthy diet while muscle
building.
18th March 2008
The Principles of Anaerobic Exercise
Anaerobic exercise is mainly associated with muscle building or
weight lifting. Technically all types of anaerobic exercises are
described as movements that are carried out “without oxygen.”
This means that on a molecular level, the cells are not requiring
additional oxygen through heavy breathing to accomplish the move.
Weight lifters still breathe but they are not in an oxygen
deficit constantly like aerobic exercisers are as they raise
their heart rate while exercising.
The principle of needing less oxygen is just the exact opposite
of aerobic exercises, which require more oxygen and an
accelerated heartbeat to work properly. Aerobic exercises include
such activities as cycling, jumping rope, swimming, spinning on a
stationary cycle, rebounding and running.
Different types of anaerobic exercises are typically used in
non-endurance sports to build muscle mass. Muscles that are
training under anaerobic conditions develop in a different way
then muscles that are training for activities that are of a short
duration. Muscles bulk up quickly and becoming very strong. This
is due to the contraction and protraction of muscle fibers, which
work a lot harder without the oxygen constantly being pumped into
the lungs as the result of the body going into a deficit.
Muscle training works differently because it forces the body to
use processes that are not dependant on oxygen to produce energy.
In fact the ideal intention of many types of anaerobic exercises
is to make muscles work harder. Muscles that don’t have
sufficient oxygen to meet the demands of the activity bulk up.
This does not mean that the body does not receive any oxygen at
all when you are working anaerobically in a gymnasium. It just
means that you are not using as much oxygen as if you were
jogging or swimming.
Anaerobic exercise involves muscular effort, usually short bursts
of activity followed by periods of rest. Types of anaerobic
exercises include rowing, push-ups, pull-ups, tug of war, sit-ups
and squats.
All weight lifting exercises are also anaerobic in nature. Many
types of anaerobic exercises associated with weightlifting
include working with pulleys, medicine balls and slant boards.
These are not expansive exercise and are typically performed in a
gym or weight room. This is very unlike an aerobic exercise,
which usually requires that the body travel unless you are using
a training machine such as a stationary bicycle.
Different types of anaerobic exercises can also be used as part
of interval training. Interval training is a very efficient way
to lose weight and build muscle. Interval training involves
practicing different types of anaerobic exercises such as weight
lifting in tandem with aerobic exercises such as cycling, jogging
and jumping rope. The combination of both exercises is an
effective way to lose weight and keep it off for good.
Even better, practicing anaerobic exercises can help you build
lean muscle. Lean muscle keeps on burning fat long after you stop
exercising. This is why anaerobic exercise is such an important
component of an exercise program that is geared towards achieving
weight loss.
13th March 2008
The Benefits of Body Building
Body building is one of the most effective ways to streamline
your body’s structure and also create lean muscle mass. However
aside from being a way of bulking up, it is also a great way to
lose weight and also trigger your body’s metabolism so that it
continues to burn fat long after you have stopped exercising.
Body building is not just for men even though the traditional
image that we have of the sport is of the traditional he man
lifting barbells. Today’s body building equipment is designed for
both sexes to use. Women can use Pilates to flex and build
muscles in a way that is lithe, yet strong looking. Men can use
heavier equipment to flex their muscles aerobically and no longer
be that guy that allows bullies to kick sand in their face.
Aside from building muscular strength body building also
creates stamina and increases endurance. It can also help your
body metabolize its nutrient more effectively and assist with
motor control and balance. Body building can also be an
anti-aging activity. As a result many people also develop a
renewed sense of confidence and self-esteem and have the
confidence that they can handle anything that comes their way.
How can body building be such an effective anti-aging
activity? For one thing it helps you build stronger bones, which
can be your best defense against the bone degrading disease of
osteoporosis. You will feel strong and fit because you have
become more active and mobile. Many older muscle builders find
their lower back pain also disappears as they build core
strength. This means that the abdominal muscles strengthen so
that the spine has to do less work to help support your body’s
weight.
Body building is not a hobby for professional competitors who
want showcase a gleaming physique marbled with shining muscles.
It is cliché to think that body building is just about popping
some veins. No matter how young or old you are you will have more
energy if you build more muscle. After shedding excess fat there
will be a lot less of you to carry around. You will also notice
that every day activities such as carrying groceries upstairs,
shoveling snows or moving furniture become much easier.
Furthermore body building is absolutely crucial to an
effective weight loss program. This is because when you lose
weight through dieting it is possible to lose muscle. To keep the
weight off and also to keep from wasting away you also need to be
on a complimentary program of muscle building along with your
aerobic program of exercise which may include such activities as
swimming, jogging or spinning on a stationary bicycle. Yet
another benefit to this is that your body will keep burning fat
after the body has finished its exercise session as your overall
metabolic system becomes much more efficient as the result of
body building. This means that even as you are sitting, reading
or napping your body’s muscles will continue to expend calories
and help expedite your overall weight loss.
|