Beach Body Ready!
Hello everyone I am here today to write a short blog about getting ready for the summer beach body or the spring vacation you are about to go on.
Every year around this time people start to consider getting in shape for the summer or their spring vacation. I am here today to give you some useful tips on how to get started and maintain your plan of getting in shape.
In today's fitness seen there are so many fad diets, ultra muscle building/fat loss workout plans and the worst of them all magical weight loss supplements. I want to help people stay away from all these money wasting gimmicks and put together a simple meal and exercise plan that will help you achieve your goals.
First off are those magic weight loss supplements. So many people are looking for the easy way out, and i hate to break your precious heart but there is no easy way out and it takes consistency, dedication, motivation and hard work. If you really want to get ready for the summer and have the ultimate beach body just stay away from those total (excuse my french) bullshit weight loss pills and drinks. If you want to know what supplements are worth while taking here is the link to my blog post telling you about which supplements you should be taking ( http://benchpressbrad.blogspot.ca/2014/03/best-muscle-building-supplements.html ) This will give you all you need to know about the best supplements to take while working out or for general good health.
Next I wanna talk about these magic 20 minute workout machine, tools or programs that apparently get you shredded in just 4 weeks. I have personally never seen any work nor do I believe any in the future will. If you truly want to have that amazing summer beach body I would start a workout and meal plan right now. A 3 month program will be your best bet at achieving your goals and will give you a solid foundation to continue to grow muscle and lose fat. It will be hard work at first but I promise you wont regret it. I will link my beginner and intermediate workout programs that I personally think will aid anybody who has just started or is currently in the process of working out.
Beginner program ( http://benchpressbrad.blogspot.ca/2014/02/starting-workout-routine.html )
Intermediate program ( http://benchpressbrad.blogspot.ca/2014/02/build-muscle-mass-fast.html )
Now saving the best for last is the diet and eating habits that will need to be changed in order to ensure the best results possible. Some people may not need to change to much about their diet but will definitely need to tweak it to ensure they will support fat loss and muscle growth. Which brings me to the current theme that there is no magical weight loss supplement that will get you ripped up and shredded in just 30 days, sorry to break it to you. The best thing you can do is by wholesome foods that will benefit you in the long run. This means no more pizza 3 times a week and unfortunately no more thirsty Thursdays for a while. Im not saying you can have those types of things but they will be saved for your cheat days or re-feed days if you are a little more serious about your meal plan and understand nutrition. I have just released a blog with my favourite/ best food for building muscle and also have a post about how to figure out how much you need to eat and at which percentages your fats,proteins and carbs should be consumed.
Weight Loss Basics ( http://benchpressbrad.blogspot.ca/2014/02/weight-loss-basics.html )
Muscle Building foods ( http://benchpressbrad.blogspot.ca/2014/03/what-are-best-muscle-building-foods.html )
I hope you all find this useful and that I didn't shatter your dreams too much. Thanks for reading and as always happy lifting!!
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Wednesday, 26 March 2014
What Are The Best Muscle Building Foods?
This week I am here to talk about what are the best muscle building foods? I will be giving you a list and explanations on the foods that I think are best for each of the primary macro-nutrients.
Carbohydrates
First I would like to start out with carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are debated heavily among the bodybuilding community and have a massive stigma about which carbs are good and which are bad.
First I would like to start off with the majority of carbohydrates that you should be eating will be complex carbs that take longer to break down then sugars.
My first favourite source of carbohydrates is Brown/White rice. buying 5 minute rice or bag rice is perfectly fine and is an excellent source of energy for building muscle and working out. I personally prefer brown rice as it has a little bit of a lower starch content. This brings me to my next food which is bread. Yes that's right bread. I personally feel that you can fit bread into your diet, however; whole wheat and rye bread are the best choices. Rye bread is more dense and able to soak up more nutrients and is fairly low in starch. The rye bread I eat is around 35 grams per slice and only 70 calories. This can be used to make sandwiches or toast whichever you desire. My next and most recent favourite carbohydrate to eat is pasta, specifically whole wheat spaghetti with added protein. (I believe its made by the brand smartfoods) Pasta is a complex carb that breaks down slowly and provides you with lots of energy, especially for longer workouts. Last but certainly not least are potatoes/sweet potatoes. Potatoes can be done very quickly if you choose to bake them, just 5 minutes in the microwave and their done. This also delivers a long lasting energy boost best applicable for longer duration workouts.
Protein
Protein is one of the easiest nutrients to get in my opinion and there seems to be a trend in the food industry of adding extra protein to everything. This makes it much easier to hit your goals of your daily protein intake.
My first choice for getting protein would be from whey protein, although this is not directly food it is made from food products and is the purest, and easiest way to get protein into your system. The average whey protein supplement has about 25 grams of protein per serving/scoop and can be supplemented twice a day. For people who cannot afford supplements my next recommendation is egg whites and eggs. You can get egg whites that are flavoured and cholesterol free which are a huge bonus. Eggs and egg whites should be a staple in your diet as they are a low calorie/high protein food. Another staple in your diet should be chicken breast and fish, these are the two meats with the highest protein values and lowest fat content. Fish and chicken can be used at any meal and are great tasting with a variety of different recipes that you can make.
Fats
Fats are a very confusing thing to consume although they are essential to your daily diet. Fats are found in almost anything and can be very bad for you if your not eating the right types or in the right amounts. The two types of fats you want in your diet are monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. The two types of fats to definitely stay away from are trans fat and saturated fats.
This page has very good information on good and bad fats and explains them very well. I do not own any of the content.This chart can be looked at to help you determine good sources of each. This was found on ( http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_diet_fats.htm )
I hope you all find this information useful and readable, I am not a scientist so i try to not get to into the science behind the foods and just relay the essential information that will benefit you and your goals of fat loss, weight gain or just a healthy lifestyle.
Thank you for reading and happy lifting!
Carbohydrates
First I would like to start out with carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are debated heavily among the bodybuilding community and have a massive stigma about which carbs are good and which are bad.
First I would like to start off with the majority of carbohydrates that you should be eating will be complex carbs that take longer to break down then sugars.
My first favourite source of carbohydrates is Brown/White rice. buying 5 minute rice or bag rice is perfectly fine and is an excellent source of energy for building muscle and working out. I personally prefer brown rice as it has a little bit of a lower starch content. This brings me to my next food which is bread. Yes that's right bread. I personally feel that you can fit bread into your diet, however; whole wheat and rye bread are the best choices. Rye bread is more dense and able to soak up more nutrients and is fairly low in starch. The rye bread I eat is around 35 grams per slice and only 70 calories. This can be used to make sandwiches or toast whichever you desire. My next and most recent favourite carbohydrate to eat is pasta, specifically whole wheat spaghetti with added protein. (I believe its made by the brand smartfoods) Pasta is a complex carb that breaks down slowly and provides you with lots of energy, especially for longer workouts. Last but certainly not least are potatoes/sweet potatoes. Potatoes can be done very quickly if you choose to bake them, just 5 minutes in the microwave and their done. This also delivers a long lasting energy boost best applicable for longer duration workouts.
Protein
Protein is one of the easiest nutrients to get in my opinion and there seems to be a trend in the food industry of adding extra protein to everything. This makes it much easier to hit your goals of your daily protein intake.
My first choice for getting protein would be from whey protein, although this is not directly food it is made from food products and is the purest, and easiest way to get protein into your system. The average whey protein supplement has about 25 grams of protein per serving/scoop and can be supplemented twice a day. For people who cannot afford supplements my next recommendation is egg whites and eggs. You can get egg whites that are flavoured and cholesterol free which are a huge bonus. Eggs and egg whites should be a staple in your diet as they are a low calorie/high protein food. Another staple in your diet should be chicken breast and fish, these are the two meats with the highest protein values and lowest fat content. Fish and chicken can be used at any meal and are great tasting with a variety of different recipes that you can make.
Fats
Fats are a very confusing thing to consume although they are essential to your daily diet. Fats are found in almost anything and can be very bad for you if your not eating the right types or in the right amounts. The two types of fats you want in your diet are monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. The two types of fats to definitely stay away from are trans fat and saturated fats.
This page has very good information on good and bad fats and explains them very well. I do not own any of the content.This chart can be looked at to help you determine good sources of each. This was found on ( http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_diet_fats.htm )
I hope you all find this information useful and readable, I am not a scientist so i try to not get to into the science behind the foods and just relay the essential information that will benefit you and your goals of fat loss, weight gain or just a healthy lifestyle.
Thank you for reading and happy lifting!
Wednesday, 12 March 2014
Best Muscle Building Supplements
Best Muscle Building Supplements
This week I will be talking about which supplements are the best one's to take for muscle gain and fat loss. This will be based on my personal experience and that of professionals in the industry .
The first supplement that should be a staple in everyone's workout diet is whey protein. Whey protein is an amazing source of different types of protein complexes that are essential to the development of muscle. Protein is one of the three main macro-nutrients essential to your daily diet. Taking a protein powder is an easy way to make sure you are getting enough protein in your diet to support muscle growth.
The next supplement I would like to talk about is creatine. Creatine is another supplement critical for strength and explosive power when training. Most people do not get enough creatine from food and can really benefit from increasing creatine consumption. Creatine can be purchased for less than $15 at Walmart or GNC. You don't need to purchase $40 pills or powders that have heavy endorsements, its best to get one that is simple and is 1 scoop of 5000mg or 5grams and take it daily at anytime.
Finally the last supplements I wanna talk to you about is fish oils and multi vitamins. I am grouping these together as they are both basically micro-nutrient based. Having fish oils is very good for the functioning of cardiovascular health and delivers your body with a bunch omega-3 fatty acids. Multi-vitamins are a great source of all the essential vitamins and minerals that help keep your body running optimally. There many different types that have different benefits such as ones for athletes, seniors, and other specific categories. For most people a simple generic brand will suffice and give you the main benefits your body requires.
There are many other supplements out there that may help but, they are generally a waste of money especially if you are very tight on cash. Products such as preworkouts, BCAA's, fat burners, and mass gainers. As I said my main three supplements that I take are protein, creatine, fish oils and multi-vitamins.
I hope you enjoyed this weeks content and be sure to stay connected by following us on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Thank you and happy lifting!
Saturday, 22 February 2014
Build Muscle And Strength Quick
This post will be featuring an advanced style workout routine that I have been following for the past 3 months and would now like to share it with you. This workout is from the "Arnold Schwarzenegger Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding". I do not own any of this and all rights go exclusively to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
This routine is an advanced routine and i would only suggest following it if you have minimum 6 months lifting experience and know what your doing. Some exercises in this program are complex and the whole program is vary high volume. I would make sure to get adequate sleep and maintain a very nutrient dense diet as well as protein supplementation for optimal recovery and results.
The following is a 6 day training program with only one rest day, all body parts will be hit twice a week.
Monday&Thursday-Chest/Back
Chest
Bench Press 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Incline Bench Press 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Pullovers 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Back
50 Chin-ups ( go until you reach 50)
Bent-over Barbell Rows 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Dead-lifts 3 sets, 10,6,4 reps (Increase weight, lower reps)
Abs
Leg Raises 5 sets, 25 reps
Tuesday&Friday-Shoulders/Arms
Shoulders
Barbell Clean and Press 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Lateral Raises 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Upright Rows 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Standing OHP 3 sets, 6,4,2, reps (Increase weight, lower reps)
Biceps
Standing Barbell Curl 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Seated Dumbbell Curl 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Triceps
Close Grip Bench Press 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Standing French Press 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Forearms
Wrist Curls 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Reverse Wrist Curls 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Abs
Incline Crunches 5 sets, 25 reps
Wednesday&Saturday-Legs/Lower-Back
Legs
Squats 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Lunges 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Leg Curls 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Lower Back
Straight Leg Dead-Lifts 3 sets, 10,6,4 reps (Increase weight, Lower reps)
Good Mornings 3 sets, 10,8,6 reps (Increase weight, Lower reps)
Standing Calf Raises 5 sets, 15 reps each leg
Abs
Leg Raises 5 sets, 25 reps
This may seem like a lot of training but if don't properly and with proper diet,nutrition, supplementation, and sleep it can be done. If you have any questions or concerns plese don't be afraid to comment below.
Happy Lifting
This routine is an advanced routine and i would only suggest following it if you have minimum 6 months lifting experience and know what your doing. Some exercises in this program are complex and the whole program is vary high volume. I would make sure to get adequate sleep and maintain a very nutrient dense diet as well as protein supplementation for optimal recovery and results.
The following is a 6 day training program with only one rest day, all body parts will be hit twice a week.
Monday&Thursday-Chest/Back
Chest
Bench Press 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Incline Bench Press 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Pullovers 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Back
50 Chin-ups ( go until you reach 50)
Bent-over Barbell Rows 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Dead-lifts 3 sets, 10,6,4 reps (Increase weight, lower reps)
Abs
Leg Raises 5 sets, 25 reps
Tuesday&Friday-Shoulders/Arms
Shoulders
Barbell Clean and Press 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Lateral Raises 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Upright Rows 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Standing OHP 3 sets, 6,4,2, reps (Increase weight, lower reps)
Biceps
Standing Barbell Curl 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Seated Dumbbell Curl 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Triceps
Close Grip Bench Press 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Standing French Press 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Forearms
Wrist Curls 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Reverse Wrist Curls 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Abs
Incline Crunches 5 sets, 25 reps
Wednesday&Saturday-Legs/Lower-Back
Legs
Squats 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Lunges 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Leg Curls 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Lower Back
Straight Leg Dead-Lifts 3 sets, 10,6,4 reps (Increase weight, Lower reps)
Good Mornings 3 sets, 10,8,6 reps (Increase weight, Lower reps)
Standing Calf Raises 5 sets, 15 reps each leg
Abs
Leg Raises 5 sets, 25 reps
This may seem like a lot of training but if don't properly and with proper diet,nutrition, supplementation, and sleep it can be done. If you have any questions or concerns plese don't be afraid to comment below.
Happy Lifting
Thursday, 20 February 2014
Build Muscle Mass Fast!
This post will feature and intermediate level workout routine to help pack on body mass quickly and effectively. I am sorry for the long wait time in between posts and promise they will becoming much more frequently. This weeks routine will be a 5 day split and will really start to push your body.
Monday-Chest/Triceps
Chest
Dumbbell Fly's 3 sets, 15 reps
Bench Press 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Incline Bench Press 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Pullovers 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Triceps
Close Grip Bench Press 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Standing French Press 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Tricep Kickbacks 4 sets, 12-15 reps
Tuesday-Back/Traps
Back
Bent Over Rows 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Lat Pull-down (Wide) 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Dumbbell Rows 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Cable Rows (Medium) 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Traps
Barbell Shrugs 3 sets, 10 reps
Dumbbell Shrugs 4 sets, 12-15 reps
Hammer Strength Shrugs (optional) 4 sets, 10 reps
Wednesday-Quads/Calves
Quads
Front Squats 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Leg Press 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Quad Extensions 4 sets, 12-15 reps
Body-weight Squats 2 sets, 50 reps
Calves
Standing Weighted Calf Raises 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Seated Calf Raises 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Thursday-REST
Friday-Shoulders/Biceps
Shoulders
Standing OHP 5 sets, 6-10 reps
Lateral Raises 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Upright Row 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Arnold Press 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Biceps
Standing Barbell Curl 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Seated Concentration Curls 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Cable Curls 4 sets, 12-15 reps
Saturday-Lower Back/Hamstrings
Lower Back
Sumo Dead-lift 5 sets, 5 reps
Romanian Dead-lift 4 sets, 6-10 reps
Hamstrings
Seated Leg Curl 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Laying Hamstring Curls 4 sets, 6-10 reps
This workout should be followed for approximately 8 to 12 weeks for optimal results. This is more of an intermediate style workout and I wouldn't recommend someone who is just starting to follow this routine. If you are a beginner here is a link ( http://benchpressbrad.blogspot.ca/2014/02/starting-workout-routine.html ) to my beginner workout program which can be followed for about 4 to 8 weeks before starting this program.
I hope you all enjoy and benefit from this and do not feel afraid to ask and questions by commenting below
Happy Lifting!
Monday-Chest/Triceps
Chest
Dumbbell Fly's 3 sets, 15 reps
Bench Press 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Incline Bench Press 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Pullovers 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Triceps
Close Grip Bench Press 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Standing French Press 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Tricep Kickbacks 4 sets, 12-15 reps
Tuesday-Back/Traps
Back
Bent Over Rows 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Lat Pull-down (Wide) 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Dumbbell Rows 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Cable Rows (Medium) 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Traps
Barbell Shrugs 3 sets, 10 reps
Dumbbell Shrugs 4 sets, 12-15 reps
Hammer Strength Shrugs (optional) 4 sets, 10 reps
Wednesday-Quads/Calves
Quads
Front Squats 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Leg Press 5 sets, 8-12 reps
Quad Extensions 4 sets, 12-15 reps
Body-weight Squats 2 sets, 50 reps
Calves
Standing Weighted Calf Raises 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Seated Calf Raises 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Thursday-REST
Friday-Shoulders/Biceps
Shoulders
Standing OHP 5 sets, 6-10 reps
Lateral Raises 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Upright Row 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Arnold Press 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Biceps
Standing Barbell Curl 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Seated Concentration Curls 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Cable Curls 4 sets, 12-15 reps
Saturday-Lower Back/Hamstrings
Lower Back
Sumo Dead-lift 5 sets, 5 reps
Romanian Dead-lift 4 sets, 6-10 reps
Hamstrings
Seated Leg Curl 4 sets, 8-12 reps
Laying Hamstring Curls 4 sets, 6-10 reps
This workout should be followed for approximately 8 to 12 weeks for optimal results. This is more of an intermediate style workout and I wouldn't recommend someone who is just starting to follow this routine. If you are a beginner here is a link ( http://benchpressbrad.blogspot.ca/2014/02/starting-workout-routine.html ) to my beginner workout program which can be followed for about 4 to 8 weeks before starting this program.
I hope you all enjoy and benefit from this and do not feel afraid to ask and questions by commenting below
Happy Lifting!
Tuesday, 4 February 2014
Monday, 3 February 2014
Starting a Workout Routine
This week I will be introducing a beginner training split to help everyone get started. I will post intermediate and advanced programs in later weeks.
The first program will go to those who are brand new to working out and have never really followed a set workout regimen.
Beginner Workout Routine
This routine will be done 3 times a week and will cover the whole body by doing 2 muscle groups per day. The days are not specific just allow 1 rest day in between workouts for optimal results.
Monday- Chest and Triceps
Chest
Incline Bench Press (Barbell or Dumbbell) 3 sets 8-12 reps
Bench Press (Dumbbells) 3 sets 8-12
Triceps
Tricep Dips 4 sets 10 reps
Skull Crushers 3 sets 8-12 reps
Wednesday- Back and Biceps
Back
Seated Row ( Narrow Grip if possibel) 3 sets 8-12 reps
Wide Grip Pull-Ups 3 sets to failure
Single Arm Row 3 sets 8-12 reps
Biceps
Standing Curls (Barbell or Dumbbells) 4 sets 8-12 reps
Friday- Legs and Shoulders
Legs
Incline Leg Press 3 sets 8-12 reps
Lunges (weight in hands or on back) 3 sets 8-12 reps
Leg Curls 3 sets 8-12 reps
Shoulders
Seated Shoulder Press (Dumbbells) 3 sets 8-12 reps
Lateral Raises 3 sets 10-15 reps
These workouts may be supplemented with other ones, so long as you keep the same muscle groups activated.
Sunday, 2 February 2014
Weight Loss Basics
This following post will be discussing the basics to losing weight and the best way to do it.
Much like my last post when losing weight you need to know some of the key factors that will affect your weight loss.
Things to consider are:
Your current weight and weight loss goal
Your current daily caloric maintenance level
Your daily activity level
Your macro-nutrients
First you will need to start off with your current caloric maintenance level below I will post tools to help make this easier. Start by going to this website ( http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ ) enter in your information accordingly and write down the number you get.
Second take this number to and multiply your number by the daily activity level that best fits your daily routine.( http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/ ) Now you will have your daily caloric maintenance level to help you start your diet.
With the number given for your recommended calorie intake, you must now break that down into the Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats which I discussed in my last post.
For those just reading 1g of protein and carbs are 4 calories each while 1g of fat is 9 calories In the last post I gave the example of following the 40,40,20 rule meaning your diet should be broken down into 40% carbs, 40% protein and 20% fats
When losing weight you want to consider that 1 pound of fat is the equivalent to 3500 calories, in order to lose 1 pound of fat a week you will need to subtract 500 calories of of your daily caloric intake for maintenance.
An example would be for someone who has a daily maintenance level of 2000 calories would have to drop down to 1500 calories a day. Their macro nutrients would like like this ( 1500*.4=600 calories from protein and carbohydrates which would give you a total of 1200 calories. The remaining 300 calories would need to comm from dietary fats.
In my next posts I will be showing the basics of a training routine to get everyone started towards reaching their goals.
Much like my last post when losing weight you need to know some of the key factors that will affect your weight loss.
Things to consider are:
Your current weight and weight loss goal
Your current daily caloric maintenance level
Your daily activity level
Your macro-nutrients
First you will need to start off with your current caloric maintenance level below I will post tools to help make this easier. Start by going to this website ( http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ ) enter in your information accordingly and write down the number you get.
Second take this number to and multiply your number by the daily activity level that best fits your daily routine.( http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/ ) Now you will have your daily caloric maintenance level to help you start your diet.
With the number given for your recommended calorie intake, you must now break that down into the Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats which I discussed in my last post.
For those just reading 1g of protein and carbs are 4 calories each while 1g of fat is 9 calories In the last post I gave the example of following the 40,40,20 rule meaning your diet should be broken down into 40% carbs, 40% protein and 20% fats
When losing weight you want to consider that 1 pound of fat is the equivalent to 3500 calories, in order to lose 1 pound of fat a week you will need to subtract 500 calories of of your daily caloric intake for maintenance.
An example would be for someone who has a daily maintenance level of 2000 calories would have to drop down to 1500 calories a day. Their macro nutrients would like like this ( 1500*.4=600 calories from protein and carbohydrates which would give you a total of 1200 calories. The remaining 300 calories would need to comm from dietary fats.
In my next posts I will be showing the basics of a training routine to get everyone started towards reaching their goals.
Wednesday, 22 January 2014
How to Build Muscle
Now that you have hopefully made your S.M.A.R.T goal you have probably come to one of two conclusions. Do you want to lose weight or do you want to gain weight/muscle mass.
Today i will be catering to the people who are looking to build muscle but I will also be doing a post by the end of the week for those people looking to lose weight
Building Muscle Mass
The first step in this process is going to be to learn some of the basics of your body and nutrition. In order to gain weight your body needs to be in a caloric surplus (meaning you need to take in more calories then you burn in a day) Next you need to understand that you need to eat approximately 200 extra calories a day to gain weight. Third but most important is you have to still eat healthy!!!
Start by determining your daily caloric in take which I will put a link for the government of Canada's suggested intake.
( http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/basics-base/1_1_1-eng.php )
Once you have figured that out you should know approximately how many calories you need to consume. this can be monitored by tracking your macro-nutrients which are fats, protein, and carbohydrates. 1 gram of fat is 9 calories, proteins and carbohydrates are both 4 calories per 1 gram. An easy way to make up your diet would be the 40,40,20 rule which means 40% of your diet should come from carbs, 40% should come from protein and 20% should come from fat. A useful tool to track all of this and give you good estimates is and app/website called ( http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ )
Here is an example for a person that needs to consume 2000 calories a day
2000*.4=800 calories of carbohydrates, which would also mean 800 calories should come from protein while only 400 calories should come from healthy fats. 2000*.2=400
These are just basics and you should understand everybody's body is different and these are just some simple guidelines to help get you started. The number one thing to do is to track your progress and record everything after a month reevaluate your body and how its changed. This will allow you to make the necessary changes to your diet and continue to progress without plateauing.
I hope these tips have been helpful and good luck to all of you, there is no secrets or quick way to doing this it's about hard-work, dedication and self-motivation and in the end it will all be worth it if you don't cheat yourself!
Today i will be catering to the people who are looking to build muscle but I will also be doing a post by the end of the week for those people looking to lose weight
Building Muscle Mass
The first step in this process is going to be to learn some of the basics of your body and nutrition. In order to gain weight your body needs to be in a caloric surplus (meaning you need to take in more calories then you burn in a day) Next you need to understand that you need to eat approximately 200 extra calories a day to gain weight. Third but most important is you have to still eat healthy!!!
Start by determining your daily caloric in take which I will put a link for the government of Canada's suggested intake.
( http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/basics-base/1_1_1-eng.php )
Once you have figured that out you should know approximately how many calories you need to consume. this can be monitored by tracking your macro-nutrients which are fats, protein, and carbohydrates. 1 gram of fat is 9 calories, proteins and carbohydrates are both 4 calories per 1 gram. An easy way to make up your diet would be the 40,40,20 rule which means 40% of your diet should come from carbs, 40% should come from protein and 20% should come from fat. A useful tool to track all of this and give you good estimates is and app/website called ( http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ )
Here is an example for a person that needs to consume 2000 calories a day
2000*.4=800 calories of carbohydrates, which would also mean 800 calories should come from protein while only 400 calories should come from healthy fats. 2000*.2=400
These are just basics and you should understand everybody's body is different and these are just some simple guidelines to help get you started. The number one thing to do is to track your progress and record everything after a month reevaluate your body and how its changed. This will allow you to make the necessary changes to your diet and continue to progress without plateauing.
I hope these tips have been helpful and good luck to all of you, there is no secrets or quick way to doing this it's about hard-work, dedication and self-motivation and in the end it will all be worth it if you don't cheat yourself!
Thursday, 16 January 2014
Starting a Fitness Plan
Many people are beginning to take a step towards a healthier lifestyle this new year. In my opinion the first step should be to make a s.m.a.r.t goal. A smart goal has 5 components to it. These components consist of specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.
Specific: make a goal with a specific outcome. It must be as detailed as possible, no vagueness.
Measurable: you must be able to measure the goal you have set. An example would be to lose a pound a week for ten weeks.
Attainable: the goal should be attainable meaning you need to do a self analysis and see what skills or attitudes you have to reach this goal.
Realistic: the goal you have set should be realistic. The goal shouldn't be far fetched and should be a smaller step towards a bigger goal. You want to achieve this goal so start with a small step.
Timely: last but definitely not least is you're goal needs to have a specific time frame or time frames. The time limit should be no longer then one year to start. This will give you a solid foundation for all of your future goals.
Now I'll begin with the first steps to creating a healthy lifestyle plan and what most people are looking to slim down and add muscle.
The first thing you should do is to get a full body assessment. This should include height, weight, body fat percentage, get a basic understanding of your body type, ie Ectomorph.
Once you have gathers this information create the goal you want to achieve and I will be back next week to help you start an exercise program and give diet tips
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