There is a myth in the fitness world that revolves around the belief that when you build muscle, fat just falls off. Regardless of the hype surrounding many of the fad “get in shape” programs, this is just not true.
Some facts:
- Fat does not turn into muscle.
- The human body requires muscle and fat
- Muscle does not turn into fat.
- Muscle does not replace fat.
Fat and muscle are two very different components of the human body.
Reducing fat and building muscle requires a well designed program that incorporates both muscle building exercises and a muscle building/fat loss diet. Let’s look at each component.
Effective Muscle Building Program
Workout programs that are designed to build muscle quickly, generally consist of high intensity resistance training utilizing weights and machines. These high intensity workouts are broken up by intermittent rest and recovery periods to ensure maximum muscle growth.
There are many options when it comes to developing a workout plan. Most will be dictated by your goals and your schedule. For instance, will you perform your resistance workouts three, four, or five days a week? How will you break down the muscle groups for each workout? The key is to hit every major muscle group at least once a week and planning in suffiicent rest in between workouts.
Effective Diet For Muscle Building
An effective diet for muscle building must focus on providing plenty of the muscle growth building blocks: protein. In addition, your diet must be tailored to your weight loss or weight gain goals. A typical diet will consist of 5-6 small meals throughout the day. Each meal will have approximately 60% protein, 30% carbohydrates, and 10% fat.
A meal will consist of a lean protein such as fish, skinless poultry, or lean beef. Lean and skinless cuts are key here, as you want to minimize the intake of the fat that is associated with beef cuts such as ribeyes and filet mignon and the fats found in poultry skin. Carbohydrates should come from fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Fat intake requirements will typically be met through the intake of meat, poultry, and seafood, but can certainly be supplemented with limited portions of seeds and nuts.
The percentage breakdowns between protein, carbs, and fats is important. But even more important are the total number of calories in each meal. In other words, portion control.Caloric needs vary from person to person and depend primarily on weight, body type, and energy consumption needs. Daily calories required also depends on your weight loss / gain goals. An effective diet will take these factors into account and dictate portion sizes accordingly.
Caloric requirements can be calculated based on an individual’s weight loss and muscle building goals.
There are many fad fitness programs out there. Many focus on workout programs. Others focus on weight loss diets. But very few present options for effectively balancing a muscle building resistance training plan with a build muscle diet.
To reiterate, when you build muscle, fat does not just shrink away. It takes a effective plan that is designed around your muscle building and weight loss/gain goals, and one that incorporates an appropriate diet and exercise regimen. To learn about an effective and comprehensive muscle building / weight loss program, check out the Adam Waters RTP Transformation System
