When you gain lean muscle mass, it means that you have a high amount of muscle and a low amount of fat. This type of body style can not only give your confidence a boost, but any time you have a lower body fat percentage, you minimize your disease risk. The best ways to get lean muscle mass are combining the right training practices with a proper dietary regimen.
Food Intake
What you decide to chew and swallow is the most important part of gaining lean muscle mass. Snacking on chips and candy bars and shoveling cheeseburgers with french fries down your throat on a daily basis will keep you flabby and fatigued. To effectively build muscle, you need to eat quality sources of protein, complex carbs and healthy fats. Your diet should consist of nutrient-packed foods to fulfill this obligation. Some good items to include eggs, cottage cheese, chicken breasts, lean beef, whole grains, beans, fruits, vegetables and nuts.
Multiple Meals
Multiple feedings can help you in more ways than one when you want to build lean muscle mass. Eating every 2 to 3 hours will keep a steady stream of nutrients going to your muscles and it will also keep your energy levels elevated. Each meal should include a combination of protein and complex carbs. Baked fish with steamed Brussels sprouts and quinoa is a one example of a good meal.
Hydration
Muscles are composed of a lot of water. Due to their dehydrating effect, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and caffeinated beverages can be detrimental to your gain in lean muscle mass. To prevent this from happening, drink water as your beverage of choice and aim for 8 to 10 cups a day. If you are going to drink alcohol, have moderate amounts. According to the Centers for Disease Control, drinking in moderation is defined as having no more than 1 drink per day for women and no more than 2 drinks per day for men.
Compound Exercises
When it comes to building your muscle, you have two types of exercises to choose from---compound and isolation. Compound exercises involve more than one muscle working simultaneously and isolation exercises involve only one. To get the most benefit from your weight training, opt for compound exercises. Being that they recruit more than one muscle group, compound exercises translate to more overall muscle fiber recruitment and increased gains. Bench presses, shoulder presses, bent over rows, chin-ups and deadlifts are exercises that can work your entire body. When doing them, aim for 8 to 12 reps, do three to four sets and take 2 days off in between workouts.
Cardio
Cardiovascular training is a must if you currently have a high amount of fat on your body. When done in conjunction with weight training, this type of exercise can burn the fat that is covering your lean muscle, and it can also improve your aerobic capacity. If you have significant fat to burn, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends doing 60 to 90 minutes of cardio. If you only have a few pounds to shed, you can keep it to 30 minutes. This is the minimum amount recommended for health benefits. Aim for 3 to 4 days of cardio each week.
Sleep
Perhaps one of the most overlooked, yet most important aspects of building lean muscle mass is getting enough sleep. When you are sleeping, your body is releasing key muscle repairing hormones that can help you grow. If you burn the midnight oil, not only will your gains be compromised, but your workout performance will suffer as well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that adults get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night.
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