Fast weight loss and fast muscle gain are two very different nutritional goals, both of which require both a strong commitment to a nutrition program and a complementary program of exercise for best results. Both of these goals will entail challenging processes, but both can be attained with a commitment to an organized regime of fitness and nutrition.
Fast Weight Loss: Diet
If you're trying to lose weight, the most important concept to remember is caloric deficit. The laws of physics state that it's impossible for you to lose weight if you take in more caloric energy than you expend on a daily basis. To start, use the following formula to calculate your basal metabolic rate -- or the rate at which your idle body expends calories each day:
Female: 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )
Male: 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in years )
With this number in hand, construct a daily diet featuring approximately 500 fewer calories. According to MayoClinic.com, this will allow you to lose 1 lb. per week through diet alone. To achieve this caloric deficit, start by eliminating junk foods from your diet. Then, if necessary, reduce the sizes of your meals proportionally.
Fast Weight Loss: Exercise
Exercise for weight loss is fairly straightforward: simply follow the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for cardiovascular exercise. Each week, complete either three sessions of 20 minutes of intense cardiovascular exercise -- such as sprinting -- or five sessions of 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise -- such as jogging,
Fast Muscle Gain: Diet
If you're looking to gain muscle, the most important dietary concepts to remember are caloric surplus and protein intake. To provide your body with the energy necessary to grow, construct a daily diet that exceeds your basal metabolic rate by approximately 1,000 calories. Of these calories, most should come from sources of protein such as meat, fish, beans, eggs and tofu. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the maximum ideal protein intake for muscular growth is approximately 1.6g of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Fast Muscle Gain: Exercise
To stimulate your body to build muscle, you'll have to engage in regular resistance training. Keep it simple -- three times per week, perform the following full-body training routine: squats, deadlifts, bench press, shoulder press and bent-over row. For each of these exercises, complete four sets of six to 10 repetitions, resting for at least 90 seconds between sets.
Member Comments