Losing weight and gaining muscle mass requires planning, discipline and attention to detail. In order to gain muscle mass while losing fat you need to track every aspect of your training and diet -- nothing can be left to chance. You must balance your caloric intake with your training program and reevaluate your progress on a weekly basis. Consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program.
Training
Step 1
Train your entire body using compound lifts -- including the squat, deadlift, chin-up, row, bench press and military press. Train three times a week with at least one day of rest between each session.
Step 2
Focus on at least 75 percent of the maximum weight you can lift for one repetition on each exercise. Keep your rest periods short, no more than 90 seconds, which will keep your testosterone levels high -- testosterone is a hormone critical to building muscle. Short rest periods also keep your cortisol levels down, and cortisol is a hormone that contributes to both muscle wasting and fat storage.
Step 3
Perform squats first, followed by bench pressing, chin-ups, military presses and barbell rows. Do only five to eight repetitions per set. Train each exercise for three to five sets. Keep the same rep and set ranges for each exercise.
Step 4
Perform as many sets of chin-ups and rows as you do pressing exercises. This will help you develop a balanced physique as well as balanced shoulder development, which reduces your chance of injury. The large muscles of your back contribute to the power and stability you can generate in many exercises -- so it's important not to neglect them.
Step 5
Train in the evenings and do cardiovascular exercise in the mornings. This is important to keep possible fat gain at bay. Training twice a day will provide a significant boost to your metabolism. You can simply go for a walk for 30 minutes every morning. If you wish something more intense, you can jump rope for as long as possible, or if you want something lower-impact, you can ride a stationary bike for 30 minutes. You do not need specific times or interval training -- the entire point is just to burn fat for 30 minutes.
Diet
Step 1
Eat plenty of protein from whole foods such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs and milk. You may need twice as much protein as a non-training individual, so get protein in-between meals. A simple method of consuming extra protein between meals is to drink skim milk.
Step 2
Eat oily fish, nuts and seeds. You need fat in your diet or your testosterone levels will drop. You also need essential fatty acids for hormonal production and regulation, most of which you can get from your diet -- or you can supplement them with fish or flax oil.
Step 3
Snack on fruits, vegetables and whole grains, but don't overdo it. You need to carefully analyze your energy output and adjust your carbohydrate intake accordingly. If you need to cut calories, this is the place to do it. By carefully counting calories, you can determine how many carbohydrates you can cut.
Step 4
Consume a shake with whey protein and dextrose immediately after your workout. This will not only help your recovery, but will help you gain muscle without gaining fat.
Step 5
Drink plenty of water. At least one gallon a day. You will be training heavily, which means you will sweat heavily -- and you have to replace the fluid you lose.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep a notebook tracking everything that you eat, and weigh yourself weekly. Your lifts in the gym should never decrease, if they do you need to eat more, probably protein or carbohydrates.
- Do not drastically cut calories, this is the easiest way to lose muscle.
Things You'll Need
- Barbell with safety collars
- Plates and dumbbells
- Power rack or squat rack
- Adjustable bench
- Large variety of whole foods
- Protein
- Dextrose
- Essential fatty acid supplements
References
- "European Journal of Applied Physiology"; Acute Hormonal and Neuromuscular Responses to Hypertrophy, Strength and Power Type Resistance Exercise; George O. McCaulley et al., March 2009.
- "Fiziol Cheloveka"; Acute Testosterone and Cortisol Responses to High Power Resistance Exercise; Andrew Fry & Charles Lohnes; July-August 2010.
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; "Beyond the Zone: Protein Needs of Active Individuals, Individuals"; Lemon; 2000
- "Journal of Steroidal Biochemistry"; Decrease of Serum Total and Free Testosterone During a Low-Fat High-Fiber Diet; Enko Hämäläinen et al., July 1983
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Increases the Rate of Muscle Protein Synthesis in Older Adults: a Randomized Controlled Trial; Gary I. Smith et al., Februrary 2011
- "Journal of Applied Physiology"; Early Postexercise Muscle Glycogen Recovery is Enhanced with a Carbohydrate-protein Supplement.; John L. Ivy et al., October 2002.
Member Comments