fitness articles

Building Lean Body Mass

Chiseled abs, shapely legs, toned arms - these can be yours when you increase your lean body mass and decrease your body fat percentage. Rev up your metabolism, improve your stamina and create the lean body you want by following these steps.

Consider eating meals with higher protein and lowfat content to lose weight and build muscle:

Lean beef, skinless chicken, and fish will provide about 7 grams of protein per ounce. Beans will provide 6 grams per 1/2 cooked cup, and rice (and other cereal grains) about 3 grams per 1/2 cup serving. A cup of milk or yogurt supplies 8 grams of protein. So it's relatively easy to meet your basic protein requirements from 6-8 ounces of meat, 2-3 servings of dairy products, and 6-10 servings of cereal per day.


 

Strength train to build lean body mass:
 

Only weight training effectively builds lean mass. Lean mass is your body’s metabolic engine, which allows you to burn more calories at rest. So when you train with weights on a regular basis, you transform your Yugo of a body into a fat burning Ferrari. Work the major muscle groups, including the quadriceps (thighs), hamstrings, glutes (rear end), back, chest, shoulders, arms and abdominals. keep your workout short, heavy and intense.

Aim for a healthy Body Fat Percentage:
 

The only way to lose bodyfat is to create an energy deficit. The only way you’re going to do that is to exercise and/or eat less. There is no magic in the low carb diet. Keep in mind the following body fat percentage standards: For women, 15 to 20 percent is considered lean, 20 to 25 percent is normal, 26 to 32 percent is overfat and 33 percent or higher is obese. While limiting your caloric intake, also shift your diet towards protein, healthy fats (e.g., essential fatty acids), dietary fiber, and low glycemic carbs.

Keep a track of your body fat percentage:

(using a body-fat analyzer or body-fat scale) before making dietary or exercise changes; this way you'll be able to track your progress. Remember to record your body fat percentage, lean body mass, body weight, and body measurements update them on a weekly basis.

Be positive:
 

Being positive doesn’t mean becoming a machine and sticking to your diet obsessively. It’s fine to cheat every now and then and eat that slice of pizza. In fact, I stand for it. When you do, don’t get depressed. Get right back on your diet. The same applies to training. If you miss a workout, make it up during the next training session. Maintain a positive mind and keep at it.


 

Stay Hydrated:
 

Drink lots of water. And then drink some more. Water hydrates your body’s cells, keeping the oxygen content high for optimal fat burning. It improves your body’s ability to recover from exercise (due to increased removal of waste products). It also reduces water retention. A "false hunger" can also be stimulated by a dehydrated state. By drinking extra water, you may actually satisfy your hunger pangs.
 

Eat soon after exercise:

No amount of super sets, negative sets, tri-sets or pre-exhausting will build any amount of muscle mass without the proper nutrition. Try eating 6 times per day and make sure each meal is balanced with the optimal amount of calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Besides, every meal must have sufficient carbohydrates to sustain your hard intense workouts.

Rest:
 

Weight lifting tears the muscle tissue down and the diet provides the necessary fuel and material for repair, but it is during sleep that the repair and growth process occurs. Therefore, sleep is as vital to building lean mass as is your training program and diet.
 

The thinking is quite simple. Hard, heavy and smart training followed by rest and consuming quality calories in the form of protein, carbohydrates, and fat is the key to building Lean Body Mass.