Six Steps To Bigger Muscles

If you are hoping to bulk up with a little muscle, or even a lot, you might be have no idea where to begin. Have no fear, the following paragraphs have the advice and ideas you need to start the journey toward your ideal physique.

The first thing to do is to convert the dream image in your head into a goal. The goal should be something you can quantify or specify, like you want six pack abs or two more inches of muscle on your arms.   Setting a realistic date to achieve your goal can be important because it gives you a time frame to work within, but it has to be something that is actually achievable by you.   If the goals and time frame are unrealistic adding muscle behind schedule could make you throw away the progress you do make.

The second step in this process is setting up a plan to reach your goal. Break it down into the actions that you need to take. Write them down. See where in your schedule and finances you have spaces to work on these components and then schedule them. You might not want to be spending thousands of dollars on an exercise machine that you spend two hours a day on. You might instead consider getting ten dollar weights at your local retailer and giving them fifteen minutes in the morning. It is more than you were doing.   Beachbody’s programs may be a good match because they are reasonable priced and many of them just require your own body or a small about of equipment to start really building muscle.

Once you have laid out your plan, make sure that one or two individuals closest to you know about it. If possible, buddy up with someone else trying to manifest an ambition of their own, then be accountable to one another. Coach and support one another. Even if your journeys are different, you can work together to make sure you both stay on your individual paths.    Joining the Beachbody Club or signing up and getting me as a coach is also a great idea to find someone to hold you accountable and work with you on your journey.

Eat right. If you are trying to bulk up to lose fat, you are just going around in circles if you still eat the foods that made you fat in the first place. On the other hand, if you are a minimalist rice-and-bean vegetarian who has never given a second thought to how much protein you are getting, you still will not bulk up. Although, plenty of vegetarian and even vegan options are available for good protein. In fact, fatty animal foods are the worst source of protein for muscle building because of how many calories come with them. Focus on lean meats, if any at all.

Do not over-train. You might feel like working out two hours a day the first few days, but you have to find a sustainable rhythm. Experiment with your pace the first month and find out how many days off you need per week. At least two is mandatory, but even three and four might be needed. The human body builds muscle during rest periods, so these are in fact necessary for muscle growth.

You need both weight training sessions to build muscle, and cardiovascular exercise periods to burn fat to show your cut physique. Do not do them at the same time. One builds your body up while the other chisels it out. Alternate them.

Now you are aware of six simple strategies to apply towards a firmer you. Put them into play so that you can live in a leaner, meaner body.

Winning Is A Habit

To this day Vince Lombardi is considered one of the best coaches of all time.   Getting motivated, motivating others and keeping them motivated is a real skill and Lombardi was a master.    Here is a video I hope you find as motivating as I do.   Enjoy!

How Bad Do You Want It?

This video has been around for a while and I’m sure a lot of people have seen it, but I find it really inspiring and have watched it several times myself so thought I would share it here for anybody who hasn’t seen it or wants to watch it again.

Which Beachbody Fitness Program Is Right For You

Most people have heard of P90X, Insanity or TurboFire but Beachbody has dozens of fitness programs to meet the needs of almost anybody.   If your wondering which program is best for you the chart below should help.  It is some of the best selling Beachbody fitness programs with the length of workouts and the benefit such as calories burned or what muscle group it works.

I have also included a link at the end of the post to a interactive page that has more of the products and does a better breakdown of the different benefits and types of workout.    I have noticed it does not yet contain Les Mills Pump or P90X2 so if your interested in them leave a comment or send me an email.Click Here for the interactive chart with many more of the Beachbody products.

Also remember that with any purchase you get virtual coaching included.   You may also want to opt to go with a Challenge Pack which also comes with a month supply of Shakeology and Beachbody Club membership.

Weight Loss Nutritional Fads and Fallacies: Common Myths Debunked

Weight loss and improved nutrition are very popular goals, and they attract huge numbers of marketers looking to make a quick profit off of unsuspecting people. Many so-called health indicators and diets abound, with little to no scientific proof or studies to support their effectiveness. Read on to gain a different perspective on some of today’s favorite health and diet fads.

1. Do urine and saliva pH levels really indicate health? They do to a degree. However, your urine and saliva pH may fall within a “normal” range, while your body experiences symptoms of illnesses that have other effects. These symptoms might not alter your urine or saliva. For example, many people with chronic or adrenal fatigue would be told they are completely healthy if diagnosed using pH methods. Health does improve when you add more “alkalizing” foods to your diet. To keep it simple, protein-heavy diets tend to be acidic, and adding lots of vegetables is a fast, easy way to add more alkaline foods and balance your diet. Many people would agree that, regardless of the reason, a balanced diet is healthier and more nutritious.

2. Many people have jumped on the blood-type diet in hopes of finding an eating method that makes them feel better. Unless your doctor has recommended this type of diet for a specific health issue, chances are that the blood-type diet will not give any better results than any other diet out there. All diets boil down to basically the same thing: eat healthy foods, and control your portions. Learning to think about changing to permanent, healthier eating habits will bring you more success in the long run, rather than trying to inconsistently adhere to “diets.”

3. Take a realistic look at low-carb diets. While these diets, such as the Atkins diet, are backed by tons of medical research, they do not necessarily work for everyone. Your individual body characteristics and health factor into a low-carb diet’s effectiveness. For example, some women use a low-carb diet to lose weight. They are surprised and frustrated when the diet doesn’t work. What they don’t understand is that, especially with a Zone-Diet meal composition of 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat, they are not getting enough healthy fats in their diet. This prevents the body from releasing fat from fat stores because it senses that it needs to hold onto all of its existing fat, so the woman does not lose any weight. If low-carb hasn’t worked for you, look at diets that recommend eating fat to lose fat, such as Jorge Cruise’s diet.

As you can probably see, proper nutrition can be somewhat complex. Only you and your doctor know what is right for your body, and many legitimate, healthy diets and supplements do exist. Apply skepticism to any new health fad and stick to the proven basics to keep your self enjoying health for many years to come.

Question:  What are some of the other myths you have heard about nutrition and fitness?   Leave a comment below and let me know.