When we think about muscle building, most people automatically associate it with bodybuilders who have big muscles and look like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Lee Haney. But there are many other ways to build your muscles without having the appearance of a bodybuilder. In this article I will discuss some ways on how you can build your muscles naturally.
First let’s start by defining what is muscle mass. Muscle mass is defined as the amount of lean tissue in your body. Lean tissue includes all the organs (heart, lungs, liver) and muscles that make up your body. This includes the skeletal system which makes bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. The reason why these things are considered part of the musculoskeletal system is because they help support the skeleton and keep it from collapsing. Muscles also include the smooth and cardiac muscles. These two types of muscles work together to keep the heart beating properly. They also contract when we use our muscles such as when we lift weights.
Muscle mass is important because it helps us maintain a healthy metabolism. When we exercise, the blood flow increases which means more nutrients get delivered to the working muscles. This is the same thing that happens when we eat more calories than our bodies need. Our bodies then store those extra calories as fat. If we don’t consume enough calories, then our bodies will begin storing them as muscle instead. So if we want to keep our bodies burning energy efficiently, we should try to build our muscles.
Now let’s talk about the different ways that you can do this:
1) Bodyweight exercises – This type of workout focuses mainly on increasing the strength of your muscles. You might be able to see someone doing this at the gym by lifting their own body weight. However, you won’t really notice any major changes unless you incorporate it into your everyday routine.
2) Weightlifting – This type of training involves using free weights to increase your overall muscular strength. There are many different types of lifts including the bench press, squat, deadlift, overhead press, etc. This type of training has been proven to increase the size of your muscles. It doesn’t matter whether you’re trying to lose weight or gain muscle mass, weightlifting can help you achieve both goals.
3) Cardio-based workouts – This one may seem contradictory since cardio workouts focus on improving your cardiovascular fitness. But you need to understand that your cardiovascular system plays an integral role in helping your muscles grow. By doing aerobic activity you improve your overall stamina and endurance which allows you to perform better during your weightlifting sessions.
4) Resistance Training – This is the most popular way to build muscle mass. To do this you must first determine what kind of resistance you would like to put on your muscles. For example, you could choose between using dumbbells, barbells, kettle bells, machines, bands, and even your own body weight.
5) Nutrition – In order to maximize the results that you receive with your weightlifting program, you should consider eating specific foods before, during, and after each workout session. Here are some key points to remember:
– Before your weightlifting session: Eat protein rich foods such as eggs, milk, meat, fish, beans, nuts, seeds, and peanut butter. Protein helps your muscles recover quickly and repair themselves so that you can continue building muscle.
– During your weightlifting session: Try consuming carbohydrates such as bread, rice, pasta, fruit, vegetables, oats, yogurt, oatmeal, and other high carb snacks. Carbs provide fuel for your muscles while they work out and also help reduce fatigue.
– After your weightlifting session: Consume proteins such as chicken, beef, turkey, pork, fish, cheese, cottage cheese, egg whites, soybeans, and lean meats. Proteins help restore the amino acids lost from muscle tissue during your workout. They also help promote muscle growth.
If you decide to add some form of weightlifting to your exercise regimen, here’s a great nutritional diet plan that I created just for you!
A lot of people have asked me how I stay motivated to keep up my new exercise regime. The truth is that motivation comes and goes. Sometimes I feel like I am doing great, but then something else comes along and makes me want to give up. That being said, there are several things that I do to stay focused on my goal of getting stronger.
Here are 5 ways that I stay motivated when working out:
1) Keep track of my progress. Keeping track of my progress will not only motivate me, but it will allow me to know if I am making good progress. It will also show me where I need to make improvements.
2) Listen to music. Music has always been a big part of my life. As far back as I can remember, listening to music was the main thing that made me happy. So naturally, I love to listen to music while exercising. If you don’t already, I recommend downloading an app called “iHeartRadio”. You can stream all types of music including songs by artists or groups that inspire you.
3) Stay positive. One of the biggest reasons why I enjoy working out is because it gives me time away from stress. When I am stressed, I tend to eat more junk food than I normally would. Because I am trying to lose weight, I try to avoid this temptation by keeping a positive mindset. I remind myself that every day that I work out is another step towards achieving my goals. I tell myself that I deserve to be fit and healthy, and I encourage others to believe the same.
4) Have a friend who supports me. Having someone supportive around is a great motivator. My husband has been a huge support system for me since we began our fitness journey together. He never tells me what to do, he simply encourages me to follow through with whatever I set out to accomplish. This is one of the greatest gifts that anyone could ever give.
5) Find inspiration in others. There are plenty of inspiring stories about people who have overcome obstacles to achieve their dreams. Reading these inspirational stories motivates me to persevere even harder, and to reach my goals.
I hope that these five tips have given you some ideas of how you might stay motivated to get into shape. Don’t forget to share this article with your friends and family members. Together, we can make a difference!
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