How to Build Muscle Mass - 5 Essential Steps

While working out and getting bigger seems like a great idea too many, it can be hard to know where to start and how to build muscle mass. Everyone seems to have their own set of rules as to what works and what doesn't. Be that as it may, there are a few basic ideas which have become excepted in the world of bodybuilding. The five steps below on how to build muscles mass should provide just the information you need top get started down that path.
Step 1 - Maintaining a Caloric Surplus
Your body needs energy to produce a significant amount of muscle after a workout. That energy comes from calories. Unfortunately, there's no way around that. To maximize your body's ability to build muscle, you should be taking in more calories than your body is able to expend on a daily basis. This doesn't mean you should eat as much as you can; a 500 calorie surplus is no more effective than a 100 calorie surplus. There are many calorie calculators available online, such as the ones at CalorieKing.com and Calculator.net. One should aim for 100 to 200 calories higher than their body needs (even after factoring in the calories burned while working out) to make sure their body has what it needs to build muscle.
Step 2 - Getting all the Macronutrients
While our bodies need calories to build muscle, that doesn't mean it is advisable to get those calories through any means possible. Most of those calories should be coming from protein, carbohydrates and fat. These are referred to as macronutrients. Without them, your body won't be able to keep up with your workout routine. The amount of each varies per person, but as far as protein goes, everyone should be eating at least 1.5 grams per pound of body weight.
Step 3 - Never Go Into a Catabolic State
A catabolic state is when your body has no fuel (food) in it's system and begins to feed on it's fat and muscle. This is how weight loss works. But we don't want to lose weight, we want to gain it. Protein shakes are especially effective when it comes to preventing catabolic states. Gulping down a whey protein shake first thing in the morning is a great way to instantly put fuel in your body until breakfast time. Also, it is advisable to fill up on protein-rich foods before bed so as not to let your body starve in the middle of the night. Things like chicken and cottage cheese are perfect for this.
Step 4 - Workout to Build Muscle, Not Strength
Powerlifting and bodybuilding are two very different things. A quick Google-search of the world's strongest men might astound you. Professional powerlifters workout for the sole purpose of gaining strength as opposed to muscle mass and their bodies show it. Whether you gain mass or muscle depends on your workout regime. The basic idea is that more reps equals more mass. If you can bench press 150 pounds for only 3 reps, then maybe you should lift something a little lighter. Your muscles shouldn't fail until 8 to 12 reps in. And as far as sets go, 2 to 3 sets of each workout has shown to be the most beneficial for gaining mass.
Step 5 - Don't Overtrain
When first starting out, the rush and excitement from lifting can make it difficult to stay away from the gym. However, it is important to give each muscle group at least one day's rest between workouts. Failing to do so won't only hinder your progress, but you can actually lose muscle from working out to much. Many bodybuilders find it beneficial to workout a different muscle group each session. This way they can still go to the gym every day without overtraining.
As said earlier, everyone has their own ideas as to what works best for gaining muscle mass. However, the above steps are fairly accepted and universal throughout the world of body building. It can be hard learning how to build muscle mass, but these steps are the first, and probably most important, ones to take. Happy lifting.

By Michael J

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8996846

What Are The New 'Balloon' Weight Loss Treatments?

For many dieters, the idea of surgical intervention to help lose weight is something that is unpleasant and largely off putting.
However, an entirely new range of techniques is becoming available or is under test, involving procedures that are perhaps technically surgery but which involve little if any real surgical intervention.
These are sometimes generically called the 'Balloon' treatments.
The basic concepts
Many surgical and more modern balloon treatments share an idea in common. That is to fill the stomach so that it doesn't feel hungry and demand feeding or in other cases to physically prevent the intake and absorption of foodstuffs.
In that sense, conceptually they are not a million miles away from well-established procedures such as gastric band surgery. Yet in practice, there is much less surgical intervention involved and that must be far less traumatic for the patient.
Many of them involve the insertion of a balloon or balloon-like structure into the stomach in order to achieve the above objectives. Here are just a few examples of some of those which are gaining a lot of attention.
ReShape Duo
This is a double balloon, which is filled with saline then inserted into the patient's stomach for half a year.
It does involve a degree of intervention but the results have been promising - though many patients suffered initial unpleasant side-effects, such as nausea, in the initial few days after insertion.
Gelesis100
This is a capsule filled with tiny particles which are coated or built with the same type of ingredients used in food products.
As the particles absorb water in the stomach, they expand and help that 'full' feeling to develop.
They also mix with food being digested and reduce the rate of its passage out of the stomach.
Elipse balloon
This is another device that has been tweaked quite a few times already.
The researchers have tried to produce a balloon that could be lodged in the stomach and later removed but without endoscopy, which is one of those procedures patients don't like much.
The current experiment involves a long thin and flexible tube being attached to a tiny balloon that's swallowed. The tube is then used to inflate the balloon with water and the tube is then extracted. Early trial results look promising.
Obalon balloon
The first step with this device is to swallow a capsule containing a balloon.
Once that's dissolved, the balloon's released and then inflated by a minuscule tube attached to the capsule.
A doctor then removes the tube and that process can be repeated to place several balloons in your stomach.
Yet again, initial test results look encouraging.
Summary
Many of the above products should still be regarded as being essentially in the scientific study phase and although the results look very encouraging, it may be some time before they become available to the mass market.
It's also true to say that they are typically aimed at people with severe weight problems and they are not likely to entirely replace the use of a professional weight loss program in the case of most dieters.
Ongoing dieting regimes and weight loss recipes will continue to be extremely important for the foreseeable future, irrespective of how successful or otherwise some of the above product evaluations prove to be in the medium to longer term.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9008531

How to Lose Belly Fat Without Equipment

This is an article that talks about how to lose belly fat fast, easy, efficiently and without spending a fortune on equipment or gym membership.
Before we start outm let me make a small introduction about this topic. If you want to lose weight the first thing you have to do is to acquire the right mindset and get in the proper psychological state. In this way you will be able to set realistic goals about your fitness, overcome the bad habits that are distracting you from your goals and stick to them until you succeed.
The next thing you have to understand is what type of exercise is the most suitable for you so that you can easily lose belly fat. The method that is used for losing fat is called aerobic training, which is a high intensity training for a specific period of time that helps your body burn calories faster than the anaerobic training that is used mainly for muscle building.
The ultimate step you have to learn is taking action. By taking action I mean that you should make a plan and start training as soon as possible and not waste your time anymore. This is the only way on how to lose belly fat or reduce your stomach fat, these 3 simple steps: 1. Fix your mindset 2. Learn what method is used for weight loss and the most important is 3. Take action. Now without wasting anymore time let's dive in to the workouts on how to lose belly fat.
Workout Beginner Level 1:
This is a calisthenics workout with the only equipment your bodyweight. In order to complete the workout you have to do these exercises back to back with rest as less as possible. If you manage to do all these exercises back to back without rest you are ready to move to the next level.
Bodyweight Training 250 workout (250 total repetitions)
30 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
20 Close Grip Pushups
10 Jumps
10 Pull-ups
40 Squats
25 Pushups
20 Walking Lunges (10 reps per side)
15 Underhand Inverted Rows
30 Bicycle Crunches (15 reps per side)
25 Squats
25 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
Workout Beginner Level 2:
This is a calisthenics workout with the only equipment your bodyweight. In order to complete the workout you have to do these exercises back to back with rest as less as possible. If you manage to do all these exercises back to back without rest you are ready to move to the next level.
Bodyweight Training 300 workout (300 total repetitions)
25 Pushups
50 Mountain Climbers (25 per leg)
25 V-Ups
50 Alternating Lunges (25 per leg)
25 Burpees (no pushup / no jump)
50 Cross Body Mountain Climbers
25 Dips (off box / chair / stairs)
50 Squats (Ass must touch 2nd Step) / Knees must lock out
Workout Intermediate Level 1:
This is a calisthenics workout with the only equipment your bodyweight. In order to complete the workout you have to do these exercises back to back with rest as less as possible. If you manage to do all these exercises back to back without rest you are ready to move to the next level.
Bodyweight Training 500 workout (500 total repetitions)
100 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
25 Close-Grip Pushups
15 Jumps
15 Pull-ups
50 Squats
51 Pushups
40 Walking Lunges (20 reps per side)
30 Underhand Inverted Rows
60 Bicycle Crunches (30 reps per side)
15 Chin-ups
50 Squats
50 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
Workout Intermediate Level 2:
This is a calisthenics workout with the only equipment your bodyweight. In order to complete the workout you have to do these exercises back to back with rest as less as possible. If you manage to do all these exercises back to back without rest you are ready to move to the next level.
Bodyweight Training 750 workout (750 total repetitions)
100 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
25 Close Grip Pushups
20 Jumps
20 Pull-ups
75 Squats
25 Stick ups
50 Pushups
50 Walking Lunges (25 reps per side)
40 Underhand Inverted Rows
25 Stability Ball Leg Curls
100 Bicycle Crunches (50 reps per side)
20 Chin-ups
50 Mountain Climbers (25 per side)
50 Squats
100 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
Workout Advanced Level 1:
This is a calisthenics workout with the only equipment your bodyweight. In order to complete the workout you have to do these exercises back to back with rest as less as possible. If you manage to do all these exercises back to back without rest you are ready to move to the next level.
Bodyweight Training 1000 workout (1000 total repetitions)
100 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
25 Close Grip Pushups
25 Jumps
25 Pull-ups
100 Squats
25 Stick Ups
50 Bicycle Crunches (25 reps per side)
100 Pushups
50 Walking Lunges (25 reps per side)
50 Underhand Inverted Rows
50 Stability Ball Leg Curls
100 Bicycle Crunches (50 reps per side)
50 Decline Pushups
25 Overhand Inverted Rows
50 Mountain Climbers (25 reps per side)
50 Squats
25 Chin-ups
100 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
These are high intensity and highly effective workouts on how to lose belly fat without equipment. I wish you good luck with your training and progress.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8997176

7 Quick Tips On How To Lose Weight Without Exercise

Want to know how to lose weight fast without exercise? Well, exercise is better, but there are a few tricks you can do without breaking a sweat and can help shed the pounds.
You can do it by making a few healthy changes to your daily diet and lifestyle. In fact, "To speed your results, research shows that what you do when you're not exercising is nearly as important as the workout itself", says Stacy Sims, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist at the Stanford School of Medicine's Prevention-Research Center in Palo Alto, California.
Let's cut to the chase and talk about how to lose weight fast without exercise.
How and What to eat.
Drink a couple glasses of water or herbal tea before each meal. Sometimes we are confused between hunger and thirst, so drink a glass or two of water and wait for a few minutes to make sure you're really hungry before you dig in.
Eat foods that take some time to digest. You will feel full for longer if you eat foods that take longer to break down in your stomach. Focus on foods that are high in fiber, such as: particular fruits (raspberries, pears and apples..), Vegetables (peas, artichokes and broccoli) and Grains (like whole-wheat spaghetti, bran flakes and barley).
Eat slow and take smaller bites. By dividing your meal into more crumbs, this helps you eat slower which in turn can stretch out your meal and make it easier for you to identify when you're full.
Breakfast in the morning. Studies show that eating breakfast jump starts your metabolism and gets it working for the day. Skipping this meal will not help you lose more weight. Giving your metabolism something to do first thing in the morning gets it burning calories. When you don't eat for long periods of time, your body functions as if you're fasting because food is scarce, and accordingly burns less energy, and this doesn't help if you want to know how to lose weight fast without exercise.
Eat on a regular schedule. If your eating times are unpredictable or you tend to skip meals, your body will hang onto calories for an emergency, so try to have your meals at the same time each day if you can.
Turn off your TV and Computer when you're eating. Don't eat while you're watching a show. Instead of having the right amount that you need, you run the risk of eating until the program is over or you hit a commercial break, which might be well past the point of feeling full.
Avoid stress eating and midnight snacks. Instead of eating for comfort, do something like meditating, exercising, playing a musical instrument, or reading. And don't eat late at night as your body doesn't burn a lot of calories while you're asleep.
And this is how to lose weight fast without exercise.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9004439

How to Get Extreme Weight Loss and Stay Safe

If you're on a fat loss program at the moment, one of the first things you might be questioned is how fast you can lose weight and stay safe while you do it.
So you will always get people who just want to lose weight and do not really give a care about how they do. They just want it gone now, most people do not realize that health should be a priority.
Moreover, there is no need to jeopardize your future health just to get into your skinny jeans in a week - not to mention the torture, even while you do it.
Instead, you want to take a moderate approach and lose weight quickly, but your body without causing too much trouble in the process.
So how can you lose weight quickly? What is the most extreme rate of weight loss that you should even consider? Let's have a look at what you need to know regarding this subject.
Schedule your diet
The first thing you need to think about is how long you plan to use the power. Are you just a diet for a week or two?
If this is the case, you can probably find a slightly faster rate of loss of total fat, because you will not be starving your body for too long. Remember, all plans are essentially starve yourself to some extent. How much depends on the severity of the food really is.
If you plan to power for more than a few weeks, you're better off accepting a slower weight loss and make it rest for good.
How much weight you have to lose
Moving along, you also ask how much weight you have to lose. Is it a couple of pounds here? Or are we talking about 20-40?
If you have more than 10 pounds to lose, you will not be using the plans extreme weight loss and stay safe.
If you have a few pounds to shed, then fine, you can probably do so without danger. Get the intense regimen and down just as quickly. The more intense the power is, the faster you will lose the weight anyway, so you can come off as quickly. But if you have many pounds to lose, you just never going to lose their "fast".
Your body's tendency
Finally, think of your body trend. Do you tend to store fat easily? If so, your body will not give up so easily. In this situation, you can not perform as well on the extreme weight loss diets. A more moderate approach will likely result you better.
So there you have the main points to keep in mind as you go about your diet program. The extreme weight loss may be possible in some cases, but in many cases there is more weight to lose, a moderate approach is the safest bet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9003311

3 Reasons Why You're Losing The Fight Against Weight Loss

We all struggle at some point in our lives. We struggle with anything that is Good for us. Whether it's getting to work on time, getting a higher Education, Remaining faithful in a relationship or Sticking to your Diet, We all struggle.
Why?...
Human Nature..
It's Human Nature to do what we want to do. From as far back as biblical Adam and Eve, we've always wanted to Live Free, do every and anything, YOLO, etc. It's no surprise that the most successful companies over the past decade are the ones that exploit our need to do whatever we want.
"Drink Diet Sodas and Lose Weight!"
"Work From Home and Make $3,000".
"Eat Anything You Want and still Lose Weight!".
We live in a society that wants to have their cake and eat it too. Which brings me to why you are struggling to lose weight: No Focus, No Discipline and certainly too many distractions. I know, It's hard to hear, but sometimes the hard truth needs to be said.
With all the information out there on how to lose weight (Yes, and this is adding to that, I know) It's easy to get what I call, "Information overkill". There's always a new amazing routine or product that will help you to lose weight, but no matter what the product or workout routine is, none of it will matter if you don't have FOCUS, DISCIPLINE and DETERMINATION
You Have No Defined Goals
What do you want to achieve? Is it Getting rid of your Belly Fat? weight on your arms? Legs? Whatever it is, it's important that you have a plan and focus on your goals. Write down what you want to accomplish and stick to it. Don't make the mistake of changing your plan every week because of some information that you read online or heard from a friend. The only way to lose weight is through consistency!
You Lack Discipline
"Discipline is the assertion of willpower over more base desires". I could just stop right now and move on to the next point because that one sentence sums up exactly why most of us struggle so much. You have no control over your base desires. You want to have your cake, eat it, and still lose 10 pounds. Learn to recognize your cravings, your stress points, your weaknesses. Be honest about them and learn to deal with them. without self-discipline, no amount of workout or pills will make you lose weight.
There's No way around it. Losing Weight Takes Discipline
Too many Distractions
"New Craze in Weight loss that will make you lose a zillion pounds 30 minutes from now!!"
I suspect that this is what Weight Loss ads will be like in the next couple years because the amount of time that passes between the next best thing and the next, NEXT best thing is ridiculously short these days. In addition to that, research has shown that the Human attention span has moved from 12 minutes to just 5 minutes in the last decade! This means that we cannot concentrate on anything without getting bored. Social Media is to be blamed of course; 30 second Vine videos, 160 word Tweets, Facebook videos showing something silly every minute of the day. It is getting harder and harder to concentrate on just one thing.
Map out your routine,
Set reminders, timers, schedules.
When working out, mute your phone.
Put in your earplugs or turn on some music and block out the social world, even if it's just for 30 minutes.
With all of that said, once you've identified what exactly you need to do to meet your goals, the rest becomes that much easier. To help you over that bump, here are some great reading materials you can check out that will certainly help you set your goals, focus on them and become more Disciplined.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9001256

5 Steps For An Effective Fat Loss Workout Program

If you want to lose weight, sooner or later you are going to need to start a fat loss workout program. This does not mean that you need to be spending hours in the gym everyday, but you should plan on exercising regularly. These 5 tips will help you to face your fat loss workout positively.
1. Begin Slowly.
You will need to start your fat loss training program slowly. If you make it too tough at the outset you may strain a muscle not able to exercise for a couple of days or even weeks. Your body will need time to get used to the extra exercise. Get started with a slow and gradual pace and then increase the intensity as you become comfortable with your new regime.
2. Weight Training.
An effective fat loss workout will need to include an element of resistance training, or weight training. Your body will create muscle when you workout with weights and because muscles help to burn calories and fat, the more muscle mass you have the better. If you are working out with weights 2 to 3 times a week you can reach your weight loss goal much faster. If you don't have access to weights, use cans or water bottles.
3. Cardiovascular Exercise.
Most fat loss training programs include some type of cardiovascular exercise. Any exercise that raises your heart rate and keeps it up can be considered cardio exercise like cycling, running, walking or swimming. In addition to increasing your heart rate, it also conditions your lungs, and burns fat. To get the maximum results from your cardio exercises, use interval training where you swap between higher intensity exercise with low intensity recovery periods.
4. Don't Want To Go To the Gym? No Problem!
There are many good ways to exercise at home to stay fit and healthy if you don't want to go to the gym. There are some great pieces of equipment that provide good ways to exercise at home that do not cost the earth to buy. Simple things like free weights, an exercise ball, resistance bands and a yoga mat are generally low cost and you can often pick up second hand exercise bikes, elliptical trainers and treadmills in your local classified ads or car-boot sales.
5. Be Regular And Be Patient.
Just doing one fat loss workout is not going suddenly make the excess weight drop off. Successful weight loss requires regular exercise and a healthy diet. You need to burn more calories that you consume and combining regular exercise with a healthy diet plan will give you weight loss success. But it will take time. Remember it took years to gain all that fat and it could take a year or more to lose it all. With determination, focus and motivation you will succeed.

Do you want to learn more ways to lose weight and get fit? Are you confused about healthy eating? Do you want to know the best workout techniques to get the results you want? Get more nutritional information, the best exercise programs, fitness motivation and a FREE eBook with over 100 tips for losing belly fat here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9003932