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A Lady Asked Me, “How Do You Build Muscle? I’ve Tried Everything.”
12 questions I asked her
I followed up with some questions to understand where she needed to pivot her regimen to achieve her fitness and health goals.
Here are the twelve questions to consider if you’re trying to gain muscle:
#1 Do you do fasted cardio?
You’re missing out on faster results if you’re doing cardio but not doing fasted cardio.
Cardio is excellent for the heart, and we all should do it, but if you’re trying to lose weight, the best type of cardio you should do encompasses doing it fasted.
What does fasted cardio mean?
Fasted cardio is cardio done without intaking any calories. The best time to do fasted cardio is in the morning or before your first meal.
When you do fasted cardio, you burn straight from the source (the fat) instead of burning the meal (or meals) you eat throughout the day.
#2 How often do you lift weights?
If you prioritize cardio over lifting weights and are trying to lose or build a better physique, you have it backward.
It would be best if you prioritized weight lifting to build a better, more robust, and fit body.
Weightlifting does several things for you:
It increases your metabolism.
It improves your physique. Building muscle is the cheapest form of plastic surgery and helps you look fantastic.
It allows you to get away with eating more of what you want because muscle burns fat (i.e., the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism).
It helps you lose fat faster than cardio does. You might not notice it at first because muscle weighs more than fat, but you will notice a shift in how your body looks and feels.
3 How often do you increase your weight? The key to lifting weights is to increase your weight consistently. You want to safely lift heavier and heavier each week to prevent yourself from stagnating and not making progress. The more weight you lift, the stronger you get, the more changes you will notice in your physique, the more muscle you build, and the faster your metabolism will be. Make it a goal to increase the weight you lift weekly. #4 How much cardio are you doing? You don’t need to do hours of cardio. Cardio does help – especially fasted cardio, but lifting weights is your bet or a combination of both – depending on how much weight you have to lose. If you have a moderate amount of weight to lose, 30–60 minutes for your cardio sessions is sufficient. The primary cardio I do encompasses walking. Sometimes I also do cardio warm-ups before I start my weight training session or integrate cardio into my weight training sessions. #5 What’s your diet looking like? If you’re unwilling to eat clean, forget about building your desired body. Your diet is more important than the workouts. Eliminate the easy things such as: Sugar Alcohol Fast food Processed food Too many carbs
Focus on eating nutrient-dense meals high in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
#6 What order do you eat your food in?
Many people start their meals with sugar and carbs. You want to do the opposite to max out your body’s performance.
Start with your veggies.
Next, intake your proteins and fats.
Finally, intake your carbs.
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Eating this way ensures you get in the nutrient-dense stuff first – leaving little or less room for all the tempting carbs and sugary desserts we love.
I shouldn’t say this, but sometimes, I know if I eat my veggies and proteins first, I won’t have the desire to eat sugar, so sometimes I will deviate from this food order and eat dessert first to get in a bit of sugar.
The way you eat really will control what you want afterward. More often than not, you will be too full to get into the stuff you love most.
#7 How often are you in the gym?
Consistency is a staple if you desire to see results. You don’t have to be in the gym daily, but the more you’re there, the more focused you’ll be.
Even if it’s an off day, you can benefit from still going and surrounding yourself with fit and healthy energy; you can stretch, walk, do sauna, or do yoga. Being around other healthy people helps fuel your health and fitness goals.
#8 What is your weight training split?
Train everything at least once a week. But also listen to your body. It helps me to work out each muscle group twice a week, but for some people, it works for them to work out each muscle group once a week.
Upper Body Includes:
Back
Chest
Biceps
Triceps
Shoulders
Lower Body Includes:
Glutes
Calves
Quadriceps
Hamstrings
9 Are you taking any supplements? L carnitine is one supplement people have taken to help speed up their metabolism and energy production naturally. Other natural supplements and herbs are out there, but I haven’t explored them. I primarily rely on actions and habits to get the desired results. #10 What are your goals? Your goals will determine where you go. Knowing what weight is healthy for you is productive, but don’t get caught up with the scale. I weigh myself a couple of times a year at the gym on their scale or when I complete my physical, and that’s it. I go by look and feel. Plus, the more muscle you have, the more you will weigh. #11 What sacrifices are you making? You must be willing to give up the things that got you here in the first place. It might be pizza, cupcakes, alcohol, candy, burgers, over-snacking, or overeating. It could be a lack of sleep, not meal prepping, or not cooking the right things and taking the easy and quick way out for your eating habits. What will you sacrifice to help you reach your health and fitness goals? Are you willing to be in the gym? Are you willing to eat differently? Are you willing to say “no” to old habits?
You have to be willing to make the appropriate sacrifices to help you reach your goals.
#12 Take pictures weekly
If you’re not using a scale, use pictures.
Pictures will show you the progress you’re making more than the scale. It’s about look and feel. The scale can be helpful if you’re severely overweight, but once you get around to a healthy area, the pictures are worth more.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.