Looking to Gain Muscle and Lose Fat?

You can’t. It’s almost physiologically impossible. That’s like saying I want to get a bigger car with better gas mileage.

The typical way you lose fat is by cutting calories and increasing high intensity exercise. In order to gain muscle you increase calories, along with the load of weight you’re moving on a regular basis.

When you lose fat, that may make the muscle underneath the more visible – which makes you feel like you’ve gained muscle.

The problem with Eat Less and Move More:

Would you put less gas in the tank – then try to drive further? If you eat too few calories, and move more, chances are your body will forfeit some of your lean muscle mass. The answer is to eat the right amount of good quality food, work out based on your goals, and what’s realistic for your lifestyle long term.

We all have natural body types. Based on our genetics and life style growing up (probably along with what hormones and toxins we were/are exposed to). You’ve probably noticed if you gain weight easily, find cardio exercises easier, or gain strength quickly. Often times instead of working with our bodies we try to work against them. The full figured woman’s tries to eat 1000 calories and running on the treadmill every day. The lean gentleman is pounding protein shakes, and trying to squat a small car.

Changing your natural composition is a big commitment, and often times not the healthiest choice. While I’m always about balance, the only way to truly achieve long term success if to first decide what’s realistic for your lifestyle, then accept the body that lifestyle gives you. Not the other way around.

No matter what your goals are – body composition changes take calories and nutrients. Check out the article in this issue by Dr. M (PHd in Food and Nutrition) about portion size and calorie intake.)

1 Month Work – Out

Work-Out for Fat Losers
3 Days

Day 1 – 30  min Interval Cardio 3min Run / 1 min Walk + 30 min Strength Training
Chest, Tricep, Quadriceps, Calf. 15reps, 3 Sets
Day 2 – 30 min Stretching /” Yin Yoga” + 30 min Hill Training
Day 3 – 30 min Interval Cardio 3min Run / 1 min Walk + 30 min Strength Training
Back, Biceps, Hamstring, Shoulder. 15 reps, 3 sets

Chest, Tricep, Quadriceps, Calf
Set 1                                      Set 2                                                                      Set 3
Push Ups                             Chest Fly                                                             Burpee
Tricep Dips                         Bent Tricep Extension                                           Over Head Tricep Extension
Jump Squat                         Single Leg Sit / Stand                                            Single Leg Step Up
Calf Raise                           Single Leg Calf                                                     Band Abduction/Adduction
60 sec Bonus Core Circuit: Fore Arm Plank – Superman – Double Crunch

Back, Biceps, Hamstring, Shoulder
Set 1                                      Set 2                                                                  Set 3
Bent Over Row                   Upright Row                                                       Cable Row
Bicep Curl                          Hammer Curl to Shoulder Press                         Chin Up (Assisted)
Lunge to S. Press               Barbell Dead LIft                                               Bench Glute Bridge
60 Sec Plank                      60 Sec Superman                                             Leg Lifts

Work-Out For Muscle (size) Gainers
3 Days

Day 1 – 15 min Interval Cardio 2 min Run / 1 min Walk + 45 min Upper Body Work Out
Day 2 – Stretching or “Yin Yoga” + 1 Mile Run
Day 3 – 45 min Lower Body Work Out 8 reps/3 Sets

Upper:
Set 1                                      Set 2                                                                   Set 3
Push Up                               Bench Press                                                       Burpee
Tricep Dips                         Overhead Triceps Extension                                Single Arm Tri. Extension
Shoulder Press                    Front Raise                                                         Lateral Raise
Bicep Curl                           Hammer Curl                                                     Chin Up (Assisted)
60 sec Bonus Core Circuit: Fore Arm Plank – Superman – Double Crunch

Lower:
Set 1                                      Set 2                                                                      Set 3
Lunge                                   Dead Lift                                                            Burpee
Weighted Squat                    Jump Squat                                                       Single Leg Step Up
Calf Raise                            Single Leg Calf Raise                                       Band Abduction/Adduction
Full Sit Up                           Oblique Crunches                                               Leg Lift

Bonus Core Circuit: 60sec Palm Plank – Side Plank Lift – V-Up

*All work-outs should start with a 5-10 min medium paced warm up, then move into 5-10min of active stretching (Stretches in motion). All work-outs should end with a 5-10 min medium paced cool down, then end with 5-10 of static stretching(Holding stretches for 30+ seconds)

As seen in the July 2014 Issue of Health and Fitness Magazine