There is a lot of talk about what people should do when they
are in the gym, but usually not a lot of conversations deal with what happens
after your workout. Yes, the workout is a very important part of being fit and
getting ripped but it is not the only piece of the puzzle.
are in the gym, but usually not a lot of conversations deal with what happens
after your workout. Yes, the workout is a very important part of being fit and
getting ripped but it is not the only piece of the puzzle.
Why you need to go
lift some weights
Firstly let us talk about why the workout is important. It
is important in order to burn calories, increase metabolism, to break down your
muscle (previously weak muscle) so that it will get repaired and grow back
bigger and stronger. So without the gym part you pretty much will not make any
muscle gains if you just do the other things I am about to mention but without
what I am about share with you, you would be pretty much wasting your time in
the gym although there are exceptions to every rule.
is important in order to burn calories, increase metabolism, to break down your
muscle (previously weak muscle) so that it will get repaired and grow back
bigger and stronger. So without the gym part you pretty much will not make any
muscle gains if you just do the other things I am about to mention but without
what I am about share with you, you would be pretty much wasting your time in
the gym although there are exceptions to every rule.
 |
| WORKOUT, EAT, SLEEP |
So I am done
lifting what now
The lifting weights part was just the beginning and the
break down phase, your muscles do not grow in the gym, you go to the gym to destroy
those weak small muscles so that they grow back stronger as I mentioned above,
but how do we make sure we recover well and grow bigger stronger muscles? This
is where you nutrition comes in, this is where your rest comes in, this is
where sleep comes in.
break down phase, your muscles do not grow in the gym, you go to the gym to destroy
those weak small muscles so that they grow back stronger as I mentioned above,
but how do we make sure we recover well and grow bigger stronger muscles? This
is where you nutrition comes in, this is where your rest comes in, this is
where sleep comes in.
Nutrition
There are guys out there who can get away with eating whatever
they want and they are still ripped but they are in the minority, but also just
imagine what their physiques would look like if they actually gave a damn about
eating properly (Greek god statue equivalent, right?). Most of us have average
genetics and it takes a lot of effort to get really ripped, so the easiest way
for us to get ripped bodies like the Spartans is to eat a clean and healthy
balanced diet, this need not be difficult. It is just about having an adequate
amount of all micronutrients and macronutrients, but others take it even
further by adjusting their diets to have more macronutrients than others such
as limiting their carbohydrate intake and increasing their protein intake,
whilst choosing to have a selected type of fat in their diet. Bodybuilders are
known to use carb cycling to manipulate their bodies into getting shredded. I for
one am not a bodybuilder, so I eat fairly balanced meals with all macronutrients
but on workout days I have more carbohydrates than on non workouts days, I also
tend to eat less on non workout days. The reason nutrition is important is
because eating supplies the fuel for your body to function, it provides the energy
for you to work out and also provides the nutrients needed to help repair your body
(muscle), and to help your body grow bigger and stronger so that it can in
future handle the stress/load of the weights you were lifting.
they want and they are still ripped but they are in the minority, but also just
imagine what their physiques would look like if they actually gave a damn about
eating properly (Greek god statue equivalent, right?). Most of us have average
genetics and it takes a lot of effort to get really ripped, so the easiest way
for us to get ripped bodies like the Spartans is to eat a clean and healthy
balanced diet, this need not be difficult. It is just about having an adequate
amount of all micronutrients and macronutrients, but others take it even
further by adjusting their diets to have more macronutrients than others such
as limiting their carbohydrate intake and increasing their protein intake,
whilst choosing to have a selected type of fat in their diet. Bodybuilders are
known to use carb cycling to manipulate their bodies into getting shredded. I for
one am not a bodybuilder, so I eat fairly balanced meals with all macronutrients
but on workout days I have more carbohydrates than on non workouts days, I also
tend to eat less on non workout days. The reason nutrition is important is
because eating supplies the fuel for your body to function, it provides the energy
for you to work out and also provides the nutrients needed to help repair your body
(muscle), and to help your body grow bigger and stronger so that it can in
future handle the stress/load of the weights you were lifting.
Rest and sleep
Over training has a negative effect on muscles, so growth is
limited when you over train, resting gives your body the time it needs to
recover. That is why it is not wise to train the same body part every day;
because it will not have enough time to recover hence growth will be affected.
When you are out of the gym it is best to find other ways of keeping yourself
occupied, possibly doing things that do not take away all the effort you put in
the gym for example it is a bad idea to work out and drink a lot of beer the
whole weekend after that when you are supposed to be resting, that is
counterproductive and bad for your health. You should find good forms of
entertainment such as getting some mental exercise by reading a book,
meditating, playing board games or whatever you like to do that does not throw
all your hard work away.
limited when you over train, resting gives your body the time it needs to
recover. That is why it is not wise to train the same body part every day;
because it will not have enough time to recover hence growth will be affected.
When you are out of the gym it is best to find other ways of keeping yourself
occupied, possibly doing things that do not take away all the effort you put in
the gym for example it is a bad idea to work out and drink a lot of beer the
whole weekend after that when you are supposed to be resting, that is
counterproductive and bad for your health. You should find good forms of
entertainment such as getting some mental exercise by reading a book,
meditating, playing board games or whatever you like to do that does not throw
all your hard work away.
Another very important part of your rest time is sleep time;
your sleep cycle affects your bodies’ hormonal cycle as well so it is best
to have a consistent sleeping cycle with at least 7 to 8 hours of undisturbed
sleep. Besides affecting your hormones that make you grow muscle or lose
muscle, proper sleep affects your wakefulness and thus affects your whole day
which could end up affecting your workouts because you will not be feeling a
100% come gym time.
your sleep cycle affects your bodies’ hormonal cycle as well so it is best
to have a consistent sleeping cycle with at least 7 to 8 hours of undisturbed
sleep. Besides affecting your hormones that make you grow muscle or lose
muscle, proper sleep affects your wakefulness and thus affects your whole day
which could end up affecting your workouts because you will not be feeling a
100% come gym time.
Fitness is not a burden, it is a life style and once you get
used to it and it becomes a habit, it is pretty hard to look back, so work
hard, eat smart and get yourself some well deserved rest.
used to it and it becomes a habit, it is pretty hard to look back, so work
hard, eat smart and get yourself some well deserved rest.
