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Muscle Building Guide: How to Build Muscle and Lose Fat

Table of Contents

Building Muscle and Weight-Loss 3

Characteristics of a Good Muscle-Building Program 4

Progressive Overload 5

Compound Exercises 7

Full-Body Workout 9

The Importance of Proper Form 10

Rest and Recovery 12

Building Muscle Without Weights 13

Muscle-Building Diet 14

Muscle-Building Supplements and Protein Shakes 21

Tracking of Progress 25

Summary 26

3

Building Muscle and Weight-Loss

Is it possible to build muscle and lose weight at the same time? If

we compare muscle with a comparable volume of fat, we would

notice that muscle is heavier than fat.1 Muscle is denser than fat.

For example, a 140-pound person, whose body composition is 35%

fat, will be several dress sizes bigger than a 140-pound person with

only 20% body fat.

Calorie-wise, however, increased muscle mass helps you lose weight

because the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn

during both routine activities and physical activity.2 So, then,

depending on your body composition at the start of an exercise

program, you could either lose weight or gain weight when going

through muscle-building exercises. If you are on the slender-side,

strength-training exercises will increase your calorie requirement, and

without the proper diet, your body fat might not be a sufficient

source of energy. You can end up using muscle mass as an energy

source and thus, lose more muscle rather than build more muscle.

However, if your body composition has a bigger percentage of body

fat, you would, ideally, burn off this fat to supply the increased

calorie requirements of the additional muscle mass you’ve gained

through strength-training exercises. At the beginning of a strength-

1 http://www.onemorebite-weightloss.com/muscle-to-fat.html 2 http://www.livestrong.com/article/388838-why-am-i-gaining-weight-while-exercising/

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training exercise program, the additional heavier muscle tissue may

cause the scale to go up. But as you progress in your exercise

program, you will be burning more fat and lose the pounds

associated with this fat.3

This report targets people who want to improve the ratio of their

body fat to their lean muscle mass either through bodysculpting or

bodybuilding. Bodysculpting is the type of training for people who

aim to firm up and lose body fat. For women, the ideal is usually a

13-16% body fat range, and for men, between 8-10% of body fat.

Bodybuilding training, on the other hand, is for people who aim to

add more pounds of muscle mass while taking their body fat levels

down to a level of 8-10% or, in the case of bodybuilding contestants,

to just 3-4% body fat.4

Characteristics of a Good Muscle-Building Program

An ideal muscle-building program has the following essential

components:5

1. Progressive overload

2. Predominantly uses compound exercises

3. Training of the entire body

3 ibid. 4 http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/weighttrainingprinciples/a/Training.htm 5 http://www.acaloriecounter.com/building-muscle.php#two

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4. Emphasizes proper form

5. Rest and recovery

6. Muscle-building diet

7. Tracking of Progress

Progressive Overload

The most important factor of a body-building program is progressive

overload. This concept centers on challenging the muscles of the

body to take progressively heavier loads and resistance. If you keep

on doing what your body is already capable of doing, your body

won’t have any reason to build more muscle. To increase your

muscle mass, you must increase the demands on your muscles by

lifting slightly heavier weights, or by lifting the same weight for

additional repetitions. Whenever you increase the demands on your

muscles, the body will signal the muscle building process to start

working. 6

We have two types of hormones in relation to muscle building:

Anabolic hormones build muscle, and catabolic hormones tear down

muscles. The most powerful anabolic hormone is testosterone,

followed by growth hormone and insulin.

6 http://www.intense-workout.com/muscle_building.html

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Catabolic hormones such as cortisol direct your body to break down

muscle for fuel. In other words, your body eats your own muscle.

To avoid this, your strength training workouts should increase the

rate of release of your anabolic hormones relative to the release of

your catabolic hormones. You can do this by increasing the intensity

of your workout.7

For fast results, you must use weights that challenge your capability

and strength to the limit. For building muscle mass, you need to lift

a weight that is heavy enough so that you can only perform a low

amount of repetitions, that is, around 4-8 reps. Using heavy weights

with lower repetitions causes more stress on your muscles and that is

how they grow the fastest.8

Some trainers advice their clients to continue reps until they reach

muscle failure. Muscle failure is the point wherein you are unable to

do another controlled repetition.9 This might, however, lead to

burnout, delayed recovery or injury. It would be wiser to stop about

1 or 2 reps short of failure.10

7 http://www.best-abs-exercises.com/how-to-lose-belly-fat.html 8 http://www.building-muscle-guide.com/muscle-building-workouts.html 9 http://www.livestrong.com/article/139276-the-best-muscle-building-workouts/#ixzz1SpFDb18N 10 http://www.acaloriecounter.com/building-muscle.php#two

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Compound Exercises

To build muscle effectively, do more compound exercises and less

isolation exercises. Compound movements are multi-joint

movements that work several muscles or muscle groups at a time. A

good example of compound exercise is the barbell squat exercise

which engages many muscles in the lower body and core, including

the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes, the lower back and the

core.11

Isolation exercises isolate one muscle with a single-joint movement,

such as concentration curls or dumbbell triceps kickbacks.12 These

exercises are used to correct a specific muscle weakness or

imbalance.

While isolation exercises do have a value especially after injury,

illness, or surgery, compound exercises have more benefits to the

healthy body-builder. Compound exercises burn more calories and

helps a person achieve a full-body workout at a much faster rate.

They also improve coordination, reaction time and balance which are

beneficial for real-world activities, and help reduce risk of injury

during sports.13

11 http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/strengthtraining/a/compound_ex.htm 12 http://www.livestrong.com/article/139276-the-best-muscle-building-workouts/#ixzz1SpFDb18N

13 http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/strengthtraining/a/compound_ex.htm

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Here’s a sample schedule of muscle-building exercises:14

Monday:

Squats

Chest and Back

o Compound Exercises:

Bench Presses

Pull-ups

Barbell Curls

o Isolation Exercises:

Concentration Curls

Dumbbell Triceps Kickbacks

Wednesday:

Deadlifts

Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps and Calves

Friday: (Repeat Monday’s workout)

Squats

Chest and Back

o Compound Exercises:

Bench Presses

Pull-ups

Barbell Curls 14 14 http://www.livestrong.com/article/139276-the-best-muscle-building-workouts/#ixzz1SpFDb18N

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o Isolation Exercises:

Concentration Curls

Dumbbell Triceps Kickbacks

You may also set-up your weight-training routine to simultaneously

target both muscle building and fat-burning by performing supersets.

With supersets, you do an exercise for one muscle group and then,

with little or no rest, perform an exercise for a smaller muscle group

in a different part of the body. For example, you might alternate

squats with dumbbell curls. Supersets have been shown to raise

one’s metabolic rate for hours after the actual exercise routine

leading to increased burning of fat.15

Full-Body Workout

One important consideration in a muscle-building program is to

ensure that you are training your entire body and not just specific

sections of your body which you consider as problematic. A full-body

workout means you train your entire upper body, consisting of your

chest, back, shoulders, biceps and triceps, as well as your entire

lower body, which is made up of your quadriceps, hamstrings and

calves.

15 http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/multiple.htm

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Training your entire body will prevent muscle imbalances and the

many injuries and issues due to this type of problem.16 You must see

to it that for every pushing exercise, you have a pulling exercise in

the same anatomical plane.17 For example, if you are performing

bench presses and other chest exercises, balance it off with barbell

row and other back exercises. 18

The Importance of Proper Form

While lifting heavy weights is necessary to maximize muscle growth,

the additional weight makes it more difficult to maintain proper

technique. If you do lift a weight, but with improper form, you would

not be working on the muscle you intended to develop. If you

neglect proper form, chances are you will end up getting injured.

Between lifting heavier weights with sloppy form, and lifting lighter

weights with the correct form, the latter is the more sensible choice.

How do you know if you are deviating from proper form during

weight training? The rule of thumb is that you have to move the

specific body part through its normal path of movement. Depending

on the exercise you are performing, there is a ‘normal’ way for your

bones and joints to go along. If you are unable to control your

movement because of the weight you are trying to lift, you will

16 http://www.acaloriecounter.com/building-muscle.php#three 17 http://www.livestrong.com/article/289561-full-body-workout-vs-split/ 18 http://www.acaloriecounter.com/building-muscle.php#three

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transfer undue stress on neighboring tendons and joints, which can

lead to injury.

You also have to consider the fact that very heavy weights and

improper technique might hinder you from going through the whole

range of motion for a particular muscle. A partial lift will only

activate a portion of a muscle group’s fibers instead of providing a

brief, high tension to every fiber in the muscle in every angle of the

movement. There are, of course, exemptions to using a full-range of

motion during weight lifting, as some muscles can get injured if they

are fully stretched while supporting a load.

Proper technique also involves the proper speed of motion when

lifting and lowering weights. Fast movements lead to acceleration,

which can double the weight of the load on your joints and tendons

up to a factor of 2 or more! (Think of the classic equation F=ma, if

acceleration goes up, so would the force of weight.) Here’s a

guideline regarding the speed of lifting and lowering weights:

2-4 seconds for lifting

1-2 seconds in full contraction

4 seconds for lowering

Slowing down the lowering phase emphasizes the tension from

intramuscular friction.

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Rest and Recovery

The ideal muscle-building program will never overlook the importance

of rest and recovery. There is a popular misconception that taking a

day off after heavy training is detrimental to muscle-building. Some

people mistakenly believe that working out longer, and harder, and

more frequently, would help them achieve their desired results faster.

During workout, what actually happens is that muscle tissues break

down and energy stores in the form of glycogen are depleted. The

body also loses fluids. The muscles would need 24 to 48 hours to

repair and rebuild. Insufficient rest and recovery would lead to

increased release of the catabolic hormone cortisol, and lead to

further tissue breakdown, instead of muscle-building. At the same

time, important muscle-building anabolic hormones such as

testosterone and growth hormone are greatly reduced when a person

is stressed and tired due to insufficient rest. 19

To speed up your recovery, give your body sufficient time to rest

after a hard workout. You may also try doing active recovery, that is,

perform some light and easy exercises that would improve the

circulation and help promote nutrient and waste product transport

throughout the body. Replace lost fluids by drinking adequate

amounts of water. Eating a proper diet rich in protein and complex

19 http://buildyourbodymuscle.com/Rest-and-Recovery.html

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carbohydrate can serve to refuel your body. Lastly, you need to have

optimal sleep since it is while you are sleeping that your body

produces growth hormone which is largely responsible for tissue

growth and repair.20

Building Muscle Without Weights

It is possible for you to build stronger, toned muscles without having

to go to the gym or use free weights. You can use your own body

weight as resistance. Any exercise that uses resistance to force your

muscles to work harder strengthens muscle tissue. However, if your

goal is to bulk-up, body-weight exercises would give you limited

results. Gaining more muscle mass can only be effectively achieved

by following the principles of progressive overload.

To improve strength without using weights, you can perform

calisthenics. Examples of this type of exercise include pull-ups,

crunches, deep knee bends, lunges, squats, jumping jacks, and push-

ups. You may also perform yoga, which uses body resistance to

build stronger, leaner muscles, and Pilates, which helps strengthen

core muscles in your abs, hips, and back.21

20 http://buildyourbodymuscle.com/Rest-and-Recovery.html 21 http://www.livestrong.com/article/331132-can-you-really-build-muscle-without-weights/

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Muscle-Building Diet

A quality diet is essential to an effective muscle-building program.

Building quality muscle mass requires the right information and

knowledge on nutrition. The three main components of a good

muscle building diet are protein, carbohydrates and fats. You need

to ingest the correct balance of calories, protein, carbohydrates and

fat for your body type. Over supplementation of certain nutrients will

lead to imbalances in your nutrition plan and can be detrimental to

your muscle-building program and your health. It is always best to

have a well-balanced diet.22

Protein is responsible for building, repairing, and maintaining muscle

tissue. Next to water, protein is the second most plentiful substance

in the body. Protein is also the body’s second resource for energy,

after carbohydrates. When it comes to muscle building, your body

requires an increased amount of protein to repair the muscle you

break down at the gym,23 and to build and sustain muscle growth.

How much protein should we include in our diet for maximum

performance and muscle gain? The ideal diet should comprise of

20% to 30% protein. That translates to around 0.8 to 1.3 grams of

protein per pound of body weight. If you weigh 145 pounds, then

your protein intake should be anywhere from 116 to 189 grams of

protein per day.

22 http://www.building-muscle101.com/weight-lifting-diet.html 23 http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/planning-your-muscle-building-diet.html

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High quality protein sources include:24

chicken breast

venison

round steak

scallops

sirloin steak

lean ham

pork tenderloin

low fat milk

lean turkey

low fat cottage cheese

turkey breasts

low fat cheddar cheese

whey

egg whites

Carbohydrates are a very important source of fuel for the muscles,

as well as the leading source of energy for the body. Carbohydrates

are broken down into glucose during digestion of food. Glucose is

stored in the form of glycogen in your liver and muscles and are used

up during your workouts, aside from other bodily functions.

24 http://www.building-muscle101.com/weight-lifting-diet.html

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During an intense weight lifting session, you can easily deplete your

glycogen reserves, leading to fatigue and drastic drop in strength and

endurance. It is important to take enough carbohydrates in each of

your meals everyday to ensure that the amount of glycogen in your

muscles is constantly being replenished.

Your diet should include 55% to 65% carbohydrates. If you don’t

get enough carbohydrates, your body will turn to protein as a fuel

source, even resorting to breaking down of muscle tissues to provide

adequate energy sources for the body. This, of course, would be

contrary to the goals of people aiming to build more muscle mass.

Keep in mind that protein is only a secondary energy source for the

body. So as not to deviate protein from its primary role in muscle

building, you should always see to it that the body has enough of its

primary source of fuel, which are the carbohydrates. 25

Quality carbohydrates include:

whole wheat breads

oatmeal

whole wheat bagels

cream of wheat

English muffin

25 http://www.building-muscle101.com/weight-lifting-diet.html

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mushrooms

whole wheat pitas

cucumber

rye bread

granola

baked potatoes

whole grain cereals

sweet potatoes

spinach

rice

zucchini

Fats play numerous vital roles in the body. They provide the body

with fuel and insulation, as well as building blocks for the cell

membranes. Fats are also essential for the absorption of fat-soluble

vitamins A, E, D and K.

The healthy fats you need to ingest are those coming from natural

sources such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. The

ideal fat intake is about 15% to 25% of your diet.26 You must, of

course, avoid unnatural occurring fats such as trans fats which have

been correlated with heart disease and other chronic health

problems.27

26 http://www.building-muscle101.com/weight-lifting-diet.html 27 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat#Health_risks

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Quality sources of fat include:28

fatty cold-water fish

nuts and seeds

olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil

avocados

In summary, a quality muscle building diet will consist of 20% to

30% protein, 55% to 65% carbohydrates, and 15% to 25% fat. For

example:

25% protein

55% carbohydrates

20% fat

To find out your base daily caloric intake, use the following tables

and formula:29

For men:

1 x (body weight in kg*) x 24 x (body fat level multiplier) x (daily

activity coefficient) = base daily caloric intake to maintain your body

weight

28 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fat/NU00262/NSECTIONGROUP=2 29 http://www.building-muscle101.com/weight-lifting-diet.html

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For women:

0.9 x (body weight in kg*) x 24 x (body fat level multiplier) x (daily

activity coefficient) = base daily caloric intake to maintain your body

weight

*1 kg = 2.2 lbs

Data for determining your body fat level multiplier and daily activity

coefficient:

Body Fat Level

Body Fat Level in Men Body Fat Level Multiplier

10 – 14% 1.00

14 – 20% 0.95

20 – 28% 0.90

Over 28% 0.85

Body Fat Level in

Women

Body Fat Level Multiplier

14 – 18% 1.00

18 – 28% 0.95

28 – 38% 0.90

Over 38% 0.85

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Daily Activity

Daily Activity Range Daily Activity

Percentage

Daily Activity

Coefficient

Inactive:

Sitting, talking, light walking 130% 1.30

Average Active:

Light work, walking 155% 1.55

Moderate, light jogging, swimming,

beginner muscle-building

166% 1.66

Average Athlete:

Heavy, hockey, football, advanced

muscle-building

180% 1.80

Very heavy, 2 or more hours of intense

weight training daily

200% 2.00

For example:

If you are a man weighing 145 pounds, with a body fat percentage of 10%, and has average athletic activity, the calculation for your base daily caloric intake would be:

1 x (145 lbs /2.2lbs/kg) x 24 x (1.00 body fat level multiplier) x (1.80 daily activity

coefficient) = 2,845 calories per day

The ideal healthy ranges of body fat are 18 to 25 percent for women,

and 15 to 20 percent for men. To determine your body fat level, the

easiest way is to use the Accu-Measure Body Fat Caliper.30

If you need help in estimating your calorie intake, you might like to

try the interactive menu planner in the Department of Agriculture’s

Website. This tool automatically inputs the calorie equivalence of

30 http://www.building-muscle101.com/weight-lifting-diet.html

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your food choices, and provides you with an idea of how balanced

your diet is.

Muscle-Building Supplements and Protein Shakes

There are instances when the availability of nutrients from your diet

is not enough to support the kind of muscle building gains you are

aiming for. To help you achieve your goals, you may try taking the

following muscle-building supplements:31

Creatine. Explosive activity such as weightlifting may be

supported by Creatine, a substance that is naturally produced

in the body. Creatine supplements can help you perform more

repetitions and lift heavier weights to build more muscle. It

aids in muscle repair and recovery, so you can take less time

off in between sessions and experience less muscle soreness.

Creatine works best if taken in cycles, that is, four weeks on

and two weeks off. You should take care, though, not to

exceed manufacturers’ recommended doses as high doses may

damage your kidneys and liver. 32

L-Glutamine. This amino acid found in muscle tissue promotes

quicker recovery, enabling you to train more often and achieve

your goals faster. L-glutamine and creatine should not be

taken at the same time. For best results, L-glutamine should

31 http://www.livestrong.com/article/408537-the-best-muscle-building-supplements/ 32 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/performance-enhancing-drugs/HQ01105/NSECTIONGROUP=2

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be taken before your workout, while Creatine may be taken

after your workout.

Arginine. This amino acid is a precursor for the synthesis of

nitric oxide, which boosts blood flow to muscles by dilating

blood vessels. Increased blood flow enhances the delivery of

nutrients such as proteins and hormones to the muscles.

Carbohydrate supplements. Quick-digesting carbohydrates are

ideal for replenishing muscle glycogen after training. Glycogen

is the body’s stored form of carbohydrates that supply energy

during exercise. Quickly restoring muscle glycogen is vital

because it halts muscle breakdown and enables muscle growth

to start.33 Vitargo, a water-soluble carbohydrate powder, is

made up of high molecular weight carbohydrates which allow it

to be absorbed by the body twice as fast as lower molecular

weight carbs such as maltodextrin, sucrose and dextrose.34

Sports drinks. During your training session, it is sometimes

necessary to replace lost protein and carbohydrates so as to

keep you going. If you tire quickly, your workout can suffer. A

good sports drink with carbohydrates and protein may provide

you with the needed fuel and help start the recovery process.35

Protein supplements. Egg is a good anytime protein, while soy

is a suitable vegetarian alternative. However, the best type of

protein supplement is whey protein. They are ideally taken right

33 http://www.livestrong.com/article/165576-best-muscle-building-supplements/ 34 http://www.myprotein.com/uk/products/vitargo_pure 35 http://www.livestrong.com/article/408537-the-best-muscle-building-supplements/

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after a workout to quickly replenish the muscles.36 Compared

to protein in whole foods, the protein in whey protein shakes

are already broken down. Thus, they are digested and

absorbed into the muscles more quickly, giving the muscles the

necessary nutrients right at the time when they are needed the

most.37

If you have grown tired of drinking plain whey protein powder

with water, here are some delicious alternative protein shake

recipes you can try:38

Hot Cocoa

When to take: bedtime

>> 1 cup fat-free milk

>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein

>> 1 packet Swiss Miss Diet Milk Chocolate hot cocoa

>> 1⁄2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

Heat milk until hot (but not boiling) and pour in blender. Add protein, cocoa and

cottage cheese; blend until mostly smooth.

Nutrition Facts: 275 calories, 44 g protein, 20 g carbs, 1 g fat, 0 g fiber

36 http://www.muscleproteinshakes.com/ 37 http://www.livestrong.com/article/249527-do-protein-shakes-help-build-muscle/ 38 http://www.muscleandfitness.com/nutrition/supplements/7-muscle-building-shakes

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Root Beer Float

When to take: post-workout

>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein

>> 1 scoop vanilla casein protein

>> 1⁄2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt

>> 11⁄2 cups root beer

In a separate bowl, slowly mix the protein powders into the yogurt, adding a little

at a time and stirring well to avoid clumping. Pour root beer into a large glass and

carefully add yogurt mixture. Do not stir.

Tip: The root beer's carbonation makes this an extremely frothy shake to prepare,

even though there's no actual shaking. Make sure to use a much larger glass than

normal.

Nutrition Facts: 443 calories, 48 g protein, 61 g carbs, 1 g fat, 1 g fiber

Peach Cobbler

When to take: morning or pre-workout

>> 1 cup water

>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein

>> 1⁄2 can sliced peaches in juice, drained

>> 1 packet Quaker Lower Sugar Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal

Combine all ingredients; blend.

Tip: Use either a blender or an immersion blender.

Nutrition Facts: 305 calories, 24 g protein, 49 g carbs, 2 g fat, 3 g fiber

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Orange Creamsicle

When to take: morning or pre-workout

>> 1 cup orange juice

>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein

>> 1⁄2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt

Combine all ingredients; blend.

Nutrition Facts: 280 calories, 27 g protein, 43 g carbs, 1 g fat, 2 g fiber

Mocha

When to take: morning or pre-workout

>> 1 cup hot coffee

>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein

>> 2 Tbsp. honey

Combine all ingredients; mix.

Nutrition Facts: 215 calories, 20 g protein, 36 g carbs, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber

Tracking of Progress

The last component of an effective muscle-building program is for

you to keep track of your progress.39 Have a workout log wherein

you can record the types of exercises you have performed for each

training session, the weights used for each set, and the number of

repetitions done for each set. This will help you monitor whether you

are abiding by the principles of progressive overload, or not. It will

make a world of difference in your weight training progress.

39 http://www.acaloriecounter.com/building-muscle.php

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Likewise, keep a log of your measurements. Weigh yourself on a

specific day every week, preferably, right after you wake up, before

you have eaten breakfast. You do expect to gain weight if you are

adding more muscle mass. However, if you start out with a higher

percentage of body fat, then, you can expect to lose the weight

associated with the amount of fat you lose.

You may also measure your waist, chest, arms, thighs, calves and

any other body part of interest to you. Take measurements at least

once a month, or as frequently as once a week. This will help to

keep you motivated as you observe the improvements you gain from

your hard work.

Take pictures of yourself at least once a month. The pictures will

remind you of where you started and how far you have progressed.

Summary

Building muscle mass and losing weight from excess body fat are

very achievable goals. Just follow a sensible muscle-building

program, and be mindful of your dietary requirements. Soon, you’d

be having the strength and the muscles you’ve always wanted for

yourself! If you want additional help on building muscle and getting

that shredded look, you need to discover the mistakes most people

27

make when they want to pack on muscle. Check out the Muscle

Maximizer program to discover what’s preventing you from getting

the body you’ve always wanted.

If you want help on getting those rock hard abs, check out this

trailblazing abs program.