| There are usually 2 objectives in mind when people | | | | period of four to six months bulking up phase. Yes, |
| want to build well defined muscles. These objectives | | | | Michael Phelps said he eats more than 12,000 calories |
| are to gain muscle mass and to lose body fat. The | | | | each day to prepare for Beijing Olympics 2008, but |
| problem is that However, these two objectives are | | | | that is another story. |
| at odds with each other. Why is this so, you probably | | | | The second approach is to take the moderate |
| will ask. | | | | approach by only eating so many additional calories to |
| You see, when building muscle mass, you will need to | | | | support muscle growth. This will hopefully allow you |
| consume more calories than you burn up for energy | | | | to gain as much lean muscle tissues as possible |
| because you need those extra calories to feed your | | | | without putting on too much body fat, which you will |
| muscles for them to grow, right? | | | | have to put in considerable effort to get rid of later |
| But on the other hand, to lose body fat, you must | | | | during the cutting phase. |
| burn more calories than you consume in order to get | | | | So that leads us to questions like how much muscles |
| your body to burn off the extra body fat as energy. | | | | can you build with a certain amount of controlled |
| Now can you see the conflict? | | | | caloric consumption? How many calories over mere |
| With this contradiction in mind, striving to build | | | | maintenance of your muscles should you be |
| muscles and lose body fat at the same time is | | | | consuming? |
| perhaps not a good approach to your bodybuilding | | | | You probably would have heard of someone who |
| program because more often than not, you will just | | | | claimed that he has added 20 pounds of solid muscle |
| end up getting neither here nor there. | | | | in merely six or seven weeks. While this may be |
| For most people, they will have to accept the fact | | | | possible for someone who has amazingly good genes |
| that when they are in the bulking up phase, they will | | | | and utilizing excellent training and nutritional programs, |
| put on some body fat in the process because of the | | | | the fact is that most people are simply not going to |
| extra caloric consumption. So the goal is try not to | | | | be able to even come close to adding this much |
| put on extra body fat when you are bulking up and | | | | muscle is such a short duration. |
| then cut whatever fat you have put on and more | | | | Most people without using enhancing drugs can only |
| during the cutting phase of your bodybuilding | | | | hope to achieve about half a pound to one pound of |
| program. | | | | muscle per week and that is if he is doing everything |
| As a general rule, there are basically two approaches | | | | and eating correctly. So think about it, by merely |
| you can take when you want to put gain muscle | | | | gaining a measly three to four pounds of muscle |
| mass. | | | | growth per month, then extravagant caloric |
| The first approach is to eat as much food as you | | | | consumption will not be necessary, isn't it? |
| can possibly stuff into your stomach. If you adopt | | | | It is sheer common sense that the more calorie you |
| this approach, you will find that your life will turn to | | | | consume over what you body needs, the more body |
| day long buffets since you think that the more food | | | | fat you will gain. Therefore, keep your extra caloric |
| consume, the more your muscles synthesize. As a | | | | consumption to about 250 to 500 calories a day so |
| matter of fact, this is the preferred approach by | | | | that you will put on mostly muscle mass instead of |
| many bodybuilders. | | | | too much body fat. |
| To others, this approach is fundamentally flawed | | | | At the same time, you should also need to keep |
| because they think that our bodies can only | | | | track of your current body fat level and if you see |
| assimilate so much muscle tissue at one go and after | | | | that too much of your weight gain is coming from |
| it has done so, any remaining calories will be stored | | | | putting on fat, then you will also need to reduce your |
| as body fat. | | | | calorie consumption even further. Isn't this approach |
| For those who are consuming more than 5,000 | | | | to building lean muscles making more sense? |
| calories per day, this is obviously far more calories | | | | So which approach would you rather take if you |
| than their muscles need and will invariably result in a | | | | want to put on lean muscles and without putting on |
| considerable amount of body fat accumulated over a | | | | extra body fat? |
