When it comes to dieting, many bodybuilders use the standard strategy of switching between diets intended to increase muscle mass and diets intended to quickly lose the acquired excess fat. Although this might be appropriate for bodybuilding competitions, it can be excessively taxing for the average bodybuilder.
Most people who have no immediate plans to perform on stage would be better combining the finest elements of both of those approaches, or using a long-term eating plan that enables them to steadily gain weight while maintaining a trim physique. And if you're unsure of how that might go, we'll show you exactly how to get there.
sorts of bodies
Knowing your body type and its most noticeable advantages and flaws can help you create a diet and exercise plan that will best target them and increase your chances of achieving the perfect physique. Body composition and metabolic rate are the key factors in separating the three major body types. Having said that, the majority of human bodies are a combination of many body types.
A ectomorph is
Being an ectomorph means that your body is naturally thin and finely formed, making it challenging for you to develop weight and muscular mass. The ectomorph can consume a lot without gaining weight because of their extremely quick metabolism.
Ectomorphs must consume much more total calories, including all important nutrients like healthy fats, high-quality protein, and lots of carbohydrates, in order to grow.
Mesomorphic -
Mesomorphs have an athletic and muscular build, but they are also naturally slim. Since their bodies react quickly to exercise and their metabolisms are very effective, they can gain muscle and lose fat almost without effort.
Despite having a "genetic gift" for bodybuilding, mesomorphs still need to watch their daily caloric intake, especially in the case of sugary foods and beverages that may hinder their body's natural ability to burn fat.
Endomorph
Compared to the other two body types, those with this one have a large, curvaceous, and round physique and tend to put on weight easily. Due in part to their slow metabolism, they frequently have greater levels of body fat and are overweight. Most of their body fat accumulates in the lower portions of the body, particularly the abdomen, hips, and back.
Both getting rid of fat and keeping it off are challenging. Endomorphs can benefit from increasing their metabolic rate by exercising frequently, following a calorie-restriction diet, and consuming enough protein and healthy fats to make up for the majority of their carbohydrate intake.
overall energy use
Having identified your body type, let's examine how the body expels calories.
The number of calories burned by the human body throughout the course of a day, depending on the type and intensity of exercise, is known as the total energy expenditure, or TEE. TEE is split into two categories:
• Your resting metabolic rate (RMR), or the calories you burn to keep your body working, including keeping your heart beating and other physiological functions, accounts for up to 60% of your daily energy expenditure.
• The remaining 40% of your daily energy expenditure comes from calories expended through thermic effects of food consumption (5–10%) and exercise.
This means that the majority of the calories you burn in a day come from your resting metabolic rate, making increasing your metabolic rate, in addition to exercising, a very effective approach to raise your total energy expenditure. However, you must first determine your current RMR.
The Mifflin-St. Jeor equation is now regarded as the norm when it comes to figuring out your RMR because it has been shown to be more accurate than alternative formulas. Use it as follows:
• Add 4.54 to your body weight (in pounds).
• Multiply your age by five and your height (in inches) by 2.54
• For men, add the first two numbers, take the third one away, and then add 5. For women, add the first two numbers, take the third away, and then deduct 161.
Therefore, if you are a 5' 7" female who is 27 years old and weighs 150 lbs, the calculation would be as follows:
• 150 x 4.54 = 681; 67 x 2.54 = 170; 27 x 5 = 135
• 681 + 170 – 135 – 161 = 555
Let's look at what you can do to raise your RMR now that you have estimated it. Learn how to burn fat more quickly without losing your muscle mass by reading the tips below.
Five recommendations for increasing metabolism:
1. Perform HIIT cardio
Compared to steady-state cardio, HIIT cardio is much more effective in melting fat and will increase fat burning for the next 24 hours after your activity.
Some people find that doing HIIT cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach yields even greater advantages, while others prefer to consume a high-protein meal beforehand. In either case, this form of exercise will unquestionably dramatically increase your metabolic rate and keep it there for longer.
2. Use weightlifting to add muscle
Muscle has a higher metabolic activity than fat. Especially when you're at rest, gaining muscle can increase metabolism and help you burn more calories throughout the day. Additionally, lifting weights can increase metabolism and stop muscle loss while you're trying to lose weight.
Research also demonstrates that resistance training significantly reduced body fat percentage, total body fat mass, and belly fat, outperforming a control group in comparison.
Additional protein
The answer is obvious: eat extra high-quality protein from foods like lean meats, whole eggs, seafood, and legumes if you want to gain some lean muscle.
Protein is an essential ingredient for promoting muscle growth. It also makes you feel fuller for longer, which is great if you're trying to somewhat cut back on calories. Make sure to consume enough protein as soon as you wake up in the form of a protein shake in addition to your daily high-protein meals to fuel your muscles, prevent catabolism, and facilitate a quicker recovery.
4. Your friend is fat
Eating healthy fats, such those in fatty fish, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, avocados, and dairy products, will have a positive impact on your metabolism and help you maintain hormonal balance.
Additionally, dietary fats will make you feel fuller longer and result in less insulin production, which will speed up fat loss. Of course, don't go overboard; your daily calorie intake should allow for a reasonable amount of fat consumption.
5. Pick your carbs wisely
Try to limit your intake of refined, processed carbohydrates. Aim for naturally occurring, slow-digesting carbohydrates like rice, beans, and yams for the majority of your meals, especially the one before working out. These foods slowly raise blood sugar and insulin levels, giving you a steady supply of energy for your workout or other activity.
That stated, the only appropriate time to eat quick-digesting carbohydrates is immediately following a workout in order to top off your muscle glycogen stores and ensure a quick recovery.
Never skip a post-workout meal; doing so will ensure that your body has the nutrition it needs to repair any muscle damage and promote optimal growth. A post-workout meal should consist of a sufficient number of fast-digesting carbohydrates and proteins.