How to Build Lean Body Mass

Chiseled abs, shapely legs, toned arms - these can be yours when you increase your lean body mass and decrease your body fat percentage. Rev up your metabolism, improve your stamina and create the lean body you want by following these steps.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Body Fat Analyzers
• Body Fat Monitors/scales

1. Measure your body fat percentage (using a body-fat analyzer or body-fat scale) before making dietary or exercise changes; this way you'll be able to track your progress.

2. Strength train to build lean body mass. Work the major muscle groups, including the quadriceps (thighs), hamstrings, glutes (rear end), back, chest, shoulders, arms and abdominals. Look into home gyms that work as many different muscle groups as possible. Home gyms are frequently less expensive than a gym membership and more convenient to use.

3. Realize there is no such thing as spot reducing. You can increase the strength of a certain part of your body, but unless you shed the overall excess body fat, you won't be able to see the definition.

4. Expend more calories than you consume. Any activity, from mowing the lawn to vacuuming the carpet, burns calories and helps to create a caloric deficit, resulting in fat loss. Losing fat will help reveal your hidden muscles.

5. Include cardiovascular training in your workout. Aerobic exercise will increase the number of calories you burn and enhance your endurance.

6. Keep in mind that to lose one pound of fat, you have to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories. Reducing calorie consumption or increasing activity by 500 calories each day will result in one pound of fat loss per week. Keep an updated food and exercise journal to track your calorie intake and expenditure.

Tips & Warnings

• There are many ways to measure body fat, including calipers (skin-fold pinching), underwater (hydrostatic) weighing or bioelectrical impedance.
• Keep in mind the following body fat percentage standards: For women, 15 to 20 percent is considered lean, 20 to 25 percent is normal, 26 to 32 percent is acceptable to overfat and 33 percent or higher is obese. For men, 8 to 12 percent is considered lean, 13 to 19 percent is normal, 20 to 24 percent is acceptable to overfat and 25 percent or higher is obese.
• Strength training creates an afterburn effect, meaning your metabolism continues to burn calories at a higher rate even after the exercise is over.
• Consider working with a personal trainer to get yourself started on an exercise regimen.
• Dieting without strength training can leave you with a high body fat percentage. It's possible to appear thin, but have a high percentage of body fat.
• If you have any condition that would impair or limit your ability to engage in physical activity, please consult a physician before attempting this activity. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

Resources

• Body Mass Index Online Calculator
• Body Fat Calculator

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on 9/5/2006 1) Stand at the entrance of you kitchen and look at every thing on the counter. Look for things that you know were they belong!
2) Start putting just the small items away (if you know were they go) then move on to the larger items like clean dishes and pots.
3) Put all the papers in a neat pile and set it on the table ,for now.
4) Once you get the the counter cleared of stuff, move to the sink and put as much stuff in the dishwasher and start it the rest clean by hand.
5) Once your sink is cleaned out, and all that is on the counter is the coffee maker, toaster, microwave, etc., take it off the counter and put it on the floor. Sponge with soap and scrub the counter for as long or as well as you think needed.
6) Put all the items you took off back in their proper place and give them a little cleaning if needed.
7) Sweep the floor well, then mop with whatever cleaner you like to use and dry it with a towel (does not have to be completely dry, it can air dry).
8) By now you kitchen should be clean. All that is left it the papers. Just look through them. If it is important. put them were you think they should go. If you find paper that is junk, throw it away.
9) You're done.

You don't have yo do this every day. All you have to do is clean up once after every meal. Don't let it pile up and don't be afraid to throw stuff away that is not important.

on 8/8/2006 If you're still in grade school, don't think attending gym class is enough exercise for the day, because it's not. It doesn't actually get your heart pumping enough. Do at least thirty minutes of cardio exercise a day. It will keep you healthier; along with eating right.

on 8/8/2006 Eat 5 to 6 small meals throughout the day. Working out in front of a mirror does make your muscles bigger instantly, for about 20 minutes. That is because all of the blood is flowing to that area making it look full.
The more muscle that you have on you, the more fat you burn while you are at rest.
A healthy diet is good. You need a balanced diet of proteins, carbs and fats (believe it or not). Proteins are found in meats (fish, chicken), eggs and a few other things. Protein is used to help rebuild the muscles after a workout.

Top Tips.
1. Lift weights regularly. 8-10 reps at a time. 3-4 sets per exercise. 90 seconds rest between sets. 2-3 exercises per muscle group.

2. Eat healthy. Around 2 grams of protein per kg of body weight per day, to build lean muscle.

3. Cardio.

4. Make your workouts intense. 1 hour maximum.

5. Workout with a friend to get best results. Push each other. Do not muck around.

6. Have fun.

on 6/30/2006 Wood does not weigh more than paper or iron or water or feathers. 1 pound of anything weighs the same. The density, therefore the volume, is the difference. 1 pound of iron will not take up the same volume of space as 1 pound of feathers but they weigh the same. Just like 1 pound of fat takes up much more space than 1 pound of muscle. This is why a 200 pound person looks completely different to a 200 pound muscular person. I'm amazed at how many 'professionals' give out this wrong info. I hope that clears things up some.

on 3/28/2006 Workout to bulk, diet to cut. This will keep, and possibly increase, the muscle you have while lowering your body fat percentage.

I have dropped 6% in 3 months doing this, but also attribute this success to two things: vegetable soup and chicken salad. Low fat and tasty if you spice them up. No dressing no sauce, just vegetables and meat.

Keep carbs for when you need them, in the morning to get through your day and before you workout so you have the energy to push it hard. Go for an intense full body routine you can complete in under an hour (3 times a week) and focus on compound movements. Good luck.