How to Get Fit & Gain Muscle
Getting in shape is not an overnight process. Becoming fit and building muscle takes time and you need to adhere to certain basic steps. Eat the right foods, exercise properly, lift weights and stretch your muscles to avoid injury. A good workout and adherence to a proper diet should help you get fit and have muscle definition at the same time.
Instructions
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Eat a balanced diet. Food is fuel for the body. In order for a body to function optimally it must be fueled the right way. Eat vegetables and fruit daily. Consume whole grains instead of pasta or bread made with white flour. Eat lean protein such as fish and chicken breasts. Reduce your consumption of sweets and items high in fat.
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Participate in aerobic activities, which are exercises that improve the circulation of oxygen to the body's tissues. An aerobic activity pushes the heart to work harder. This increases the heart's ability to pump blood. Exercise with at least a moderate intensity five times a week. Moderate intensity means that you find it difficult to talk easily while performing the activity. Examples of aerobic activity include walking on a treadmill, using an exercise bike, cross country skiing, climbing stairs and jogging. Aerobic activities can be performed indoors and outdoors.
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Tone your upper body with weights. Weight lifting can help reduce the appearance of fat around your muscles. Reduce fat around your upper arms and make your shoulders look more attractive by lifting weights. Try bicep curls. Take a 5 lb. barbell into each hand. Make sure your wrists and palms face away from the body. Stand straight and resist any urge to bend backward. Gently and slowly bring the barbells toward your chest. Make sure to tuck your elbows in at each side. Pause for a moment as you bring up the barbells. Carefully and slowly lower the barbells back to the original position. It is important to maintain control and focus on the movement as you execute it.
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Work your lower body as well. Use weights to tone the lower body. Lunge forward with weights in each hand to strengthen and tone buttocks. Hold a weight in each hand and slowly bend your knees to tone your calves. Do sit-ups to help make belly fat disappear.
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Increase muscle mass by adding heavier weights each week. Start with 5 lb. weights if you have never worked out with weights before. Add extra weights each week if possible. Use weights that feel comfortable but leave you slightly breathless as you lift them. Pay attention to form as much as possible. The wrong form with heavier weights could put you in danger of injury.
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Tips & Warnings
Choose fruit and vegetables that you like to eat.
Do not overdo the exercise. Go slowly.
References
- Photo Credit morgue file
