How to Gain 15 Pounds of Muscle Mass With Abs
Gaining muscle mass is never easy and losing the fat on the stomach is even harder because the body stores extra fat in the stomach. Focusing only on the stomach is not enough to lose the fat on the stomach or gain the muscle mass. A full body approach is necessary to gain muscle, lose fat and end up with flat or six-pack abs. Eating an appropriate diet is also an important part of gaining muscle mass, because an unhealthy diet with exercise will not give the results. Eating is as much a part of gaining muscle and losing fat as exercise.
Instructions
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Lower calorie intake. If the typical calorie intake to maintain weight is 2,000 calories a day, lowering the caloric intake to 1,500 to 1,600 calories a day will result in fat loss. Exercise alone does not burn fat. Exercise combined with a nutritious and low-calorie diet burns the fat. Plan meals a day beforehand to ensure calories are appropriate.
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Eat seven small meals a day. Eating often and eating small meals ensures portion size, prevents hunger and avoids overeating. A protein shake after a workout can count as a snack or meal because most protein shakes are anywhere from 100 to 300 calories.
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Exercise the full body three times a week. A full body workout should include basic weightlifting and muscle-building exercises rather than cardio. Do the muscle-building exercises three times a week to focus on gaining muscle mass. Make sure to include exercises for abs each time, but vary the exercises to reach all of the muscle groups in the abs. Drink a protein shake and eat some fruit after the exercise to help muscles recover faster.
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Add three cardio workouts through the week. Alternating days on muscle-building and cardio is the best option, leaving one day a week exercise free so that the body has a break. The cardio workout burns the fat, the muscle-building workouts develop muscle mass.
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Drink water. Remaining hydrated is important to good health and fitness. The body is sweating while exercising and adding water ensures that the body does not hold onto excess water weight or end up dehydrated. Six to eight glasses is recommended for daily consumption. When exercising, add an extra one or two glasses.
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Remain consistent. It is challenging to exercise every day, especially at the beginning when the muscles hurt. Consistency in diet and exercise are the only way to build muscle mass, lose fat and end up with abs.
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References
- Photo Credit hard exercise image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com
