How to Gain Muscle for Women
Often when the words, "building muscle," are uttered, people think of men before they think of women. However, it is not uncommon for a woman to build muscle for her own reasons, be it for a shapely figure, strength to perform tasks, or simply for her general health. Building muscle for a woman is not quite as easy as it is for men. This is primarily because most women simply don't know where to begin.
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Instructions
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Consult with your physician to work out a good weight-training program based on your physical capability and what you have available to work with. Tell your physician what your diet consists of as well; your doctor knows best when it comes to your diet and exercise.
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Supply your body with enough protein. In order for your body to build muscle, it must have adequate protein to do so. Consume 10 to 20 grams of protein half an hour before your workout; this allows your body to retain muscle mass from the workout. A protein shake or bar is a good source for this pre-workout protein.
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Consume enough calories. When you are trying to build muscle mass, you should not be eating the bare minimum amount of calories. Your body must have enough calories to burn in order to support your weight training. If you do not give your body enough calories, it will start to burn muscle and work against your goal. Use the basal metabolic rate, BMR, calculator in the resource section to help you determine how many daily calories your body needs.
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Allow your body to rest. To perform at maximum capacity, your body must be well rested. This not only means getting a good night's sleep but also not pushing your muscles every single day. You should be working out three to five days a week with days of rest in-between so that your muscles have time to recover. Working on sore muscles will not burn as many calories; also, you run the risk of pulling a muscle or otherwise injuring yourself.
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Tips & Warnings
Never push your body past the point of pain; this is a sign that your body needs to stop before you injure yourself.
References
Resources
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