Take Advantage of the Season: Build Even More Lean Muscle Mass

The human body is an amazing thing. It is “hard wired” for survival. One of the major contributing factors to our nation’s obesity problem is that our body’s evolution has not caught up to our present day life styles. The body has a natural instinct to store fat for the coming hard times.

The problem is, unlike our ancestors who did have to worry about how to feed themselves during bad weather, food is available to us, in abundance, all the time. Since the body doesn’t know this it starts storing even more fat than normal as winter approaches. It knows that you have to consume more food in cold weather to generate additional body heat and it doesn’t assume that you will have it.

But we do, especially at this time of year, what with Thanksgiving around the corner and the approaching holiday season, food is everywhere.

Most peoples first thought is to “watch” what they eat and though cutting calories is a sensible plan, again, remember, the body is hard wired for survival. An immediate reduction in calories tells the body “hard times” and your internal furnaces automatically slow down so as to not starve to death. The body doesn’t know you are TRYING to not gain weight. Therefore an immediate reduction in caloric intake, results in the body fighting against itself to gain weight in general and store fat in particular.

Again, the body doesn’t know you are TRYING to not gain weight. My thinking this time of year is why fight mother nature? I use summer for cutting and fall and winter for serious lean muscle mass building! Embrace the season! Here’s how.

First, never allow yourself to get hungry. Eat OFTEN!

You have probably heard that many small meals are better than 3 large ones. This is absolutely true. The key is not allowing your body to “feel starved”, because when it does fat storing kicks in and your natural tendency will be to over eat at a sitting, which fuels this function. In the long run less calories are consumed eating more often than not.

Secondly, since you are going to be massing, try and make your increased caloric intake be protein heavy. Obviously, sweets are available in abundance this time of year. But so is turkey! And I snack instead of on the cookies and crackers with the nuts and cheeses. Both are good sources of protein. If you are going to eat a lot, at least eat smart.

Lastly to take advantage of your bodies natural need to add weight this time of year, your gym time should center on compound exercises with heavy weight and low reps. If you already follow my muscle building plans 1 or 2 you will be doing this already. If you are an advanced lifter, one using isolation exercises for arms and shoulders in particular, take a break from these. If you are doing any cardio work, stop it.

Embrace your bodies natural NEED to add weight now. What I do is on the days where I know there is going to be unavoidable over eating, I plan for squats and deadlifts as that days workout. Serious calorie consuming, mass building exercises.

Most people pack on 5-10 pounds of fat during the holiday season, and then crash diet and start excessive cardio as their New Years resolution to “get healthier and lose weight”.

Not me.

With a little common sense, embrace the season, and gain 3-5 pounds of lean muscle mass.

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This site is solely for informational and educational purposes. It is not intended as medical advice.
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