I realize that, while we’ve covered a variety of topics thus far, we haven’t gone over what I consider to be, “The Basics.”  We’re going to discuss the basics of Body Building, because regardless of your goals, you need to know this–  Whether you want to build muscle, lose weight, or “tone,” everything is grounded in these basic principles:

First, Body Building is split up into two distinct cycles for working out:  “Bulking,” and “Cutting.”  Bulking relies on a major basic fact that everyone should know. . .  You have to be eating a caloric surplus to gain weight.  If you’re trying to build muscle but aren’t eating enough, you won’t be building any mass.  Likewise, if you’re afraid of doing weights because you don’t want to get “bulky,” ask yourself if you’re eating an amount of calories that will cause this effect.  Now, typically while bulking, you will consume 10% – 500 Calories over your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE, which can be done with this post, followed by this post).  This will give your body the necessary fuel to build plenty of lean body mass, while minimizing fat gains.  While Bulking, cardio is kept to a minimum while the emphasis is on the weight training.

Now, notice how I said “minimizing” above? Anytime you bulk at all, you will gain fat along with it, it’s only a matter of what ratio of Lean Body Mass (LBM) to fat you gain.  This is why the second cycle is necessary. . .  “Cutting.”  While this is especially important for Body Builders, it is also crucial that anyone interested in losing weight follow these guidelines as well.

Cutting is when you eat 10% – 500 Calories below your TDEE, so that you will lose around a pound of fat per week.  Now, in order to maximize fat loss and minimize muscle loss, there are a few very important factors that one must keep in mind:  You should continue your regular weight training while cutting in order to preserve your LBM, and you should also take part in “High Intensity Interval Training.”  (HIIT)  HIIT is just what it sounds like.  Rather than do steady state cardiovascular training, you do interval work.  As an example, rather than park yourself on an elliptical for 30 minutes, you can do sprints on the treadmill.  Don’t want to go to the gym?  Do intervals at the park or do my “I don’t want to go to the gym but need to do intervals” workout:  Jump rope for a few minutes, then do some sprints, very fast push ups, and repeat until 30 minutes have elapsed.  You can even do intervals on the elliptical by frequently adjusting the resistance.

The point behind all of this is the effectiveness of HIIT.  Steady state cardio can only lose so much weight for you before it is no longer effective.  (Fun fact:  Your body can adapt to a cardio routine within two weeks, as opposed to weight training which can take significantly longer for you to “plateau.”)  Have you ever heard of people talk about how difficult the “last 10 pounds” are?  That’s because your body will get to a point where it’s comfortable with steady state cardio, and it doesn’t feel like losing the last bit of fat on your body. . .  It thinks it’s necessary to maintain that fat, and will hold on to it while turning to alternative fuel sources if you up the amount of cardio you do.  By doing HIIT, your body can never fully adjust (Provided you change things up frequently and do it properly), and bursts of energy produce testosterone, which is necessary for muscle preservation and cutting away the last bit of fat.

With physical activity accounted for, we move on!  You will often hear body builders, nutritionists, and personal trainers say that only 10% of it is working out, the rest is nutrition.  Well, there’s a reason they all do. . .  You can see amazing results right away without going to the gym, if you’d only change your diet.  Eating properly, in the proportions you should, with your macro ratios in check, is far more effective than 1 hour of cardio 6 days a week.

And for the last bit about the basics, remember this. . .  The same people who will tell you that only 10% of it is working out will tell you that you should rest just as intensely as you workout, as this is when your body is actually making the changes that you crave.

Filed under: Body Building, Fitness, Nutrition by DeVinePhysiques
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Once in a while (Read: Constantly), I go into a supplement store . . .  I usually know exactly what I’m getting based on exhaustive amounts of research, or simply because I ran out of something.

Not pictured: The other cabinet and the Colostrum in the fridge.

. . .  Once in a while, I go into a supplement store and run into an over eager employee that wants to sell me on an $80 bag of protein.  The title of this post is “Consider the Source,” and that’s because you must, at all times.  We’ll begin where it makes the most sense, and we’ll come back to the $80 bag of protein.

When I first became interested in bodybuilding, I read a beginner’s guide that had two very important tips:  1)  Don’t listen to the really cut guy at the gym, and 2) Don’t listen to supplement companies.

Why would I not want to listen to the guy at the gym with the body I want?  Well, the article went on to say that 9 times out of 10, that guy is a Mesomorph (A post about body types will come!), who is just naturally very muscular, tan and lean. . .  And natural mesomorphs typically did not have to work very hard, if at all, to get the body they want.  Case in point, the guy who was telling a lady that bench press would cause her breasts to go away  (You may remember him from a previous post);  Whom also said that you shouldn’t eat any fat.  (If you’re looking to gain muscle, a third of your diet should be fat to maintain testosterone production)  The reason people ask him questions, though?  He’s cut, and looks great, while doing exercises that don’t do anything. . .  So automatically, people see him as credible.

Now, this one may seem kind of straight forward, but let’s just get this out of the way:  Supplement companies are. . .  Companies.  They’re looking to make a profit, so of course they’re going to tell you that everything they sell is amazing, and they’re going to tell you how much you need all of it.

Well, this goes along with my trip to the supplement store.  I had run out of L-Glutamine, a supplement that I’m a big fan of (Which does have naysayers), and went to the store to get some.  I had no idea where this particular place kept it, so when I was approached at the door, I asked for it.  The salesperson began asking me questions:  “Are you taking any other supplements?”  “What kind of protein do you take?” “Are you looking to gain weight, or gain muscle?”  Who would want to just gain “weight.”  I digress. . .  After answering her questions as we slowly meandered to the section, I spotted the L-Glutamine;  Unfortunately, it was behind her, and I had to listen to her sales pitch on an $80 bag of protein.  “This one is high protein, but low calorie, so it’s perfect for muscle building.”

Excuse me?  Muscle building is all about a caloric surplus!  I could go on about the other strange things this lady was trying to tell me, and sell me, but that’s not the point.  She was trying to make a sale.

Consider the source:  Should you listen to someone who’s just trying to make a sale?  Or someone who has not had to deal with trying to gain muscle and / or lose fat?  If someone knows nothing about nutrition. . .  Should they be the one giving you advice?

Consider the source before shopping, or asking people for help.

Filed under: Fitness, Health, Nutrition by DeVinePhysiques
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Ok ladies, I have heard this so many times.  “I don’t want to bulk up so I don’t do weights.”  Wrong wrong wrong!  Let’s start by saying that without the proper nutrition to bulk you will not bulk regardless of how much/how often you are lifting–  Whether or not you gain or lose weight is simple math.  My TDEE is 2,283 calories–  The only way that I would “bulk up” is if I were eating more calories than that while weight training.

. . .  It goes to show, you can’t accidentally “bulk up.”

Anyway.  Men bulk a lot easier than women because they naturally have a lot more testosterone.  This hormone is essential in muscle building.  Therefore, if you, as a woman, want to gain mass amounts of muscle it would probably require some form of steroid, or a ridiculously regimented workout plan that will halt estrogen production long enough for your body to create testosterone.

There are also tricks when lifting that will help you to build long, strong, and lean muscles.  Do lower amounts of weights but more reps. . .  This helps your muscular endurance so that you stimulate your muscles while burning calories.  Full range of motion is important too!  (A post on this will come eventually.)

I heard a couple talking in the gym the other day and the lady said she didn’t ever do weights for her chest because she didn’t want to lose her breast size.  Well, weight lifting won’t do that. She seems to think spot training exists, because this is flat out wrong–  The only thing, fitness-wise, that will affect your cup size is your body fat percentage, which is typically something that will go down if you’re working out excessively. . .  It has nothing to do with your weight training.

Filed under: Fitness Myths by DeVinePhysiques
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The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will instruct his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.

-Thomas Edison, 1902

We apologize for the interruption of service–  Regularly scheduled blogs will return on Thursday.

Filed under: Quotes by DeVinePhysiques
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