We all exercise for a particular goal.  For most of us, the reasons behind physical effort, sweat and sore muscles is to look strong, lean and sexy in the mirror.  To do this, we need to increase lean body mass (build muscle) while simultaneously lowering body fat.  Topics that discuss these concurrent methods of muscle hypertrophy and fat loss are the most popular on the internet, magazine articles, and books.  We are all looking for this golden brick road leading to the promise land of strong, lean and sexy body, with less body fat.  So, what’s keeping us from reaching these goals? Why is getting lean so complex?  We will explore these topics here.

leaner body female

Looking beyond the Hype – Relating Science to Reality

There are numerous articles pulling us in all sorts of directions—from focusing on genetic disposition, to specific diets and exercises, to internal metabolic processes and possible ways in manipulating our neuromuscular, cardiovascular and endocrine systems.  Everyone seems to try and carve out a particular niche of thought regarding building muscle and losing fat, advocating their point through some science based studies.  Often these research papers discuss the body and specific portions or dispositions within its physiology.  However, derived information or hypotheses (educated theories) are not easily applicable to aesthetic goals of an average person.

For example, finding that certain training techniques improve muscle mass in mice is nice to know, but humans do not share the same physiology as rodents.  Another popular topics on muscle gain and weight loss is insulin sensitivity and metabolic flexibility.  These are fascinating topics involving vast biochemical pathways of energy systems, fat and sugar metabolisms and associated endocrine response (hormones).  However, majority of studies on such subject matters are performed with diabetic and obese patients, often resulting in hypotheses relating to specifics within these diseases.  Diabetes and obesity is a big concern, but information derived from such research should not and at times cannot be adapted into practical applications for an average person wanting 6-pack abs.

Sex hormones (testosterone and estrogen) is another example of good research that at times is challenging to utilize.  Testosterone is rich with research of all kinds, including physical performance.  This is likely due to the culture, tradition, business and entertainment of various major sport leagues who support the science, promoting greater pools of male athletes. 

Estrogen lacks such popularity and sponsorship, as the number of studies regarding specific female performances and its hormonal aspects is much less.  Estrogen, involved in numerous anabolic and metabolic processes is an important sex hormone for women.  However, much of estrogen research is done on postmenopausal females suffering from low hormonal effects and within high risk categories for several associated diseases.  Knowing potential risks with low estrogen levels or benefits of hormone therapy is good information, but not particularly relevant to women who experience regular menses.  We got a little off topic, but you get the picture between information that you need to know and nice to know.

The Simple Plan towards a Leaner Body

As mentioned above, there are numerous methods and topics regarding the journey towards a strong and lean body.  For this article, we are going to keep things in perspective and discuss our strategy employing simple methods for exercise, food, and rest.  Physical activity causes micro-trauma, requiring recovery which is provided in form of food and rest.  Due to external stressors, the body begins to challenge itself internally, tapping into its energy reserves and building more tissue.  Simple is often effective but not always easy.

Firstly, Train Smarter

To start our plan, we have to create the need for the body to grow more lean tissue.  To do this, physical exercise should be performed frequently while using heavy weights.  Whenever visiting the local gym or recreation centre, you need to maximize on training potential.  This often refers to Volume—the amount of total work done.  Volume can be calculated in many ways, such as total daily or weekly work output.  Volume method promoting muscle hypertrophy and fat loss at same time is comprised of frequent training sessions with moderate-heavy lifting.  This does not mean, to try and lift the biggest pair of dumbbells in the gym, but simply selecting weights that you can perform around 8-10 repetitions using good form.  The volume comes in form of training density, with greater number of sets.  By doing more sets (like 8) with less reps (like 5), you continue to stimulate your CNS, recruiting and activating more muscle tissue to the lifting cause.  Lower repetitions allow for better technique and performance, placing you in a higher intensity bracket and lower injury risk potential.  This method suits both men and women well, as we’re not pushing top end power, but simply staying within an upper efforts of intensity.  Women are built for endurance, and often produce better results on volume with duration based programs.

leaner body male To further increase the fat burning benefit affect, one can increase time under tension—by super-setting two exercises, or performing a circuit.  Good superset options are antagonistic (opposite) body movements.  For example, vertical push and pull can be paired up through overhead press option using dumbbells, kettlebells or barbell, with lat pull downs.  This option engages same muscle groups and connective tissue, forcing them to work longer through both exercises.  The length of each superset gets the heart racing while improving blood flow to target areas.  Also, extensive production of force requires great amounts of energy, which begins to come from glycogen and fat reserves.  During exercise, men’s extra energy comes from glycogen, and women’s from adipose tissue. 

Selected exercises should be multi-joint, engaging more tissue to produce force and burning more calories in the process.  No need to get fancy with program design.  Simple pair of compound lifts made up of higher sets and lower repetitions will be plenty to generate required metabolic stress and fatigue for simultaneous muscle building and fat burning affect.  If needed, some quick accessory and/or abdominal work can be thrown in for good measure in order to balance out some lagging parts for total body stress equation.

Effective volume training also has a frequency component.  By committing to 3, 4 or even 5 weekly gym visits, you repeatedly engage all body systems in processes that generate force as well as recovery.  Therefore, doing such training more often produces greater results.  Get our 5-week training plan, download our free ebook The Sweater Weather Body.

Secondly, Eat Cleaner

Now, in order to effectively train, we need to fuel the body.  When it comes to nutrition, there’s just as many articles imposing different ways of achieving the goals of building muscle and losing fat.  For us, we’re going to take another clear and concise approach to our eating habits.  Expended energy through gym exertion needs to be replenished in a way that not simply provides calories, but further engages other internal metabolic processes.  Looking beyond calories, nutrients are essential in rebuilding and repairing muscle, enzymes and hormones.  Like everything else, activation and participation of these additional pathways requires energy, which is supplied through combination of ingested food and body reserves (glycogen and adipose tissue).

First, let’s not worry about exact caloric intake and specific amount of macronutrients (proteins, sugars and fats) you need to consume.  The first rule is to consume less of everything, if this sounds different, it is.  We need to fuel our body with nutrient rich foods, but still generate an overall deficit in order to dig further into body energy storages.  With constant marketing campaigns from food and beverage companies, we’re surrounded by product deals, value meals and tempting sales.  We are continuously told to eat more, and eat often.  However, all this amount of food needs to be processed by the body, which works non-stop with almost no rest periods.  Smaller meals, less often, means more time to rest and digest.  Not stuffing your face every 2-3 hours and feeling a bit hungry before the next meal is a good indicator that the body is processing ingested food with maximum potential. 

After deciding on meal portion, now comes the food quality.  Select nutrient dense foods, and eliminate empty calories from your diet.  Example of empty calories can be plain white pasta, or white breads.  Such products often have simple carbs with few other nutrients.  Soda, chips and snacks, frozen dinners and even fat free food options, follow the same principles filled with empty calories, chemical stabilizers in order to make these products, appealing, palatable with longer shelf life. 

Introducing multigrain breads (made of just few, simple ingredients), fruits and vegetables to your diet will greatly increase nutrient consumption.  Eat real protein from a variety of sources.  You don’t need a lot, but you want to get a full amino acid profile (found in meats, dairy and most of plant based varieties).  Eat less starchy carbs found in various pastas, breads, potatoes and yams.  Some of these products have been processed and lost some of the nutrient value.  Starchy carbs are tasty but be mindful of consumption.  Eat more of fibrous carbs found in fruits and vegetables.  Along with vitamins and minerals, these foods also possess fiber, which slows down digestion, improves natural stomach flora and requires more energy for overall process. 

Eat good fats such as omega-3.  This is not the kind found in fried foods or, fast and take-out restaurants.  Seeds, nuts, avocados and fish oils are options of good fats.  Fat is an interesting topic that has been misguided for a long time.  Fat is part of our body composition and important player in metabolic health.  We will discuss fat and related topics in future articles.  But, for now, don’t shy away from good fat but beware of how much you eat.  As fat packs twice the caloric values, we need far less of it.  Often, after eating handful of nuts, full fat yogurt, or an avocado, you feel full and eat less overall.  For more information on nutrition and eating habits, check out our The No Diet Book.

Last but not least, Rest Better

After a good workout and proper meal, we need to think about rest.  Rest is an important aspect of overall process, as majority of recovery and repair happens during such periods.  This includes building muscle and using fat reserves for needed energy.  Recovery involves more than mere increase of lean body mass.  It tops up energy levels and systems, replacing spent chemicals such as hormones, while flushing the system from byproducts and bringing new ones in.  Besides physical fatigue from the gym, your body continues to get more tired from activities and thoughts of daily life.  Planning and acting on busy schedules of personal, financial and business element all contribute to more physical and psychological demands, further engaging the body and expending energy.

The most affective recovery method for all things mentioned is sleep.  Try to make it a priority and attain around eight hours.  Sleep is not only great for our physical recovery but mental one as well.  A good night sleep clears up the head, leaving you feeling rejuvenated both physically and mentally.  And if you’re not working, it doesn’t automatically constitutes rest.  Screen time such as watching TV, surfing the internet is not complete rest, as it activates the brain resulting in a hyperactive state.  The best way to rest is shut off all gadgets an hour before you go to sleep and read a book.

Final Thoughts

The process of gaining muscle and losing fat does not need to be complicated and can be achieved by taking several simple steps involving exercise, nutrition and rest.  Don’t get caught up in articles discussing latest rodents or human disorders that you are not a part of.  Such research maybe interesting but, is not easily applicable to real life settings.  Stick to the basics and develop good habits by following simple steps.

Exercise for volume using moderately higher weights, building physical fatigue through compound lifts comprised of antagonistic movements.  Training volume can be practiced with higher sets and lower repetition ranges, performed more frequently throughout the week.

Eat less food and make sure that you are consuming quality ingredients.  Good protein, carbohydrates and fats will provide plenty of nutrition for any metabolic needs.  Nutrient dense foods often have full amino acid profiles, sugars, saturated fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber to name a few.  All these ingredients play roles in repair and recovery processes building muscle tissue and burning fat reserves.

To become stronger leaner faster, you need to rest.  Sleep is the best method of achieving full rest, as it not only provides time for physical and metabolic recovery, but also resets your other systems back to homeostasis.

Train, Eat, Rest—this is the simple yet effective method to Stronger Leaner Faster You. 

If you are ready for an effective Volume Training Program be sure to learn more about our

Stronger Leaner Faster HER – Phase II: Muscular Endurance

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