5 Bodybuilding Tips To Help You Lose Weight

For some people, the term "bodybuilding" is far from being associated with actual weight loss. The term itself seems to state that the body will, in fact, be building to a bigger size by way of packing on a large amount of muscle. In some respects this is true. However, bodybuilding promotes the loss of fat and the building of muscle. Because muscle uses roughly six calories a day to merely sustain itself, compared to the two calories needed to sustain fat, building muscle boosts metabolism and turn the body into a more efficiently run machine. If done a certain way, you can use certain techniques to your advantage. Take this list, for example. If losing weight and keeping it off is on your mind, consider these tips straight out of the bodybuilding basics playbook.

Don't Fear Weight Training

Some people fear that lifting weights automatically means bulking up. However, the opposite is true. Though lifting does promote the building of muscle, it turns the body into a furnace for fat cells. Maintaining muscle will allow your metabolism to function efficiently, therefore burning fat even when you aren't in the gym. Aim to include weight and resistance training into your routine three to four times a week. Be sure to incorporate a resting period of no longer than a minute between sets and keep your workout to an hour or less. It's important not to overwork your muscles so that you don't burn them along with the fat.

Be Careful with Carbs

You have probably heard the warnings before about eating too many carbs, but you may be wondering why exactly. You should aim to eat complex carbohydrates instead of simple carbohydrates to promote a healthy insulin output that doesn't come along with blood sugar spikes. Unlike complex carbs that are made of a chain of vitamins and minerals that allow the body to feel fuller longer because they take longer to digest, simple carbs are known to raise blood sugar and boost insulin production quickly. Insulin's job is to convert the sugar in the body to storable glycogen and to direct the body's muscle and liver cells to use the glycogen as energy. However, an overload of simple carbs and the production of too much insulin can lead to overfill of these cells, sending the glycogen directly to the fat cells instead. This leads to more fat being stored in the body. Complex carbs that are high in fiber are best for your health. Incorporate foods like lentils, brown rice, oatmeal, vegetables, and other whole grains into your diet. Be sure to avoid white rice, pasta, bread, sweets, and processed foods.

Increase Protein Intake

Lean proteins work wonders for your metabolism, so aim to consume some each day. They provide important amino acids that allow the body to make growth hormones. Consuming these proteins promotes an increase in the body's anabolic growth hormone IGF-1 which prevents muscle loss and allows for the healthy building of the kind of muscle that burns calories throughout the day. Incorporate lean, low-fat proteins like seafood, chicken, and lean red meats into your diet. There are protein supplements available if you feel unable to consume enough through regular diet. Without enough protein, muscle begins to break down in order to feed the body precious energy. Muscle is essential to metabolism, and, therefore, a healthy body.

Eat Several Small Meals Each Day

Instead of eating three larger meals throughout the day, aim for five to seven smaller meals. This is a great way to rev up your metabolism because then foods are allowed create a helpful thermogenic effect that causes the metabolism to rise to the occasion of active processing more throughout the day. This allows the process of digesting these healthy, frequent meals to burn fat much like healthy muscle does. Eating meals this way each day also promotes healthy blood sugar, a decrease in fat storage, and proper absorption of nutrients. The benefits of this type of meal distribution will prove to be of great help throughout your fitness journey because it diverts the body from using muscle to feed the body energy. As an added bonus, you will feel more satisfied throughout the day, which should aid you in sticking with your program.

Drink Plenty of Water

This may seem like a simple, obvious tip, but an increased water intake is sometimes one of the most overlooked pieces of fitness. Dehydration can easily sabotage your goals because it delays the metabolism and slows the body's systems down. Not drinking enough water causes your organs to function less than efficiently, ultimately working to stamp out any benefits you could gain from diet and exercise. Shoot for at least eight or more glasses of water a day.

Implementing these bodybuilding tips into your daily routine is a great way to kickstart your journey to healthy weight loss. Following these guidelines allows you to lose the kind of weight that you don't want, fat, and build healthy amounts that you do want, muscle. This will continue to set you up for success the longer you practice it. Sticking to a plan like this will ensure that any yo-yo dieting and exercising comes to an end and real progress will begin. Just keep in mind that persistence is key; and you can achieve your fitness goals and maintain a healthy body as long as you are committed.