If you are planning to lose weight, equation is pretty straight forward. You need to burn more calories than you consume. What happens when you go other way round? You gain muscle mass. However things are not as easy as it sounds, there are more intricate set of steps. There are many factors that govern how much weight you gain while keeping fat away. Regardless of whether you are trying to build your arms or get a Channing Tatum or Jessica Alba-esque core, to ensure proper muscle growth, you will need to pay deliberate attention to several key factors.
Many of these factors may sound nothing more than the “common sense” they are of relative importance to overall muscle growth and may even surprise the most seasoned weight lifter. Here are some of those factors that can help you build your muscles effortlessly or can even sabotage your entire efforts if neglected.
Diet
A lot of effort to build your muscle takes place in the kitchen and not in the gym. That means a lot depends on what you put in your mouth than what you do in the gym. To enhance your muscle growth focus on lean and protein rich food that will not only nourish your body but will also facilitate muscle growth. Best foods for muscle growth include chicken breast, lean beef, salmon, beans, pulses, lentils and nuts.
Sleep
Sleep might sound a simple thing, but it is incredibly important for building muscle. When you sleep your body is working hard to repair itself, replace old and damaged cells. It is also a time when your brain recharges and attains more mental alertness. When you don’t have proper rest, you will feel tired and will not be in a proper state to exercise. Obviously you will not be able to perform at your best in the gym and when you don’t challenge your body enough, you will not build muscle.
Age
Age plays a crucial role when you are trying to re-define your body. Unfortunately this is one factor you have no control over. There are many challenges that come along with age, such as fatigue, past injuries and even things such as family obligations that can pull you in the other direction. These challenges are real and can cause hindrance in your workout in the form of your physical capabilities and the amount of time that you can put in at the gym. Obviously you will need to plan to put things into your routine and take more care to avoid injuries.
Variety
Variety is the key while building muscles. Your body should feel the need for more muscle, only them you build more muscles. The only way you can create the need for more muscle is by challenging your body. However if you are familiar with the term “muscle memory”, you know it’s a body’s way to adapt to your workout regime. So, if your body gets adapted to certain exercise, you won’t build any muscles. You will need to bring in enough variety of exercise from time to time to keep your body challenged.
