Individuals
heading to the gym to start a healthy lifestyle primarily fit into two
categories: those wishing to gain weight (muscle), and those looking to lose
weight (fat). The latter of the two tend to dominate. The internet, magazines,
and people at the local gyms will give numerous tidbits of advice to aid in
both cases, and most of which is useless. Weight gain isn’t found in magic
bottles, just as weight loss isn’t instant. Both take hard work and planned
strategy. Below will be a short list of suggestions for each fitness goal.
Weight Gain
·
Train
heavy, high intensity, short duration, low frequency (longer recovery)
o
When
working to gain try doing your sets from heaviest to lightest, being sure to
warm-up appropriately. Keep your rep ranges to anywhere from 3-15 reps (1st
set 3-5, 2nd 6-10, 3rd 12-15.). Maximize hypertrophy by
working heavy to enervate the maximum number of fibers, and provide adequate
rest between sets.
o
Limit
your training sessions to 45 minutes to 1 hour in duration. Get to the gym, hit
those muscle groups hard with great intensity, and get out for a meal and rest.
o
Dial
back your training frequency. Some individual do a one day on, one day off
method in order to provide adequate tissue recovery. Also, it helps to prevent
CNS fatigue (Central Nervous System). The heavy training not only depletes your
muscle tissue but also your nervous system feeding the responses.
o
No
Cardio. Well, at the very least take it really light. Your body is heavily
adaptable, what is doesn’t need is removed. Cardiovascular activity is
predominately a catabolic (breakdown) event. You want to gain, keep your body
in an anabolic (growth) environment.
o
Eat
big, get big. Stay on a structured diet regimen, but allow for some comfort
food you have been missing out on. Meal frequency is always under debate, while
working to gain I suggest larger meals, less frequently. For example eat 4-5
larger meals per day instead of the usual 6 or more and spread them out a bit.
o
When
trying to gain most literature suggest increasing calorie intake by 4 calories
per pound of Lean Body Mass (your weight with no fat present).
Weight Loss
·
Train
with mid- high intensity, longer duration, high frequency.
o
When
training to lose weight (fat), the strategy almost flips from the setup to
gain. You are no longer training for strength and performance, but instead for
aesthetics. Trade off your low rep, high intensity sets for higher rep, mid
intensity, paying great attention to form and range of motion. Rep ranges
should be 12 or more. At this point you are working to maximize blood flow and
deplete glycogen (Fat).
o
Most
individuals will increase their training sessions to 1-2 hours in duration to
account for the higher rep ranges and addition of cardio. Personally I would
try to keep it less than 1 ½ hours in duration.
o
Increase
your training frequency. I would even push it up to 5-6 days a week, with a 1-2
rest days mixed in. The purpose is to keep your metabolism ramped up to its
peak potential.
o
Cardio
4-5 days per week. Add a cardiovascular program to your regimen, but don’t go
wild with it. Pick a different activity each session (treadmill, elliptical,
stepper, bike, jog, etc…), and try to keep the intensity high with duration
between 15-20 minutes. You want to burn calories and remove fat storage, but
not at the expense of cannibalizing muscle tissue in the process. Keep it
intense and short.
o
Eat
smaller, frequent meals. Eat 6 or more meals a day, preferably 3 hours or so
apart.
o
When
looking to lose weight most literature suggests cutting calorie intake by 2
calories per pound of Lean Body Mass. Never reduce protein, instead start by
reducing fats, then simple carbohydrates, and finally complex carbohydrates.
One item to keep in mind is that you are never simply on one
constant strategy. Many individuals make the mistake of constantly dieting.
Like mentioned earlier, the body quickly adapts to each change presented.
Instead, rotate different strategies throughout the year to constantly keep the
body guessing. Try to keep each rotation around 3 months in length before
switching to something new. For many, gaining is best scheduled during the
holiday months (November-January), when comfort food is plentiful and near
impossible to avoid. Weight loss seems very effective during the spring/summer
(February-August). The weather begins to improve in many areas and outdoor
activity becomes preferred to staying warm indoors. Whatever goals you have,
just remember to stay dedicated and consistent, and the finish line will get
closer with each day.
Michael Petrinjak, CFT
Evolve Training Systems
