Gain Muscle Lose Fat

There is only one way to gain muscle and that is some form of resistance training.I do know that if you are overweight and start a strength training program you will lose fat while gaining muscle.

This period is called the novice stage. This stage can last anywhere from 3 months (or less) to a year. The length it will last depends on the program, your body and how well you adhere to the program. This stage is a magical time because you can attack two goals at once. You can gain muscle while losing fat. Now remember I am talking fat not weight. Your weight may actually go up. Weight is not a good metric on how healthy you are or how well the program is working. If you gain 10 pounds of muscle and lose 7 pounds of fat your weight will go up. But you % body fat is going down.

There will come a point when your body reaches equilibrium and you will not be able to continue this dual goal. Vist losefat-online.com to find how stay on track once that happens.

Notice I did not say DIET. If you want to gain muscle you will have to eat to support that goal. That means at a minimum maintenance levels of food. You may need to eat more it all depends on how fast you want to increase your strength.

If you are in the novice phase, the best thing to be doing is developing proper eating habits. First start eating more unprocessed foods. They are nutrient dense and that is what you will need as you gain muscle. The next step is to reduce or eliminate high fructose corn syrup, white flour and any highly processed food.

How much protein do you need?
The consensus is between .8 and 1 gram of protien per pound of body weight. Though, .8 grams per pound of body weight should be considered a minimum for those involved in serious training.

Am I going to have to take supplements?
Other than a good multivitamin to fill in any gaps in your diet, the answer is no. Some do have some affect but they are all hyped well beyond what they deliver.

There is one substance that can increase your muscle contractile strength by 10-15% and increase your capacity for prolonged aerobic exercise by 20 to 30%.
That is water.
How much water do you need?
The National Research Council's recommended Dietary allowance for water is 1.0 - 1.5 ml per kcal expended per day. That means if 2000 cal a day maintains your current weight you need to be drinking 66 to 100 oz of water a day. The easy way to tell if you are getting enough water is that you should urinate clear 3 to 4 times a day.