Gaining muscle mass

[it_takes_skillz]

Hey everybody. I have been trying to gain some muscle mass without actually losing weight. My friend was trying to gain muscle like me, but instead of gaining muscle mass, he was losing weight. (he was using the bowflex) i also have a bowflex, and i just want to know how long should i work out to get muscle and not lose weight? (it doesnt matter if i gain a couple) Also, do protien shakes work?

Thanks.

[Kaminari]

You should lift with minimal repititions, about 4-6, with about 2-4 sets, lifting heavy. To gain mass, you need to eat more calories than your body comsumes. So, for about 3-4 days, write down everything you eat. Every meal, snack, etc. If you eat 3 almonds, write it down, don't leave anything out. Also make note of how many calories each meal/snack/whatever is. After that, find the average # of calories you eat in a day. After that, you need to eat a larger number of calories than your average each day. These calories need to come from healthy foods, like chicken, wheat breads, etc. Cut out all fatty/salty/fried/sugary foods, and replace them with better ones, ones that give you protein and carbohydrates, fiber, iron, etc. You probably want to consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound you weigh. You also are going to need to eat a lot of carbs, which will fuel your muscles for your workouts. Protein shakes do work. Make sure to eat big on both protein and carbs at least an hour before a workout, and get a lot of protein within 30 minutes after your workout.

Also make sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night, if not more, as sleep is when your body actually does all the muscle repair. Make sure to give yourself a few days' rest after workouts, to ensure enough recovery time. It depends on how your body reacts to the workouts and how quickly it repairs the muscle tissue, but some people can lift again after a 24 hour break, some a few days, or a week, but, like I said, it all depends on your body. If you still feel sore a couple of days after the workout, you should wait another day or two to make sure you're not really damaging the muscle.

Anyway, that's just a basic overview, but if you have any other questions and would like my input, go ahead and PM me.

[ninjanurse]

Moving to Health & Fitness.

[CagedWarrior]

It's more about your diet. PM me for details.

[it_takes_skillz]

thanks alot! really helps