If you want to know how to bulk up, you might be murky about bulking up – without gaining fat. When we first commit to becoming super physically fit, we may not have a clear idea of what we need to do to become the "perfect human body" (if there is such a thing). When you're a novice physical fitness wanna-be, there is so much to learn about the various fitness programs, and about our own body, that we might not have a clear idea about where we're going. But somewhere along the way, many athletes and physical fitness aficionados decide that they want to "bulk up", meaning add lots of noticeable muscle to their physique. Usually it is only men who covet this goal but there are a few women who are also interested.
A serious runner is always quite thin and he or she has strong and muscular legs. But upper body strength is not apparent and strong muscles in other parts of the body are rare. This means that it isn't enough to be thin – because just being lean doesn't mean we have strong and noticeable muscles. So many guys decide that they want to pack on some pounds in order to develop their muscles.
Bulking up might be a worthy goal but there are two important points to consider:
T he first is that there is no guarantee that that extra weight will turn into muscle unless you continue with a serious fitness program.
Secondly, eating nothing but burgers, fries and pizza is not the way to pack on muscular bulk. So here are the kinds of food that you should consider eating.
Lots of Protein For Bulking Up
The serious fitness buff's favorite food is, of course, protein. Thermogenesis referrers to raising the temperature of the body and all food has a thermic effect, to some extent. Obviously, some food raises body temperature more than others and lean protein is a star. Chicken and turkey breast, grass fed lean sirloin, most fish and egg whites can turn any body into a lean fat burning machine. Some research indicates that approximately 30% of the calories in this protein will be used simply for digestion. And when you eat lean protein along with essential fats and whole carbs, your added weight is highly likely to turn into impressive muscle.
Don't Forget The EFAs
Body builders and athletes need unsaturated fat for their bodies, specifically EFAs or Essential Fatty Acids, which can't be made by the human body. EFAs are necessary for a powerful immune system, lower blood pressure, to fight free radicals, lower cholesterol, increase HDL (the "good" cholesterol), increase stamina, decrease recovery time from fatigue, help repair muscles, protect the organs in the body and create and store energy. Some body builders recommend that if only 15% of the calories in an athlete's diet is derived from fat, their intake is too low. These experts suggest that would-be burly athletes need to step their intake up to 25-30% because of the increased anabolic effect.
The best sources for these fats are fish oil, flax seed oil, extra virgin olive oil and nuts.
Eat Lots of Whole Carbs
The third component of a healthy bulk diet includes carbohydrates. This does not mean gallons of macaroni and cheese made from mix in a box. The carbohydrates that we eat should be whole, complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Vegetables, especially green vegetables, are what we should eat the most. Spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, all kinds of beans and members of the cabbage family are superstars of nutrition. Fruits are also valuable but the vegetables are more important.
Also included in this group are whole grains that have received little or no processing. Oatmeal, barley, quinoa and brown rice are tasty and provide a lot of nutrition for the calories.
Famed athlete, Tom Venuto, author of Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle and the Holy Grail Transformation System offers a simple three step formula for creating a meal that will burn fat yet add bulk:
* First, choose a green vegetable like broccoli or asparagus
* Select a fibrous vegetable like cauliflower
* Add one of the lean proteins mentioned above
The choices above are the heart of your meal and you then add carbs or grains like brown rice or sweet potatoes.
And look at this guy! Does he look like he knows what he's talking about? When someone has a body to die for like his (well, that might be an exaggeration – what's the point of having a great body if you're dead ;-) we can assume he has a tiny bit of knowledge.
By designing your meals in this way, you will be able to add bulk that can be turned into muscle, rather than flab. This assumes, of course, that you continue with your exercise program or sports activities. Your metabolism will burn like a nuclear furnace and the fat will fall off. Most importantly, you will be building your health rather than tearing it down along the way to physical stardom. So if you want to know how to bulk up without putting on flab, there it is.
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