Ripped Muscle Diet Plan - Build Muscle and Drop Body Fat by Eating Clean

Most of us have come to the harsh realization that to lose body fat we must change our eating habits. There's just no way around it. There's no super diet pill that's going to work if you don't eat clean. You can even get surgery these days to remove some fat, but if you don't modify your diet plan then you'll be right back where you started. So eating clean is a must. But what many of us hard core weight lifters and bodybuilders worry about is losing hard earned muscle and strength while dieting to get ripped.

Let me first say that we're not talking about getting shredded for the stage when you're a few weeks out from a bodybuilding competition; that's a different ball game altogether. What we're talking about is dropping your body fat to a healthy level to where you can see the muscle that you have. You want to see some striations and you want to be ripped to some extent. You certainly don't want to be one of those weight lifters, strong or not, with a gut hanging over your pants. Your diet is the key element that will separate you from them.

To build muscle and to get stronger you need plenty of quality protein. Anywhere from one gram to one and a half grams of protein per day per pound of bodyweight is a good rule to stick with. I'm not going to argue the low carb versus no carbs versus high carbs and so forth. It's not so much the carbohydrates, it's how much and the types of carbs you're putting into your body.




A solid plan to follow is a one to one ratio of protein and carbs. So if you eat a meal with 45 grams of protein, you shouldn't have any more than 45 grams of carbs. The types of carbs should not be filled with sugar or from processed foods. They should come from sources such as whole grain foods, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, brown rice, fruits, and vegetables.

You also need healthy fats. Egg yolks, almonds and other types of nuts, olive oil and flaxseed oil are a few examples. The important thing to remember is to stay away from trans fats and don't get too much saturated fat in your diet. For the sake of simplicity, take in a little fat each meal and supplement with flaxseed or fish oil. A good example is if you're eating eggs, cook six to eight egg whites and one or two whole eggs. I use eggs as an example because whole eggs are loaded with vitamins, nutrients and amino acids.

Obviously training intense with heavy weights reaching muscle overload is a no-brainer for building muscle. Cardio training comes into play as well. This diet portion is imperative though if you want to grow and drop body fat at the same time. I personally have started eating chicken breasts (2 at a time), tilapia fillets (2 at a time), eggs, milk and protein shakes for my sources of protein and have not let my carb intake go too far over my protein intake, getting those from the carb sources listed above. I usually get enough healthy fats from whole eggs, milk, peanut butter and I also supplement with flaxseed oil. I was in fear of my strength going down but I've actually gotten stronger and leaner over the past couple of weeks while implementing this meal plan. As for cheat meals, save them for the weekend, or just pick one or two days a week to have a meal or two that may not necessarily fall into the diet plan, such as pizza; my personal favorite.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jason_Stallworth/566436

Quickest Way to Build Muscle Without Steroids!

A lot of people like yourself are in search of the quickest way to build muscle and reduce body fat, but few are exactly sure of how to go about it. Because of all the differences in beliefs and techniques out there sometimes this process can seem more complicated than it really needs to be. By following some basic fundamentals you will find that the quickest way to build muscle isn't that hard after all.

Cardio Alone Does Not Build Muscle

It's safe to say that you can expect by doing cardio exercises on a regular basis to be able to burn some calories and shed away excess pounds. Although, cardio exercises by themselves aren't enough to place the necessary pressure on your muscles to increase strength and ultimately build more muscle. What is really required for this to occur is strength training exercises.

All that may flash into your mind when you think about the idea of strength training is a mental image of a pumped up body builder working out at the gym lifting extremely heavy weights. The fact is that you don't have to be a bodybuilder to melt away fat and get into great shape.




Exercises That Suit You

Another one of the quickest ways to build muscle is locating the right strength training program that suits you the most. This can even mean starting off with a basic bodyweight program. Meaning you can take advantage of your own bodyweight to build some strength and muscle. Some exercises to consider for this are - push ups, pull ups, lunges and crunches. Remember that you can still have a solid workout by using just your own body weight.

If you've got some dumbbells available at home then you can perform a number of solid exercises. This can be seen as one of the quickest ways to build muscle without having to head down to the gym.

You can try doing tricep kick backs, bicep curls, weighted crunches and rows each using hand weights at home. Circuit training involves performing several exercises and working many muscle groups back to back and is believed to be the quickest way to build muscle.

Of course, those bodybuilders at the gym do know a thing or two, and old-fashioned weight training is highly effective for both men and women. You can get started with weight training with just the bar if you like. Classic exercises for instance - dead lifts, squats and bench presses can help provide fantastic results in a short period of time. And, one of the benefits of using standard weights provides you with plenty of room to advance and become stronger.

Regardless of what type of strength training you choose, be sure to learn the proper form so you can avoid any injuries. A visit or two with a personal trainer is a great way to get the basics down. Start off slow, learn good form and before you know it you will love what you see before you in the mirror!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jeremy_G._Thomas/889137

Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle - Tips to Gain 30 to 40 Lbs of Muscles in 10 to 12 Weeks Revealed!

Gaining muscles is one of the pre-requisites of bodybuilding. The process of bulking up is the first step towards muscle gain which can be performed by increasing the calorie intake. It helps your body to gain weight along with lots of fats that can be eliminated later doing workouts.

Muscle Gain Tips

* Nutrition plays a major role in gaining muscles as well as shedding those extra pounds. You should consume foods which are rich in proteins such as eggs, soy based products for gaining pounds and energy levels while you should completely avoid saturated fats such as red meats, cheese etc. High fibrous foods such as fruits and vegetables, fishes, lean meats, turkey, duck etc. should be taken daily to gain 30 pounds of muscles.

* It is always advisable to take 6-8 small meals daily. Meal intake boots metabolism and burn fats in our body. You should also drink 10-12 glasses of water daily for maintaining the body temperature.




* Cardio, body weight and weight training workouts are necessary for gaining 30 pounds of muscles in 10 to 12 weeks. You should devote one and half-hours for workouts. Cardio workouts such as running, swimming, bicycling and hiking can be performed before body weight and weight training workouts. You shouldn't overstress your during cardio and should try to preserve energy.

* Body weight workouts such as push-ups, squats, dips, pull-ups, chin ups etc should be performed after cardio. It is always advisable to take rest between your sets for gaining better results.

* Weight training workouts is the final step for increasing muscle mass. There are various workouts such as bench press, dumbbell flyes, lat pull-ups, barbell curls etc that can be extremely beneficial for sculpting your body.

* In order to gain 30 pounds of muscles in 10 to 12 weeks, you should undergo strict dieting and workout session. Your rigorous workout regime will need lots of endurance, which can be only attained by consuming nitric Oxide. It increases your blood easily and helps in muscle pumping. There are various other health benefits of Nitric Oxide.

It can easily prevent deadly diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart attacks. It enhances your immune system and promotes anti aging hormones. Most bodybuilders and athletes suffer from joint pains and injuries, which can be easily treated by consuming Nitric Oxide. It can easily reduce the recovery time. Its intake rejuvenates the overall health.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jerry_Symonds/323176