We had 2 new members join us for more fitness this week at Fit2Live.
During their no sweat intro consultations they had some common questions that we hear frequently from our regular members and those who are interested but haven’t jumped on board the fitness wagon yet.
Here are 4 common questions we get and our responses to each.
#1. Will lifting weights make me bulky?
No!
It’s actually quite tough to pack on lean muscle and it does come down to how many calories you are putting into your body regularly. Ex: if you’re eating an excess amount of calories each day you’ll be adding muscle at a higher rate. Other factors such as genetics, recovery ability and training volume can also factor into the amount and the rate of muscle you put on.
Putting on muscle is certainly doable, and we can help you do it if that’s your goal. But no one comes to the gym and suddenly looks like a bodybuilder with bulging muscles, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE ;). But that just doesn’t happen!
Our goal at Fit2Live isn’t to make members bulky. Of course we want more muscle but that muscle needs to be functional. What good is having big muscles if you can’t actually use them in real life? Our goal is to increase the amount of lean, functional muscle mass.
We’ve got strong people for sure, but if you watch a class, you’ll just see normal fit people who’s goals are to maintain muscle but also to use that muscle for more functional fitness, not just to be bulky like a bodybuilder who can’t open a water bottle.
Book a free consultation with us to see what we mean!
#2. I’m over 30 and have never worked out. Will I be able to improve my physique?
YES!
You can make changes at 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and even 100!
The body responds to exercise positively at any age. We have clients at all ages, and they’re all improving their fitness. Every single one.
No matter how old you are, exercise will produce positive changes!
It’s NEVER too late to start a fitness program.
#3. What are some fitness and nutrition hacks to build muscle fast?
Three big things: Quality and consistent sleep, eating the right amount of protein, and lifting weights regularly.
Sleep is an easier one to identify, aim for 7-8 hours of quality, uninterrupted sleep each night. Without quality sleep, nothing else matters.
YOU CAN READ ALL ABOUT SLEEP BASICS AND TIPS HERE.
How much protein and how much lifting? Well, that’s a little more complicated, but a good Nutrition and Wellness Coach like our very own Coach EJ can help you figure it out.
To start, take a look at your diet. Is it mostly carbs and fat? If so, you need some protein. Aim for a fist size portion of protein with every meal. Ideally, at least .6 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight but this should increase as your activity level increases.
READ ALL ABOUT PROTEIN AND ITS IMPORTANCE HERE!
On the third hack of lifting weights regularly, are you lifting weights that challenge your strength? If not, you’ll need to start.
Aim for at least 2 days a week of dedicated strength training to maintain and build some precious muscle.
Our coaches at Fit2Live can show you how to do it safely.
READ MORE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF STRENGTH TRAINING HERE!
#4. How do I get six-pack abs as quickly as possible?
To see abs, a person generally needs to reduce body fat. This is sometimes called “toning up.”
Here’s a secret: You can’t decide where you’ll lose the fat. Like doing 1,000 sit-ups won’t reduce abdominal fat.
Your body will decide where to reduce the fat, and the best plan is regular bouts of cardio and strength training at the right intensity.
You want to build muscle and burn fat—and you can do this at the same time.
The best way to do this is by moving your ENTIRE body regularly through functional and compound movements (squats, deadlifts, presses, pull-ups, etc). Keep these movements varied and add a little intensity at the right time and you’ll be well on your way to adding more muscle and losing more fat.
The secret sauce to this really is eating real foods, not too much, mostly leafy green vegetable, lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats.
We’d love to help you get started with seeing some abs if this is a goal you have!
JUST BOOK A FREE CONSULTATION WITH US RIGHT HERE TO GET STARTED TODAY!
NEXT UP: 10 COMMON FITNESS MYTHS DEBUNKED!
