In most gyms, you can see cardio machines occupied by women. They gravitate towards cardio because they think lifting weights will make them look too bulky and masculine. However, if you want to achieve that strong and curvy aesthetic you see in Instagram models and models in magazines, it’s necessary to put on some lean muscle. Building muscle is not easy for women, but through these tips, you’ll manage to achieve just the right look:
Lift heavy
If you want to increase the amount of muscle that you have, it’s also necessary to boost the stress you put on them. Through lighting heavy weights, your muscles develop tiny, tiny tears which cause your muscles to get bigger after recovery and repair. And don’t think this process happens overnight—it takes hard work for your muscles to become bulky, so don’t you worry about that. You’ll first get nice and lean.
Boost repetitions and weights regularly
Lifting heavy is important, but in order to truly challenge yourself and build that lean muscle mass, it’s necessary to regularly up the number of repetitions. This will cause the muscles to stretch more and grow faster. According to experts, it’s a good idea to settle on a weight that you can work for 6-12 reps. Going over that will work stamina and not strength, which will not give you any muscle tone.
Don’t avoid supplements
Most women avoid supplements because they think these dietary additions will mess with their metabolism and hormones, but that’s not true, especially for casual supplements. For instance, turkesterone supplement doesn’t bind to androgen receptors (it doesn’t require post-cycle therapy) so it’s perfect for both men and women who want to improve their performance and change their body composition. You’ll have more energy and won’t lose your muscle mass as easily.
Eat more protein
Exercise is crucial for building and shaping your muscles, but a proper diet is just as important. Your diet should be balanced, meaning full of healthy protein, especially when you’re working out because protein is what builds lean muscle mass. Another reason to eat plenty of protein is their ability to keep you full, so you won’t be experiencing strong cravings for snacks between meals.
While protein is “good”, carbohydrates are much less “good”. These elements found in bread, pasta, rice and fruit are certainly necessary for your body’s healthy functioning, they can also stand between you and your lean muscles. It’s definitely crucial to limit your carb intake, but don’t throw them out completely—they are crucial for insulin release and energy necessary for muscle repair.
Put some veggies on your plate
No matter if you’re working out or not, every human needs to eat a healthy amount of vegetables throughout the day. Veggies are even more important when you want to build muscle because they are mostly low in calories yet high in the thermic effect. This means that it’s necessary to expend a lot of energy to eat, digest and burn veggies, which helps people build lean muscles (especially when prepared raw or just lightly cooked).
Learn when to eat
Learning when to eat is just as important as learning what to eat. For anyone who’s trying to build lean muscle, it’s crucial to include pre-workout and post-workout meals into their schedule. During the pre-workout meal, it’s necessary to take in quality protein and some carbs to fuel you through your workout.
If you want to get very technical (this is not necessary by any means) you can focus on high glycemic index carb foods together with some protein after your workout. Before exercising, focus on low glycemic index carbs. If you can’t resist high GI foods, time your meals so you can eat them after your exercise—this is the only time they won’t harm your progress that much.
Pre-workout meals should be enjoyed between one and two hours before the workout, and the post-workout meal should be enjoyed within the 90-minute window after the workout. Immediately after you’re done with your session, you can have a tasty protein shake to get a head start on recovery.
Avoid long cardio sessions
Cardio is crucial for the healthy functioning of the body, especially when it comes to your heart and lung health. However, if you want to build lean muscle, don’t do too much cardio. Cardio sessions, especially long-distance runs or cycling routes, encourage waste of muscles which can ruin your progress. Instead of eliminating all cardio, do high intensity sprints or cycle workouts short in duration. Just remember that it won’t actually help you build muscles, just lose fat.
Lean muscle is the new skinny, so make sure to do your best to put on some muscle and look amazing this summer. Once you see how strong and curvy you’ve become, you will never want to go back to any other aesthetic.