Feeling a little heavier after the holidays? With all the overindulging most of us do from Halloween through Valentine’s Day, it’s no wonder many of us add a few “layers” to our physiques. In fact, our bodies are naturally designed to have some extra insulation during the winter months. So, why fight it? Why not use it to our advantage?
What would you say if I suggested you forget about losing weight during the winter months? Consider this: instead of fighting your body’s natural tendency to gain and hold onto extra weight, work with it! (I don’t know about you, but I find all the New Year’s resolution diet and weight loss ad campaigns extremely discouraging. And who feels like to taking off layers when it’s blustery cold outside?!?) Yes. I am suggesting you take advantage of this season and bulk up - not slim down - during the winter. Does this sound too good to be true? Okay, there is a catch. You’re going to have to do a little heavy lifting (a.k.a. resistance training).
If resistance training is not part of your current exercise routine, after getting the “OK” from your primary care physician, I recommend consulting a qualified fitness trainer who will assess your current level of fitness, identify any muscular imbalances, and ensure you possess the postural control, stability, and muscular endurance needed to embark on a hypertrophy training program. Consulting a qualified fitness trainer is beneficial even for individuals who exercise regularly.
If resistance training is already a part of your exercise regiment, consider kicking things up a notch by changing how you train. One of the most commonly applied methods for adding muscle mass is by increasing the total amount of resistance (weight) and number of sets for each exercise while decreasing the number of repetitions. For example, for each exercise, perform 4-5 sets of 6-8 repetitions. A key element is you need to use a resistance (or weight) heavy enough that you are unable to perform more than 5-8 repetitions.
Two lesser known, yet equally effective (and arguably safer) methods to increase your muscle mass are eccentric and accommodated resistance training. Eccentric training focuses on the lowering or “negative” phase of an exercise. For example: slowly lowering the dumbbell in a biceps curl exercise elongates and challenges the muscle, facilitating growth. Accommodated resistance enables increased resistance where the muscles are strongest – at the end of the exercise – without compromising joints and other soft tissue at the beginning of the exercise movement (where muscles are weakest) using free weights in combination of bands, chains, or weight releasers.
Another consideration for your winter weight gain plan: Don’t resist the urge to hibernate! Be sure to get your Zzzzzs! Sleep is a critical component in maintaining your overall health & fitness. Muscles and tissues rejuvenate and new cells regenerate while we slumber. It is especially important to get extra rest while we are in this intense training phase. The more we tear down our muscles, the more they need to rest and recover in order to grow.
Finally, building muscle requires fuel. Ultimately this means you’ll need to eat more. You need to consume 3500 more calories to add 1 lb of (muscle) weight. Again, the catch is to make sure you’re eating critical nutrients found in lean proteins, healthy fats, and carbohydrates found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. To bulk up, you’ve got to eat up! As always, it’s a good idea to consult the pros. Most fitness trainers are not qualified and/or permitted to give specific nutritional advice. Your best bet is to consult a licensed professional Registered Dietician or Certified Clinical Nutritionist.
Feel free to post your comments and related experience here and stay tuned for upcoming F.I.T. articles.
Kerri L. Mikeska, NASM-CPT
What has your body done for you today? What have you done for it?
http://www.completefitnessconcepts.com/
What would you say if I suggested you forget about losing weight during the winter months? Consider this: instead of fighting your body’s natural tendency to gain and hold onto extra weight, work with it! (I don’t know about you, but I find all the New Year’s resolution diet and weight loss ad campaigns extremely discouraging. And who feels like to taking off layers when it’s blustery cold outside?!?) Yes. I am suggesting you take advantage of this season and bulk up - not slim down - during the winter. Does this sound too good to be true? Okay, there is a catch. You’re going to have to do a little heavy lifting (a.k.a. resistance training).
If resistance training is not part of your current exercise routine, after getting the “OK” from your primary care physician, I recommend consulting a qualified fitness trainer who will assess your current level of fitness, identify any muscular imbalances, and ensure you possess the postural control, stability, and muscular endurance needed to embark on a hypertrophy training program. Consulting a qualified fitness trainer is beneficial even for individuals who exercise regularly.
If resistance training is already a part of your exercise regiment, consider kicking things up a notch by changing how you train. One of the most commonly applied methods for adding muscle mass is by increasing the total amount of resistance (weight) and number of sets for each exercise while decreasing the number of repetitions. For example, for each exercise, perform 4-5 sets of 6-8 repetitions. A key element is you need to use a resistance (or weight) heavy enough that you are unable to perform more than 5-8 repetitions.
Two lesser known, yet equally effective (and arguably safer) methods to increase your muscle mass are eccentric and accommodated resistance training. Eccentric training focuses on the lowering or “negative” phase of an exercise. For example: slowly lowering the dumbbell in a biceps curl exercise elongates and challenges the muscle, facilitating growth. Accommodated resistance enables increased resistance where the muscles are strongest – at the end of the exercise – without compromising joints and other soft tissue at the beginning of the exercise movement (where muscles are weakest) using free weights in combination of bands, chains, or weight releasers.
Another consideration for your winter weight gain plan: Don’t resist the urge to hibernate! Be sure to get your Zzzzzs! Sleep is a critical component in maintaining your overall health & fitness. Muscles and tissues rejuvenate and new cells regenerate while we slumber. It is especially important to get extra rest while we are in this intense training phase. The more we tear down our muscles, the more they need to rest and recover in order to grow.
Finally, building muscle requires fuel. Ultimately this means you’ll need to eat more. You need to consume 3500 more calories to add 1 lb of (muscle) weight. Again, the catch is to make sure you’re eating critical nutrients found in lean proteins, healthy fats, and carbohydrates found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. To bulk up, you’ve got to eat up! As always, it’s a good idea to consult the pros. Most fitness trainers are not qualified and/or permitted to give specific nutritional advice. Your best bet is to consult a licensed professional Registered Dietician or Certified Clinical Nutritionist.
Feel free to post your comments and related experience here and stay tuned for upcoming F.I.T. articles.
Kerri L. Mikeska, NASM-CPT
What has your body done for you today? What have you done for it?
http://www.completefitnessconcepts.com/
