Gains in the Gym, is it the food you eat, the moves you do or both?

If you have been hitting the gym with intense cardio and cutting way back on calories you may not be seeing the results you desire. Not getting results is insanely frustrating and may make you want to quit. In my opinion, you SHOULD! Well, if you are enjoying the cardio, stick with it but quit the calorie counting and restrictive eating.

So many times people have told me that they are afraid to consume “so much food” and lift heavy in the gym because they don’t want to “bulk up.”  If you are not training to be a bodybuilder, your body won’t all of a sudden become something that resembles a bodybuilder’s body. Eating enough calories is imperative to not just gain muscle but also to potentially lose weight. If you don’t eat enough your body slows the metabolism down in order to preserve the stores it has so you don’t end up emaciated. Eating enough calories allows your body to realize it doesn’t need to hold onto every little thing you are consuming. Honestly, if you are consuming a diet that is balanced and provides the nutrients you need to thrive, you are doing way more for yourself than when you are restricting.

Lifting heavy also won’t cause you to bulk up. Lifting weights causes your metabolism to be boosted for an average of 2 days.  What does this mean? Lifting weights every other day will allow your metabolism to maintain a higher rate and you will be more metabolically active.  SO essentially, if you lift weights every other day with cardio mixed in when you want, you may find you are having more success than the endless cardio and restrictive eating.

Whey protein is the most bioavailable protein that is available in supplemental form for post-workout recovery. Therefore, IF you are active, want to include the boost of protein and want to see results in the gym and with recovery then a well-balanced diet with weight lifting and if you see fit, a protein shake after may be the ticket to your success.