Step 3: Build muscle with resistance training and some carbs!
Nutrition: We have talked about protein and fats, what about carbs? Carbohydrates are not "bad"!! Our bodies prefer them for fuel AND they are involved in shutting down the protein degradation pathway to aid in muscle building. They're great for replenishing our bodies after a tough workout. Depending on your goals, carb cycling can be a great tool to balance your diet. However, all carb sources are not created equal. Substitute out as many processed carbs as you can (breads, crackers, granola bars, cookies, protein bars, white pasta) with more nutrient dense carbohydrate sources.
Fitness: The basic functional movements that we want to train are squats, push, pull, hinge, lunge and rotation. I find that total body routines give you the most bang for your buck, rather than splitting lower and upper body. Research shows that 1-2 days of strength training per week is enough to make gains in strength and muscle size. There are different ways you can strength train; you can train for strength (heavy weight, low reps, longer rests), hypertrophy or muscle size (moderate weight, 8-12 reps, moderate rest), or endurance (light weight, high rep, little to no rest). If you are just beginning to lift weights, I suggest starting with low weight and focusing on perfect form and slow execution of the lifts.
Tips to implement:
CARBS: Examples of nutrient dense carbohydrates are potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, quinoa, beans, fruit. Does it have to be 100% of the time? No! Enjoy a pasta dinner, baked good, or pizza here and there. It’s more about being consistent with good habits than being totally restricted. Carbohydrates can be good for our mental health, too! Spend time with family and friends, get a beer and some pizza, meet for brunch, enjoy some carbs guilt free. Social time, holidays, and date nights are enjoyable, help with stress, and they are what makes our lives happy. Just choose what you want to enjoy, guilt-free, and move on.
Resistance Training: The basic moves to master are the squat, hip hinge or deadlift type movement, overhead press, row, and any type of controlled rotation of your thoracic spine (think keeping hips forward and reaching across the body). Pushups (on the floor or elevated), hip extensions, squats, single leg deadlifts, lunges, and planks are all strength exercises you can do with only body weight at home, no equipment needed. These are all compound movements and use more than 1 muscle group, so more muscles for less time and less complexity. If you are looking for some inexpensive equipment to have at home, resistance or booty bands are always great for glute work (and upper body too!), a set of dumbbells, resistance cables or longer tubes with handles are great for rows and chest presses, a stability ball is always a fun way to work core into your workout. Pick 3-4 exercises, a lower body, 1-2 upper body, and a rotational and/or core exercise and do 3-4 sets of each. There you have a simple and functional strength training program! Try to get 20 minutes of strength 1-2 days a week for beginners and progress from there. Your mobility moves from week 2 are a great warm up for any and all of your strength routines.
Interested in strength training or starting a program? Let me know! I'd be happy to work with you or help you develop a program you can do at home or the gym!
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