When people begin and commit (the key is committing) to a new training plan they often want to work out twice a day, 7 days a week. The determination of that mind set is admirable, however you may be doing more harm than good whether you are looking to gain muscle mass or lose weight.
What do I mean? Most people think "well exercise/weight lifting is good for me, so the more the better." True, exercise is great and an essential piece of being healthy. But over exercising can have adverse effects. You will undoubtedly lose weight by exercising, but by not taking time to rest and running your body constantly it actually can go into starvation mode, release cortisol in the body to inhibit fat metabolism and actually begin to break down muscle for food/fuel. This is often not the kind of weight you want to see come off and is adverse to gaining that lean, toned and healthy look that most desire to achieve.
Long story short, devote time to resting in the midst of your training schedule. Continue to train hard...remember, intensity is always your friend...but aim for about 3-4 days per week to train. And rest days mean rest days! Don't feel guilty. Just relax. Allow the body to heal and be able to come back ready to train hard the next day.
Work hard
~ MB
Monday, April 25, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Allow me to introduce myself...
Hello Everyone!
My name is Michael Bull and welcome to my blog! Cheesy as my title suggests I want to make this a comfortable place where I can share my experiences and insights on training, nutrition and life in general with as many people as will read it.
A little bit about me. I am a Marketing Specialist with a snack food company in Amish Country (yes, horses and buggies slow traffic) in Northeast Ohio. I'm sure you're thinking "snack foods and training? Yeah right." As tough as it is to stop from eating potato chips and snacks all day I stick to what I know is best for me...which is not eating whole bags of chips! I played football in college so the gym is no stranger at all. My career was cut short by a back injury my junior year and my time spent training dropped off as well. In an effort to make sure I take care of my body and I began getting serious about taking care of myself again I have made my commitment once again to training hard and eating correctly.
So in the last 6 months I went through a phase of losing 14 pounds and have put back on 7 pounds of muscle on my way to achieving the strength and level of conditioning I had when I was playing football. Having the knowledge I do about nutrition and intense training obviously helped this so my goal is to share it with others looking for answers in a world of weight-loss and fitness short cuts and myths. I hope this will be an outlet to connect with others that want to learn and I can learn from as well.
~MB
Disclaimer: This blog is simply my researched knowledge and personal experiences. I am not a certified personal trainer, nutritionist or physician and advice should be taken as opinion. Before starting any diet or exercise program, consult your physician.
My name is Michael Bull and welcome to my blog! Cheesy as my title suggests I want to make this a comfortable place where I can share my experiences and insights on training, nutrition and life in general with as many people as will read it.
A little bit about me. I am a Marketing Specialist with a snack food company in Amish Country (yes, horses and buggies slow traffic) in Northeast Ohio. I'm sure you're thinking "snack foods and training? Yeah right." As tough as it is to stop from eating potato chips and snacks all day I stick to what I know is best for me...which is not eating whole bags of chips! I played football in college so the gym is no stranger at all. My career was cut short by a back injury my junior year and my time spent training dropped off as well. In an effort to make sure I take care of my body and I began getting serious about taking care of myself again I have made my commitment once again to training hard and eating correctly.
So in the last 6 months I went through a phase of losing 14 pounds and have put back on 7 pounds of muscle on my way to achieving the strength and level of conditioning I had when I was playing football. Having the knowledge I do about nutrition and intense training obviously helped this so my goal is to share it with others looking for answers in a world of weight-loss and fitness short cuts and myths. I hope this will be an outlet to connect with others that want to learn and I can learn from as well.
~MB
Disclaimer: This blog is simply my researched knowledge and personal experiences. I am not a certified personal trainer, nutritionist or physician and advice should be taken as opinion. Before starting any diet or exercise program, consult your physician.
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