Aggression
06-02-10, 9:49 am
I know this has been said time and time before, but I think it needs to be reiterated a bit. I've been getting a lot of questions ranging from beginners to more experienced people who just can't seem to figure out the basic formula. They bust their ass in the gym for days, months, years, and they don't get the results they're looking for. Though there can be many contributing factors for this lack of progress, one stands out above the rest:
"I want to get cut and build muscle at the same time, what you do recommend?"
Buddy, when you figure out that magic formula, you let me know! I get e-mails, PMs, and face-to-face questions that are loosely similar to the above question on a daily basis. Sometimes I check my inbox and its almost as if one person created 10 different names to ask the same question, hoping to get a different response each time. My short answer is always the same, "Its impossible". Ok, it may not be impossible, but its damn near close.
Let me just iron out the details for those less informed ..
Gaining muscle mass is simple. You need to be eating more calories than you burn. Everyone talks about 'maintenance level of calories', or '500 calories above maintenance'. Huh? What are we? Toyotas? Maintenance? I don't think it gets that complicated to where one needs to calculate their 'maintenance level' and then add 500 in there. Want an easier way? Just start eating. If you're not gaining ~1lb per week, then increase your food intake. If you're not gaining while eating 7oz of protein per meal, then make it 8. A simple addition of 1oz per meal can go a long way when you're consuming 6, 7, or 8 meals per day. Throw a couple cheats in there for good measure and to shock the metabolism. The treadmill is the enemy.
Bulking essentials:
Whole eggs
Red meat
Rice
Pasta
Milk
Animal M-stak
Universal Real Gains
Universal Torrent
*Notice I have whole foods listed ahead of supplements. That's because you can take M-stak year round if you want, but unless you're supplying your body with enough calories to grow, none of those supplements will work. Don't try guzzling down 6 Real Gains shakes per day, neither.
Getting 'cut' is also very simple. You need to be eating less calories than you burn. 'Eat 500 below maintenance'. Now you have to bust out the calculator and Fitday.com again? No. Just take what you're eating now and slowly and steadily drop some food. Start off by cleaning up the diet, eliminating all junks foods, sugars, etc. Then as times passes, drop some carbs first. As with bulking, you'll want to drop ~1lb per week. Start off with adding in some cardio a few times per week, first thing in the morning and/or postWO. Don't jump on the cardio 6x/week for 60minutes. You'll lose way too much muscle. Just as you slowly drop calories, you need to slowly increase the cardio. Start with 3-4x/week for about 30min and work up from there.
Cutting essentials:
egg whites
turkey
oats
sweet potatoes
green veggies
Animal Cuts
Universal Torrent Zero
Liquid CarniTech
*Again, without the diet being spot on, you won't get shit from Cuts or the rest of the supplements I have personally used/recommend.
Let's take away the key points here:
1. "Gaining muscle mass is simple. You need to be eating more calories than you burn."
2. "Getting 'cut' is also very simple. You need to be eating less calories than you burn."
Now the next thing I see coming is, ''Well, can't I do one week of excess calories and the next week low calories?". Sorry, brother. That won't 'cut' it either. For each goal, you need to stick with it for weeks/months in order to see results. You can't keep switching things up, confusing your body. You'll never get anywhere.
Now there IS a bit of an exception here. If you're just starting out, you can essentially do both. If you carefully monitor your diet year-round, you can easily add some muscle mass while staying lean, giving the appearance of being 'cut' while you're adding mass. This however only works with those people who are fairly lean as they start out. If you're overweight, you need to make a decision; cut the flab now and start a new base, or build mass on top of what you have now, and then cut later.
If you still have any questions after reading this, hit me up with a PM and I'll be glad to answer any and all questions, as long as they don't read, 'How do I gain muscles and get cut at the same time?"
"I want to get cut and build muscle at the same time, what you do recommend?"
Buddy, when you figure out that magic formula, you let me know! I get e-mails, PMs, and face-to-face questions that are loosely similar to the above question on a daily basis. Sometimes I check my inbox and its almost as if one person created 10 different names to ask the same question, hoping to get a different response each time. My short answer is always the same, "Its impossible". Ok, it may not be impossible, but its damn near close.
Let me just iron out the details for those less informed ..
Gaining muscle mass is simple. You need to be eating more calories than you burn. Everyone talks about 'maintenance level of calories', or '500 calories above maintenance'. Huh? What are we? Toyotas? Maintenance? I don't think it gets that complicated to where one needs to calculate their 'maintenance level' and then add 500 in there. Want an easier way? Just start eating. If you're not gaining ~1lb per week, then increase your food intake. If you're not gaining while eating 7oz of protein per meal, then make it 8. A simple addition of 1oz per meal can go a long way when you're consuming 6, 7, or 8 meals per day. Throw a couple cheats in there for good measure and to shock the metabolism. The treadmill is the enemy.
Bulking essentials:
Whole eggs
Red meat
Rice
Pasta
Milk
Animal M-stak
Universal Real Gains
Universal Torrent
*Notice I have whole foods listed ahead of supplements. That's because you can take M-stak year round if you want, but unless you're supplying your body with enough calories to grow, none of those supplements will work. Don't try guzzling down 6 Real Gains shakes per day, neither.
Getting 'cut' is also very simple. You need to be eating less calories than you burn. 'Eat 500 below maintenance'. Now you have to bust out the calculator and Fitday.com again? No. Just take what you're eating now and slowly and steadily drop some food. Start off by cleaning up the diet, eliminating all junks foods, sugars, etc. Then as times passes, drop some carbs first. As with bulking, you'll want to drop ~1lb per week. Start off with adding in some cardio a few times per week, first thing in the morning and/or postWO. Don't jump on the cardio 6x/week for 60minutes. You'll lose way too much muscle. Just as you slowly drop calories, you need to slowly increase the cardio. Start with 3-4x/week for about 30min and work up from there.
Cutting essentials:
egg whites
turkey
oats
sweet potatoes
green veggies
Animal Cuts
Universal Torrent Zero
Liquid CarniTech
*Again, without the diet being spot on, you won't get shit from Cuts or the rest of the supplements I have personally used/recommend.
Let's take away the key points here:
1. "Gaining muscle mass is simple. You need to be eating more calories than you burn."
2. "Getting 'cut' is also very simple. You need to be eating less calories than you burn."
Now the next thing I see coming is, ''Well, can't I do one week of excess calories and the next week low calories?". Sorry, brother. That won't 'cut' it either. For each goal, you need to stick with it for weeks/months in order to see results. You can't keep switching things up, confusing your body. You'll never get anywhere.
Now there IS a bit of an exception here. If you're just starting out, you can essentially do both. If you carefully monitor your diet year-round, you can easily add some muscle mass while staying lean, giving the appearance of being 'cut' while you're adding mass. This however only works with those people who are fairly lean as they start out. If you're overweight, you need to make a decision; cut the flab now and start a new base, or build mass on top of what you have now, and then cut later.
If you still have any questions after reading this, hit me up with a PM and I'll be glad to answer any and all questions, as long as they don't read, 'How do I gain muscles and get cut at the same time?"