How Do We Really Build Muscle Weight Lifting?

The obvious answer of course is to lift heavy weights and be an animal in the gym. The more correct answer to build muscle weight lifting is to do the right workout routines for each of us individually and to give our bodies the proper nutrients to achieve this purpose.

It is not as easy as utilizing the powdered weight gainers that are available in health food stores and gyms, although they are a consideration and used properly can be of great benefit. It all starts with an understanding of how we supply our bodies with the nutrients, and subsequent energy that the nutrients produce, to optimize any workout routine that we choose to follow.

Let's start by understanding the primary energy source that we provide to our bodies. This is, of course, carbohydrates. The difference is that unlike the standard dietary recommendation that 60 percent of our daily intake of food should be carbohydrates, for serious weightlifters 40 to 50 percent is better. The carbohydrates should be good quality, preferably organic, fruits and vegetables in as close to their natural state as possible. This means raw or lightly steamed as the first choice. Starches, grains such as wheat, rice, and oats are also carbohydrates and as such play a role in nutrition. They should be more closely monitored as they break down more quickly in the body and whatever isn't used is stored.

The next and in many ways the most important consideration to build muscle weight lifting is protein. As body builders it is important to provide our bodies with 30 percent of our daily caloric intake from protein. Proteins can provide energy to the body if needed; the primary purpose of protein is to be broken down into the essential amino acids that our body uses for repair and growth. Without these amino acids, the best workout programs available would be for naught. Lean meats and fish are the best sources of protein with shakes of whey and vegetable proteins as goods ways to ensure an adequate intake of protein.

Last and certainly not least is a good daily intake of fats. Our body uses fats, in the form of essential fatty acids, to protect our brains and most of our nerves, and is in the membranes of every cell in our body. About 20 percent of our daily caloric intake should be from good quality fat sources such as extra virgin coconut oil, fish oils, extra virgin olive oil, seeds and nuts.