![\"Two](\"https:\/\/serprofas.com\/tcfse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/New_Years_Resolution-300x200.jpeg\")
<\/a>New Year…New Muscle Gains! (Photo: Pixabay)<\/p><\/div>\n
Not very good. Unless you\u2019re Chris Hemsworth, dedicating every hour of every day to nutrition and fitness to look like Thor, you shouldn\u2019t expect to make such a significant gain. Studies show it\u2019s just not likely.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t Try This at Home<\/strong><\/h3>\nLet\u2019s take a look one study<\/a><\/span><\/strong> that put men who had never lifted weights to the test. Over the course of a month, they cut their calorie intake to just 60 percent of daily requirements, took high doses of protein supplements, and performed circuit training, sprint intervals, high intensity interval training (HIIT), and plyometric workouts. The result? Participants gained roughly 1.2 kg, or 2.6 pounds, of muscle mass. Even with all that hard work, and having the potential to make gains quicker as a novice weightlifter on their side, only 2 pounds were packed on. And because of the severity of the regimen, nobody sustained their transformation.<\/p>\nWhat about female weightlifters? Keeping in mind that they typically gain about half the amount of muscle mass as their male counterparts, another group of researchers<\/a><\/span><\/strong> found that novices gained about 0.5 kg, or 1.1 pounds, in their first month of training.<\/p>\nFor seasoned lifters and athletes who have a rigorous training plan, muscle-gain expectations actually diminish and tend to correlate with time spent training.\u00a0You may be able to push through plateaus and make more gains by changing your training plan and diet, but it\u2019s rare for anyone\u2014newbie or veteran, man or woman\u2014to see more than 2 pounds in a month.<\/p>\n
So, How Can You Accomplish Your New Year\u2019s Resolution?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\nFirst off, be realistic. Our friend, Chris Hemsworth, was able to gain 20 pounds of muscle mass over a few months because he worked one-on-one with a Navy Seal, spent half of every day in the gym, and ate high-protein meals every two hours. Most of us can\u2019t make that kind of commitment with our 9 to 5 jobs and day-to-day demands. So, what can you do to make noticeable gains?<\/p>\n
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Increase protein intake\u2026but don\u2019t forget carbs and fats.<\/strong><\/h4>\n![\"Egg](\"https:\/\/serprofas.com\/tcfse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/protein_fat_carbs-200x300.jpg\")
<\/a>(Photo: Alison Marras via Unsplash)<\/p><\/div>\n
Protein contains the 20 amino acids essential for muscle growth, but it can\u2019t do the job alone. A diet balanced in protein, carbohydrates, and fat is the most effective way to get results.<\/li>\n
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Do the right kind of exercise.
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\nYou may run five miles per day and do curls until your biceps scream, but are you seeing visible changes in your muscles? Probably not. Incorporate resistance training in your fitness regimen, and you\u2019ll see a big difference. The stress of resistance exercises, like planks and push-ups, actually injures the muscles, causing satellite cells to come to the rescue to repair and grow the muscle.<\/li>\n
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Remember to rest.<\/strong><\/h4>\nAvoid over-exercising, which can cause your hormones to go haywire. Testosterone, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and growth hormone (GH), are necessary to let the muscle know that it\u2019s time to repair and grow. And since GH is released mostly during sleep, you\u2019ll want to catch your Zs if you want it to do its job.<\/li>\n
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Track your progress.
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\nAs we discussed in our previous blog post<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, tracking your body composition is essential to making real changes. Cutting-edge technology like the Fit3D Proscanner<\/a><\/span><\/strong> and InBody can provide incredible insight into your progress. If you\u2019ve yet to take advantage of these extraordinary devices, schedule a scan at Twin Cities Metabolism and get your first scan free.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
What about female weightlifters? Keeping in mind that they typically gain about half the amount of muscle mass as their male counterparts, another group of researchers<\/a><\/span><\/strong> found that novices gained about 0.5 kg, or 1.1 pounds, in their first month of training.<\/p>\n For seasoned lifters and athletes who have a rigorous training plan, muscle-gain expectations actually diminish and tend to correlate with time spent training.\u00a0You may be able to push through plateaus and make more gains by changing your training plan and diet, but it\u2019s rare for anyone\u2014newbie or veteran, man or woman\u2014to see more than 2 pounds in a month.<\/p>\n First off, be realistic. Our friend, Chris Hemsworth, was able to gain 20 pounds of muscle mass over a few months because he worked one-on-one with a Navy Seal, spent half of every day in the gym, and ate high-protein meals every two hours. Most of us can\u2019t make that kind of commitment with our 9 to 5 jobs and day-to-day demands. So, what can you do to make noticeable gains?<\/p>\n (Photo: Alison Marras via Unsplash)<\/p><\/div>\n Protein contains the 20 amino acids essential for muscle growth, but it can\u2019t do the job alone. A diet balanced in protein, carbohydrates, and fat is the most effective way to get results.<\/li>\n You may run five miles per day and do curls until your biceps scream, but are you seeing visible changes in your muscles? Probably not. Incorporate resistance training in your fitness regimen, and you\u2019ll see a big difference. The stress of resistance exercises, like planks and push-ups, actually injures the muscles, causing satellite cells to come to the rescue to repair and grow the muscle.<\/li>\n Avoid over-exercising, which can cause your hormones to go haywire. Testosterone, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and growth hormone (GH), are necessary to let the muscle know that it\u2019s time to repair and grow. And since GH is released mostly during sleep, you\u2019ll want to catch your Zs if you want it to do its job.<\/li>\n As we discussed in our previous blog post<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, tracking your body composition is essential to making real changes. Cutting-edge technology like the Fit3D Proscanner<\/a><\/span><\/strong> and InBody can provide incredible insight into your progress. If you\u2019ve yet to take advantage of these extraordinary devices, schedule a scan at Twin Cities Metabolism and get your first scan free.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nSo, How Can You Accomplish Your New Year\u2019s Resolution?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
Increase protein intake\u2026but don\u2019t forget carbs and fats.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/a>Do the right kind of exercise.
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\nRemember to rest.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Track your progress.
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n