By Take the expert’s advice when it comes to top performance
Someone that is a performance expert and maintains an athletic physique — is a successful athlete. Athletes go above and beyond a regular person — when it comes to effort, commitment and staying power. That’s why they receive such remarkable results. It’s a byproduct of all that dedicated hard work. One thing we must realise about athletes is that they aren’t always Olympic champions or have massive contracts with some of the most reputable brands. Athletes might be just like you or me— on a mission to compete in an event or prove to themselves that they can achieve a goal despite age limitations. If you look on social media channels, hundreds of thousands of people add tips and tricks regarding their physique. So, use these people as your first point of inspiration because they are people who decide to change their lives every day. And the area the real athletic everyday heroes. Here are some strategies for adding muscle mass and keeping yourself looking lean enough to show off those muscular curves (which look amazing when you are leaner!)
Five athlete tips to stay lean while putting on the most muscle mass
One: Always eat protein to fuel your workouts
Keep your energy levels stable during the day, and curb your appetite. Remember that protein will always be the best macronutrient for increasing muscular gains but don’t forget about fruits and vegetables. They, too, are essential for athletic performance and overall health.
Two: Opt for weight training over long duration cardio
If your main focus is to build muscle mass, then focus on that only. When you are happy with your shape, you can think about decreasing your fat stores — but only if you need to. Don’t sacrifice hard-earned muscle mass to lose little body fat. Control your diet, and you will have control of your fat storage.
Three: Time your carbs
Consume more during your weight training days and less when having a rest day. This is an excellent alternative to going without carbs because we need to eat them for optimal function and replace glycogen when we train.
Four: Keep improving your insulin sensitivity as much as possible
Try fasting every so often, use apple cider vinegar in your salads, drink green tea and snack on nuts. These are some specific things you can do every day to improve insulin sensitivity. When you have a higher carb meal, sprinkle cinnamon on top. For example, I use spices when eating oats or on my sweet potato. It tastes divine! Don’t forget that weight training improves insulin sensitivity, so keep lifting those weights!
Five: Don’t be afraid of eating fats
We all need to eat fat to improve our insulin sensitivity. Our body uses outside lipid (fat) to protect cells. The lipid layer functions best when it is flexible and strong, improving the sensitivity of the cells to insulin. Here are two great articles about how beneficial olive oil and avocado are. Ladies — Eating This One Thing Can Change Your Abdominals and HealthI didn’t realise just how powerful one humble little thing can give us women such great resultsmedium.comOlive oil is essential and can add years to your life. Higher Intake of This One Oil Could Lower Your Risk of MortalityThis ingredient is a staple in my diet — and it should be in yours too!medium.com
Key take away
Working towards having your ideal body shape isn’t that far out of your reach. It takes commitment to do the work necessary to walk the path towards your dreams. The primary key I’d like you to focus on is food. Food is the be-all and end-all of your weight loss goals. What you eat indicates how healthy you are and the quality of your life now and in the future. Take charge of your nutrition and watch how much your life will change.
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