Is there such a thing as bulking up?
by Amy Neal, GOB Owner and Body Builder
So let's talk about "bulking up". Here is an example of a scenario played out in gyms across the country everyday. Two women have been working out for months, even years, and talking about why their bodies are the exact same shape as when they started. “I’ve been going to the gym forever, and I have not lost a pound!” Then somewhere along the way, the topic of bulking comes up. “If I just look at a weight, I put on muscle!” or “ The last time I worked with a trainer, within 2 months I put on so much muscle, all my pants were tight.”
What about the much feared bulking up? Is there such a thing? Yes, but it’s NOT from putting on too much muscles. Nor is it because your shoulders or your legs responded quickly to the “heavy” weight. (What would all those skinny men, with skinny legs, that lift and lift and still do not put on weight say about these claims?)
The fact is, bulking up does not happen to women unless there is no effort applied to fat burning. The idea is to lift heavy and get out of your comfort zone so that your body responds by breaking down the muscle and building you back up stronger and leaner. What people refer to as bulking up is describing the larger appearance that exists when the same amount of fat remains of top of the newly developed muscle. The ideal scenario is to burn fat, build muscle, lose inches and have sculpted muscle. This results in an overall smaller body. The concept is hard for women to grasp but the only way to get the fat off is to lift weights that challenge the muscles to grow and increase the body’s amount of lean body mass. Remember, a pound of muscle burns 50 + calories at rest every day; a pound of fat burns only 2-5 calories per day. This shows that the more lean muscle a person has, the more calories are burned at rest, even during sleep. In edition, the more lean muscle mass you have the more calories you will burn off during workouts.
So, if you find yourself having this conversation with your workout partner, stop! We can’t argue with the science. Continue to work hard, lift heavy weights, and you will jump start your metabolism. Beware of other factors that may be causing you to hold on to bodyfat, such as eating processed foods, going hours without food, or not eating enough protein and paradoxically, doing too much cardio/aerobic activity.
Comments