Weight Training

Weight training, unlike most people think, is not only useful for body builders and professional athletes to reach their exceptional strength and endurance, but it’s also a good way to achieve and maintain a healthy, good looking body for almost everyone. 

I heard a lot of people say that they avoid regular or demanding weight training because they don’t want to get too big, or don’t want to gain too much muscle, which is basically impossible wihout excessive training or the use of steroids. People don’t just get "too big” one morning after a hard exercise, it takes those people years of dedication, countless hours spent in the gym, and a strict, high calorie diet to reach that size, so it’s safe to say that these kinds of accidents won’t happen to anyone. 

As a rule of thumb if you eat below your daily calorie needs, you can lift as much as you want you will not gain any significant amount of muscle, it is more likely that you will lose some. Due to the way or body works it’s impossible to lose weight and gain muscle at the same time. Nevertheless lifting on a calorie deficit is still very beneficial, because it helps you to keep your existing muscle mass, so you only lose fat instead of muscle. 

If you are on a calorie deficit and skip weight training entirely there is a good chance that you will lose a significant amount of muscle mass, which will leave its mark on your body. A lot of people in their appropriate weight range still look overweight because they lack a healthy amount of muscle mass for their body. If you are planning on losing a lot of weight it’s almost mandatory to do regular weight training exercises if you are concerned about your body’s shape and looks. Gaining muscle is hard for most people, but losing it is extremely easy for everyone, so it pays off to plan in advance.

Generally if you want to gain muscle mass you will have to eat above your maintained needs. The calorie surplus needed for gaining mucle mass varies for individuals, as a general advice you should start with around +500 calories or +20% above your maintance and tune it from there for your needs. By monitoring your progress and paying attention to your body you will have a better picture about your calorie needs for your exercise routine. 

Another thing you dont want to miss is your daily protein intake, without the appropriate protein amount it is impossible to gain any significant muscle mass. At a minimum you should eat at least the same amount of protein (in grams) as your body weights (in pounds). Easy sources for protein are milk, eggs, fish and meat, count your approximate daily intake and if it’s lower than the desired amount try to eat more of these foods or eat them more regularly.

If you made up your mind and want to start weight training you should either consult a personal trainer at your gym, or choose a premade plan for beginners like Starting Strength or Strong lifts.