Can You Build Muscle and Lose Body Fat Simultaneously?

Some veteran muscle-builders claim that you cannot build muscle and drop body fat at the same time, while others will say that it's just really hard to do.

I belong to that second camp. If you want to bulk up quickly, it's VERY difficult to lose body fat at the same time.

However, if you're in the slow-growth mode, you certainly can build muscle and lose fat simultaneously.

When trying to bulk up, the common suggestion is to go on a "see food" diet - if you see food, eat it. And if you don't see food, go find some!

This is all well and good, but many weight trainers, desperate to build a muscular body, go overboard and forget that once you gain fat cells, you CANNOT lose them; in fact, you can only make them smaller (short of liposuction, of course).

The rule of thumb I live by is to watch your abs. If you begin to lose definition in your 6-pack, then cut back on the food stuffing for a few days and up the cardio workouts. No one every hurt themselves by adding 15-20 minutes of cardio.

Of course, if you're in a growth phase, you'll want to refrain from any cardio work. But growth phases really should last only 3-6 weeks, then followed by a maintenance, or "cutting up" phase (also of short duration).

If you don't have the luxury of a 6-pack that you can watch, you can still watch your waistline and see if you stop progressing in that department. If you have, simply add in some cardio and cut the calories for a few days.

You can also use a tape measure to gauge your progress. If your waistline is getting smaller, you can rest assured that you are losing body fat, especially if you're a guy. Gals tend to lose the body fat in different areas first.

So, to sum it all up: It is possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. It's just really difficult.

If you want to see how a professional bodybuilder does it, check out Tom Venuto's Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle.

The Hard Gainer's Manifesto is Live

I just want to drop you a quick post to tell you that my latest ebook (really, it's a very small report), The Hardgainer Manifesto, is ready. Take a look at it over here. It's 36 pages, packed full of muscle-building tips and tricks, exercise routines, meal plans, relaxation techniques, all especially for the so-called "hardgainer."

Until Monday, it will $15, cheaper than a really cheap date. After that, the price increases to $20. Still a bargain, especially if it resolves your weight-gaining issues.

Hardgainer's Blog Carnival Announcement

I've started a Hardgainers Blog Carnival. Come check it out -- and submit your hardgainer stories, articles, and inspiring posts!

You can always read more about training, diet, and other topics related to hardgainers at the Hardgainer's Manifesto.

Do You Have Manboobs?

Let's face it, boobs are cool. But not on men. Manboobs, as they're called, are prevalent in over-30 males because of lifestyle, poor diet, and hormone changes. But don't despair: All of these things can be overcome.

Here's a few things you can do:

1. Exercise. Drop the body fat.
2. Take some supplements. ZMA is really popular and can boost your testosterone levels.
3. Stop, or at least reduce, your alcohol intake. Alcohol consumption can really sap your hormone levels.
4. SEX. Have more of it. I knew you would like hearing that. Now, to find a willing partner! That's a topic for another day, maybe another web site!

If you want to learn more about how to rebalance your hormone levels, check out Dr. Lucille’s NaturaPause Audios. And, of course, you can learn more about losing fat and adding muscle over at Muscle-Build and The Blog.

How To Bulk Up Quickly

Hi guys, I wrote an article over at Articlesbase about how to gain weight rapidly. It gives a program about how to incorporate a little-used, yet HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, exercise called Breathing Squats into your bulking up program.

The idea is simple -- you want to include the King of all Exercises, the Squat, in your muscle-building workouts. This one offers a twist.

Hardgainer Transformation: Stick to a Bodybuilding Routine for at Least 3 Months

There's a great post over at Hardgainer Transformation about information overload. A lot of us, myself included, move from one bodybuilding "system" to another to another to another.

The key is to stick with a plan at least 3 months, as Brian, the author of the post, advises.

He also gives some really great general advice for packing on some muscle. Heed his advice! It's very good (and easy to implement).

How To Build Muscle QUICK!!!

One of my articles just got published over at EzineArticles, called How To Build Muscle Quick. It gives a quick guide on the training and eating program you need to follow to gain muscle size in a short amount of time.

A Must-Read!!!

For more Muscle-Building tips, head on over to Muscle-Build.com and my Muscle-Building Blog.