The foundation of any successful fitness regimen is built on healthy habits. Whether your goal is to run your first marathon, set a deadlift personal record, or commit to a daily walking routine, the key is to stick to regular habits that will push you on the road to more healthy, more suitable. However, when it comes to reaching your health and fitness goals, knowing what not to do is often just as important as knowing the right things to do. Build and maintain muscle mass is no exception to this universal rule. To help you develop and maintain your lean muscle, we’re sharing five bad fitness habits that cause you to lose muscle mass that you can avoid at all costs.
You can spend countless hours in the gym and train with the intensity of the Tazmanian devil, but if you have bad fitness habits, you are shooting yourself in the proverbial foot and are unlikely to reach your fitness goals. Fortunately, by making minor tweaks to your nutrition, your workout routine, and your daily behaviors, you’ll avoid the pain of bad habits and drastically. improve your ability to grow muscles. Certified personal trainer Kate Meier, CPT of Gym Garage Reviews share the lowdown on what bad fitness habits you should avoid like the plague. Read on to find out what they are, then check it out The 5 best diet and exercise tips to regain muscle mass.
A safe way to lose muscle mass not enough energy (calories) is consumed. Food is fuel for your muscles, and not eating enough calories means that your body will run on an empty tank.
“Significantly cutting calories combined with intensive cardio will lead to muscle loss over time,” says Meier. “Speak with a nutritionist or use an online calorie calculator to help you determine how many calories your body needs to support daily functions and your training regimen.”
“Constant training is a key aspect of muscle building, but overtraining can have the exact opposite effect,” advises Meier. Unless you’re an endurance athlete who runs marathons or competes in triathlons, working out too much can lead to overtraining syndrome (OTS), a condition that occurs when you don’t allow proper recovery after consistent and vigorous training sessions. , according to him Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS). In addition, reduced muscle glycogen levels and muscle weakness are associated with overtraining, research shows. Common symptoms of OTS include extended fatigue, poor sleep quality, low energy, persistent muscle pain and mood swings, according to the HSS.
Sleep is probably the most powerful (but most underrated) aspect of any health or fitness goal. Practicing good sleep hygiene and making high-quality, restorative sleep a top priority will help you maintain and grow muscle. Research shows that not getting good quality sleep, or not sleeping enough, can increase your risk of losing muscle mass.
“Your muscles repair and grow while you sleep, and sleep regulates virtually every function of the body,” says Meier. “Aim to get a solid eight hours of shuteye every night. This will help prevent long-term fatigue and help with muscle growth if you work out consistently.”
Your body is made up about 20% protein; it is found in all your cells. Therefore, getting enough protein is critical for not only good health, but also for building and maintaining muscle mass.
“Regardless of your nutritional strategy, make sure you’re getting enough protein in your diet,” says Meier. “Muscle is fueled by protein, so proper recovery and muscle growth depends on it.”
While the internally recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for the amount of protein you should consume is 0.8 grams per kilogram of your body weightYou need to consume more if your goal is to optimize muscle growth and recover faster from training. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) It is recommended to consume between 1.2 and 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for the best results. Just make sure you are strength training and getting your protein from whole food sources and high quality protein powders.
While regular cardio exercise is great for overall health, going overboard can cause muscle loss. U Physical activity guidelines for Americans we recommend that healthy adults get a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. However, always going above and beyond this limit – combined with not eating enough calories or doing strength training – is a bad habit for anyone who wants to maintain or recover muscle mass.
“Making sure your body is properly fueled before cardio workouts is crucial, because as much as it helps you burn more calories and fat, it will also burn muscle once other energy sources are exhausted,” says Meier. “The bottom line is that you have to find a good balance between cardio and strength training if your goal is muscle growth.”
Adam Meyer
Adam is a health writer, certified holistic nutritionist, and 100% plant-based athlete. Read more about Adam