Photo Courtesy: jcoterhals

Not everyone’s main fitness goal is to trim down. For many people, getting bigger is their ultimate goal. People wondering how to bulk up often have a high metabolism, something those of us who struggle with weight can only wish for. People with a high muscle mass and low body fat often blast through calories at an amazing rate. When your metabolism is higher, putting on weight and even maintaining the weight you have can be difficult. These people often end up having to take in calories that would mean diet failure for the rest of us. It just goes to show how drastically different each person’s physiological makeup is.

Weight maintenance is often said to be as simple as calories in/ calories out. Sometimes it is this simple. In most cases, however, it is far more complicated. When curious how to bulk up, you want to ensure you are not just gaining weight but that you are gaining the right kind of weight. Fat, though sometimes easier to gain, is not the right kind.

The key to building muscle is proper nutrition and weight training. In order to put on pounds of mass you will need to work hard, whether at the gym or at home with a muscle building workout like P90X.

Something to keep in mind, however, is that as you put on muscle, your metabolism will climb even higher. This happens because muscle requires more fuel to survive than fat does. It is a common problem among naturally slim people who want to know how to bulk up. So, as you build the muscle you must also increase the amount you are feeding them.

While things like pizza and fried foods are high in calories, muscles don’t just need calories. Protein plays a huge role in bulking up. Our muscles rely on protein for building and repairing. When you are having to dramatically increase your calories to maintain the weight you have, let alone adding weight, things like high quality whey protein shakes and protein bars can be a huge asset.

Simply put: when wondering how to bulk up, increase weight training and the consumption of healthy muscle fuel. High quality protein, along with other healthy foods will feed the muscles you are building in a way that other calories can’t.

If you want to be more flexible, you may seek out different types of exercise than someone who wants to increase strength. There are appropriate fitness regimens for a variety of exercise goals. However, for the absolute best in overall fitness, you need several types of exercise. No single fitness approach can give you the well rounded benefits of a varied exercise program. By combining several types of exercise you ensure your fitness level is constantly challenged and elevated.

There was a time when cardio was all the rage. For weight loss and general health, everyone was doing cardio. All the time. Women steered clear of weight training for fear of bulking up and men stuck with the weights simply because cardio options were mostly dance aerobics. The days of fitness tunnel vision have now passed, however.

We know now that the best way to maintain a killer physique and ultimate health is through a combination of different types of exercise.

Cardio is great to keep the heart and lungs healthy. It also has a fast acting calorie burning effect. While you are working out, you are burning serious calories with cardio. Cardio alone, however, isn’t enough.

In order to really sculpt the body of your dreams you need to have some strength training. Not only does strength training build muscle, it protects joints and even prevents osteoporosis. Lastly, building muscles provides a different kind of calorie burn. Because muscle burns more calories than fat, as you put on muscle your metabolism increases, allowing you to burn calories even when at rest.

Lastly, you need to ass some flexibility training. Whether you do simple stretching or a weekly Yoga workout, maintaining flexibility is a great way to prevent injury and to keep aches and pains at bay.

Overall fitness demands you add several different types of exercise to your fitness regimen. When paired with a healthy diet, a highly varies fitness routine can drastically transform your body. For great workouts that include a variety of approaches, check out the P90X system.

Maybe you are like the few Americans who are pleased with what they see on the scale. We all know that 200 lbs on one person doesn’t always look the same on someone else. We’ve also been told that muscle weighs more than fat. So even if you are okay what the scale says, you may not be pleased with what that weight consists of.
 
The phrase “muscle weighs more than fat” is tossed around all the time. This phrase and what it means is often misused and misunderstood. One pound of fat and one pound of muscle weigh the same: one pound. However, muscle is more dense than fat. This means that 5 pounds of muscle on your body will look leaner and healthier than 5 pounds of fat. So, a muscular 200 pounds looks very different from a flabby 200 pounds.
 
Changing your body composition (what your body is made of) can mean the difference in fitting into those college jeans you have been holding onto. Even if you weigh what you did when you were 18, chances are it looks very different. Firming up and gaining muscle mass while losing fat can be just as challenging as losing weight in general, requiring dedication to a regular fitness plan.

Fat does not turn into muscle. When you change the composition of your body you are actually losing the fat and adding muscle, not magically morphing one into the other. So while it will not require a drastic cut in calories like typical weight loss, it will require hard work and a conscious effort.

Building muscle requires using muscles and gradually and consistently increasing resistance and weight. Because muscle burns more calories than fat, as you increase your muscle mass, your body will naturally burn more fat, furthering your transition from soft to hard body.

Finding an exercise routine that challenges your muscles sufficiently and makes this transition possible is not as difficult as it might seem. You don’t necessarily have to spend countless hours in the gym. With programs like P90X you can get the muscular body you’ve always wanted in your own home and on your own time.

Through the power of muscle confusion and sheer enthusiasm, trainer Tony Horton guides you through a body transforming process that will have your muscles working and potentially growing like never before. By alternating moves and exercises, you’re continually challenged and easily push through any plateaus.

The next time you step on the scale and a smug grin comes across your face; consider whether or not you had to peer over your tummy to see the number. Although your weight is acceptable, you may want to consider changing what that weight is made of. With P90X and the original Power 90, you can achieve a hard-body transformation that your friends will envy.