"Lean and Hard" by Mackie Shilstone
JulesMT
Posts: 18 Member
I just wanted to thank Kiki for recommending this great read a few months back! I was reading it again yesterday for inspiration, and I feel good about my current bulk and (slight) weight gain. It is hard to watch the scale weight go up, but I am confident that I am building fat-burning muscle. Here is a little exerpt from the book:
"A high-intensity workout requires a high-performance nutritional program. You would not put the fuel you use in your Ford Taurus into the car you want to drive in the Indy 500. Likewise, if you want to become lean and hard, you cannot eat the way you always have or your body will lack sufficient energy to build your physique.
Many people make the mistake of decreasing their caloric intake at the same time they begin a *HIT program. They think that too much food made them fat in the first place, so eating less will melt the fat and the intense exercise will build more lean muscle.
The opposite is true. If you attempt to go on a calorically restrictive diet while exercising intensely, you will not build muscle but will instead break down muscle as your body searches for fuel reserves. If you want your body to remain in the anabolic state during and after your workout, you must ingest not only more calories each day than you normally do but the right kind of calories. This includes a greatly increased amount of lean protein, the right kind of carbohydrates at the right time, and the proper amount of unsaturated and monounsaturated fats."
*HIT - High Intensity Training. The Lean and Hard workout program consists of 6 weeks of weight training and speed/agility drills done 4 days/week. An extra cardio day may be added, but it is optional and not recommended if the primary goal is to build muscle mass.
The lowest calorie meal plan in the book is 2500 calories per day! (Shilstone shows calculations for a 40 year old 5'6" 125 pound woman needing this amount.)
It can be so tempting to slash calories and up the cardio, but I want to be a Ferrari and not a Ford Taurus, LOL! I am taking the expert advice and sticking to this bulk through the winter. Thanks Kiki!
Jules
"A high-intensity workout requires a high-performance nutritional program. You would not put the fuel you use in your Ford Taurus into the car you want to drive in the Indy 500. Likewise, if you want to become lean and hard, you cannot eat the way you always have or your body will lack sufficient energy to build your physique.
Many people make the mistake of decreasing their caloric intake at the same time they begin a *HIT program. They think that too much food made them fat in the first place, so eating less will melt the fat and the intense exercise will build more lean muscle.
The opposite is true. If you attempt to go on a calorically restrictive diet while exercising intensely, you will not build muscle but will instead break down muscle as your body searches for fuel reserves. If you want your body to remain in the anabolic state during and after your workout, you must ingest not only more calories each day than you normally do but the right kind of calories. This includes a greatly increased amount of lean protein, the right kind of carbohydrates at the right time, and the proper amount of unsaturated and monounsaturated fats."
*HIT - High Intensity Training. The Lean and Hard workout program consists of 6 weeks of weight training and speed/agility drills done 4 days/week. An extra cardio day may be added, but it is optional and not recommended if the primary goal is to build muscle mass.
The lowest calorie meal plan in the book is 2500 calories per day! (Shilstone shows calculations for a 40 year old 5'6" 125 pound woman needing this amount.)
It can be so tempting to slash calories and up the cardio, but I want to be a Ferrari and not a Ford Taurus, LOL! I am taking the expert advice and sticking to this bulk through the winter. Thanks Kiki!
Jules
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Replies
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I have this one, too (also recommended by Kiki). It is great to have so many sources reinforcing this group's message.0
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sounds interesting for sure! the question that keeps coming up for me in regards to the subject of our bodies breaking down muscle (while looking for reserves) is: if we have FAT (and enough of it -- like it's visable), wouldn't our bodies draw energy from that first - rather than muscle (and after using glycogen stores)?0
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sounds interesting for sure! the question that keeps coming up for me in regards to the subject of our bodies breaking down muscle (while looking for reserves) is: if we have FAT (and enough of it -- like it's visable), wouldn't our bodies draw energy from that first - rather than muscle (and after using glycogen stores)?
Not necessarily. Muscle is more "expensive" so when you put your body on a "budget" (less cals than it required for maintenance), the extras are typically the first to go. Muscle is one of those luxuries. Fat is a necessity, so our bodies tend to prefer *it* for storage..
~Kiki0
