If you’re committing to lifting, you likely want to see an improvement in your physique. You know that consistency is key to building muscle and increasing strength, but how can you make it easier to stay on track? The answer: habits. Small changes in your lifestyle can help you see results faster and stay motivated. Our team at HomeGrown Lifting has some accessible practices you can incorporate into your day to get the desired results.
Habit 1
Get enough sleep. You know how you feel when your coach turns into a pumpkin at a reasonable hour vs. when you stay up way too late. Even the most strict training can’t compensate for lack of sleep. When you’re asleep, protein synthesis occurs, and growth hormones are released, vital for building and maintaining lean muscle mass.
Habit 2
Drink your water. It’s crucial to stay hydrated while you’re lifting and throughout the rest of your day. Even mild dehydration affects your concentration and ability to focus, affecting your energy level. When adequately hydrated, your body can more efficiently metabolize fat for energy and shuttle the necessary nutrients into and out of your cells for performance. Drinking water also helps you to feel fuller, helping to cut cravings and keep you on track.
Habit 3
Plan your meals. You won't want to cook when you’re starving after a long training session. And the readily available options, including fast and processed food, are nutritionally lacking. Meal planning will ensure you stay on track with your calories and macros and is cheaper than eating out constantly. You also have complete control over the food, so you can be sure to get enough protein in those meals. Protein is critical for building and maintaining muscle, and its ingestion triggers muscle-protein synthesis, so this nutrient is crucial for your physical success.
Habit 4
Schedule your workouts and include strength training. Please take a few minutes each week to write your fitness goals and the activities you will do to achieve them. You also burn more calories at rest with higher amounts of lean muscle. Lifting weights is the most obvious way to strength train, and performing compound movements, such as squats or deadlifts, helps to activate more muscle fibers.
Habit 5
Make sure you’re moving most of the day. We’re not saying you shouldn’t sit to eat or put your feet up after a long day at work, but the more active you can be, the better for you. Ten thousand steps a day is a common goal many people set for improving their fitness, and this is a great thing to add. If 10,000 steps seem too many, track how many steps you usually take daily and increase that by a thousand or so. You can follow your steps using your watch, phone, FitBit, or a good old-fashioned pedometer.
You already know there’s no such thing as a “get ripped quick” fix. It takes commitment and consistency; adding these habits will help you maintain both. Avoid overwhelming yourself by adding one pattern at a time and introducing another whenever you feel comfortable.
Contact Us
Achieving your ideal physique requires the right equipment in addition to helpful habits. The founders of HomeGrown Lifting understand the need for the highest quality weightlifting products at reasonable prices. Contact us today to order your barbells and bumpers plates made right here in the USA. We’re happy to ship to the lower 48 states and look forward to supporting you on your fitness journey.