Muscle catabolism is one of the topics of greatest concern in the world of fitness, bodybuilding and sports, but beyond just being a problem that affects physical appearance, it can also be the cause of health problems and profound damage in the muscular system. This article will show you two basic principles to avoid muscle catabolism.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Request advice according to individual needs
Step 1. Consult with your general practitioner
Before starting any sports or training routine, it is important to request a consultation with your general practitioner to check that your body is in optimal condition.
- Starting with an exercise or training program not only depends on wanting to do it, the state of health of the body must also be taken into account; If you have a medical condition, heart disease, have joint problems, if you are pregnant or have diabetes, you should pay extra attention to your body.
- The suffering of some disease in your organism can be a little limiting to carry out some physical training activities; however, consulting with your doctor will help you identify which are the most recommended options for you to exercise.
Step 2. Seek the advice of a personal trainer
Your body may be in optimal health, but physical activity needs vary from person to person, don't try to follow an exercise routine just because it worked for someone else.
- Aspects such as your weight, your height, your age, your health, your gender and even the climatic characteristics of the place where you live can influence the good results of a physical training.
- The amount of time and intensity of your training routine must be defined according to many factors, a too intense routine can generate muscle injuries or you can begin to develop a process of muscle catabolism.
Step 3. Obey the break times
It is common that when starting a new exercise routine you want to obtain quick results in a short time, but you should know that good and lasting results require a process where persistence, patience and discipline are combined.
- It does not matter if you feel great and nothing hurts after doing your training routine, if your personal trainer gives you instruction regarding rest time, follow it to the letter, because that way your body and your muscles do not feel bad. they need to recover from the impact that exercise generates at the muscular level.
- Forcing your body to exercise extra time to obtain quick results will only be counterproductive, generating the development of a muscle catabolism process and may even present contrary results to those expected; such as loss of muscle mass.
Part 2 of 2: Nourishing the Body Properly
Step 1. Go on a diet
For a training routine to work well, you must complement it with a balanced and healthy nutrition that meets all the needs of your body but just as to start an exercise routine you need medical advice, to start a diet you will also need it.
- Ask your general practitioner to refer you to a nutritionist, who will advise you on the foods you should consume, the amount and frequency according to your training routine and characteristics such as weight, height and age.
- The nutritionist will also consider your medical history and conditions to create an ideal personalized meal plan.
- It is possible that when you hear the word diet the first thought that comes to your head is a major food restriction to lose weight, but in reality this is not the case; It is possible that the foods that are included in your diet can help you gain a healthy weight, feeding your muscles and reducing localized fat levels.
Step 2. Get enough fluids
It is well known that during training sessions a large amount of fluid and minerals are lost in the body, that is why it is of great importance that you learn to hydrate yourself properly.
- You must hydrate before, during and after training. Normally a person loses about half a liter of water without doing any training activity, which indicates that when exercising you will lose a large percentage of water and mineral salts.
- Water is par excellence one of the best liquids to hydrate yourself; However, there are complementary drinks on the market that will help you recover mineral salts lost during physical activity.
- Proper hydration of your body will help you increase your levels of physical performance in your training routine.
Step 3. Avoid replicating the routine of someone who uses steroids
Starting with the consumption of steroids can become a bad alternative for your health, in the same way a training routine designed as a supplement with steroids will only work with the consumption of these.
- The consequences of steroid use to improve performance, gain muscle mass and avoid muscle catabolism can be irreparable and even fatal, causing heart failure and cancer among other medical conditions.
- On the other hand, replicating a training routine that is accompanied by the intake of steroids will only cause a process of muscle catabolism to occur, since these routines do not specify a sufficient time for rest and muscle repair and these routines promote the low protein intake in the diet.
Step 4. Nourish your body before going to bed
The longest period of time in which your body does not receive nutrients is when you sleep at night, even in this period of time you can help your muscles to receive the necessary elements for their repair and avoid muscle catabolism.
- It is important that a couple of hours before going to bed, you eat a food rich in protein; however, manage the size of your meals in moderate portions.
- Eating several times a day in moderate portions and in a healthy way will help you lose weight, contrary to the restriction of foods that will only affect your health and on multiple occasions will not lead to the expected result.
Advice
- Increase your fluid intake during your workout if you are exercising in hot weather, no matter if it is dry or humid.
- Avoid the use of diuretics that will only make you lose fluids but not fat tissue weight.
- You can supplement your diet with a vitamin supplement, there are many that you can get on the market without a prescription and totally reliable.
- Be careful with the intake of energy drinks, these can sometimes help you increase your physical performance when you are tired, but it is not advisable to abuse the frequency and quantity of their consumption.
Warnings
- No personal trainer, unless he is also a doctor, can prescribe drugs to increase your physical performance.
- Be careful with the use of protein supplements and first consult your doctor before choosing to consume any.
- Remember that steroids can be an easy way out to maintain muscle mass, however they can be life-threatening.