Get a flat lean stomach by Building as much Muscle as you possibly can

Here’s why you should build muscle to lose weight

I find it funny how some people say “I want to build some muscle but I don’t want to get too big.”  I just shake my head. Sometimes I just want to go into a rant about how difficult it is to build muscle in the first place. I’m tempted to say, “As if you could.” Building muscle is not easy. It’s much harder to gain muscle than it is to lose body fat.

Then I get the question/statement “but I just want to be toned.” What do you think toned means? It’s still a common belief that if you lift weights you can somehow “mold your fat” into tight and firm muscles. YOU CAN’T DO THAT.

Okay, now back to what I was going to talk about.

Build as much muscle as you possibly can. You want to do this so that your body processes calories better. The more lean muscle tissue you have the better your body will become at processing sugar. Most of us eat starchy carbs, like bread, rice ,pasta and tortillas. Most of us know that if we reduce the consumption of these things we will get leaner and lose body fat. In fact, fat loss results are even faster if you were to completely eliminate them. Of course, this is impossible for most people, so lets be realistic.There are some programs out there that work that are non-paleo, and are generally higher in carbs it just depends on what works for you in the long term.

If you like all your breads and pastas as well you’re sweets, you need muscle to process this “stuff” more effectively. Essentially, if you have a decent amount of muscle tissue, your body will burn most of it. But let’s say you’re not as active as you’d like to be, and you find yourself eating more carbs and sweets more often than you’d like. If you’ve worked hard to build muscle, your body will be a less likely to store this “stuff” as body fat. Your hard earned muscle will burn up the carbs as fuel.

That’s why I’ve pretty much stopped doing excess much cardio because more cardio leads to more cardio to stay lean. If you build muscle, you stay lean without trying so hard. If you already like to lift weights and do so regularly, you’re in the clear. If you love taking cardio classes and running miles on end on the treadmill you should trade some of that time to lift some heavy weights.

What if all I want is a flat stomach? Doesn’t everybody? You don’t need to do a single crunch or sit up to get a six pack. Most people’s goal is to stay lean and be stronger. Some want to be be leaner than others, some want to be stronger than others. Having additional muscle on your body allows for you to build a six pack. It allows for you to flatten and get definition in your midsection. Doing Lunges, Squats and Bench press allows for your body to burn belly fat. It allows for a trim lean stomach. It’s not a secret. There is no such thing as spot reduction. You can’t make fat leave your midsection by doing some secret exercise or workout.

There are some theories and books out there on how to get rid of stubborn fat, but none of the science has been verified. Besides, the only reason you should be considering trying to get rid of stubborn fat (like that “last little bit” around the waist for guys and hips for gals) is if you’re already lean. Being lean already means being 11-13% for males and 17-19% for females, otherwise you’re wasting your time looking for these advanced methods for weight loss.

In summary, lift heavy weights so you can get and stay lean. If you don’t already, you should start right away. If do lift heavy weights already, keep it up. If you already like to lift heavy I got some good ideas to help you change things up so you get stronger and build muscle much more quickly. View my other blog post post on DeLorme Method Inspired Six week Hypertrophy cycle.