Building a Muscle is like Building a House
Q and A with Trainer Chris Powell
Lisa in Mesa needs help losing those last few pounds.
“Hi Chris,
I read your article on At-home workouts and I have a few quick questions. I am 5'6 and I weigh 120. I know that this weight is ok for me but I am not happy with myself. I use to weigh 110-115 and really felt good about myself. I would like to get back down to at least 112 but I can't seem to lose those last few pounds. I workout 5-6 days per week doing lunges, squats etc and I drink protein shakes as well but no luck. I have a lower back problem so it makes working out VERY challenging for me. I don't do a lot of cardio which I know I should be doing but it bothers my back as well. I'm getting very frustrated with myself so I was hoping you could give me some pointers. Thank you for any helpful tips.”
Hey there Lisa!
I get a whole bunch of questions from folks who are looking to lose those last 10-15 pounds…they really can be the most difficult! I’ll agree that you are on the right track with the lunges and squats. They really are the BEST exercises for burning fuel and stimulating the glute, quad, and hamstring muscles for development. But 5-6 days is pretty hardcore. Believe it or not, you may be overtraining!
When we do squats and lunges, we are actually breaking down our muscles. The muscles then need a good 48-72 hours of food and sleep to grow and develop. Once the muscle is a little larger, you will have much more shape to your butt and thighs, and most importantly…a bigger muscle burns more calories!
Think about it like a bunch of workers trying to build a two story house in 48 hours. They complete the first two floors, then you come through with a wrecking ball and tear down the top floor. Give them 48 more hours and they’ll build two more floors (a three story house).
Unfortunately, many of us are so hardcore that we come through every 24 hours and level the house to the ground again. We never get past the ground floor! What we want is to develop a nice big house that requires a lot of energy to run. The larger the house, the more energy it needs!
Instead of lunging and squatting every day, let’s find a kind of cardio that you enjoy doing. It is important that you do low-impact exercises to avoid any unnecessary strain on your back. Do you have access to a swimming pool? Is there a local pool close by? What about a gym membership? If you have one, all commercial gyms now have recumbent cycles, which are perfect for people with lower back and knee injuries. The key is to find something that you enjoy, because if it isn’t fun, after a while you just won’t want to do it!
It sounds like you're on a good path with the protein shakes. But remember, with high activity levels you need to eat more carbohydrates… especially after your workouts. Many of us are still on the "carbs are bad" craze. Protein shakes are a great way to supplement your diet, but there is still no substitution for good, whole food. Check out some of the nutrition tips I have listed in the Triaxiom Pyramid and see where you fit in. I personally use protein shakes to supplement 3 of my 7 meals every day. But I'm always sure to fit in whole lean protein sources from lean meats and eggs – it is the way our bodies are supposed to eat.
Keep up the good work!
~ Chris
Don’t forget, you can get in shape in the cool comfort of home with Chris' Home workout
Learn more about Chris
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