Men's Fitness Facts 11 -20

Continuing our series on Men’s Fitness Facts, today’s instalment are facts 11 to 21.  I’m sure you will find something in here to challenge what you have always held to be the absolute gospel when it comes to weight training, weight loss and nutrition.

1. A 3-day full body split is great for beginners trying to add mass, but as you become more advanced a 4-day upper/lower split is even better.  An upper/lower split is a great way to train the entire body twice in a week, giving us the required 72 hours of recovery time that each muscle needs to benefit from what we’re doing in the gym.
2. Osteoporosis, or loss of bone density, is usually thought of as a women’s disease but is now also recognized as a man’s problem.  If left untreated, this can lead to broken bones and permanent disability or death.
3. Saturated fat is not that bad for us.  Saturated fat has been seen as the enemy for years now, but despite a marked reduction in the consumption of saturated fats, the average size of our bellies is increasing. Studies are continually coming out showing that a diet high in saturated and monounsaturated fats, but low in high glycaemic carbohydrates results in less body fat and a higher ability to maintain muscle.  The enemy? High glycaemic carbohydrates and trans fats, which are always a bad choice.
4. Women don’t want a Hulk, the want a Spiderman.  Studies show that a behemoth bodybuilder isn’t the kind of body that women are looking for. Rather, a lean, muscular, ripped, and athletic guy that resembles more of a Spiderman than a Hulk is what they’d really want.
5. You don’t have to change your method of lifting weights dependent on your goal to gain muscle or lose fat.  When guys want to lose fat we often up the reps and cardio and eat less calories. A better way of doing things would be to keep your reps as they are, like if you were trying to build muscle, add in sprints and don’t start going for long runs, then eat less calories.  This will help you maintain and even gain muscle while you’re trying to burn fat. More muscle = a higher metabolism, which = more fat burned when you’re doing nothing.
6. Three cups of green tea daily help repair muscle tissue that’s broken down during exercise.
7. Stress is a killer.  It increases cortisol levels, is a factor in hair loss and poor sexual performance.  Hair loss and sexual performance are self-explanatory but cortisol levels are a little more complex.  Cortisol is the ‘Stress Hormone’ and is the major contributor to enabling our body to utilise muscle tissue as an energy source.  We will always have some cortisol in our systems, as it is used for other important functions but, increased stress will produce increased levels of cortisol which in turn will result in loss of muscle mass and storage of body fat.
8. Short, 20-minute power naps help release Human Growth Hormone.
9. Getting 8 hours of sleep is one way to keep cortisol levels low.  It’s also a great way to ensure healthy testosterone levels and low stress levels.
10. Carbs before and after (and even during) a workout give our body fuel to burn.  Important for fat loss or gaining muscle as our bodies can use muscle and proteins as fuel if they’re not provided with an alternative source.

 Tomorrow we continue this fascinating look into the world of Men's Fitness with Facts 21 to 30.  Check in again then.