Health Beauty & FitnessHealth, Beauty, Fitness Tips

You work out at home, at the gym, maybe even at work. But do you really know what to do? This article will provide you with information on how to put together a fitness training plan that fits all of your needs – lifestyle, fitness level, time constraints and interests. Whether you’re just starting out or been at it for years, the following information will be beneficial to you.

So you have home gym equipment and/or a health club membership, and you may even be using them on a regular basis. But, how do you put together an exercise plan that not only helps you improve your body’s health, but also do it in a way that fits the rest of your life?

1. Define what your goals are. Are you looking to lose weight? Gain muscle? Tone up what you already have? You’ll need to decide what it is you want to accomplish before you can define what your plan is.

2. Understand that you need to start slowly. Your body will adjust quickly to the changes that will take place as you get into a regular exercise program – but overdoing things at the beginning will have the opposite effect you are looking for. Start with a simple program, and build onto it as your fitness improves.

3. Decide how much time you can spend per day. And, and dedicate yourself to using that time for your fitness workouts. Keep in mind that committing two percent of your day will get you to where you need to be!

4. Write it down beforehand. Plan out your workouts, and keep track of your results. Pick your exercises, pick your weight for the exercise, pick your number of sets / number of reps, pick your time that you’ll do cardio, and commit to it.

5. When doing your planning – break up your routine. For example – if you’re doing weight training, don’t try to train all your muscle groups in one session. Rather, schedule your chest and arm exercises for one session, back and shoulder exercises for the next, and legs & abdominals for the third. Keeping variety in your training will not only help keep you motivated, it also helps keep you from overtraining and getting hurt.

6. See your doctor. Before you put your plan into action, talk to your doctor, and make sure that what you’ve planned won’t hurt you, only help you!

7. Learn about your body. Learn about what muscles make up your body, and what exercises work the muscle groups you’d like to concentrate on. Learn about what the difference is between “cardio efficiency” and “burning fat”. For example, running on the treadmill at your peak speed, may build your cardiovascular system, but running at a much slower pace actually is better for training your body to burn fat.

Your plan is just that – yours. In the end, you’ll only get out of your plan what you put into it. And, the best way to create a successful plan is to create something that you’re not just comfortable with, but a plan that challenges you to push yourself just a little bit farther! You only get out of your plan what you put into it. And, the best way to create a successful plan is to create something that you’re not just comfortable with, but a plan that challenges you to push yourself just a little bit farther!

Thinking about getting in shape? If you’re interested in working one on one with a personal trainer the small niche fitness boutiques located in and around Santa Barbara provide an abundance of choices both in the environment and training approaches featured in the different facilities. Recently I visited a number of these studios, looking for a new place to train my clients, and was amazed at what Santa Barbara has to offer.

Instead of the muscle isolation machines, typical of the traditional gym setting, most studios are filled with stability balls, medicine balls, bands, cables, foam rollers and all sorts of other tools designed for a more functional approach to fitness. These facilities don’t only cater to strength building athletes; they’re filled with everyone from youthful competitors looking to improve in sports, to seniors working to build stronger bones. After visiting a few of the local hot spots and exploring some of their diverse training approaches, I zeroed in on a few of the highlights.

The Fitness Studio on Middle Road

Platinum Fitness, located on Middle Road in Montecito, is a small, bustling studio where you’ll find individuals of all shapes and sizes, including plenty of ultra fit, highly competitive endurance athletes. Peter Park, owner, competes at the elite level in running, cycling and triathlon, so it’s no surprise that his studio attracts many of the local endurance athletes, including Lance Armstrong when he’s in town. Platinum’s an upbeat facility; walk through the doors on any given day and you’re surrounded by a profusion of natural light, inspiring hip music and a variety of energetic trainers helping clients realize their goals through “functional training.”

Functional training, the latest trend in fitness training, prepares you for the specific activities you perform in your daily life. Maybe your job requires you to do a lot of reaching, lifting, bending over or standing and your back, your knees or your shoulders suffer. Or maybe you find yourself parked in front of a computer all day and your posture needs a little work. And then again you might be rehabbing an injury and find that you need a little help in returning to work and life successfully. Whatever you do in your daily life, functional training can make it easier.

Unlike the traditional approach of working one muscle at a time, functional training involves combining exercises to get all your muscles – from your calves to your shoulders – in on the action. Stepping up on a bench with dumbbells in hands and then pressing the dumbbells overhead, for example, will prepare you to step up on a chair to put a box on a shelf.

The idea is to work against the resistance in such a way that the strength gained from the exercise “transfers” to the specific movement in your life.

If you’d like to improve your ability to get up from a chair you might choose leg extensions to build leg strength. But the squat would be a much better exercise choice because it’s more like the actual movement of getting up from the chair. So the squat develops more functional leg strength.

Functional training also improves your performance in sports. If you’re a distance runner and you’d like to improve your time in the 10K, Peter Park advocates “strengthening the prime movers so that you don’t get as fatigued in the long races.” He puts his endurance athletes through a grueling workout specifically designed to improve strength and endurance, or muscular endurance, for competition.

Peter’s lower body program consists of a series of exercises done back to back: a set of 25 repetitions of squats, with bands (for constant tension); followed by a set of 25 repetitions of leg press, with bands; followed by a set of 15 repetitions of step ups; followed by three different 12-15 repetition plyometric (jump) drills. And that’s just one round. He’ll have his athletes do that three times! As you can see, Peter’s program mirrors both the movements and volume of the endurance competition… the functional approach to fitness.

The Fitness Studio on lower State

Perhaps the idea of training for the activities of daily life isn’t enough to get you motivated to start an exercise program. And you’re more interested in sculpting your body to look great in your bathing suit or bikini for the beaches of Santa Barbara. Then the “bodybuilding” approach to fitness may be more for you.

Specifically designed to increase lean muscle and reduce body fat, this method has additional rewards… like increased confidence, greater sex appeal, reduced stress and more energy for everyday activities.

Key 2 Fitness, one of the newer fitness studios in town, located on lower State, features the bodybuilding approach. Owned and operated by bodybuilders, Jeff Harrison and Leif Tiahrt, Key 2 Fitness is loaded with muscle isolation machines and free weights and is ideal for the strength athlete looking for a place to “pack on some serious muscle” according to Jeff Harrison. They also offer membership keys for individuals looking for a little camaraderie with other strength athletes in the community.

While the goal of bodybuilding is to develop a symmetrical physique, keep in mind that not everyone responds in the same way. Mother Nature, or your genetic make-up, determines, to a large extent, how you react to any training program. Factors such as muscle fiber type (strength or endurance), the ratio of testosterone to estrogen, and where your body fat is stored, all influence your capabilities. And in considering your vision of the ideal physique, remember that you can’t hide from your body type. Are you a slim and small boned ectomorph, a muscular and lean mesomorph, a heavy and big boned endomorph, or a combination of all three?

Although these genetic factors affect both men and women, there are still a significant number of women who won’t consider the bodybuilding approach for fear of getting too big. The truth is: most women put on a relatively small amount of muscle, even with hard work and dedication because of the estrogen to testosterone ratio. Unfortunately, this fear of being too muscular keeps a lot of women from reaping the benefits.

Many factors are involved in bodybuilding, but the one thing that really matters is that you progressively overload your muscles. Leif Tiahrt suggests using the “individual body part approach” and “maximizing the exercises for each body part.” He advocates a three day split in which the individual does “push” exercises (chest, shoulders and triceps), on Monday, “pull” exercises (back and biceps) and legs, on Wednesday, and a full body circuit, on Friday. He uses three to ten repetitions per set and finishes each exercise with a drop set to failure.

By using moderate to heavy loads and moderate to high volume, Leif’s program effectively increases the size of the muscles to create a more aesthetically pleasing physique… the ultimate goal of bodybuilding.

The Fitness Studio by the Arlington

Maybe you’ve put on some muscle through bodybuilding. And now you’re ready for a more refined approach to your training… one that considers the specific demands of your sport and your goals… like achieving peak performance. Following a well-designed “sport specific” training program can help you reach those goals and attain the success you desire.

To perform at your best in tennis, for example, you need enough aerobic endurance to maintain your stamina for a game that may last several hours; anaerobic endurance (energy is produced without oxygen) for a high intensity rally that may last 6-10 seconds; speed and agility to be able to get into position to make the majority of your shots; power for serves, forehands, backhands, and volleys; and an element of prevention to avoid injury and overtraining.

Conditioning Specialists, located in a historic building a few doors up from the Arlington, features the sport specific training approach. Doug Holt, owner of Conditioning Specialists and SB Fitness Magazine, gained his experience at competitive sport through soccer, which he played at the collegiate level. His studio has the look of an upscale New York loft and features a personal training studio downstairs, and, private rooms for a MAT (Muscle Activation Techniques) and massage therapist upstairs, in addition to an office for the magazine.

When asked about sport specific training Doug says “it’s training for a particular goal… not only mimicking the actual demands of the sport – like hip abduction, knee flexion – but also the energy demands.”

To prepare for the sport specific demands of tennis, the strength training program is broken down into three phases, or mini training programs, each designed to develop a specific type of strength with the ultimate goal of developing the sport specific strength that tennis demands, power and muscular endurance.

In the first phase, “foundational strength,” the goal is to build a solid well-rounded base of strength, and, prepare the ligaments and tendons for the more demanding activity that will follow. The second phase is for building “maximal strength,” a measure of how much weight you can lift for one repetition. If you can squat 225 lbs for one repetition and your friend can only squat 205 lbs, then you have more maximal strength, in the squat. The goal of third phase is to convert the strength you developed, previously, into sport specific “power” (a combination of strength and speed) and “muscular endurance.”

Just as the preparation for the competitive season is broken down into phases, so too the overall training program is split into periods to promote long term improvements in strength and avoid overtraining. This program, which is usually an annual plan, consists of the preparation period (pre-season), discussed previously; the competitive period (in-season); and the transition period, when the season is closed.

By coordinating the phases of the training program with the different periods of the competitive season, you can maximize your strength and reach peak performance right on time for competition.

In Conclusion

So if you think you might be interested in working one on one with a personal trainer, explore the abundance of training studios around Santa Barbara to find the one that’s right for you. Be sure to keep in mind that while each facility may feature a particular training method, most studios contract to a variety of personal trainers, each with his or her own unique training style and approach.

If you are thinking about doing some fitness training but don’t want to waste money and space in your home with big equipment purchases, you can look for ways to exercise around your home and outside. By finding items that you already own or by using the great outdoors, you can be more “green” when you’re exercising too.

Any personal trainer will tell you that you don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment in order to do some fitness training and get in shape. First of all, take a look around your house – you can use canned food as weights, towels as exercise mats, a stack of books as a stair, some spare rope as a jumping rope and even a chair can help you exercise at home.

Why not take your items outside? It’s much easier to jump rope (an excellent cardio workout) when you have lots of space. For any of your fitness training, being outside is better and will make you feel better – fresh air and plenty of it will increase the workout you’re getting.

When you’re outside, you can take your fitness training to a whole new level. Go for a brisk walk (or even a slow one) or a run and increase your workout all the more. Even if running isn’t your thing, you can still walk or hike around your local area on trails or just the side walk. Take your bike to work instead of your car or just head out on a leisurely bike ride.

It’s always best to team up with someone, even a personal trainer, to stick with your fitness training plan. It helps keep you accountable for your goals and your daily routines. Another green and great idea for your fitness training is to join a team for your favorite sport, such as volley ball, tennis, soccer, basket ball or any sport that you enjoy doing.

If you really want to get serious with your fitness training plan, you might eventually need some equipment. However, that doesn’t mean that you need to break the bank and buy all new equipment. Check out the Internet for used equipment or local sporting goods stores for second hand goods – many cities and towns have a “bargain finder” newspaper or portion of the daily newspaper where people can sell or give away items. However, you can make do with water jugs, a chair and a stepping stool. Your fitness plan doesn’t have to include a bunch of expensive equipment.

A periodized approach to rugby fitness training


Rugby union traditionally was a sport that was played by amateurs who trained like amateurs. Since the advent of professionalism which has trickled down throughout the league structures it is now common place to see the majority of rugby players training in their own time. As is seen with many people in the gym the new found enthusiasm for fitness may not paralleled by the same level of knowledge about how to train.

Rugby produces some unique training requirements not seen in other sports. It is a sport that caters for all types of physiques and places demands on almost all the bodies’ physical characteristics.

I will not go into an in-depth discussion of the various requirements of rugby and variations for each position. However, I will briefly review the main requirements for success. The demands of rugby are varied and I could almost list every physical ability and say it impacts upon performance, however the main factors are:

• Aerobic power – more specifically a high aerobic power over a pure steady state aerobic base e.g. a good 6 minute run test score more important than good 10 km time. (Obviously these two are highly integrated but still are different).

• Lactate tolerance – The key limiting factor during play, affects both aerobic power and speed endurance.

• Speed – More specifically acceleration and repeated sprint speed endurance.

• Agility – The ability to decelerate and change direction or move in a non linear direction.

• Strength – Both maximum strength and speed strength and as any sport requires a strong core as a foundation.

To add to this you could easily point out maximum speed is important in many situations and you can never be called too fast, but in general it is not too decisive. Muscles size is also not hugely important to success as it is your strength, absolute, relative and fast speed that is more important. Though one factor affecting maximum strength is of course muscle cross section area. I have not mentioned above about flexibility but just like core strength it is a fundamental that needs to be used to restore ideal posture and muscle lengths. How much flexibility is optimal past these ideal lengths is an issue of much debate and beyond the scope of this article.

To effectively cover all the main attributes a rugby player needs to optimize performance he must cover six main types of training methods:

• Aerobic training – To develop lactate tolerance and aerobic power.

• Sprint training- To enhance acceleration and repeated sprint speed endurance.

• Resistance training- To build maximum and fast speed strength.

• Agility training – to learn effective mutli-directional movements and changes of pace.

• Plyometric training – To support speed strength in linear and multi directional movements.

• Core and flexibility training – To create the underlying foundations of all the above training.

These methods will develop all the attributes that are stressed on the rugby field. These can be combined into three sessions, a track session – Sprint training, agility and plyometrics, a gym session – Strength and core training and an aerobic session. This does not need to take up your whole life but just a few hours per week if following an optimal training routine.

To go through each training method is of course beyond the length of this article and is comprehensively covered in my book1. Ignoring the specific details of each training method we can instead focus upon the underlying design of the training programmes within each of the six methods above.

Periodization principles

Most of us are aware of periodization, yet so few people integrate this fully into their training programmes. I believe this is due to the complexity of the theory. The reason periodization was created was to:

1) Maximise the response from the training stimulus.

2) Allow continuous gains to be made from week to week and year to year.

3) Avoid injury and overtraining.

Periodization seems to suffer from an all or nothing approach, either a scientifically designed programme is used or nothing is implemented. However most trainers are using the theory without knowing it. Forget macro cycles, training variables and such, if viewed on a sliding scale then the most basic form of periodization is setting a new programme every month. Which most people do, the next level up would be applying a certain type of training for a few weeks then changing the focus, e.g. an endurance phase then strength phase. This again is easy to implement. How far to advance the system up to the traditional theories of step load progression of intensity and macro, meso cycles, weekly load variation etc is dependent on many a factor including the athlete you are working with.

I present here a method of using periodization that can be implemented by trainers or players alike. The key to using periodization is to determine the training phase and setting appropriate training parameters. Then using these you can cycle the parameters over the duration of that training phase.

Let me explain, as an example, say you are looking to increase the muscle size of the prime movers used in rugby, this is known as specific hypertrophy phase using traditional periodization terminology2. The general guidelines for this would be 6 – 12 reps with around 3 minutes rest using the necessary exercises. A simple way to introduce periodization would be, over a 6 week phase to vary the reps as below:

Week 1 & 2 12 Reps

Week 3 & 4 9 reps

Week 5 & 6 6 reps


This is using the foundation principles of program design, it is increasing the intensity while decreasing the volume – Classic periodization!3. This method can and should be extended across all the training phases within your resistance training routines.

Let’s take a look at a typical off-season. To maximise the gains from resistance training you would build a base early in the off-season followed by focusing on increasing muscle size then developing maximum strength and converting this to power so your are physically at your biggest, strongest and most explosive by the start of the next in-season.

To do this you could have four training phases, preparation, hypertrophy, strength and power phase.

Off-season

Preparation Hypertrophy Strength Power

With each phase you can associate the traditional training parameters to achieve the goal of that phase’s training. For example, preparation4 uses sub maximal lifts for between 5 to 15 reps, hypertrophy uses 6 – 12 reps to failure, strength 1 – 5 rep max and power for sake of argument 2 – 6 reps with sub-maximal loads (please note there are many methods for power development beside this).

Using these phases is already putting the science of program design into practise. This can be further enhanced by varying the reps within each phase. This will maximise the training response over the phase:

Season – Off-season

Phase – Preparation – Hypertrophy – Strength – Power

Reps – 15 – 10 – 5 – 12 – 9 – 6 – 5 – 3 – 1 – 6 – 4 – 2

Through such simple variations of one training variable you have introduced intensity and volume manipulation throughout the course of the off-season and within the phases themselves. This will produce more optimal results. For each training phase a different exercise routine would be followed to introduce specificity and you could also vary the rest periods to further extrapolate the volume, specificity and intensity relationships.

If you now start introducing recovery weeks you begin to incorporating the other needs of periodization – avoiding overtraining and maximising adaptation. This can be furthered enhanced by using specified variations in training intensity within the weekly micro cycles, e.g. heavy and light days and before you know it you are applying the main bulk of periodization and reaping its benefits on athletic performance.

The above serves to exemplify how to easily introduce periodization into resistance training, of course these principles need to be taken and applied to the other training methods also, e.g. aerobic, agility, plyometrics etc. Again the exercises within each phase and variation in training parameters, e.g. volume, intensity need to be designed and altered to mediate the required changes across the off-season or during the in-season.

If this sounds too simple then just remember that periodization is a relative rather than an absolute. It is about maximising the response from training while ensuring the athletes does not suffer injury or over training. The benefits of using an undulating model versus a linear model5 or the fitness fatigue theory over classical6 are all well and good, but the crux of the matter is putting in place a periodized routine of some sorts. This can be done by:

• Applying training phases during the year to achieve a certain training outcome.

• Varying the reps, rest, intensity over the training phase.

• Using recovery weeks, days and techniques to ensure the body is fresh.

This is all covered in my book Rugby fitness training: A twelve month conditioning programme. Though it is a book designed for rugby players the principles outlined above are central to its theme. It will teach you how to take the general principles and apply them to you or your clients training routine.

In the programme section I have added three rugby programmes, these serve just to as an example of a possible routine, the success of the programme will rely more on how you as the coach manipulate the training variables within each training phase and change the training between the individual phases.

“I’ve never really worked out before and I want to start, but where do I begin? I can’t afford a gym membership, much less a trainer. I wouldn’t even know where to begin with fitness training on my own. It all seems so overwhelming! Help!” These are all too common complaints. Sometimes starting something new seems like so much effort that we give up before we even begin. Well, there are resources for you to ease into your new workout program. Certainly do not begin any fitness program without first doing your research to avoid injury. Fitness training is within your reach! No need to feel discouraged!

Exercise Websites

There is an infinite amount of fitness training information available online, including:

Videos or photos of each exercise to ensure proper form Downloadable workout routines Online personal trainers Workouts for every fitness activity imaginable Exercises programs for Men or Women Search sites such as: exercise.about.com, videofitness.com, exercisetv.tv, fitsugar.com, aolhealth.com/fitness, fitnessonline.com, askthetrainer.com, myfit.com and freetrainers.com.

Workout DVD’s & Videos

Exercise DVD’s, workout videos and books are great for showing form and explaining the exercises in detail.

The fitness level should be noted as to beginner, intermediate or advanced. There are workout DVD’s, videos and books available for any sport or fitness activity imaginable. Exercise videos are best resourced online, like at Amazon.com, or at a larger bookstore, like Barnes & Noble.

Fitness Magazines & Books

Fitness magazines are an excellent resource for detailed exercise routines.

Read about cardio and weight training for all levels of fitness. Most will include photos of each exercise being performed. There is a wide variety of fitness magazines available at your local grocery, drug and book stores. Quite a few also have online versions available. Try Shape, Fitness, Self, Men’s Fitness and Men’s Health.

Gyms

Gym memberships can be an option you thought unattainable due to cost, but you may be surprised.

Many gyms frequently run membership specials and may also be willing to work out a deal you can afford. Don’t be afraid to ask! Gyms normally have trial memberships available, good for a week or more of unlimited visits. This is great to see if the gym is a good fit for you, as well as to gain some free advice. Gyms will have professional trainers available to teach you how to properly use the equipment. The gym personnel can also recommend what classes are good for beginners. Ask questions — that’s why they are there!

Ask Exercise Advice

Ask friends, who have bodies you admire, what they do for exercise. They’ll be flattered you asked and may even help you get started.

Workout Clothing

You will need a pair of sneakers suitable for your activity of choice. A cross-trainer is a good alternative if you plan to do a variety of activities and only want to invest in one pair. Check with your local sporting goods store for knowledgeable advice as to what type of shoe is best for you. You’ll want to wear form-fitting workout clothes suitable for your exercise of choice. Baggy clothes may seam comfortable, but don’t move with us and thus are restrictive during exercise. Fitness clothing with some stretch is best for active workouts. If fitness training outdoors, dress for the weather — light layers for chilly weather, moisture wicking fabrics for warm weather. Workout clothing for men & women is available at sporting goods stores, Target, K Mart, department stores and online at sites like: Athletica.net, Lululemon.com, NewBalance.com

Start Walking

Start with something simple and accessible, like walking.

When you are comfortable with walking at a steady pace, increase your pace or add hills to your route. Vary your walking route to beat boredom. Walk with a friend and push one another to walk faster and further. If you would like to invest in one piece of cardio equipment for the home, a treadmill is an excellent choice. Treadmill walking is excellent exercise, can be done by people of all ages and fitness levels and is a great when the weather is undesirable for outdoor walking. There are many walking DVD’s and videos available to enhance your treadmill experience, like Scenic Trex Beachside Jungle and Rainforest.

Once you have done your research and realize all the fitness training resources available to the exercise beginner, you can begin your workouts safely and have fun adding new activities to your day! You soon won’t be able to imagine your life without exercise!

If you wish to become a fitness model you need to know how to workout in the right way. Fitness model workouts follow certain principles which you need to follow if you plan to ever have any success in this field. To be a fitness model you need to have a perfect body. Having too much fat is destructive. However, having too much muscle is also forbidden since the bulky look is definitely not what magazines are looking for. It’s just not considered that attractive.

So, you’re looking for the lean, elongated, toned look, and not the bulky look. This is a huge mistake which many fitness model wannabes make: becoming too bulky.

In order to get that lean look your workouts need to be comprised of 3 parts:

1. Cardio – I guess you already knew that, but the how is the important thing. Your cardio workouts need to be targeted to achieve the most fat loss. That’s why the best cardio fitness model workouts are interval workouts. You’re going to be spending enough time at the gym already. Don’t waste it on long cardio. Make your workouts short and intensive. This will cut the fat right off and leave you lean all over.

2. Resistance workouts – This is weight training and body weight training. You see I’m not mentioning machines here since they are a big no-no for fitness models. Weight training or body weight training is better than machines for a number of reasons: it gives better results, it is safer, and it is healthier. Again, you need to stand out of the crowd. Fitness model exercises are not done on machines if they can be done with free weights. Remember that.

3. Stretching – Most people don’t do stretches but you need to. First of all, being flexible will allow you to compete better. Second, it helps you achieve that elongated look to your muscles. Third, it is very healthy and reduces the risk of injury. Don’t neglect this part of the workout. It is crucial.

Now that you know the principles of a good fitness model workout, all you need to do is apply it.

Part of any effective physical fitness program is to ensure that the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, and muscles are all worked to increase strength, performance, and endurance. While it is hard to engage in a fitness plan without covering all three of these primary factors, it is not impossible. Many people engage in aerobic and respiratory routines without often thinking of muscle fitness while others simply have a hard time building muscle. Some people exercise consistently and just are not as strong as they would like to be which usually means that they are not working out their muscles effectively.

In order to achieve an increase in physical strength, muscle endurance, and flexibility, your physical fitness program should also include a routine intended to achieve muscle fitness as well. Millions of people who practice fitness training don’t always work their muscles correctly. Many factors come into play when you want to work on your muscles which can include your diet, an excellent workout plan, supplements, and motivation. When working out, you must remember to balance your physical regimen with a healthy, balanced diet. A good diet will help your body build muscle rather than just burn fat.

Many people already know that in order to gain weight you should increase the amount of calories you take in each day. However, it is important to know that you must gain the right kind of weight, not just build up fatty tissue. So, in an effort to gain weight in a healthy way, be sure to eat a good amount of protein and healthy fats. You can do this by eating lean meats, fish, beans, and many vegetables. You should also be sure to eat whole grains and fruit. Eating more protein than starches and sugars will help your body build muscle, not fat. Eating this way is an integral part of any good muscle fitness regimen.