Getting fit is a broad term because it can mean different things to different people. For some people, it could mean losing weight. Other people consider being fit as running a certain distance without stopping. Some may think it means to put on muscle mass and others may think getting lean.
If you are one of those people who has recently set themselves a target of getting lean, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will take you through a guide on how to get lean when working from home. We understand that the working-from-home lifestyle may make you feel lethargic however, it is a great time to get lean.
Start With the Diet
The first place to start is your diet. This is an essential part of the fitness plan. No matter what your end goal is. The diet is the key part to achieving what you want to achieve so if you don’t stick to a diet, you could easily lose sight of your goals.
Cut Calories
The first thing you need to do before you start is to commit to your calories. If you know you are consuming too much food throughout the day, you need to reduce it. We advise that you cut your calories down by 500. However, do not do this straight away. Instead, gradually decrease your calories to ensure you don’t fatigue too much. The best way to do this is meal prep.
Meal prepping is one of the best ways to ensure you stick to your calorie goals. Furthermore, it saves you from cooking every single day. This is great if you don’t enjoy cooking. All you need to do is buy some plastic reusable containers from Amazon and you are ready to go.
Consume More Protein
Protein has many benefits that will help you achieve your goal of getting lean. The reason why we advise you to eat more protein is because the role is to rebuild damaged or torn muscle tissue. The muscle tissue will then repair, making the muscle gradually bigger.
When you are reducing your calories, you will likely be hungrier. However, protein makes you feel satiated, therefore you will be less hungry throughout the day. Protein is essential for your diet so make sure you consume enough throughout the day. We advise you to consume around 1.7 times your body weight per kilogram if you wish to build muscle.
Eat Plenty Of Vegetables
Another thing you must ensure with your diet is eating plenty of vegetables, mainly for vitamins and minerals. However, these are a great way to add more volume to your meals, without consuming too many calories.
A Healthy Diet Doesn’t Mean No Carbohydrates
When people are getting lean, they start to cut out carbohydrates. However, that is something you shouldn’t do. These carbohydrates are used to energise your workouts and therefore, will be needed for each workout. We advise you to consume healthy carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, brown rice and quinoa. Try to avoid eating pasta and bread.
Consume More Water
Another important thing when trying to get lean is consuming more water. Water is essential for keeping your muscles hydrated, especially when training. It is advised you consume a gallon a day however, if you are training a lot, you would need to consume more.
Exercising
This is another key part of achieving your fitness goals. If you don’t train, you won’t put on the muscle mass that you want to gain. However, there are many things you need to ensure you do.
Cardiovascular Training
Cardiovascular training is a great way to burn calories, lose weight and improve your lung capacity. Some people will perform cardio on an empty stomach so they burn any excess calories however, we advise you don’t go on long runs if you have eaten. If you do want to go on a long run, consume a banana as this will give you a boost of energy which will be enough for your run.
Lift Heavy Weights
To get lean, you must also lift heavy weights. However, don’t just lift the same weights and complete four sets before moving on to the next set. We advise you to do progressive overload and gradually increase your weights. This is where you will lift a weight until you reach 10 or 12 reps. Once you have done that, you will increase the weight so you can only perform four repetitions, then gradually increase the weight with each session. The aim is to push yourself to your limits with weight lifting so make sure you do this whilst being conscious you don’t injure yourself.
Body Fat Percentage
The next thing you need to consider is your body fat percentage. This is important when it comes to getting those abs that you are looking for. However, getting an accurate body fat percentage reading isn’t easy. Nonetheless, there are many gadgets and apparatus that help you get a rough estimate. For example, you can get digital scales that will measure your body fat percentage. You can also use the weighing scales at a gym which will also give you a rough estimate.
To consistently measure your body weight and fat percentage, you must step on the scales at the time every day. This will give you a more consistent and accurate reading because it your weight can fluctuate throughout the day. We also advise you to do this just before you consume a meal, ideally, the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning.
Summary
As we stated earlier, there are many different goals you can have for the gym. Some of these will be needed for all of them. That includes consuming more protein, drinking more water and exercising. Getting lean is not easy and when you first start, you will find it difficult. Nevertheless, the diet is the thing you need to get right to ensure you are on track for your health goals. If you don’t consume the right food or drink, you will notice that you will put on the pounds.
One of the hardest things during getting lean is the amount of cardiovascular training you have to do. You need to burn off those calories and this is the way to do it. If you want to become lean, you need more cardiovascular training, especially if you need to get your body fat percentage lower. So, put on your favourite gym set and get training.