Train and Eat Smart to GROW by Kelly Burke Jennings

The majority of females looking to gain muscle mass naturally are lacking the necessary knowledge to do so. The only natural way to gain muscle mass is to shock our bodies into growth. We do this two ways: training heavy and eating more.

The first way we can make our bodies grow is with heavy weight training. Training with heavy weights is the fastest way to get your body to build more muscle. Now before you go out there and load on the plates, do your homework and make sure that you are doing each and every exercise correctly. My motto is: “don't sacrifice form for weight.” If you're not doing the exercise correctly, then don't up the weight! There is nothing worse than seeing people in the gym load up the curl bar to do biceps and then end up doing hip thrusts just to get the weight up. When people increase the weight their lifting without focusing on form, then they are only asking for an injury.

Training heavier overloads the muscles and stimulates growth. When I first started, I used to go in the gym and do 3 sets with 12-15 reps for each exercise. I would start with lightweight, so that I could pump out the 12-15reps. Then, increase by 10% for each of the next 2 sets. Training this way was OK for fine-tuning my shape, but wasn't doing me any good for muscle growth. After completing my degree in Physical Education and doing some research, I changed my training routine. I now train heavy 3 days a week. My husband and I will do 2-3 sets for each exercise, but our repetitions are now cut in half. I always aim to get 6 reps with the weight that I use and if I get up to 8 reps, then I know it’s time to increase the weight for the following week. Don't be afraid to go up in weight, your muscles will thank you for it later!

The second way to gain muscle requires that you eat more calories than you burn. This, along with smart training, is the most important factor in gaining mass. Like training, when you overload your system with plenty of protein, carbohydrates, and fats, your body will gain weight. When looking to gain muscle mass, it’s important that you eat at least 1.5g of protein per pound of body weight. For example: At 150 lb. I will consume at least 225 g of protein each day. Don't skimp on the carbs! You need those carbohydrates to fuel your heavy workouts. Be sure to choose them wisely and stick to carbs like sweet potatoes, oatmeal, oat bran, and brown rice. These carbohydrates are slow burning sources of energy and won’t immediately be stored in the body as fat. My on and off-season diet do not change drastically, with the exception that I can fulfill my sweet tooth when ever I want! Whether I'm dieting for a show or enjoying the off-season, I make sure to eat 6 times a day. The key thing to remember is that if you don't eat correctly while training, you will loose all of the hard earned muscle tissue. Don't forget that the food you eat provides the necessary building blocks to repair and build new muscle tissue. Weight training is needed only to stimulate growth. After that, your body needs rest and food to build the muscle.

Diet and heavy weight training work together to gain muscle naturally. To be successful in putting on natural size you must be consistent. Do not skip workouts and meals! Commit yourself 100% to your training and diet and you WILL see results.

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