This week we have another great guest post from Luke Douglas of Ripped.me. Enjoy.
No true alpha is a couch potato, we can all agree on that. An alpha is a man of action, one that doesn’t sit idly and wait for results to appear out of thin air, he is the guy to get things done. He’s the one who knocks, if you will. More often than not, however, your level of activity is not the only factor to define your ability to get rid of those several pounds of extra fat. It’s about what you eat, how you lead your life, and other habits you might be developing that could jeopardize your ability to stay lean and muscular.
So many men are still on the road to alpha-hood, so to speak, so if you’re just about to discover the power of being an alpha, you’re on the right track. Implementing regular exercise and healthy eating are some of the most incredible ways to transform yourself, your body included. Add to that, a few other habits could make or break your efforts. Here’s what you should know.
Ditch the booze
The calories in, calories out principle may be at the core of your weight loss journey towards a lean physique, but the truth is, few people look at drink labels to add to their daily calculations. I mean, what’s manly about checking the calories on your beer bottle, right? Take this into consideration: alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, which is almost double than your regular carbs or protein. Add to that, it makes you feel hungry, and you lose all of your inhibitions – pushing you to eat more without really minding your appetite.
As tempting as it may be to chug a few pints of beer at the end of a grueling week, your growing gut would disagree. If you need to find a healthier, less fattening way to reduce stress in your life, try punching a bag, taking up Muay Thai, or meditating, for that matter. Find your stress relief elsewhere and reclaim your self-discipline.
Balance strength with cardio exercise
Certain dietary changes alone can help you lose weight, leaving you skinny, but they alone aren’t enough to help you maintain that ripped look you wish to achieve. To accomplish that noble goal, you should focus on finding your individual balance between cardio and strength workouts. Both are your allies in fighting fat, but too much of cardio can actually lead to muscle breakdown, rather than fat loss.
Muscle-building, on the other hand, achieved through strength workouts plays a pivotal role in fat loss. To burn fat, you need lean, strong muscle tissue, and to build muscle, you need to push your body to grow stronger, to develop a need for more muscle. Make sure to strike that fine balance in order to use the best of both worlds.
Amp up your nutrition
Science and technology have allowed us to revolutionize the notion of sports nutrition and fat loss. You’re no longer at the mercy of your home-cooked meal alone to get the results you want, as you can choose from a wide range of the best fat burning supplements money can buy, and achieve your goals faster, more efficiently, and prevent that infamous yo-yo effect. Whether you get a powerful protein supplement to aid your muscle-building goals, or you get a fat burner to speed up weight loss, you can easily enhance your diet.
It’s not just convenience that’s inspiring so many men to evolve their diet in this way. It’s the fact that nutrition has advanced to the point that you can tailor-make your eating thanks to these dietary additions, and that some of the greatest athletes rely precisely on such solutions to maximize their potential to stay lean and strong. Why should you be any different?
Sleep the stress off
Cortisol, the stress hormone, is a known culprit for fat gain, and as such, it needs to be treated with care so that you can reduce stress and simplify your fat-loss journey. One of the most overlooked factors that pushes men to feel stressed is the lack of downtime and rest we all need. Your remedy? Sleep.
We’re talkin’ consistent, quality sleep that will help your body not just recuperate from your day’s work, but from those muscle-building sessions at the gym as well (and let’s not forget that the actual process of muscle building known as muscle protein synthesis happens after your workout and when you rest). Help your body reduce cortisol levels to make sure you can burn fat more effectively.
It’s time to unveil your strongest, leanest alpha self with the help of some crucial changes in your life. Use them wisely, and you’ll not only see a change in your mirror reflection, but a change in your confidence, strength, and zeal for life.
