If you're wondering how much muscle you should be able to gain and how fast you should gain that muscle, it's important to remember, first of all, that building muscle is a lot different from burning fat.
Burning fat is a lot easier because you can go in the gym, get on a treadmill, and just keep going until you take off one pound of fat.
But to build one pound of muscle doesn't work that way.
You can't go in the gym and weight train for hours and come out with an extra pound of muscle.
After your intense weight training workout your body needs to go through a recovery phase where it will break down all the damaged tissue.
It also taps into other factors like your hormones, nutrition, including all the vitamins and minerals you take, all these processes have to happen for your body to build more muscle.
And besides all that is just your genetics.
Some people find it much easier to build muscle and just naturally build that muscle faster than other people simply because of their body's genetic makeup.
So your ability to build muscle is really dependent upon your genetics along with the type of support you're giving your body.
That said, I've seen people put on a good amount of muscle mass in a short period.
If you are going for the most muscle growth possible there will be some fat gain too.
This is because you are eating more than normal and you want to make sure your body has enough building blocks.
Since everyone has different genetics, I tell people that you should at least be aiming for a quarter to half a pound of muscle each week.
Sure there will be some fat in there but you are looking to get big, and fast.
One key thing for people to do is to really make sure to work with their body's anabolic zone.
There are different times your body is anabolic through the day and throughout your cycle.
For example, you know your most anabolic time (when your testosterone is the highest) is early in the morning, around about 7:00am and then in the afternoon at 1:00pm.
So you can get a lot more out of your time at the gym if you plan to work out during those anabolic times-between 7:00 to 9:00am and also around 1:00pm.
This is also good for your post-work out nutrition.
You'll get more out of your body while eating after working out at these times because your hormones will be on your side.
Your body is basically screaming for support at this time, so it's still a high anabolic zone, and you want to make sure you're not skimping on protein.
Right after your work out, your body can absorb up to about 25 percent of your daily protein needs.
Take advantage of these post workout times and you'll get an extra burst of muscle building activity as part of the recovery process.
So it's really important to focus on getting the things to support your body at these key times during the day.
The last point I want to make is to take in some extra protein before you go to bed at night since your body is preparing to fast.
While your body is sleeping, it's in an anabolic zone and also in recovery mode.
You're building muscle while you sleep.
So even if you just have a protein shake at night, it gives your body the raw materials it needs to build muscle.
To maximize your muscle growth and get big as quick as possible be sure to eat every few hours, even if you are not hungry.
To minimize fat gains keep your meals clean, eat lean protein and lots of fruits and vegetables and add in some extra fat like olive oil on your salad.
Workout when your body is most receptive to it.
Get plenty of rest.
Do this and it is possible for you to gain a half pound of bodyweight a week.
It may not sound like much but by this time next year you will be big and strong.