How to Obtain a Good Muscle to Fat Ratio

Many health and fitness articles in major magazines and on the web refer to the 'Muscle to Fat' Ratio of the body. Maintaining this ratio in the proper proportions is essential to keeping the body fit. But exactly what is the Muscle to Fat Ratio? Simply put it is the numerical balance between the body's muscle mass and adipose fat tissue. This ratio is out of balance when there is too much fat or too little muscle.

An increase in the amount of fat leads to various chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus, heart diseases, obesity, arteriosclerosis, gallstones, etc. Therefore it is important to stay in the normal range of the muscle to fat ratio so as to stay fit, maintain the appropriate BMI (Basic Metabolic Rate) and to maintain the other processes of the body & mind.

Body fat is measured in many ways, such as bioelectrical impedance, skin fold treatment, hydrostatic weighing tanks, and infrared interactance. Once the amount of fat has been calculated, it is important to bring it down if it is too high.

There are many ways to bring the fat ratio down. Cutting back on fattening foods, and becoming "calorie conscious" works for some people, while others prefer to use a low-carb, high-protein approach.

Leafy green vegetables, and fish are more or less universally accepted, regardless of the weight-loss diet you undertake. And they help to build health muscle mass.

Daily workouts can help bring the fat level down & also increase the muscle mass. Working out does not necessarily mean one has to join a gym. Simple exercises can be done at home with free weight and walking providing the basis of your at-home workout.

Yoga is also an excellent form of exercise. A regular yoga session can definitely help bring the body in shape & also balance the muscle fat ratio. Regular jogging or running, skipping, aerobics can help in burning the fat. Also, sports like swimming, football, basketball, etc. can help in gaining of muscles.

Any morning exercise session should be preceded or followed by a healthy breakfast. Products containing saturated fats & oils should be avoided. You can also schedule exercise throughout your day with a 10 minute walk, following lunch or dinner.

To build muscle mass protein intake should be increased. Foods such as milk, eggs, fish, and poultry can help gain 'protein' or muscle mass.

Muscle and strength training, through the use of free weights and weight machines, can dramatically improve your muscle to fat ratio. Large muscle groups must be exercised on a schedule which allows for at least one day of rest between workouts. It is important to let the muscles fully recover after a workout. To speed recovery times and enhance the benefits of your workouts you can use products such as MegaTropin(tm) from http://www.BODeStore.com. which are shown to help users recover quicker and actually gain more strength and better training results from their workouts.
 
 

1. Prev:Food Addiction Can Lead to Death
2. Next:Why Are Duopolies So Competitive?