The period of caloric surplus in connection with heavy training was commonly called colloquially mass. Most people applying to the trainer or dietician are afraid of gaining weight, and as a goal he chooses a reduction, describing it as: cutting, slimming, losing fat, losing weight or losing X kilograms. Only a small percentage of people want to consciously decide on „mass”.
Are you too afraid of getting too large? Do you avoid lifting heavy weights, gaining muscle mass and eating extra calories?
This is why the caloric surplus is beneficial
The most optimal and effective way to shape your figure and strength is by interweaving mass periods and periods of weight reduction. If you want to achieveform of life, you have to stop being afraid of gaining a few extra kilos of weight and increasing the temporary supply of calories in your diet. Only in this way you create a solid foundation for building strength and gaining additional muscles.
Eternal staying on the caloric deficit aka reduction is not the wisest solution. First of all, it can not be reduced indefinitely, and the negative caloric balance ceases to bring any loss of body fat over time. When the caloric deficit extends over time, we can lead to nutritional deficiencies and weakness of the body. Trainings will not be as effective as they could be. Sporting results will not be as stunning as we would like. The body will not become better, stronger and more shaped. In the best case, we will be able to maintain the same look all the time.
The period of calorie surplus allows you to gain additional muscle mass.
What is so great about gaining muscle?
You burn more calories, even when you do nothing
The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest, even when you are asleep! A kilogram of muscles burns about 10-12 calories a day compared to a kilo of fat that burns only about 2 calories a day.
The amount of muscle mass decreases with age. Thus, the rate of basic metabolism also decreases. It is worth taking care to at least maintain the current state of muscle mass and not slow down your metabolism.
Better muscle definition with low body fat
If you do not have muscle and diet, you can lose weight. You will become slim. You will not, however, be sculpted or strong.
Having muscles does not have to mean huge body size. To a large extent, the appearance will depend on the amount of adipose tissue.
Improving general health
When you build muscle, build bone mass, strengthen joints and connective tissues and reduce bone destruction. In the case of women, bone loss occurs with age leading to the development of osteoporosis. Weight lifting can significantly weaken this effect. By gaining additional muscle and strength, you also improve your balance, agility and endurance.
Muscle mass
Basic points related to the construction of muscle mass
You have to eat more (although we’re talking about the right food, it’s not about reaching for the cakes whenever we feel like it).
You will also add some body fat as you progress during the mass period. This is completely normal. Do not panic.
Thanks to a targeted approach, this fat gain is only temporary.
You will lose the extra amount of fat by going to reduction later.
You will have to go through the maintenance phase, which means you will have to stick to a higher weight for 2-3 months, depending on the length of the mass phase. After the maintenance phase, a cutting phase should then be performed, during which you will cut off unwanted fat without losing muscles.
Gaining muscle mass (even using periodically heavy workouts and caloric surpluses) is not an easy task. Therefore, ladies should not be afraid that after a few months of exercise they will gain huge amounts of muscle.
So, if you do not have too much fat to lose, but you would like to get all the benefits of extra muscle mass, think about the mass cycle.
To sum up
Excess caloric intake and heavy workouts are beneficial and should be included in the long-term action plan. The use of mass, maintenance and cutting phases brings much better results than continuous spending on a caloric deficit. The caloric surplus has a positive effect on both sports results (more energy and better regeneration), the appearance of the figure in the long-term (thanks to gaining muscle mass) and easier reduction (the body responds better to calorie cutting after previous higher calorie).
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