{"id":48776,"date":"2016-04-08T07:15:37","date_gmt":"2016-04-08T11:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=48776"},"modified":"2016-07-14T16:02:47","modified_gmt":"2016-07-14T20:02:47","slug":"muscle-definition-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/muscle-definition-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Better Muscle Definition Will Take This Long"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Better
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You know that feeling when you look in the mirror after weeks of killing it in the gym and\u2026err\u2026you can\u2019t really tell<\/em>? You feel stronger<\/a> \u2014 but each time you flex, those biceps<\/a> look pretty much the same as they did a month ago. Yeah, frustrating.<\/p>\n

And if you feel a little jealous every time you see someone\u2019s amazing gains on #TransformationTuesday, well, we\u2019ve got a little secret for you. Muscle definition isn\u2019t about which Instagram filter<\/a> you use \u2014 it\u2019s all about patience and consistency. \u201cIf you work out regularly and eat healthy, you\u2019ll start seeing definition in four to six weeks,\u201d says Pete McCall<\/a>, M.S., C.S.C.S., exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer for the American Council on Exercise. \u201cIt\u2019s important to set realistic expectations because with all the selfies today, sometimes you can get discouraged \u2014 but you can <\/em>do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> The Truth About How to Lose Belly Fat<\/a><\/p>\n

Wondering how,<\/em> exactly? Read on to learn what you\u2019ll need to do to start seeing more definition.<\/p>\n

5 Steps to Better Muscle Definition<\/strong><\/h3>\n

1. Snap progress.<\/strong> First things first: Put those selfies<\/a> to good use, suggests McCall. \u201cTake a picture the first day, and then every seven to 10 days, take another one,\u201d he says. \u201cYou\u2019ll notice the differences when you scroll through them on your phone, and that can help keep you motivated.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>12 Awesome Ways to Measure Your Non-Scale Victories<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Know your macros.<\/strong> Ever heard \u201cAbs are made in the kitchen?\u201d It\u2019s true: Healthy eating plays a critical role in seeing muscle definition. You\u2019ll need to fuel up with the right foods to help your muscles become bigger and stronger. \u201cDuring exercise, your muscle fibers are being damaged,\u201d explains McCall, and that\u2019s all part of the growth process.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>What the Heck Are Macros? The IIFYM Diet, Made Simple<\/a><\/p>\n

In other words, don\u2019t avoid carbs or start cutting calories if you want to increase your muscle definition. \u201cDoing that basically makes your muscles say, \u2018Wow, you just beat me up and now you\u2019re not going to fix me?\u2019\u201d says McCall. \u201cIt\u2019s important to have a protein-filled snack or shake<\/a> within 30 minutes of exercise because that\u2019s the most effective time to replace the carbs you just used and start the repair process,\u201d he says. Reach for something that has a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein, as that\u2019ll help replace your glycogen stores<\/a> (the carbs you used to burn fat), he explains. Bonus: You\u2019ll satiate hunger and help prevent overeating later.<\/p>\n

“Getting a minimum of seven hours of sleep each night can help speed the muscle building process.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

3. Be thankful for that T. <\/strong>Meaning testosterone<\/a>, a hormone that plays a large role in muscle growth. \u201cTestosterone promotes protein to repair muscles,\u201d says McCall. \u201cWomen produce some in the ovaries and adrenal cortex, but not as much [as men].\u201d So ladies, don\u2019t be discouraged if you notice your guy friends get results faster than you do. The good news: Getting a minimum of seven hours of sleep<\/a> each night can help speed the muscle building process for men and women, McCall says, since the body undergoes important changes during the REM portions of your sleep cycle.<\/p>\n

4. Hit the weights, not the pavement.<\/strong> OK, now it\u2019s time to start training \u2014 the right way. Going for a long run (and other endurance activities) will deplete your body of the carbs your muscles need to store for recovery. Instead, focus on activating your larger, fast-twitch muscle fibers in your glutes<\/a>, back and hamstrings. \u201cThey\u2019re the ones responsible for strength, and they provide the definition of the muscle size and shape,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Hypertrophy Training: The 3 Laws of Building Muscle<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Work \u2018til failure.<\/strong> \u201cYou need to work those muscles to fatigue,\u201d says McCall. \u201cIf you can do another rep, then you haven\u2019t exhausted all the muscle fibers and you\u2019re not going to see the maximum results.\u201d So, zero in on an exercise \u2014 say, forward lunges<\/a> \u2014 and bust out quality reps until you can literally do no more (always with good form). Now you can take a rest.<\/p>\n

If circuit training is your jam, move on to another exercise that works a different major muscle \u2014 like pull-ups<\/a> to target your back \u2014 and go again until the targeted muscle is completely fatigued.<\/p>\n

As for intensity, you want to go hard \u2014 high-intensity training<\/a> is ideal for improving definition \u2014 but not every single day. \u201cThree high-intensity workouts a week is ideal, and every second or third day should be more low-key,\u201d says McCall. \u201cIf you go high-intensity all the time, you\u2019re not giving your body enough time to recover, and that\u2019s when the magic happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 Signs It\u2019s Time to Take a Rest Day<\/a><\/p>\n

So\u2026How Long Does It Actually Take? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cSome people might see definition in their arms, shoulders or legs in a relatively short time (like three or four weeks),\u201d McCall says. But if you tend to store excess fat in your belly<\/a>, then it\u2019ll take longer to see a flatter tummy.<\/p>\n

Not sure how to measure your progress? \u201cPick a routine that\u2019s your \u2018tester\u2019 workout, and evaluate how well you do in the very first one,\u201d he says. (Confused? Pick one of these five standard tests<\/a>.) Record how many reps you can do or how much weight you can lift. Then, do the exact same workout every few weeks. If you can lift more weight or complete more reps in the same amount of time, then you\u2019re well on your way to stronger, more toned muscles.<\/p>\n

And remember: Don\u2019t feel bad if you never get those washboard abs that grace magazine covers. Every body is different, and you should celebrate each victory<\/a> even if you can\u2019t see it on the scale or in the mirror \u2014 like the fact that your back feels hella good when you pull on a tank top. (And hey, there are benefits to strength training that go way beyond buff arms<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as you\u2019ve done your first workout, your body starts the process toward giving you more muscle definition,\u201d says McCall. So regardless of how you look<\/em>, you\u2019re making sustainable changes for a healthy lifestyle \u2014 and that\u2019s way more important than getting ripped.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re not going to lie: You\u2019ll need to hustle to see more muscle. Here\u2019s the real deal on how long it takes to see better muscle definition. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6,14],"tags":[341,343,285,154],"class_list":["post-48776","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-strength-training","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-weight-loss","tag-weight-training"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48776","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48776"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48776\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48776"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48776"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48776"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}