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The Basics: Cutting vs. Bulking

Many bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts turn to cutting and bulking to achieving their goals. While this isn’t for everyone and should be monitored by a health professional, today we wanted to share with you the basis of a cutting and buying diet.

The overall goal of cutting and bulking is to lower body fat and build muscle. When cutting, the objective is to lower your bodyfat to a desired level after a bulking (or gaining) phase. This method is sometimes frowned upon, especially for beginners and even intermediate individuals, as weight swings are not good for your body. Additionally, before attempting to cut and bulk it is essential that one learns what good nutrition is and also to have control their bodyfat levels.

If you do decide to do bulking and cutting, it’s key to remember that bulking without cutting is not going to help you reach your goals and will instead result in fat gain. Lastly, remember that each week or day that you have a 20% caloric surplus is a week that you need to cut at a 20% caloric deficit during the cutting phase.

No matter your health and nutrition goals and plan, remember the maximum amount an average adult can put on is about 10lbs of muscle gain a year. What is key, for all, is that you eat healthy, work hard, and feel good!

From our personal trainers in Durham… Keep sweating!


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All About Protein

Protein…We all know protein is necessary for building muscle and for overall health. Today we are going back to the basics (and a bit further) to share with you how much protein you need and why it is essential for every individual.



How many grams of protein do you need per day?
The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound. For active individuals, it is widely accepted that you should consume 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight.



How much protein do you need to lose weight?
Increase your protein intake to increase fat loss and preserve your lean mass. One example of a higher-protein diet for weight loss is 1.4 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight, which is close to twice the RDA stated above.



How much protein should you eat to build muscle mass?



Higher levels of protein intake, usually in the range of 1.2 – 1.5 grams per pound of body weight is commonly recommended when “cutting” to lose fat.



What are high protein foods for weight loss?<

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Choose protein sources that are nutrient-rich and lower in saturated fat and calories, such as:
Lean meats.
Seafood.
Beans.
Soy.
Low-fat dairy.
Eggs.
Nuts and seeds.


There you have it Durham gym enthusiasts!



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CAST YOUR VOTE: The Best Gym in Durham

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s that time of year again… Cast your ballot now for your favorite local businesses (and of course your favorite gym!) We appreciate your ongoing support!

 

  1. Click here to vote: http://durhammag.com/2017/02/15/vote-for-the-best-of-durham-2017/#codeword
  2. Go to Best of “Services”
  3. Enter Your Email Address
  4. Scroll down to S9. “Best Place to Get in Shape”
  5. “What is the best gym in Durham?” The Method
  6. Tell us why!
  7. Submit!

 


 

 

Thank you again for your ongoing support and for voting The Method the best gym in Durham!


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Spring into Fitness with The Method Gym in Durham

Ready to get back into the swing of things and shake off the winter blues? We know the holidays and start of the new year can be quite hectic and that sometimes our fitness goals are the first thing to go! To keep you motivated and up-to-speed, today we are sharing some of our latest and greatest blog posts from our Durham personal trainers!

Keep moving Durham!

 

Get the Scoop: BCAA’s

All About Rest Days

Carbs vs. Sugar

How to Get the Body You Want

10 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Belly Fat

From Our Durham Personal Trainers: Overtraining

How Irregular Eating Patterns Can Hinder Weight Loss

Want to Gain Muscle and Lose Fat? Eat These Foods

The BEST Foods to Eat Before Working Out

The WORST Foods to Eat Before Working Out

Happy February friends!


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From Our Durham Personal Trainers: Overtraining

 

Hey Durham fitness lovers! If you love fitness and working out as much as our Durham personal trainers do, then chances are, overtraining is something you have to be careful of! So what is overtraining exactly and what are the risks and solutions associated? Read more to find out!

According to bodybuilding.com, overtraining is a common problem in weight training, but it can also be experienced by runners and other athletes. Over training is to the point where you are actually getting WEAKER but working out too much and without rest.
The dictionary states, “Overtraining is a common problem in weight training, but it can also be experienced by runners and other athletes. It occurs when the volume and intensity of the exercise exceeds an individual’s recovery capacity. They cease making progress, and can even begin to lose strength and fitness.”
Signs of Overtraining Include:
  • Persistent muscle soreness
  • Elevated resting heart rate
  • Increased susceptibility to sickness
  • Injuries
  • Irritability
  • Depression
  • Loss of Motivation
  • Weight Loss
To avoid overtraining, our Personal Trainers in Durham recommend taking at least one rest day a week and to make sure you are consistently feeding your body and muscles with enough nutrients to stay strong and nourished.
The key is listening to your body, energy levels, and focus at the gym.

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Get the Scoop from Our Durham Personal Trainers: BCAA’s

 

 

BCAA’s… Maybe you’ve heard of them, maybe you haven’t! In either case, BCAA’s, or Branched-Chain Amino Acids, have shown to have many benefits for healthy individuals who are active and striving to build muscle and lose fat. BCAA’s stimulate protein synthesis, perhaps even more than normal protein alone. In addition, BCAA’s increase the synthesis of the process that is responsible for building muscle (protein synthesis.)

So what does this all amount to and HOW do you incorporate BCAA’s into your diet? Many athletes get their BCAA from a dissolvable powder you put in your water or other beverages, either flavored or unflavored, and then consume either before, during, and/or after your workout. This can be especially helpful in maintaining muscle mass while on a calorie-deficit diet, as dieting can also take a chunk out of your muscle mass IN ADDITION to the fat you are also losing. This is because dieting is a catabolic process, or muscle breakdown. This is because the leaner a body gets, the harder the body tries to hold onto body fat stores. As a result, the body will turn to muscle as an energy source. No bueno!

 

To fight against this process, many take BCAA’s, particularly leucine, to stimulate protein synthesis and decrease the rate of protein breakdown. So if one of your goals at our Durham personal training gym is to increase muscle and lose fat, BCAA’s might be your answer!

From our personal trainers in Durham…. Happy muscle building and fat burning! Perhaps with the help of BCAA’s!

 


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All About Rest Days

 

Hey Durham fitness fanatics! We all know rest days are critical to repairing our muscles and building strength… But for some of us, it’s hard to just sit still without dreaming about the gym or a nice run outside! If this sounds like you, good news! You don’t have to spend your rest days just sitting! Read the tips below from our Durham personal trainers to learn about how you can promote recovery, conditioning, and correct movement patterns on your rest days without being a couch potato.

Just remember, a lack of proper recovery days can lead to plateaus and can lead to injury! If you need some fitness motivation, come meet one of our durham personal trainer to get started today!

 

 “It is not how hard you train, but how well you recover.”

 

 

  1. Find a local walking trail and take 1-3 mile walk at a leisurely pace. Even a simple walk around the neighborhood will help!
  2. Make sure you eat healthy and stay hydrated on your rest days so your body can recover and feed your muscles. Protein is key!
  3. Go to bed early to allow your body the extra  rest. Sleep is when our bodies are able to rebuild and heal!
  4. Use your rest days as a time to stretch your body. You can work this into your relaxation time as you unwind with your favorite TV show
  5. Yoga is a great activity for rest days. Not only does it stretch your muscles it has also shown to have positive benefits for the mind

 

How do you use your rest days to recuperate and recharge? We’d love to hear!

From our personal trainers in Durham… Happy recovery!

 

 

 


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Are you In?

Are you in? Are you subscriber?



We just released our winter newsletter that features fitness inspiration and tips from our Durham personal trainers!










Don’t miss out! Visit the link below and subscribe today! As always, come by our private Durham gym in downtown Durham near Duke!




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New Year, New You!

 

To kick off the new year, we are recapping what our private gym in Durham can do for you.

The Method is a safe and individualized approach to exercise

Our method employs the latest weight resistance training exercises and coaching for healthy living.

Not only is our workout methodology effective, it’s safe.

Our Method…

  • -Improves Functional Movement
  • -Promotes Weight Loss
  • -Builds Strength
  • -Increases Flexibility

Change Your Body. Find Your Strength.

There’s 40 years of success behind our proven method

 

What is The Method? 

 

The Method is all about teaching our clients how to lift weights and exercise with the proper technique. There’s no slinging or jerking at our gym; only controlled movements that yield real results.

 

Come workout with us in our private gym. We are located in Durham adjacent to Duke Campus and 5 minutes from downtown Durham.

 


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