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These rules are the same for men and women alike.
The first step is to work out with some sort of resistance.
Weights can be purchased cheaply or you can join a gym where you will have an assortment of free weights and resistance machines with which to work.
Once you have purchased weights, or joined a gym, then the training begins.
Training should be the same regardless of gender.
In order for muscle growth to occur, the muscle fibers have to be damaged.
A person takes a weight and does the exercises, bicep curls for example, and he or she does 8 repetitions.
The person attempts to do a ninth repetition but cannot.
The muscles are too fatigued.
He or she waits a few minutes and does it again.
The following week, using the same exercise and weight, the person finds that 10 repetitions are possible.
This occurs because in the previous workout, muscles fibers were broken down and repaired.
This will happen again and again as long as the correct resistance is being used.
Tear muscle fibers, repair them.
This happens with muscles in a male's body or female's body.
The only difference is that men have higher levels of testosterone to help them repair the muscles quickly, and help them grow bigger.
Instead of growing bigger muscles, women will tone up more.
They will increase lean mass, and will have visible muscles but not the size of man who does the same type of workout.
The second rule is eating properly.
Within 30 minutes after working out with weights, something should be eaten in order to help muscles get repaired quickly.
Ideally a protein shake is the best because it's digested easily.
But in the absence of a protein shake, any combination of protein and carbohydrates will suffice.
A sandwich, fish, pasta and meat, all are good options to help the body recover.
Not only are post workout meals important, but so are pre workout meals.
An hour before each workout, the same type of meal should be eaten.
It need not be high calorie but it has to be a combination of carbohydrates and protein.
Carbohydrates to help fuel your workout, protein to always keep muscles fed.
Again this is true for men and women.
The difference is in the amount of calories ingested.
A man will need more calories, but the macronutrients are the same.
Rest is the final component.
In order for muscles to grow, they need time to repair themselves.
This only happens when you rest.
During sleep, all those fibers that were torn during exercise need to be rebuilt.
Without adequate amounts of rest, it takes longer for the body to repair itself and longer for you to increase your lean mass.
Women, you need to stop doing marathon weight lifting.
Some women will take one weight and do 5 different exercises with them with 20 to 30 repetitions for each exercise.
It's a waste of energy and it's contrary to weight loss goals.
Increasing lean mass helps with weight loss.
The more muscle you have the more fat your body burns at rest.
Even after a vigorous weight training session, the body continues to burn calories in a 24 hour period following that session.
With cardio workouts, the calories are burned just during the activity.
When the activity ceases, so does the amount of calories burned.
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