GAINING OR DIETING. Why both?

GAINING OR DIETING?

Hardcore gym rats are either gaining -- packing on mass -- or dieting -- dropping pounds. The bad news is that we can't do both at the same time. (Well, we can, but it's illegal and can be a pain in the ass.)

GAINING

It's obvious: To create bigger muscles, you need to continually push more weight. But there's more to gaining muscle than the daily session of leaving your blood and guts on floor: It also requires an increase in calories and protein. Studies have shown that taking protein before, after, and even during a workout decreases recovery time. This is important because less muscle soreness after a tough workout means the immune system and nervous system can handle more weight in less time for the next go-round -- so you can lift heavier and longer. More lifting = more muscle. And more protein = more lifting. Get it?

DIETING

Diet training is the opposite of training for mass. To torch body fat, you need to reduce calories, and you'll usually introduce cardio and slash carbs as well. But when you do all this, ironically, getting through a workout becomes a challenge. Physically, you can't throw around the same weight as you could during the gaining phase -- and this can destroy your mental manhood. (Don't quit: Redemption is coming in the form of veins you've never seen before and striations you didn't know you had.)

During the losing phase you need to take in small, frequent amounts of protein. The reason? As you begin to cut calories, the body will need fuel in the form of glucose. Glucose can be made from amino acids -- a process called gluconeogenesis -- and, unfortunately, a prime way for your body to get amino acids is to suck them out of our muscles. That's right -- this shrinks your hard-gained muscle. Keeping protein handy during the losing phase will ensure that your protein stores and muscle don't get drained for glucose.

So: PROTEINBLITZ is the ideal solution for both gainers and dieters.