Minimum amount of training to build muscle? To maintain muscle?

[Warol2137]

I would like to start working out, but I am not sure if it's worth it. What I mean is, I would indeed want to have less fat, more muscle, and be stronger, etc., however I don't really like the fact that I have to spend a lot of time in that order, I don't want training to take over my life.
But don't get me wrong, I am quite fine with the fact, that I have to exercise to build muscle, but I don't really like the fact, that I have to exercise even to maintain it! I don't want to be forced to exercise a few hours every week, for the rest of my life, I would rather use this time in an another way, and not to feel forced to exercise, because if I don't, I will lose something I have been building an maintaining for a long time. So does maintaining muscle require less effort than building it?

 

[Jin]

Yes, maintenance is easier than progress. Enjoy your comfortable life.

 

[CJ]

Much less to maintain, but you still have to work those muscles or they will go away eventually. Use it or lose it.

Just lift weights 2x per week, do some cardio, eat reasonably, and you'll get some decent results, probably right about what you're looking for.

But fyi... A few hours per week isn't much at all.

 

[Jonjon]

I think you’ll fit right in at planet fitness

 

[Jonjon]

No seriously… 3 sessions a week focusing on basic lifts and you’ll probably see results. The hardest part about this whole deal happens in the kitchen, not the gym.

You can take it as far or as casually as you want to. Something is better than nothing

 

[IsaacRobertson]

Yep, it's easier since it requires less work. Just make sure you're still lifting a few times a week, do cardio once a week, then watch what you eat too.

 

[Warol2137]

eat reasonably

The hardest part about this whole deal happens in the kitchen

then watch what you eat too

What do you mean? Is it just simply about eating enought of proteins, carbs, and fats or is there more to it? If it's the latter, could you tell more about it? Or post some link where I can read about it?

 

[CJ]

Protein is incredibly important. If your body needs protein for any of the many needs it has for it, and you have some muscle tissue that you're not using enough, then kiss it goodbye.

Use it, or lose it.... And feed it.

 

[Send0]

I would like to start working out, but I am not sure if it's worth it. What I mean is, I would indeed want to have less fat, more muscle, and be stronger, etc., however I don't really like the fact that I have to spend a lot of time in that order, I don't want training to take over my life.
But don't get me wrong, I am quite fine with the fact, that I have to exercise to build muscle, but I don't really like the fact, that I have to exercise even to maintain it! I don't want to be forced to exercise a few hours every week, for the rest of my life, I would rather use this time in an another way, and not to feel forced to exercise, because if I don't, I will lose something I have been building an maintaining for a long time. So does maintaining muscle require less effort than building it?

I'm going to be the harsh one here.

Based on your starting post, it seems to me that your mind is in the completely wrong place. Committing a minimum of 4 hours a week is really not that much. If you hate working out so much, and you reinforce that notion with negative thoughts like you have here, then you aren't going to go very far.

I completely understand wanting to reserve as much time for other things in your life... trust me I am probably one of the laziest and most procrastinating members on the forum. However nothing in life is free. If you want something, you grab it by the balls and go for it.

I get the impression you are asking about maintaining gains you haven't made yet.

Fix your mentality, and then let's work on optimizing your training program so it's time efficient, and then last we will talk/think about how much it will take for you to maintain once you've hit your goal/gains.

Good luck.

 

[NbleSavage]

@Warol2137 ye need to know yer TDEE and then track yer calories.

Here's a simple TDEE calculator and MyFitnessPal is extra free.

 

[DEADlifter]

This seems like an odd place to pose this question.

But here goes. You're going to have to do something physical to maintain any muscle. Some sort of exercise. Rock climbing, skiing, biking... something.

OR you can do like I did and sat on my ass for a decade then woke up one day pushing 40 and realized that I looked like shit.

 

[Send0]

Just for the record... I know there is one person in this thread who replied to you, who works like 16 hours a day and at least 6 days a week.

This person still makes time to get into the gym 4x a week.

I am not that person, but maybe he will be nice enough to step up and identify himself, and maybe he will even give you some time management tips.

 

[eazy]

I would like to start working out, but I am not sure if it's worth it.

I don't want training to take over my life.

As an often obsessed with something, easily addicted, man of extremes, I forget these people exist.

 

[Jonjon]

As an often obsessed with something, easily addicted, man of extremes, I forget these people exist.

That’s me… I take everything too far. It’s been a blessing and a curse but it’s how I am

 

[Jonjon]

Here’s the bottom line. You don’t have to do it like the rest of us. You can put in less effort and still get some improvements in your physique

You just do you and enjoy it.

 

[CJ]

Here’s the bottom line. You don’t have to do it like the rest of us. You can put in less effort and still get some improvements in your physique

You just do you and enjoy it.

This ^^^^^

It's a spectrum. Even a minimal amount of exercise will yield tremendous health benefits. It doesn't even have to be strenuous, could be simply going for hikes or biking.

 

[OldeBull1]

I call Bean Sauce here (I have kids, we don't say bullshit). No disrespect intended, but I got to call it.
Average work produces average results. Minimal effort produces less. Nothing is free, looking and being fit is earned. I could go cliche and say it is earned with blood, sweat and sacrifice, but that is a little much. It is earned with consistency, commitment and effort.

Our bodies want homeostasis. Holding excess muscle is not normal. It takes work to build it, it takes work to keep it. If you want to be better than average, you need to do more than average.

The process is as much as the results.

This shouldn't take over your life, but it should be a part of it. If you want time, make time. 5 hours a week training, hard to quantify the time spent eating and preparing. Do it, or don't.

 

[Send0]

This ^^^^^

It's a spectrum. Even a minimal amount of exercise will yield tremendous health benefits. It doesn't even have to be strenuous, could be simply going for hikes or biking.

Devil's advocate, if all he wanted to do was look like an average desk jockey... who does minimal activity for exercise; merely for the health benefits, then why hop on a bodybuilding forum?

Something tells me he wants to look sort've like a body builder, or at least look like he lifts. This requires more than minimal effort.

But maybe I'm judging based on the nature of this place, combined with how he wrote his first post.

 

[Send0]

@Warol2137 can you tell us what your goals.are? Is there a target physique you'd like to hit? Are you just wanting to look like the average male? (FYI, I wouldn't call any one on this forum average looking, except maybe myself )

This will help us make better responses for you. Right now we're all kind of making assumptions of what your trying to achieve.

 

[BrotherIron]

You want to look a certain way but don't want to work for it. I'm guessing your young and not driven.

If you don't like lifting, you're not going to follow through and be consistent. You probably don't like eating correctly either.