Let’s pretend you never plan to step foot upon a competitive bodybuilding stage. You train for the purposes of looking and feeling good and performing well (IE: getting stronger). You aren’t all that concerned with symmetry, but you do understand the importance of full body development. You aren’t concerned with getting diced or dropping water, but wearing a decently low body fat level would be nice. Finally, you aren’t going to be covering your body in multiple layers of pro-tan, but you also don’t want to be pasty white. In order to meet these goals outside of the bodybuilding arena, you’re going to have to do a few things each day – after the weightlifting session.

Immediately following your workout, there are several steps you should take to ensure your muscles recover, your body fat levels remain low, and your skin has the tan and clean appearance required to make you look your best. The first thing you should do upon arriving home from the gym, assuming the weather permits, is to put on your mp3 player and begin walking for 25 to 30 minutes. This will serve quite a few very noble purposes. First, you will be completing the cardio your body requires to retain that low body fat you need for proper display of your physique. Completing the cardio on an empty stomach at the conclusion of the weight lifting session ensures you aren’t burning carbohydrates from your digestive system for energy. Rather, you will be burning fat stores. This is why bodybuilders complete their cardio first thing in the morning, or immediately following their workout.

As you take your walk, you will be exposed to the outdoors, which will clear your head and also help you develop your suntan. A slow and gradual approach to tanning is way more sensible than ‘crash tanning’ in the days before a show, where you spend hours at a time in peak sunlight. Use sunscreen if the sunlight in your area is particularly strong, and enjoy a bit of tanning improvement each day. Be sure to drink a lot of water as you complete your daily walk in the sun – you can become dehydrated very easily.

After your walk, you will no doubt be quite sweaty form your workout and tanning cardio, and quite hungry. At this point you should return home, grab your whey protein shake, and hop into a nice warm shower. Using a non-harsh soap will allow you to protect your tan and your skin, while at the same time getting your body clean. After your shower, prepare a solid meal of at least two carb sources and two protein sources. From there, return to your regularly scheduled day! Getting in shape isn’t hard, and looking like a bodybuilder isn’t the most difficult thing to do. You simply lift heavy weights and eat a lot of food. Achieving a healthy, balanced, tan and lean look to go with those muscles can be a bit tougher. However, with proper planning and a little dedication, it can be done!

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