Lifting weights and isometric exercises help to build larger, stronger muscles, but exercise is only part of the picture. You have to eat a muscle-healthy diet if you want to have bigger muscles. There are a lot of products on the market, mostly protein-based drinks and shakes, that promise to help build bigger muscles. Protein shakes and supplements, if used as recommended and with your doctor or personal trainer-dietitian’s supervision, can provide extra protein to build muscle tissue. However, protein supplements alone are not enough. Your muscles need a variety of nutrients in addition to protein. A balanced diet that includes carbohydrates, vitamins and trace minerals will help you achieve your big muscle goals.

Low-fat fortified dairy products provide protein for muscle tissues, carbs for energy and plenty of vitamins for your overall health and fitness. Dairy products are rich in calcium, potassium and vitamin D. Vitamin D and calcium are essential not only for stronger, larger muscles, but also for strong bones. Add some milk, cheese and yogurt to your diet to help build strong muscles and bones.

Lean meat is a good source of protein. Lean beef is also a good source of iron, which helps keep your blood healthy for efficient delivery of oxygen and removal of cellular waste. Beef is also loaded with selenium, zinc, magnesium and muscle-building amino acids. Trim off the fat before cooking a steak or a pot roast. Chicken and eggs are also good sources of protein and other vitamins and minerals. Eggs are rich in amino acids, vitamins B, D and E and zinc.

Drop that bag of potato chips and snack on nuts and whole grain crackers to get a boost of protein for your muscles. Nuts and whole grains, such as wheat and oats, also provide your body with antioxidants and vitamin E that help repair cell damage caused by free radicals. Avoid salted or honey roasted nuts as these can add additional sodium and calories that you don’t need. Whole grain pasta, bread and crackers with some low-fat cheese makes a great protein-rich snack.

The basic bounce is simply standing in the middle of the mini-trampoline and bouncing. It’s a good workout for your back, legs, spine joints and abdominal muscles. Stand in the middle of the trampoline with your feet slightly apart. Bend your knees and then straighten you legs quickly to begin the bouncing. You don’t have to bounce high, just a few inches off the surface will do. Bounce steadily for about 20 minutes or until you are sweating.

Once you have mastered the basic bounce, it’s time to try some fancy footwork. “Walk” in the middle of the trampoline by standing with your feet a few inches apart and then lift your left heel. As you lower your left heel, lift your right heel. Get your rhythm and work up to a brisk “walk.” Jog in place in the middle of the trampoline by lifting your entire foot about an inch off the surface of the trampoline on the upward bounce. Alternate feet and jog off the excess fat while working your muscles.

If you sit at a desk for 8 hours a day at work, you become susceptible to slouching. Slumping your shoulders and leaning forward in a slouched position often results from fatigue and weak muscles. Weak muscles in the back, shoulders and neck can result in poor posture and slouching. When you slouch, you make yourself susceptible to neck, back and shoulder pain. Your muscles and joints can become stiff and you may develop a headache. The best way to avoid slouching and all the negative physical effects is to be mindful of your posture at all times and to develop strong muscles.

The pelvic lift exercise helps strengthen your back muscles. Try to do repetitions every day to help strengthen your back from your neck to your spine, and strengthen your thighs. Lie on the floor on your back with your knees bent. Place your feet flat on the floor close to your butt. Place your hands on each side of your body with your palms down. Take a deep breath, squeeze your abs and then lift your hips up toward the ceiling. Hold for a few seconds and then relax.

The plank exercise helps to strengthen your shoulders, back and abdominal muscles. Leg extensions help work your abs and thighs. Leg extensions also help to strengthen your hips and pelvis.

Hula hoops have been around for decades. They come in all sizes and colors. Some have beads inside that make a noise as it goes around your hips and others light up when you play with it. The hula hoop is traditionally considered a toy, but did you know that the hula hoop is a great way to lose weight and tone your body? Adults who want to lose weight and firm up muscles from the top down can use a hula hoop for a whole-body workout.

The rocking, back-and-forth, motion of your body causes repeated contraction and relaxation of your muscles. Your body flexes and your spine and hips are rotated. Your knee joints and the leg muscles that stabilize your knee and hip joints also get a good workout. The motion of your legs and hips that keep the hoop rotating around your waist improves the flexibility and strength of your hamstrings, quadriceps and hip flexors. Your core muscles also get a good workout as you tighten and relax your abdominal muscles to keep the hula hoop moving. Your butt muscles will feel the burn when you rotate the hula hoop higher on your waist.

Hula hooping can help you keep your spine, hips and leg joints flexible for increased range of motion. Hula hoop exercise is a low-impact exercise than can help you burn fat and lose weight if you hoop for about 30 minutes after you start to sweat and your heart rate increases.

Most of us could do with a fat loss and stronger muscles around our midsection. Belly fat and weak abdominal muscles can not only make you look like a pear, but belly fat can also contribute to diseases such as heart disease and even cancer. Burn fat and lose weight by eating a healthy diet and getting at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every day. Do ab strengthening exercises to firm up your tummy every other day in addition to aerobic exercise to help flatten and firm your abs.

The front plank is an effective abdominal exercise that strengthens the tranverse abdominis and the rectus abdominal muscles. Get on the floor and support your body on your forearms and your toes. Stretch your body out fully. Keep your spine straight from the top of your head all the way to your heels. Squeeze your abdominal muscles tightly and then lift your entire body straight up off the floor. Keep your elbows underneath your shoulders for balance and support. Hold the plank exercise for 5 seconds and then relax. Try to do 5 repetitions of this exercise.

Leg lifts are another very effective abdominal exercise. Your butt and legs will also get a good workout. Lie on the floor on your back. Place your hands, palms down, under your butt. Flatten your back against the floor and keep your legs close together stretched out in front of your body. Squeeze your abs tight and then lift both legs upward toward the ceiling. Lift your legs as high as you can. Bend your knees and then bring your knees toward your chest. Straighten your legs back out and lift toward the ceiling. Hold for a few seconds and then relax. That’s one rep. Try to do 5 repetitions.

The crunch is the tried and true abdominal exercise. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on the floor, palms down, on either side of your body. Squeeze your abs tight and lift your upper body off the floor using your abdominal muscles. Hold for a few seconds and then relax. Start with 5 repetitions and gradually build up to 10 or more.

A medicine ball is a heavy ball that you can use to strengthen your upper body and abdominal muscles. Today’s medicine balls aren’t like those big, heavy things your high school physical education teacher used to throw at you. Medicine balls for strength training are available in different weights from 2 pounds up to 25 pounds. Working out with a medicine ball once or twice each week can help you build muscle and burn fat.

You should select a medicine ball that you can lift without straining your arms. When you workout with a medicine ball, make sure your body is balanced and your feet flat on the floor. Workout your shoulders and upper body by holding a medicine ball in front of your chest with both hands. Extend your arms straight out from your shoulders and slowly raise the ball over your head. Hold it for a few seconds and then lower your arms. Keep your arms extended and then raise the ball over your head again. Try to do 10 repetitions of this exercise. You can work your triceps by holding the ball over your head and then lowering it behind your head by bending your elbows.

Work your obliques on each side of  your waist by holding a medicine ball while doing oblique twists. Lie on your back on the floor and bend your knees until your shins are parallel with the floor. Place a medicine ball between your knees. Rotate your knees to the left and then back to center. Rotate your knees to the right and then back to center. Keep your back flat against the floor and rotate from the waist. Do 10 repetitions.

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Your hip flexors are muscles that help flex your hip joint when you stand up and sit down. When your hip flexors are weak or tense, you can experience stiffness and pain in your hip or lower back. Hip flexor exercises help to strengthen the muscles and improve flexibility of the joint. If you suffer from osteoporosis, spine injury or hip injury, consult your doctor before trying any hip exercises.

Lying leg raises can be done on the floor or on an exercise bench. Lie on your back and flatten  your back as much as possible. Bend both of your knees and then raise your knees toward your chest as far as you can. Keep your knees together  and try to avoid lifting your lower back off the floor. Lower your knees but don’t touch the floor with your feet and then bring your knees back to your chest again. Try to do 8 to 10 repetitions of this exercise.

Stretching your hip flexor muscles help improve flexibility to make bending, walking and standing up easier. Lie down on your back on your bed or on an exercise bench. Allow your legs to hang over the bed with your butt close to the edge of the bed or bench. Place your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent. Raise one knee up toward your chest but leave the other foot on the floor. Grab your knee with both hands and gently pull your knee toward your chest. Lower your foot back to the floor and repeat on the other side. Try to do 8 to 10 repetitions with each leg.

Do you find yourself having difficulty paying attention sometimes? Is it hard to concentrate? Do you forget important information sometimes? People who regularly exercise their bodies tend to be more alert than people who do not exercise or exercise infrequently. When you exercise, blood flows to every part of your body, including your brain, is increased. If you exercise, you may be able to stay focused, be more alert and remember more information.

Student participants in a study by the California Department of Education, California Project Lean, “Successful Students Through Healthy Food and Fitness Policies” performed better on tests than than their classmates who did not exercise. The students who exercised also performed better overall as demonstrated by better reading and writing skills and better grades.

Exercise can also increase the size of your brain! A study published in The Journals of Gerontology, “Aerobic Exercise Training Increases Brain Volume in Aging Humans,” Stanley J. Colcombe, et al., older people who did aerobic exercise had larger brains after 6 months of exercise. The increased blood flow to the brain during exercise may contribute to increase in brain tissue. The people who took part in the study also demonstrated improved cognitive brain function.

When you exercise, it isn’t just your muscles that are growing. Your entire body, including your brain, benefits. Combine regular aerobic exercise with a healthy diet and you are on your way to improved fitness and greater mental alertness.

The push-up is a good way to work your chest, abs, glutes, legs, arms and shoulders. The simple push-up works just about every major muscle group in your body. Bodyweight exercises, such as the push-up, use your own body weight against the resistance of gravity to help build strong, firm muscles. Push-ups are especially good for women because the exercise is great for chest and arm muscles.

Many women can benefit from push-ups because the exercise improves upper body strength. The forearms, biceps and the difficult to train triceps on the back of the arms get a good workout. Larger, stronger pectoral, or chest, muscles can help improve the appearance of the breast area. Your shoulders and upper back will also become lean and sculpted.

There are several different forms of the push-up exercise. The easiest to do is on your hands and knees. This style of push-up is great for beginners but still a good workout. Wall push-ups are a good option when you can’t get on the floor. Stand arm’s length from the wall and place your palms on the wall at shoulder height. Keep your feet flat on the floor and lean in toward the wall. Push your body back using your arms.

Riding a bicycle is a great way to get a good cardiovascular workout, improve muscle mass and lose weight. An increasing number of people leave the car in the garage or driveway and cycle to and from work to save money while getting fit. Be sure to take all safety precautions, including wearing a helmet, reflective clothing and riding in designated bike routes. Another precaution you should take is to stretch your muscles before hitting the road. Stretching your muscles improves your flexibility to reduce your risk of injury from muscle strain and joint sprains.

Your butt will be doing a lot of work during your ride. You should stretch the gluteus maximus and related muscles prior to riding. To stretch your glutes, lie on your back. Bend both knees and place your feet on the floor near your bottom. Place your left ankle on the top of your right thigh just below your knee. Use your left hand to gently push your left leg out and toward the floor. Push gently until you feel your left buttock begin to stretch. Hold the stretch for a few seconds and repeat on the other side.

Your legs are going to be pumping and pushing as you ride. Don’t forget to stretch your calf muscles, too. Stand next to a wall with your hand on the wall or hold onto a chair for balance. Step forward on one foot with your knee slightly bent. Keep your back leg straight with your foot flat on the floor. Lean forward until you feel the calf muscle in your rear leg begin to stretch. Hold for a few seconds and repeat with the other leg.

Stretch your hamstring muscles on the back of your legs before you ride. A pulled hamstring muscle is painful and will keep you from riding until it heals. Stand in front of a bench or low table and place one foot on the bench. Keep your other foot flat on the floor. Slowly bend forward at the hips and lower your face toward the foot on the table or bench. Bend forward until you feel the muscles in the back of your leg start to stretch and pull. Hold the stretch for a few seconds and then switch sides.