So you have looked at the Muscle & Fitness magazines, and seen pictures posted on the web of famous body builders. You think that you would love to have a body like that, but you dont know how to get a body like that.

There are many of us that would love to know how to build muscle and burn fat fast. To be able walk into the gym pump some iron and walk out looking like a competition body builder or maybe ever Mr. Olympia, Ronnie Coleman, or how about Monica Brandt for you ladies out there.

Dont you wish it could be that simple? Well maybe it can be with a little time and a lot of dedication. There are some things to consider when building muscle; first of all, your natural body type and what you would like to achieve. Also, were are you at physically and how far do you need to go?

If you truly want to achieve a body builders body you are going to have to work like a body builder. You might be wondering who I am and why I am capable of making such claims, I assure you that I am speaking from experience in the matter. I am a personal trainer and even though I like to specialize in clients everyday goals I have competed in amateur body building for fun. Ive also trained a number of clients for shows.

The best thing is that it is possible for anyone to build muscle and burn fat. It breaks down to two simple things, diet and exercise. Yes, diet and exercise. That may not be what you wanted to hear, but it is the truth, and it doesnt mean that you have to change your whole life. It does mean that you will need to make some adjustments to your everyday life.

First Step: Diet

The key to a good diet, one that will build muscles and burn fat, is getting the right mix of protein, carbs, and fat. You need protein to help rebuild muscle after working out and you need good carbs for energy during your workouts.

An everyday diet should have about 60% carbohydrates, 35% protein, and no more than 15% fat. Easy ways to do this are to make sure that you are eating foods that have these proportions naturally. Start replacing any white foods (white bread, plain pasta, white rice) with brown foods (whole wheat bread, pasta, and brown rice). Also make sure you are getting plenty of vegetables. In order to get ready for a competition, or in order to achieve the low body fat of competition body builders you will need to adjust that ratio. Up your protein and lower your fat.

At meals fill your plate 2/3 with vegetables and 1/3 with lean protein (white meat chicken or turkey, and fish). Some great sources of protein are eggs whites, and cottage cheese. Both are low in fat and high in protein. The best meat for you to eat is fish. Tilapia, tuna, and salmon are excellent choices. When picking poultry, go for 98% fat free turkey breast. These are all great foods that will again give you needed protein without adding fat to your body.

Some great choices for carbs are oatmeal, whole wheat breads and pastas, and sweet potatoes. This doesnt mean that you have to throw out everything that tastes good. Just try to limit things with empty calories (calories that offer no nutritional value).

Also make sure that you are drinking tons of water. When trying to cut fat it is important to drink one to two gallons of water a day.

Second Step: Strength Training

Obviously, strength training is very important when it comes to building muscle and burning fat. This doesnt have to be done in a gym; it can be done at home. There are many different magazines and books that offer ways to do resistance training at home. You can use resistance bands or purchase weights from a local sports equipment store.

In order to build muscle, it is important to lift heavy, and do smaller reps 8-10. If you are working on burning fat and getting lean muscle mass, do lighter weights with more reps 15-20. Always make sure that your muscles are warmed up well before you start lifting, and that you have someone with you to spot. It is easy to injure yourself when lifting heavy, so make sure you are always using proper technique. If you are unsure of what to do, there are a lot of great fitness books out there that will guide through exercises and diet.

It is very important to build muscle when trying to reduce fat. Muscle is a natural fat burner and burns 10 more calories per pound than fat does.

Step Three: Aerobic Exercise

The first and second steps are very important, but you are never going to be able to see the muscles that you have worked so hard to build if they are hiding behind a layer of fat Aerobic exercise burns fat; there is no way to get around it.

Again, it does not have to be done in a gym. Find an activity that you like, that elevates your heart rate, and do it for about an hour, five to seven days a week. Decide how much cardio you need to do based on how much fat you need to cut. Walk, run, play tennis, bike, shoot hoops, whatever it takes to get you moving and your heart rate elevated. Another plus to aerobic exercise is, it raises you caloric limit for the day. If you cheated during lunch, and youre counting the calories, you can make it up during your cardio session.