Random Bodybuilding Articles http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us Build Your Body Using Pro Hormones http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/build-your-body-using-pro-hormones.html http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/build-your-body-using-pro-hormones.html Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500
• Train intensity: you should work out each set and repeat it until you feel you are exhausted. If you don't follow then it will be hard for your body to adapt in improvement and development of body muscles as well as burning your fats.

• Cycle Your Intensity: It is important to take at least 5 or 6 days off after 8-12 weeks of continuing the workout routine to prevent excessive burnout of body fats and over training.

• Train Briefly: you should always have a short workout. Never take a weight lifting session that takes to more than an hour.

• Train Infrequently: To adapt and let your body grow intensely, your body needs to relax from weight training routine to recover completely.

These tips are extremely important to build your body. But for some, they can't dedicate, as times are very limited for them. In addition to the above tips, it is important to add one more tips, taking pro hormones, as it is advisable for people who don't have much time for a workout in gyms. Prohormones are the building blocks of testosterone and our body can easily convert it into testosterone thus helping in building our muscles cells. Prohormones are the legal alternatives of steroid hormones. You can buy prhormones from many legal clinical stores in the world. Some of the pro hormones available are 1-androstenediol, 4-androstenedione, 4-androstenediol, 5-androstenediol, 19-norandrostenedione etc.

Pro hormones are quite similar to steroid hormones as they also helps in building muscles and losing fats. Pro hormones are converted into anabolic hormones by the body from its precursor compound. Pro hormones are divided into three categories:

1. Andro group: the body converts Andro groups of pro hormones into natural hormones such as testosterone.

2. 19nor group: the body converts 19nor group into numerous anabolic compounds such as Nandrolone.

3. Testosterone booster: this testosterone booster stimulates our body to increase the production of male hormones to lose fats and muscle buildings.

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Bodybuildingfactory is one of the United States leading bodybuilding website. First established in August 2005, its mission is to become the number one site for buy prohormones searches.

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The importance of creatine in building lean muscle http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/the-importance-of-creatine-in-building-lean-muscle.html http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/the-importance-of-creatine-in-building-lean-muscle.html Sun, 23 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0500 Creatine monohydrate can rightly lay claim to being the most popular and arguably most effective bodybuilding supplement currently available. The beauty of creatine is that it is 100% natural and occurs in many foods so it's unlikely to be banned from any sports or competitions.

Let's first establish what creatine actually is. In brief, creatine is produced naturally in our bodies to help supply energy to the muscles. It is produced in the liver, pancreas and kidneys before being transported in the blood to our muscles. It is then converted into phosphocreatine which is a powerful metabolite used to regenerate the muscles' ATP source of energy.

From a bodybuilder's perspective, creatine can significantly increase lean muscle mass quickly, improve performance in high intensity exercise, raise energy levels and speed up recovery rates. Creatine's ability to raise energy in muscles is due to its muscle protein synthesizing action whilst reducing the breakdown of protein. This happens because creatine has the effect of super-hydrating muscle cells with water. It also improves muscle growth adding size and strength to muscle fibers.

Creatine is normally taken in two ways. The first involves loading the muscles with 20 to 30 grams of creatine per day for four to seven days. At the end of this phase maintenance involves a regular intake of 5 to 15 grams per day. The other method is more gradual in that it skips out the loading phase and simply involves supplementing with 5 to 15 grams per day for an extended period.

Two questions remain to be answered - does it work and is it safe? Creatine has undoubtedly been proven effective in recent years - over twenty scientific studies have concluded that creatine can increase energy levels and result in enhanced strength, endurance levels and recovery rates. As a training aid it therefore has many merits. In terms of safety, no study to date has shown creatine to be anything other than safe, provided manufacturers' instructions are followed.

There is a bewildering range of creatine supplements on the market so subsequent articles in this series will examine the relative merits of the most popular and effective forms. In the meantime, you can find out more by visiting the site listed below.







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Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Creatine Supplements to learn more about the issues covered in this article.

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Muscle Building Food - Best Foods For Building http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/muscle-building-food-best-foods-for-building.html http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/muscle-building-food-best-foods-for-building.html Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500
You have to realize that there is no one food that can be considered solely as a muscle building food. To have a complete diet to be considered as a muscle building food needs to be comprised of multiple foods but the common trait in all of these foods is protein. This category of food identified as protein must be concentrated on in order to allow your muscles to grow.

Insuring that you have protein in your daily eating habits will bring back the fun and anticipation of eating delicious foods in your life. By having protein as part of your diet you will enhance your muscle building food for your muscles to grow. You will realize from the information given to you by the end of this article what I mean by this.

So what's so great about protein? Protein is to muscle like keratin is to hair growth. Without protein in your body you will not have muscle growth. Period. Protein is the key ingredient in a muscle building food diet because it is the stimulus that muscles need to have them grow bigger. The body uses the protein to break it down to the amino acids which are the core nutrient for building and repairing muscle.

Protein foods that you can put to use in your diet will be detailed shortly. But before I get to that aspect of things to come you need to understand the frequency of eating that you need to have. In short, eat a lot. Eat 6-7 times daily in portioned snacks and meals through the day. Make sure that no more than three hours lapses between meals or snacks. Eating at three hour intervals will not let your body lose energy and also you won't be famished when it comes time for your regular meal.

Protein comes in many different forms of food. The following will list just a beginning of protein related foods that you can find your local shopping market. These are not special foods but just common foods that are packed with protein.

Eggs. This is a good source of protein and recently researchers have shown that the common egg also is indicative of the supply of omega-3 essential fatty acids.

Legumes. Beans. All kinds of beans associated with legumes. Pinto beans, kidney beans, navy beans, lima beans and the like. Eating beans as a source of protein has times been labeled a poor mans diet and that is just a fabrication of facts. Beans contain fiber that keeps your blood sugar level throughout the day so that you don't get cravings unnecessarily and keeps your energy level at an even keel all day long.

Nuts. There is so much protein nutrients in this type of muscle building food that there is no excuse for you not to have a bowl full of nuts readily available for snacking. Nuts contain vegetable protein, fiber, vitamin E and a lot more anti-oxidants that your body needs.

Having protein in your diet is one of the most important nutrients that you can start having in your meals. Get serious with yourself and start simple with the foods that are listed here and you will feel good about yourself knowing that you are replenishing your body for muscle growth. Foods that are rich in fats and essential fatty acids are oily fish, flaxseed oil, olive oil, avocado, cottage cheese and nuts. Choose these muscle-building foods in different combinations and eat small five to six meals a day. Processed foods and junk foods are not meant for bodybuilders. Also you should avoid high sugar content foods like fruit juices.

Healthy fats - Olive oil, canola oil, fish oil mostly found in oily fishes like salmon, herring, sardines, trout, mackerel, pilchards, anchovies, swordfish, eel. These fishes are rich in omega 3 fatty acids and contain vitamin A and vitamin D. Fish oil are also available in capsules.

Avoid saturated fats mostly found in animal meat, lard, butter.

Drink at least 1.5 litres of water everyday. Carry a bottle with you.

Eat 4-6 small meals every 2-3 hours. Each meal should consist of protein, complex carbohydrate, vegetable and fruit. You can have healthy fats in some of your meals not all. At night, focus more on protein and vegetables and less on carbohydrate because you will be less active by night.

So here you go, to build muscle up, consider these muscle building foods in your nutrition plan. But this is in no way an exhaustive list of all the right type of foods.

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Read out bodybuilding diet and men's health

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Can Complete Weight Training Range Of Motion Increase The Risk For Muscle Injuries? http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/can-complete-weight-training-range-of-motion-increase-the-risk-for-muscle-injuries.html http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/can-complete-weight-training-range-of-motion-increase-the-risk-for-muscle-injuries.html Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:27:20 -0500
This concept is valid when using relatively light weights and high reps in a particular weight training workout, as the joint and tendon stress is minimal, and therefore bringing a muscle through a longer distance each rep will not result in adverse consequences. Yet, for bodybuilders who seek maximum muscle gain, and decide to cycle low reps and heavy weight with higher rep workout sessions, full range of motion for certain exercises can actually boost the risk for injury and discomfort, especially in relation to joints, which experience significant strain when they are trained under heavy stress in a full range of motion environment.

During low rep, high weight training sessions, range of motion is best trimmed, but not to the point where many bodybuilders gravitate towards, as for example, a 50% decline in range of motion will bring about a reduction in muscle growth, and actually cause instability in muscles, potentially resulting in future serious injuries, including muscle tears. The best method used to reduce the chance of joint pain when performing heavy weight training workout sessions is to trim range of motion slightly at the point of muscle contraception, which means, for example, avoiding full lock out of the knees during squat, and the elbows during the bench press, to reduce joint stress when using heavy weights. This leads to a small decline in standard range of motion of about 10%, while still offering complete muscle stimulation.

Many bodybuilders believe that modifying squat range of motion at the bottom of each rep will reduce the chance of knee injuries, but this is not so, as full form squat, where you lower the body as far as possible, is more potent at building lower body muscle mass, and brings about stability in the legs that will not occur when substantially altering range of motion. The reason many suffer from knee discomfort when squatting is not because of excessive range of motion, but rather incorrect form which places unneeded stress upon the knee joint, as the deadlift and squat are two weight training exercises where form is especially difficult and crucial to the safety of each rep, and sadly, far too many bodybuilders aim to alter squat rep range as opposed to solving the true source of knee discomfort, which is improper form.

The same concept applies to elbow pain during bench pressing, as muscles have been designed to work together in systematic fashion, and when a link in the chain begins to function in a way that was not intended, other muscles attempt to compensate in an unnatural way, and soon after, joints are severely inflamed, and muscles begin to experience numerous injuries. Therefore, in addition to avoiding complete lockout on weight training exercises such as bench press and squat, if you are suffering from joint pain, you should make an effort to analyze weight training workout form on every exercise to determine whether your body is executing each rep correctly, making any changes as necessary.

Those bodybuilders who attempt to relieve joint pain by greatly reducing weight training exercise range of motion are clearly mortgaging their future well being, as muscles that are not conditioned to perform in their natural strength curve will eventually cause instability in the joint and tendon regions, which will boost the risk for prolonged muscle injuries and nagging discomfort. Although reducing exercise range of motion enhances the amount of weight that can be used in each lifting movement dramatically, such artificial improvements do not produce extra muscle growth, but rather prevent the necessary stimulation for dramatic increases in muscle mass.

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Francesco Castano authors MuscleNOW.com, a diet and weight training program teaching the exact techniques for muscle building without supplements or drugs. He also owns FatVanish.com, teaching exactly how to burn fat without supplements.

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Mixed Martial Arts Fighting, Brazillian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai Fighting – Training Tips for Repetition Drilling of Techniques. http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/mixed-martial-arts-fighting-brazillian-jiu-jitsu-and-muay-thai-fighting-a%80-training-tips-for-repetition-drilling-of-techniques.html http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/mixed-martial-arts-fighting-brazillian-jiu-jitsu-and-muay-thai-fighting-a%80-training-tips-for-repetition-drilling-of-techniques.html Sat, 11 Apr 2009 14:00:33 -0500
Studies on a simple nervous system have shown that any more than 10 repetitions of a task in a session does not result in any increase to retention, in addition, performing only one session of learning a new piece of material results in very little retention over a long period as those of you who have been involved in training for serious mixed martial arts fighting are well aware.

The most useful method of repetition drilling to gain the most effective retention is to spread the repetitions over a number of sessions.
A method that has shown a great deal of effect is to carry out 7 to 10 repetitions of a particular technique in a training session. And then carry out at least nine repeat review sessions over several days or weeks. The first repeat session can be within the same session. I would suggest near the end of the session. The following one a day after, then a week etc. The closer the review sessions are together the quicker the optimal retention is obtained.

Another common problem, that many of us experience in mixed martial arts fighting and Muay Thai Fighting, is that of boredom when training the number of repetitions required for drilling the techniques adequately. This is detrimental to retention as the learning process is seriously impaired when we are not concentrating.
Disguising the repetitions in drills, combinations and games that utilize the particular skill involved is a very practical way that will assist you to get around this problem and allow you to increase the versatility of game by drilling the techniques with different set ups, combinations or counters being used against them.

Another more fundamental strategy that I use, particularly in working through my Muay Thai Fighting, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Fighting techniques, is to repetition the techniques as many times as I can until boredom is noticed, recording the number of repetitions performed in my training diary and then repeating the process in another training session. When using this strategy just develop a determined discipline to complete a predetermined number of repetitions. I would suggest a minimum of 60 spread over a 2 year period for maximum retention.

Bear in mind that this is for the learning and retention of a new technique, not the optimal refinement of it for the highest level of effectiveness that may be required for the rigors of competition in both mixed martial arts fighting and Muay Thai Fighting. This requires the development and sharpening of the various attributes required for optimal performance of the technique, such as: speed, timing, flow, balance, connectivity to the next move, variation adjustment, corrections in balance, preparedness for reaction to the opponent’s movement, etc.

Taking your mixed martial arts fighting skill to this level requires many more repetitions and exposing the performance of the technique to increasing levels of risk through controlled and on to random sparring.

To ensure the best learning of the technique start by learning and drilling the technique under totally cooperative conditions to get it right, this is the
retention period discussed above.

Once a good level of efficacy is obtained, then try to use the technique in controlled sparring conditions or controlled performance drills in which your training partner presents moderate problems to deal with. As your efficacy increases start to utilize it in your sparring, at first against less experienced opponents working up to opponents of higher levels.

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Dr Geoff Aitken, Ph.D. is a coach of Mixed Martial Arts Fighting, Muay Thai Fighting and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a former kick boxing champion with over 34 years of experience in mixed martial arts and 15 years as a bouncer. He holds a 6th degree Black Belt in Freestyle Karate (Goju Kai derivative), a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, certified trainer, referee and judge in Muay Thai Fighting and has trained numerous national and international champions in Muay Thai Fighting, BJJ and Mixed Martial Arts. He has just released a DVD series packed full of concepts and techniques for set ups and Bridging the Gap in Muay Thai Fighting, Mixed Martial Arts fighting and the street self defense situation. Grab your free video and audio clips on Mixed Martial Arts Fighting at http://www.UltimateFightingSystems.com

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Fitness Equipment - Buying Discount Fitness Equipment http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/fitness-equipment-buying-discount-fitness-equipment.html http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/fitness-equipment-buying-discount-fitness-equipment.html Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600
So many people have trouble with any kind of workout routine. However, there is a solution to this age-old problem. It's called getting started. Now, the big question is; have you been doing it properly? I'm talking about face in the sweat, five days a week, pushing it to the limits working-out. This is the way to get that killer body everyone wants. That old expression "No pain no gain" wasn't created for nothing.

Of course you do have to have the right place to get the job done if you plan to get in shape. Maybe there's a local gym or fitness club you can join. Or better yet, maybe you're interested in jumping in it for the long haul. I'm talking about purchasing your very own discount fitness equipment. Notice that I said discount. Well you surely didn't thing I was going to instruct you to go out there and buy all new stuff. That can get a tad pricey.

Where would you go to find quality discount fitness equipment? Ah, you probably said "Play it Again Sports." Granted, this is a sporting goods store that specializes in used stuff, however I was not impressed at all with their prices. You see, a few years back I headed on over to the local Play it Again Sports to find some dumbbells. My first thought was to hit up the sporting goods store at the local shopping mall, but then I decided against it. Heck, I needed some discount fitness equipment.

So, as I browsed through Play it Again Sports I couldn't help but notice the prices weren't all that low. In fact, they were the same as what I encountered in sporting goods retailers. I thought to myself, "What is the good of this store again?" Well, needless to say, I had enough of Play it Again Sports. Fortunately these days it's not so difficult to pinpoint discount fitness equipment. I have one little word for you; Internet.

The World-Wide-Web is absolutely jammed packed with discount fitness equipment. You can browse through a plethora of websites in order to find that exact product you've been looking for. The truly wonderful thing is that the discount fitness equipment online is literally cheaper. You can't beat that!

Finding the right treadmill or exercise machine is at your fingertips. Take advantage of it, find the right discount fitness equipment for your needs, and then get started today.

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Read more on Bodybuilding supplements. Check out for exercise bikes

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Understanding Playground Equipment Safety http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/understanding-playground-equipment-safety.html http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/understanding-playground-equipment-safety.html Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600
Ensuring good playground safety requires several things. First of all, there must be good playground safety rules for the kids to make sure that they don't abuse the equipment in a way which can cause danger. Second of all, the playground equipment itself must be inspected, and be insured of being safe. Third, there must be proper supervision by an authority who can do all that they can to ensure playground safety.

The playground safety rules are really a matter of common sense for adults, but common sense is anything but common among small children! This is why an adult should set the playground safety rules and make sure that everyone knows them. A helpful strategy is to make sure that the kids repeat the laws back to you, so that you can check that every one of them has heard and understood them.

Now, to set good playground safety rules, you must know the playground. For example, if the slide is particularly tall, you should set rules making sure that one kid has finished sliding before the next one starts to climb the latter. If there is a swing set, you should tell the kids not to run under it. Things like that, which would occur to any adult, won't necessarily occur to small children, and so you should spell them out for the kids.

The most important factor, however, for good playground safety, is good equipment. You must do the job of inspecting it yourself, making sure that the swings are on good strong chains, that all railings are firmly intact, and all steps are solid. You can always buy new equipment that is professionally certified for superior playground safety.

Then, of course, there is the most important rule of playground safety: good adult supervision. This is not as simple as you might think. On a small playground with few toys, it might be enough just to keep an eye on the kids so that they don't get in to any trouble, but if there is more to it, then you must use more elaborate methods of supervision. The best way to supervise kids is to make them come by frequently to check in. That way, they can't wander too far off, and you will always know where they are. By using these tips along with a little common sense in regards to playground equipment safety, you can assure your child of a fun and safe playtime.

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Read more on Bodybuilding supplements. Check out for shoulder workouts.

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Abdominal exercises that suit beginners http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/abdominal-exercises-that-suit-beginners.html http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/abdominal-exercises-that-suit-beginners.html Sun, 23 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0500 The abdomen contains the muscles that most beginners struggle with because they take a long time to develop and need a low level of body fat to be seen. The abdominal muscle group consists of three main muscles:

1. Rectus abdominis - commonly known as the abs, this is a large flat muscle wall that runs from the lower chest to the pubic bone.

2. Obliquus abdominis - commonly known as the obliques, this muscle runs diagonally along the side of the mid-section from the lower ribcage to the pubic area. The internal obliques lie underneath the external obliques.

3. Transversus abdominis - this is a thin strip of muscle that runs horizontally across the abdomen.

You can target these muscles effectively by performing the following exercises:

1. Crunches - 3 sets of 15-20 reps. This exercise will work the upper abs.

2. Pelvic tilts - 3 sets of 15-20 reps.This exercise will target the lower portion of the abdomen below the navel.

3. Side bends - 3 sets of 15-20 reps. This exercise will work the obliques.

As with all exercises you need to take care in scheduling specific body parts. To begin with you should incorporate your abdominal exercises into a program similar to the one suggested below:

Day 1: Biceps, Back, Abs

Day 2: Hamstrings, Shoulders, Abs

Day 3: Quads, Forearms, Calves

Day 4: Triceps, Chest, Abs

For the first couple of weeks complete one set but then add one set each week to a maximum of three. At the end of three months you will be ready to move on to more intensive intermediate level exercises.







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Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article.

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How-to Guide to Build Muscle Bulk http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/how-to-guide-to-build-muscle-bulk.html http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/how-to-guide-to-build-muscle-bulk.html Sat, 24 Jan 2009 23:20:47 -0600 Eat more calories, about 200 to 300 more per day. Make sure these are a healthy calories focusing specifically on complex carbs. Protein supplementation in huge quantities is NOT a requirement. I know that goes against everything you've heard but the thing is that your body not only needs but can only use so much protein. 1.5 grams of protein per Kg of body weight is all that is necessary. The rest will be expelled as waist or stored as fat, yuck!
Work your body to failure on every workout. Push yourself but don't hurt yourself. You can do a whole body workout in a 1 to 2 hour session depending on how much time is spent stretching, warming up and cooling down. Complete a one to two warm-up sets of 10 reps at about 60% of max weight. Then perform a three to six set follow up of 3 to 8 reps each set depending on how heavy you go. Obviously, the more weight you lift the fewer reps are required. And don't forget to rest between sets. From 3 up to 5 minute rest periods should be taken when lifting the heaviest weight (IE: 85% of max or more).
Cardio is a good thing. Only marathon type training would cause any muscle loss so down worry about getting on a treadmill and getting your heart pumping at a moderate rate for a 20 minute session 3 times a week. IT's GOOD FOR YOU.
An absolute must in any how to guide to build muscle bulk is to use proper form. This will ensure that you always get the most out of your workouts and is your best hope for avoiding injury. So you may be asking what proper form is. The answer is that it's several things such as:
• Perform slow controlled moves. Lift using one swift move on the resistance, pause, 3 to 4 second count in a slow controlled move on the release, pause, and repeat. NEVER just drop the weight. (The pause prevents lifting based on momentum which causes every other muscle to assist in the lifting and takes the work away from the targeted muscle.)
• Exhale on the power portion of the move. Inhale on the negative or release portion. Don't hold your breath.
• Always use the full range of motion. This prevents inflexibility.
• Always use proper safety measures such as a spotter when necessary, wear a weight belt if necessary, use collars on barbells and dumbbells, warm-up and stretch before the lift, and re-rack weights and dumbbells. Doing these things help prevent injury. Staying healthy and injury free is important to allow you to continue training and building muscle.
This how to guide to build muscle bulk should give you the basic information you need in order to increase your muscle size. In fact, implement these rules when lifting and you'll build muscle bulk immediately.

Learn how a skinny guy with absolutely no muscle bulk gained over 50 pounds of muscle in less than 6 months using these principles. Find out here build muscle bulk. Get more how-to tips at How-To Guide.


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Jo Chris studied and taught health and fitness principles for over 9 years. Dedicated to helping others learn about the benefits and reap the rewards of good physical health as well as achieve their own fitness and weight loss goals. A commitment is made to provide accurate and honest information about healthy fitness, muscle building and weight loss techniques to help ensure your best health.

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Muscle Building – Sports Nutrition – The Misconstrued Truth of Eating Big To Get Big Part 2 http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/muscle-building-sports-nutrition-the-misconstrued-truth-of-eating-big-to-get-big-part-2.html http://www.articletrader.com/sports/bodybuilding/muscle-building-sports-nutrition-the-misconstrued-truth-of-eating-big-to-get-big-part-2.html Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500
What does eat big mean? Do you follow the aforementioned See Food Diet and eat anything and everything? And by get Big, what exactly gets big? I’ll save you the wasted effort, food bill and upset stomach, and tell you about the only part of your body getting bigger following that advice blindly is located in the regions of your gluteus maximus and your belly button!

It’s easy to understand why eating with reckless abandon will pack on the pounds However, you not only have to watch out for excess calories, but you also need to make sure your daily caloric intake consists of the proper ratio of macronutrients for your goals.

You need to make sure you’re eating the proper amount of each macronutrient to optimize your nutrition plan, and more importantly, your health. Eating more protein than you need, will not equate into extra muscle growth. Numerous studies have found eating more than 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight doesn’t show any increase in benefits when it comes to gaining muscle mass.

A Unit of the Division of Student Affairs, University of Georgia, puts it nicely, “Protein is important in exercise for building and repairing muscle, but it is also needed for a healthy immune system, producing hormones and building red blood cells. Protein can do all of these things as long as you eat enough calories to meet your energy needs. If you restrict calories too much, protein is burned for energy when carbohydrates are scarce. On the other hand, if you overeat on any of the major nutrients, including protein, it will be stored as fat. Eating the right amount and balance of foods will ensure the best results for any exercise program.” They go on to say, “Extra protein in the diet won't add an ounce of muscle if there is no training! In fact, any amount consumed in excess of 0.9 gram per pound will not be used by your body.

Another way one can be mislead by blindly eating big to get big is, that as long as you are eating excess calories you’re guaranteeing your muscle building success. And the problem with this thinking is that little to no mention of the proportions of macronutrients is made.

An example is Janet. She’s eating the proper amount of calories to gain muscle, training hard, and resting plenty – but still not getting the results she wants. A closer look at her nutrition plan shows she’s getting over 70% of her calories from carbs, 25% from fat, and 5% from protein. If we break it down another way, we find she’s only getting 0.3g of protein per pound. That’s nowhere near enough for someone engaged in strenuous and heavy strength training. At first glance it may seem like she’s eating enough to gain muscle, but when we take a closer look we realize there are inadequacies in her macronutrient ratios. Janet’s macronutrient ratios are all out of whack. She’s essentially overeating and starving at the same time by under eating protein and over eating carbs in this example. It’s possible to do this with any of the macronutrients.

Another important point that isn’t mentioned enough when hearing about mass nutrition plans, is the source of your calories.

We can get all scientific and argue that the thermodynamic value of a calorie is the same regardless of where it comes from. However, all of the ingredients, additives and nutrients, or lack thereof, that come with that calorie, influences you’re level of health.

You can’t expect to gorge on low quality foods loaded with processed ingredients, salt, additives, sugars, high fructose corn syrup etc and think you’re going to get peak performance from your body. It ain’t gonna happen.

High performance race cars run on high performance fuel, and, as they say in the computer programming world, ‘Junk in Junk Out!’ Eating junk makes you’re body work harder by having to clean up the mess that garbage makes in your body. Low quality food is not only filled with second and third rate ingredients and additives that add extra stress to your body, they also tend to have next to no nutritional value, hence the term “empty calories.”

If you make a balanced nutrition plan consisting of high quality whole foods the foundation of whatever your goal is at the time, be it gaining mass, getting lean, performing at your peak, you will find your results and health always increasing.


Eating Time!

Minimize – Eliminate Processed Foods
The best way to steer clear of added junk in your nutrition plan is to minimize or eliminate processed foods. If you currently are eating a lot of processed foods, either switch them for the unprocessed kind all together, or slowly introduce them into your nutrition plan.

Eat whole, unprocessed Natural foods
Stick to whole foods, preferably organic and make sure you’re consuming lots of fruits and vegetable which are loaded with nutrients and help cleanse your body.

It may take a bit to get used to this, but when you do you won’t believe the difference in how you’ll feel, recover, perform and even think. The sex will be better too!

© 2008 Raymond Toulany

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Ray Toulany is the author of The BodyDesign Nutritional System, which is a proven step by step system to creating a customized and complete nutritional plan that supports your training goals,

He also provides his ebook, How To Eat For Peak Performance And Gains Made Easy absolutely FREE to help you cut through the BS and eliminate the frustration of trying to find the right information on choosing the best foods to effectively nourish your body and improve the way you look, feel and perform. You can get it absolutely FREE at http://www.PeakPerformanceAndNutritionTips.com


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