Supplements that Really matter.

Hey y'all!

Long time no post:P

I was just busy trying to figure out what a f9ck I was going to talk to you about when it struck me!
Everyday trainees that come to my gym don't know sh1t about which are the supplements that really matter for fitness/bodybuilding nutrition and I think this phenomenon will likely be more often than not.


So today, I'll give you a brief overview of what (in my opinion) are the essential Supplements especially for people who like to have brutal workouts and give their best no matter if they're just training for recreation.


Ok, here's a small list that I think is essential (Yes it is small despite the number of supplements).

• A good protein supplement. 

This is a No-Brainer actually, because it will help you fill your daily protein requirements and keep your Nitrogen balance positive so you can have muscle anabolism and thus, growth.
As I said noumerous times before, I'd go with beef protein because it is just a superior muscle builder, proven itself to me personally (I use the thing) and that's the end of discussion. No lactose, no cholesterol, no fat, NO problem.

• A good mutlivitamin supplement.

Choose a product designed for athletes and bodybuilders because if you workout hard you have more requirements in micronutrients and co-factors than average people and that means your micronutrient supplement selection should be based on your needs.

• A good joint support supplement.

This is a must for anyone that has stiff joints or had joint injuries in the past and want to train with full intensity. I advise to take supplement that contain. Glucosamine, chondroitin, or msm, and/or a cissus supplement. This supplement will help to keep your joints lubricated and increase joint mobility.

• An Omega Complex Supplement.

This one is almost always missed! People often neglect the anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits of the omega fatty acids complex, not to mention the fat loss benefits offered by this fatty acids complex. Try for yourself and you tell me the results in 3 months.

This is not an end all be all list but in my opinion this list contains the essentials for better and healthier you. You could add creatine and glutamine in this list to complete it but you could add numerous other supps depending on your training goals and training level.

That's all the basic for now and as we move on and I learn about new stuff in my everyday search, I will tell you about it.

My goal here is to provide as much value as possible.

Until the next post.

Stay strong and kick A$$

Harry.

Post Workout Nutrition & Supplementation

Hey!

Welcome to the latest episode of the crazy MOFO fitness blogger :P.

Today we are going to talk about post workout nutrition and supplementation.

There are some key things to consider when choosing post workout foods. What kind of exercise you'll be doing (weights or cardio?), and what level of intensity you'll be putting to your workout.

Hopefully, your training intensity is high as this is the only way (in my opinion) that I know of that has worked for me and every single one of the people I've trained over the years.

So, assuming that you won't go half-assed in the gym, there are some tips I want to give you in order to be able to find what's right for you. 

As always, all bodies are not the same and you have to experiment and listen to your body. Measure your progress as you go along.

My sole purpose here is to give you some principles in order to learn how to think on fitness nutrition and then discover what is the best approach for YOUR body.

1. Generally pick carbs that are of medium to high GI (Glycemic Index). 

The reason for that though, is not what you think it is!

For example, white rice and brown rice have the same GI but white rice is usually refined and your body has a mechanism that tends to assimilate NON refined foods faster and more efficiently. I can't back this up scientifically because as I said the metrics (GI) are almost identical BUT the real world and personal experience has taught me otherwise. I'd pick brown rice over white any day, and these are just my 2 cents.

So, the carbs of choice post workout would be non-refined, medium to high GI carbs like bananas, brown rice, potatoes and sweet potatoes etc.

The medium to high GI carbs are generally digested faster, thus are available sooner for your body to work with. Manipulate various kinds and quantities of carbs to see what fits YOUR body.

2. Prefer a protein that's absorbed quickly. I'd go with supplements like beef protein isolate or hydrolyzed whey isolate. These 2 are quickly broken down in to amino acids and they're tending to be quicker to digest and absorb.

There's another option for nitrogen retention post workout that I see very few people use and I think they're making a big mistake (I'm not excluding myself here and I'm not judging anyone).

This method is to consume a good peptide bonded amino acid formula immediately post workout with your carbs. In my humble opinion, amino acids are far superior than protein powders in terms of absorption, as long as they are peptide bonded and complete protein (essential and non-essential). The reason for the amino superiority is that aminos don't need to be broken down to.... aminos, in order to be assimilated and construct the much needed protein in the hard pounded muscles :). Give aminos a try and thank me later ;)

Now, to some examples that I use and change often between one another.

Now those example are for me (225 lbs. at the moment). Based on these try to adjust accordingly to your bodyweight.

1. 2 medium or large bananas with 2-3 scoops of beef or whey isolate (25-30 grams of protein per scoop). That's because protein powder sources are giving Net Nitrogen (NNU) for Body Protein Synthesis (BPS) at a rate of only 16% - 40% (shit). That's why we need enough grams to retain or gain muscle.

2. A couple of small backed potatoes or sweet potatoes with 6-7 bi-peptide amino acid tablets . The advantage we have here is of course the rate absorption of bi-peptide amino acid tablets (80% - 99%) Yeah buddy!:)

3. Brown Rice and a steak with 3-4 bi-peptide amino acid tablets.

Other supplements to consider post workout: Extra Glutamine, creatine, athletic multivitamin (better ratios of micros) and extra vitamin C.

All of the above can help you recover much faster thus, giving you a faster progress rate.

As I always stress, the above guidance is 10-15% of the equation. The rest 85-90% is having a customized balanced nutrition battle plan and stick to it. If you need one proven nutrition battleplan, fill the contact form on the left and I'll contact you ASAP (Fees apply). Real food will make all the difference in your body, provided you're training like a f#cking animal :)

Some folks have told me that the above post workout meals are small for a 225 pound fellow like moi :)  Guys, keep in mind that if you train intensely enough to the best of your ability, your stomach is pretty upset for at least 1 hour post training, at least mine is. Personally, I can't eat giant portions of food (or supps for that matter) after I had a -balls to the wall- training session and you know what? Neither should I. The goal here is to have a small to medium sized meal immediately post workout in order to start the recuperation process and eat again after 1 to 2 hours.. Got the picture?

Next post we're going to attack Pre workout nutrition but until then...

YOU should be kicking some SERIOUS Arse ;)

Harry.

 

Basic Nutrition Principles Take 1.

Hey!

Todays episode is about Nutrition basics (again) and we're going to talk about some pretty basic Stuff about Nutrition.

First we’re gonna talk about Macronutrients which consist of carbohydrates, protein & fats.

1. Protein.

Let’s get down to business…

First of all, the majority of your protein must come from natural sources, (FOOD that is) not supplements! If you need to supplement in order to consume your daily protein quantity goal, do so wisely and pick a protein that comes from non - dairy sources like lean beef protein (my opinion). If you HAVE to have dairy proteins consume hydrolyzed whey isolate which is ALMOST free of lactose (no matter what the label claims). I won’t get into details why beef protein is far superior than dairy derived proteins but you should trust me on this and don’t get caught up in the hype that the big supps companies create. Just search, investigate, educate yourself and THEN make an informed decision of what you put in to your body.
Hell, I DO use protein supps, but 95% of my macronutrients come from food, got the picture?

Best Natural sources of animal and plant derived protein are Lean Beef, white fish (excellent source of omega fatty acids too), egg whites, brown rice (yes it’s a fantastic carb source but also contains fantastic but NOT complete protein too), beans, Cassius, hazelnuts, almonds and last but not least oatmeal (yes! Oatmeal). Plant proteins are not complete proteins especially for athletes and bodybuilders BUT they're very useful and if you use them smart, you won't regret it as they produce far less toxins than animal proteins. That said you should try and make a wise use of both in the quantities your body requires.
If you train like a beast (hell yeah!),  I'd suggest to consume 3 - 4 Grams per/Kg of bodyweight in order to build some serious muscle. That would be roughly 300 - 400 Grams per day for a 100 Kg (220 lbs.) athlete.

Next, on to carbs (carbohydrates)

I’ll try to use as less scientific slang as possible here.

First thing of course is to pick natural unprocessed sources of carbs.


Lets go!

Oatmeal, sweet potatoes, yams, brown rice or brown pasta, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, low fructose containing fruits (but not pre contest), Potatoes, veggies. From supplements I'd suggest waxy maize starch. It's one of the finest carbs you can put in your body.

Now, carbohydrates have this thing that we geeks call GI (or Glycemic Index) which basically defines the speed with which your body absorbs that carb and the effect that carb has on your blood glucose levels.

Low Glycemic index equals slower digestion rate and thus, more longer periods of sustainable energy.

High Glycemic index means faster digestion & faster energy spikes for shorter periods of time (I know the explanation is too simple but the purpose here to KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid).

Now, Low GI (55-) is contained in most Veggies & some fruits, whole grain products etc.

Medium GI (55+) Whole wheat products, sweet potatoes.

High GI (70+) white potatoes, white bread, watermelons, white rice etc.

With all the above said, the total GI of a meal is lower when we combine proteins, carbs and fats together thus, you do not need to crazy over GI.

If a white potato has a very high GI for you, then combine it with a
lean sirloin stake and 2 Tbs. of sesame oil and voila!  You have a medium GI meal, cool eh? ;)

Fats

Fats are not the enemy, on the contrary, fats keep your cardiovascular system running like a fine tuned engine PLUS they help burn subcutaneous fat. The good necessary fats or as we call them, the Essential fats are usually mentioned as essential fatty acids.

Good fat sources are the omega group of fats (Omega 3-6-9) and CLA. The best natural sources for those fats are (drumroll):

Fish (preferably white), canola oil, olive oil, sesame oil, almonds, cassius peanuts, hazelnuts, and yes, peanut butter BUT in low quantities because if you eat 2 pounds of skippy a day you’ll find yourself rolling downhill like a bowling ball.

That’s pretty much what you need to know for the 3 basic macronutrients without going in to details.

In the next episode of me murmuring, I’m gonna tell you about the ingredients that work as transporters and help the body use all the macronutrients PLUS they are responsible for good health. These are none other than the micronutrients. “The health elements” as I like to call them. These are the Vitamins, Minerals and Trace Elements and without them all the protein in the world won’t do you any good. I’ll fill you in on those at the part of my basic nutrition principles series.

Until Next Time…

Yours in Muscle and Health..

Harry C.