Showing posts with label fitness nutrition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fitness nutrition. Show all posts

Sunday, October 10, 2010

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).



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.


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.

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.


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.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

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.