vendredi 31 octobre 2014

Chisel your chest

Face it: The bench press is irreplaceable. No guy should completely eliminate the exercise from his workout. But the truth is, you can build lots of muscle in your chest and arms—and boost your bench—without lifting a barbell or a dumbbell, or using a machine.

We’re conditioned to thinking that using weights is the only way to develop a strong, muscular chest. But at the Institute of Human Performance in Florida, USA, the opposite of what you’ve learned is done. They use no weights, no spotters and no bench—which means you can do the entire programme at home.

We’re talking about pushups. You’ll shred fat, boost strength, stimulate new growth, and carve eyegrabbing pecs by blasting through 60-rep pushup sets. After this routine, you’ll wonder why you ever tried anything different.

Push your growth

Follow these three steps to add layers of new muscle in just eight weeks. The fi rst step builds your endurance, the second step increases strength, and the final one adds explosiveness and speed so that you can pack on more size.

Before starting the programme, you should be able to do 20 consecutive pushups. If you can’t, then build your strength with this three-week prep: Three days a week, do three sets of pushups, resting three minutes between sets. (A set is as many pushups as you can complete.)

The entire workout uses variations of the standard pushup. For each movement, assume a pushup position (with your body in a straight line from ankles to shoulders) and then lower your chest to the floor. Press your body back to the starting position by straightening your arms. To add difficulty, perform the exercise with your hands on a medicine ball.

Week 1 and 2

Perform these exercises three days a week in the order shown, with a day of rest between workouts. Complete three sets of each pushup, resting two minutes between sets. Aim for sets of 10 to 15 reps; if you can’t reach that goal, do as many reps as you can.

Wide Pushup Do a standard pushup, but with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart.

Diamond Pushup Do a pushup with your hands close enough for the tips of your thumbs and index fingers to touch, forming a diamond shape.

Alternating shuffle pushup Start in pushup position. Move your right hand to the left until your two hands are next to each other. Now slide your left hand farther left until your hands are shoulder-width apart again. Do a pushup and repeat the process, this time moving to the right and doing another pushup. That’s one rep.

Weeks 3, 4, 5, and 6

Perform these exercises two days a week. Complete four sets of each pushup type, resting two minutes between sets. Aim for 10 to 15 reps in each set. For these pushups, you’ll need a four- to eight-inch-high box or step.

One-arm pushup Do a pushup with your right hand on the floor and your left hand on the box. Switch arms and repeat. That’s one rep.

Crossover box pushup Do a one-arm pushup with your left hand on the box. From that position, lift your right hand and place it beside your left hand on top of the box. Move your left hand to the floor so your hands are shoulder-width apart. Do a pushup. That’s one rep.

Hands-on-box Diamond Pushup Perform a diamond pushup, but with both hands on the box.

Dynamic Box Pushup Place your hands on a box in the diamond pushup position. Lower your body and press explosively off the box, your hands landing on the floor with the box between them. Lower your body and press explosively up so your hands land on the box in the starting position. That’s one rep.

Weeks 7 and 8

Complete the exercises in step 2 as a circuit, performing one exercise after the other with no rest. Try to perform 10 reps of each exercise. Do this twice a week, and allow three or four days of rest.

How to count and calculate calorie intake

Calculating your calorie and macronutrient requirements is crucial if you want to hit your gym targets. Here's how

How many calories should I consume each day?
As with so many things, it depends on your goals. If you’re trying to build muscle, you need to consume more calories than you’re burning, while fat loss requires the opposite.
A simple and effective way to calculate your calorie target is to multiply your weight in kilograms by 29 for fat loss or 40 for muscle gain. Therefore, a man who weighs 80kg should aim to consume 2,320 calories a day to lose weight and 3,200 calories a day to build muscle.
How should I divide my calories between the three macronutrients – protein, fat and carbohydrates?
Protein and carbohydrates contain four calories per gram, while fat contains nine calories per gram. As a rough daily guideline, aim to consume 2g of protein and 1g of fat per kilogram of your bodyweight, then fill the remainder of your calorie allocation with carbohydrates.
For an 80kg man who’s trying to lose weight, this would equate to roughly 160g of protein, 80g of fat and 240g of carbs per day. If he’s trying to build muscle, the protein and fat would stay the same, but the carbs would rise to 460g.
Does it matter what food sources these come from?
Your diet should be based on whole foods, mainly fresh meat, fish, nuts and vegetables, which are the foods that tend to be the most nutrient-rich. It’s also worth bearing in mind that you need to consume around 25-30g of fibre a day to maintain a healthy digestive system. You can do this through both your fat and carbohydrates – by adding fibre-rich foods such as nuts to your fat quota, and veggies such as broccoli and spinach to your carb intake.
Do I need to eat more or less of certain types of foods at different times of the day?
Not really, although if you’re hitting the gym you should try to eat a meal containing 20-40g of protein roughly 90 minutes before exercising. This will spend the next four to five hours being digested and released into your body, so you won’t need to worry about eating protein immediately after training in the ‘post-workout window’, as many people do. In fact, most of the studies that highlight the benefits of consuming protein after training were done on fasted trainees. For maximum benefits, you just need to consume another 20-40g of protein later in the day at a convenient time.
Is it better to eat three big meals a day or six small ones?
A lot of nutrition experts used to recommend eating every three hours to keep your metabolism high – which is how the concept of eating six small meals a day gained traction – but recent research suggests this is incorrect. As long as you’re hitting your daily macronutrient targets, how many meals you divide them between is entirely up to you.
Struggling to hit your daily calorie quota? Get back on track with these convenient snacks:
1. Protein
A 185g can of tuna provides 23g of lean protein and 100 calories.
2. Carbs
A 50g serving of porridge oats will give you 30g of complex carbs and 190 calories.
3. Fats
A 50g portion of cashew nuts contains 22g of healthy fats and 290 calories.

amino acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of muscle-building protein but what are the best sources for them and are you getting enough?

The word protein is derived from the Greek word 'proteos', meaning 'primary'. They amount for 20% of our bodyweight and are crucial for building muscle yet lately high-protein diets have come under scrutiny for denying you a balanced diet.
But in the background the proteins in your body are working tirelessly to keep your immune system functioning, maintain healthy skin, hair and nails and help your body produce vital enzymes and hormones, including insulin and glucagon that help regulate blood sugar and stop you storing excess fat.

Am I missing out on amino acids?

There are two types of amino acids: essential and non-essential. Essential amino acids cannot be synthesised by our body on its own so must be obtained from our diet. The eight essential amino acids are isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. Non-essential amino acids can be synthesised by our body and are not necessary to obtain from our diet. These include glutamate, alanine, aspartate, glutamine, arginine, proline, serine, tyrosine, cysteine, taurine and glycine. Got that? Well done.
Before you show off your recall skills to your friends, a couple of caveats need explaining. Firstly, histidine is debated as the ninth essential amino acid because the body occasionally struggles to make sufficient amounts. Secondly, the definition of non-essential amino acids is over simplified. The body has the potential to manufacture them but environmental factors, such as being exposed to large quantities of toxins and pollutants, can inhibit the body's ability to produce them. Therefore, it's wise to consider all the amino acids as equally important and worth finding space for in your diet.
Below we've explained the supplements and food sources that will help you keep your amino acid levels up.

Will supplements help?

Most whey protein shakes will include several of the 21 amino acids mentioned above but three are especially worth remembering when physically training. Leucine, isoleucine and valine are the only ones defined as BCAA (branched-chain amino acid).
Crucially, they are the only ones that are oxidised for energy during exercise, nullifying their highly anabolic (muscle-building) qualities. That's why taking BCAA supplements when training can have such positive effects. Together, these three essential amino acids can comprise up to one-third of your total muscle protein.

What do BCAAs do?

The theory is that they can help prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue during intense exercise. They also increase the release of human growth hormone.

Who should take them?

‘BCAAs should be taken by anyone who weight trains,’ says strength coach Gregg Marsh, ‘preferably in capsule form rather than tablet or liquid.’ There's little evidence that BCAAs will improve performance among endurance athletes, though, and unless you’re training seriously hard it’s possible you can get enough BCAAs from a recovery drink to make a separate supplement unnecessary.

How much should I take?

‘Anything less than 20 capsules per workout is a waste of time,’ says Marsh. ‘Many professional rugby and football clubs have seen huge improvements in performance, using 40 caps of BCAAs every workout.’ Nutrition expert Anita Bean is more conservative: 'Doses of 6-15g may help improve your recovery during hard training periods.'

When should I take them?

‘They have positive benefits before, during and after a workout,’ says Marsh. ‘Studies have shown that taking BCAA supplements during and after exercise can reduce muscle breakdown, while taking them before resistance training reduces delayed onset muscle soreness [DOMS].’ They might also be beneficial if taken last thing at night - but the evidence here is sketchier.
Taking BCAAs before exercise causes the breakdown of leucine, isoleucine and valine in the liver, directing it to your muscles for muscle protein synthesis. Just make sure you don’t train on an empty stomach or you may experience some discomfort. The best combination is to ingest BCAAs before and during exercise, followed by whey protein after the gym session.

Will they help me recover quicker?

Potentially. Japanese researchers carried out a study that investigated whether the use of BCAA supplements could reduce muscle soreness after intense activity. Their findings revealed that 5g of BCAAs consumed prior to resistance workouts decreases muscle soreness and fatigue for several days after exercise, supporting the use of BCAAs in improving recovery.

Will they help me get stronger?

A separate study carried out by Australian researchers at Victoria University, Monash University, Macquarie University, and  the Australian Institute of Sport discovered that when athletes drank a formula containing BCAAs (13.5g leucine, 8g isoleucine and 9g valine) three hours before strenuous exercise, their performance improved by 10%.

Do they have any side effects?

BCAAs are fairly safe, since you’d normally find them in dietary protein sources anyway. Excessive intake might reduce the absorption of other amino acids, but that's about it.
One problem with amino acids is that they quickly deteriorate. Amino acids are not stored by your body in the same way as it stores starch and protein as fat, but they can be replaced.
Your body can’t make them, but that doesn't mean you have to take BCAA supplements. These vital muscle-builders are also found in certain foods.

poached egg on smoked salmon and asparagus

5 natural sources of amino acids

Eggs offer a full range of essential amino acids as well as plenty of liver-protecting choline.
Salmon provides essential amino acids and a dose of healthy polyunsaturated fats.
Soy beans are a rare plant-based source of essential amino acids and also provide heart-healthy monounsaturated  fats.
Beef is a complete protein source that has all the essential amino acids as well as a dose of muscle-boosting creatine.
Turkey provides all the essential amino acids plus high levels of immunity-boosting selenium.

5 Chest Workouts For Mass

Learn how beginners can build a massive chest! This guide discusses the chest, its function and recommended exercises. Try these 5 great chest workout programs for size!

Top Chest Exercise #1 – The Barbell Bench Press

The undisputed king of chest expansion for hundreds of years, the bench press has been the standard for increasing strength and size in the chest by experts around the globe. It is possible to perform the bench press in a few variations, but for the purposes of this article, we will start by discussing the wide grip, pec pounding bench press.

Lie flat on your back on a standard Olympic weight bench. With your feet flat on the floor and your glutes tight to the bench, back and head on the bench at all times, unrack the bar from the bench and lower it to your chest. Pressing your feet into the floor while maintaining a flat position on the bench, use both arms to drive the bar straight up.

Top Chest Exercise #2 – Dumbbell Bench Press

Extremely similar to the first chest exercise, the dumbbell bench press more accurately follows the intended function of the pectoral muscle. Instead of driving the weight straight up, it allows you to bring it in towards the midline of the body. It is also easier to maintain an even level of strength with the dumbbell bench press because the free weights that you are holding aren’t connected in any way.

As you begin, lie flat on your back on a bench while lying in a position that keeps your feet flat on the floor. With a dumbbell in each hand rest the weight gently on your shoulders and then force them up and away from the body.

Top Chest Exercise #3 – Explosive Push-ups

The standard bench press will only get a person so far when trying to attain more muscle mass in the chest. To supplement normal weightlifting, it is important to incorporate more rapid motions into any chest program. This is difficult to do safely with weights, so smart bodybuilders turn over and put their nose to the floor for some push-ups that will create the most powerful resistance through explosive movements.

To begin, get down on your hands and knees. Extend your feet back and hold your position with your toes. Place both hands approximately shoulder width apart, and begin by flexing your arms so that your chest lowers to the floor. With as much power as you can muster, push against the floor hard enough to pop your hands off of the ground. You can increase the challenge by trying to jump your hands up to elevated boxes, or by clapping between each jump.

Top Chest Exercise #4 – Inclined Bench Press

This top chest exercise is extremely similar to the standard bench press listed above in that it works the same primary muscle groups (pectorals, deltoids and triceps.) The incline of the bench press however places a great deal more of the workload onto the upper chest.

To perform, use a press bench that can be raised to an incline position. Unrack the weight and lower the barbell until it touches your upper chest. Press the weight back up into the starting position with arms fully extended and repeat. Keep your elbows tucked in to maintain a 45 degree angle to your flanks. If you allow your arms/elbows to deviate outward you’ll be placing excessive strain on your shoulder joints.

Top Chest Exercise #5 – Decline Bench Press

Again, another workout that is very similar to the standard bench press. It works the same muscle groups (pectorals, deltoids and triceps). The decline of the bench press however puts a great deal of emphasis on the lower chest muscles.

To perform, use a press bench that is adjustable and move the seat into a decline. Unrack the weight and lower the barbell until it touches your lower chest, upper abdominal region. Once again, you’ll need to keep your elbows turned in to your body so that your arms are at a 45 degree angle to your flanks. If you allow your elbows to drift outward you’ll be placing excessive stress on the shoulder joints.

How to lose 8kg in 7 day

There are quite a lot of people who are a bit plumper for their liking and are looking at different ways to lose weight without putting in a big effort. There have quite a lot of people who have tried various options like yoga, workout in the gym, running, jogging and regular exercise to reduce weight but have not been able to get rid of the excess fat deposits on their body and to reduce their weight. If your bulkiness is your worry and you would like to shed off those extra kilos from your body, then GM diet could be the answer to all your weight problems.

GM Diet Plan Chart If you are ready to go on a GM diet plan, the first thing is that you need to do is to get your mind ready for the diet regime that you are going to follow. Only if you have a controlled and peaceful mind will you be able to be successful in this weight loss plan that offers you the fastest way to lose weight. The diet plan is for one week and through this diet period you will only be allowed to take specific foods as prescribed in the diet plan for each of these seven days. It is believed that you will be able to reduce about 5 to 8 kilograms in weight when you follow the diet plan exactly as mentioned below.

The most important thing that you need to realize in this fastest way to lose weight is to not stay hungry at all. This will do the opposite and instead of your plans to lose weight you might end up gaining a few extra kilograms. This plan suggests you the right amount and the right quantity of food that you can intake in order to make you feel you are full always. You might be curious thinking of how a diet plan will work when you are allowed to eat and that too at a specified amount. Also, many people who took this lose weight diet program from GM were puzzled on how a diet program that does not ask you to fast will help in effective weight loss. But, there is nothing to worry about in this diet plan as it is a sure shot procedure that will help you to reduce your overall body weight by 5 to 8 kilos in about a week.

Day One

The first day is the most important day in your GM diet plan program. You are just stepping into the world of knowing how you can reduce your body weight and that too in 7 days time. The GM diet plan says that the first day of the diet must be a complete fruit diet day. You have the option of eating all the fruits that you possibly can and also take in whatever fruit that you like. But, it is important for you to make sure that you avoid bananas from your fruit list on day one. Some of the suggested fruits that you can take on the GM’s weight loss diet plan are watermelons and cantaloupe. You are also supposed to drink about 8 to 12 glasses of water on day one and make sure that you do not even touch any other food items, not even raw or boiled vegetables. If you need this plan to work effectively in your body, then you should only consume various kinds of assorted fruits throughout the day. If you feel hungry, try to eat more fruits and of course drink water.

Day Two

If day one was a day that gave you the opportunity to binge on your favorite fruits, then day two provides you an opportunity to eat only vegetables throughout the day. You can take in the vegetables that you like both in the raw state and in cooked state. But, it is important for you to make sure that you do not use any sort of oil while cooking vegetables. Consuming boiled vegetables are also a good option. You can take any vegetable that you like including potatoes. But, it would be safe for you to try out the boiled potatoes early in the morning itself so that the carbohydrates get burnt during the course of the day. Some of the common vegetables that are good to be consumed on day 2 of the lose weight diet regime are: cooked beans, raw and cooked carrot, broccoli, cucumber, boiled bottle and ridge gourd, lettuce, boiled cabbage and so on. There is no doubt that your digestive system will completely undergo an overhaul by the evening and you also would need to visit the toilet more times than before. Make sure that you do not miss out on your daily dose of 8 to 12 glasses of water along with a strict veggie diet on day two.

Day Three

The third dray of your GM weight lose plan will allow you to take both vegetables and fruits for the entire day. Make sure that you do not touch potatoes in the veggie section and also make sure that you do not consume bananas from the fruit section. You have the option of going for a fruit diet in the morning followed by a veggie diet in the afternoon and a fruit diet in the evening followed by a veggie and fruit diet at night. The options and the permutations and combinations of consuming the fruit and vegetable diet or combination of both the diets is totally left to your disposal. You can decide on what you would like to have provided it is fruits and vegetables. Never miss the option of drinking 8 to 12 glasses of water even on day three as well.

Day Four

Day four would interest dieters looking for the fastest way to lose weight as it is filled with a banana and milk diet. Yes, you need to take at least a minimum of 8 to 10 bananas throughout the day and are allowed three glasses of milk. You might be a bit worried if this diet will make you feel hungry. But, on the contrary, you will feel quite full with this diet plan at the end of the day. You need to divide the bananas and the glasses of milk properly so that you do not feel any kind of starvation on the fourth day of GM diet plan regime. Consuming a banana and a glass of milk in the morning followed by a couple of bananas during the midday will be an ideal start to day four. You can take a glass of milk and two bananas for lunch on day four. You can also take a couple of bananas in the evening or even three bananas and then take a couple of bananas and a glass of milk at night. There will be no sign of hunger at all throughout the entire day if you follow this simple day four regime.

Day Five

If you love having a feast, then day 5 of the GM’s lose weight diet plan offers you the opportunity to a feast on day five. It is the day when you can have a cup of rice for lunch and take about six to seven tomatoes throughout the day. As there is every chance of producing a lot of uric acid in your body, it is ideal for you to increase the water level from 12 glasses to 15 glasses on day five.

Day Six

You are in for another feast day on day six of the GM’s diet plan. Here too, you will be allowed to take a cup of rice in the afternoon for lunch and you also need to stick on to a vegetable diet for the rest of the day. It is also important for you to make sure that you take at least 8 to 12 glasses of water on day six as well. This is the penultimate day of your seven day GM diet plan regime and you are sure to feel quite lighter than before by the sixth day. There is no doubt that you will also be improving your digestive system completely with this seven day diet plan from General Motors.

Day Seven

This is the last day of the lose weight diet plan from GM. Here, you are allowed to take a cup of rice and all the veggies that you would love to eat along with the fruit juice of your choice. This is considered to be the best day of your entire diet regime as you have the option to eat all the vegetables that you like and to flush it off by consuming the fruit juices of your choice.

There is no doubt that you will see a considerable amount of weight loss in your body and you have done nothing other than following a strict fruit and vegetable and drinking water diet plan. There are also quite a lot of benefits that you gain from the GM diet plan. You will see your face to glow even better than before and also will improve your digestive system. The best advantage though would be that you would see a reduction in your body weight by about 4 to 5 kilos or even more.

So, for all the overweight people who are starving their stomach away to lose excess weight, try the healthier and fastest way to lose weight by following the simple GM diet plan.

5 Mass Building Tips for Beginners

One of the world’s strongest men gives his candid take on what is really required to add mass.

NextIf you're looking to learn about proper workout attire and gym etiquette then keep clicking for another article to read. This lesson is written "Rhino" style – just the cold hard facts about getting big, strongand lean. Apply these 7 principles and results are guaranteed.

1. Sleep
Sure, everybody knows this, but do you do it? Pound all the protein shakes and pre-workout Tasmanian devil drinks you want but if you aren't getting your eight hours every night, you're wasting your time and money. I slept up to 11 hours a day when I squatted 905 pounds in training and set three world records. That was nine hours every night and a couple 60-minute naps after training and eating. You grow when you sleep – not when you train. And failing to get enough of it can seriously impede growth, recovery, mental acuity, energy levels and hormone levels.

2. Eat
This one is a no brainer too, but how much and which foods you take in can make a huge difference in your progress. Start with 1 gram of animal-based protein per pound of bodyweight and gradually work up to 1.5 and eventually 2 as you progress. Nutritionists love to talk about soy proteins or bean and rice combos. Find me one that deadlifts over 800 pounds and I might lend an ear. Otherwise, eat eggs, steak, whole milk, 4% fat cottage cheese, whole milk Kefir, salmon and 88 percent-plus ground beef. Where's the boneless skinless chicken, tuna and white fish? Save it for when you’re dieting down. You'll need the saturated fats and cholesterol to keep testosterone levels high and get Rhino strong.Stick with high quality, protein-dense animal proteins. Heavy-fat foods such as hot dogs, mayonnaise, cheese, bacon and fast food often yield inadequate quantities of protein and bog down your digestive system preventing you from eating your next meal on time. The squeamish may not want to hear it but fast food meats can be as much or more than 90% fat and chock full of ground bone and tendon that your body can't use. Five meals per day, each with 40-50 grams of protein, is a good starting goal.Gradually train your metabolism to process all that food. You'll have no better luck trying to eat 5,000 calories tomorrow than you will loading 500 pounds on the bench and asking for a lift off. Start with what youcan eat and add calories every week or two, making sure that your training supports the increasing intake. After eating all your proteins and fats, toss in some carbs to fuel your workouts and to help prevent catabolism. Steer clear of white flour foods and stick with healthy servings of oatmeal, rice and potatoes. In the powerlifting world, "mass moves mass” so gradually increase calories to increase mass.

3. Drink
WaterThis sounds like another one of those old conventional wisdoms you hear everyone telling everyone else to do. I have a somewhat unpopular but extremely necessary twist for you. Water is worthless…without SALT! You can drink all the water you want but if you aren't taking in enough sodium then most of that water will go to waste right along with your worthless mega doses of vitamins (more on that later). But isn't salt bad for you? Says who?The FDA guideline is completely arbitrary and newer research is showing that higher levels of sodium were associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular problems. Salt is a bigger performance enhancer than creatine, by a long shot. Sodium increases amino acid absorption and improves carbohydrate storage. Remember neurons from basic biology? Then hopefully you remember that every muscle in your body is fired by a chemical reaction between those neurons called the sodium potassium pump. I'll leave the scientific details for the lab coats to debate.Most of us simply need to know that salt is a performance enhancer. There's no mechanism to store sodium for future use so you'll need the recommended 3,000 mg a day plus your workload replacement which can be anywhere from another 1,000-2,000 mg. (NOTE: Those with predispositions to heart conditions may want to consult with a physician. Again, this number is for harder training individuals.)

4. Lift Hard
Shouldn't this have been first? Nope! All you do in the gym is break down muscle tissue. All the growth comes from the recovery phase (eating and sleeping), so lifting weights is not the most important part of a mass or strength program. The great thing about being a beginner is that just about any weight lifting program accompanied with the proper recovery (eating and sleeping) will yield results. There is no best program. Lift heavy weights for a few sets of about five reps using basic, multi-joint mass building movements like squats, deadlifts, dips, chins, bench, T-bar rows for an hour a few times a week and you will get bigger and stronger. Don't over think it, just be consistent and work hard.

5. Cardio
There's an old saying in the Bizarro world of 300-pound bodybuilders and powerlifters: "Don't run if you can walk, don't stand if you can sit and don't stay awake of you can sleep.” That pretty much sums up my opinion of cardio.

Best 5 foods for Weight Loss

1-Black beans

A cup of black beans packs a whopping 15 grams of satisfying protein and doesn't contain any of the saturated fat found in other protein sources, like red meat.

2-Oats

Oats are rich in fiber, so a serving can help you feel full throughout the day. Just a half cup packs 4.6 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat.

3-Avocados

There's no reason to be afraid of eating fats—as long as they're the right fats.

Oleic acid, a compound in avocados' healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), may trigger your body to actually quiet hunger. Stick to a quarter or a half of an avocado and watch that belly fat melt away. The creamy fruit is also packed with fiber and protein.

4-Grapefruit

Even if you changed nothing else about your diet, eating half a grapefruit before each meal may help you lose up to a pound a week!

A compound in the tangy fruit can lower insulin, a fat-storage hormone, and that can lead to weight loss. It's also a good source of protein, and because it's at least 90% water, it can fill you up so you eat less.

5-Green tea

This steamy sip hydrates like water, which can help fill you up and shed pounds. Plus, the antioxidants in green tea will up your fat burn and calorie burn. One study found that five cups a day could help you lose twice as much weight, most of it around your middle.

Healthy Fats

Obesity is rampant in America, as most of us are well aware, as well as diabetes, cancer, and a slew of other illnesses. Without a doubt, you have someone in your family, a friend, a coworker, a neighbor, or possibly it’s even you yourself, that is struggling with weight and a desire to feel vibrant and healthy. Everyone would love to feel truly alive and capable day in and day out, right? While working out helps burn calories and boost metabolism, what is the underlying issue in nearly every circumstance? Diet. Here I am going to give a few tips on healthy fats to include in your diet – no matter what your goals are. I’ll include a dinner recipe and also offer my newest smoothie concoction that will cater to your sweet tooth, yet contains just a few basic, plant-based, nutrient dense ingredients.

When I was in college chemistry classes (amongst countless meat eaters), the attention would inevitably turn to me whenever talk of protein consumption or balanced, healthy meals came up. At the end of the year, the class was divided up into groups, with each group assigned to prepare and bring a food dish for the end-of-the-year potluck. The catch was that each group’s food item had to fit into an assigned category of one of the following: lipid, carbohydrate, or protein. My group was assigned lipids, and despite knowing that every fat is a lipid, yet not all lipids are fats, we chose to use avocados as our source of lipid. We opted for guacamole with onion, tomatoes, cilantro, lime, and pepper. It was basic, but it was the first dish gone in the class—and the only one I ate! Our instructor raved about some chocolate chip cookies that were made, but was sure to point out that of all the foods brought to class, the guacamole was the healthiest. So, why did I tell that story? Because, even in a class full of budding scientists/chemists, dietitians and nurses, there remained much confusion on what was truly healthy and why.

Dietary Protein - How Much Is Optimal For Longevity?

in my last two articles, I've in first descus how a recent study revealed the risk of a shorter lifespan from consuming too much protein, and specifically the anabolic and bodybuilder friendly amino acid L-Leucine. In the second article, I went on to cover that given this risk, what is the minimum protein level we can take in to optimize our muscle mass and fitness goals? For the next article in my series on protein, I'd now like to discuss my findings on the optimal protein intake for longevity - how much protein should we eat to live as long and healthy a life as possible?

As I've mentioned before, the daily recommendations for protein intake vary incredibly widely across the board, with some organizations and diet groups advocating extremely low levels of protein intake, and many experts and coaches in the health and fitness industry recommending very high intakes. All these conflicting guidelines can be very confusing, but given that our goal is to find what will result in the longest lifespan, and the evidence that too much protein can shorten lifespan, a low recommendation is what we should be expecting to find.

Are Plant Proteins "Complete"?

A recent study illustrating that too much protein can reduce your life span prompted me to write a series of articles about how much protein you really need for building muscle, or just to live a long and healthy life. In this final article of the series, I want to talk about a common source of confusion regarding plant protein: complete versus incomplete proteins.

It is extremely common to come across the idea that plant proteins are 'incomplete', and therefore are inferior to animal-based proteins. Often you will also see that plant proteins need to be combined in some sort of complicated fashion to make a healthy, 'complete' protein your body will be able to use. So, just what does it mean for a protein to be complete? Proteins are made up of basic building blocks called amino acids which link together to form proteins, like train cars linking together to form a freight train, or letters in the alphabet linking together to form words. There are 21 different amino acids the human body uses, of which nine are essential, meaning your body cannot make them from other amino acids and must get them from the food you eat. A complete protein is a protein which contains all nine of the essential amino acids that the human body needs and cannot make on its own. By this definition, every single plant protein found in nature is complete. In fact, the only protein I've been able to find which does not contain all of the essential amino acids is gelatin - an animal derived protein! This means that you could eat any single whole plant food exclusively, and while you might have all sorts of other nutrient imbalances, as long as you were getting enough calories in, you would never be deficient in any of the essential amino acids!

Confidence is the Name of the Game

What is preventing you from living the life that you dream of? What is stopping you from taking a risk, moving to a new city, starting your own business, taking on a fitness challenge? Why do you just settle? Our minds seem pre-programmed to tell us to play it safe, to not take chances, to not put ourselves out there. It is a sort of survival instinct, like we are conditioned to survive, but not thrive. When you step back and analyze who you are and what defines you, are you genuinely happy with what you see?
This concept is really important to me because I have let myself down over and over again. What do we get in return from playing is safe? Do we ever truly experience happiness? I played it safe all through my twenties. I graduated with a degree in graphic design, and did that for a while. I then got laid off, and worked in legal copy. Then I got a nice safe desk job working for the state of New York. I did that for about a year, living in the same city that I grew up in, because I wanted to stay near my family. Back when I was about 8 years old, my dad moved the family to Carolina Beach, N.C. But after I graduated, I went right back to where I was from. I started to realize that just because I am from somewhere, does not mean it is where I wanted to be. Because of moving when I was younger, I knew places could be quite different from my hometown of Albany, New York.

Don't be a Cardioholic

I love shaking things up a bit, so I wanted to bust some myths about cardio!

Cardiovascular activity, or “cardio” for short, seems to be either loved or despised in the fitness world. We associate that term with fat burning, increasing lung capacity, and overall endurance. But for the sake of bodybuilding/sculpting, let’s take a look at the true benefits of cardio.

For the benefits of bodybuilding and sculpting, cardio plays a part in bringing out the muscle definition that you have worked hard to get. Now, although I believe in the health benefits of doing cardio, I am not a big proponent of the overuse of cardio to decrease body fat to achieve “the look” of being shredded; that can be dangerous to one’s metabolism. As to what I mean by “overuse”, here is an example: John Doe has a show coming up in eight weeks, but by the looks of his physique, he is not ready. The standard protocol that has been traditionally used over many years is to drop calories, decrease sodium, and then do cardio twice a day for an hour each time, and then eventually dehydrate. Now, this will have an effect – and very possibly the effect that John Doe is looking for – but the underlying issue is that this method will have to be matched or increased time and time again until it no longer is effective.

train like an animal

train like an animal when you train chest train hard train like an animal

for example in the old school the training was hotter than hell

When training chest, you never focus on the weight; you envision isolating the contraction of the target muscle. you apply this strict approach to every rep of every set of every exercise you perform during all of my training sessions.

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