We all know that we should eat the right kind of foods but what are these foods and how can they help our muscle building endeavors? I am going to explain how blueberries can help you to recover and build muscles after your workout and why they should be included in all healthy meal plans.
Blueberries are packed with antioxidants.
Antioxidants carry a large number of health benefits. After a workout, a period of stress or illness, your body goes through oxidative stress in which electrons are taken from substances during a chemical reaction. After this process has taken place, we are left with a nasty little thing known as a free radical. Free radicals are basically unstable oxygen atoms.
Free radicals don’t want to be unstable and they will try to find another electron in order to balance themselves out. Free radicals won’t even stop at stealing an electron from one of your body’s cells. In essence, free radicals therefore cause your body to rust on the inside. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re looking to maximize the results that you get from your workout session, it’s going to be imperative that you’re looking into using a post-workout recovery shake. Immediately following that workout, your muscles will have been broken down and are in dire need of nutrients to kick-start the repair process.
They are especially sensitive to taking up key nutrients that you would feed them at this point as they are so depleted, so you have a “window of opportunity” following the workout to really take advantage of this.
Wait too long to give your body the post-workout recovery shake though and you’ll have missed that opportunity and won’t be seeing as good of results as you could be.
Aiming to get in your meal within an hour, or 30 minutes would be even better.
Let’s take a closer look at precisely what should go into your post-workout recovery shake so that you can make sure you’re making the most of it.
The Key Nutrients Required
First things first, you need to know the main nutrients required in that post-workout recovery shake. To get the absolute best results, you should be aiming to take in both protein along with carbohydrates during this time.
The protein is what will supply the amino acids to the cells to help speed up the muscle tissue repair and then the carbohydrates are what will provide fuel to the tissues to complete the regeneration process as well as re-saturate the high energy storage in the muscle cells, muscle glycogen Read the rest of this entry »
Today I wanted to share with you a great article written by a buddy of mine by the name of Joey Vaillancourt, author of Bones To Buff and my workout partner in our Insane Muscle Assault workout DVD series.
Joey explains about picking the right protein sources and some really important rules to follow to optimize your amino acid profile to build even more muscle.
——————-
Start of Article
——————-
Protein Bioavailability Explained by Joey Vaillancourt
If you are serious about building muscle or losing fat, then you should already be aware of the role protein plays in this process. Nutrition plays a vital role in both goals and protein’s are the building blocks and should be included in everyone’s meal plan on a daily basis. No exception.
If there was only one nutrient you should focus on getting in it should be protein.
Protein’s are used to build and repair muscle tissue. After working out and breaking down our muscles, protein is generally the foundation for repair.
Carbohydrates and fat act as an energy source for our bodies when we train; kind of like the gasoline you put in your car. Carbs also replenish glycogen levels in your muscles after intense weight training. Now that you have a bit more of an understanding regarding the background of all three (protein, carbs and fats) lets move on and start to go deeper with the information on protein.
Many people, including myself when I first started, are under the impression that a protein is a protein, period. Some people think they are getting enough protein from foods such as nuts, oats, rice and potatoes because there are small trace amounts of proteins in these foods even if not considered a protein source.
However, even though there are protein’s in these foods I mentioned above, they should not be considered a primary protein source.
Ever try eating plain chicken breasts 3-4 times a day? I have in the past and it is not the most exciting thing in the world, trust me! The truth is, to stay consistent on any healthy eating plan will require you to experiment with recipes involving different spices and herbs.
But before you go and pour own some Sugary BBQ sauces and salt-laden spice mixes, you should first know how much sodium you actually need and the key difference between different forms of sodium.
Now sodium is essential to our diet. The truth is we need sodium. Sodium is often misunderstood by people thinking that it is bad for them.
To begin with, sodium is crucial for maintaining the health of every cell in the human body. It permeates the fluid between cells (often called the “extracellular fluid”) and another mineral, potassium, exists mainly on the inside of the cells (in the intracellular fluid). These two minerals need to be in constant dynamic balance so nutrient and waste can take place across cell membranes. If either of these minerals is deficient or in excess, cell permeability is compromised and the health of all the cells suffers. It is important to maintain fluid balance between cells in our body. Sodium also helps transmit nerve impulses and influences the contraction and relaxation of muscles.
Excessive Sodium and Too Little Sodium
Studies show that excessive salt consumption contributes to the development of high blood pressure but recent research shows that is also associated with strokes, calcium deficiency and osteoporosis, fluid retention, weight gain, stomach ulcers and stomach cancer.
However, reducing sodium too much can be just as harmful as consuming large amounts of it. Too little sodium can cause spasms, poor heart rhythms, sudden death and even increase the risk of heart attack in hypertensive patients. Understanding the role sodium plays in the body and the difference between “good” and “bad” sources of sodium will help you get the salt out of your diet while you still meet your sodium needs.
So How Much Sodium Do You Really Need?
According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans:
Don’t exceed 2,300 mg of sodium a day if you’re a healthy adult.
Don’t exceed 1,500 mg of sodium a day if you have high blood pressure, kidney disease or diabetes or you’re middle-aged or older.
The main sources of sodium in the average U.S. diet are show in the photo here.
Keep in mind that these are upper limits, and less is usually best, especially if you’re sensitive to the effects of sodium. If you aren’t sure how much sodium your diet should include, it is always recommended to talk to your doctor.
The most evident source of sodium is salt. In fact, out tongue has a specific taste receptor that detects saltiness.
Time to reveal one of my most content-filled interviews ever!
My good buddy Joey Vaillancourt (author of Bones To Buff and Pro FAME Fitness Model) interviewed me a little while ago and it was such a popular interview that I figured I would feature it again and this time provide you with the written transcription as well for those of you who prefer reading
In this 60-Minute Interview, I Reveals:
How I got started and built his physique.
The shameful mistakes I made when I started.
The BIGGEST Nutritional Misconception.
The best Macro Nutrient Breakdown and Timing.
Why you should NOT “Bulk”.
How to prepare ALL your meals for the week in only 3 hours.
How I helped regular Joe’s turn into Pro Fitness Models.
And much more
Go ahead and click the link below to listen, save it to your computer or read the interview. You will learn a lot from this one.
Joey is a very technical guy when it comes to fitness, muscle building and fat loss and he asked some great questions. Joey was my workout partner in our Insane Muscle Assault workout DVD series and we regularly train together when I am in Ottawa.
JV: All right. Welcome everyone. My name is Joey Vaillancourt, creator and author of the Bones to Buff Muscle Building program and I’m here today with Dave Ruel, author of the very popular book Anabolic Cooking that actually just went number one on ClickBank not too long ago. And Dave is also a professional competing bodybuilder. So, Dave, welcome and thanks for joining me today.
DR: Hey, Joey, thanks man. Thanks for having me on the call. I’m pretty honored.
JV: Oh, well thank you. I mean, it’s an honor to get to talk to you as well. So, I want to let everyone know that today we’re going to be touching on a topic that doesn’t really get much respect, you know, when it comes to muscle building. And that topic is diet and nutrition. So, I mean, people like often overlook the importance of nutrition when it comes to muscle building. I mean, you can’t just eat anything you want, or at least that’s the way it was before. Because now, Dave’s come up with a way to prepare meals that are delicious and healthy and it’s all in his anabolic cookbook. Read the rest of this entry »
One issue that relates to both fat loss food and muscle building food that anyone who’s interested in changing their body composition should know is the difference between liver glycogen and muscle glycogen. Some people may not even know what the word ‘glycogen’ refers to so it’s important to get that figured out right off the bat before moving forward.
Glycogen is essentially the storage form of carbohydrates in the body. Whether you’re taking in starchy carbohydrate molecules or simple sugar molecules, these will get broken down into glucose in the body and then sent to various tissues for storage. When it’s in that storage form, it’s referred to as glycogen.
Now, let’s look at the differences between liver and muscle glycogen.
Muscle Glycogen
As the name suggests, muscle glycogen is going to be the storage place for carbohydrates in the muscle cells. How much muscle glycogen storage you have is going to be in direct relationship with how much lean muscle tissue you have.
In addition to that, how quickly you deplete this muscle glycogen will be determined by the intensity, duration, and frequency of physical activity you perform, with those who are much more active depleting it much more quickly.
Essentially, the more storage of muscle glycogen you have and the faster you deplete it, the more carbohydrates you can eat without risking them begin converted into body fat.
Liver Glycogen
On the other hand, liver glycogen is going to be the storage form of carbohydrates in the liver. Unfortunately unlike your muscle glycogen, its storage capacity is much more limited at about 50 grams per day for the average individual.
If more carbohydrates come into the body over and above this and they are not needed for direct energy, they will then get converted into body fat.
The Key Difference
Now, the key difference to remember is that the liver glycogen is made up of fructose molecules while the muscle glycogen is made up of glucose molecules. This then can clearly illustrate to you what happens when you eat certain types of foods. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re someone who’s currently trying to pack pounds of new muscle onto your frame but really not having much luck at all, one very important thing that you need to consider is your total calorie intake.
Simply put, if you don’t consume enough calories daily to not only support the muscle mass you have but then also encourage the growth of new muscle mass tissue, you can kiss your results goodbye.
Muscle building is a very calorie intensive process so unless you are seeking out different methods to increase your daily calorie consumption, you likely will be falling short.
Don’t worry though, with the Muscle Cook by your side and my delicious meal ideas, you will never have a hard time getting calories in easily
Fortunately, with a few simple tricks on hand, you can easily accomplish this goal without too much of a struggle. Read the rest of this entry »
One thing that you absolutely must be sure you’re doing with your diet plan is getting sufficient protein. Protein is going to support proper lean muscle mass regeneration and help to keep your body running efficiently.
In addition to this, since protein helps to keep your blood sugar levels stable, it’ll ensure that you maintain your energy level throughout the entire day and more importantly in your hardcore workouts (which I assume you are doing? )
One of the best ways to take in sufficient protein is through a diet rich in red meat, as not only is red meat excellent for its protein content, but it’s also high in other nutrients as well.
Many people often fear red meat thinking it’s far too high in saturated fat to be included in a diet plan, but this isn’t the case at all.
Let’s have a look at some of the top red meat sources that you can choose from. Remember, there’s much more to red meat than lean beef. With these choices, you’ll get wide variety without sacrificing nutrition.
Moose
Even better than chicken, moose meat is a must-have for your diet plan. This source of protein contains 114 calories, 25 grams of protein, one gram of fat per 100 gram serving and is entirely carb free.
As far as your diet goes, it doesn’t get much better than that.
Moose meat is also rich in riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium, so is a great addition as far as micronutrients go as well.
Buffalo (Bison)
Even if you aren’t a hunter, you can still reap all the nutritional benefits that buffalo has to offer. While bison meat may be slightly pricier than other cuts of red meat, it’s well worth the cost.
Buffalo meat is low in sodium and an excellent source of iron, Vitamin B12, zinc, and selenium.
And if you are a little unsure as to what recipes you can actually use Bison or Buffalo meat in, check out one of the recipes I have for you below:
The biggest consideration to make when trying to gain muscle is your food intake and what types of food you are eating. While your activity level and genetic factors all have a slight input, you have to concentrate most of your efforts on your diet. But despite what you may have been led to believe, fats are still okay to include in your muscle building meal plans. Often times, if you do it right, you can fight off the fat by eating the right types of food, and by eating them at the rights times and intervals.
BREAKFAST.
Have you ever heard the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”?
Of course you have because everyone has at some point or another.
But there is a good reason this saying is so popular…It’s true! Skipping breakfast is possibly the biggest of all mistakes to be made if you wish to gain muscle, keep fat levels low or get into any half decent shape at all. Eating breakfast will kick start your metabolism and provide you with the energy you need to start the day as you mean to go on. Breakfast is literally the ‘fast breaker’ and your body begins to slow down it’s metabolism after going 6 to 8 hours without food. You want to grow? Your best not skip breakfast!
Like me, you probably at one point never thought veggies would help you with building muscle.
That is exactly how I used to think. Years ago, I thought it was only important that I got my meat and potatoes in me in order to grow bigger and get stronger.
But over time I came to realize just how important veggies were in developing a world class physique.
If you’re trying to reach some serious muscle building goals that you have set for yourself, there’s no way around the fact that eating plenty of vegetable is going to be essential. Unfortunately many people who are working towards the develop of lean muscle mass tissue begin to shun vegetables thinking that since they contain so few calories they really aren’t going to do anything to help move them in the direction they want to go.
Don’t let yourself do this! There are a number of reasons why including vegetables in your diet will be a must, so do not let yourself skip over them.
Let’s take a look at all the need-to-know factors you should consider.
Helps Maintain Proper Mineral Levels (yes it is important)
Sodium and potassium are two key minerals in the body that are very heavily regulated. When they start to shift out of balance, which can often be the case on muscle building diets since protein intake goes up along with a higher sodium consumption, the end result is that it can lead to muscle weakness, feelings of light-headedness, and low blood pressure. Not a good thing when your under 225lbs on the bench press right? Lol. Read the rest of this entry »
We all know that we should eat the right kind of foods but what are these foods and how can they help our muscle building endeavors? I am going to explain how blueberries can help you to recover and build muscles after your workout and why they should be included in all healthy meal plans.
Like me, you probably at one point never thought veggies would help you with building muscle.
