Archive for the Nutrition Category
Conventional bodybuilding wisdom has it that eating a gram or so of protein a day is ideal for eliciting muscle growth. While this simple formula has been borne out as true my many thousands of bodybuilders, there may be a better way.
By now you probably know that cycling your workouts can yield good results and that cycling carbs is a great way to get lean. How many of you, however, have tried cycling protein? Well maybe you should.
Although you will certainly get excellent results by eating 1 g of protein for each pound of bodyweight, research shows that you may get even better results from cycling your protein consumption. Here’s a protein-cycling program that you can follow for 14 days at a time. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.17.10 | No Comments
Written by: Chris Aceto
If you’ve ever dieted for a bodybuilding contest—or for an extended period just to reduce bodyfat—then you know what you want to do right after that: nothing but eat all the decadent foods that you’ve been avoiding for the past couple of months.
Sure, that’s one way to follow-up a restricted diet, but it can turn into a disaster, resulting in startling bodyfat gains. A better strategy is to use this time to gain impressive heaps of muscle by taking advantage of the body’s rebound effect. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.17.10 | No Comments
Power up your postworkout meal and set muscle growth into motion with these fast acting carbhoydrate supplements and food
As a serious lifter, it’s been a drumbeat pounded into your memory banks to the point it should be an automatic response “Lift, then eat protein.” Protein is the building block of muscle. It’s the essence of any suscessful bodybuilding nutrition plan. It’s the only way anyone can get from puny to prodigious. Protein isn’t the only key nutrientto take in after training, though. Carbohyrates are critical as well. For years, FLEX has recommended that bodybuilders consume both proteins and carbs ummediately after workouts. This potent one-two combo sates the stage for growth much more aggressively and accurately than protein taken alone.
The carbs you choose should be of the fast-digesting variety. This type of carbohydrate enters the bloodstream very quickly and spikes insulin levels, replenishes muscles, kick-starts muscle growth processes and blunts the release of cortisol (the catabolic hormone that increases muscle breakdown). Eating carbs and prteinright after training is probably the single best thing you can do to maximize results from your gym efforts. For this meal, you have several options to choose from in both supplements form and whole foods, including carb supplements that are taken along with protein powder, protein premixed with carbs and foods that can be eaten with protein shakes. Here are the best selections: (more…)
Nutrition | 04.17.10 | No Comments
Written by: JIM STOPPANI,
PHD SENIOR SCIENCE EDITOR
Sliced. Ripped. Shredded. No matter what you call it, you know it when you see it. Achieving such conditioning, however, takes not only a ton of work, but also a ton of knowledge. Thats where we come in, mapping out which supplements can best help you get into your best-ever shape. The following list reveals our top 10 supplemental fat burners, representing the best ingredients on the market today. The ratings are based on clinical research, anecdotal reports, and availability. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.17.10 | No Comments
As a bodybuilder, you’ve heard this many times: boosting your body’s production of testosterone and growth hormone is absolutely essential to fuel muscle growth. You’re probably unaware, though, that there may be an even more vital component, one that could clearly make the difference between failure and success in building a bigger, stronger physique. It’s called insulinlike growth factor-I, or IGF-I, a naturally occurring protein very similar in structure to insulin, another important anabolic hormone. If you’ve been reading FLEX for any length of time, you’re probably at least somewhat familiar with the term. However, you probably don’t know the complete story of IGF-I; after all, even scientists and bodybuilding experts get it wrong. That’s because IGF-I is a somewhat new discovery — and as with any new discovery, researchers learn more about it with each passing day. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.17.10 | No Comments
At some point in time, we all want to get as ripped as possible. In the January issue of FLEX, on newsstands now, we outlined the 10 best fat-burning supplements on the market. As promised, here are some alternative fat-burning stacks to the ones provided in the magazine.
OPTION #1
BUDGET STACK
If you’re on a budget, buying a pre-made supplement stack may not coincide with the size of your wallet size. These three fat burners are cheap and effective. In fact, the first two ingredients are so effective that they are found in almost every fat burner on the market. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.17.10 | No Comments
Would you believe that a substance found in plants that seemingly helps them defend themselves against being eaten by insects could get you bigger, harder, leaner and fuller? Can the supplement derived from this so-called bug hormone safely provide steroidlike effects and performance benefits? It may sound ridiculous, but 20-betaecdysterone may be able to do just that.
Also known as ecdysterone, 20-betaecdysterone first appeared on store shelves in the 1990s. The product didnt have much of an impact among bodybuilders or other athletes directions for use didnt call for high doses, as most supplement companies didnt realize that larger amounts were required for it to be effective. Users werent taking enough to prompt substantial effects. Few bodybuilders continued to purchase it, and it fell off the list of popular supplements. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.17.10 | No Comments
Written by: JIM STOPPANI PHD
Want to improve your results and make faster gains? Heres a guide you can use to upgrade your bodybuilding diet, one meal at a time.
Sometimes good isnt quite good enough. Good grades dont get you into an Ivy League school. Making a merely good movie doesnt get you a Best Picture statuette (well, unless you happened to make Forrest Gump or Chicago). Bodybuilding fans know that good doesnt even get you near a Mr. Olympia posedown. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.17.10 | No Comments
Written by: JIM STOPPANI, PHD SENIOR SCIENCE EDITOR
Youll often hear bodybuilding compared to building a house. To craft your physique, first you need to focus on the foundation, increasing your strength by concentrating on compound core lifts, such as squats, benches and deadlifts.
From there, you assemble the structure, expanding your workouts and watching your body take shape, much like a home with the walls going up. Adding the finishing touches the paint, the trim can be compared to an advanced athlete honing different muscles to bring his entire physique into balance.
The same analogy can be extended to your supplement plan. You begin with the foundation the basics and over time add new formulas and products as your body transforms. Here, well help you nail down a blueprint for growth in a three-step massgain stack thatll help you as a beginner or anyone who hasnt tried supplements before get started and gain the greatest benefits from each and every supplement you take. (more…)
Nutrition | 04.16.10 | No Comments
1. TAKE GLUTAMINE AS SOON AS YOU WAKE UP
Glutamine is an amino acid that supports muscle growth in a variety of ways. By supplementing with glutamine first thing in the morning, you help satisfy your bodys amino acid needs without tapping into muscle stores.
Recovery Rx Take five grams (g) of glutamine as soon as you wake up.
2 EAT A HIGH-PROTEIN BREAKFAST WITH CARBS
In addition to a regular bodybuilding breakfast, consider consuming whey protein isolates (either in a shake or added to oatmeal). Recovery Rx Take in up to 60 g of protein and 60 g of carbs, depending on your size, caloric needs and current bodybuilding goals. (Eat fewer carbs if youre trying to shed bodyfat.) (more…)
Nutrition | 04.16.10 | No Comments
