- A Guide to Basic Supplements & More ... -

Due to demand find below a BASIC GUIDE to some of the major, vitamins, antioxidants, whey, amino acids, glutamine, protein, etc. . .

- Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) –

These are the most critical aminos for building muscle. Not only do they boost insulin, but they also turn on muscle-protein synthesis, the process of building muscle. BCAA’s provide your muscles with more energy and stall fatigue by tricking the brain into thinking you’re still fresh and strong. Plus they blunt the catabolic hormone cortisol, which could increase muscle breakdown, and limit both testosterone production and function.

- Caffeine –

This central nervous system stimulant is probably the most popular drug in the world! It is also should be the most popular bodybuilding supplement because it enhances fat loss, aids focus and drive, and can immediately increase strength. That makes it a great morning pick-me-up or pre-workout boost to get you through a tough session.

- Calcium –

In addition to its bone boosting effects calcium is also important for muscle contractions and it even aids fat loss. But calcium may boost testosterone, too. One study found that subjects taking 16milligrams of calcium per pound of bodyweight (about 3,000mg for a 200pound guy) had higher testosterone levels during workouts then subjects not taking supplemental calcium.

- Carnitine –

This amino acid like compound transports fat into the mitochondria of muscle cells to be burned for fuel. Research show that Carnitine taken before exercise helps the body burn more fat and decrease fatigue. It has been found to enhance blood flow to muscle, aid muscle recovery and increase the amount of androgen receptors in muscle (to which testosterone binds to stimulate growth.)

- Casein Protein –

Casein a fraction of milk protein provides a steady stream of amino acids over a long period of time.  (Such as during sleep or between meals.) The body digests and absorbs it more slowly than whey, the fast digesting milk protein. Research shows that adding casein to a whey shake post-workout can better enhance muscle growth than taking whey without casein. In addition, casein has been shown to provide about 16% greater metabolic availability of key sulphur-containing amino acids compared to soya. Look for protein powders that include casein in the form of miceller casein, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate or potassium caseinate.

- Creatine –

The undisputed champ for adding size and strength. It enhances mass by releasing muscle cell volume and aiding molecular pathways that stimulate growth. It boosts strength by increasing the level of Creatine phosphate in muscle cells, which is used to supply a quick source of ATP (the energy source muscles use to contract.)

- Dextrose –

The sugar has the same structure as your blood sugar (glucose). That means it requires no digestion and basically gets absorbed straight from your gut into your bloodstream. This helps spike insulin production, opening tiny doors on muscle fibres that allow nutrients to rush inside.

- Glutamine –

This amino acid aids muscle growth by increasing the levels of leucine in muscle fibres. It also helps decrease muscle breakdown and fatigue, boosts immune function and even helps to keep metabolism elevated. In addition, research shows that glutamine supplementation significantly boosts GH levels. Researchers believe this may be due to the ability of glutamine to stimulate arginine production. That makes glutamine a good supplement to stack with arginine.

- Green tea Extract –

Green tea extract is the perfect fat-burning supplement. It contains the active antioxidant compound epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). This inhibits the enzyme that normally breaks down norephinephrine (a neurohormone that raises metabolic rate and enhances the release of fat from cells).

- Omega-3-Fatty Acids –

Omega-3-fatty acids fight muscle inflammation, which leads to better recovery. They help the body retain the amino acid glutamine, which has been shown to play an important role in immune support. Generally, when glutamine levels fall the immune system takes a hit, which can negatively impact on recovery. Omega-3’s can make receptors located on muscle more sensitive to the effects of the hormone insulin. This can lower insulin levels in the body; lower insulin levels encourage the body to remain in fat burning mode.

- SOYA –

 Soya Protein contains all essential amino acids, more than four times the arginine as whey and almost twice that of casein, making it a great pre-workout protein. Body builders tend to avoid it because of its phytoestrogens, yet several studies now prove that soya protein promotes muscle growth just as well as whey and doesn’t alter levels of testosterone or oestrogen in males. Research also shows that soya’s antioxidant content helps improve muscle recovery following exercise. This fact, not to mention that soya digests almost as fast as whey, makes it a great choice for after workouts.

- Taurine –

This amino acid is critical for maintaining both strength and endurance within muscle fibres. It enhances muscles ability to contact, which means more strength, and it prevents fatigue so you can perform more repetitions with a given weight.

- Vitamin B12 –

Known technically as cobalamin this B vitamin plays a critical role in numerous biochemical reactions in the body including the production and utilisation of energy from dietary fat and protein during exercise. This means that it not only enhances energy levels but it also prevents fat gain.

- Vitamin E –

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that is especially protective of polyunsaturated fats and body tissues. Vitamin E also prolongs the life of red blood cells and is necessary for the proper use of oxygen by muscles. Vitamin E acts as a preservative that prevents many substances such as vitamin A, from destructive breakdown by oxidation in the body. Most multivitamins don’t contain enough vitamin E so it’s a good idea to take a Vitamin E supplement in addition to multi.

- Whey Protein –

Getting protein into your body before and after workouts is critical to maximising muscle mass. One of the best protein sources pre- and post-workouts is whey protein. As a very fast digesting protein, whey quickly delivers its amino acids to muscles. This results in a rapid boost in protein synthesis (the biochemical process that leads to muscle growth) at the most crucial time of day – immediately following workouts.

- Zinc Magnesium Aspartate (ZMA) -

This potent combination of zinc and magnesium Aspartate plus vitamin B is supported by strong clinical research. ZMA increases anabolic hormone levels including free testosterone and IGF-1, which could otherwise be suppressed in hard-training athletes. ZMA also improves the quality of sleep. Enhanced recovery from work-outs due to improved sleep efficiency, increased hormone levels and greater gains in muscle and strength and power are the ultimate benefits of ZMA supplementation.

- Common Protein Shake Recipes ! -

A Common Question I get asked…

Have you got any good protein shake recipes as I find drinking them tasteless and uninspiring and want something to liven them up?

Answer

Yes, protein drinks can be boring, so, as well as making them more tasty and enjoyable to consume, why not add some extra nutrients to bump up carbs and vitamins and minerals? Here are some of my personal favourites.

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WEIGHT GAINER

Ingredients

• 500 ml skimmed milk
• 4 tbsp skimmed milk powder
• 2 scoops (40 g) whey powder
• 3 scoops (120 g) maltodextrin powder
• 1 banana, or 145 g mixed berries

Method

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Information

- - - Serves 1. Per serving: 462 kcal, 27.8 g protein, 
85 g carbs, and 
1.5 g fat. - - -

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CHOC PEANUT SMOOTHIE

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 250 ml cold water
• 3 tbsp chocolate protein powder

Method

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Information

- - - Serves 1. Per serving: 195 kcal, 
30 g protein, 6 g carbs, 8 g fat, 
1 g fibre.- - -

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APPLE CINNAMON SMOOTHIE

Ingredients

• 250 ml water
• 1 scoop whey protein powder 
• 1 apple, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 ice cubes

Method

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend well.  

Information

- - - Serves 1. Per serving: 181 kcal, 
28 g protein, 21 g carbs, 0 g fat, 
4 g fibre. - - -

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TROPICAL SMOOTHIE

Ingredients

• 80 g mango, diced and frozen
• 80 g pineapple, diced and frozen
• 250 ml water
• 1 scoop whey protein powder 
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp sliced almonds 

Method

Combine all ingredients except almonds in a blender and blend well. Serve topped with almonds.

Information

- - - Serves 1. Per serving: 305 kcal, 
31 g protein, 43 g carbs, 5 g fat, 
3 g fibre. - - -

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WELLNESS SMOOTHIE

Ingredients

• Cup of green tea made with 1 green tea bag and 200 ml boiling water, cooled
• 115 g quark or 120 ml natural low-fat yoghurt
• 150 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 scoop whey protein powder
• 2 tsp flaxseed oil
• 1⁄2 tsp ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tsp honey

Method

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend well.

Information

- - - Serves 1. Per serving: 245 kcal, 
32 g protein, 20 g carbs, 6 g fat, 
0 g fibre. - - -

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- The Abdominal Rules ! -

The Abdominal Rules.

1 – Don’t do sit-ups –

There is no single best move for building a solid six pack! Least of all of them is the simple sit up, as placing your feet under a bench and raising your chest works your chest to knees working your hip flexors and NOT the abdominals.

2 – Work your whole –

Body compound exercises such as squats and deadlifts require your abdominals to provide stability throughout the movement so performing them as part of your training will stimulate both the deep-lying and outer core muscles to build a strong and stable midsection.

3 – Hit your abs from all angles –

Standard crunches will only hit the top part of your abs but adding reverse crunches will work the bottom. Whilst twisting crunches will hit oblique’s all help to develop a complete 6 pack.

4 – Keep Cardio Short –

Cardio exercises should revolve around interval training and hill sessions rather than long steady-paced runs to maximise calorie burn. This helps shift the layer of fat.

5 – Bring the changes –

Variation is the key to keeping your abs working and developing if you just repeat the same old exercise and routine and don’t introduce any new exercises your muscles will stop responding. Alternate your routines throughout the week to keep building those abs.

6 – Eat more Protein –

To build muscle you need to eat between 1.5g to 2g of lean protein per kilo of bodyweight every day. Even then you may not be able to see your six pack if your body fat percentage is higher than 10% so you need to burn more calories than you consume. This will shift that excess flab.

7 – Train standing up –

Doing all your abdominal exercises both, high and low on a mat means one side of your body is switched off when you’re working the other. Standing exercises that involve a twist or rotation, such as woodchop on the cable machine work the core in a single movement/unit. This will help provide better protection against both strains and injury.

8 – Treat the Abdominals like any other muscle –

To build your abs work them like you would with all your other major muscle groups. Start with sets of 10 – 15 repetitions, leaving a day’s rest between sessions and increase intensity by adding extra sets. Bashing out 200 reps of an abs exercise every day won’t lead to a six-pack but a hernia.

9 – Get down Lower –

Defining the top 4 abdominal muscles is a lot easier than the bottom two – unless you include specific exercises to work them hard. Start with reverse crunches with your legs either on a SWISS ball or straight up in the air.

10 – Do Static Holds –

Muscles are made from both fast twitch and slow twitch fibre. Holding a position or a weighted position in a static position targets both groups at once. Improving the muscles overall strength and stability in one exercise. Moves like the plank are most effective providing you hold this position for at least more than 5 seconds.

11 – Add resistance to crunches to build muscle –

Start with a dumb-bell or medicine ball across your chest and close to the body to add resistance to crunches to force your abdominals to work harder. Gradually increase the difficulty by extending your arms above your head holding the weight.

12 – Have Perfect Posture –

Maintaining a good posture throughout the day even when you’re sitting at your desk will activate those all-important deep-lying stabilising muscles that are vital for a strong core – SO SIT UP STRAIGHT!

13 – Build it Up –

Don’t get too comfortable using the same routine or if your finding your flying through the exercises. Try increasing the resistance Gradually adding heavier weights into your training will help to develop and increase the muscles Strength.

14 – Don’t ignore the deep-lying muscles –

Performing exercises such as the plank works the inner core muscles which provide the stability that allows the outer muscles to become bigger and stronger.

15 – Stretch your Core –

Improving your core flexibility ads recovery. Long, supple muscles allow for better blood flow, which helps nutrients to reach your muscles.

16 – Slow your REPS Down! –

Muscles will only grow if they are held under tension and slowing down the speed of each rep will keep them engaged for longer. For crunches count to three on the way up old for two. Before lowing again in three.

17 – Use a Gym Ball –

Training on an unstable surface such as a gym ball recruit far more muscle fibres to hold you steady than on a flat environment. All these fibres receive microscopic tears, which are repaired and so grow back bigger and stronger.

- Motivation - (Secrets to Success!) -

- - - - - - - Motivation - - - - - - - -

A lot of people in this world, search endlessly for some magic complex, magical formula to understand why some people are successful and why some people are not?

But it really just boils down to this concept of productivity. That you’re going to apply the most amount of effort to the best of your ability in the allotted time that you have. And all successful people realise this. That time is the most precious commodity that’s out there. It’s the one thing that you can’t buy, or ever buy back! So these successful people realise that they have an allotted time to perform a given task, so they have to give it THEIR ABSOULUTE ALL! To doing that task.

Because going through the motions is the most disadvantageous thing that you can do. That often, when you do something wrong the first time, you have to go back and do it right the second time! Whereas if you did it right the first time, you never have to do it again! And all successful people realise that. That they’re going to give it their absolute all and put in their heart and soul to any task that they do no matter how small or how large it is. That they’re going to be the BEST person that they can be while their doing it. That they’re going to do it right. And the major difference is that the successful people do every single task right, whereas the people who as not successful do it wrong.

Just like these Professional Bodybuilders. Such as Jay Cutler, Ronnie Coleman, Dexter Jackson, Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, Dorian Yates, Arnold Schwarzenegger, these guys are the best in their sport. And a lot of people just disregard it as they just had the genetics to be there. Or they will play with Steroid Art. That they cheated to be where they wanted to be/were.  But what a lot of people don’t realise is that these people gave they heart and their soul, throughout every single REP, throughout every single SET, throughout every single Gym session, EVERY SINGLE DAY. FOR WEEKS, FOR MONTHS, FOR YEARS, FOR DECADES TO GET WHERE THEY WERE. That they weren’t just going to go through the motions, but they were going to break through all mental barriers to get where they wanted to be. And that’s the difference between the successful people and those who are not!

You know a lot of people think that what they do in life is beneficial and then they get frustrated when they don’t see the results they want. The ones that other people are getting! You know you can say to yourself, “Oh I went to the gym today, so I’m better off because of it”, but the question you’ve got to ask yourself is, “What did I do in the Gym today”? You know what did you do in the Gym today and how did you do it? You can complain that, you can’t build your calf muscles up, or you can’t get a nice set of abs, or you can’t burn fat? Or you can’t build muscle? And that it all boils down to your genetics that’s preventing you from getting there. But, really it’s not about genetics as much as it is about the EFFORT, and doing the ACTIVITY RIGHT!

And this transfers to all fascists of life, weather it is working on your school work, or weather is it working on your business proposal at your job. Or even the small things in Life, like cleaning dishes, or cleaning the house because if you can’t clean the house right how are you expected to run a multi-million pound fortune company right? And all successful people understand that. That they’re going to give it their all throughout every single task that they have to do. Because time is so precious, and that their going to do it right.

So I hope that you understand this concept of PRODUCTIVITY a little bit better, so you need to ask yourself… WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TODAY? BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT?

- Motivation -

Your Ageing Through The Decades.

Your Ageing Through The Decades.

Here’s a quick glimpse at some of the age-related changes that do occur as we move through our decades. You may find it’s a surprisingly short list as other common signs of “ageing” have little to do with age and everything to do with lifestyle! Find below some basic points of what may happen to you as you Age.

20’s – The first signs of age appear in your skin as the collagen fibres that keep your skin taut begin to weaken.

30’s – By the end of the decade, you may find your first grey hair. Men may find their hair colour fading and their hair may start to disappear.

You’ve passed the halfway mark in terms of bone strength. During this decade bone breaks down faster than it builds up.

By the time you turn 39 you’ll probably find it harder to maintain your weight with the same/eating regimen you followed at the beginning of the decade. Your metabolism begins slowing – meaning its time that you begin to increase your physical activity.

This is the time when a women’s fertility begins waning. It may begin to take longer to get pregnant.

40’s – Unfortunately we have to accept YES! Wrinkles may appear. YES this is the time of your life when your first signs off wrinkles will begin to appear.

By the end of this decade you may find that your days of listening to music will be affected as at this stage your eardrums will have lost their elasticity affecting your hearing.

Oh Dear! YES another nuisance! Don’t forget your reading glasses! “The Question is not ‘if’ you’ll develop presbyopia a type of farsightedness, but ‘when’.    It occurs because the lens of your eye stiffens with age, making it more difficult to focus.”

50’s – To some this may be hard but we look down at our hands and we see out Grandmothers hands. Sadly though they are your hands. If you have brown spots/puffy veins on your skin this could be because of all those years you were previously in the sun. It’s the skins inability to rid itself of gunk called lipofuscin – produced when free radical build up in the skin.

Women early in this decade, will reach menopause. The average age of menopause in most countries is 52.

60’s –Even though you will not be able to see it, you may have small pockets throughout your intestines called diverticula. They WONT hurt you! Unless bits of digested food become caught in them. In which case they get inflamed and possibly infected. Prevention for this is to ensure you GET PLENTY of FIBRE.

Men may find that they will have urinary problems possibly because of an enlarged prostate.

Your risk of developing cataracts will increase. In which case your optician can spot this during a routine check-up. These can easily be removed with a routine minor surgery.

70’s & 80’s – The thing is, how you feel in your 70’s & 80’s really depends on how you spent the past six decades of your live. If you’ve NEVER EXERCISED, you SMOKED, DRANK, & stayed up for LATE-NIGHT TV regularly, you may find yourself FRAIL, with DIABETES, and HEART DISEASE and finding chromic pain from ARTHRITIS and possible memory loss FORGETTING SIMPLE THINGS!