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Big Ramy’s Complete Guide To Training During Ramadan
Take some helpful tips from your most recent Olympia champ, Big Ramy, on training during the holiday.
Those of you looking to train hard during Ramadan, I know how it feels. With my workouts, I will show you how I push myself during Ramadan to see the growth I want to that prepared me for my Mr. Olympia win just last year.
I know it can be challenging to stayed fueled up and ready to tackle workouts during Ramadan, but as a sacred holiday and a closer connection to God, I also know how important that is. It is hard to balance both, but it is possible. My workout below will get you fired up so any challenge that comes your way is easy. Having a strict workout routine and careful diet is key, and while fasting for a lot of us can hurt our gains, it is important to remember that nothing is impossible.
In my workouts, I will show you what to do to work your chest, legs, biceps, shoulders, and back for a rounded out workout. Working to isolate different groups will be great for you because you won’t be as tired or sore, and you can focus more on those singular spots. The more attention you can give them, the more they will want to work for you and with you to grow so you can get a massive physique.
Full Name: Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay (IFBB Pro Bodybuilder)
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
300 lbs.
6’0”
09/16/1984
Division
Era
Nationality
Open
2010
Egyptian
I will take you through each workout so you know exactly what to do. I know how hard it can be to stay disciplined during Ramadan while also trying to get better. It is a struggle, but it is a possible struggle. If you plan out your month, you will have a better handle on the right way to attack your training and nutrition while still following the rules of Ramadan.
About Big Ramy
My bodybuilding career has been a long road, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I am an Egyptian bodybuilder and I earned my pro card in 2012. It was at the Amateur Olympia in Kuwait City and I had only trained for three years. I finished first at my first pro debut at the New York Pro and I never stopped. Over the years, I have worked hard to perfect my training routines, diet plans, and have worked to find the right supplements so I see the progress I want to see most. Just last year, my career came to a head when all my hard work, dedication, countless hours in the gym, and the mental will to succeed saw a first place finish at Mr. Olympia. It was amazing and it’s workouts like these that have helped me get there.
Big Ramy’s Ramadan Training Routine
When I go to lift, especially big weight, I look for the best exercises to help get me there. By working certain muscle on different days, I can be sure to keep myself ready to go for my next workout. The worst thing is to feel overly fatigued and sore going into the next day’s workout, so by spacing them out and working different groups, I am able to keep going strong. My reps and sets tend to be higher given how I feel on any day with fasting. But I still make sure to get enough weight to maintain, and hopefully gain, muscle. Higher sets and reps focuses on muscle endurance and will push my body to the limit to make sure my muscles do grow. I also stick to what I know and don’t try anything new. Since I am already in a fasted state, I want to be comfortable with my workouts so nothing can go wrong.
Workout #1: Back
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Machine Row
4
8-12
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
4
8-12
Front Lat Pulldown
4
8-10
Seated Cable Row
4
8-12
Rear Lat Pulldown
4
8-12
Workout #2: Shoulders & Arms
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
4
10
Smith Machine Military Press
4
12
Rear Delt Machine Flys
4
8
Shoulder Press Machine
4
10
Dumbbell Curls
4
10
Preacher Curls
4
10
Workout #3: Legs
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Squat
5
5
Leg Extension
4
10-12
Leg Press
4
15
Machine Squat
4
10-12
Workout #4: Chest
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Incline Dumbbell Press
4
12
Machine Press
4
10
Incline Dumbbell Flyes
4
10
Flat Bench Press
4
12
Seated Machine Press
4
10
Cable Crossovers
4
8
Big Ramy’s Ramadan Tips
I mentioned this before, but I know it can be challenging to go through the Ramadan and fight to see great gains at the same time. I wanted to share some thoughts with you about training during Ramadan to help you get through the month. Some of these are common sense, but sometimes it helps to hear them again so they stay in your mind.
Higher reps: Doing higher reps is important because it will work your muscles without requiring as much energy as a lower reps at heavy weight. With these higher reps, use lighter weight to really work those muscles.
Sleep: This is so important. Sleep will give you better muscle growth by helping you recover. You will also feel better and have better daily functioning.
Stay with what you know: Don’t try and change your workouts up drastically. You are already doing something that is hard so make your training be fun and not just another to-do list item.
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Wrap Up
Over the years, I have gained knowledge and learned so much during my own career. Training during Ramadan can be hard, but it is not impossible. For those of us who partake in this holiday, we seek a closer connection to God and we can still balance the rules of Ramadan with our training. Try my workout and see what it can do for you because I have done this for a long time. We all need to consistently learn new things and I hope these workouts help you during own lifting journey.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Big Ramy Instagram & Enhanced Labs
Dennis James Full Interview | Bodybuilding Conditioning Issues, Big Ramy, Phil Heath & More
Watch the full uncut GI Exclusive interview with Dennis James.
Dennis James isn’t a man who shies away from sharing his opinions on bodybuilding. In some ways, he’s like an unofficial analyst for the sport. He often gives us his immediate opinions on athlete physiques right after big shows. He also shares predictions on placings and his overall take on the goings on in bodybuilding.
That’s why we sat down for a long form interview to discuss in-depth all things bodybuilding. This interview was conducted before the Mr. Olympia 2020 and Big Ramy’s win. So it’s interested to see his predictions in comparison to what actually occurred.
Over the past few months we’ve released multiple GI Exclusive segments from our interview with Dennis James. Now we’re releasing the full length interview including topics such as the conditioning problem in bodybuilding today, Phil Heath’s legacy, Big Ramy’s future, and more!
Listen To Our Dennis James Interview On The Generation Iron Podcast
Our full length interviews are now also in podcast form! Subscribe to the Generation Iron Podcast for candid, full length interviews with the biggest names in bodybuilding, fitness, combat, and strength sports.
Listen to the full Dennis James interview here:
Dennis On How To Fix Pro Bodybuilding’s Conditioning Problem
Dennis James agrees that physiques have declined over the years. He also thinks there’s a clear cut solution to fix it. The judges need to start changing the way they award bodybuilders. James admits that the judges aren’t entirely at fault. They can only score the kind of physiques that are presented in front of them. But even if they aren’t originally at fault, they can help push for change more easily than simply waiting for the right athlete to turn the tide.
Dennis James believes that if the judges put together an official statement claiming that they would be rewarding conditioning over size – it would kick start athletes to change the way they prepare. Then the judges actually have to follow through and award someone like, let’s say, Dexter Jackson over a bigger sized mass monster. The combination of an official statement and a change in the nuances of judging competitions could lead to major shifts in the kinds of physiques we see on stage.
Dennis James also touches on a few more topics when it comes to the evolution of medicine science and how it effects bodybuilding. He debates with Vlad Yudin about the recent string of young deaths in the sport. James claims that while these deaths are tragic, it’s not due to some underlying drug abuse problem in bodybuilding. People sadly die young all across the world, statistically young bodybuilders would be affected by this for any wide number of reasons. Not just because of steroids or other PEDs.
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Check out our full GI Exclusive interview with Dennis James above!
Dennis Answers: Does Phil Heath Deserve To Be Considered Greatest Of All Time?
Phil Heath is a 7x Mr. Olympia champion. That puts him in the top pantheon of bodybuilders. It ties him with Arnold Schwarzenegger. It places him one behind on Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney (who hold the world record for most Olympia wins). It even puts him above the six Olympia wins of Dorian Yates – a true mass monster legend in the sport. But when discussing the best athletes of all time in bodybuilding, you might find it hard for Phil Heath to be first on the list. Why is this?
Perhaps it’s simply because his victories are too recent. It’s easier to mythologize legends of the past and make them seem larger than life. Or perhaps it’s because Phil Heath was often criticized for his personality and demeanor as a champion. But those things shouldn’t really matter. What matters is his physique and his record.
That’s why when we talked with bodybuilder and guru Dennis James, we were happy to see him quickly place Phil Heath in his list of top five bodybuilders of all time. For James, it’s no question. Not only because of his Olympia wins, but also because of the look of his physique. To James, it’s undeniable that Heath holds a physique hardly any other competitor could match.
And yet, perhaps more than any other athlete, Phil Heath’s Olympia wins are often contested by fans. People often vocalized the many times that they believed Kai Greene should have won. And in Phil Heath’s later years, his stomach was criticized so much that people thought he should have lost way sooner than his seven Olympia wins allowed.
Wrap Up
As we mentioned at the top, Dennis James is always blunt, honest, and in-depth with his opinions on all things bodybuilding. So there are far many more topics than discussed in this article. That’s why you should watch the full GI Exclusive interview above!
Hassan Mostafa Drops an Impressive Posing Video Just Before the NY Pro
Hassan Mostafa is reminding the bodybuilding world why he’s the favorite.
The NY Pro is set to feature some impressive up and coming bodybuilders. This next generation of competitors have all the tools necessary to take the bodybuilding world by storm. One of those athletes is Hassan Mostafa who recently gave a preview of the physique he’s bringing to the NY Pro.
Coming in second place at the 2020 NY Pro, Hassan Mostafa is the favorite heading into this show. He’s physique is impressive and complete. That is it was the last time we saw him on stage. Since then some have raised concerns about his midsection.
In certain progress pics and videos, Mostafa has shown a bit of bloat around his midsection. As such, many have wondered if this weak point would hinder his performance at the NY Pro.
While his midsection being bloated is a legitimate cause for concern, Hassan Mostafa just put those worries to bed.
An Impressive Physique Days Out
In a recent post on Instagram Mostafa showcased his current physique days out from the NY Pro. Suffice it to say his midsection has been taken care of and he’s looking great.
Much of the focus heading into the NY Pro has been placed on Blessing Awodibu and Nick Walker. Hassan Mostafa was always a clear front runner, but it can’t be denied that the Blessing-Walker beef brought a different level of intrigue.
With all that said, Hassan Mostafa showing this level of physique days out changes the narrative. There’s no doubt that Mostafa should be the favorite at the NY Pro. He has the musculature and symmetry that sets him apart from the rest of the field. He has also been working with veterans like the legend Flex Wheeler and Jose Raymond. Both veterans have helped Mostafa take his posing to another level which is sure to round out his game.
Blessing Awodibu, Nick Walker, and Justin Rodriguez will be Mostafa’s main competition at the show. But if he brings a package like this to the stage, there’s no doubt that he’s ready for the challenge.
What do you think about Hassan Mostafa and his physique days out from the NY Pro?
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
Dr. Dre Takes on Fitness Challenge Inspired By Will Smith
Dr. Dre looks to get into great shape inspired by Will Smith.
It appears that Will Smith has started a trend. It appears that legendary hip hop producer Dr. Dre is looking to transform his physique. The rapper/producer says he has been inspired by Smith to get into the best shape of his life.
Getting in great shape at an advanced age can be a difficult task. It doesn’t mean hopping on to some new fad diet and pump a few weights. It means making a lifestyle and sticking to it. That takes patience, resolve, and most of all dedication in order to make the necessary changes. Like Will Smith, if Dr. Dre hopes to make a major change to his physique at the age of 56, he’ll need to embrace all of those traits.
Already In Great Shape
But while it may prove to be a bit of an uphill battle, Dr. Dre appears to be already half way to a pretty impressive physique. The famed producer posted an image of his current physique on social media and he looks to be in pretty great shape. He even name dropped Will Smith as the motivation for the challenge.
This is my COVID body. I’m about to start getting my shit together. Going in with will smith. Let’s Go!!!!
Even Will Smith chimed in on Dr. Dre’s physique. The actor and rapper gave Dr. Dre some high praise on his current physique.
Smith is correct. Dr. Dre is already in some pretty good shape. All it will take to see significant changes to his physique will be a few tweaks and some consistency.
Dr. Dre joins a long list of other hip hop associated artists challenging themselves to build powerful physiques. Artists like Method Man and Busta Rhymes. These artists are all proving that you can never be too old to get into the best shape of your life. Even bodybuilders of advance age like Lee Labrada are staying in amazing shape by being consistent in their training. If Dr. Dre and Will smith can exhibit the same kind of dedication, then they can see some pretty incredible results themselves.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
Do You Need To Be A Fan Of Bodybuilding To Be A Bodybuilder?
Is it possible to be a passionate pro bodybuilder but not be a fan of the sport?
Competitive bodybuilding isn’t something you just pick up as a hobby. It’s a lifestyle that changes every single aspect of your being. Every single habit and every choice you make goes through the lens of bodybuilding. Since bodybuilding is so focused on the self – it brings up the question – do you have to be a fan of the sport in order to be a competitive bodybuilder? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, we asked that very question to Jamie LeRoyce McTizic – who went through long stretches of hating bodybuilding as he continued to compete.
Jamie LeRoyce McTizic has already detailed his rollercoaster of a career in bodybuilding. He became pro all natural, then turned towards steroids to improve his game, this led to a downward psychological spiral that nearly destroyed him. It also destroyed his love of bodybuilding as a fan. At least for a short period of time. He eventually regained stable footing, went all natural again, and returned to competing in the IFBB.
This entire experience made us wonder – do you have to be a fan of bodybuilding to be a pro bodybuilder? The experience of being a bodybuilder can often be isolated and lonely. There are also many people who focus on building a sculpted physique but avoid the sport all together. So if you actively compete – can you also not be a fan?
We asked this question to Jamie LeRoyce McTizic and he answered honestly from his own experience. “Absolutely, I’m a bodybuilder without being a fan of bodybuilding,” Jamie stated in our interview.
“I like the bodybuilding process. I like the process personally of building the muscle and… what you learn from it. People’s different aspects of how they lifted. And I really liked what Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronnie Coleman had to say… I was a fan of theirs and their training styles. But as far as bodybuilding as a whole and watching it. It was never really like that for me.”
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Check out our latest GI Exclusive segment with Jamie LeRoyce McTizic above!
Jamie LeRoyce McTizic makes a specific but vital distinction here. He is not a fan of the sport. As in, watching the competitions, going to the expos, or caring about who wins and who loses. But he is a fan of the process and learning how to improve that process. He can be a fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger or Ronnie Coleman – without caring about how many Mr. Olympia titles they won.
In fact, perhaps it’s harder to be a fan of bodybuilding while you are actively competing. The desire to improve and the desire to win might take the fan experience away from the sport. The person is now an athlete competitor – not a fan. The amount of extreme focus and dedication might suck the enjoyment out of simply being a fan.
Of course, this is certainly not true for all bodybuilders. But Jamie LeRoyce McTizic brings up interesting points that are rarely talked about. Bodybuilding is a discipline beyond simply being a sport. If a person is passionate about sculpting their physique – that doesn’t mean they are passionate about the sport overall. Perhaps they only compete because it’s a way of making a living doing what they love.
You can watch Jamie LeRoyce Mctizic go into more detail by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
The Truth About Artificial Sweeteners In Your Supplements
We love them for watching calories, but what exactly do artificial sweeteners do?
This love-hate relationship we have with sugar is a constant battle for many of us, especially when it comes to weight loss and working towards a shredded physique. When artificial sweeteners first rolled around, everyone thought that was it. The cure for our sugar cravings were no more. And while artificial sweeteners do have all the taste of sugar, minus the calories, it seems as though we’ve found our solution.
Artificial sweeteners, while a healthy alternative to sugar, do not come without their fair share of controversy. Many false claims and theories float around the Internet and now the rhetoric surrounding artificial sweeteners appears to be that of clarity for some and skepticism for others. The truth is that many of the products we consume have at least sugar or artificial sweeteners of some kind in them. That is what makes them taste good and provides for flavor where naturally it doesn’t exist.
Sports supplements are those which we should be concerned about, especially as a bodybuilder or athlete looking for an all natural product. While you still receive the benefits of a pre-workout supplement for that boost of energy and muscle pump, or that BCAA supplement to provide for intra-workout support, many do contain artificial sweeteners. Even whey protein powders will contain artificial sweeteners to offer a solid taste for that post-workout recovery routine of yours.
While artificial sweeteners are not the end of the world for your overall gains, if you are someone who wants to seek more natural supplements, then knowing about artificial sweeteners is something to consider.
What Are Artificial Sweeteners & How Do They Work?
Artificial sweeteners are sugar substitutes that are chemicals added to food and beverages to give them a sweet taste without the added calories. While some do have calories, the amount is incredibly small. They tend to be incredibly sweet, much more sweet than sugar, which is why people have latched onto these sweeteners so hard (1).
Artificial sweeteners work very similar to sugar in that the taste receptors find the molecule to send the signal to your brain. This then allows the brain to identify the sweet taste and give you the pleasure of something tasting good. While artificial sweeteners can fit into the taste receptor, the body cannot break most of them down, so you get all the benefits of taste without the calories.
Benefits Of Artificial Sweeteners
The benefits of artificial sweeteners, in particular on those who seek the best for their health and fitness, will work to eliminate the need for so much sugar, especially if you crave it. An easy solution to keep weight off and aid in the fat loss process will ensure a more healthy diet. Of course, some sugar here and there will not hurt your overall goals, but eliminating it where necessary is always a great idea. Some studies have shown that replacing sugary foods and beverages with artificial sweeteners could actually lead to a feeling of being less hungry so you don’t consume more calories (2).
By controlling the sensation of tasting something sweet, you are able to then eat healthier in order to aid in weight loss while also tasting something good. Many of those supplements that taste great contain artificial sweeteners, but if they didn’t, you would be drinking the original flavor of BCAAs which is probably not too delicious. Even adding them to coffee or tea at least provides a healthier alternative to sugar and will keep your dental health high as well.
Side Effects Of Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners cannot be broken down like natural ones so they offer no benefit to your energy stores or in the processes of protein synthesis and recovery. Some can reduce blood glucose levels which can effect the maintenance of those levels (3) which have effects on performance and cognitive function. Without the proper maintenance, these can decline and your workout may suffer. Low levels also impair the recovery process and muscle growth by impeding on the insulin response after a hard workout (4).
It is observed that some artificial sweeteners can impair sensitivity to certain signals and actually promote food intake which would have the adverse effect for your weight loss goals. While much of this is fueled by the controversial studies and debates surrounding artificial sweeteners, everyone is different and it matters how you feel and how your body reacts (5). While artificial sweeteners and the effects on diseases and other potential harms have been studied and debunked, or at least were decided on to need further investigation, seeking a more natural product is always a solid first step with anything.
Types Of Artificial Sweeteners
When looking at the nutrition labels for your supplements, any good and reputable company will list all of the ingredients with no hidden formulas or ingredients. Here are some artificial sweeteners that may appear on those labels.
Sucralose (Splenda): Derived from sugar in a multistep chemical process. A popular sweetener, it is debated among people as to the exact benefits and side effects.
Acesulfame Potassium: Highly versatile, it is in many foods and beverages. Claims that it disrupts metabolic processes and interferes with weight control exist but have not been proven.
Aspartame (Equal): Made from aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Claims of headaches, depression, weight gain, and a host of others have been reported by those opposed to aspartame, but more research needs to be done on the actual validity of these claims.
Saccharin (Sweet’N Low): One of the oldest on the market, it is stable and has a long shelf life. The effects on blood sugar levels are unclear since it does not metabolize in the body.
Wrap Up
Artificial sweeteners have been around for a long time as a way to give people a substitute for sugar so they don’t have to deal with all the pressure of weight gain when it comes to those sugary cravings. The truth surrounding artificial sweeteners remains unclear. While they do have the benefits of limiting the amount of sugar you eat, which has its own risks attached, the side effects of too many of these artificial aids is dependent on the individual. Always seek the natural approach if possible and be cautious about the ingredients in what you consume, especially your supplements, because they should always help you, not hurt your overall goals.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. “Low-Calorie Sweeteners”. (source)
Rolls, B. J. (1991). “Effects of intense sweeteners on hunger, food intake, and body weight: a review”. (source)
Purohit, Vikas; Mishra, Sundeep (2018). “The truth about artificial sweeteners- Are they good for diabetics?”. (source)
Richter, E. A.; Mikines, K. J.; Galbo, H.; Kiens, B. (1989). “Effect of exercise on insulin action in human skeletal muscle”. (source)
Pearlman, Michelle; Obert, Jon; Casey, Lisa (2017). “The Association Between Artificial Sweeteners and Obesity”. (source)
Applying Introspection: Using Mindful Meal Prep to Get Better Results
Applying Introspection: Using Mindful Meal Prep to Get Better Results
Mindfulness is awfully trendy at the moment. Everywhere you look, someone’s touting being in the moment, experiencing the fullness of life, and learning something new about themselves.
It’s a great buzzword.
Before you write it off as “touchy-feely” or a little too spiritual for you, the phrase became trendy for a reason. Awareness is the core of it all, and the idea, once understood, can be applied to any aspect of your life. The practice is particularly useful for monotonous or repetitive tasks to bring a new meaning and significance to them.
As the mindfulness movement grew and evolved, an obvious opportunity for application appeared: food prep. Mindful meal planning was originally intended to help medical practitioners combat the growing obesity epidemic by having participants examine and redefine their relationship with food, the enactment of which has so much more potential than weight loss.
Meal planning in the fitness sector gets a bad reputation, especially for those who assume it’s all chicken and broccoli. While it may not be quite that bad, it certainly isn’t an exhilarating experience. Mindfulness can upend that.
Reevaluating your experience with food can help you to understand your meal planning more comprehensively. By identifying how you relate to food and how your experiences have informed your eating habits, you can find ways to make meals sustainable and more interesting.
Identify Your Current Approach to Food
Start by considering your current relationship to food. Why do you eat the way you do? Beyond just keeping track of your nutrition for athletic reasons, understand what drives you to make food choices the way you do. It can be easier to undo a bad habit if you know where you got it from and why you return to it.
Is you diet culturally informed? What were meals like growing up? Is food merely a functional part of your day, does it serve to control a medical condition, or do you enjoy the ritual of preparing food and eating? For many, especially those who religiously meal prep, food simply becomes a tool to get the results they want, rather than a culinary experience or a creative outlet. When you place strict rules on your dietary intake, you limit the conventional cooking experiences available to you.
Food is a highly emotional and psychological experience for just about everyone. There’s no way to get through life without it, and in many cultures, a family meal (or lack thereof) is an important part of childhood and adolescence. In order to fundamentally change eating habits, regardless of motivation, you must understand where your current habits come from and what emotional ties they hold.
Food as Fuel
Whether you’re an amateur or a professional, if you’re a serious athlete, you’ve put time and energy into learning something about nutrition. Without understanding how your body uses food and nutrients, you can’t make informed decisions to put your body in peak physical condition.
The “If It Fits Your Macros” diet is currently a popular way to focus on macronutrient intake without fully restricting the diet to impossible standards. In contrast, mindful eating allows you to incorporate a similar mindset towards “cheat foods” without settling for a system that can be easily exploited.
When using mindfulness to build your meal plans, the easiest place to start is by identifying what foods you’ve precluded yourself from by virtue of your experiences. Sometimes, this is as simple as realizing you don’t eat brussel sprouts because you’ve previously never enjoyed them, but the reality is that you’ve never had them prepared in a way you enjoy. Other times it’s more complicated than that. You may have cut yourself off from a food group because of the traditions you were brought up in, where you source your food, or your own cooking abilities.
Once you identify what you don’t have in your diet, you can set about solving problems — and making compromises. When you find groups of food that you’ve historically dismissed, examine what you’re missing out on without that source in your diet. This allows you to find substitutions for nutrients you may be missing or open up a new creative outlet by learning news ways to prepare food. Similarly, you may find new reasons for foods that always make you break your rules, along with a newfound appreciation for the role they play in your happiness.
Creating an Informed Routine
The importance in understanding your proclivities and motivations in regards to meal prepping leads to one very simple result: you are better able to achieve the results you want.
Using the information you gleaned by examining your current relationship and your historic upbringing with food, make assessments about what foods you want to incorporate into your diet, what you’re not willing to sacrifice, and how your mental state changes with different types of fuel.
From there, you can make decisions that balance enjoying your food with the logical requirements for your physical activity. When you try to eliminate the emotional element of eating, you’re removing a fundamentally human aspect of your diet; even if you adhere to your regimen strictly, there is room for more joy within your meals.
Using macros as a guideline, plan your meals out and try to incorporate previously eschewed foods. You might include a new way to prepare a previously hated vegetable because the micronutrient payoff is worth the extra effort. Or, you might work a favorite dessert in on occasion because the psychological lift you get from consuming it makes it easier to push through the hard days.
This isn’t an invitation to get rid of all your restrictions and eat as you will. You still need to make wise decisions if you’re going to meet your goals. Sticking to food restrictions is one of the most universally challenging things humans undertake. For some, it may be easy, but if you struggle, it may be worth working through the steps of mindful food prep to understand where your hangups are originating — and to combat them.
The connection may seem tenuous at first, but with practice an persistence, your relationship with food will become more complex — in a good way.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Alyssa is a lover of words and movement who happily resides in the Pacific Northwest. If she’s not at the gym or out playing pick-up games, she’s probably feeding her favorite humans something stealthily healthy or devouring her latest bookstore find. She’s passionate about making health and fitness accessible to anyone, regardless of their situation. Tweet her @arobinsonwrites.
NutraBio Leg Day Review For Serious Athletes
This intra carb supplement will boost those gains so you train every day like its leg day.
Product Overview
We know exactly what to take on either end of our workouts. A solid pre-workout can pump us with energy and power to fuel any workout that comes our way and a proper protein supplement can enhance any gains by boosting growth and recovery post-workout. But what about that island that is our workout? Knowing what to take during your workout is just as important as what you take on either end. At the end of the day, its during the workout that sparks those gains we want most. NutraBio Leg Day is an awesome intra workout supplement for serious athletes who want the most out of their workouts.
What a solid intra-workout supplement will do is work to improve performance, boost stamina, delay fatigue, and make sure those muscle are hydrated so they lift serious weight. Our ability to push through fatigue and train longer may come from a winning mindset but having some assistance when it comes to our physical capabilities is something we can’t argue against. Typically packed with EAAs and BCAAs, our chances at growth just increased ten-fold and our ability to recover did so as well. NutraBio has created this intra-carb workout supplement to carry you through any workout so you come out on top.
Shop at NutraBio
NutraBio is a high-quality sports supplement company creating top tier products for athletes everywhere. Their mission is clear: maximize the health and wellness of all consumers by bringing advanced nutrition products with science-backed research to enhance training and performance while aiding in an overall better quality of life. They are a standout in the industry for clean and effective products with no artificial fillers or excipients and stand by their goal of being honest and transparent with their labels.
NutraBio Leg Day Highlights
NutraBio Leg Day is a powerhouse product packed with amazing ingredients to take you through even the most grueling of workouts. This intra-carb is packed with a healthy amount of carbohydrates to offer fuel for those dynamite workouts as the other ingredients, consisting of a Dual Carbohydrate Energy Blend, a Leg Day Performance Matrix, Intra Blast Aminos, Electrolyte & Hydration Optimizer, and a Nutrient Absorption Enhancer, work to cover all other areas to ensure this supplement works efficiently as possible for your gains and your gains only.
With just 120 calories, Leg Day contains 32 grams of carbs and only 5 grams of sugar while working with some quality amounts in terms of other ingredients. Packed with 7.6 grams of EAAs and 5 grams of BCAAs, this rivals many other intra-workouts that are purely focused around an EAA/BCAA blend. What Leg Day does is it takes the traditional intra-workout idea and brings an innovative and worthwhile product to the table in order to improve the lives of serious athletes. Designed for energy, stamina, strength, hydration, and focus, this supplement is an awesome intra-workout product for serious fuel.
Ingredients
Dual Carbohydrate Energy Blend
ClusterDextrin (highly branched cyclic dextrin): A premium-grade high performance carbohydrate that has a high molecular weight and ultra-low osmolality allowing for more efficient transportation to muscle cells. It may improve time to exhaustion and reduce stress hormone response (1).
Bioenergy Ribose (D-Ribose): A novel 5-carbon carbohydrate that regulates the body’s natural energy production. Can help improve performance, boost stamina, delay fatigue and promote stable energy levels (2).
Leg Day Performance Matrix
L-Dopa (Mucuna pruriens extract): An amino acid naturally produced by the body, it serves a precursor to dopamine which is involved with mood, motivation, and focus.
elevATP (ancient peat and apple fruit extract): A blend of plant bio-inorganic trace minerals and polyphenols shown to increase intracellular ATP levels in whole blood and muscle (3).
Others: NeuroFactor (coffee berry extract) and Senactiv
Intra Blast Aminos
EAAS & BCAAs
Out of 20 amino acids used to construct protein, nine cannot be produced by the body. These are essential amino acids (EAAs) and they must be obtained from your diet. Three of these are branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) which differ slightly in structure. Both EAAs and BCAAs are vital for performance, recovery, muscle growth, and overall health functions (4, 5)
Electrolyte & Hydration Optimizer
Taurine: Can help maintain proper hydration and electrolyte balance in your cells (6).
CocoPure (coconut water powder): Can work to maximize hydration and is a good source of several nutrients with great antioxidant properties.
Others: Calci-K (calcium potassium phosphate citrate), Pink Himalayan sea salt, sodium phosphate, and Di-Magnesium malate
Nutrient Absorption Enhancer
Astragin: Shown to increase bioavailability and absorption of key nutrients, including amino acids.
Other Ingredients
Natural flavors, citric acid, black tea extract, malic acid, sucralose, acesulfame potassium
Calories
120
Protein
0g
Carbs
32g
Fat
0g
Sugar
5g
Flavors
Blueberry Lemonade, Sweet Tea
Number Of Servings
20
Best Way To Take
Mix 1-2 scoops (1-2 servings) with 32-36 ounces of cold water.
Price, Flavors & Effectiveness
NutraBio Leg Day is that intra-carb supplement you need to fuel any workout that comes your way. With 20 servings per container, 1 scoop as a serving size will pump you with awesome ingredients to boost growth. Two great tasting flavors include Blueberry Lemonade and Sweet Tea.
Pros
Great ingredients put into an awesome formula for max effectiveness.
Different than other intra-workout supplements in terms of the innovative formula.
Great flavors and from a reputable company in NutraBio
Cons
Price: $54.99
Featured NutraBio Athlete
Hunter Delfa
Hunter Delfa is a NutraBio athlete and national level Classic Physique contender who uses their supplements to enhance all areas of his gains. As a bodybuilder, and someone who takes fitness incredibly seriously, it is important for Delfa to only use the best supplements around. NutraBio has him covered and a product like Leg Day ensures nothing goes to waste and that his workouts are as great as they can be. As an absolutely shredded athlete who knows what it takes to be the best, Delfa is one to watch moving forward.
Overall Value
NutraBio Leg Day is that intra-workout supplement you need to power you through your workouts by providing serious fuel to aid in whatever your body needs. Packed with a healthy amount of carbs and being low in calories, this innovative formula brings you something different than others on the market. NutraBio knows the needs of athletes and is determined to bring only the best to the table to help those athletes progress forward. What you are really getting is a high-quality intra-workout supplement with awesome ingredients and a great formula from a reputable and honest company. Try NutraBio Leg Day today and see what it can do for all your gains.
Try NutraBio Leg Day Today
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*Images courtesy of NutraBio and Hunter Delfa Instagram
References
Furuyashiki, Takashi; Tanimoto, Hidenori; Yokoyama, Yasuhiro; Kitaura, Yasuyuki; et al. (2014). “Effects of ingesting highly branched cyclic dextrin during endurance exercise on rating of perceived exertion and blood components associated with energy metabolism”. (source)
Seifert, John G.; Brumet, Allison; St. Cyr, John A. (2017). “The influence of D-ribose ingestion and fitness level on performance and recovery”. (source)
Reyes, Tania; Shu, C.; Argumedo, Ruby; Nemzer (2014). “The effect of ElevATP on whole blood ATP levels: a single dose, cross over clinical study”. (source)
Negro, M.; Giardina, S.; Marzani, B.; Marzatico (2008). “Branched-chain amino acid supplementation does not enhance athletic performance but affects muscle recovery and the immune system”. (source)
Borsheim, Elisabet; Tipton, Kevin D.; Wolf, Steven E.; Wolfe, Robert R. (2002). “Essential amino acids and muscle protein recovery from resistance exercise”. (source)
Waldron, Mark; Patterson, Stephen David; Tallent, Jamie; Jeffries, Owen (2018). “The Effects of an Oral Taurine Dose and Supplementation Period on Endurance Exercise Performance in Humans: A Meta-Analysis”. (source)
Matt Jansen: The Real Way To Burn Stubborn Fat Areas Without Ruining Strong Points
Matt Jansen shares the brutally honest truth behind the myth of spot reducing stubborn fat areas.
Losing weight can be hard. It can become especially hard when you’re trying to build up muscle and maintain a sculpted physique at the same time. Each body is different. We are all familiar with having trouble areas. Spots on the body that carry more weight than the rest. How do you spot reduce those fatty areas without burning too deep into your muscle tissue? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, trainer Matt Jansen debunks the myth of spot reducing stubborn fat and how to really bring in trouble areas.
You’ve likely seen headlines and ads online all the time that claim to provide the secret to spot reducing stubborn fatty areas on your body. Whether it is a supplement promising a cure or simply a certain workout – the myth of spot reducing fat has persisted for decades.
Unfortunately, here’s the real truth. There is no way to spot reduct stubborn fat areas. It is physically impossible to target certain points of the body to burn stubborn fat. Crunches do not burn more fat in your stomach. Specific diets cannot hold the secret to burning fat in problem areas.
The general truth is this – when you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose fat. Since every body is different genetically – some areas might take longer to lose fat than others. But if you stay persistent, it will all drop off eventually.
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Check out our GI Exclusive with bodybuilding coach Matt Jansen above!
When it comes to bodybuilding, however, this poses an interesting challenge. What happens if a bodybuilder has strong areas of their physique but carry extra fat in other specific problem areas? How do you burn stubborn fat without diminishing the hard earned muscle and taper?
We asked Matt Jansen this very question during our video interview. As we mentioned, he makes it very clear that you cannot target fat loss in certain areas. So if an athlete has a problem area, Jansen’s tactic is to plan a longer period of dieting leading up to a competition.
As Matt Jansen explains it, if a bodybuilder doesn’t carry fat evenly, then it’s a delicate balancing act to burn off fat in the problem areas and keep strong areas on point. This balancing act will be trial and error. That’s why a bodybuilder should plan a more extended time than usual during contest prep dieting.
This additional time allots for the athlete to cut fat from the problem areas and also then work on fixing any strong areas that might have been diminished through the fat loss diet plan. It’s almost like balancing a scale. You fall too much to one side, so now you put more weight on the other. Then it teeters too far to the other side, so you keep balancing until it evens out perfect.
Unfortunately, this simply requires more time and effort to accomplish. That’s the rub when it comes to having “less ideal” genetics. More work, consistency, and time need to be put in to perfect the athlete’s physique.
You can watch Matt Jansen talk in more detail about burning stubborn body fat in our latest GI Exclusive interview above!
5 Ways to Make Your Shoulder Workouts Even Better
They say the shoulders make the physique. Here are five tips to fine tune your shoulder workouts to avoid any potential injury while growing cannonball delts.
1 – Warm-up with a bottoms-up press
Your workout starts with what you’re doing before those muscle-stimulating sets. To get the most from your shoulder workouts then warming-up with a few shoulder circles just won’t cut it. Instead, try a 2-3 sets of bottoms-up kettlebell presses (BUP’s). Sets of 8-15 work well.
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Why they work
Sure they look weird, but just a few minutes of BUP’s will result in more stable, well-greased and press-ready joints. BUP’s work through the principle of irradiation. In short, you’re forced to grip the bottoms-up kettlebell hard to stop it from falling. This increased tension in your grip and forearms irradiates down your entire arm to create more stability at your shoulder. It’s not only a way to “switch on” your shoulder stabilizers for literally any heavy press you want to throw at it, but also a good way to test your overall workout readiness.
2 – Switch your shoulder press grip
Some of the best delts are build with a hefty dose of overhead pressing. The problem is that most people just aren’t built to press straight overhead with a barbell. In the long-run this can cause pain and inflammation that can hold you back from making consistent and steady progress. If this is you then one option is to opt for dumbbells instead of a barbell, and use neutral (hammer) grip variations a much as possible.
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Why they work
Dumbbells offer more freedom and natural movement at your shoulder joints. One of the reasons why so many have shoulder issues is because it’s a very tightly packed joint. That space underneath the acromion process gets even more tightly packed when you go overhead, especially when your shoulder is in more of an internally rotated position as with any overhead press using a pronated (palms-down) grip. That’s not to say you shouldn’t do them, but some of you will be more tolerant of them than others based on your shoulders anatomy. Since a neutral grip helps to drive more external rotation at your shoulder joint and more “space” within the joint, it can be a better shoulder pressing option for many.
3 – Swap basic lateral raises for these
Basic lateral raises can become boring. Plus, doing them all the time will reduce how effective they are in helping build cannonball delts. Instead, try this eccentric variation to shock some new growth.
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Why they work
Eccentric lateral raises are one of the many exercises frequently credited to the late Coach Charles Poliquin. Bending your elbows on the concentric (lifting) portion shortens the lever arm from the dumbbell to your shoulder, making the dumbbells easier to handle. This also gives you the chance to focus on lifting with your elbows for pure delts isolation. On the way down the lever arm lengthens to a more disadvantageous position which provides an eccentric overload to your medial delts. Eccentrics are great for building muscle when applied correctly, as well as promoting tendon strength and the overall health of your shoulders. Start lighter than you think and take about 4-seconds to lower down on each rep.
4 – Do more Y-raises for medial delts
Lateral raise variations aren’t the only option to work your middle delts. To add more width to your shoulders then try doing y-raises on a bench using a palms-down grip. You’ll program these in much the same way you would your lateral raises.
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Why they work
Using an incline bench to support your chest works to maximize your stability and focus on the area you’re trying to hit hardest. The angle of the bench, dumbbells and arm path work to recruit more of your medial delts. It’ll take some practice to find the correct arm path here as it’ll vary individually, so don’t be afraid to experiment a little to find the angles that feel best to you. The focus should be on feeling it through your middle delts without any clunkiness going on in your shoulders. You can also do these similar to what are commonly termed a “trap 3 raise”. With that you’ll use a thumbs up grip and have a greater degree of external rotation at your shoulder. However with those it’ll target more lower traps and anterior delts.
5 – Build and bulletproof with “Y” Cuban presses
You already know that your rotator cuff muscles are important, and that it’s good practice to throw in strengthening exercises now and then. The problem with these is you don’t feel you’re getting a lot from them — You’re training to build bigger delts, not to work the little muscles you can’t see! Well, unfortunately these muscles are pretty darn important, and without them you wouldn’t have any shoulders to speak of. The more you work you delts the more important it is to strengthen your rotator cuff muscles, too. Here’s a good option that’ll not only strengthen your shoulder external rotators, but will also pump up your delts at the same time.
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Why they work
Fair warning: you won’t need much weight at all here. Some even find just holding a couple of Fat Gripz or baby pink dumbbells are enough! Y Cuban Presses are a 3-phase movement with various advantages to each. Whereas the basic Cuban press is essentially a wide upright row, external rotation and overhead press, with this variation you’re pressing outward more like a “Y” at the top. This makes the press portion even harder on your delts. If you want to drive up your bench press poundages or bulletproof your shoulders then throw in a few sets of 8-10 of these towards the end of your workouts.
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