Tag: Nutrition
4 Best Post Workout Meals To Ensure You Make Healthy Gains
Consuming the right nutrients after a workout can make or break your gains in the gym, so don’t let poor planning hurt you.
We all think hard about what we eat before a workout, right? We need energy and fuel to lift big and maintain the gains we worked hard for. After all that effort under the bar, it would be a shame to lose it all due to a poorly planned pre workout or post-workout meal. Eating carbs and protein after your workout are the keys to rebuilding the glycogen stores and repairing those strained muscles. With the right nutrients, you will decrease the breakdown of your muscle protein, increase growth, and ultimately enhance recovery all while seeing your hard work come to fruition with what you eat after a workout.
Often times in our busy lives, we just do not have the time to sit, plan, prepare, and cook a full dish from scratch. This causes us to resort to supplements and replacements to get all of those vital nutrients. While this may be enough to get us through the day, we may not be maximizing our gains to the fullest extent of what they could be. By working to plan post workout meals ahead of time, we will be able to eat well and enjoy a wonderful dish we took time to create for ourselves. Don’t throw away your protein supplements or replacements just yet. Use them sparingly for those times you really don’t have enough energy to cook to eat after a workout.
Timing, timing, timing. Many suggest eating your post-workout meal within 45 minutes upon completion of your workout as your window for protein restoration begins to diminish after that. Of course, this depends on person to person, but that 45 minute window will help your body rebuild the glycogen stores faster, thus ensuring those gains do not fall short. This also gives you enough time to get home and prepare a solid dish without feeling rushed to get something done. For bigger gains, have a protein shake immediately after to really flood your muscles with those nutrients and then top it off with a solid home cooked meal as a good idea for your muscles to use those nutrients.
Thinking of fun and easy ways to create healthy options all while enjoying the meal can be difficult. The benefit is that there are so many alternatives and new ways to try different dishes with other variations which can make for fun and interesting dishes. Don’t let the same old monotony bore you into eating the same foods or not enough of the foods you really need. Here are 4 easy post-workout meals to ensure those gains keep rolling and your hard work does not go unnoticed. Oh, and they taste good too.
Benefits Of Meals After Training
You should be sure you eat a post workout meal because the benefits are undeniable for a host of physical and mental reasons. All of your hard work in the gym will go completely unnoticed if you decide to not eat properly post your workout and what will be the point if that all goes to waste. Getting these vital nutrients can improve recovery and lessen the amount of muscle soreness you may feel, thus keeping you primed for whatever workout comes next and enhancing your sports nutrition and diet.
By improving bone mass and building muscle, you will start to get that toned aesthetic you have been seeking and will be able to properly lose body fat to use it for energy in the process of muscle protein synthesis. This will help change your body composition. With other benefits like assisting in immunity, it is no wonder why these meals post training are so important with some of the best foods to eat for pre and post workout nutrition to build muscle and assist in weight loss.
#1 High Protein Peanut Butter Cup Milkshake
Who doesn’t love a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup? This milkshake will curb that sweet tooth all while giving your body the proper nutrients to recover. Blend this up at any time of the day for that sweet treat feel minus all the sugar. Take on the go or enjoy on the couch, but either way, this milkshake is sure to be right up everyone’s alley. For an added bonus, toss in your favorite protein powder and combine a post training meal with your protein shake into the perfect meal for your post workout nutrition or post workout snack for weight loss and muscle growth.
Ingredients:
¼ cup peanut butter
2 medium bananas
1 ½ cup of low fat milk or almond milk
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Method:
Add ingredients in a blender with desired amount of ice. Blend until smooth or desired texture.
Top with any desired topping of your choice such as mini dark chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or cinnamon.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 250
Protein: 11g
Fat: 12g
Carbs: 29g
#2 Protein Pancakes
Everyone loves a good, thick pancake, but that burden put on by carbs can be quite the deterrent. These protein pancakes are sure to give you all the feels of those thick, fluffy pancakes we all know and love without the guilt attached. Packed full of protein, these are great for those trying to get lean without sacrificing all the gains. For that extra love, find some sugar free syrup (or cheat a little) and enjoy pancakes the way you used to as a kid, just with a little extra health boost. The bonus: add whatever toppings you love on top for that sweet craving and high quality meal.
Ingredients:
4 eggs whites
½ cup of oats
½ cup of cottage cheese
1/8 teaspoon of baking powder
½ tsp of vanilla extract
Method:
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Add mixture to a frying pan and cook on medium heat. Once the pancake reaches a golden color with bubbles on top, flip over to the other side. Once cooked through, add whatever desired topping on top and enjoy.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 421
Protein: 51g
Fat: 6g
Carbs: 39g
#3 Black Bean Egg White Omelette With Avocado
A good omelette is the perfect post-workout meal to ensure those gains stay right where they are. Everyone has their favorite add-ins to an omelette, whether it be peppers, onions, spinach, or a host of any desired topping. This black bean omelette is great because with the added protein of the beans, your overall protein intake is met without a second thought. Feel free to add whatever else to this hearty meal for your favorite omelette.
Ingredients:
4 eggs whites
¼ cup of black beans
1 cup chopped tomato
1 avocado
1 ounce of low-fat cheese
Method:
Pour egg whites into a frying pan on medium heat. Add black beans, diced tomatoes and low-fat cheese (or whatever desired toppings) on top of the egg whites. Once cooked through, flip half of your egg whites over to create the perfect omelette. Add diced or sliced avocado to your dish and enjoy.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 431
Protein: 29g
Fat: 24g
Carbs: 31g
#4 Beef and Squash with Marinara
For those who enjoy a workout later in the day, this dish is sure to satisfy your afternoon, or even dinner, cravings. Satiate your desire for a hearty protein with beef and add that perfect pasta substitute of butternut squash or zucchini to feel great while enjoying this fun spinoff of pasta and meat sauce. Between the beef and the squash, your energy stores will feel recharged and your hunger will be suppressed offering a great post-workout meal.
Ingredients:
8 oz of lean grass-fed beef
1 butternut squash
4oz marinara sauce
Salt and pepper for taste
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut one whole butternut squash in half and place in oven for 45 minutes, or until soft. Cook 8oz of lean grass-fed beef with salt and pepper if desired for taste. Once squash is done, carve out into a bowl. Add your beef inside and pour desired amount of marinara on top to create the perfect post-workout dish.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 628
Protein: 70g
Fat: 18g
Carbs: 38g
Wrap Up
So, while these post-workout meals are sure to keep your hunger at bay, provide the much needed nutrients for recovery, and ensure big gains, it is important to remember to eat within a 45 minute window upon completion and to load up on carbs and protein for maximum benefit. If you are someone who has to have a protein shake after every workout, that is fine as well. You can do both. Having a protein shake right after will get you all those much needed nutrients and keep you full while you prepare and cook a quality meal for yourself instead of just a workout snack after training.
Fat is not bad to consume post-workout either, and although it may slow the absorption of the meal, the benefits still stand. It is best to maintain a 3:1 carbs to protein ratio, but if some fat happens to find its way into your post-workout meal, so be it. Your gains will not be disrupted. The idea that fat will ruin you should not deter you or keep you from enjoying certain foods because it isn’t true. Everything in moderation is just fine for your health and fitness goals. This macronutrient is just as important as the other two for your diet.
Whether it be a quick snack like tuna and crackers or pita and hummus, or something more elaborate like beef and squash with marinara, the important thing is to give your body ample recovery so as to not lose the hard work you put in. Hydration and nutrition are key to a healthy body and a healthy mind so give these post-workout meals a try and let us know what you think. You should love the food you eat and love the process of making something you love to eat, especially if on a diet. Do not just suffer through a meal because you have to. Treat it as part of your training and really work to better your health, fitness, and performance overall as you drink plenty of water and eat the best foods.
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
Why Do Pre-Workouts Make You Itch?
Pre-workouts can make you feel itchy and twitchy which can disrupt your workouts and leave you with an uncomfortable jittery feeling.
Pre-workout supplements are widely popular products used to provide a solid boost of energy for all of your pre-workout needs. Designed to get you primed and ready for big lifts, a solid pre-workout supplement can increase muscle pumps, enhance motivation and focus, and provide for a serious boost of energy as you enter the gym. While there is debate around pre-workout supplements, for some believe you can simply get this energy from a cup of coffee or just sheer will to train, they are still widely hailed as effective and useful products to add into one’s supplementation routine.
But unfortunately some, if not most, pre-workout supplements contain ingredients that are not helpful and that you just don’t need in your body. These added ingredients and artificial additives and sweeteners may not be directly harming you, but are simply ingredients that have no business being in your supplements. A common side effect of pre-workouts is a jittery, itchy, and twitchy feeling, making you feel uneasy and way to hyper to be lifting big weights. While this feeling my be solely uncomfortable, why go through this and have your mind elsewhere other than your lift?
Let’s look into pre-workout supplements and what makes them itchy. That obnoxious, jittery feeling doesn’t have to be there and you should know there are alternatives to avoid this. Make the most out of your lifts without sacrificing your health.
What Causes This Itchy Feeling?
One of the main culprits is Beta-Alanine, a common ingredient in many pre-workouts. Even in small doses, Beta-Alanine is known to cause tingling and that itchy feeling that just sucks all around (1). But Beta-Alanine isn’t the only thing that can cause this feeling. Niacin, another active ingredient, offers the same affect but is cheaper to add than Beta-Alanine.
A common reason why companies put such high amounts in their pre-workouts is that you can feel when the product is working. By coming down with that itchy and twitchy feeling it will mentally let you know that your body is now primed for whatever activity comes next. But do you really need to know that your pre-workout is working if it’s high quality?
What Is Paresthesia?
Paresthesia is the name for this tingling and itchy feeling that you often feel in your face, neck, and hands without really being able to nail down the exact spot (2). This typically feels like a tingling feeling across your whole body, flushing of your skin, slight numbness, and that all too familiar pins and needles feeling. This uncomfortable feeling is again how companies alert you that your pre-workout is working. But that feeling can sometimes be too strong to actually get a good workout in.
Is The Twitchy Feeling Harmful?
There is no real evidence that this feeling is harmful to you, but the fact that is uncomfortable should be cause to stop and rethink if you really need a pre-workout, or at least make you question if you have the right one. Just because it isn’t harmful to you, this doesn’t mean that you have to settle. There are strongest pre-workouts around that will give you the same benefit without totally ruining a potentially great workout.
Does Beta-Alanine Actually Work?
Some would ask why Beta-Alanine is still used if it just causes an uncomfortable itchy and twitchy feeling. The answer is because it has proven benefits to aid in exercise performance (3). Beta-Alanine can elevate carnosine levels which can reduce acidity in the muscles and lead to a more productive workout without fatigue settling in. Beta-Alanine itself can work to prolong your time to exhaustion and increase muscle endurance, especially during resistance training where you’re at an increased volume with less fatigue.
Can You Prevent This Itch?
There is really no way to prevent his itch unless you change your dose to a smaller amount. With pre-workout, this unfortunately doesn’t make sense because you need the full dose for it to affect your workout. This is where you should consider changing your pre-workout product or looking for alternative ways to get that desired boost.
Featured Pre-Workout For No Itch Or Twitch
National Bodybuilding Co. Stage Ready Pre-Workout
National Bodybuilding Co. Stage Ready Pre-Workout is a top tier pre-workout supplement from a rising company designed to give bodybuilders the best chance at success. This pre-workout delivers a nice hit of energy while delivering muscle pumps, enhanced stamina, and jitter free feelings to not disrupt your workout. With the enhanced formula, this product will hydrate and buffer muscle tissue, raise nitric oxide levels, optimize ATP production, and boost neurotransmitter synthesis. Made from key ingredients at clinically dosed amounts, this is one itch and twitch free pre-workout for pure performance.
Pros: This is an advanced and effective formula with solid benefits for lasting pumps, clean energy, and raw power. Patented ingredients and clinical doses are matched with a great taste. From a reputable company in National Bodybuilding Co.
Cons: Premium priced and formulated, this pre-workout is suited for more advanced athletes. It is only available directly from their website.
Price: $48.00
Try National Bodybuilding Co. Stage Ready Here
National Bodybuilding Co. Stage Ready Pre-Workout won for Best Pre-Workout in the 2020 GI Supplement Awards. Check it out here, as well as our individual review here!
Wrap Up
Pre-workout supplements can really work to provide a great boost to your training by improving focus, enhancing muscle pumps, and boosting your energy levels to new heights. These popular and widely sought after supplements can be very beneficial when you find the right one for you. Unfortunately, too many cause an itchy and twitchy feeling in you that can just be uncomfortable and take your mind off the valuable workout before you. Look into other pre-workout supplements that can really help you and eliminate that jittery feeling today.
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 National Bodybuilding Co. and Envato
References
Ahmed, I.; Maimaiti, Ailijiang; Mori, Nobuhiro; Yamanaka, Norikazu; Taniguchi, Takeshi (2014). “Simultaneous determination of B-alanine betaine and trimethylamine in bacterial culture and plant samples by capillary electrophoresis”. (source)
Sharif-Alhoseini, Mahdi; Rahimi-Movaghar, Vafa; Vaccaro, Alexadner R. (2012). “Underlying Causes of Paresthesia”. (source)
Bellinger, Phllip A. (2014). “B-Alanine Supplementation for Athletic Performance: An Update”. (source)
The Importance Of Fiber For Bodybuilders
The benefits of fiber for bodybuilders will make you realize just how much you need it.
When you read an article on fitness or watch a health-oriented video, everyone always mentions fiber. We know it will help keep you regular and also keep you feeling full to avoid snacking, but not much else about this vital nutrient is talked about. As a main source to improve digestion, this dietary nutrient is interesting in that it is indigestible. Although it is a carbohydrate, it does not act like a typical carb does in the way it affects your body.
For bodybuilders, the concern comes with the big three macronutrients of proteins, carbs, and fat. While fiber does not directly affect muscle growth, the benefits surrounding your overall performance can be great. Since they break down more gradually in your system, they allow for your body to better process them, keeping you full longer and your insulin levels stable. For complex carbs that contain fiber, by digesting slower, your body stores muscle glycogen giving you more energy for your workouts.
There are two major types of fiber that are important to know about; soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fiber slows down digestion and readily dissolves in water, allowing your body to absorb nutrients from that food. The other type is insoluble fiber which adds bulk to your stool and allows it to pass more quickly through your intestines. For those dealing with constipation, insoluble fiber is what you are looking for to keep you regular and moving more smoothly down there. But soluble fiber is just as important and allows for those nutrients to be absorbed to give your body fuel and support for your overall needs (1).
The effect fiber has on bodybuilders is great, and while it may not improve those big gains, it will allow for a serious boost in other aspects of performance. Whether you take a fiber supplement or obtain it through foods already in your diet, knowing the benefits will keep you feeling strong and moving regularly for a solid lifestyle.
Benefits Of Fiber
Appetite Control & Fullness
Foods high in fiber will help keep you full longer while not craving those unhealthy treats we all know and love. For those of us looking to maintain a solid physique, unfortunately ice cream will not harden our six-pack. With enough fiber, you won’t feel the need to run to the freezer. Fiber suppresses our appetite by slowing digestion (2). By absorbing water, it creates a thicker, gel-like substance in your GI tract helping to do this. It also adds a hearty bulk to your meals, which is why a salad tends to leave you full faster and takes up more space in your stomach.
Insulin Control
Keeping your insulin levels in a stable range is important for your overall health in general. High insulin levels may result in your body storing glucose as fat, which as a bodybuilder, you would rather prefer to stay away from. By slowing the rate of absorption for carbs and sugar in the bloodstream, fiber prevents insulin spikes and eventually can help with overall insulin sensitivity (3). This is ultimately huge in the long run, for your body’s ability to effectively clear glucose from the blood is key for your goals of a toned physique.
Promotes Immune Health
Fiber is what good gut bacteria rely on to thrive and the closely related correlation between gut health and immunity makes fiber very beneficial for promoting immune health (4). A stronger immune system means more time in the gym and less time feeling sick. By enhancing the amount of good bacteria in your body, you will also aid in reducing inflammation to support muscle and tissue repair leading to greater muscle growth.
Keeps You Regular
The main reason people of all fitness skill sets should care about fiber is that it keeps you running regularly. The benefits for you digestive tract and the absorption of nutrients for your body helps keep food running through your intestines effectively and helps with your regular trips to the bathroom.
Foods With Fiber
While there are many foods high in fiber, it is important to know a few great foods to get you started on preparing new meals to give you this much needed nutrient. Oat, wheat, and corn bran are all solid types of bran to add to a smoothie or your cereal and can help lower cholesterol and prevent constipation. Brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat spaghetti are great sources of whole grains that you already may have included in your diet. These are all easy side dishes to add to your meals. For those who love fruit, pears, prunes, and avocados are great options to keep your digestive system running regularly while providing that healthy, sweet-tasting treat. Add spinach, brussels sprouts, and beans for great sources of fiber and vegetables full of other nutrients as well.
How Much Fiber Should You Have Per Day?
While you may be eating foods high in fiber already, it is important to note that the total dietary fiber intake should be 25 to 30 grams a day from food (5). While supplements are an option for those falling short, obtaining fiber from food is very important and the average adult only consumes around 15 grams per day. If you feel you may be short on fiber, start mixing in high-fiber foods to your meals you already prepare and watch your intake rise without you really even knowing.
Wrap Up
Everyone always talks about fiber. But no one truly explains the real importance surrounding this vital nutrient. For bodybuilders looking to live the healthiest of lifestyles, it is important to get your daily dose of fiber for the host of benefits it provides. Whether it be aiding in digestion, satiating your appetite, controlling your insulin levels, or promoting immunity, fiber can be one of those dietary nutrients that can really change your performance. Add high-fiber foods or a supplement to your regimen and watch your performance and overall health take off.
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
Chen, Tingting; Chen, Daiwen; Tian, Gang; Zheng, Ping; Mao, Xiangbing; Yu, Jie; He, Jun; Huang, Zhiqing; Luo, Yuheng; Luo, Junqiu; Yu, Bing (2019). “Soluble Fiber and Insoluble Fiber Regulate Colonic Microbiota and Barrier Function in a Piglet Model”. (source)
Rao, Theertham Pradyumna (2016). “Role of guar fiber in appetite control”. (source)
Weickert, Martin O.; Pfeiffer, Andreas F. H. (2018). “Impact of Dietary Fiber Consumption on Insulin Resistance and the Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes”. (source)
Schley, P. D.; Field, C. J. (2002). “The immune-enhancing effects of dietary fibres and prebiotics”. (source)
University of California San Francisco Health. “Increasing Fiber Intake”. (source)
Avoid These 5 Dieting Mistakes To Make Progress
5 Most Common Dieting Mistakes
It’s no secret that following the right diet is the key to losing weight or gaining muscle mass. Designing the right diet is like solving the matrix for most people, and they give up without trying.
Most of the people who do start a diet, give up soon after they don’t see any results. Almost all diets fail because of a few fundamental problems. If you avoid the common mistakes, you’ll be on your way to making serious progress.
Cutting Out The Fats Completely
When some people start a diet plan, they take fats to be the villain and design their diets to exclude the macronutrient from their diet completely. Removing fats from their diet is a big reason most people don’t see any results while dieting.
Fats are an essential macronutrient and play a vital role in joint and bone support along with maintaining an energy reserve in the form of fat which can be used by the body in times of emergency. Not consuming the proper amount of fats in your diet forces your body to store fat and can lead to joint pains and other functioning issues.
Not Doing Cardio
While following a customized diet plan for reducing fat or building muscle will start working on its own, you’ll need to add cardio to the mix to fasten up the process especially if your goal is weight loss.
Adding cardio to your training routine is a great way of maintaining a calorie deficit which will help you shed the extra kilos, and reduce the body fat percentage. You should consider adding a 10-minute session of HIIT cardio to your program.
Misunderstanding Carbs
After fats, carbohydrates are considered to be the enemies of fat loss by some people. Many of the rookies try to bring down their daily carb intake into double digits unknowing it’s going to do more harm than good.
As a rule of thumb, you shouldn’t drop down your daily carb consumption below 1g per pound of bodyweight until you’re in the final weeks leading up to a competition. If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re not going to step on stage anytime soon.
Becoming Way Too Strict
Many people get too strict and serious about their diets when they start out. They cut out all the fats and carbs from their diet and stick to a narrow and incomplete diet. These people eventually burn out and quit the fit lifestyle.
When you’re starting out, you need to follow a rational approach and gradually add or subtract from your diet. Cutting out your normal food too fast can make you feel drained out and you might end up deciding this lifestyle is not for you.
Jumping Ships
Some people get disheartened when they don’t see the results they were hoping to see. Thanks to the advancement in the dietary space, there are many different diets to follow and people sometimes get spoilt for choice.
When some people don’t see results, they end up deciding that the diet they are currently following isn’t suiting them and switch to a new diet. You need to give your body time to adjust to a diet so you can see results.
How many different diets do you know about? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
5 Natural Herbs To Boost Immunity For Better Overall Health
Fight off illness with these herbs to stay healthy and keep your fitness moving forward.
The winter months can be especially brutal for those who exercise at a high level on a regular basis as pathogens begin to appear, for example the cold or flu. While over-the-counter medications may provide some relief, the cons can often times outweigh the pros, leaving you stuck with fighting off these unwanted pathogens. Natural herbs are a great supplemental way to fight off viruses and also improve your overall health for they support immune function and keep your body running at full capacity. Whatever time of year, it is important that your body is in top shape to not only fight unwanted visitors, but also aid in recovery and your overall health and wellness for optimal immune health and diet to keep your from disease.
Moving into these colder months, and dealing with cold and flu season, it is important to look for ways to stay well to avoid any unwanted illness that could leave you from the gym and these herbs can do just that. While some skepticism around traditional medicines, such as traditional Chinese medicine, is fair to be had, there is something to said about herbs and the power and they hold in our bodies. Taking a good multivitamin or omega-3 supplement is a great way to get herbal nutrients into our bodies often missed by foods, but these natural herbs can also aid in our bodily functions that are important for us to operate. Our immune systems are strong but can also be fragile so knowing what to take and how to improve them is a big bonus when it comes to us staying well overall and aiding in immune health as we try to keep things like our respiratory systems clear with help from these herbs.
The Immune System & How It Works
Your immune system is your body’s defense to protect against disease and other unwanted pathogens that may see your body as a worthwhile host. The challenge your immune system faces is the ability to identify pathogens versus your own healthy tissue. Split between two subsystems, your immune system works tirelessly to leave you well and safe. The innate immune system is the first line of defense and the most dominant system to fight these pathogens. It will recognize pathogens via receptors but cannot specifically target said pathogen. The adaptive immune system comes to its aid as the second line of defense to ensure a more specific approach to targeting the pathogen allowing your body the opportunity to take control and eliminate it.
There are plenty of ways to boost your immune system. Getting plenty of sleep, preferably eight hours a night, is an easy way to start and can be moved around an already busy schedule. Being outside and obtaining vitamin D is great for your physical and mental health while also doing regular meditation and yoga, as well as other activities that can calm the mind and work to your physical benefit. Maintaining a good weight and getting plenty of movement is important, as well as having a well balanced and healthy diet full of whole food meals, like fresh fruits and vegetables, which are great for immune health and helps their anti inflammatory effects for common goals to eliminate the risk of making you sick especially during activity and from viruses.
Taking herbal remedies can be useful for immediate relief of a cold or something like sinus problems, as well as anti inflammatory building, but can also ensure that you stay on top of your game to receive the above benefits. Supplements can really aid in your overall health and should not be overlooked. With the ability to progress your training to optimize performance goals, as well as running at full capacity, herbs can aid in your overall health and wellness and leave you feeling great and your immune health high for optimal effects.
Natural Remedies Versus Over-The-Counter Medication
When it comes to treating the body, everyone has a difference in opinions. Some prefer grandma’s chicken noodle soup while others would rather run to the pharmacy for the quick fix. One argument for the over-the-counter route is that you know the dose and the effect, making it nearly a sure bet it will work. Using an herbal remedy can often times take trial and error and those nasty colds linger on and on and all you want is relief. But natural remedies have proven better for the body and the mind and can be cheap and effective alternatives to those medications. While some supplements aren’t regulated by the government, natural herbs are a safe and sure bet to provide health benefits in a cost effective way in order to fight those nasty colds and flus to have your immune health high.
The benefit to herbal medicines, like those used in traditional Chinese medicine, is also that you can take multiple natural remedies at once, eliminating any harmful effects that taking many over the counter medications can cause. While it is important to know exactly which medications to take, it is important to know which herbs to take as well. With scientific backing on many these herbs, that skepticism comes from a lack of studies on a fair amount of them. Through word of mouth and trial and error, you can absolutely find the right ones for you. It may just take a little time for the best results.
These 5 herbs are sure to boost immunity during those gloomy winter days when the common cold decides to strike.
Turmeric
Turmeric is among the top-selling herbal supplements in the U.S. and when it comes to exercise, it’s hard to compete with turmeric. Most people recognize turmeric as an anti-inflammatory supplement and its effect on muscle soreness is powerful. It is also popular for its immune properties as it has powerful effects on gut bacteria, and with the gut wall holding nearly 70% of the cells within your immune system, turmeric proves to be a great supplement in boosting immunity for flu season. Since turmeric comes in a powder form, it is easy to ingest with tea or in a range of dishes from eggs, to beans, to soups. An easy way to prepare a homemade pill is to mix turmeric with honey, roll into pill sized balls, and let them solidify in a freezer.
Turmeric is best to put in smoothies or food to easily obtain this natural herb. Fresh vegetable juice is a great way to feel the benefits while also having it taste great. Something like a latte, tonic, or kombucha also works well to get this in a mighty beverage, while mixed with tea can work for any part of your day. Mixing it with food will also work great for those who do not want to drink it but instead eat it to get medicinal benefits.
Boswellia Serrata
Boswellia has been proven to provide a host of health benefits along with its immune fighting response. Used as an anti-inflammatory, it has shown to boost memory, support mental wellness, and aid in digestion. Highly underrated, this Indian herb can promote antibody production at lower doses and serves as an immunomodulator, meaning it can modify your immune response to better fend off unwanted viruses and diseases, like those during flu season. Boswellia can be taken in liquid form, but many have recommended capsule form is better due to the poor taste liquid Boswellia provides for medicinal use.
Boswellia serrata will only work with food because it is fat soluble. Taking this with water alone will not absorb this herb as well as if you were to have it with fatty meals or anything that can aid with digestion. Something to bare in mind if you want to try the power of this good, mighty herb to get the best medicinal benefits.
Ginger
Ginger is a great herb to use when you feel that cold coming on. Ginger shots have become the new thing for they ease sore throats and fight against viruses off the bat. Ginger serves as an immune system neutralizer as well, helping to kick start an under-active immune system when it’s down, or working to suppress an overactive one when it flares up. The equilibrium properties of ginger make this a great herb to help aid in the fight against pathogens and boost immunity while decreasing stress levels.
This is another great ingredient to have with a beverage or in something hot like tea. Freshly squeezed ginger can make for a great ginger shot, something very popular in juice shops and restaurants. A powder form of ginger can be a nice addition to food as well for both the best flavor and benefits.
Reishi Mushrooms
Reishi is a large, dark mushroom that has earned the nickname the “Herb of Spiritual Potency”, for its rarity and abundance of ability regarding health and wellness properties. Known to support both the innate and adaptive immune response systems, this herb is one of legends. It can help regulate your immune system and enhance its ability to fend off initial invaders, therefore supporting the innate immune system. It also serves as an immune stimulator and can adapt to what the body needs helping to reinforce the adaptive immune system. Taken in tablet, capsule, powder, or liquid form, this supplement should be a staple in everyone’s fight to boost immunity through herbal medicine.
Reishi mushrooms can be mixed well into most foods so you get the best out of this herb. Adding to rice, stir fry, and even something like porridge can really be nice dishes to put with these mushrooms. For those bold enough, you can even make coffee out of Reishi mushrooms.
Elderberry
Elderberry seems to be a strong choice for medicine against the flu and upper respiratory infections due to its antiviral properties. Both the berries and the flower can be used for health benefits and elderberries are full of vitamins and nutrients such as vitamins C and A, iron, and potassium. When needed, elderberry can boost the immune system into action due to anthocyanidins, chemical compounds found in the berries that have immune-boosting effects. Taking elderberry as a syrup or as gummies are great ways to ingest this immune boosting herb for positive effects like stress relief.
Elderberry can make a nice addition to dishes like pancakes, yogurt, or oatmeal and is a great ingredient to help kickstart your day. Adding to smoothies, as well as both hot and cold beverages really can provide all of the benefits in a tasty way. For those interested, you can make elderberry ice cubes to add into any beverage for a great chilling function and effects.
Wrap It All Up
While these 5 herbs contain great immune boosting properties, like those found in Chinese medicine, the other benefits for medicine simply add to your overall health and wellness. Easy to ingest and cost effective, taking the natural route is sure to have you feeling great while maintaining a positive and healthy lifestyle. Whether you need preemptive protection against potential pathogens, like the common cold, or a boost to fight off an existing one, these 5 herbs are just a few examples of what is out there to make sure you stay healthy and active and are a natural killer for many people to offer them an immune booster and healthy immune system overall.
Let us know what you think of these in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
What To Take For Post-Workout Supplements To Optimize Gains
The time after your workout is great for boosting gains by optimizing growth and recovery and these post-workout supplements are perfect for achieving that.
You love gains. We know it and don’t be afraid to admit it. You just love gains. But so do other people, so you definitely aren’t alone. But finding the right supplements and approach to maximizing those gains can be challenging and can often times lead us down the wrong road, something we definitely don’t want or need. The right post-workout supplements can put us on track to seeing those gains we want most without any added nonsense to interfere. And that is what we want and need.
Let’s jump into some great post-workout supplements to see what you can do to maximize growth and recovery. The right supplements paired with a great diet and solid training routine can greatly affect your gains. With reputable companies working on your behalf with clean ingredients and transparent labels, you can be sure to only get the best when it comes to your supplementation routine as you seek the best for those gains.
Why Post-Workout Supplements Matter
Post-workout supplements matter because the time after your workout is exactly when you need to pump yourself with vital nutrients to maximize growth and recovery. Your muscles and body are depleted after a grueling workout and finding the right nutrients to then replenish your body can prove to be very effective in the long run. Post-workout supplements are exactly what you need to capitalize on all these gains so you see the growth you want most and the recovery you need most for efficient repair. While other supplements like pre-workouts and multivitamins are essential, your post-workout routine should be on par with your training so you never sacrifice your hard work in the gym.`
Top Post-Workout Supplements To Boost Gains
For those post-workout gains, it is important to optimize growth and recovery as best you cans so you don’t sacrifice any of that hard work you worked hard for in the gym. The right supplements pair with a solid diet and quality training plan can greatly affect your gains and give you a lifestyle you want most. It can be hard to find the right supplements but it is not impossible. The best products can greatly influence your gains and give you the best chance at seeing the results you want most.
Protein Powders
Protein powders are perfect for boosting growth and recovery by pumping you with plenty of protein as well as added ingredients to give your body everything it needs. Whether this be a plant-based protein or the more common form in whey, protein powders can work to increase muscle growth (1), aid in recovery to help against muscle soreness and damage and promote fullness and weight management for all your needs.
A great protein powder like Performance Lab SPORT Protein can work wonders for you and while this is a plant-based protein, others that are sourced from whey can be game changers. Packed with protein and other vital nutrients, this powder is one to absolutely have on your shelf.
Performance Lab SPORT Protein is an impressive brown rice protein source that is cleaner than most other protein powders. Great for muscle growth, recovery, and weight loss, this is absolutely a top protein supplement.
Check out our list of the Best Protein Powders for more great protein supplements!
Creatine
Creatine is an amino acid found in your muscles and works to improve performance, increase strength and size, and avoid muscle breakdown (2). With many different types, including creatine monohydrate, creatine HCL, and creatine anhydrous you get a safe supplement to boost gains and even help with recovery to bounce back faster.
A great creatine supplement like Transparent Labs StrengthSeries Creatine HMB is awesome to take and the added β-Hydroxy β-Methylbutyrate (HMB) works to increase muscle strength and decrease fat mass for that shredded physique.
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Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is clean and effective for tackling all of your strength building needs. With no artificial additives or preservatives, what you get is pure creatine with added HMB for better strength.
Check out our list of the Best Creatine for more great creatine products!
Mass Gainers
For those who really want to pack on strength and size, as well as serious mass, a mass gainer is something to heavily consider. Powerlifters and bodybuilders alike can greatly benefit from a mass gainer which is packed with macronutrients to fuel workouts, increase muscle growth, enhance recovery, and give you a massive physique for both aesthetic and performance. Often times these include digestive enzymes for better absorption and no stomach discomfort.
A solid mass gainer like Transparent Labs ProteinSeries Mass Gainer is great for packing on healthy weight and designed to boost your overall athletic performance with high-quality ingredients. For those looking to seriously boost strength and size, as well as overall mass, this is a great mass gaining product.
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Transparent Labs ProteinSeries Mass Gainer is great for packing on muscle and healthy weight. Perfect as a meal replacement or a mass gaining supplement, this product is pumped with protein and no added artificial substances.
Check out our list of the Best Mass Gainers for more muscle building supplements!
BCAAs
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are great for kickstarting muscle protein synthesis and with the help of essential amino acids (EAAs) can greatly influence growth and aid in performance. By working on increasing muscle size (3), decreasing soreness, reducing fatigue, and preventing muscle wasting, BCAAs can be taken as an intra-workout supplement or for that post-workout routine so you can capitalize on all your gains.
An awesome BCAA supplement like Kaged Muscle In-Kaged will keep you going for longer and can assist with all your strength goals. Solid ingredients have a great effect on performance and your overall health and greatly influence those post-workout gains you want most.
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Kaged Muscle In-Kaged is a great intra-workout product for endurance, energy, and muscle pumps. Nine ingredients and a 2:1:1 ratio assist with all your strength goals.
Check out our list of the Best BCAAs for more great intra-workout and post-workout BCAA products!
Wrap Up
The right post-workout supplements can greatly affect your gains and give you everything you need to fully succeed when it comes to your post-workout routine. With the right products that are safe and effective, you can greatly influence your growth so you see the gains you want most and a physique you can be proud of. While finding the right supplements can be challenging, it is possible and you can seriously benefit from only the best. Check out some great post-workout supplements today and see what these can do for your gains.
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
Pasiakos, S.; McLellan, T.; Lieberman, H. (2015). “The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review”. (source)
Kreider, R. (2003). “Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations”. (source)
Blomstrand, E.; Eliasson, J.; Karlsson, H.; Kohnke, R. (2006). “Branched-chain amino acids activate key enzymes in protein synthesis after physical exercise”. (source)
Why Every Bodybuilder Should Take Probiotics For Overall Performance
The benefits for a probiotic go far beyond better digestion and every bodybuilder should consider taking them.
Many associate probiotics as simply a supplement to aid in digestion and keep you running regularly. But the pros of probiotic supplements, especially for bodybuilders, goes far beyond simply that. Research has proven that bacteria found in your gut has great benefit to your health and athletic performance, making this a staple for a bodybuilder’s diet when paired with food. Probiotic supplements are great for gaining size and with a regular source of them, your chance at optimal mass growth greatly increase with these products.
What Are Probiotics?
Your body is full of good and bad bacteria. Probiotic supplements are considered to be the good guys and are live bacteria and yeasts that have a plethora of pros, most notably in your digestive system to help keep it clean. By keeping your gut clean, probiotic supplements have been proven to increase muscle growth as a result of providing your body with the essential tools to absorb nutrients from your food. So, a cleaner gut equals more nutrients which equals more mass. Stress is known to damage your muscles and probiotics aids in the regulation of the production of stress as well. While you can get probiotics from supplements, much of the food we eat also contains plenty of this bacteria to aid in gut health and probiotic products can really help.
Types Of Probiotics
Two of the most common groups of probiotics are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Each of these has different species, resulting in different strains, so it is important to find the right one for you. A general rule when choosing a probiotic is that more strains are preferred. This will increase the chances that at least one, or several, will colonize in your gut. The label will also have a number in the billions, which is the number of bacteria that form colonies, also called Colony Forming Units (CFU). Roughly three billion CFU’s is a reasonable starting number for a healthy adult, but again, it all depends on how you feel and adjust to taking healthy probiotic digestive products.
Benefits Of Probiotics
The pros of choosing a probiotic are what bodybuilders will love. A solid ratio of beneficial bacteria to other bacteria has been shown to improve blood lipid levels, reduced damage, and assist recovery. It can influence a bodybuilders body mass composition, which is the proportion of fat and non-fat mass in the body. Through this, the ability for growth is increased and those gains will come to fruition. The impact on recovery is due to the fact it can reduce inflammation so that stress endured during the workout won’t punish you later and digestive health and overall gut health will ensure no nutrients go to waste.
Helping to boost your metabolism is key for you can eat more frequently and without worrying about packing on the pounds, keeping your body fueled and engaged. With its well-known benefits of promoting digestive health, your body is able to absorb more of those essential nutrients and provide you with the much-needed energy to fuel those grueling workouts.
Probiotic strains have also been shown to increase mental health including attitude, mood, and your level of pain tolerance. These are important to training for how you feel is how you act. If you feel great, you are more likely to work hard in the gym and those gains are sure to show. While it could go without saying, all of these benefits are connected to complete a well-rounded training cycle. A boost in your metabolism will keep your body regularly absorbing those essential nutrients and allow for increased growth. Reducing inflammation will aid in recovery and your mindset will be there to work hard and improve endurance to make those lasting effects count.
Food With Good Bacteria
Yogurt
Yogurt is a great source of probiotic benefits for it starts as milk and is then fermented using the live cultures of solid bacteria probiotic strains. Even after processing, many of these beneficial bacteria stick around. The probiotics that exist in yogurt will promote a healthy gut and the high calcium count is a benefit for strong bones and will promote digestive health and weight loss.
Kombucha
Kombucha has been on the rise as a health trend and the reasons are obvious. It is a drink created from fermented black or green tea along with sugar, yeast, and bacteria. It promotes solid digestion and is also linked to being an immune booster and can support joint health. It also aids in the natural detoxification of your liver and support your immune system and digestive health, as well as weight loss.
Sauerkraut
This sour and salty cabbage is a great source of probiotic benefits and is rich is lactic acid bacteria. Although high in sodium, sauerkraut has good levels of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Dark chocolate
While chocolate does not contain probiotics, it can help them survive the high levels of acidity in the digestive tract making it a solid carrier. Probiotics can be added to dark chocolate and it will help them survive. Dark chocolate is an antioxidant rich superfood which is beneficial to your overall health and wellness.
Tempeh
Tempeh is a popular meat substitute derived from fermented soybeans. Since fermentation requires adequate levels of live bacteria, tempeh is full of them. As a great alternative protein source, tempeh is full of probiotics and vitamin B12.
Cheese
Cheese is a great source of probiotics because bacteria can survive the process of cheese-making. As a solid source of protein, cheese is a great food to add to your diet for more than just the beneficial bacteria. Whether it be mozzarella, cheddar, cottage cheese, gouda, or feta, all contain probiotic properties to give you that solid boost of this beneficial bacteria for your immune system.
Wrap Up
Probiotics are a great way to boost your training and bring you to the next level. With so much to offer, the pros should make you want to try them and see for yourself what they can do. With their ability to promote solid digestion, absorb those much needed nutrients, support growth, and help your overall mental state, probiotics are worth looking into if you’re a bodybuilder seeking big gains. Try as a supplement or incorporate more of these foods that have good bacteria into your diet and help yourself look and feel great.
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
How To Turn Fat Into Muscle For That Desired Physique
Get rid of that unwanted fat and work on that muscular physique you can be proud of.
How often do you look at yourself in the mirror and wonder how you can turn that unwanted fat into muscle? It may seem pretty daunting. You’ve tried different diets, be them keto, intermittent fasting, paleo, or a host of others that claim to be the secret weapon to fat loss. You’ve done your research into supplements like fat burners or CLA supplements that can boost fat loss and keep on lean muscle. And you most certainly have looked online for a great strength training program. But still nothing has worked.
That’s because this is a combination of all three. A strict regimen to ensure nothing goes to waste and all those gains are met as efficiently as possible. A good diet in tandem with a solid strength training routine and proper supplementation can and will work wonders for all your fat loss goals. A muscular physique may seem out of reach, but knowing just how to get there can be easy with a winning mindset.
Let’s jump right this and take a look at how to turn fat into muscle. You want a desired physique but you just need to know how to get one. With the right diet, great exercises, and solid supplements, those goals are easily attainable and will happen.
Nutrition, Training & Supplementation
Let’s break this up into our three sections so we cover all the bases. It’s important to know that each of these is unique to you as the individual so you want it to fit your lifestyle. While some sacrifices have to be made, you don’t have to totally abandon all that you love in order to have a great body.
Nutrition
As mentioned before, many diets do exist that can potentially work for you. Everything from keto, to intermittent fasting, the paleo diet, the carnivore diet, and a host of others can all work for your benefit. But they only work for your benefit if you respond well. When looking to potentially hop on one of these diets, it is important to first look at if it will fit in with your lifestyle. Of course, affordability is also important because these diets can sometimes add up.
Eating clean foods is the best way to drop fat and start to keep on that muscle (1). Getting adequate amounts of protein in your body is also vital for protein is the building block of all muscle, but can also keep you full to limit snacking and aid in weight loss. Lean meat is always a great bet and plenty of greens can work wonders.
Training
For training, it is always best to consider what will work well for you body. As long as you perform some kind of strength training routine, you will start to put on muscle and that conversion from fat to muscle can start to take effect. Heavy lifting can be great if that is a route you want to go but more likely than not, keeping it at a moderate level of strength training while consistently increasing weight will start to work wonders for your desired transformation (2).
Cardio is also key but looking to something like high intensity interval training (HIIT) can tackle your strength training and conditioning goals in one go by performing high intensity exercises that work your whole body (3). Longer cardio sessions can be great, but prioritizing strength training will optimize muscle growth and ensure you retain lean muscle for that increase in strength and size.
Supplementation
Having a solid supplement routine on the shelf is vital for boosting your gains and can greatly influence your overall health and performance. Some key supplements to consider when looking to turn fat into muscle are a protein powder, which can affect growth and recovery while also keeping you full (4), a pre-workout, to offer energy and muscle pumps so your workouts go as efficiently as possible, and a fat burner, which can shed that unwanted fat and work to retain lean muscle. When paired together, these supplements are awesome for achieving your goals.
Other supplements to consider are a BCAA supplement to tackle fatigue and provide for continued energy, a CLA supplement, to offer a more natural approach to weight loss, and a multivitamin, to make sure you get all those vital nutrients into your body so you never suffer from a deficiency. Whatever you choose to have on your shelf, the right supplements from transparent and honest companies can greatly affect your transformation of turning fat into muscle.
Featured Fat Burner For Fat Loss & Muscle Retention
Finding high-quality products can be challenging but it is absolutely possible. A great fat burner can work wonders for your gains by shedding that unwanted fat and working on retaining lean muscle (5).
Burn Lab Pro
Burn Lab Pro is a great all-around fat burner with an innovative design and research-backed benefits. It is 100% natural, safe, and caffeine free giving you the best option on the market.
Burn Lab Pro is an all-around great fat burner with an innovative design and research-backed benefits to really enhance your results as you seek to burn belly fat. Instead of an unhealthy, stim-driven formula, Burn Lab Pro is 100% natural, safe, and caffeine free to give you an effective supplement without any fear of jitters or crashing. With 5 powerful and research-backed ingredients, this is the ultimate fat burner for whatever your needs may be.
Check out our list of the Best Fat Burners for more great fat burning supplements!
Wrap Up
Turning fat into muscle can seem daunting, but with the right approach, it is absolutely possible. Putting a solid diet plan, good training routine, and supplementation plan together can greatly influence the change you want most. While you do have to sacrifice some, it can still be an engaging journey with a shredded physique waiting at the end.
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
Skerrett, P.; Willett, W. (2010). “Essentials of Healthy Eating: A Guide”. (source)
Willis, L.; Slentz, C.; Bateman, L.; Shields, A.; et al. (2012). “Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults”. (source)
Laursen, P.; Jenkins, D. (2002). “The scientific basis for high-intensity interval training: optimizing training programmes and maximizing performance in highly trained endurance athletes”. (source)
Pasiakos, S.; Lieberman, H.; McLellan, T. (2014). “Effects of protein supplements on muscle damage, soreness and recovery of muscle function and physical performance: a systematic review”. (source)
Jeukendrup, A.; Randell, R. (2011). “Fat burners: nutrition supplements that increase fat metabolism”. (source)
A Guide to Basic Bulking for Impressive Muscle Growth
Bulking’s Bad Rep
There’s a trend to frown upon bulking. It’s often described as a fast pass to getting fat. In reality, people who think bulking is overrated don’t understand physiology. They have small armsand their bloodline is weak. Natural selection will wipe them out in a few centuries.
But anyways, bulking isn’t a bad word. For females in particular, it sends chills down their spine. It sounds like you’re getting fat, blocky, or as the word describes, bulky.
But proper bulking doesn’t have to be like this. In fact, I hate the distinction between dirty and lean bulking in the industry. All bulking should be done to maximize muscle gain while minimizing fat gain. I thought this was obvious, but I guess not.
Why Bulking is Beneficial
The best physiques look good for a number of reasons, but one of the most important is absolute muscle mass. Anyone can get lean, but not everyone has the dedication and patience to accumulate robust muscle tissue.
Endless dieting will get you lean, but if there’s no muscle worth revealing, you simply look flat, skinny, and dimensionless. In other words, people can’t differentiate your physique from a malnourished zombie.
But anyways, to maximize muscle gain, you have to understand human physiology. Muscle is built when your body constructs more muscle proteins than it breaks down, so you get a net amount of muscle growth. This process requires building blocks and cost energy.
All else equal, the people who stand to build the most muscle are beginner trainees. They’re new to the muscle building stimulus and are far from their genetic limit. Furthermore, fat tissue provides energy to fuel the muscle building process.
This is why some individuals can build muscle while eating in a deficit. Even though they consume fewer calories than they burn off, they can construct new muscle tissue from the expense of the fat tissue they’re losing.
That’s great and dandy, except you run into a couple issues if you’re a serious trainee. You will keep getting leaner and leaner until you no longer hold much fat tissue. Without a lot of fat tissue, you don’t have enough stored energy to pay for the energy needed to build muscle. In addition, you get more and more advanced, thus building muscle becomes slower and slower.
This is where bulking comes in. The surplus of calories provides an additional anabolic stimulus and provides sufficient energy for additional muscle tissue (1).
In other words, after a certain point you can’t recomp or maintain your way to a bigger physique. Sure, there may be some undetectable muscle growth, but if you want to get jacked and I’m talking detectable muscle growth where your muscles look like they ate the muscles of the average person. So, the idea that you have to eat big to get big has some sliver of truth.
Like do you really think someone can get from 150 to 170 without bulking? If you eat the number of calories to stay at 150, you’ll stay at 150. This isn’t rocket science yet many people think they can stay lean, light, and in a deficit while their epic muscled up physique just falls from the sky one day.
Go Slow
So while your weight and muscle goals may be ambitious, it’s important to go slow especially in advanced trainees who can only gain so much muscle from 1 session. This means the surplus shouldn’t be too large.
Aiming for 1-2% of bodyweight gain per month is solid sweetspot.
So if you’re 150, you should aim for 1.5-3 pounds of total weight gain per month. Some of it will inevitably be fat, but that’s the nature of bulking even intelligent bulking because avoiding fat gain does more harm than good. If you aim to not gain fat, you’re at maintenance and you don’t move the needles towards actually building a physique.
In other words, don’t undereat because you might waste a whole month of not gaining any weight.
Strength Training
While the surplus of calories provide the calories, your exercise signals for how much muscle you’ll gain.
This is why you have to strength train. You’re not marathoning your way to bigger muscles.
So with proper strength training, you will stimulate muscle growth. Ideally, you’d train as frequently as you can recover. Most people with a properly designed lifting program should be able to lift 4-5x per week.
The frequency, volume, and exercise selection are all paramount to stimulating muscle growth, but the most important aspect is progressive overload meaning your performance has to improve.
If you can go from leg pressing 300 lbs for 12 to leg pressing 400 lbs for 12, you have to build muscle tissue to do so. So a stronger muscle is oftentimes a bigger muscle. This is the adaptation you want. If your training program doesn’t result in performance increases, it sucks and isn’t stimulating much muscle growth if any.
Cardio/Hiit/Crossfit
Cardio is important for health and some people find it enjoyable, but physiologically, it doesn’t contribute to the process of bulking. It doesn’t mean it causes muscle loss like some bros exaggerate, but it shouldn’t take priority.
Like have you ever heard a Mr. Olympia say something like, “You know what got me massive? Crossfit, that was the secret.”
Yeah, no. That’s not how it works. So include cardio if you like, but your priorities are off if you intend to bulk while cardio volume dominates your week.
Macro Split
The big change with bulking is eating in a surplus which many people aren’t used to. A good starting point if you’re lean is to eat around 17-20x your bodyweight. You’ll have to adjust depending on weight gain progress. If you’re not gaining, you have to boost calories by about 100-200 calories.
Conversely, if you’re gaining too fast, cut back 100-200 calories because gaining excess fat gain simply makes recovery worse and prolongs your cut after the bulk.
As for your macros, you want to keep protein high. At least 0.8 grams per pound of bodyweight should be set as a minimum. You can even do 1 gram per pound of bodyweight to be extra safe, not to mention that’s simple.
Protein is responsible for preventing protein breakdown along with providing amino acids as building blocks which literally gets your slabs of meat thicker. This is the wonderful process we call hypertrophy if you want to flex your vocabulary a bit.
As for carbs/fat, they are less important in the sense that they’re not paramount to the process of bulking. They provide their own benefit, but optimizing them is simpler. Carbs provide fuel for training and fat keeps your testosterone high. You don’t need a crazy amount of each, so I generally recommend eating your carb/fat ratio up to your preference so long as you don’t go too low on either of them.
Here are some examples of perfectly acceptable macro splits for someone 160 pounds bulking on 2880 calories
Example 1 (even calories from carbs/fat):
Protein: 160
Carb: 280
Fat: 124
Example 2 (slightly more carbs):
Protein: 160
Carb: 375
Fat: 82
Example 3 (slightly more fat):
Protein: 160
Carb: 257
Fat: 134
Nutrition Choices
What’s arguably more important than the macro split is the food choices. People often think food quality is important for fat loss, but it’s just as important for building muscle.
The healthier and more nourished you are, the more muscle you’ll build.
This is why your food choices shouldn’t change a whole lotfrom a whole food diet. You should still eating plenty of foods like meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, etc.
You can throw in some nuts or fatty fruit like avocado too thanks to the flexibility. You should be able to fill up most of your nutrition with this to provide lots of vitamin and minerals, many of which are key for bulking.
For example, zinc, magnesium, vitamin D, and B vitamins all play key role in performance, recovery, and muscle growth.
That being said, bulking can be difficult with high calorie targetsespecially skinny guys who struggle to eat. Your appetite can limit your ability to bulk, so adding in some calorically dense foods may be a gamechanger. Foods like pizza, peanut butter, fruit juice, fatty dairy, chocolate, or granola bars can help supplement your diet.
Bulking Psychology
Bulking is great at first. You get more food flexibility and you’re never hungry. You have tons of energy at the gym and in some cases, your libido is higher due to not having to restrict calories.
However, psychological bulking benefits only last so long. Many people report struggling to eat as your appetite adapts. In addition, your physique can look temporarily worst because of the fat gain.
Again, the goal is to minimize fat gain, but you can’t look amazing the whole time you’re bulking. If it was easy and you constantly look epic, everyone would do it.
So make sure you get your expectations right. This is not a permanent lifestyle change. You do this temporarily to maximize muscle growth and once you’re not very lean, you cut.
This is what we call the bulking/cutting cycles. They’re not overrated no matter how many politically correct fitness influencers say. These cycles are also not exclusive to bodybuilders. Anyone who physiologically can’t build much muscle anymore and need that surplus should be bulking and then obviously cutting once their bulk is over.
But you read this article because you’re concerned with bulking, so for now, buy plenty of protein/carbs/fat, eat up, stay consistent, and don’t lose heart. You got this.
References
1. Slater, Gary John, et al. “Is an Energy Surplus Required to Maximize Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy Associated WithResistance Training.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 2 Aug. 2019, www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2019.00131/full.
Complete Guide To CLA Supplements For Weight Loss
CLA supplements have the potential to boost weight loss and aid in that lean muscle growth for all your desired body composition needs.
Many supplements exist to aid in weight loss and muscle growth, but CLA is one that is often overlooked. Although this is a highly debated supplement, for some say it works and others do not, knowing the ins and outs of CLA can allow you to make the choice for yourself. Weight loss doesn’t have to be impossible, especially when the right supplement is paired with a solid training routine and healthy diet. CLA is considered to be a supplement to support your weight loss and muscle retention needs and may be the right choice for you.
Let’s jump right into CLA supplements and see what these are all about. This complete guide will hopefully give you a better idea of what can be a safe and effective supplement to take to maximize all your gains. With so many supplements out there, knowing all your options is great for allowing you the best chance at the results you want most.
What Are CLA Supplements?
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a heavily promoted fat burning supplement that can aid in weight loss, increased fat burning, and appetite suppression. It is the most common omega-6 fatty acid and is found in large amounts of vegetable oil predominantly, but also meat and dairy. A common misconception is that this is lumped in with other trans fats.
While this is a trans fat, it differs greatly from the other trans fats known to cause harm to your health. It is natural and is often touted as a great weight loss aid and performance enhancing supplement great for boosting your overall health and performance (1). Common foods CLA can be found in are butter, yogurt, cottage and cheddar cheese, beef, and lamb, among others. Clean, effective, and bioavailable, this supplement can work wonders for your health.
Check out our list of the Best CLA Supplements for great weight loss and lean muscle retention products!
Benefits Of CLA
CLA has great benefits to training and performance, as well as health and wellness and is considered to be a very helpful supplement by many. Knowing the benefits surrounding this supplement can prove most effective as you seek the best for your overall health and wellness. While this supplement is debated as to the effectiveness of it, it’s important to do your research so you are comfortable with taking it.
Benefits of CLA include:
Aid in weight loss and fat burn: CLA works to suppress your appetite and increase energy expenditure, using stored fat for energy, thus aiding in fat loss (2,3). It can increase fat burning for that vital boost and inhibit fat production to keep that lean physique looking toned and sculpted.
Helps keep lean muscle on: By working to shed fat and retain that lean muscle, you can keep that hard earned muscle for a desired aesthetic (4) and not sacrifice all your gains.
Pure and bioavailable: Made with pure ingredients, your body can react positively to CLA, especially with a totally clean product. It can also be absorbed into your body efficiently so all those nutrients hit you.
Natural supplement: Made with natural ingredients, these supplements typically do not contain natural or artificial stimulants to ruin a great product.
Safety & Effectiveness
CLA is a safe supplement to take, but it is always best to read the label and research the brand to ensure the utmost transparency of the product. Some side effects of taking too much include digestive problems, nausea, constipation, stomach pain, and indigestion, but to avoid these, it is best to always read the label and talk with a medical expert if you have questions or concerns.
CLA is a highly debated supplement and some have found that it didn’t change their body fat mass or physical performance all that much. On the other hand, some have said it supports fat loss and the fat burning effects of exercise, so it has clearly worked for some. Looking at each respective supplement and choosing the best option will ensure the most success (5), as well as making sure you pair your lifestyle with a healthy diet and proper workout routine.
Best Time To Take CLA
When looking at the best time to take CLA, it is important to read the label on each respective product so you know exactly what you are getting. To optimize results, taking CLA around 30 minutes before your meal is ideal and along with a healthy diet, can really give a great boost to your overall health and performance. Of course, this should be coupled with regular workouts to maximize the effects.
Featured CLA Supplement
Finding the right CLA supplement can be hard but it is possible. Knowing what to look for and which brands are reputable is the first step in giving you exactly what you need to see the results you want out of a safe and effective CLA supplement. With so many out there, a little help goes a long way when sorting through all the nonsense and finding only high-quality products.
Sports Research CLA 1250
Sports Research CLA 1250 is perfect for weight management with 95% CLA per liquid softgel. Derived from non-GMO safflower oil, this is third party tested to ensure the utmost quality.
Sports Research CLA 1250 is a great CLA supplement designed for weight management support for men and women. Standardized to 95% CLA and sourced from non-GMO safflowers, this supplement is perfect for those athletes always active and on the go. Gluten and soy free, while also having no artificial colors or flavors, this product is third party tested to ensure the utmost accuracy and quality of a top tier CLA for men.
Price: $22.95
Check out our list of the Best CLA Supplements for great weight loss and lean muscle retention products!
Wrap Up
CLA is a great supplement for those looking to a safe, effective, and natural approach to weight loss and lean muscle retention. Although a highly debated supplement, for some, this did work wonders for their goals as they sought the best for their weight loss results. Finding the right supplement may take time, but it is absolutely possible and with the right guidance, you are well on your way to putting only the best on your shelf. This complete guide can help clear up your CLA questions so you can start seeing the results you want most today.
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*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Lehnen, Tatiana E.; da Silva, Marcondes R.; Camacho, Augusto; Marcadenti, Aline; et al. (2015). “A review on effects of conjugated linoleic fatty acid (CLA) upon body composition and energetic metabolism”. (source)
Gaullier, Jean-Michel; Halse, Johan; Hooye, Kjetil; Kristiansen, Knut; et al. (2004). “Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation for 1 y reduces body fat mass in healthy overweight humans”. (source)
Thom, E.; Wadstein, J.; Gudmundsen, O. (2001). “Conjugated linoleic acid reduces body fat in healthy exercising humans”. (source)
Kim, Yoo; Kim, Jonggun; Whang, Kwang-Youn; Park, Yeonhwa (2016). “Impact of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) on Skeletal Muscle Metabolism”. (source)
Benjamin, Sailas; Prakasan, Priji; Sreedharan, Sajith; Wright, Andre-Denis G.; et al. (2015). “Pros and cons of CLA consumption: an insight from clinical evidences”. (source)