BCAA's: What Are They? Are They Important?

BCAA's or branched chain amino acids are probably one of the most important supplements that you should take.

 

BCAA's have been studied now for some time and new information continues to pour out about them.   An abundance of new information has come out that shows BCAA's can support liver health, prevent diabetes and are essential for longevity and aging well.  There is also supporting evidence that shows that you taking BCAA's will help you stay lean, get strong, and have a greater work capacity.  Talk about all the right hot spots for being FIT!

 

As their name suggest, BCAA's have a branched side chain that simplifies the job of converting the amino acid into energy during intense exertion.  The more BCAA's that are present in the muscles, the more they will be used as energy, thus slowing the breakdown of muscles and preventing catabolism , or the eating of your own muscle tissue.   BCAA's trigger protein synthesis, increase energy, and have been shown to improve glucose tolerance.

 

BCAA's include Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine, and they support everything from anabolic muscle building to high intensity endurance training to improving mental mindset and mood.  They are among the 9 essential amino acids that your body is unable to manufacture itself and must be taken orally by supplements or food.  BCAA's are found in high protein foods such as meats and whey protein.

 

Probably one of the best parts about BCAA's, is that they work even when you don't, meaning that when you take time off, BCAA's will minimize Fat gain and Muscle loss from inactivity.  So basically, BCAA's are just as important to your body on the days you don't work out as they are on the ones you do for during and post workout.

 

Needless to say, there are literally hundred of different reason why you should take a high quality BCAA.  Whether you are a strength and conditioning athlete, or just a modest runner, having BCAA's involved in your everyday life is just a huge bonus.

 

While there are many different BCAA's present on the market, we have to be careful which brands we are taking.  Not so much for any harmful shit they throw in there, but to make sure that you are actually getting a large enough dosing of them to actually mean something.

 

As I have mentioned in past blog posts, the supplement industry is full of crooks that could honestly give two shits about what they are selling you.  I swear if they could get flour to have some little stimulant effect, they would sell that to you and pass it off as something else.

 

As with most supplements on the market today, I have pretty much tried them all!  I am going to suggest that you do your homework and don't just believe what you read on the label or in the magazine as most of this is made up for marketing purposes only.  Whether right or wrong, it's just how it goes. 

I personally take an Amino Acid supplement based off the science information I have listed below for you.
 

 Recent research studies show that only ONE specific form of L-Carnitine can up regulate anabolic hormone receptor sites: L-Carnitine L-Tartrate! In addition, clinical studies also show that L-Carnitine L-Tartrate is the only form of L-Carnitine that can reduce exercise-induced muscle tissue damage and speed recovery! Clinical research shows that you need to take in at least 1,000 mg of L-Carnitine daily for maximum benefits!

This clinically-proven ingredient:

• Up regulates key anabolic hormone receptor sites!
• Reduces post-exercise muscle tissue damage by 10%!
• Enhances muscle recovery

 
45:30:25 Clinically-Validated BCAA Ratio + L-Glutamine

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are the most important anabolic and anti-catabolic amino acids found in muscle tissue. Research shows that a BCAA ratio 45:30:25 (Leucine, Valine, Isoleucine) is the MOST EFFECTIVE in preventing muscle breakdown and increasing muscle growth.

This clinically-proven ingredient complex:

• Decreases muscle protein breakdown by 45%!
• Maximizes muscle tissue repair and growth!

 

 ANTI-CORTISOL AMINO ACID COMPLEX

L-Theanine (Anti-Catabolic Amino Acid) 50 mg

L-Theanine is a very unique free form amino acid with very powerful anti-catabolic properties. Research studies show that oral administration of L-Theanine can increase the production of alpha waves in the brain, and in turn, reduce catabolic hormone release and prevent muscle breakdown!

This clinically-proven ingredient:

• Decreases catabolic hormone release!
• Reduces cortisol levels!
• Decreases stress and speeds recovery

 

PATENTED AMINO ACID ABSORPTION ENHANCER

AstraGin™ (Panax notoginseng – Astragalus membranaceous)

AstraGin is the ONLY absorption-enhancing ingredient that is clinically proven to enhance to the absorption of amino acids in humans!AMINO FREAK is the one and only amino acid tablet that uses this powerful new ingredient!

This clinically-proven ingredient:

• Increases amino acid absorption by 62%!

FDA Warning About Energy Drinks And The Hazards That Come With Them!

Okay, so I' m not sure if you are one of the BILLIONS of people who are pounding these so called "energy drinks" now a days, but if you are, I would HIGHLY recommend you change your ways and quickly!

I will admit though, that 5-6 years ago, I was one of these "junkies" as well.  I honestly thought I could not make it through the day without one.  I think at times, I used to even drink like 4-5 of these things a day.  At this time, I of course did not realize just how "deadly" they were, I just thought I needed them.  It was also a way around drinking coffee at the time which come to find out is WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY better for you in the first place.

Reports released by the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. suggest that those who consume energy drinks could be consuming UNSAFE levels of caffeine.
The recommended dose of caffeine for an adult is around 200-300mg a day or somewhere between 2-4 cups of brewed coffee, depending on the strength of the coffee of course.

In the past four years, the FDA has received 90 reports including 13 deaths with energy drinks being a possible cause.

The reports to the agency are not scientific proof that the drinks caused the deaths. But the FDA has documented multiple links between the drinks and deaths.  This should be ENOUGH for you right here folks!

Although moderate caffeine intake isn't likely to cause harm, too much can lead to some unpleasant effects. Heavy daily caffeine use — more than 500 to 600 mg a day — may cause:

• Insomnia
• Nervousness
• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Stomach upset
• Fast heartbeat
• Muscle tremors

Side Effects

These Drinks have been associated with 30 incidents in 2009 that saw serious injuries like convulsions, heart attacks and one possible spontaneous abortion.
To put the numbers into perspective, in 2010 there were 17 reported deaths possible linked to a dietary supplement or weight loss product. These two categories contain over 50,000 products. This is a far lower percentage than the energy drinks being blamed.

2009 reports from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicate there were more than 13,000 emergency room visits directly caused by the drinks.

These drinks are the fastest growing beverage market in America partly due to their popularity with high school and college students. Sales are expected to hit over $9 billion.  These drinks have also become popular when they are mixed with alcohol.  This causes a whole other level of concern that we will get into later on, but if you know whats best for you and your life, don't drink them at all, never mind mixing and upper with a downer and hoping for the best to happen.

The Most F____ up part about it all...

Most of these so called "energy" drinks are classified as a dietary supplement and as such, are not required to report to the FDA or to label their containers with the amount of caffeine they contain.

This means that a 6-7 year old child could walk right into a gas station, scoop up a drink, and go right up and buy it without any questions!  I mean you have to be kidding me right?  Can you only imagine what these do to the insides of our children if these reports are on adults!

 

This is the same kind of BS that supplement companies hide behind to market you their so called "new magic formulas".  Nutrition labels are now required in Canada with the FDA now considering the practice as well.

Caffeine Content

Since caffeine levels are not required to be disclosed, many choose not to. Even worse, some have falsely marketed the amount to downplay how much caffeine is being consumed.

Of the top 27 drinks in sales, 11 do not report the amount of caffeine. Of the 16 that do have labels, five of them had amounts that were completely inaccurate. They contained far more than advertised.  So basically folks, they can literally get away with out right lying to your face and not getting in trouble for it.  All this because of the "category" they fall into.  

The FDA does not have enough scientific evidence to make a change to its regulations over the industry as of yet. This however has not stopped two states and a Canadian Province from seeking approval in legislature to require a minimum age to purchase them in their jurisdiction. The Toronto Board of Health recently has asked Health Canada to consider adding a warning on the drinks that tells consumers not to drink them during or as a post workout beverage.

These drinks have been under considerable scrutiny and rightfully so. Being educated on their use is important so health risks can be limited.  Besides the fact of the abnormal amounts of caffeine associated with these drinks also comes the extreme amount of sugar they contain.  So if it wasn't bad enough that to much can make your kidneys turn into rocks, it will also spike the shit out of your insulin and store it all right into your FAT cells.   Doesn't sound like a success in the game of fitness if you ask me.

My suggestion to you all is to STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS CRAP!  There are literally so many different ways for you to gain extra energy if you need it.  First of all, start out with trying a banana.  One single banana has enough energy in it to sustain a 90 minute workout.  It will provide you quick energy from the simple carbs (natures sugar) and will outlast a energy drink by hours!   Please don't be fooled by these 5 hr energy pc of craps either.  NONE of them are good for you.

If you are one of those that do for whatever reason use these drinks for pre-workouts, please, please STOP before you have a heart attack.  Try drinking a plain black cup of coffee or eating a pc of fruit 30 mins before your next workout.  The coffee will act like a natural Fat Burner as well as giving you the extra kick in the ass you need to the central nervous system.  The fruit will give you energy from the simple carbs and sugar, but the fiber will help sustain that for you.  All in all, stay NATURAL, save you $$$$$$$ and more importantly save your LIFE!!!!!

Common Mistakes That Are Holding You Back From Hitting Your Fitness Goals!

Hey Gym Rats!!!!

Are you hitting the gym day in and day out sweating like a freak of nature but still not seeing any change?  Are you tired of working you A** off and seeing nothing different when you look in the mirror? Are you in a plateau and feel like you just can't break FREE?

Well my friends, chances are, you probably fall into the 90% of the population who is making if not 1, multiple of the mistakes listed below!  The more and more I get into training others, the more I realize just undereducated people are about fitness, but even more than that, how misled they are about it. 

The creepiest part about this, is it's not even your fault.  We are bombarded daily with BILLIONS and BILLIONS of dollars of marketing. Each new ad and each new product promising to be the "magic answer" to our fat loss or fitness dreams.  They put big buff men, or slim, sexy females on the screens and on the pages of magazines and they get them to hold up this bottle of "new magic" and tell you how it changed their world.  How it made them lose 10lbs of fat in 3 weeks or gain 10 "new" lbs of lean muscle in just 1 month!   All the while knowing dam well, they have been doing this for years and years!  This game of fitness takes time!  STOP setting unrealistic goals for yourself and start believing in the power that you CAN to change if you just set your mind to it.  Please just realize that it took you your entire life to get to where you are at right now.  Its not going to change overnight or even in a month.  This is a life change that you need to make FOREVER!

Instead of relying on the "new magic", rely more on the POWER of YOU!  Learn and study proper nutrition and exactly what your specific body will need to survive and feed itself.  Make sure you are drinking plenty of WATER!  Learn how to PROPERLY lift weights to benefit your body and not your EGO (MEN ESPECIALLY).   Have a plan of attack and attack your plan.  Whatever you do, once you set up the blinders, stay focused, stay determined, stay driven!  Let NO ONE or NO THING get in your way! Be REAL WITH YOURSELF and YOUR EXPECTATIONS!

Listed Below are 10 Very Common Mistakes I see people making in the gym all the time and should be AVOIDED by all costs.  They are holding you back from achieving your GOALS. 

 

 

Mistake #1:

Warming up your Muscles with Cardio Training

 

This is a very common mistake people make because they think the sweat they create when performing cardio is a good enough warm up to weight lifting.  Performing cardio before weight training will actually take away from the intensity when you lift.  The best warm up is physical rehearsal. This means going through the motions you will be performing during your workout. You must warm up the joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles that are involved in the exercise you are about to perform. Get the blood pumping into the cavity and get them ready to handle some heavier weight.   I typically like to do anywhere from 3-5 WARM UP SETS alone before I go into my working weight sets.  This is especially important for me personally when I am about to smash my legs or my shoulders.  Legs for the reason of just pumping enough blood in there to handle what I am about to do to them, and shoulders as the rotator cuff is one of the easiest muscles to injur and for me its not worth the risk of what a simple 5-10 extra mins of warm-up could do. 

Mistake #2:

Skipping the Dreaded Leg Day

Believe me boys and girls, I understand exactly how you feel when it comes to legs.  Each and every Monday is my least favorite day of going to the gym.  IT'S THE DREADED LEG DAY!  I push my legs so hard that they literally hurt for almost a week afterwards!   The legs are a massive muscle group that cannot be forgotten!    Training them with compound movements like squats and dead lifts releases MASSIVE amounts of muscle building testosterone!  There is not 1 single exercise that can outdo what a good proper squat can do for you.  It is the ultimate FULL BODY exercise when done correctly.  Problem is, NO ONE (at least 90%) does them correctly.  Instead you are all to eager to lift with your ego.  It kills me to see someone get all pumped up in front of the squat rack.  They load up 315+ on the bar, strap it in to the shoulders and then they step back and maybe if they are lucky go down a 1/2 inch and then back up.  They make all this noise, grunting and groaning like a dying animal and the worst part is, they should have just left it right were it was because what they just did was nothing besides make themselves look like idiots.  But thanks for a good laugh!  Needless to say, DON'T SKIP LEGS!!!!

Mistake #3:

Not Training to Failure

The last one to two reps before Failure and after Failure is where the magic happens.  That gorge of blood that rushes into the muscle is full of the nutrients your muscle is looking for.  Training to failure is critical if your goal is to add substantial amounts of lean muscle.  Muscle does not understand weight, but it does understand Failure!  You must force the muscle and give it a reason to grow.  If not, you will always just remain the way you are.  SPECIAL NOTE: to all of you like myself that are over the age of 25!!!! The ONLY way for you to grow "new muscle" is to recruit what's called Satellite Cells from the outside of your muscles fibers and give them a reason to come into the fiber.  These new Satellite Cells will then act as NEW nuclei, which will then allow your fiber to grow larger than it was. Did you get all that Science gumbo? Basically, if you do not "stress out" each muscle fiber to the point that it needs to call for help from its friends, your muscle mass will NOT change!  Control the weight you are lifting and focus more on making your muscle FAIL vs how much weight you are picking up. 

Mistake #4:

Not Training with a "Full Range of Motion"

You've all seen this shit before.  - Average guy, 315lbs on the bench/squat and then a quarter rep!   Training your ego is a huge  mistake and unfortunately is a huge downfall of most men in the gym.   For some reason guys always have to have something to prove.  In this case though, avoiding full range of motion results in strength development at the top of end of the exercise. This can lead to serious injury from uneven strength developments in your tendons.  Not to mention that your muscles will not grow in evenly and you will look all messed up (if you are even to grow in the first place).   Make sure you use a weight that you can move through a full range of motion without breaking form.  If you can't control the weight all the way through, you are using to much.  Drop the weight and focus on the pump and the full range up and down.  No matter what body part or exercise you may be doing.   You'll get significantly bigger, and it's less likely to tear yourself apart.

Mistake #5:

Doing Shrugs to Build Traps

Large traps are built from dead lifts and rows. Why? The traps have a transverse origin and insertion point so raising the clavicle upwards has no effect on the entire muscle.  Yes you read right!  Read it again if you have, but all you big bad monsters who walk up to the rack, grab those 110 lbs dumbbells and shrug, shrug away, you are just wasting your time.  Ever notice why they are really not growing that much.  Save your energy and put it towards something more productive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mistake #6:

Following what "Pro Bodybuilders" Do

It's very easy to confuse talent with knowledge. Professional bodybuilders who take performance enhancing drugs and have elite level genetics can get away with almost anything in the gym.   First and foremost, they are on DRUGS to help with this and you and I am not!  Not to mention, that the majority of the training programs you find in popular bodybuilding magazines/on-line forums are usually ghost written and are not the pro's actual routine.  Meaning some small, average person just like us, studied a book and now they think they are exercise God's or something.  It goes without saying, but please, please STOP believing all the SHIT, BULLSHIT, LIES, NON-SENSE and any others you can think of that you read in these publications.  Sure if you follow some of them, you will see results and you will get something out of it, but please don't believe that you are going to turn into Ronnie Coleman or Jay Cutler from doing the program that listed their pictures above it.  If someone paid you $80,000 to say it was your shit, your would say it was your shit as well! Be smart people and use that brain of yours.

Mistake #7:

Locking Out

Locking out takes tension off the working muscle. It's very important that you don't lock out and do not pause at any point of the movement. Remember that a muscle will grow from time under pressure.  your job while lifting is not to lift the most weight, but instead to force the most blood.  The longer you can keep the muscle under pressure, the better your chances are of incorporating satellite cells from the outside of your fibers to come into the fiber and act as new nuclei, which in turn would then make that muscle fiber grow.   What matters is not how fast you move the weight, but how fast the muscle moving the weight contracts.

1. When working your triceps, locking out does not pertain.  When hitting the triceps, locking out is actually a huge benefit and you need to hit those upper heads.  All the way up and ALL the way down when it comes to triceps.  Keep those elbows in tight and locked and do not let your shoulder get involved with the lifts.   I see this all to much as well.

Mistake #8:

Not Doing Cardio

Building a lean and muscular body needs more than heavy lifting.  Cardio is an important part of your overall conditioning, even on a mass gaining program. Cardio keeps your body fat in check and your metabolism up! The goal of the overall "ultimate" body is to be a fat burning, muscle building machine.  You must incorporate cardio into your plans.  It is best to either do cardio right after lifting weights, or as I prefer to do, first thing in the A.M.  I prefer this way for me as I am able to exercise on an empty stomach which will allow my body to pull energy from my fat vs the food in my belly.  If you throw in a good old strong cup of black coffee about 20 mins before, you can jack your fat burning systems up even higher.

1. Note:  When I am on an overload week and I am trying to add size, I do not go crazy with the cardio, but still keep it to at least 3 days a week for about 30 mins.  I dial down the intensity quite a bit and just go for a morning stroll to get the blood going and wake up.  On deplete weeks when I am trying to shred up, I go for 5 days a week for 45 min sessions.  This really helps strip my body of the junk and gets me really cut up.  Plus I am able to prep my body for the overload phase and really take advantage of the anabolic window you have when this is done properly.

Mistake #9:

Zero Intensity

Showing up to the gym is the fucking easy part.   I know for some of you, it is hard, but trust me when you train like I do, getting to the gym is like second nature.  Showing up with no energy, a bad attitude, and no desire to lift will simply lead to a terrible workout!  You are honestly better off to just go home and let your body rest.  Come back later on or the next day when you are ready to go.  Intensity is what separates the men from the boys – and it’s what guarantees results!  Next time you go into your gym, count for me how many people you see truly grinding it out.  How many of them are dripping sweat all over the floor and look like they are going to die.  I know in my gym, its always me.  I usually get lots of people talking and looking at the crazy shit I do, but all that's doing for them is NOTHING!  They take 5-10 mins between sets, talk on the phone, walk away to see a chic  or guy and flirt and many other things.  Are you kidding me?  Do you understand why you have been coming to he gym for over a fucking year and have not changed at all?  Do you honestly think the HOT girl or guy in the gym is going to make your muscles grow?  Well maybe one if your lucky, but I'm sure its not gonna happen if all you are doing is standing around looking like a yo yo that has no clue.  Step up to the plate each and every time you hit the gym.  IT'S THE ONLY WAY!!!

Mistake #10:

Showing up with No Plan of Attack and No Heart/Passion

This is by far the # 1 thing that I think is going to make or break people.  I cannot stress to you enough about planning ahead.  Take the time to find a good program for yourself and then print that SOB out and make yourself a workout binder!   I can literally go back almost 2 yrs ago and see exactly where I was at.  I have kept track of the weights I used and the # of reps I performed.   If you don't have a plan, you are just planning to fail!  Trying to make up a program to follow as you go is just going to waste time.  You will lose your pump, focus and intensity if you give yourself time to just stand there and look around the gym like an idiot as to what you should do next.  I see this all the time and all I can do is shake my head.  Again folks if you don't keep the intensity up, don't expect to see results. Not only will this help you as you work out and keep you focused, you will be able to look back weeks at a time and see just how far you have come. Right along with this is heart!  I am not going to go to deep into this, but without heart, belief and passion, you might as well just stop and give up before you waste your time!

I hope this helped some of you out.  Please feel free to leave your questions or comments.  We look forward to helping you the best we can reach your true fitness goals. 

Make sure to follow my Face Book and Instagram pages as well for more Tips, Recipes, Contest Giveaways, Workout Routines and Much More. 

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Amazing Sweet Potato Hash and Sweet Potato Fries!

Hey Gym Rats,

I hope everyone had an amazing 4th of July and got to spend some quality time off with family and loved ones.  I have been studying a ton of different things lately with biochemistry that I will share with you all here real soon, but for now, I just wanted to share another kick ass recipe that I found with you. 

When it comes to having a ripped, slim, sexy body, the real trick to it all comes down to NUTRTION!  I don't care how hard you work out or which program you follow, if you do not have your NUTRITION and MACRO counts on point, it is just never going to happen for you. 

The most common complaint I hear and get from people is that eating "Healthy" is boring and doesn't taste good!   MAYBE 10 years ago, but now a days, there are literally thousands of different recipes out there on the internet that you can get your hands on for FREE!  Complaints are just another way of making an excuse and being LAZY!  Of course not every one is going to fit right for every person, but I'm sure with a little effort, you will surely find a few things that will spark your taste buds! 

The real trick is to make sure that you are not overeating!  Portion control is probably the #1 culprit here in the U.S. and contributes to a big reason on why by 2015 about 85% of the U.S. will be OVERWEGIHT OR OBESE!  

Trust me when I tell you, it's worth the extra time hunting down and finding healthier options for you and your family. 

Below is a couple of my favorites.  I absolutely love French fries, but as you are all aware, they are just not good for building lean, sexy muscle.  But, by taking two ingredients that are; sweet potatoes and coconut oil, you can still enjoy one of America's favorite finger foods with not so much of the guilt afterword's!

 

 

 

 



Sweet Potato Hash
Created by Andrew Thomas, Nutritionist

 

 

 

Preparation time: 15 minutes

2 servings

358 calories per serving

Gluten free & vegan

Ingredients

•2 medium sweet potatoes – 206 cal

•40g creamed coconut - 274 cal

•1 tbsp coconut oil - 116 cal

•1/2 cup fresh cilantro - 2 cal

•1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil - 119 cal

•1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder

•1 teaspoon dried oregano

•Sea salt and pepper

 

Directions

1.In a large pan, heat up coconut oil on medium high heat.

2.Peel and dice sweet potatoes into ½” cubes. Add to pan and cook, covered, for 10-12 minutes (stirring often to prevent burning).

3.Once sweet potatoes are soft, turn off heat and add chopped cilantro, chopped creamed coconut, olive oil, spices, salt, and pepper.

4.Stir all ingredients together in pan, allowing creamed coconut to melt.

5.Serve for 2 people.

Nutrition and Health Tips

Sweet potatoes are an amazingly healthy carbohydrate source. They contain an immense amount of Vitamin A (438% DV/serving!), and have a low GL (glycemic load) rating, keeping your blood sugar stable and promoting consistent energy levels. Creamed coconut and coconut oil are fantastic sources of high quality fat that provide quickly usable energy, unlike most fats. Coconut oil contains lauric acid which increases our HDL (good) cholesterol, and helps support healthy thyroid functioning.

 

 

 

 

If you are not a big fan of the Hash, you can get all these yummy benefits by making Sweet Potato Fries as well!

1) Grab as many sweet potatoes as you think you would need for the amount of fries you need. (I usually judge around 3/4 of a large sweet per person)

2) Peel the Sweets and slice them to the thickness you desire.  I like to keep them around a 1/4 inch.  This way the cooking time is not to long and they wont burn as well.

3) Here is the MONEY trick for making BOMB fries!

a) Bring a pot of water to a complete boil

b) Place cuts sweets in a large ceramic bowl

c) Pour the boiling water over the cut fries and cover with a towel for 25 minutes

d) once time is done, make sure you completely dry off the fries from excess water....really pat them down!

e) Place fries back in bowl and lightly coat with coconut oil and seasoning of choice.  Make sure to coat them evenly!

f) Place fries on no stick cookie sheet and cover with foil

g) Cook on 425 degrees covered for 10 minutes and then uncover them

h) cook for another 5-10 mins or until top side is brown and semi crisp... flip the fries and allow to cook for about 10 mins or so on the other side

That's it!  The initial process of soaking will start the cooking process allowing shorter time in over and and even crisp.  These are amazing!

ENJOY!

Simple, Easy, and Delicious Butternut Squash That Tastes Like Candy!

I'll tell you folks, eating healthy is a never ending journey!  I am always on the look out for new and exciting things as Science changes all the time.  Sometimes they come to me in the form of workouts.  Sometimes they come in the form of knowledge or new science.  But I got to be honest with you here; as much as I love new workout routines and learning new science, there is nothing more exciting to me than learning about how to create and make new and exciting food dishes.

Butternut Squash

 

Here is an unbelievably delicious recipe that my wife and I found just a few weeks ago and it will change the way you look at dinner.  LOL   Well at least for us, it was like eating candy with our protein!  Crazy part is, this great taste came from BUTTERNUT SQUASH!  Yes you read that correctly!
Here is how you make it happen:

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash (doesn't matter the size)
• cinnamon
• 1/4 cup orange juice (use the one with lots of pulp.  Don't lose the fiber and just have sugar juice here)
• 1/3 cup agave nectar (organic if possible)

Pre-Heat Oven to 450 degrees

1. Start off by cutting your squash into 4 equal quarters.  BE CAREFUL HERE AS SQUASH IS SUPER HARD!  DONT CUT YOUR DAM FINGERS OFF!  YOU NEED THEM TO KEEP LIFTING!  Scoop out the guts of the squash and discard!
2. Place the quarters into a glass cooking pan.
3. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of all the spheres.
4. Mix the orange juice and the agave into a small dish.  Once combined, simply pour the mixture evenly over the squash.
5. Cover with foil and bake in oven for 40-45 minutes.

• TIP: I like to make sure that I let some juice sit in the pocket of the squash.  I do this, so when done, I can mix it into the rest of the squash from the top piece.

Once squash is done, carefully scoop out the squash and mix it all together with the juices.  AMAZING!

We choose to have Fish with it this night, but it goes well with anything!

What "Eating Healthy" VS "Eating Properly To Feed The Body" really does!

After 15 countless years in and out of the gym,   I was at least what I considered to be in good shape.  I lifted pretty decent weight amounts, had endurance both in the muscle and with calisthenics, but I still just could never get that “LOOK” I wanted.  You know that sick, ripped, shredded look that makes people stare and turn their heads as you walk by without a shirt on.  A shape so stunning  people just can’t help but admire the hard work and discipline that you have put into sculpting every rock hard curve and crevasse.

Although I hit the gym regularly and watched what I ate (so I thought), I just could not get my body to look like that dude in the magazine or the one on the internet.

 

(Before I go any further, I just want to make a very strong point, especially to anyone younger out there that may be reading this, that I DO NOT in any way, shape or form recommend that you compare yourself to ANYONE in the magazines….EVER!  This goes for us adults as well! Airbrushes, spray tans, makeup, technology and accessories can make us ALL look like stars.  Focus instead on being the best of YOU that YOU can be!  We are all beautiful people in our own way and we are ALL here for a reason.   With that being said, please keep in mind I have a few screws loose and my mind does not function normally (it’s a good trait of most special ops members) But as one of my favorite people Ellen D says,  “Be kind to one another”, you should definitely all learn to also be kind to yourselves"!   Sure be hard and push yourself, but be real at the same time.) 

The problem is my friends; it had absolutely NOTHING to do with my workouts at all.  In fact, I worked out like a Fucking Freak of nature.  I would leave the gym daily (6 days a week) dripping with sweat, mentally and physically exhausted and drained!    I would do workouts that would make some grown men cry…..SERIOUSLY it has happened!  These were not for the weak minded at all.
The TRUE problem lied a little deeper than just workouts.  You see, I ate what I thought was a “healthy diet”, but once I took the time to dig into my studies a little deeper, I began to understand  more and more that it really did have to do with proper “diet”  more than anything else!  I had read that a MILLION times over and over again as I am sure most of you have as well.  Problem is, I guess I just didn't really understand it.   Sure you still must bust your ass in the gym and work out like a freak of nature.  Good things don’t come easy, especially in the building of the body world.  But if you are not  feeding your body what it needs and when it needs it, the pieces of the puzzle are just NEVER going to come together for you!
In order to make it all come together for you, you have to understand which “body type” you are.  Body types used to fall into only 3 different categories.  As time went on and science became more advanced, there are now 2 more categories for a total of 5 in which your body type could fall into.   Ectomorphs, Endomorphs, Mesomorphs, Endo-Meso and  Ecto-Meso.

• Ectomorphs: naturally skinny types.  Hard gainers of both muscle and fat with small joints and slight builds that can eat and eat and eat and really never make a dent in either weight or body composition.
• Endomorphs: easy gainers of both muscle and fat, and retain muscle as seamlessly as they retain fat.
• Mesomorphs: naturally lucky SOB’s we all aspire to be, but few of us are.  These are the people that are built like rocks in like the 5^th grade all while they eat cupcakes all day long.
• Endo-Meso: easy gainers of muscle with a greater need to diet than a true mesomorph.  These people are not fat bellies though and can lose weight more rapidly that a true endomorphic type.
• Ecto-Meso: Packs on muscle easily, but still needs to eat like a wild beast of nature to make gains.

So now that we have figured out what our body types are, you have to figure out what your MACRO NUTRIENT counts must be.  What are macro nutrients you might be asking yourself?

• Macros are simply broken down into the amount of Protein, Carbs and Fats we eat in the course of the day.
• Micro nutrients are all the other such as vitamin A, C, D and so on.

To understand your macro count, you must first understand how the 3 types break down.  Protein is the food that your muscles feed on to sustain them.  They are non-negotiable in any diet where body composition changes are desired.  Although there are many different studies that have been done to this day about how much protein is actually needed, the general rule of thumb is 1g per pound of body weight at the very least.  For those people that are athletes or train like one, it is recommended that you consume more protein than 1 gram per pound.  Some experts even argue it is up to 2g per pound as others say 2g is not needed.  It’s up to you to figure out what YOUR specific body reacts best to.

Now unlike proteins, carbs and fats are both energy sources for the body.  Carbs are 4.5 calories per gram while Fats on the other hand are twice as much with 9 calories per gram.  Those of you looking to build NEW LEAN MUSCLE should not be afraid of a little FAT, as double calorie-dense fat has been shown to increase testosterone production, and provide sustained levels to both strength and endurance athletes alike!

While the human body reacts metabolically and hormonally to all macro nutrients, it reacts with the most volatility to carbohydrates.  This is the part of the equation that makes this so difficult!  You see, a calorie is NEVER a calorie, and macro nutrient types are very rarely created equal.   This is the #1 main reason as to why some of the FAD DIETS out there work so well for some and bomb with others.  Everyone is different; that's what makes us each unique.  Some people are just going to be genetically gifted and most others, including myself, are going to have to work your asses off for it!
With the proper diet, macro count, and workout plan, ANYONE,  no matter who you are or who you came from can pack on size and lean muscle.  Anyone can lose the weight they put on and don’t want anymore!  Anyone can seriously do this, but the strong minded are the ones who will persevere.

To wrap this all up and show you what the power of eating properly can do, I have posted up a couple pictures here of myself.   The first picture of me holding my daughter up above my head was taken on November 1^st, 2012.  If you look close, you can tell that I definitely had a good solid base  but I also had a high body fat %.  The other pictures shown below were taken the second and last week of April, 2013.   We are only talking 6 months here people from one to the other.  Look at the difference in body fat % and look at how more lean and ripped I was able to get myself!  I was pretty amazed when I put these side by side the other day, as when you look at yourself daily, you can never really see the changes that are happening little by little inside of you.

 

 

 

 

 

I am not going to sit here and bullshit you and tell you that it was easy because it was NOT at all!  I have been hitting the gym for 2 times a day now for quite a while now.  Sure I take time off to recoup and recover, but I push my body to its limits all the time.  I am usually at the gym for 0430 blasting out a cardio and core session and then I am back again at 1700 for weight training.  I spend about 1 ½ hrs on either Saturday or Sunday meal prepping for the week ahead.  I am constantly changing up my workouts usually on a monthly basis.  I NEVER and I mean NEVER miss a day of training.  I would have to be seriously fucking ill to miss a day;  like in the hospital hooked up to monitors or something.  I am determined to succeed and WIN.  Win at what you say, just WIN at life itself.  I regular y compete in Obstacle course races, I love the outdoors and get on trails for hikes as much as possible.  I am entering my first stages of bodybuilding competitions, I am a role model for my daughter and others, I am a trainer, and I refuse to not take life by the balls and call it MINE!
Take the time to understand your body and how it works.  Take the time to take care of it, as it’s the only one you will ever have!  Just take a little time each day for yourself.  I promise you, you will never regret a great workout and eating healthy once you begin.  The feelings you get, the friends you make, the way you feel, and the energy you will possess will astonish you.

 

The Benefits of Eating Almonds

Almonds

Nuts in general are nutritionally dense powerhouses!  They're loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that will aide your body in building muscle and staying slim!   This is something that is right in line with what I am always looking for and Almonds are one of your best options.

The antioxidants in almonds:

1. Help control blood sugar levels after meals
2. Protect against diabetes and heart disease
3. Raise levels of HDL (good cholesterol) cholesterol while lowering levels of  LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol)

Almonds are also chalk full of monounsaturated fats which help reduce your risk of heart disease even more! For males, mono fats also help boost natural testosterone levels.  Don't be scared of healthy fats!

Consuming almonds can also lead to more energy and stronger muscles.  A handful of almonds has:

• MORE PROTEIN THAN AN EGG
• CONTAINS ENERGY-BOOSTING MANGANESE AND COPPER WHICH LIMIT THE FREE RADICALS THAT CAN HINDER MITOCHONDRIA (POWERS OUR CELLS, FAT EATING MACHINES)

Almonds are also a great source of riboflavin, or Vitamin B2, which is an essential nutrient for producing oxygen based energy in the body.  Almonds may even help you burn FAT!  To this day, there is no scientific research that proves that eating almonds would make you gain weight.  Although some do argue that nuts in general are calorically dense.  But then again, eating to much of any given "thing" would make the waistline grow.

• A study in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders showed that over weight and obese people who were on a low-calorie, almond-enriched diet had a 56% greater reduction in body fat compared with those on a low-calorie, high-car diet.

Bottom line to all of this is SIMPLE!  Eating a handful of almonds a day can do nothing else but add extra goodness into your diet.  Chop them up and mix them in a salad, eat them as a snack raw, mix them up with some cranberries.  You can even throw them into your protein shake and chop them in a blender for some extra added fats and protein to your post-workout routine.  Any way you can think of really, just make sure you get in a handful a day!

6 "Supporting" supplements that help MAGNIFY the effectivness of our "STAR" Supplements.

Hello ALL,

I wanted to share  my findings with you on what we could call "supporting supplements" to our "star" supplements.   We have all, I'm sure, have seen a movie that just took our breath away.  A movie where the actors where just so good, you couldn't stop talking about it.   Well 99% of the time, if you ask the lead actor, they will tell you that the reason they were so good in the first place was because of the exceptional supporting actors that they had as cast.  In a movie of epic proportion, the supporting actors/actresses could either make or break the whole thing.

Well my friends, I have come to find out that the same thing goes for our "stars" (main supplements) in the bodybuilding world.  So let's look at the six "supporting" supplements that I have found that can seriously MAGNIFY the effectiveness of the "stars"

Creatine: Star Supplement

• Creatine is by far the most thoroughly researched and most effective supplement on the market today.  Creatine's specialty is increasing your muscles mass and strength through several different mechanisms .
• While you're lifting, creatine enters the muscle cells and helps produce more of the fast energy that you will need.  Let me remind you, that more repetitions with the same weight will mean more new muscle growth.
• Creatine also draws water into your muscle cells, creating a volumizing effect whose stretching action is believed to trigger processes in your muscles leading to further growth.
• Creatine can be found in many different forms, including monohydrate, citrate, and tartrate; all appear to have roughly the same effects in the end.

Cinnamon Extract: Supporting Supplement

• Although we know that creatine is extremely effective, it can only work if it's able to enter the muscle cells.  Cinnamon appears to help with that process dramatically!  Cinnamon's extract's active ingredient - hydroxychalcone - both imitates the effects of insulin and also boosts insulin release.  Because insulin helps push creatine into your muscle cells, taking cinnamon extract with creatine may enhance the muscle building effects you'll attain.
• There was even one study I read where researchers found that methylhydroxy chalcone polymer, which is the most active compound in cinnamon, increased the glucose metabolism of fat cells in vitro 20 TIMES relative to the control subjects!

How to stack them up:

• Take 2-5 grams of creatine with somewhere between 100-250mg cinnamon extract powder right before and immediately after your workouts.

Arginine: Star Supplement

• Arginine is definitely not a new supplement to the bodybuilding world.  In fact, most bodybuilders take the amino acid L-arginine for its ability to increase nitric oxide (NO) levels, which can in turn increase your muscles strength while also dilating blood vessels, helping to deliver more blood, oxygen, nutrients, and anabolic hormones to your muscles.  Kinda like creatine, L-arginine draws water into the muscles for that magical effect know as the "pump" or swelling of the muscles.

HMB (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate): Supporting Supplement

• By orally taking HMB in combination with arginine, seems to increase body weight and lean body mass.  It may also improve immune function.  This combination was tested and showed great results when used over a period of eight weeks to prevent wasting in patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

How to stack them up:

• Take 3-5 grams of L-arginine or arginine alpha-ketoglutarate twice a day.  Take these away from other protein meals, with 3 grams of HMB.  If possible, time one of your doses 30-60 minutes before your workout and the other 30-60 minutes before bed.

Glutamine: Star Supplement

• Glutamine is an extremely popular supplement as it appears to be anticatabolic.  It also encourages recovery, helps your digestion, and increases muscle growth, immune function, and growth hormone levels.  Glutamine is yet another "volumizer" for your muscle cells, enhancing the growth potential of your muscle fibers and it aids in the production of bicarbonate to buffer muscle acidity.  This powerful buffer helps to prevent muscle fatigue, allowing you to work through longer sets of repetitions, increasing both strength and muscle growth.

Carnosine: Supporting Supplement

• Carnosine is actually a combination of 2 amino acids - histidine and beta-alanine.  Carnosine works along side glutamine to increase your muscle strength and endurance while also warding off fatigue.  It does this by buffering the lactic acid that builds up during exercise.  Another "volumizer", research shows and looks promising that carnosine could support immune function and act as an antioxidant.

How to stack them up:

• Take 5-10 grams of glutamine 2-4 times a day on an empty stomach.  Take two of the four servings before and after your workout along with .5 grams of carnosine.

Whey Protein: Star Supplement

• Whey protein is hands down the fastest absorbing protein available to you today!  Getting protein into your system directly before and immediately after your workout is incredibly important to your ability to put on quality muscle.  No protein is more effective in doing this than whey protein!

Leucine: Supporting Supplement

• Now understand one thing first, most whey already contains leucine, but increasing your leucine intake can push the synthesis of muscle protein into overdrive.  Researchers believe that leucine is the key for turning on the machinery of hypertrophy (building of new lean muscle).  Studies have shown that taking a combination of protein and leucine after a weight training workout increased the insulin-like growth hormone -1 levels in muscle by as much as 50% over just taking simple sugars alone.

How to stack them up:

• Take 20 grams of whey protein immediately before training and 20-40 grams immediately after.  Combine this with 5 grams of leucine, either by itself or from branched chain amino acids.  Just make sure that if you take the BCAA route, the product you're using has at least 5 grams of leucine, 2.5 grms of isoleucine, and 2.5-5 grams of valine per dose!

"Simple" Carbohydrates: Star Supplement

• If you know anything about sports training, bodybuilding, or the body at all, you will already know that "good" carbs are your friend and not your enemy.  A complete post workout supplement intake should include whey, leucine, and also "simple" carbs, in order for your body to restock the depleted stores of glycogen (energy) back into your muscles.
• The combination of these 3, will also ease the impact of cortisol, a catabolic hormone.  Carbs that can be digested quickly such as honey, dextrose, or even sugar, when added to your whey shake, are by far the best you could take to handle these needs.

Fenugreek: Supporting Supplement

• Fenugreek is a very popular spice usually used in the Far and Middle East.  Fenugreek has been found to have medicinal properties as well.  In numerous studies, fenugreek increased the amount of insulin released by the pancreas.  In another study, I found that subjects who ingested fenugreek with dextrose after their workout had a better replenished glycogen stores compared with subjects who took only dextrose.

How to stack them up:

• Take 60-100 grams of simple carbs right after your workout, along with 1-1.5 grams of fenugreek.

Casein: Star Supplement

• Casein protein is a very slow digesting protein.  It is a favorite of mine and many athletes looking for a steady supply of amino acids going to their muscles to prevent catabolic processes.  There is data that suggests it can take up to 7 hours to fully digest some forms of casein, which makes it a very popular choice of protein to take just before you go to sleep for the night.  Drinking casein is believed to provide your body with the necessary amino acids it will need to help repair your body while you sleep.

Canola Oil: Supporting Supplement

• Dietary fats do an excellent job of further slowing protein digestion.  But we are not just taking about any type of fat.  Canola oil contains healthy fats that offer a variety of health benefits in addition to enhancing fat loss.  Later in the day, insulin sensitivity tends to decrease, leaving you more vulnerable to putting on carbohydrate induced fat.  Taking your omega 3ws at night not only helps prevent this problem, but may also ramp up your metabolism.  To slow down your digestion and help provide your body with a steady stream of nutrients while sleeping.

How to stack them up:

• Right before bedtime, consume 20-40 grams of casein protein with 3 tbsp of canola oil.

Last few key things to keep in mind:

• Make sure that you do not eat high fiber foods within an hr before or after you are taking whey protein.  High fiber foods slow everything down.  While they are important for you, just keep them away from your protein intake times.  You are taking whey for its ability of speedy, fast absorption, and you wouldn't want fiber to get in the way of that.
• While taking arginine, stay away from saturated fats.  Saturated fats, inhibit nitric oxide's ability to dilate your blood vessels.  Consuming saturated fats around the times of arginine will render it useless in your body.
• Consuming alcohol is just a bad fucking mix by itself if you are looking for a rock hard body.  But studies have shown, that drinking alcohol will actually interfere with your muscles ability to store glycogen.  Now if you are not storing glycogen, then you are storing FAT!  If you must have a drink, wait at least until 2 hrs after your post workout meal.

I truly hope that some of this information has opened your eyes and will assist you along in your fitness journey.   I know this is stuff I wish I had found out years ago! 

For now I wish you all the most success.  Continue on your journey of changing yourself from the ordinary to BECOMING ELITE!