Mobile Apps

Download the Fit4Life iPhone App - http://bit.ly/dULQqJ or the Android App - http://bit.ly/iaBNVh

Friday, 17 December 2010

A FRUIT That Pumps Up Your Muscles With Nitric Oxide?

By Jeff Anderson. 

Those of us who eat 45lb iron plates for breakfast LIVE for that awesome "pumped up" feeling you get after an intense set of bicep curls, right?

That muscle "pump" is the result of a naturally occurring molecule, nitric oxide (abbreviated "NO"), that dilates blood vessels, increasing blood flow throughout your body.

Bottom line...

...the more nitric oxide you have in your body, the more of a "pump" you'll get from your curls, flyes, presses, etc.

(And yes...the "pump" DOES help increase muscle size as over time by promoting capillary expansion, increasing blood pathway size, and increasing nutrient update.)

So how can you increase your natural levels of nitric oxide for a better pump?
=====================================
How To Increase Nitric Oxide NATURALLY...
=====================================
Sure, nitric oxide supplements (NO2) have become all the rage in the supplement industry for nailing that "pump".

I even include my own personal "do-it-yourself" nitric oxide booster supplement in my "Homemade Supplement Secrets" book atwww.MakeYourOwnSupplements.com.

But here's an even EASIER way to naturally increase NO2 for more muscle gains...

About 30-45 minutes BEFORE your workout...

...eat an ORANGE!

Oranges are high in VITAMIN C which are a potent "protector" of nitric oxide levels in your body, thereby making more available during your workouts.

Then, in your post-workout protein shake, throw in ANOTHER orange (preferred) or pour in about 1 cup of natural orange juice.

This double shot of vitamin C will pack a powerful pump punch that will have you feeling good...and looking good!
=====================================
Here's My Favorite Post-Workout Smoothie...
=====================================
In a blender, combine:
=> 1 cup of fat free plain yogurt
=> 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla soy milk
=> 1/4 cup raw honey
=> 1 whole orange or 1 cup natural orange juice
=> 5 frozen strawberries
=> 1/2 frozen banana
=> 2 Tbsp canola or flax oil
=> 2 scoops vanilla whey protein isolate powder

Blend...chug...BUILD! ;-)

How To Master Nutrient Timing For Faster Muscle Growth!

By Jeff Anderson. 

It's true that the grueling workout you've invested at the local "iron jungle" will stimulate your muscles to grow bigger and stronger. But ultimately it's your diet that will provide the "building blocks" for this new growth.

However, there's more to a bodybuilder's diet than mountains of canned tuna and protein powder. Timing your meals just right will provide you with a competitive edge that will allow you to build muscle faster and help burn those extra layers of fat covering up your hard work.

Here's how...

Early Morning

When you wake up, you're at the end of a 7-9 hour fast and your muscles are screaming for nutrition. Start off with a potent protein drink for fast absorption mixed with some complex carbs for fueling your day.

(For my "top secret recipe" of the world's best mass building breakfast, check out my “top tip” at the end of this article!)

1-2 Hours Before Your Workout

You're about to send your muscles into the "combat zone" so shouldn't you provide them with the ammunition they need to "take the hill"?

Load up on some complex carbs that will provide the long lasting fuel you'll need to power through your intense workout. Add a full dose of protein to provide a ready source of amino acids and give your muscles a head start on the growth process as you stress the muscle cells during your workout.

Immediately After Your Workout

You've used up the glycogen (stored carbohydrates) in your muscle cells as fuel for your workout and if you don't replenish them fast, you're bound to short circuit your growth.

Within 45 minutes to an hour after your workout you need to down a high-glycemic, high protein drink while your body is primed for fast absorption. Take in between 75 - 100 grams of sugar and about 25% of your day's total protein requirement along with a healthy dose of monounsaturated fats to help stimulate testosterone production.

This is actually a key time to really pack on mass so don't be afraid to get a little crazy here! In my "Optimum Anabolics" program (www.OptimumAnabolics.com), I actually include a potent post-workout regimen of around 200 grams of high glycemic carbs and 20-30 grams of health fats to kickstart a mass-building hormone release. It works!

Before Bed

You're about to enter another long period of fasting at bedtime, but it's also a prime time for your body to repair and build muscle. The problem is that your metabolism slows way down when you sleep so a large meal before turning in has the potential to trigger fat storage.

To provide the building blocks your body needs for growth while minimizing fat storage, eat a light meal consisting of slow-digesting protein and some easily digestible carbs. A bowl of cottage cheese with some fruit is ideal or mix a scoop of protein powder (one with casein in it is best) into some milk or water. Be sure to avoid high carbs and fat calories at this time.

* * * TOP DIET TIP * * *

Ok, it's time for my promised “Top Secret” Pre-Workout Power Potion Recipe that will give you everything you need to turbo-charge your workouts while providing a ready source of amino acids to avoid muscle loss and begin the growth process.

Follow the directions on the next page and consume this mixture about 1-2 hours before your workout …

The “Muscle Nerd's” Top Secret Pre-Workout Power Potion

Ingredient 1: 1.5 cups Skim Milk

Milk is probably one of the most overlooked supplements there is! It's loaded with both fast-digesting (whey) and slow-digesting (casein) proteins for a steady supply of amino acids...and it's been proven in research to be a powerful growth hormone releaser!

Ingredient 2: ½ Frozen "Slightly Green" Banana

Ripe bananas have more sugar content than bananas that are still slightly green and will result in more of a quick "sugar rush" instead of supplying long term energy to power through your workout. Grab a bunch of "slightly green" bananas at your local supermarket, peel them all, and place them in a plastic bag in your freezer to break up and add to your protein blender drinks as desired.

Ingredient 3: 2 Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter

"Natural" peanut butter ( NOT the commercial hydrogenated garbage!) is loaded with mono-unsaturated fats…perfect for helping you raise your body's testosterone levels for increased muscle mass and rapid fat burning. Look for a product that ONLY lists " Peanuts " and " Salt " on the list of ingredients.

Ingredient 4: ½ Cup Raw Oat Bran or Uncooked Oatmeal

Raw oat bran, like oatmeal, is a complex carbohydrate that is ideal for supplying tons of sustained energy for your workouts… AND the rest of the day.

Its finer texture makes is a better option for blender drinks, but if you only have access to oatmeal, make sure you put the dry oatmeal alone in the blender first and give it a few seconds on "high" to break it up a bit more.

Ingredient 5: ½ Scoop Vanilla Whey Protein

In addition to the casein protein from the milk, whey protein will provide you with additional, ready-to-deliver amino acids that will provide your muscles with a "jump start" on the recovery process.

Vanilla flavored powder seems to go best with this drink but chocolate flavored is another great option!

Directions: Ok…this is pretty self-explanatory, but here goes…

Add the first 4 ingredients in the order listed and blend on "High" for about 15 seconds. While it's still blending, open the top and add the protein powder . Blend for another 5 seconds…stop… drink…wipe the "smoothie mustache" off your face...and enjoy your workout!

Hardgainer Supplement Tip To Build More Muscle

By The Muscle Nerd, Jeff Anderson. 

You've probably heard the term "you are what you eat", right?

But it's not exactly what you EAT that counts, but what you USE from what you eat.

And this couldn't be more true for skinny "hardgainers' who have a hard time growing muscle!

Why?

Because you can eat all the protein you want, but unless it makes it to your muscles to help them rebuild, you'll continue to look more like Olive Oil than Popeye!

You see, "skinny" men and women tend to have an overabundance of the "stress hormone", cortisol.

Cortisol actually plays a useful role in our bodies but for hardgainers, its catabolic effects are a real hassle as it inhibits important protein synthesis.

That means less protein available for repair of muscle tissue...less size...and MORE frustration!

Add to this that the digestion of proteins actually burns more calories than any other nutrient and you can see why you CAN'T follow the same "protein plan" as others who can gain muscle more easily.

What's the solution?

This is actually one of my best kept secrets within my hardgainer bodybuilding program, "Hardgainer Project X Bodybuilding Program"...

Try adding DIGESTIVE ENZYMES to your meals!

Now you may think that digestive enzymes (that include either pepsin, papain, or papaya) are just for sandal-wearing hippies who smell like patchouli...but you'd be mistaken!

In fact, digestive enzymes help to breakd down nutrients from the food you eat into usable energy.

But another finding dug deeper and found that enzymes improved the absorption of amino acids and increased nitrogen retention.

In a recent clinical study, respondents who consumed digestive enzymes with their meals showed an increase in protein synthesis with free amino acid levels up by 100%...branched chain amino acids (BCAA's) by 250%...and nitrogen retention by 32%!

In short...MUCH better support for muscle repair and growth.

And enzymes can be especially useful for hardgainers in yet one more way...

Since protein uses up more calories in digestion, enzymes can speed up the process, reducing the "thermic effect" of ingested proteins and help you better maintain a caloric surplus for weight gain!

Look for a good digestive enzyme at your local supplement store or order online.

Research On Sex, Testosterone...And MUSCLE!

By The Muscle Nerd, Jeff Anderson. 

Obviously everyone who's ever stuck a barbell in their hand realizes the power that NATURALLY increasing your body's production of Testosterone and Growth Hormone (GH) is where it's at!

And here's a question I've been asked so many times, I've simply stopped counting...

"Does SEX actually LOWER testosterone...and your ability to build muscle?"

I mean we all know that raising your "T" levels can DRAMATICALLY increase your libido as well as pack on layers of thick new muscle, right?

So is your "love life" holding you back from some KILLER gains in the gym?

I mean, what about the "old school" BOXING rule of not having sex the night before your fight?

Was it because it took the "lion" out of the fighter? Made him WEAKER?

Actually, this was a question I recently took head on.

But I gotta tell you...

...it wasn't EASY finding an answer!

After tracking down several endocrinologists and urologists, all of them just shrugged their shoulders and told me they “didn’t know the answer”.

Damn!

You’d think guys who are supposed to be experts in healing erectile dysfunction and low testosterone levels would have at least a CLUE about this, right?

So I dug deeper...

...and called up a friend of his who is a a world-renowned researcher in hormone replacement therapy.

After a long discussion, here's what we came up with...

YES! Sex CAN reduce your testosterone levels AND your muscle gains!

I'll explain WHY in a second, but here's what's MOST important...

I'm ALSO going to give you the "secret" to not giving up your love life in order to have MORE MUSCLE!

Ok, follow along...

Testosterone is a VERY important hormone for gaining muscle.

We've established that.

Well in order for your body to optimize output, you MUST have enough of the mineral ZINC in your body.

Zinc is an essential nutrient for your internal “T-Factory” and your body uses it up very rapidly but doesn’t store very much in reserve.

Therefore, zinc must be replenished DAILY, but...

...our diets these days are naturally DEVOID of zinc due to our poor choices AND the degradation of our food supply from poor farming methods (don’t get me started!).

But here’s the kicker...

We men also lose zinc during SEX!

In fact, We lose up to 1mg of zinc for each “happy ending” we have...and even MORE while sweating (so sweaty sex is basically a “zinc SLAYER”! ;-)

Ok, so if you’ve been following along...

Sweaty Sex = Zinc Deficiency = Low Testosterone Levels = Less Muscle

Ok, now the solution (and NO...the answer is NOT to stop having sweaty sex! ;-)

First, testosterone is a “supply and demand” hormone so you’d damn well better be using a program that triggers natural “T” release.

Actually, this is the entire basis of my “Optimum Anabolics” program because I reveal a unique method for naturally increasing testosterone and growth hormone (as much as 1,00%) through what I call “natural hormone triggering”.

But the bottom line, you MUST be providing your body with the “NEED” to produce more "T".

Fortunately, having more sex ALSO creates a “need” for more "T" so it's just a matter of SUPPORTING your own natural production which I cover in DETAIL in my book.

(BTW...feel free to use this excuse with your partner if things have been a bit “slow” lately – “Really honey! It’s for my health!)

Next, make sure you’re supplementing with about 15-25mg each day of zinc picolinate.

It's best to take it at night on an empty stomach, right before you go to bed.

This will make sure you have adequate levels of the "raw nutrient" to optimize natural testosterone production...

...and of course, BUILD MORE MUSCLE!

How To Master The Mother Of All Hormones To Build Muscle And Burn Fat!

By The Muscle Nerd, Jeff Anderson. 

In This 6-Pack Chiseling Article:
How you can tap into the ab-shredding workouts that will carve out your body like a "300" movie extra!

How increasing your growth hormone will help you burn body fat at breakneck speed...for washboard abs that will turn heads at the beach (or at the coliseum)!
What you can do AFTER your workout that will help you jack up your anabolic juices for a fat melting, muscle building conquest!

The epic war movie “300” jacked up the occupancy rates of every gym across the country as all of us guys dreamed of owning a set of washboard abs (and swords) like the warriors from the film.

Hell, I practically have to snap my fingers in front of my wife’s face to break her out of her trance every time the movie trailer played on our TV! It's hard to compet with ripped and shredded ancient soldiers!

But there’s some sort of irony that this movie about a Spartan king who leads his army of 300 soldiers into battle against the invading Persian army, shows the defenders as being so big and buff.

You see, the Spartans were Greek and the Greeks are credited with the origin of the word “hormone” (from their word “horman”, meaning “to stir up or excite”), the very thing that they worked so hard to master to become such great athletes and warriors.

So as my own tribute to this killer movie, this article is dedicated to these formidable warriors who have inspired men everywhere to chisel out a “Spartan-like” physique able to fend off attackers anywhere. (Now leave our wives alone!)

Yes...this article is about naturally mastering your body’s growth hormone (GH) levels for more muscle and more fat burning!

In fact, if your goal is to lose fat and build muscle, it’s absolutely critical to pay close attention to your efforts to maximize your production of this powerful chemical in your body.

Released from your pituitary gland, growth hormone production peaks around puberty, and then slowly fades away as we age and plays a key role in the maintenance of muscle, bone mass and the balance of body fat.

This chemical is so powerful that even WITHOUT following an exercise program and healthy diet, it can build muscle and burn fat!

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that a small group of elderly men (aged between 61 and 81) who were given injected GH treatment showed an increase in both muscle and bone mass...AND reduced body fat at the same time.

Now, injected GH therapy does have its down sides so you can put down the phone...your doctor isn’t going to give you a prescription.

Joint and muscle pain can eventually occur from artificial stimulation and once you stop taking it, all benefits go bye-bye.

However, if done correctly, research has shown that naturally stimulating growth hormone can pay off with big dividends in a short period of time.

In fact, one university study from Denmark found that a 9-week program designed to naturally stimulate GH release resulted in strength gains 300% over normal increases!

Adding to that, men following the program increase arm strength by a whopping 37% compared with only 9% by the “control group” who only followed a “non-GH-stimulation” program.

And remember...these GH increases were activated not by injected hormone, but by completely natural means.

Now you can see why my program “Optimum Anabolics” (www.optimumanabolics.com) has a primary focus of stimulating natural anabolic hormone output within the body...and why it has proven so effective at building muscle and burning off fat for thousands of men.

Hormone-focused training WORKS!

So to help you get started at mastering your own growth hormone factory, here are some of the key elements you need to apply to your workouts:

Natural Growth Hormone And YOUR Training Program
Exercise intensity is key when it comes to activating a GH response in your body. You want your workouts to be rather fast and furious, keeping total workout time no greater than 60 minutes. After that, you start to see a rapid decline in hormone response in the body.

You have a lot of work to do in just 60 minutes so in order to maximize your time in the gym, stick to “supersets” for your exercises and keep your rest periods to a minimum (about 60-90 seconds between sets). A superset involves going straight from exercise 1 to exercise 2 without resting or with minimal rest in between. Once you’ve completed both exercises, you will take a short break (remember...”short” means just 60-90 seconds!) and go back to exercise 1 again to hit the next superset.

Keep your repetition count high (around 8-12 repetitions per set). This will help activate a lactic acid response in your muscles and lactic acid in turn activates the release of growth hormone. You’re going for the “burn” in this program!

Be sure to pause and squeeze your targeted muscle at the peak contraction point (for bicep curls as an example, this would be in the “up” position).

This will really activate the lactic acid response as well as make sure you’re hitting deep into your muscle fibers.

Once you’re done with your workout, save about 5 minutes at the end for “sprint training”...

Researchers from Loughborough University have shown that a group of athletes who conducted a short series of 30-second sprints reached growth hormone levels 25 TIMES their resting levels approximately 30 minutes after training.

You’re not going to want to miss out on THOSE kinds of results!

So at the end of your workout, do three to six 30-second sprints on your gym’s track or on the road to finish off the day and set yourself up for peak GH output.

Follow this program and YOU will soon be shopping shirtless for a shield and armor at the local blacksmith! (And stay away from my wife!)