PROTEIN & SUPPLEMENT STRATEGIES FOR OPTIMUM RESULTS

Whether you want to take a protein supplement before or after your workouts, or at both times, AbFitt gives you the perfect formula for your schedule and needs. You’ll find that your time in the gym will be better spent.

THE PERFECT WORKOUT PRESCRIPTION
To get the best results possible from your nutrition plan, you need to take in a protein shake both before and after your workout.

PREWORKOUT
Take in a preworkout meal with the following ingredients in the 30 minutes before you train. Consume all the carbs and drink about half to two-thirds of this protein shake before a workout.

40 g whey protein
40 g slow-digesting carbs such as oatmeal, fruit, whole-wheat bread or sweet potatoes
3–5 g of creatine
3–5 g arginine
5 g BCAAs
5 g glutamine
Mix with about 20–30 oz water.

DURING WORKOUT
Add 20-30 ounces of water to the remains of your protein shake, and continue to sip it between sets. Finish this drink about two-thirds of the way through your workout.

AFTER WORKOUT

Drink a protein shake with the following ingredients immediately following your workout.

40 g protein
60–80 g fast-digesting carbs (sugar)
3–5 g creatine
5 g BCAAs
5 g glutamine

SINGLE-SHAKE SUCCESS
You may not always have the time or willingness to drink protein shakes before, during and after your workouts. While you will see optimal results from doing so, you can still get impressive results from drinking one shake before or after your workout. Here are the formulas for the best preworkout and post-workout shakes when you don’t plan to drink both.

PREWORKOUT SHAKE
Take in a preworkout meal with the following ingredients in the 30 minutes before you begin your workout.

50–60 g protein
80 g slow-digesting carbs, such as oatmeal, fruit, whole-wheat bread or sweet potatoes
5 g creatine
5 g arginine
10 g BCAAs
10 g glutamine

POST-WORKOUT
If you skipped your preworkout shake, then follow these guidelines for your post-workout shake:

50–60 g protein
80 g fast-digesting carbs (sugar)
5 g creatine
10 g BCAAs
10 g glutamine

What's Shakin'?
Here’s the scoop behind what’s in your scoop of protein powder.

WHEY Whey protein (about 20% of the protein in milk) is the fastest-digesting protein, making it an excellent pre- and post-workout choice. Its amino acids hit your bloodstream quickly, helping to stop muscle breakdown during workouts and jump-start the muscle-building process that comes with recovery. Whey also has a high concentration of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) — leucine, isoleucine and valine. These aminos, especially leucine, help to stimulate physiological processes that result in muscle growth. BCAAs also spike insulin levels, and insulin is an anabolic hormone that drives amino acids and glucose to your muscles to stimulate growth and recovery.

CASEIN Casein makes up the remaining fraction of milk protein (about 80%). Casein, however, is slow-digesting, meaning that it provides a slower, steadier release of amino acids. Recent research shows that casein increases muscle protein synthesis after workouts and may be as good as, or even a better than, whey. For best results, choose a protein product that contains both whey and casein.

SLOW-DIGESTING CARBS These carbs include yams, brown rice, oatmeal, fruit and whole-grain products such as whole-grain breads and pasta. These foods are digested slowly, meaning that the carbs they contain are released into the bloodstream as glucose at a slow rate. The advantage of this is that insulin levels are kept low, helping you to maintain energy levels for a longer period of time and reduce the likelihood of storing these carbs as body fat. Slow-digesting carbs are a good choice before workouts to enhance energy and promote fat burning.

FAST-DIGESTING CARBS These carbs include sugar, sports drinks, white-flour products such as plain bagels and white bread, and white potatoes. Fast-digesting carbs enter your bloodstream quickly as glucose, spiking insulin levels. While this is an undesirable effect at most times of day, it’s important to consume fast-digesting carbs after workouts because the insulin that is released in response to them helps drive muscle growth and recovery.

GLUTAMINE This is one of the most important amino acids for supporting health, muscle growth and recovery. The digestive system has a high demand for glutamine, and if you don’t have enough available, your body will break down muscle mass to get it. Supplementing with this amino helps spare the glutamine in your muscles. Glutamine also buffers the effects of intense exercise that tear down muscles, and it boosts growth-hormone levels to support muscle growth.

BCAAs These amino acids are critical for the manufacture, maintenance and repair of muscle tissue. Research on leucine, one of the three BCAAs, demonstrates that it stimulates protein synthesis, enhancing muscle growth. The BCAAs also help boost insulin release. After your workouts, this anabolic hormone stimulates muscle growth and drives nutrients, including amino acids, glucose and creatine to your muscle cells. BCAAs also help blunt cortisol levels, the catabolic hormone that leads to muscle breakdown. While you’ll get BCAAs in your protein (especially whey), it’s a good idea to add more to shakes for the specific advantages that BCAAs provide.

CREATINE Creatine is made from three amino acids: arginine, glycine and methionine. Supplementing with creatine before your workouts helps to keep your muscles saturated with creatine, producing the rapid energy your muscles need to enhance workouts. Creatine also helps to make your muscles stronger by pulling more water into muscle cells. For best results, take a dose of creatine before and after you work out to help keep creatine levels high and to replenish them after training.

ARGININE This amino acid is readily converted to nitric oxide (NO) in your body. NO is involved in numerous bodily functions that support muscle growth. The most important of these is vasodilation. Arginine supplementation helps to increase the diameter of blood vessels, resulting in an increase in blood flow to your muscles. This allows for a greater delivery of nutrients, oxygen and anabolic hormones to the muscle you’re working. It also creates a bigger pump during the workout. Finally, arginine also boosts growth-hormone levels. All of these effects are critical for muscle growth.

So what are the key supplements to build your best body ever? How much do you need and when is the best time to take them?

Supplements are very effective for promoting muscle gains. The most critical would be:

Whey Protein- Since it is so fast-digesting it aids muscle growth around workouts.
Multivitamin- To help cover all your micronutrient bases.

Creatine- Which is fairly cheap and very effective.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids- They may help promote muscle growth.

Q: What is the proper intake of proteins per meal? Is it true that the body can absorb 30 grams per meal? Is there such a thing as too much protein? I see some people eating 80g of protein per meal.

A: You should shoot for about 30-40g of protein per meal. How much protein a body can absorb depends on the individual and what they have eaten prior to that meal.

Q: I've heard a lot about carb cycling - what is it? Why should I do it? What is an example of carb-cycling?

A: Carb cycling refers to alternating periods of low- and high-carb intake, maximizing both fat loss and muscle growth. For fat loss, your default diet would be somewhat under 1g of carbs per pound of bodyweight. You would cycle in a high-carb day (greater than 2g per pound) every five to seven days.

Since carb-restricted diets can lower your metabolic rate by decreasing leptin levels, the high-carb day helps to reset your leptin levels and keep your metabolic rate up.

To add size, your default diet would be 2-3g per pound. You can go lower, either to about 1g per pound on non-training days, or you can have two low-carb days after every three or four high-carb days to minimize fat gain.


Q: Do you have any tips for getting rid of that last inch around the belly? HIIT cardio and weightlifting have left me with just a little bit more to lose.

A: That last inch is the toughest. The only way to get rid of it is to burn even more calories than you consume. So to consume even fewer calories, consider dropping some extra carbs from your diet, such as at your pre-workout meal and/or lunch.

To burn more calories, consider turning up your high-intensity interval training by going for a few more intervals each time.

Q: I do cardio right after weights. Should I have my postworkout shake and carbs before cardio or after? If I wait until after cardio, will I miss my postworkout window to stimulate muscle growth?

You should wait until immediately after the cardio is over to consume your protein and fast carbs. This is especially true for the carbs, which would blunt fat burning during the cardio workout. Don't be worried about missing your post-workout window . . . as long as you prepared properly with a pre-workout protein shake.

The pre-workout protein shake provides energy during the workout and also serves as a post-workout protein source to stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

Q: If I'm taking creatine, do I need to do the loading phase first? What is a typical loading phase?

A: You only need a loading phase if you want to see immediate results. A good loading phase should last five to seven days. Take 5g of creatine four or five times per day. Definitely take creatine with protein and carbs, and on workout days make one of those doses with your pre-workout shake and carbs, and another one immediately post-workout with your shake and carbs.

Q: I take 40-45g of protein and 5g of creatine in my post-workout shake. What is the best source of carbs to take at that time: a supplement powder I could combine with my shake or a food source?

A: Post-workout, it doesn't matter, as long as they are fast-digesting or high-glycemic carbs. For supplements, nothing beats Vitargo in my opinion, a powdered complex carb supplement that actually digests about twice as fast as most sugars.

Another option is simply dextrose powder. For foods, fat-free sugary candies are best. One company that stands out is Wonka. Many of their candies, such as Pixy Stix, Sweet Tarts and Bottle Caps are made with either dextrose or maltodextrin, which are both basically pure glucose and will spike insulin and drive amino acids, carbs and creatine into your muscles, and turn on muscle protein synthesis to stimulate growth.

Slow-digesting carbs, such as most fruit, oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, etc., are not the best choice, as they keep insulin levels low and steady.

Officer Eric Temarantz Taking His Fitness To The Next Level.

Eric Temarantz performing chain chest dips. Eric is beginning week four of my H.I.G.T "SSS" program.


(High Intensity Group Training) (Summer sacrifice shred) Don't let the catchy name fool you, this is a complete lifestyle overhaul & a fresh approach to taking one's personal fitness to the next level.

 

Goal: Drastically reduce BF %, Increase lean muscle tissue, improve Vo2 Max, overall functional fitness. In line with building a symmetrical aesthetically proportionate physique.* Note: Boxing training improves speed, reflexes, hand eye coordination.

 

Tools: H.I.G.T training method, six weeks split into two micro-cycles. Full body & push/pull. BoX / FiT heavy bag and rope routines. Treadmill mountain climbs & 15's.

Fuel: A prescribed nutritional & supplement plan based on Eric's body mass index, basic metabolic rate and work output determine's Eric's daily caloric needs and the required macro ratio breakdown based on his specific goal. Nutritional and supplement timing is used again based on Eric's goal and work schedule. 

 

Keep posted for updates and final progress pics.
Visit our FaceBook page.

Jr Welterweight Prospect, Chris Algieri Talks With ABFITT

  Rising star and undefeated junior welterweight boxing prospect Chris Algieri (16-0, 7 KOs). The 29-year-old is the former ISKA world welterweight and WKA world super welterweight kickboxing champion ( PROFESSIONAL KICKBOXING RECORD- 13-0, 6 KOs ). He is coming off a 10 round, NBC televised win over Jose Peralta Alejo on Feb. 23 at the Paramount Theater in Huntington, N.Y.

 ABFITT: Congratulations on your first nationally televised fight, what has the weeks following your win been like? What has the response been like ? Any immediate discussion of your next fight?

 

 Chris Algieri: Thank you. The response has been very positive. It was an exciting fight to watch and it was contested at a highly technical level. I have had several people tell me that they were not boxing fans until they saw this fight. Next fight is in the works-nothing definite yet but will be announcing soon. I was in the gym a couple days after the fight so I am ready.


 ABFITT: Boxing unfortunately is still lagging behind other sports when it comes to the science behind nutrition/supplementing/strength training. Do you feel your background in health care management and  clinical nutrition give's you an edge when your in and out of training camp?




Chris Algieri: Everyone asked me how I was able to average over 100 punches a round and threw a fight high 135 punches in the final round of a fast paced fight-I would have to say part of the reason is lifestyle in and out of camp. I have been studying the human body and human performance for years. That being said, I know my body and I know when to give it rest and when to push it to the max.

 ABFITT:  What weight do you walk around at and do you have a structured eating plan?

Chris Algieri: I dont walk around much higher than my ring weight. I stay very lean between fights and in fact I eat the same after fights as i do in camp- I just eat less when I dont have a fight scheduled. I am a professional athlete and my sport has no off season.


 ABFITT: You remind me of Paul Spadafora skill wise. You are currently ranked 21st in the USA and Paul is I think 17th. Style's make fights and I think that fight would be a chess match. Your thoughts? (ABFITT playing match maker).....

Chris Algieri: Spadafora is a hell of a technician and I  appreciate the comparison. I like technical boxing and when you have two guys in a ring thinking, boxing is a beautiful thing. I feel i am a lot more physical than spadafora and my athleticism and conditioning will
Give anyone in the division a problem.

 ABFITT: Chris with the tremendous popularity of MMA and your kick boxing background did you give going that direction any thought?

Chris Algieri: No. Never seriously considered it actually. Its not a sport I grew up
Watching with aspirations of competing in. Boxing is where my heart is at and where my passion lies. I cant do a dangerous  sport  like kickboxing, boxing , or MMA without passion. I do miss wrestling (I was All NY State in HS) and would like to get involved again after boxing.

 ABFITT: So whats next for Chris Algirei? Can you give us some insight into what direction you would like to see your boxing career move in.

Chris Algieri: I want to keep moving, keep learning and keep building. I need more TV dates and keep putting on impressive performances. I am getting better every fight and think in the next year to 18 months a title is in my future.

ABFITT: Best boxing memory thus far in your career? Best sparring session?

Chris Algieri: Best memory is when hall of famer Mike "The Body Snatcher" McCallum called me a "bad man" after a sparring session in Tocco's gym in vegas (  http://www.jtboxing.com/  ) a few years ago. I was star struck when he came up to me. That was so cool.

As for sparring sessions I cant decide on one particular session but have worked with some real studs like Marcos Maidana, Saul Alvarez, Brandon Rios, Ajose Olusegun, Luis Collazo, Vivian Harris, to name a few.


 ABFITT: Chris thanks for taking the time to chat with ABFITT, anything you would like to add?

Chris Algeiri: Thank you! And to all the fans check out my facebook Twitter and of course, chrisalgieri.com for more info and for upcoming fights! Be sure to make a stop at MyCompetitiveLife.com as well- soon to be your premier source for health, fitness and human performance information on the web!





  CHECK OUT MORE OF CHRIS ALGIERI ON ABFITT   FACEBOOK PAGE

PUSH / PULL SUPER-SET ASSAULT

Full Body Push/Pull Super Set Assault
  
 *2 sets of 8-12 reps for all the super sets. Note: > indicates to move directly to the next exercise
 
 CHEST & BACK GROUP  (push/pull)              
SS# 1) CHEST & Back= INCLINE PUSH UPS 25 reps >WIDE GRIP PULL UPS........1 min rest
SS# 2) CHEST & BACK= INCLINE PRESS > BENT OVER BB ROW > INCLINE DUMBBELL FLY'S (or substitute with cable fly's).......1 min rest
                    
                                                
 SHOULDERS GROUP (push)
SS# 3) SHOULDER MEGA SET= STANDING BARBELL PRESS behind the neck > UPRIGHT ROW > DUMBBELL SIDE RAISES........ .1 min rest
SS# 4) FRONT DUMBBELL RAISES > BENT OVER DUMBBELL FLY'S > WEIGHT PLATE PUNCH OUT'S......1 min rest
 
                                    QUADS HAMSTRINGS CALF (push/pull)
SS# 5) LEGS= SQUATS > LYING LEG CURLS >EXPLOSIVE BODY-WEIGHT SQUAT JUMPS....
SS# 6 ) LEGS=STIFF LEGGED DEAD LIFTS>LEG EXTENSIONS>CALF RAISES.....1 min rest

                                     ARMS BICEP'S & TRICEPS GROUP (push/pull)  
  SS# 7) ARMS ASSAULT= STANDING EZ BAR CURL>OVERHEAD EZ BAR EXTENSION>CHIN UPS (underhand grip)>DIPS........1 min rest

                                                               CORE GROUP
SS# 8)  ABS 25 REP SHRED CIRCUIT= AB WHEEL
ROLL OUT'S>MEDICINE BALL SEATED SPEED SIDE TO SIDE'S>INCLINE BOARD WEIGHTED PLATE CRUNCHES...........1 min rest

Finish this workout off with 3 rounds 3 min each of  BoX/FiT heavy bag work. Hands up high, lots of side to side & lateral movement, and remember throw your punches in combination.

The Science Of Fit! 75 Common Fitness Questions Answered

 OK so maybe not so much science, however 27 years of experience allows for some true insight.

1) Will performing cardio several times per week slow my gains?
2) Will doing yoga slow my gains?
3) Will I lose a lot of muscle if I take a week off from training?
4) Is there a magical rep range?
5) Is there a magical workout routine?
6) Do I need the bench pressto build my chest?
7) Is the PCF ratio (Protein/Carbs/Fat) 40-40-20 the only way to go?
8) Will eating carbs at night make me fat?
9) Do I need to frequently deload if I feel fine?
10) Is the Smith machine just as good as a barbell?
11) Is squatting with good form still bad for your knees?
12) Is deadlifting with proper form still bad for your back?
13) Do you need to deadlift to build a huge back?
14) Do you need to squat to build huge legs?
15) Great, then it's ok to completely avoid squats and deadlifts for ever and ever?
16) Do I need a loading period when using creatine?
17) Do I need to eat every 2.5-3 hours?
18) If my post workout meal is sub-par, will I lose my gains for the day?
19) Will having frequent sex limit my gains?
20) Do I need to eat all clean foods?
21) Is there a black and white answer to all muscle building questions?
22) Should I completely avoid lifting straps?
23) Do I need elaborate body part splits?
24) Do I need to train more than 4 days per week?
25) Does protein intake damage your kidneys if they are currently healthy?
26) Does weight training stunt your growth?
27) Can I add another chest training day to "program X"?
28) Can I add another biceps training day to "program Y"?
29) Will doing a lot of ab work give me a six pack?
30) Do I need to count every gram of protein, carbs and fat each day?
31) If I can't sleep 8 hours per day will I be unable to gain?
32) Do I need to train for the pump to make gains?
33) Do I need to train like Mr Olympia to make gains?
34) Do I need to volume train to make gains?
35) I heard that full body workouts are useless. Is that true?
36) Should I use the magazine workouts of top magazine stars?
37) Is P90X magical?
38) Are fat burners magical?
39) Are supplements magical?
40) Is Cross Fit magical?
41) So and so says frequent feeding is useless. Is that true?
42) So and so says intermittent fasting is useless. Is that true?
43) If I eat more than 40 grams of protein per sitting does it go to waste?
44) Will whey protein powder make me fat?
45) Is "eating healthy" good enough when trying to build muscle?
46) Do all pre workout drinks have the same ingredients?
47) Do I need to train to failure on every set?
48) Can I get as big as a mass monster pro bodybuilder without steroids?
49) I am 5'9" and weigh 260 pounds. My mom's scale says my body fat percentage is 12%. Is this correct?
50) Can I gain 40 pounds of muscle in 8 weeks?
51) My bench press has "only" went up 10 pounds in the last 4 weeks. Is this a plateau?
52) Do I need to worry about TUT - time under tension?
53) Can I get big without adding much strength?
54) Should I curl in the squat rack?
55) Will a beard really help my lift totals?
56) Is there a secret fat burning routine?
57) Should I make up my own workouts from scratch if I've never made gains?
58) Will women look like a bodybuilder if they train with resistance?
59) Does eating fat make you fat?
60) When I decide to cut, do I immediately need to add a ton of cardio?
61) I heard I should never train when I am sore. Is this correct?
62) The 1-5 rep range doesn't build muscle, correct?
63) High rep sets can't build muscle, correct?
64) Should I deload every time I have a bad training day?

65) Do I need to change routine every 8 weeks?
66) If I train over 60 minutes will I lose all my gains?
67) Do I need slow negatives to build muscle?
68) I was told I can't build muscle with machines. Is this correct?
69) Is creatine a steroid?
70) Does every Youtube form video really teach proper form?
71) Will high reps give me muscle definition?
72) Should I train differently when I am cutting?
73) Should I do cardio before I lift weights?
74) Will I burn muscle doing sprints?
75) Can I look like Mr. Olympia without drugs?

The Answer:

No and in some cases HELL NO!  MS-

Laws of leanness, shredded and fight ready.

    Nothing worth having comes easy. A fit, strong, lean, muscular, fat free body comes with a price. How much in sweat and time are you willing to pay?

Introducing H.I.A/A.G.T.....high intensity anaerobic/aerobic group training, the little brother with an attitude of H.I.G.T!

This training routine is on opposite days of weight training days.

Group one
3 min skip rope
25 close grip push-ups
10 dumbbell squat-presses (challenging weight)
15 dumbbell squat-presses (half of previous weight)
30 second rest

Group two
1 1/2 min skip rope
25 wide grip push-ups
10 dumbbell squat-presses (challenging weight)
15 dumbbell squat-presses (half of previous weight)
1 1/2 min skip rope
30 second rest

Group 3
1 min skip rope
25 close grip push up
1 min skip rope
10 dumbbell squat-presses (challenging weight)
1 min skip rope
15 dumbbell squat-presses (half of previous weight)
30 second rest

Repeat all three groups. For a total of six sets.....

Here are 12 quick nutrition fixes to ensure your fitness success.

In the interest of getting results quickly, here are simple nutrition enhancements to your fitness regime that can spell the difference between a successful workout and near misses.

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1. Add Beta-Alanine to your creatine

Beta-alanine is becoming a household name in the supplement industry and for good reason. This wonder supp has been shown to boost strength and endurance in athletes. Take 2–3 grams with your preworkout supps to reap the benefits. I like Pro-source brand Beta-alanine powder. 5grams pre training.

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2. Toss in a Salad

That’s right, salad. Your leafy greens, as it turns out, offer a powerful preworkout boost. Fibrous carbohydrates from mixed salads (not just simple lettuce) actually work to increase blood flow, giving more oxygen to working muscles while you train. This piggybacks the benefits of arginine, which you should already be taking.

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3. Double your Calories

If your workouts tend to fall flat much too often, you may not be eating enough to support your energy requirements. One strategy to overcome this problem is to try to eat more — a lot more. Double your calories for a day, If you do this and you have an incredible workout, it could be a sign that your calories are simply too low.” Of course, don’t be indiscriminate about the types of foods you’re eating. Eat clean, lean protein, complex carbs and low-energy density foods, like spinach, shredded carrots, green peppers and other greens, cruciferous vegetables (e.g., cabbage, broccoli, kale, etc.), citrus fruits and tomatoes and
cucumbers.
Omega-3 fatty acids in fish help keep your arteries supple, which means more blood, oxygen and nutrients getting to working muscles.

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4. Chew Your Fuel

This may sound absurd to the body-conscious masses but one way to boost your workout today is to eat some sugar while you train. But we’re not talking about Twix here. A study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that ingesting a 2:1 glucose-to-fructose blend of carbs during workouts improved exercise endurance performance by 8%. PowerBar’s Energy Gel Blasts gel-filled chews provide this fuel in precisely that formulation, so it may be a good idea to keep a pack in your gym bag. Having 1–3 of these small chews every 10–20 minutes will help you keep your energy levels high throughout your routine. But don’t worry — during intense training, these sugars will be burned as fuel, not stored as fat.

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5. Consider Your Intraworkout Supplementation

Some supplement companies are built on pre- and post-workout formulas but one neglected, crucial fueling window is during your workout. “The consumption of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) during your training can help to keep your body in an anabolic state, try mixing BCAAs into your water during your workout to help keep your body anabolic. This also provides an additional energy source for your workout and helps prevent additional muscle breakdown during exercise.

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6. Don’t Neglect Refueling with Carbs 

“With the low-carb craze, it appears that exercisers looking to get lean or stay lean skimp on carbs altogether,” says Escalante. “Whether you’re trying to gain muscle mass or cut bodyfat, your post-workout nutrition should include 0.25–0.5 grams of simple, fast-digesting carbohydrates per pound of bodyweight (50–100 grams for a 200-pound lifter). Good examples include  my fav chocolate fudge pop tarts, white rice, baked potatoes, dextrose or the fancier carb supplements such as Vitargo. This is essential to refuel your glycogen stores and to help your recovery. Additionally, these carbs will help to create a natural release of insulin, which is one of the most anabolic (muscle-building) compounds in the body.”

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7. Follow the Preworkout Menu

Ditch the “I’m going to work out on an empty stomach” school of thought if you’re going to lift. About an hour before you hit the gym, have an apple and knock back 20 grams of fast-digesting whey protein mixed in water. The aminos in the whey will provide energy and help prevent excessive catabolism (muscle loss) during exercise, while the polyphenols in the apple can help to boost strength and endurance, the aminos in the whey will provide energy and help prevent excessive catabolism, or muscle loss, during exercise. Recent research even suggests that sipping a protein drink, along with fast-acting carbs, like maltodextrin, as you train may add to muscle growth.

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8. Go for Oats

No one likes to work out on a full stomach, but you can’t go into the gym with an empty tank, either. In addition to the faster-digesting whey shake and apple you knock back one hour before your workout, consider downing an even longer-lasting source of fuel two hours before your training session. A high-fiber choice, which will digest at a snail’s pace, is ideal. Try a serving of oatmeal at that time but avoid any high-sugar additives or flavored oatmeals (forget those oatmeal packs altogether). Instead, use cinnamon, which helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. This serving of oats will provide a steady stream of fuel to working muscles during your workout.

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9. Power Your Powerhouses

Without revisiting the least favorite chapter in your high school biology textbook, we’ll remind you that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell — the battery that powers these tiny units. But even batteries run dry after a while. L-carnitine, an amino acid, helps carry fat into the mitochondria where its burned as fuel, helping you work out harder and longer, burning more fat in the process. Start by mixing in 1–3 grams of L-carnitine pre- and post-workout. When it comes to whole foods, dairy products and red meats contain large amounts of carnitine.

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10. Get Your EGCG On

Epigallocatechin gallate. It’s a mouthful. It’s also a powerful metabolic enhancer and fat-loss aid found in green tea extract. Since green tea itself is diluted, you’d have to drink quite a lot to reap the benefits, so scientists formulated the extract version. Besides its powerful fat-loss benefits, it’s a more potent antioxidant than vitamins C and E. Take 200–400 milligrams of standardized EGCG 2–3 times daily between meals, with one of those doses coming half an hour before your first rep. As a bonus, use green tea itself as your fluid base for protein shakes, since the tea is a vasodilator, which means more oxygen and nutrients delivered to working muscles after an exercise session.

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11. Get a Boost with Caffeine

Caffeine anhydrous is perhaps the most effective preworkout supplement out there. In studies, it’s been shown to delay time to fatigue, blunt pain and acutely increase strength. Have your other preworkout supplement if you must, but make sure it contains 200–400 milligrams of caffeine to give you an instant boost. Anhydrous caffeine contains significantly less water than its hydrous cousin and generally occurs in supplemental form

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12. Skip the Pills

Consider limiting the amount of NSAIDs you take, especially for minor aches and pains post-training, since they’ve been shown to reduce protein synthesis. Instead, begin including spices such as turmeric and ginger in your diet. Evidence suggests the anti-inflammatory qualities of turmeric may be similar to that of ibuprofen and hydrocortisone, while ginger’s properties may help reduce minor pains.

ASK ABFITT- A 6-meal per day plan to help you achieve your goals.

 Dear AbFitt,

I have been lifting for a little over a year now and took a three month break for college soccer. The main reason behind me beginning was to put on muscle. When I started I was 5'5 115lbs. I am now 5'6 138lbs. My long term goal is to weigh 170lbs with a short term goal of 2lb gain a month. I never really learned about nutrition. I learned a lot about supplements from your website and I learned a lot about the different kinds of foods. I just read your latest post on facebook about the 20 nutritional rules and I easily learned more there than the week I've spent trying to find help from others/the internet. I wanted to start a six-meal a day food plan but I am having a lot of difficulties finding one for people who are underweight, The only ones I can find (without paying someone) are for weight loss. So, my question to you is if you could give me a rough layout of a 6-meal a day food plan that I could build off of to help me achieve my goals.

Many thanks,

Nate

Thanks Nate and truth is we all start the same way by asking questions, learning then putting what we learn into action. You will find trial and error will become your best friend because it is with trial and error you will learn what works best for your body.
Like you I was underweight for my age and height due to boxing professional at 132LBS. It was only after retiring from boxing that I learned how to build lean muscle tissue. below are the general guidelines to get you on the right path. keep me posted on your progress and good luck.

I am going to assume that you have just started out in fitness and you are looking to start eating for a fitness lifestyle but have never attempted it. For those of you already ahead of the game I congratulate you and I urge you to still check through the plan to see if there is something you can pickup and use to get even better results. Each week has small progressions I want you to apply to start eating better and achieve amazing results from. Let’s get eating like a bodybuilder!

 

Week 1:

Food Inventory: This week I want you to go through your cupboards and fridge and start to weed out all the bad food that you are positive will not have good affects on your results. You can keep a few as a reward at the end of each week, but generally, whatever is in your cupboards or fridge, you will eat eventually. Don’t make it harder that it already will be.



Meal Frequencies: If you have not already, I want you to make every effort to have 3 solid meals a day for breakfast, lunch and supper, spaced out by about 5 hours. Yes you will need to eat 6, but for now we will work up to it.



Vegetables: I know, I know, I probably sound like your mother…but you have to eat your vegetables. Veggies are filled with vitamins, nutrients and believe it or not, they are just as powerful at helping you build muscle as chicken and egg whites are! This week, be sure to consume at least 1 serving of fresh vegetables (not canned which is loaded with harmful preservatives and salt). I would include this in your supper if you only have one

.

Protein Powder: Go online or find a store near you and order yourself a good protein powder. The idea is next week, when you add in more meals, we will be substituting whole food for some powdered protein to make it easier to eat and to digest. Make sure the protein powder is primarily proteins. Do not get a weight gainer or something loaded with fats and carbs. Look for a protein powder that has about 20-25 grams of protein per scoop, 2-5 grams of carbs and 1-3 grams of fat. That is ideal for this purpose. Order it or buy it now, so that you have it for next week.



Macronutrient Split: A macronutrient split is the amount of carbs, fats and proteins that will make up your caloric and food intake. We will figure out the best one in week 2 but for now, just stick to eating 3 meals a day and try to eat a variety of foods and never eat just one thing alone (such as eating a big plate of pasta without meat or veggies).



Caloric Intake: You will eventually need to calculate your calories, but for week 1, I want you to simply record how much you have eaten of each type of food. Then at the end of the week, be sure to take an inventory of approximately how much you ate over that week and determine how many calories you are taking in.



Food Preparation and Shopping: At the beginning of every week, make a list of foods you need to get (healthy choices of course) and go to your grocery store and stock up for the week. Avoid shopping throughout the week by getting everything you need for the entire week. Also, make an effort to prepare your next day meals the night before and pack in Tupperware so that you have them ready to eat. Also set your watch to eat every 5 hours for 3 times throughout the day.
Week 2:

Food Inventory: So, this week your cupboards should be stocked with less bad foods and more good, but you also might notice you run out of food quite fast eating more frequently and regimented right? This week, go through your cupboards and look back on your list to what you ate in the previous week and be sure to adjust your next shopping list accordingly (more of a certain item, less of another, etc).



Meal Frequencies: This week, keep eating the 3 solid meals a day, but try and include slightly more meats or proteins such as fish, cottage cheese, egg whites, eggs and lean cuts of red meat in at least 1-2 of your meals.

Vegetables: Last week we focused on at least one serving of veggies, but this week I want you to get 2 serving of veggies with two of your solid meals. By the way, veggies don’t have to be plain. Most times, I steam my veggies for about 7 minutes, then I will coat them with some lemon juice or olive oil or apple cider vinegar and for those of you who like the basics, you can use low sodium salsa.


Protein Powder: Now it’s time…time for the famous fitness drink…the whey protein shake! Last week you should have purchased a protein powder and depending on where you bought it, they should have included a shaker bottle. If you didn’t get one, go and get one now because you will need it. This week, I want you to have 1-2 scoops of whey protein powder between breakfast and lunch as a snack. Simply mix with water or very low fat milk if you can handle lactose and have about 2.5 hours apart from your breakfast. This will bring your total daily meals up to 4. Try and include some mixed nuts as well if you can.

  Macro-nutrientSplit: Focus on including one protein source, one carb source and one fat source in at least your breakfast. Here is a quick list on which foods provide which sources of nutrients:

Protein - Chicken, fish, beef and turkey.
Carbs - Brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread and oatmeal.
Fat - Olive oil, almonds, cashews and walnuts.

The other two meals can be the same as last week, or you can try to do this for all your meals but at the very least, you need to do it for 1 meal for week 2.



Caloric Intake: For this particular article, I want you to focus on muscle building, so a caloric surplus is required but for now we will not worry about how much you need to eat. Simply including a slight increase every week through quality protein and healthy fats and just the act of eating healthier will be enough to get you gaining muscle and seeing a much improved physique. Naturally, adding in the protein powder in meal 2 will give you an extra 100-200 calories each day and if added in nuts could give you an overall increase of 200-300 calories per day.



Food Preparation and Shopping: Again, go shopping perhaps on the Sunday before the next week begins with your shopping list and stock up for the week. Then I want you to prepare your food for 3 days in advance. That simply means, cooking enough chicken/meats to last you 3 days (any longer than that and the meat can spoil). Then store in a Tupperware container in the fridge so that each night you have access to cooked chicken without having to re-cook every night.
Week 3:

Food Inventory: Now that you have a list of foods that I gave you for reference in week 2, I want you to cross-reference that list with the foods you currently have in stock. Start to notice which foods you are missing and include in your weekly grocery list.



Meal Frequencies: This week, I want you to continue consuming 3 whole food meals a day, but this week I want you to include 2 meals that contain a higher protein source with the protein’s found in the table above.

Vegetables: Alright, we are now going to include veggies in every other meal. Are you ready? Breakfast, lunch and supper should all contain at least 1 serving of veggies. Suck it up.



Protein Powder: Last week we introduced 1 protein shake between breakfast and lunch but this week we will also include a second protein shake between lunch and supper. Again, this should be consumed about 2.5 hours after lunch and about 2-3 hours before having supper.



Macronutrient Split: In 2/3 of your whole food meals, be sure to include a carb, protein and fat source as mentioned in week 2.



Caloric Intake: Again, with the added protein powder and including more food sources, your calories will naturally increase by another 300-400. Those increases should be helping your strength and energy levels in your workouts.



Food Preparation and Shopping: You know the drill…back to the grocery store, prepare 3 days worth of meals and organize your time effectively.
Week 4:

Food Inventory: By now, most of the junk food should be cleared from your pantry and you should have a better idea of what is a good choice and what is a bad choice. A good rule of thumb is to save a cheat meal for the end of a week of working out and pick it up from the store the day of your cheat meal or if you can, go to a restaurant. That way, you don’t always have bad food choices surrounding you but rather only enjoy them on occasion.



Meal Frequencies: Guess what? We are up to 6 meals this week! That is the typical meal frequency of the average bodybuilder and you are now eating like them. This week consume higher amounts of protein in all 3 meals. Last week was 2/3 so this week your addition will be towards the meal that didn’t get applied.



Vegetables + Fruits: We are already eating all our veggies by this week so now naturally you need to eat more. Haha. Don’t worry, its not that much more. I want you to include 2 servings of veggies for at least 1 meal preferably in your supper, replacing some of the heavier carbs (rice, pasta, bread) with fibrous veggies. I also want you to try and include a serving of fruits for every protein shake snack you have. Fruits like apples, pears, oranges and bananas are excellent sources and all count as 1 serving.



Protein Powder: This week, include another protein shake 2-3 hours after supper. Only consume 1 scoop as it will be near the end of the day when your body will not need an abundance of calories since you will be soon sleeping. This will make a total of 3protein shakes between all three solid meals.



Macronutrient Split: No excuses this week. You need to include a carb, protein and fat source at each of your solid meals. I should mention, your protein intake should be relatively the same for each meal but your fat intake should be no more than 10—15 grams each meal and your carbs should be tapered throughout the day where you eat more carbs in the morning, slightly less at lunch and even less at supper.

This is great for providing constant energy throughout the day without over-consuming them at night which will create the most potential for fat gain. We want to avoid this as much as possible so consuming carbs earlier on in the day will be a good preventative measure. Also, do not consume fruits with your final protein shake at night for obvious reasons.



Caloric Intake: By now you should have ample amounts of calories coming in to allow you to lift more weights than before, recover faster and build more muscle. If you are still a beginner there is not an immediate need to calculate your calories required, but if you are interest, the table below can give you some good information on how to do that. We determine our Baseline Caloric Intake based on our BMR number. So, what we want to do is calculate the amount of calories we require based on our BMR, our activity level and a few other factors.

Here are a few formulas you can use to determine your baseline caloric intake. Feel free to use any of them as they all provide very similar results.
The Harris-Benedict formula uses height, weight, age, and sex to determine basal metabolic rate (BMR).

BMR = Basal Metabolic Rate - a number that represents your caloric need before factoring in activity level.

Men (BMR) = 66 + (6.23 X weight in pounds) + (12.7 X height in inches) - (6.8 X age)
Women (BMR) = 655 + (4.35 X weight in pounds) + (4.7 X height in inches) - (4.7 X age)

TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure Factor

Sedentary = 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly Active = 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. Active = 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very Active = 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extremely Active = 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e
marathon, contest etc.)

Calculate your BMR according to the provided formula
Estimate your TDEE based on the given table
Multiply your BMR x TDEE for total calories required per day
Then add 500 calories to your total if you want to gain muscle

Below is an ultra efficient time saving method of determining how many calories you require based only on your bodyweight. This table is in no way a scientific process, but it is generally accepted and practiced amongst many people including myself.

This table has been adapted for Hardgainers, or people who are naturally smaller and have a hard time gaining weight and/or muscle.
Caloric Intake Based on Bodyweight (lbs) - Primary Goal

10-13 x Bodyweight - Fat Loss
14-16 x Bodyweight - Maintenance
17-20 x Bodyweight - Muscle Gain
20-25 x Bodyweight - Mass Muscle Gain

Unfortunately, there is no rule set in stone that works for each person. You have to learn from experience which one works best for you. You may gain easier than others and would not have to resort to a higher caloric intake. Or, maybe you have a really hard time gaining therefore would benefit from the Mass Muscle Gain goal.

Bottom line is that this is a fast way of calculation, but you can always use a more precise method that I shared with you above.

Food Preparation and Shopping: By now it should be obvious why it is necessary to prepare in advance. As you meal frequency increases, so will your time in the kitchen if you are not careful. Try preparing your meats for the whole week, but freezing half of the portions for the second half of the week.
Conclusion

Well that’s it; now remember this is a good starting point a 4 week plan on how to fast track to the bodybuilder’s diet. Follow the weekly plan and you will surely see some really good results and you will not have to deal with the frustrations of learning on your own the hard way. Fair enough?

Caffeine Works...Here's How

 

Caffeine

A main component of coffee and tea, caffeine is the most common thermogenic, showing up in most fat-burning formulas and energy drinks.

Caffeine works in several ways. It increases epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), which is a potent hormone that dismantles stored body fat. Caffeine may also act centrally by decreasing caloric intake. Another consistent effect of caffeine intake is that users perceive exercise as less strenuous, which could be due to caffeine’s role as a potent adenosine receptor antagonist. Caffeine intake also increases the use of fat during rest and exercise. In fact, moderate caffeine intake is associated with improved long-term body-weight regulation and health.

Take home: Caffeine levels peak 30–120 minutes after ingestion and boosts metabolic rate by about 13% over that time period. And despite some embellished warnings about caffeine, moderate intake is very well tolerated in healthy people. Go with 100–300 mg of caffeine in the morning and the same amount one to two hours before your workouts.