Since it is not realistic to eat five pounds of salmon or pure oil per day, one of the best ways to get your intake of healthy fats is through nuts. Nuts provide for a highly nutritious and calorie dense snack that is the perfect catalyst for muscle growth. Nuts help to build lean muscle mass in several different ways. In one study it was found that people who ate more nuts had higher testosterone levels. One of the nuts that is considered the king of testosterone-boosting is the Brazilian nut. Eating just one serving of Brazil nuts per day has more than ten times the recommended amount of selenium. According to livestrong.com, “The NIH reports that selenium can boost testosterone levels in men and it has been found to improve sperm production and motility.” Increasing testosterone is the goal of many men looking for increased vitality and lean muscle mass. Testosterone levels start dropping when you enter your 30′s and this is why it is so hard to put on lean muscle mass as you age and get older. Increased testosterone levels will help you build muscle and increase energy.

One of the best ways that nuts help to build lean muscle is by providing nutrient-dense calories. Since fat is nine calories for every gram compared to only four calories for protein and carbohydrates – it is more caloric. When you are training hard and trying to build lean muscle mass you have to consume more calories than you are burning. If you are in a calorie deficit – meaning that you are burning more calories than you are consuming – you will not be able to build lean muscle. Your muscles require that you are ingesting lots of quality calories and a wide array of nutrients. Eating several servings of nuts per day gives you an extra 500-600 calories per day. This is why many body builders eat peanut butter, as well. Cashew butter, peanut butter and almond butter are about 90 percent nuts and will give you the ability to build lean muscle and consume more calories than you are burning. Lifting weights intensely burns calories as well, so eating nuts is the extra insurance your body needs to ensure you are eating enough calories.

Nuts are also high in protein, which are the building blocks of your muscles. Nuts are high in protein and healthy fats, meaning they are the perfect combination to give you energy and build muscle mass. Consuming several servings of nuts can give you an extra 30-35 grams of protein per day, which will aid in muscle recovery and growth.

Nuts are also a great source of energy for your workouts. Nuts are high in healthy fats and your body will use this as energy during your workouts. If you don’t consume enough healthy fats, your body will use extra protein as an energy source. This is bad because you want your protein intake to fuel your muscle growth, not take away from it. If your protein is being used as an energy source, your muscles will not be fed enough amino acids and protein. Consuming several serving of nuts per day ensures this does not happen.

You may have picked up on the fact that I’m a big believer in healthy breakfasts. I truly believe it’s the most important meal of the day and research shows that by including a healthy breakfast daily you are more likely to have control over your weight, have more energy, and see an improvement in your concentration. The other reason I’m a big advocate for a healthy breakfast is that it’s setting a great example for my son. Yes, he may only be 22 months old but the earlier you begin modeling healthy choices and lifestyles, the sooner they will adapt them as well. With that being said, there are some mornings that we are just busy! Like rushing out the door grabbing shoes, snacks, and sometimes a late breakfast-busy. Hey, we’re human and I know that many other people find themselves in the same situation at times. This is why I like to have things I can grab, reheat, and eat on the run so I ensure that we are both still getting a healthy breakfast. Not only is skipping breakfast going to put a damper on the start of your day, but eating something unhealthy because you are short on time is just as bad. Things I keep on hand for days like this are: freezer egg muffins, Carrot Cake Protein Muffins, hard-boiled eggs, breakfast bars, ready-to-eat fruit, protein bites, and these delicious muffins:

Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Muffins

• 1 1/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 scoops Fitmixer Vanilla Protein Powder
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 2 tbsp. Poppy Seeds
• 1 cup Non-fat Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 cup no sugar added applesauce
• 1/4 cup Light Canned Coconut Milk
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 cup Honey
• 2 tbsp. Coconut Oil
• 1 tbsp. Lemon Zest
• 2 tbsp. Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 24-cup muffin pan by coating it with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, protein powder, and poppy seeds. In a separate bowl, mix together yogurt, applesauce, coconut milk, eggs, honey and coconut oil. Add in lemon zest and lemon juice, mix in then add dry ingredients. Make sure to add the lemon zest and juice just before adding the dry ingredients. Mix well then scoop into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned on the top and cooked through. These muffins will seem like they are slightly undercooked but they set up well, are moist and delicious! Store in the fridge or freezer for quick, healthy meals or snacks!

Nutrition Facts: Calories – 101, Carbs – 12, Fat – 3, Sugar – 6, Protein – 7

No, not experiencing DOMS every time you work out doesn’t mean you didn’t exercise hard enough. Some days you’ll have it, other days you won’t. But knowing why you experience DOMS is important because it’s unavoidable, so it’s good to know that what you’re experiencing is normal, and even good. Even so, having sore, achy muscles isn’t the best feeling in the world, so is there anything that you can do to help alleviate that soreness? Try these:

• Stretching: While studies show that stretching won’t prevent muscle soreness, cooling down with stretching after a vigorous workout can help to lengthen the muscle fibers and prevent shortening and tightening of the muscles, which may help your body feel and move better overall. Plus, muscles tend to tighten during the recovery phase (when the body is repairing itself), so gentle stretching may help lessen that tight feeling.
• Foam Roller: Foam rollers are, in essence, a mini massage for your muscles. If you go to a gym, they’ll likely have at least one of these kicking around. If not, you can purchase one of your own for around $30. Foam rollers break up (and also prevent) adhesion and scar tissue that build over time as a result of the micro-tearing and swelling in your muscle fibers from working out. Rolling on a foam roller also activates sensory receptors in your muscles, helping to alleviate pain. They further help to lengthen and relax muscle tissue and improve circulation, which in turn, speeds recovery. You simply can’t go wrong with a foam roller. To use one, lay with your body weight against the foam roller and “roll” up and back, focusing on sore areas of the body.
• Protein: Protein is a building block of muscle tissue, and is essential in the repair of the micro tears that occur in your muscles as a result of intense exercise. Numerous studies show that consuming protein (at least 10 grams) after your workout can be effective in reducing muscle soreness. One such study found that post-workout consumption of protein in healthy Marines resulted in an average of 37% fewer medical visits for muscle pain and soreness than those who didn’t consume protein after their workouts.
• Hydration: Staying hydrated is also crucial for muscle tissue recovery and repair. Water makes up about 65% to 75% of muscle weight, however, water stores don’t last forever; they’re constantly being excreted and replenished. Drinking plenty of water helps to flush out toxins that build up after exercise and also replenishes the water stores in your muscles that are lost during a hard workout.
• Warm Bath (or Shower): Taking a warm, relaxing bath can loosen tight muscles, get the blood pumping and improve circulation so that more oxygen and nutrient-rich blood is circulating through your muscles, helping to quicken recovery time.
• Ibuprofen: Ibuprofen is an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), which blocks prostaglandins that cause pain and inflammation in your body. By working to decrease inflammation that arises at the site of muscle tissue, ibuprofen can help to expedite the healing and recovery process.
• Hot/Cold Therapy: Hot and cold therapy has been used for decades as an effective treatment option for pain and soreness. Studies show that it can speed recovery, improve circulation and promote muscle healing. To try hot and cold therapy, alternate 10-15 minutes with a hot pack, followed 10-15 minutes with an ice pack, and then back again. This causes a vasoconstriction/vasodilation effect on blood vessels to help pump blood to the affected area.
• Massage: Like the use of the foam roller, massage can improve muscle tightness, lengthen muscles, break up scar tissue and adhesions, and improve blood circulation; all of which can improve DOMS and allow for muscle recuperation. Plus, studies show that massage stimulates the release of endorphins, natural pain killers and mood boosters.

When you lift weights intensely, you are depleting your muscles’ glycogen levels. In order to recover, repair, and grow those damaged muscle tissues, you have to restore your glycogen levels A.S.A.P. Most experts say the best time to consume carbohydrates for optimal recovery is within the hour immediately following your workout. Carbohydrates have gotten a bad reputation over the last few years, but the fact of the matter is that your muscles need carbohydrates for fuel and to recovery from your workouts. At all other times throughout the day, it is best to consume slow-digesting carbohydrates that do not spike your blood sugar.

The only time of the day you should consume fast-digesting carbohydrates is directly after your workout. Lifting weights puts such a stress on your muscles’ glycogen levels it is vital that you restore them immediately following your training session. A slow-digesting carbohydrate does not do this. You want to consume carbohydrates with the highest glycemic index rating directly following a workout. Healthy carbohydrates like oatmeal, whole grain pasta, brown rice, and legumes are not going to do the trick!

Have you ever had an insanely bad sugar craving following an intense workout? This has a lot to do with the fact that your muscles and body are glycogen-starved; it is craving simple sugars! Most researchers and muscle building experts have come to the conclusion that following a hard weight training session, the optimal ratio of nutrition is 2:1 high glycemic carbohydrates to fast-digesting protein. Consuming dextrose powder immediately following a workout is the best way to restore these glycogen levels. When I go to the gym I will also bring my shaker cup with one scoop whey protein powder (fast-digesting protein) and two scoops dextrose powder (100 glycemic carb source). Dextrose powder is very cheap and goes good with your whey protein, and it makes for an extra sweet treat after your hard workout session. The great thing about dextrose powder is it fuels your muscles and you will also be less likely to crave sugar.

Note: I only recommend this post-workout nutrition formula after weight training. If you are running and your main goal is weight loss, it would not be beneficial to consume these kind of carbohydrates. Your muscles are not depleted of glycogen in the same way following a cardio session. If you are trying to lose weight you want to create a calorie deficit, and the dextrose powder will not help you with this as it is essentially pure sugar.

Some other great post-workout carbohydrate sources are plain table sugar, confectionery sugar, and waxy maize. Waxy maize has gotten a lot of hype recently but in my research it has not been proven to be more effective than good ol’ dextrose powder! I don’t recommend whole food carbohydrate sources immediately following a workout because it will take your body longer to break down and absorb. The great thing about the powder forms of fast digesting carbohydrates is that your body will absorb it fast and it is convenient to take right after your workout! So if you are looking for optimal post-workout nutrition, remember: simple is best! Simple sugars and fast-digesting carbohydrates are key to maximizing your lean muscle gains.

Buttercream frosting: Serving size – 2 Tbsp., Calories – 140, Fat – 6g (1.5g saturated fat, 1.5 grams trans fat), Sugar – 22g.

Yikes!

Now, of course it’s normal to enjoy a little frosting from time to time on cupcakes or cookies. We are only human, right?! However, what if I told you there was a way you could enjoy frosting more often with out all the calories, sugar and bad fats? But wait! There’s more! This particular frosting also has some extra protein, which makes it even better for you! AND to “top it off”, I’ve got two different delicious recipes for you!

First up is my personal favorite:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Frosting

• 2 tbsp. Fitmixer Chocolate Protein
• 1 tbsp. All Natural Peanut Butter
• 1 tbsp. Unsweetened Light Coconut Milk, Unsweetened Almond Milk or Low-Fat Milk

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together until a creamy frosting-like mixture forms. Serve on top of bananas, rice cakes, toast, or enjoy it by the spoonful!

It’s super tasty and very low in calories, which makes it almost guilt-free!

Nutrition Facts: Calories – 146, Carbs – 6, Fat – 10, Sugar – 2, Protein – 13

*You could easily substitute the protein for Chocolate Fitmixer Slim as well.

Maybe you’re not a huge chocolate-peanut butter fan. I’ve got you covered with this vanilla-based protein frosting:

Lemon Vanilla Protein Frosting

• 2 tbsp. Fitmixer Vanilla Protein
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 tbsp. Unsweetened light Coconut Milk, Unsweetened Almond Milk or Low-Fat Milk

Mix all ingredients well then serve with whatever your little heart desires! My favorite for this one is definitely a big bowl of fresh organic strawberries. Yum!

This one contains even fewer calories so feel free to double it if you’d like!

Nutrition Facts: Calories – 59, Carbs – 5, Fat – 2, Sugar – 1, Protein – 8

Either one you choose, both are a much better alternative to the sugar and calorie packed jars of store bought frosting.

An NFL style plyometric workout will consist of exercises that promote increased leg drive, explosiveness, speed, vertical jump, and power. The key for an NFL style plyometric workout is speed and intensity; all of the exercises must be done at a very intense pace. Plyometric training is very similar to high intensity interval training, and will help your body burn fat at an incredible rate. It also will help to improve your hormone levels and increase overall strength. Best of all, plyometric training can be done by people of all fitness levels! Try some of these exercises on your next workout and reap the amazing benefits of an NFL style plyometric workout.:

Exercise 1: Box Jumps

This exercise is designed to improve your vertical jump, leg drive and overall explosiveness. You will bend down into a squat jump and accelerate onto a platform anywhere from 24-50 inches in height. Many of the top jumping NFL players do box jumps on four-foot platforms!

Exercise 2: Resistance Sprints

This is one of the best exercises for further promoting leg drive and increasing your speed. NFL players will run sprints with some form of resistance. The top resistance equipment pieces are the speed parachute and the weighted sled. NFL players will run sprints anywhere from 40-100 meters with the parachute or sled attached to them. This causes your body to work harder than it is use too, and gives you a great fast twitch muscle fiber workout.

Exercise 3: Bounding

This exercise involves jumping for length instead of jumping for height. This exercise develops your leg drive, hip flexor mobility and overall explosiveness. Perfect for any fast-twitch athlete!

Exercise 4: Alternate Leg Lunge Jumps

An amazing exercise to improve individual leg drive and promote explosiveness, alternating lunge jumps will challenge your abdominals and torso as well. You should make sure you are jumping for maximum height while maintaining perfect form.

Exercise 5: Power Cleans

I am sure many of you have seen power cleans in the recent Olympics. Power cleans are one of the most popular exercises for NFL players because they improve leg drive, vertical jump, explosiveness, and lower body strength. They are the foundation to the NFL player plyometric workout.

Why is this raising an alarm? While the U.S. government and FDA consider genetically modified foods safe to eat now, no research has been done on their potential long-term side effects and health risks; something many health professionals and scientists are concerned about. To date, there have been no documented ill effects of consuming GMOs, but like any other relatively new product of technology, there are no guarantees on something that, quite simply, has not had enough long-term research done on it. And because most people don’t know if, or when, they’re eating genetically engineered foods, at present there’s no concrete way of telling if they’re truly the root cause of any adverse reactions or not.

Of the studies that have been done on the effects of consuming GMOs, most of these have been animal studies, typically performed on mice. Many of these showed no adverse effects, yet others showed just the opposite, with side effects ranging from trouble with the reproductive system, immune system, and gastrointestinal system of mice, including organ and liver damage.

Further, while there has been a significant amount of short-term research in support of the safety of GMOs, much of this research may be somewhat biased. Case-in-point; a 2011 review of 94 articles on GMOs, published in the Journal Food Policy, found that many of the researchers who provided positive feedback in favor of genetically engineered foods, often had either financial or professional conflicts of interest or ties to the manufacturers producing the GMOs.

Are you eating them? Without a doubt. Actually, it may surprise you just how much food you eat that contains GMOs. According to the Environmental Working Group, the average American eats approximately 196 pounds of the stuff each year! And experts estimate that approximately 60% to 70% of the processed foods you find in grocery stores contains genetically modified ingredients. In the United States today, about 90% of soy is genetically modified, as is over 85% of both corn and cottonseed. Canola and sugar beets are also commonly genetically modified. Most of these crops are processed into ingredients like corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, soy lecithin, canola oil, cottonseed oil, and sweeteners – all of which can be found in everyday products like breakfast cereals, canola oil, soda, soups, packaged soy foods, snack foods, processed foods, spreads and sauces, and even some baby formulas. They’ve become so commonplace, in fact, that unless you’re specifically buying organic foods, or those labeled as “GMO-free”, you’re likely purchasing genetically engineered food products every time to go to the grocery store. And because the United States law does not currently require foods containing genetically modified ingredients to be labeled, you’ll probably never even know it.

It seems quite reasonable that more long-term research be performed on genetically engineered foods before we determine, without a doubt, the safety of consuming them. And it seems even more reasonable that manufacturers at least label foods with genetically modified ingredients as such. For now, at least, that’s not going to happen. At present, GMOs are considered safe by the US government. Whether they remain that way, only time will tell. Until then, it appears we’ll all have to play a part in the giant ongoing experiment of genetically modified foods – despite whether we want to or not.

It is important to realize that your muscles only grow and get stronger when they are resting and recovering. What you do in the weight room will break down your muscles and give them the chance to get stronger and grow bigger, but what you do with your nutrition is what really separates you from the pack. Since our muscles only grow during recovery periods, it is vital we have the proper nutrition. One of my favorite times to consume quality calories that will be a muscle building catalyst is right before bedtime. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a cardinal sin to eat something before you go to bed if you are consuming the right kind of calories. Your muscles grow and recover when you are sleeping, so feeding them with quality protein and amino acids before bed is a muscle building strategy of many body builders and fitness enthusiasts.

Directly after working out, you want fast digesting protein to immediately restore your depleted muscles, but before you go to bed you want very slow digesting protein that will drip feed your muscles critical proteins and amino acids throughout the night. I am sure you have all heard of casein protein powder. The best form of slow digesting protein is just that, as it is ultra high in amino acids and contains quality protein that helps your body recover and grow lean muscle mass. However, casein protein powder can get expensive. That’s why you should opt for something a little more affordable. How about cottage cheese! One of the best food sources for casein protein powder is, believe it or not, cottage cheese! Cottage cheese makes an incredible late night muscle building snack because it is a slow digesting form of quality protein, just what your body needs to recover and grow!

So what exactly is cottage cheese? It is nothing more than a cheese curd with an extremely mild flavor. The nutrition profile on cottage cheese is excellent because it is so low in fat and high in casein protein., and it is a popular snack for all sorts of athletes and body builders. A four-ounce serving of cottage cheese contains 120 calories and only five grams of fat, and the protein content per four ounces of cottage cheese is a whopping 14 grams! Cottage cheese contains only three grams of carbohydrates per serving and is relatively high in calcium, as well. Obviously, it is one of my favorite late night snacks. It does my body wonders, and gives me all of the proper fuel I need to recover and grow after an intense workout. Not to mention, cottage cheese is much cheaper to buy than regular casein protein powder, and it gives you all of the same benefits. So if you are tight on your budget and looking for the best late night muscle builder, pick up some cottage cheese!

Due to the anti-inflammatory nature of omega-3’s, they have the ability to expand your blood vessels and increase blood flow throughout your body. This equates to increased oxygen and nutrient delivery to your muscle tissues, and faster removal of the metabolic waste products that antagonize muscle recovery and energy production. In other words, with an adequate supply of
omega-3 fatty acids, you will be able to exercise harder and recover faster than if they are not readily available to your working body. The onset of muscle fatigue will be delayed, while muscle damage and inflammation is minimized. Sounds pretty great to me! Not to mention, neuromotor function, namely, the foundational software of your muscles, is enhanced by omega-3 fatty acids. This means that your muscular system can be made more responsive to your nervous system signals , and, consequently, muscle fiber activation increases. I hope by this point you are at least a little more motivated to get your omega-3 fatty acid intake up to par. If you want more evidence, take some time to review the resources listed at the end of this article.

Now, if you want to increase your omega-3 intake, how do you do it? In general, health officials recommend consuming at least 2-servings of fatty fish (i.e. mackerel, herring, salmon) per week. Doing so will provide you with an average of 1000 milligrams per day of the omega-3 fatty acids known as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) combined. The other omega-3 fatty acid especially pertinent to human health is known as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). This is found in plant sources like flaxseeds and walnuts, but should not be viewed as equivalent to EPA and DHA. Unlike it’s fish-derived counterparts, ALA is not metabolically ready to be used in our body for fighting inflammation and increasing work potential. Thus, once consumed, it has to be converted to EPA and DHA. This process has only about a 5-15% efficiently rate. Other sources of EPA, DHA, and ALA are fortified products such as some orange juices, butter blends, peanut butters, eggs, and breads. These products should be labeled in a manner indicating they are omega-3 fortified. Checking the ingredient list will allow you to identify the type of omega-3(s) included. A variety of fish oil supplements are also available. Remember, you most likely do not need more than 1000 milligrams per day, and look for those which provide “EPA + DHA.” If you choose to supplement, always consume the supplement right before eating a meal. This usually helps to control the fishy aftertaste, which can be highly unpleasant – trust me.

Bottom-line: while increasing your chances of living a strong, healthy life, consuming recommended amounts of omega-3 fatty acids can boost the quality, and, thereby, potential results, of your exercise regimen. Take a few minutes today to assess whether or not you are likely consuming adequate amounts of these nutrients. If you are not, figure out how you can and will do so for your short-term fitness results, and for your long-term health.

Resources:

1. Hill AM, Buckley JD, et al. Combining fish-oil supplements with regular aerobic exercise improves body composition and cardiovascular disease risk factors. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007;85:1267-74. Accessed online on March 9, 2013 at http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/85/5/1267.full.pdf+html.
2. Macaluso F, Barone R, Catanese P, et al. Do fat supplements increase physical performance? Nutrients.2013;5:509-524. Accessed online on March 9, 2013 at http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/5/2/509.

Courtesy of http://www.thecinemasource.com

We have all been to the movies and been in awe when seeing some of the incredible physiques that the actors and actresses possess. I am also an actor in film and television, and had my debut movie role about four months ago, so I am always interested to see how many of the top male actors are training and preparing for movie roles. I remember being really concerned with how I was going to appear on camera so I researched many of the top Hollywood body workout routines. One thing that I noticed was that all of the top actors in their prime possessed a pretty similar physique. Most of them were not too big and bulky, and they all had very low body fat while having lots of lean muscle.

I studied three actors in particular who I thought had the best physique in Hollywood: Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper, and Brad Pitt (in the Fight Club days). While it is true that Hollywood actors have more time to train and have access to the best trainers in the world, I think we all can learn a few valuable training techniques from them. I have five guidelines that will help you create your own Hollywood body workout routine. These are taken straight from the biggest stars in Hollywood, and can rapidly accelerate your own fitness progress and give you your own “Hollywood body!”

1. High Intensity Interval Training. It has been widely recognized that HIIT helps to burn fat and increase your growth hormone levels more than any other type of training. HIIT is the best form of cardio because you can optimize your fat burning in the shortest amount of time possible. You can perform a HIIT workout very easily doing sprint intervals on a treadmill.
2. Time Under Tension with Weight Training. Seeing results in the weight room is all about your TUT, or Time Under Tension. All of the top male actors in Hollywood undergo intense weight training sessions that combine slow motion repetitions and/or high reps, to maximize your muscles’ time under tension. Improving your time under tension will help to recruit additional muscle fibers, and improve your results drastically.
3. Lifting Until Failure. One thing is for certain: if you want big results, you have to put the work in. Lifting until extreme muscle failure is the best way to ensure that you will build lean muscle mass and burn fat.
4. Combine High Intensity Cardio and Resistance Training. In order to get that Hollywood body, you have to combine intense resistance training and high intensity interval training. This is the best combination of muscle building and fat loss and has worked for pretty much every major Hollywood body star. Gerard Butler, Bradley Cooper, Ryan Reynolds; they have all trained with high intensity cardio and resistance training.
5. Full Body Workouts. You need to train your upper body, lower body, and core multiple times a week for optimal results. Many women neglect their upper body and many men neglect their lower body. By not training half your body, you will never reach your potential and will not see the fat loss and lean muscle gains you desire. All of the celebrity workout programs are revolved around full body training.

To summarize, you will need to make the following changes in your workout program to have a Hollywood physique. You will need to work out your entire body, multiple times per week. You must combine high intensity cardio with a resistance training program. Your resistance training sessions must be intense and you must lift until failure. Maximizing your time under tension will help you lift until extreme failure. Performing HIIT will drastically speed up your fat loss results. Incorporate all five of these rules into your workout program and you will have a Hollywood body in no time!