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Lose fat fast with Jason's simple advice.

Unlike other plateaus, one involving your cardio routine can be maddening because it’s tough to recognize when you hit it, and it usually happens when you desperately need to lose fat fast. You’re probably unaware that you’re doing one (or more) of the following:

You’re Going Too Easy

Your body drops weight quite fast when you dive into a new cardio regimen; a good hour on the treadmill on a hill-setting can easily torch 600–700 calories per hour. However, just like any other exercise, if it’s done consistently and religiously, the exercise can become too easy and your body will adapt (therefore, burning less fat in the process). Try increasing your per kilometer pace by 15-20 seconds, and you should be a little breathless after 5k. Also, do something totally different, such as using cardio rope or flipping truck tires. The different motions will definitely produce a harder and more challenging cardio workout which should allow you to lose fat fast.

You’re Inefficient

For runners, a running form based on heel-striking is more or less a sure way of having sub-standard run sessions. Any form of cardio—if you have bad form—will likely produce more injuries and fewer results, stalling any prior progress you may have made. When doing cardio in the gym, use the mirrors to your advantage; I self-correct my running form by watching carefully that I keep my feet under my body when I run. A workout buddy or an instructor can also help you maintain proper form.

You’re Too Efficient

On the flip side of the coin, a consistent and proper-form cardio routine becomes just that to the body—a routine. The body is an adaptive machine and it will learn how to use its resources (energy) and machinery (the body) more efficiently. While this is generally good, to lose fat fast it would be better to always keep your body guessing. A great way of challenging your body’s efficiency is by increasing speed, adding laps, increasing incline, or even a change of scenery (running on sand is far more challenging than running on the road, for example). Change it up once in a while and try something new, such as biking instead of running, or doing vertical laps up and down stairs instead of the usual evening swim.

You’re Not Sleeping/Resting Enough

Rest is also part of training—a very important part—as this is the body’s time to repair all the damage we cause it from working out. For someone logging in 10 kilometers’ worth of cardio daily, a decent amount of sleep would be 6–7 hours. Any less and the fatigue would probably carry over to the next day, which creates stress. And we all know that stress=the inability to lose fat fast. I recommend having ‘easy’ cardio days (half the distance or time of a usual cardio session) right after a training day.

You’re Timing It Wrong

Some athletes I train with like their cardio session before doing weights. Personally, I like it after. My reasoning is that cardio uses up a lot of energy, and you would only subject yourself to a sub-standard weights-session, potentially causing you injury (lifting on tired muscles is never a good thing) or causing you to stop the workout early due to low energy levels. In my opinion, cardio at the end of a weights session (provided it does not exceed 40–45 minutes) simulates the latter half of a run; lower amount of carbohydrates in your system and fairly fatigued muscles. This builds endurance and increased lactic acid tolerance. This order (cardio last) seems to work for me.

You’re Not Eating Enough

As mentioned in the first point, a decent cardio session goes through your energy sources like a machinegun goes through bullets. This spent energy needs to be replaced, and in some cases, exceeded. I suffered a setback in my run training a while back; I never realized that I was not replacing the calories I expended sufficiently—especially as I log about 35–40 kilometers of cardio weekly. While it may seem counter-intuitive—especially for those looking to lose weight—replacing calories sufficiently and often may actually prevent your body from going into ‘starvation mode’ whereby the body hoards this energy instead of using it. So long as you keep a consistent work out schedule, load up on healthful food and you will lose fat fast!

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If you are one of those women who dreams of being able to hold their own with the men in arm-wrestling competitions, or being a performer in the gun show, then this article will give you tips on how to obtain a sweet set of muscles.

Female bodybuilding is simple when you follow these fundamental workout principles

Firstly, a huge mistake that many women make, is training with light weights, for a large number of repetitions. The muscle fibers that are the most powerful have the amazing ability to grow, and regenerate incredibly quickly. This means, that in order to harness the true power of these muscles, you need to use heavier weights, and do fewer reps. Ladies, how awesome would it feel to know that you are not only holding your own with the men at the gym, but ALSO creating for yourself a sweet set of muscles?

The reason for the smaller amount of reps, and the heavier weights is that weight training has the strange paradox of breaking the muscle fiber. By reducing the number of repetitions that you are doing, and giving yourself a proper rest period, you will allow your body to build new muscle, thereby helping you on your way to those coveted toned, visible muscles!

Everyone that has some knowledge of fitness will always use the same, cliché phrase; “Feel the burn.” While most of us are sick of hearing those over-used words, the theory and principle behind them is really important in helping women (and men) build a sweet set of muscles. The build-up of lactic acid in your muscles is a sure sign that you are destroying those muscle fibers, which will allow your body to replenish, and your muscles to get bigger. There’s no point wasting an hour a day to lift tiny weights, while being more interested with the celebrities on television. This will waste your time. You will never build muscle if you don’t put in all the effort that you can.

As with trying to lose weight, diet is a very important part in the journey to building muscle mass. The most important thing you need when exercising is energy, but think different to chocolate and soda. A fast, and quick way to have a muscle-working meal is with a protein shake. Protein powder can be found at fitness stores and online. A delicious shake includes milk (including non-dairy varieties), banana, berries, and protein powder. If you feel that you really can’t live without a chocolate fix, then add a small amount of cocoa powder.

Protein should be the main focus of your muscle-building diet. Remember that muscle is basically protein, and this should be a large part of what you are eating. A good guideline is about 1.5g of protein per pound (weight). Carbohydrates are also important in perfecting the muscle-making diet. The carbohydrate Glycogen is our main source of energy, and functions in muscle cells as an immediate store of glucose for those cells. This means that by eating a moderate amount of carbohydrate, you are allowing your muscles to have enough glucose for metabolism, but not so much that you have problems with it being stored as fat.

The types of exercises that you should do when trying to build muscle are movements that involve multiple joints at the same time. For example, simple leg extensions won’t build muscle to the level that you probably desire, as this only involves the knee joint. A good exercise to try would be a squat, as you are using your ankle joint, your knee joint, AND your hip joint simultaneously. Since this movement includes all those joints, all of the muscle groups accompanying those joints are also going to be worked. A squat is something that you can not only use in your structured workout, but you can also do it when hanging out the washing, cooking dinner, or talking on the phone.

As you can see, muscle-building for women doesn’t seem that hard. All you need to have is heavier weights, a good understanding of the need that your body has for BOTH protein and carbohydrates, and the right exercises that you need to do.

After some hard work, you will be rewarded with rock hard legs, arms that would make you look good in anything, and abs that a bodybuilder would be proud of!

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Dr Evil from the Austin Powers movies

Have you ever been 110% dedicated to achieving your muscle building goals, only to fall so ill that you had no other choice but to stop training?

Well, you’re not the only one. In fact, One of the most frequently recurring themes for breaking routine in the gym is not injury, but illness – most of the time a minor ailment; a viral infection such as a cold or flu, for example.

So how do we avoid being ill so that we can train harder?

Before I explain how we can avoid getting ill, it will make more sense if you first understand why we get ill, as it will certainly help you stay well enough to work out.

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Quick disclaimer: I have keenly studied natural health and medicine both in my spare time and in professional naturopathic nutrition courses, which helps me feel I know a little about this topic. I’ve also managed to avoid getting ill for over two years now since I started learning about optimal health.

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Almost every week I am witness to someone who claims they have been struck with illness x, y or z because of some external circumstances that were outside of their control.

“I caught a cold” or “A nasty stomach bug is going around” are just a couple of the excuses that many of us spit out like a broken record on repeat.

We get ill. We blame something. We recover. The cycle repeats.

I assure you that I’m not putting all the blame on you. Obviously there are other factors involved here that determine how well you are at any given moment. We’re consistently misled by a variety of sources such as magazines & websites sponsored by the supplements industry (magazines like Mens Health, Flex etc), our Government health organizations (FDA) and also loving family, friends and colleagues who don’t know any better.

However when our health is less than great, there’s always a reason – and it’s important to understand that it’s not because the world turned against us – but because our immune systems simply weren’t strong enough at that moment to defend our bodies against foreign invaders and disease.

A lot of us don’t yet understand the true strength of the human immune system because we’re so used to living in conditions which keep it subdued. The following items will work to weaken your immune system:

• Sugary, cooked, processed, refined and heavily artificial foods on a daily basis
• Over-eating every meal
• Alcohol, cigarettes and drugs
• Severe lack of daily cardiovascular exercise
• Pharmaceuticals for any kind of ailment whether they be headaches or sleeplessness
• Lack of sleep
• Dehydration
• Any kind of stress – job that don’t fulfil us, TV, newspapers, partners, family, children, co-workers, pets etc.

I could go on, but you get the picture. Basically we’re used to living in a toxic environment where illness is very normal.

But it’s not natural to have chronic obesity, heart disease and cancer rates of the likes we’re used to seeing. I’m going to show you a way that you can break free from the norm, and live a healthy life without fear of being stuck out of the gym because of colds and bugs. Pay close attention to this because it requires your participation for it to work.

You will probably escape any kind of illness if you do some or all of the following every day:

• Cut out dairy from your diet
• Eat more green, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, spinach and kale
• Replace your sugary snacks and foods with fresh fruit
• Drink alcohol in moderation
• Exercise for at LEAST 30 minutes a day, at about 70% intensity minimum with warming up & stretching before and after
• Stop consuming and using things on your body that were created with industrial chemicals (pretty much all canned, packaged foods)
• Lower your addiction to the television and news sources – they rot your mind with negativity and have a measurable impact on your state of health
• Lower or completely ditch your addiction to over the counter pharmaceuticals (things like painkillers, acid relief, sleeping pills) – the chances are that if you follow the steps here you won’t need them at all

Doing the above will lead to “homeostasis” which means maintaining a constant state of balance within the body. The more chemically balanced our bodies are, the healthier we’ll be.

A quick way of knowing whether you’re in balance or not comes daily practice of simply paying attention to how we feel. Our bodies tell us exactly what we need/don’t need but we regularly ignore them when we do things like overeat, smoke cigarettes or neglect to exercise.

If we can work towards reducing our intake of pharmaceuticals, eating more whole, plant-based foods and cutting out a lot of the negativity we feel on a daily basis – we’ll be on our way to keeping ourselves out of the doctor’s and staying in the gym where we can quickly achieve our muscle building physical goals.

How to treat a common cold & flu naturally and effectively (way more effectively than with pharmaceuticals)

When we get a cold the first thing most people think of is going to the pharmacy and buying drugs. And it’s normal. But it’s not good for you, and it doesn’t get rid of the virus quickly.

The problem with western medicine cold remedies is that they’re designed to alleviate symptoms and not the actual virus. This is how most pharmacy works – remove the symptoms and keep customers. Some of the caveats of using pharmaceuticals is that they’re made with ingredients that are not good for you, actually weakening your bodies natural defenses, they cost a lot of money compared to natural treatments, they can be addictive and continued use can actually lead to further illness.

When I’ve used traditional western approaches to cure my cold in the past, it’s taken me about a week or two to get over the virus completely. It’s ridiculous, given that the last few times I’ve had a cold I’ve used natural remedies to remove the virus and all symptoms within about 2-4 days. Nowadays, whenever I feel a cold coming on, I am able to avoid it entirely by taking specific precautions.

The most effective precautions/treatments that I’ve found to avoid or recover from the common cold & flu have been to:

• Stop eating heavy foods and if possible, juice fast (I won’t cover that topic here, but there’s a very good recipe herefor healing your body that tastes great)Heavy, processed foods will divert energy away from your immune response to the virus
• Dice 2 large cloves of garlic and wash down with water every 4 hours, and drink warm water with crushed ginger and honeyGarlic, ginger and honey are natural anti-virals which will clean the blood quickly, helping to destroy the virus attacking your system
• Buy a couple packs of kiwi fruits and eat at least 5 a day – these have more vitamin C per gram than either oranges or lemons
• Light exercise for 30 minutesThis will engage the lymph system which is responsible for transporting waste materials from cells to the liver – don’t overdo it otherwise it will have the opposite effect
• Take a midday nap for at least 30 mins if you can, and have a longer sleep at night for at least 7 hoursThe more you sleep, the more you allow your body to heal

What if I get a stomach bug or something else that stops me from working out?

This article isn’t going to cover all the possible ways you could overcome illness, but what I’ll say is that if you follow the guidelines above you’ll energize your immune system and you won’t get ill nearly as much as you did before.

If there’s anything you want to add to help people stay out of the doctors and in the gym, please share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments.

Thanks for reading and keep training hard!

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What is Sunwarrior Protein?

Sunwarrior Protein is a raw, hypoallergenic protein powder containing 80% pure protein from brown rice.

Why do you say “raw”? Does that mean it’s not cooked? What are you talking about Clément – where I come from we don’t cook protein powder!

Sunwarrior protein vanilla and hemp milk shake for bodybuilding - the ultimate healthy bodybuilding combo!

When I say raw, I mean that it’s unprocessed and never pushed through a destructive system that damages the molecules of the protein. What that means is you never have anything other than the natural goodness of the food – no additional synthetic chemicals that alter your DNA or cause cancer, give you love handles or increase your risks of diabetes.

Brown rice has long been considered as a great source of protein, fiber and vitamins. It’s also been discovered to keep cancer at bay. Check out this video of Brian Clements giving a talk on just some of the amazing health benefits of brown rice protein:

Sunwarrior is produced from a process that combines the sprouted endosperm and bran from raw sprouted whole-grain brown rice. Through this fermentation process, Sunwarrior Protein gains a perfectly balanced amino acid profile, with 9 essential amino acids and other non-essential amino acids.

So who is Sunwarrior Protein for? Should I be using it?

Sunwarrior Protein is mainly designed for athletes and bodybuilders, although it’s great for anyone wanting to maintain excellent health and a lean muscle mass. It’s for people who need protein for muscle recovery after strenuous or high-intensity exercise. Health enthusiasts and people looking for a high-quality protein source for their diets will also appreciate this protein powder for its high protein content. Sunwarrior Protein will also work great as a protein source for vegans, people with food allergies, and people who are sensitive to gluten. Sunwarrior has no animal ingredients whatsoever, making it great for the environment, great for karma and most of all – great for your health.

The Pros

Sunwarrior Protein’s got a pretty impressive (and long) list of benefits. First off, Sunwarrior is a great source of high-quality protein, which can effectively influence fat loss and lean muscle buildup whilst also improving immune-system strength! The protein powders amino acid profile equals that of other prime protein sources such as eggs, whey, and beef. I bet the carnivores out there didn’t expect that!

With a 98.2% digestion efficiency, Sunwarrior Protein is the most digestible protein on the market. It can provide your body with high levels of anti-oxidants (have you heard of those guys before?), including gamma oryzanol. Studies on gamma oryzanol have revealed that it can help lower cholesterol, heal ulcers, and boost muscle-building hormones.

Since Sunwarrior Protein is also 100% organic and gluten-free, the protein powder can be safely consumed by diabetics and people suffering from gluten allergies and food sensitivities. Brown rice protein powder is also a great alternative to whey protein powders, which may be made from dairy products.

In fact, a lot of people don’t even realize they’re gluten or dairy intolerant. Recently a friend of mine was diagnosed as having a gluten intolerance but they’d been ill for literally months before that. If you get bloated, or feel in any way negatively affected by your protein shakes or supplements, maybe it’s time for you to start trying something more natural.

Sunwarrior doesn’t contain any pollutants or chemicals that are unsafe for consumption. Once upon a time it may have seemed odd to mention this, but nowadays it’s just all too common (check the video below from Bigger, Faster, Stronger where Chris Bell investigates the corruption in the supplements industry).

Sunwarrior Protein has a neutral smell and it tastes great. The powder blends very well, producing an incredibly smooth texture when mixed – much like that of flour (check the Mike Adams review further up the page for a visual). The chocolate and vanilla-flavored variants of the powder make for an indulgent milkshake when blended with raw vanilla powder, cinnamon, hemp milk or homemade almond milk, and crushed ice.

Also, have you ever left protein dregs in the shaker overnight because you were either too tired to clean it or you simply forgot? Smells pretty bad doesn’t it? Well, Sunwarrior does not smell bad. This is because Sunwarrior has no ingredients that quickly putrify leaving a horrid smell. This is great because it means you won’t lace your shaker with that “bad taste” the next time you work out.

The Cons

So far, Sunwarrior Protein has just one potential downside: its price. At $48.95 per 2.2-lbs. pack, Sunwarrior Protein is more expensive than many other protein powders on the market.

What’s in the package?

Sunwarrior Protein is currently available in 2.2-lbs. packs (really nice bags that are friendlier for the environment and easier to carry around – check the image above) and comes in 3 flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and natural. I highly recommend you go for the chocolate or vanilla-flavored powder because they taste GREAT. Don’t bother buying the natural-flavored variant because it’s not exactly delicious… ’nuff said!

You can also get Sunwarrior Protein in a Value Pack, with 3 2.2-lbs. packs in your choice of flavors.

Each pack of Sunwarrior Protein includes whole brown rice protein, vanilla, pectin, xanathan gum, and stevia.

Is it really worth its price?

For all its benefits and its high quality, Sunwarrior Protein is in a league of its own. At its price, you’d be hard-pressed to find another brown rice protein powder that offers the same benefits.

So what’s the verdict?

Sunwarrior Protein is one of the highest-quality protein powders on the market today. With its high-quality protein content and nutritional value, Sunwarrior protein can easily be the best protein powder for bodybuilders and those looking to gain muscle mass while losing fat. Without this ‘tool’ you’ll be a step behind the rest not just in terms of reaching your personal fitness and physique goals, but in terms of long-term vibrant health.

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You Are Not Tracking Your Calories!

Time and time again people fail to realize that they are actually eating too much food in order to lose weight. My advice here would be to track your calorie intake on a daily basis. Write down what foods you are eating throughout a typical day and jot down how many calories they all add up to at the end of the day. Most people are surprised to find their calorie intake so high when they actually sit down and track their calories for a few days. This is mainly down to bad food choices. Bad food choices lead to the consumption of extra calories. Pick healthy nutritious foods and track your calories and you will begin to lose more weight.

You Are Not Consistent!

If you are not consistent in your eating habits you will find it tough to lose weight and burn away that unwanted fat. Consistency is the key to weight loss. If you can be consistent then you will lose weight. Train your mind to focus on achieving what you have set out to do. Imagine what you will look like when you finally lose that weight. Next time you feel like cheating on your diet ask yourself if you are really hungry. Ask yourself if this is worth sacrificing your weight loss attempts for. Remember that weight loss takes time. Each day you stray from your diet the longer it will take to reach your ideal weight.

You Have Not Set Yourself Any Goals!

Whether you are looking to gain muscle or burn fat you should always set goals. Goals are powerful. Write them down in black and white and read them every single day. Setting goals can help motivate you and keep your mind focused on eating right and losing weight on a consistent basis. If you have something to work towards you have a reason to work hard on your diet and your training. You have a reason to make sacrifices. Goals make your actions seem worthwhile. When you have a bad day and lose motivation to lose weight, revert back to your goals and remind yourself of the reason you are doing this. Track your calories, be consistent and set yourself some achievable goals and there is no limit to how much weight you can lose!

For more tips on staying on track to your goal of getting rid of unwanted fat, check this out:

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In this post, he explains the importance of properly consuming protein in building muscle. If you’re looking for a prime source of protein, check out Sunwarrior Protein, my favorite protein powder.

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By Robert Cheeke

It might not be common knowledge. But many vegan and vegetarian athletes consume adequate, quality protein on a plant-based diet and thrive with high levels of health and fitness.

Building muscle on a vegan diet should not be considered a challenge, an oxymoron or an improbable task deemed for failure.  Like anything else in nutrition, getting enough protein in your diet comes down to the basics, and common sense.  Eat frequently, eat quality whole foods and consume an adequate quantity to elicit the kind of muscle gains you’re looking to experience.

If your goal is to build muscle, it must be understood how muscle grows in the first place.  You can’t expect to pack on muscle without understanding how the process works.

For starters, you have a basic minimum caloric need just to maintain your weight, muscle and health.  This is determined based on your age, size, weight and gender, and primarily based around how many calories you’re expending (burning) each day.

You burn calories in everything you do — from sleeping to walking to exercising. And the more intense the activity, the more calories you burn.

Due to the nature of physical activity, athletes burn far more calories than non-athletes. So they require more calories through the consumption of food than their non-athlete counterparts.

We know we need to eat well and eat often. But what we eat — and what we choose not to eat — are also important factors.  It’s pretty common for an athlete to require 0.8 – 1.2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight to maintain muscle.

Building muscle, which is our specific topic, often requires the consumption of 1.2 – 2.0 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.  It may seem like a lot. But thousands of bodybuilders and athletes — who dedicate their personal or professional lives to building muscle — have found that this system is effective.  It’s just the way the body works.  It is a system which supports any sports interest from tennis to running to lifting weights.  We break the body down through exercise and need to build it back up through sound and adequate nutrition.

You’re probably not used to consuming this volume of food. But it’s also one of the main reasons why “vegetarians” as a group get the reputation for being underweight. It’s not a baseless stereotype and it’s something that I work hard to eradicate through my Vegan Bodybuilding lifestyle.

Of course, it’s not just consuming a lot of food that is important. It’s also an exercise program that supports the food intake.

Muscle grows as a result of the micro-tears that happen within a muscle following resistance training, usually weight training.  Lifting weights or putting your body under physical stress in other ways (such as manual labor or bodyweight exercises) causes the muscle fibers to tear.

The food you eat, supplements you take, and ensuing rest you get all help in the recovery process that builds you back up bigger and stronger.  Without exercise, you’re likely to gain fat eating a higher than usual calorie diet. That’s because the caloric consumption will greatly outweigh the caloric expenditure.

When put together appropriately, they work harmoniously and create outstanding results of proper nourishment, fat-burning and muscle building.  You can “have your cake” and burn it off too.

Consuming a gram to two grams of protein per pound of bodyweight isn’t an easy task. If it were, we’d all be walking around as muscle-bound citizens mimicking cartoon super heroes.  Of course that image isn’t the goal of many, but recovering properly from any type of exercise is our primary goal.

It usually requires the consumption of six to eight meals a day with the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats throughout the day.

Regardless of your sports interest, consuming smaller meals throughout the day keeps you constantly nourished and fueled for a run, a tennis match, cycling, swimming or anything else, providing important nutrition to start the day, throughout the day and pre and post-exercise.

The percentage breakdown for an active person may look like this:

• 50% of calories from carbohydrates
• 30% coming from protein
• 20% coming from fats.

The exact percentages may change daily based on diet. They also vary per individual based on factors such as your food preference, your rate of metabolism (your body’s ability to burn fat) and your specific athletic goals.

Though it’s not an easy task to consume enough food, it’s also not extremely challenging either, it just takes some dedication, focus, planning and preparation.  I personally enjoy eating frequently throughout the day.  My meals tend to be a bit smaller and I get to incorporate a lot of variety, flavors, themes, etc. because I am eating more frequently than just three or four meals a day.

In general fruits are the easiest to digest and are often best eaten alone rather than combined with other foods such as proteins.  Consumed at the same kind could slow down digestion in many people so some people choose to eat fruit by itself and consume other carbohydrates with proteins in other meals throughout the day.

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Robert Cheeke is a competitive bodybuilder and the 2005 and 2009 INBA Northwestern USA Natural Bodybuilding Champion. He is also President and founder of Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness, a company dedicated to supporting natural vegan bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts. Check out his website at www.veganbodybuilding.com.

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Here are Robert’s top tips for Building and Maintaining Muscle on a Plant Based Diet:

1) Make whole foods the foundation of your nutrition program.

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, and seeds should be the foods you eat most often.  They are the healthiest, provide the most nutrition and are the most environmentally friendly foods available.

2) Plan ahead.

Prepare food ahead of time.  Keep food in your car, at work, on your bike, or however you commute to and from work.  Keep whole food based energy and protein bars filled with nuts, grains and seeds in your gym bag, office desk, coat pockets, etc.

Since you want to consume calories regularly, you’ll want to keep non-perishable foods with you wherever you go.  Plan larger meals ahead of time too.  Use re-sealable containers to transport food with you that will need refrigeration.  Make food the day before, or make large quantities of a particular food like rice or potatoes, which may last for a few days.  Bottom line, always be prepared by planning ahead.

3) Take your nutrition and training programs seriously.

Are you serious about your health?  If so, act like it.  Fitness and wellness don’t just happen by themselves. They rely on your hard work and dedication.  Be consistent in your efforts in motivation, nutrition and training.

Then you’ll achieve what you set out to do. You’ll be rewarded with better health, greater fulfillment, and new opportunities in other areas of your life.

Robert’s Favorite Muscle Building and Muscle Maintaining Foods

• Tofu
• Tempeh
• Seitan
• Nuts
• Nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter, etc.)
• Avocado
• Beans
• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Pastas
• Sandwiches
• Burritos
• Soups
• Artisan breads
• Protein bars
• Protein drinks
• Heavy foods by weight such as potatoes, and yams
• Ethnic food platters such as Middle Eastern, Thai, Indian and Ethiopian foods

The more diversity in your diet, the better. And the more whole foods you consume, the better for your overall health, athletic performance, recovery from exercise and general wellness.  Regardless of your sports interest, general rules apply for pre and post-exercise nutrition.

Enjoy the Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness lifestyle and get the most out of it. All the best in your own journey to outstanding fulfillment and amazing results!

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Robert Cheeke is the Author of Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness – The Complete Guide to Building Your Body on a Plant-Based Diet. You can connect with him via www.veganbodybuilding.com or find him on Facebook and Twitter as well or email robert@veganbodybuilding.com anytime.

Interested in nutrition for musclebuilding? Here’s where you can get more tips –> Empowered Nutrition.

Empowered Nutrition Plan

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Soy derived protein is currently being sold as active ingredients in many bodybuilding supplements. You’re probably even taking soy protein as part of your muscle building diet without knowing it.

Not sure? Here’s a list of food sources where soy is commonly found in considerable concentration: tofu, vegetable soups, veggie meats, some sauces, baked goods, desserts, smoothies and shakes, some protein bars, and of course some bodybuilding supplements.

But the thing is, there’s this really confusing issue about soy.

First it’s touted as a miracle food having complete protein, then next it’s bashed as bearer of highly toxic chemicals that will reduce your sperm count and shrink your balls. Then it’s back to being the answer to preventing all sorts of diseases and ailments, only to be accused again of being carcinogenic!

So what’s the real skinny on soy?

Should soy protein be a part of your muscle building diet, or are you better off leaving soy on the shelves?

Considering the fact that there are seemingly reputable researches shouting from either side of the 2 camps, how do you know whose “research” to believe?

Let’s consider what each camp is saying, then we can evaluate for ourselves.

Soy – a Sneaky Muscle-killing Poison in Our Food Supply?

So here are the cases against soy that point to it being taken off as part of your muscle-building diet:

Source: http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/03soymyths.htm

• Soy isoflavones and Soy protein isolate don’t have GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status. Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its application to the FDA for GRAS status for soy isoflavones following an outpouring of protest from the scientific community. The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate because of concern regarding the presence of toxins and carcinogens in processed soy.
• Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein digestion and affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors led to stunted growth.
• Phytic acid in soy foods results in reduced bioavailabilty of iron and zinc which are required for the health and development of the brain and nervous system.
• Megadoses of phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated in the current trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.
• A British government report concluded that there is little evidence that soy foods protect against breast cancer or any other forms of cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an increased risk of cancer.
• Soy consumption enhances hair growth in middle-aged men, indicating lowered testosterone levels. (Read: lowered testosterone levels = decreased muscle building capacity)

The truth is, soy is the last place protein source to consider if you are a bodybuilder looking for a good muscle mass gaining diet. Why, you may ask? First of all, you have to think of not only how well protein sources are digested, but how they are also assimilated and utilized after they are digested by the body. Did you know that when matched up against each other, a hydrolyzed soy isolate would still fail to deliver against the protein from a plain ol’ glass of milk? According to an illegal study, hydrolyzed soy protein was given a biological value of 87% with a net protein utilization of about 78%. While they may appear decent numbers, simple milk concentrate has a 95% biological value rate and a net protein utilization of 85%.

One of the negative effects of soy protein, particularly soy isolate, would be its ability to slow down the rate of protein synthesis and its inhibitory effect on myoblast production, maturation and activity5. When the protein synthesis rate is reduced, it lowers the amount of protein accumulated as well as the rate of muscle growth. Myoblasts, however, are the ones that actually lay down the newly formed proteins and create the tissue.

In addition, soy has a suppressing effect on your body’s immune system, destroying the immune tissue and lowering the T-lymphocyte production by over 80%. It also shuts down production of the T4 thyroid hormone that contributes to an efficient metabolism, making it an all in all bad choice of protein supplement for bodybuilders.

To further back these facts up, a study published online by Human Reproduction (July 24, 2008), Europe’s leading reproductive medicine journal, shows men who consume an average of half a serving of soy food a day have lower concentration of sperm than men who do not consume soy foods.

This association was marked especially in overweight or obese men. Spearheaded by Dr. Jorge Chavarro, 99 men, who attended a fertility clinic for evaluation of their sub-fertility between years 2000 and 2006, had to take 15 soy-based foods which were then analyzed by the Dr. Chavarro and his colleagues after. The foods were comprised of tofu, tempeh, tofu or soy sausages, bacon, burgers and mince, soy milk, cheese, yoghurt and ice cream, and other soy products like roasted nuts, drinks, powders and energy bars. The study found that men who ate the most soy food had 41 million sperm per millilitre less than men who did not consume soy products. Note that the “normal” sperm concentration for men ranges between 80-120 million/ml.

Soy – the Miracle Food

On the other hand here’s what the PRO-Soy camp are saying:

In a study offered at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Meeting last May 2004, which was sponsored by the US National Dairy Council, soy and milk proteins are both effective in supporting muscle building, suggesting that soy is a good post-workout nutritional drink. According to the study, soy improves athletic performance, and the isoflavones found in soy protein generate antioxidant effects, which hasten up recovery period and reduce muscle soreness and inflammation.

According to Douglas S. Kalman, M.S, R.D., Director of Nutrition & Applied Clinical Research at Miami Research Associates:

“We believe that this study validates that soy protein is safe and just as effective as whey protein in helping exercising males achieve their fitness goals and supports the development of lean muscle mass.”

As another result of the study, it was established that soy, like whey protein, does not have a negative impact on the testosterone levels in men. In addition to that, the study found that soy provides a full set of amino acids that benefit the exercising muscles, making them even larger and stronger. Such findings contradict the previous ones I’ve mentioned above.

Actually I can cite loads and loads of “researches” done that state exactly the opposite of what the Anti-Soy camp are saying above, so I’m not gonna bother.

So who are we going to believe?

Conclusion

Now I know this could sound lame but I think in this case, I would advise not to believe everything you read. As always, use your common sense, and I think the best way really is to listen to your body. I’ve found that as I ate less processed foods and stuck to wholesome, simple, freshly prepared  meals, and as I practiced more awareness I started to intuitively know/sense how certain foods affect me – my moods, my health and my energy balance.

For example, I personally react to soy milk (it’s known to be a highly mucous-forming food, and this is the case with me), so I avoid it. When I go out with friends and I eat crap stuff like fast food, I almost always get a headache from all the MSG or an upset stomach.

One could easily say I’m a wuss for being too sensitive, but I actually regard having that sensitivity as a good sign because I immediately receive feedback about what’s good or bad for my body.

So my personal opinion about this whole soy debate? Consume it in very little amounts, or just leave it altogether – just in case!

For a list of bodybuilding supplements I recommend, click here.

Sources:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/satter6.htm

http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/phytoestrogen/soy-food-sperm-count.php

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson71.htm

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Below is Sean Nalewanyj’s explanation as to why a multi-vitamin is an essential aid for maximizing muscle gain. In order to really see big time results, you should be taking muscle building vitamins regularly as it is the best chance to help your body reach its highest potential in building muscle weight.

The Muscle Gain Truth program by Nalewanyj is a thorough plan fit for genetically average trainers who would want to put the most possible mass on their body.  It is also ideal for anyone who has big time muscle building goals and wants big time muscle building results.

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What Vitamins to Take When You’re Bodybuilding?

by Sean Nalewanyj

Multivitamin intake and its function in enhancing overall health, whether in or out of the gym, is one of the most debated issues in the supplement industry today.

Can consumption of extra vitamins and minerals benefit bodybuilders in their aim to build muscle? Let’s look at some basic biology you may have encountered already in high school in order to find the answer regarding these muscle building vitamins and their specific functions…

In order to get a good grasp of what this discussion will cover, let it be pointed out that the body is one giant mass of chemical reactions. Small proteins that we call enzymes fuel each individual reaction the body produces. These fueling activities work by lowering the amount of energy that is needed for a particular reaction to take place. These enzymes will need to work with “co-enzymes” or vitamins, which changes its shape and allows it to perform its function properly.

In short, vitamins, which helps fueling thousands of chemical reactions in the body, are not only a vital component in your overall metabolism and body health, but are also a significant part in the muscle building-process of your body.

Below are the major vitamins and how each will aid you both- in and out of the gym…

Vitamin A – Aside from its role in helping the body generate glycogen, the stored form of carbohydrates within the body, it is also an important element in the process of protein synthesis, where individual amino acids are united to form new muscle tissue.

Vitamin B1 – This vitamin, also known as “thiamine,” is greatly involved in both protein metabolism and the production of hemoglobin that helps carry oxygen around the body.

Vitamin B2 - Or “riboflavin,” aids in the processes of destroying fat and helping the body produce energy from carbohydrates.

Vitamin B3 – Also known as “niacin,” this vitamin increases vasodilation within the muscle tissue, which makes you appear fuller and more vascular.

Vitamin B6 – This vitamin that is also called “pyridoxine” is a very important type because of its effect on protein digestion. Especially for those with average build and are following a muscle-building diet that goes with their workout, larger than normal amounts of protein and vitamin B6 intake are required.

Vitamin B12 – Or “cobalamin,” this vitamin aids in the communication between brain and muscle tissue, and has a direct effect on growth and coordination of the muscle.

Biotin – Helps the body generate energy during workouts and metabolize amino acids.

Vitamin C – This vitamin plays a major role in amino acid metabolism and the formation of collagen, which is found in your connective tissue, which keeps your joints strong and healthy. Vitamin C also enhances the absorption of iron and is heavily involved in the production of steroid hormones in the body. Most importantly, this vitamin is a great antioxidant that rids the body of free radicals and avoids damage to your body cells.

Vitamin D – Helps in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. Calcium is concerned with contractions and is in charge of maintaining strong bones and joints. Phosphorus, on the other hand, aids in the formation of ATP, the usable form of energy within your body.

{Editor’s Note about Vitamin D: Natural News found that Vitamin D supplements reduced fractures in everyone — the young and old, women and men, and even people who had already sustained fractured bones in the past. Combination of calcium and vitamin D, however, as opposed to taking vitamin D alone, is most effective in reducing a variety of fractures. Interestingly, this combination of supplements benefits both women and men of all ages. }

Vitamin E – This vitamin is a great antioxidant, which helps locate and flush out free radicals and natural metabolic waste products, and maintains the health of your cell membranes.

As you may look at the list above again, you will notice that vitamins play a very significant part in building muscle and gaining strength. For bodybuilders who are hard in training, taking in higher amounts of these vitamins is a must, as these vitamins are worn-out during intense sessions in the gym. In addition, a calorie-dense diet needs higher intake of vitamins to help digest properly. Just by being deficient in one vitamin could mean thousands of small processes affected within the body.

So, are multivitamins crucial for bodybuilders?

Heck, yeah!

All these processes in the body in which vitamins are involved, such as protein synthesis, energy metabolism, digestion and vasodilation, prove that multivitamins should be an vital part of any effective supplementation plan. Including high-potency multivitamins in the diet daily will certainly help in developing that muscular shape you’re after.

About The Author:

Sean Nalewanyj is a bodybuilding expert and writer of the top-selling Internet Bodybuilding Complete Program: Muscle Gain Truth No Fail System

The e-book teaches you how to build the greatest amount of lean muscle mass and strength possible in the shortest period of time.

Read my review of Sean Nalewanyj’s Muscle Gain Truth No Fail System here.

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What is 7 Minute Muscle?

The 7 Minute Muscle by Jon Benson is a Muscle building System that demands that you workout in a gym, but only for 7 minutes at a time (and he guarantees GREAT results).

If you’re really ambitious or if you’re a bodybuilder, you only have to workout for 14-21 minutes.

Sounds too good to be true, right? That’s what I thought as well.

But I am a self-employed guy who frankly don’t have much time at all, so when I head about this claim, I was all ears! So I bought the program just a few days ago and thought I’d share my findings with you guys, too. (I reckon if it was a load of crap I could just refund my money anyway)

So who is it for?

If you are currently spending 5 to 15 hours a week in the gym (and that doesn’t count cardio, meal planning, food prep, etc.) then you may want to read this review word for word.

7 Minute Muscle is for those who are interested in saving time and saving money on wasted supplements.

If you’re a woman, this program is also suitable  for you. The 7 Minute Muscle System is perfect for getting the look you really want. Slightly larger muscles and less bodyfat THAT is “toned!” In fact, there are three girls in the videos. One is a doctor and a mom with three kids.

Also for LADIES, there’s a bonus audio that shows you how to get a great butt and shapely legs without needing a gym. All you need is a ball, bench, and possibly some light dumbbells. My girlfriend is actually excited about this program because her current program requires her to workout for at least 60 minutes per day – 6 to 7 times a week! (insane, right?)

7 Minute Muscle is for…

• The busy executive who can only squeeze in a few minutes a day to exercise (like me)
• The frantic mom who still wants to keep in top shape even with the job and kids.
• The hard-core bodybuilders and muscleheads who are always looking for that edge
• Beginners who don’t want to waste time
• The frustrated “no-gainers”
• The athlete who need to train but also need to focus their energies on training for their sport
• The super-busy college student

Basically anyone who wants to save time—male or female, young or old, beginner or advanced lifters.

Who is the Product NOT for?

You’d think 7 minutes for a workout sound too easy. Well actually it’s freakin’ torture.

So it’s not for wimps, whiners, or quitters.

It’s also not for those who thinks they “Know a lot” about muscle building already and aren’t willing to be open-minded to principles that goes against what they know. I obviously read a lot about these kinds of stuff so this was particularly difficult for me to do.

Who is Jon Benson?

It all started when Jon Benson realized that he was practically living in the gym and didn’t have much time for anything else. He felt that he actually did NOT have much of a life (I’m sure you can relate, right?! LOL) and he wanted it back.

He discovered that much of the advice from mainstream fitness publications were written by “genetic freaks” (his words, not mine) supplement-mongers and steroid-abusers.

So he tried to find out what it USED TO BE like – back when there were no supplements and no steroids. What did the best muscle builders do?

He found out that they were getting results in just minutes a day – NOT hours.

From then on, answering the question, “How can I get the most results in the least amount of time?” became Jon’s obsession. And it lasted for 3 years, after which he was able to produce 7 Minute Muscle.

AM I Really Just Supposed to Work out for 7 F*$@ing Minutes?

My thoughts exactly. And the answer is Yes.

The exercise protocol is timed at exactly 7 minutes for Level 1 trainees. Jon’s routine is setup to do extremely high-intensity exercises in short bursts.

There are protocols for high-level intermediate trainees. If you are at this level, you can try the 14-minute protocol.

But if you’re truly hardcore and you need to train longer (elite-level bodybuilders, or people who just like the gym a hell of a lot), there’s a 14-minute and 21-minute protocol you can do. It sounds easy, but apparently not even Jon Benson does this protocol.

Be aware that these protocols don’t involve Cardio. But the over-all routine given includes a TOTAL fat-burning routine for ….wait for it…. a whopping 9 minutes extra 2-3 days per week.

What makes this product Different from other similar products out there?

7 Minute-Muscle is practically going AGAINST what mainstream bodybuilding programs teaches:

Pros
The ebook is actually short (under 100 pages) so I like it a lot

Saves time. It’s tһе quickest workout I’ve used, but it’s also tough (hell yeah it’s challenging enough).

Saves money that you drain out for sending hours in gym and for dietary items

Helps you get rid of 6 meals a day program

Very concentrated workouts (bу body раrt)

Easy-tο-follow videos explaining each exercise

Provides a free email or electronic mail course.

Cons

You really need to get into a GYM to do this program. So if you don’t want to commit to a gym membership or you have no access to a gym, you can still do this program but you won’t get the optimal results.

The program goes against almost everything you have been taught so far about muscle building that you will really need A LOT of open-mindedness to get through to this one and really apply it. In fact it asks you to FORGET everything you know so far and start over with a clean slate of a mind and then just DO what the program says.

And oh yeah, be ready to do some “Woo Woo” stuff. LOL

There’s a section in the book that teaches you about the science of “Psychophysiology”, or how the mind and body affect one another to increase performance. So Mind-over-muscle stuff.

You’ll learn about Jon’s “3-Flow Technique” and how it alone will increase your training results by over 200%. You’ll discover how a particular brain wave that you produce every day naturally can be stimulated without anything but your thoughts (specifically, where you choose to put your attention) that will increase your results even more.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Yeah it’s for weirdos like me.

What’s included the Package again?

On top of the 100-page e-book, there are 7 Videos:

• Introduction to 7 Minute Muscle
• Chest
• Back
• Shoulders
• Legs
• Arms
• Butt & Legs (Home Workout video)

Is it really good value for money?

I think it is. The main thing about the offer that attracted me is that you can potentially get a fantastic body exercising just under an hour per week. I currently spend 6 hours every week in the gym. That’s a difference of 5 hours, and even though I absolutely LOVE bodybuilding, I have a business to run as well so when I heard about this benefit I just grabbed the program right away.

If you work out for 5 hours a week, you would gain 4 hours every week = over 1 year of extra life if you are 30 – more if you’re younger.

So the amount of time which 7 Minute Muscle saves you is massive. We’re talking years! It can give you hours of free time each week. You’ll easily make up for the $77 $44 price tag. Also, as I said before, if you’re not so sure it, you have 60 days to make up your mind.

Most of the quality muscle building program available online today are now more expensive than 7 Minute Muscle, so you’ll be paying less for such an exceptional program.

Conclusion

Overall, if you’re looking to spend less time at the gym and still get results, this is a program worth having in your arsenal.

If you apply yourself using 7 Minute Muscle for 60 days and for ANY reason do not find it the most effective, time-saving, muscle-building workout you’ve ever done, Jon will gladly refund your money. No questions.

I recommend you check it out now. 7 Minute Muscle has just been picked up by a Fitness Publishing House. That means that 7 Minute Muscle will be licensed to the publisher, and they will likely keep it at the $77 price (if not more).

So Jon wants to blow it out and give you massive discount before the Fitness Publishing House takes over. The program used to sell for $77 but now he’s offering it at $44.

Grab your copy of the 7 Minute Muscle here.

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