SUPPLEMENTATION
Three things you should be doing to support muscle growth.
There are many complicated theories and philosophies about the best ways to build muscle, indeed the ‘science’ of muscle growth can be complex. It is easy to see why many people over-complicate the process, this is due to a number of reasons. The most important one is lack of patience; despite what many think and what the fitness industry often portrays, muscle growth is a slow, slow process, with only a few grams of muscle growth being possible for the non-genetically gifted amongst us! Most people, after the initial few months of training find it harder and harder to grow muscle and if you’re growing 2-3kg of muscle per year consistently, then you are doing pretty well. That said, many people fail to reach their maximum growth rates, it fundamentally comes down to these three things:
Exercising & Losing weight for beginners
For somebody who hasn’t exercised before or doesn't exercise regularly, there is nothing more daunting than the prospect of joining a gym, or often simply the thought of exercise in any form. Many factors can inhibit or prevent a person from undertaking an exercise regime, these can be health related, work related, family related or simply that there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to fit in exercise. The key point to remember is, exercise can be one of the most fulfilling activities available. It doesn’t have to depend on a gym membership or getting up at 5am to run in the cold and rain, there are many programmes that will allow you to boost health, strength and stamina that don’t require leaving your home.
Weight Loss Secrets
It could be a lotion, a new diet or an exercise regime. There is always the next big ‘weight loss secret’ that promises to transform your physique in just a few simple steps, in just a matter of weeks. The truth is, there are weight loss secrets and they are available everywhere if you know where to look. They are just as simple to follow, but not quite as easy as some of the more outlandish claims made by these diet fads.
Beginners Guide: What to eat for muscle growth.
For many people starting out in weight training, the most difficult thing is figuring out what to eat to support muscle growth. With so many conflicting methods and everyone seemingly giving conflicting advice, plus the numerous complex strategies to really optimise muscle growth, it is easy to not even know where to start. So we’ll tell you!
Protein: The key to weight loss.
For many people, weight loss can be challenging. There are many factors that will influence the rate at which a person can lose weight. Fundamentally, in order to lose weight and more specifically body fat, a person needs to be burning more calories than they consume.
Want a perfect beach body? You need to start now!
If we want a beach body for the start of summer, or a holiday, then a lot will depend on your starting point body fat wise. Obviously the more ‘fluff’ we are carrying, the longer we need to give ourselves. The good news is that the more overweight we are the quicker we typically lose weight, the real difficulty is knowing how long you should give yourself. The most effective way is to allow yourself 1-2lbs of fat loss per week, so if you have a stone to lose, give yourself at least 7 weeks plus a ‘settling-in’ period of a few weeks. A bit of leeway is advised in case of set-backs, so ten weeks would be a safe amount of time to get you from A to lean if you wanted to lose a stone!
Know Your Labels
Many athletes are blissfully unaware of the importance of understanding supplement labels. Whilst most companies provide ‘full disclosure’, there are still certain area’s that you need to be aware of. Although been able to break down a supplement label is going to help, it unfortunately doesn’t prevent you falling foul to unscrupulous brands who try to get more money for less product, with their labels actually not matching up to the specified amounts of on the label. Many of you who are active on social media, will no doubt be aware of the recent showdown between ‘Mountain Dog’ John Meadows and Prime Nutrition regarding lab tests for the ‘Intra MD EAA’ product.
The Ultimate Athlete Christmas Gift Guide for her.
It’s that time again, time to buy her everything she wants, but what about what she needs. If she is a girl who spends half of her life training or at the gym, then be responsible and buy her something practical. Here we give you the best gifts for your gym girl.
The Ultimate Athlete Christmas Gift Guide for him.
You know the drill, search the web for hours trying to find him something you haven’t bought him already, it’s tough we know! It doesn’t always have to be ties, socks, wallets and all the other generic gifts you buy for the men in your life that he doesn’t really want. Whether he is an extensive gym-goer, athlete, or merely wants to get in shape, we have the perfect guide to give your gift a twist this year.
Probiotics: How to maintain a healthy gut.
Gut health is becoming an increasingly popular topic within the worlds of health and medicine and for good reason. There is increasing evidence that providing the body with the right ‘tools’ to support a healthy gut helps prevent many chronic illnesses, cancers and heart disease. It also helps with diabetes and supports immune function; there are even links between a healthy gut and levels of obesity.