Why Protein Shakes Are VERY Important After Your Gym Session !

Find out how protein shakes can help you add the extra 5 lbs, lose the extra weight around your stomach or help you get cut for a contest.

 

 

 

These days, it seems like there are more and more people taking in more protein in some form or another. Even if you just walk around your local grocery store, you'll most likely find an assortment of protein-enriched cereals and even "high"-protein oatmeal. Whether the type of protein... it's all about one thing: protein.

 

Even though one of the best ways to get the amount of protein that your diet requires is 

best through solid food, it's not always the easiest thing to get all of your protein through solid foods. Especially if you are someone who has a full time job, kids, etc. meaning you don't always find yourself having time to prepare meals. Therefore this is where protein shakes take place.

 

 

The Benefits 

 

The big question is, why is it that so many people who work out take protein shakes after their workouts?

 

With that being said, protein is used to produce muscles. Proteins are also used to create hormones, cellular messengers, nucleic acids, enzymes, and immune-system components. Without the right amount of protein, our bodies can not put together the structures that make up all of the cells, tissues, organs, nor can it generate the substances that are needed for cardiovascular function, muscle growth, contraction, and healing. Also without the adequate amount of protein our muscles would not heal up as quickly and could potentially lead to overtraining, which can lead to injury. 

 

 

How Much Should You Take In?

 

The minimum amount of protein that a person should take in for building muscle is 1 gram of protein per pound of their body weight (for instance, if you weigh 175 pounds then the minimum amount of protein that you should take in is 175 grams for muscle growth).

 

Any additional protein that is over the amount that you should take in helps to speed up the healing process.  If you find yourself taking in large amounts of protein, you should then make sure to supplement your diet with calcium and magnesium, seeing as large amounts of protein has been said to deplete the amount of calcium and magnesium in the body. 

 

 

When Are the Best Times To Take In Protein? 

 

Simply drinking a protein shake is not enough to build muscles and help build them quickly. However, more importantly is to know when to drink a protein shake and what type of protein to take for maximum absorption and maximum results.

 

Many people do not realize that muscle is not built in the gym alone just by lifting weights. In fact, only a small amount of your time is devoted to working out at the gym. So you ask, "what do I do then with the other 23 hours I have left in the day?" What you find yourself doing after your gym session up until your next session for your muscles is extremely important when it comes to building muscle mass. After a workout your muscles have been put through a large amount of stress, they are being depleted of protein, which is made up of amino acids and stored sugar, aka. Glycogen. This causes your muscle tissues to break down. Now is the time for you to take action and get those muscles of yours back into its anabolic state! This is the perfect time for when a protein shake is needed! 

 

That way the protein can be delivered to your muscles, so it can begin healing the "micro tears" in your muscles. It has been said that solid food takes more time to digest and break down the protein inside of your body, therefore sometimes it is best to take a protein shake immediately after your gym session, since it only takes about 30 minutes to reach the muscle after ingestion. This is an advantage that drinking a protein shake has. 

 

Another important time to take in a protein shake or a slow burning protein (ex: cottage cheese) is before you go to bed. This will provide your muscles with protein, seeing as your body will slowly be depleting of protein while you sleep. 

 

 

 

Conclusion 

 

Regardless of your fitness goals, protein should always be regarded as a foundational nutrient of any nutrition/dieting program. It is a necessity for achieving excellent progress in physique enhancement and performance. The best thing about protein is that even if you don't find yourself being someone who is generally active in sports or trains with weights, you can still enjoy protein by the anti-aging effects that a high protein diet can result in. However, the only way that you can truly find out how beneficial protein can be for you, is to just try it out yourself! 

 

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The Importance of Water In Your Diet and How Much of a Difference it Can Really Make in Fitness!

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Want a great diet tip?

 Drink MORE water.

       Most of us take it for granted. But have you ever actually stopped for a second to think just how important water really is in your life? For the human body it is truly a vital resource, and is essential for our health and survival. A human can go weeks without food but only approx. 5-7 days without water. When the water in our body is reduced by 1 percent, a person becomes thirsty. At 5 percent, the muscle strength and endurance in our body declines significantly and causes us to become hot and tired. When the loss reaches 10 percent, blurred vision and delirium occurs. Where as in a 20 percent reduction of water, results in death.  

    Intaking large amounts of water is extremely important during weight loss because it provides the body hydration WITHOUT those unwanted calories. If you drink non-caloric fluids like water, before or with a meal it can help someone who is on a diet feel full sooner. Therefore, in addition to not adding any calories, drinking water can also replace or avoid unnecessary food calories that are found in snacks or additional meals. 

    Another important thing about drinking water, is that it helps to flush out wastes from the body, which is ESPECIALLY important during times of fat metabolism and weight loss. 

BELOW are six reasons why you should drink more water : 

1. Water Can Help Control Calories: For years, dieters have been drinking lots of water as a weight loss strategy. While water doesn't have any magical effect on weight loss, substituting it for higher calorie beverages (ex: soda, juice, etc.) can certainly help.

2. Water Helps Keep Skin Looking Good: Our skin contains plenty of water, and functions as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss. Many people do not realize that dehydration makes your skin look more dry and wrinkled, which can be improved with proper hydration. 

3. Water Helps Maintain Normal Bowel Function:  Having adequate hydration keeps things flowing along your gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation. When you don't get enough fluid, the colon pulls water from stools to maintain hydration -- and the result is constipation. 

4. Water Helps Energize Muscles: Cells that don't maintain their balance of fluids and electrolytes shrivel, which often can result in muscle fatigue. When our muscle cells don't have the correct amount of fluids, they tend to not work as well and our performance can suffer. Drinking enough fluids is important when exercising. 

5. Water Helps Your Kidneys: Body fluids transport waste products in and out of our cells. The main toxin in the body is called blood urea nitrogen, this is a water-soluble waste that passes through the kidneys to be excreted in the urine. When the body is getting enough fluids, urine flows freely, is found to be light in color and free of odor. When your body is not getting enough fluids, your urine concentration, color, and odor increases because the kidneys trap extra fluid for bodily functions. If you find yourself drinking too little water, you can potentially be at higher risk for kidney stones. 

6. Drinking Water Helps Maintain the Balance of Body Fluids: Our body is composed of about 60% water. The functions of these bodily fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature. When a person is low on fluids, their brain triggers the body's thirst mechanism. 

Here is a way to help you drink a gallon a day, this is what I found helps me to do: 

If you want your diet to work, you need to drink plenty of water. Water can fill you up, decrease your appetite, and help your body get rid of waste from that fat you’re burning. So what are you waiting for? Water is available right now from your tap, and it's free.

Do Chest Workouts Make Breasts Smaller.... Or Is It All a Myth?

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Myth:

Chest Exercises Will Make My Boobs Smaller

As everyone knows chest is the muscle group that is very popular in the male workout programs. Most females believe that chest day should only be left to the men. As in they should take no part in such a day. But the real question is why are girls afraid of doing bench, and or other types of chest exercises? The answer is that there are many reasons why not, but double reasons why you should workout your chest.

Chest Workout Will NOT Make Your Boobs Smaller, I repeat will NOT...

I can count the amount of times I have had women come up to me and tell me that  they are afraid that if they were to start dedicating themselves to a chest day even just once a week, they will end up with smaller boobs. You women aren't far from the truth. It is true that breasts are made up of fat tissue, therefore when you work out, you lose fat in your body. However, your boobs are not getting smaller when performing chest exercises, the honest truth is that they get smaller while doing cardio exercises...

Chest Exercises Will Make Your Boobs Appear Visually BIGGER!

The truth is breasts will not grow with exercise, but the muscles that are found underneath them can develop! Many women don't want their chest looking like a guys, but in reality it is not possible to make them too muscularly, then can only become perkier, which will give them the appearance of becoming visually bigger and fuller, all because of the muscles that you created underneath them. As long as you aren't dieting too severely, your fat mass should remain! So if you don't want the cardio/weight loss to make your boobs firm, your best bet is to get yourself into doing some chest exercises! Therefore next time you think about doing a chest workout, you have nothing to fear because your boobs will be just fineeeeeee!

A Few Chest Exercises To Try Out:

 Push Ups     3 sets 12 reps

Dumbbell Bench Flyes   3 sets 12 reps 

Decline Push Ups  3 sets 12 reps  

Bench Press w/ the use of Dumbbells  3 sets 12 reps

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8 Gym Bag Must Haves!

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This blog is for the ladies who are just beginning to train in a gym or for those of you who may be considering it. There are a number of things you MUST have with you in your gym bag.

 

Here are my top 8 below:

 

 

1. Gym Shoes

 

 

I've realized so many girls seem to underestimate how important it actually is to wear the right shoes when working out. It is important to make sure you have shoes that are supporitve and comfortable. It may even be best to buy a pair of gym shoes, specifically to use only at the gym or when exercising. If you don't wear the right shoes while working out, it can often lead to potential injuries, as well as having a BIG impact on your training. In my opinion I perfer to wear the Nike Flex sneakers. The fact that these shoes are made to be flexible and can bend any which way, is perfect when working out. 

 

 

2. Dry Hair Shampoo

 

   Many of you may be asking yourself why this.... well the answer to your question is that I have realized many people often live a busy life. Often times we try out best to squeeze the gym into our busy schedules. If you find that your hair is a sweaty mess after a workout and need to be somewhere, then the dry hair shampoo will be a complete lifesaver!! It not only refreshes your hair and soaks up the oils in your hair, but also leaves your hair looking flawless as if you didn't even hit the gym that day! At the moment I use dry hair shampoo from, "Not Your Mothers". I have noticed that it has instant results. Such as absorbs the excess oils out of my hair quickly! It is just very convenient to use after the gym. It's available at almost any drug store!!

3. Music Player

I find it a necessity to workout with music on, it not only allows me to focus on my workouts, but it keeps me in the zone. Take an iPod/Iphone that is filled with your favorite upbeat music. It will surely motivate you! I tend to catch myself listening to a lot of hip-hop/techno/house songs when working out. Oh and one thing that I find is best for me to always remember my headphones is by leaving them in the car, this way they will always be with you when heading to the gym!  

4. Oil Absorbing Sheets Or Mini Cleanser 

It is no suprise you get sweaty after a workout, and although that may be satisfying in a way , it is important to take a minute and think about your skin, especially your face! Sweat is known to trap dirt and other particles in your pores, so make sure you wipe over your face before and after you are done working out to prevent any breakouts. I use Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing sheets, which work amazing on my face. They literally remove all of the excess oil on my face, and the best part is they don't even smudge makeup! 

5. Water Bottle 

It’s extremely important to stay hydrated during a workout, so fill up your favorite water bottle and place it in your gym bag before you head out for the gym. Refill your water bottle at the gym when you run out of water and remember to drink plenty of water during workouts. I prefer a large 24 oz water bottle when at the gym! 

6. Lifting Gloves 

Sweaty hands can make gripping weighs a slippery affair, so it often pays to wear weight lifting gloves. If gloves happen to not be your thing, you can always give climbers' chalk a go. Both of these options keep your hands dry, but gloves do have a benefit. This is the fact that they prevent calluses on your hands. That is honestly one of the main reasons why I wear my lifting gloves, to prevent any clluses on my hands, I prefer my hands to be nice and soft :) 

7. Hair Ties & Hair Brush 

So whats the one thing us girls always seem to find missing........... hair ties!!                                                                

8. Healthy Snack for Post Workout

If you like to work up a sweat in the gym, chances are you'll be hungry after your workout. It is probably a good idea to pack a few healthy snacks to eat once the hard work of training is done. A post-training snack should ideally contain protein and carbohydrate in an easily digestible form such as a protein shake or bar. The only reason you should skip a post-training snack is if you are going to eat a substantial meal in the next 60-minutes!