Category: 2013

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Why Whey? 2013

Whey protein concentrate is one of the most popular food supplements for putting on muscle and losing body fat for bodybuilders, athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike.  I personally have seen and felt the many benefits of incorporating whey.  But why is it so good for us?  Below are 10 reasons why whey is a beneficial supplement that should be part of your diet.

  1. Whey contains all the essential amino acids needed for muscle growth and repair. It can contain as much as 7 grams of BCAAs per serving too.
  2. Whey has one of the highest amounts of leucine with 8 g per 100g (an important amino acid that has been shown to increase protein synthesis and minimise muscle break down). The amount to maintain muscle mass is around 1-3 grams daily.  Ori Hofmekler (the warrior diet creator) suggests that at least 8 grams of leucine daily will optimize its anabolic effects; this equates to around 3-4 servings of whey protein concentrate a day.
  3. Whey protein has minimal amounts of lactose compared to milk so it can be a healthy alternative for people who suffer from milk, casein or lactose intolerance. I personally cannot drink milk for that very reason but can easily digest whey.
  4. Whey protein can help control and optimise insulin secretion which means better use of nutrients, increased energy levels, increased fat loss and improved appetite control.
  5. Whey protein contains immunoglobulins which are basically antibodies that can be used to keep our immune systems strong and healthy so we can fight against bacteria, viruses or even cancer cells.
  6. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that is formed from a combination of three amino acids found abundantly in whey protein; cysteine, glycine and glutamine.  This can help your body defend against free radical damage and eliminate toxins.
  7. Whey protein is a cost effective way of meeting your protein needs to gain muscle mass. I personally need at least 1.5-2 grams of high quality protein per kilo of lean body mass a day to recover and grow from my training.  This would be nearly impossible to reach with a whole food diet, especially since I am blood type A with limited abilities to digest meat- so 4 servings of whey with one serving of meat a day allows me to hit my protein target.
  8. Sarcopenia is a term given to people who suffer from a decline in hormonal out-put and muscle mass after a certain age. Whey protein concentrate in conjunction with a resistance training programme can improve muscle size, strength and body fat loss as we get older.
  9. Research published in the ”International Dairy Journal”  suggests that supplementation with whey protein has important health benefits such as reducing high blood pressure, the chances of having a stroke and heart disease.
  10. The good news is that whey protein supplementation and all its benefits can be utilised by both males and females of any age!

Although this is not a complete list of all the benefits whey can provide us with you can see why whey can be an important player in helping us achieve our health and fitness goals.  So if your training and dieting are on point and progress has plateaued consider whey as a way forward!

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My blueprint for getting lean! 2013

I get a lot of questions about how to lose weight or get lean for competitions so I thought I would share my main dietary and training philosophies here.

Step 1:  Find out your blood type.

Step 2:  Go to Peter D Adamo’s website and complete the questionnaire on which diet protocol would suit you better- Blood Type or Genotype.

Step 3:  Do some reading.  Depending on what diet protocol it suggests for you, purchase the book or get it out at your local library.  If it’s blood type you have a selection of beneficial foods based on your unique blood work.  Your blood type is either O, A, B or AB.  If it is the genotype you will need to know your blood type and complete further questions and body measurements.

Step 4:  Adjust macronutrient ratios.  Now that you have the right food choices for your body you need to consider your protein, carb and fat ratios. If you store body fat easily, increase protein (make sure you are having at least 1-2 grams of protein per kilogram of lean body mass-maybe even more if you are really carb sensitive), cut out grains or use sparingly and replace with more vegetables and low glycaemic fruits from your beneficial food list (definitely cut out bread, pasta and other wheat products).  Do not cut out fat-your body needs it.  Use the beneficial choices from your unique food list.  Drink at least 2-3 litres of water.

Step 5:  Adjust meal frequency.   Again this will depend on you.  Some people need to eat every 2-3 hours.  Others would do better if they stretched meals further apart.  Breakfast for me is not the most important meal of the day and it may not be for you! I personally do better on eating close to nothing all day with a large meal at night.   There are a number of different “fasting” protocols out there that I have tried.  For me the Warrior Diet is the best.  Others like Lean Gains by Martin Berkhan, Eat Stop Eat by Brad Pilon have worked for many people when the traditional small frequent meals didn’t work.

Step 6: Make sure that you are meeting all your nutritional needs. Make sure that from your lists you choose a variety of foods to get a range of nutrients to support health, growth and recovery. Supplements may need to be incorporated (with each blood type/ genotype diet protocol there is a unique beneficial supplement list too).  Often people have suggested to me that these diets are restrictive; I have found it to be the total opposite as I have tried numerous foods that I would never have given a second thought.

Step 6:  Do some weight training 2-4 times per week using compound exercises like, squats, dead lifts (trap bar deadlift if you can’t squat or deadlift), chins, rows, some forms of pressing and a few isolation exercises for the smaller body parts. Add in some form of cardio if it doesn’t impede on your weight training and suits your body type- for example Type O’s who are endomorphic may benefit more from cardio than a hard gainer who is Type A.   Personally, I am a Blood type A, non- secretor, Explorer genotype.    I have found that I can get leaner faster when I stick to my beneficial food lists, train body parts twice over an 8 day period using the exercises mentioned above with no cardio.   My favourite writers on weight training are Casey Butt; creator of Weightrainer.net, Steve Holman; editor of Iron man magazine, Stuart Mc Roberts of hard gainer fame, Doug Brignole and Paul Burke.

Step 7:  Remember to keep an open mind and realise that you are a unique individual.  Adjust these diet and training ideas to suit you- there are other variables like somatotypes, hormone levels, recovery ability, motivation, time and financial considerations.  Realise too that a paradigm shift in thinking may be all it takes to transform your body-don’t get trapped into thinking there is only one way to achieve your fat loss goals or that following some genetic freak or drug users advice online or in a magazine is what you need to do.

Step 8: Enjoy the process of learning about your body so that you can make the body composition changes you want in a balanced, healthy and sustainable manner.   There you have it my blueprint for getting lean!

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How to sleep better 2013

Recently I discussed the health and fitness benefits of sleeping.  However getting 8 hours of quality sleep each night can sometimes be harder to get than you think.  Everyday life, eating habits and stress are just a few things that can stop you getting the muscle building slumber you need to make better progress from your time in the gym.  Below are some strategies you can use to help you sleep better.

  • Keep doing exercise like weight training! Research has shown that exercise definitely helps you sleep better.  Just make sure you don’t over train as this can raise cortisol levels too high and cause you to sleep lighter and for shorter periods of time.  Also most people should avoid training late at night as this can cause you to “wake up” when your body is supposed to be ready for sleep.
  • “Set your body clock” Have a fixed sleeping schedule so your body gets used to a routine. Some research shows that going to bed before 11 pm and arising around 6-8 am as optimal sleeping times.  However it depends on the individual as our natural body rhythms can differ.  Also our normal work hours impact when we get to sleep too.
  • Have a pre bed ritual of having a warm cup of milk, reading a book or listening to some relaxing music. It could be a massage or some form of light stretching.  Anything that makes you feel relaxed.  Others suggest watching something funny on TV as opposed to horrors or thrillers.  If you go to bed with unresolved problems it can increase stress and prevent sleep.  Make a habit of writing them down before you go to bed with the intention that you will deal with them the next day.
  • Avoid using electronic devices late at night. The blue light from computers, smart phones and TVs can affect our circadian rhythm (our body clock over 24 hours) which regulates our body’s ability to get sleepy.  So keep all electronic devices out of the bedroom!
  • Make sure your room is completely dark and quiet. Any light can trick your body into thinking it is day time and wake you up.  Even face your alarm clock away from the bed so the light does not disrupt your sleep.  If noise is unavoidable wear ear plugs.
  • Make sure you get some light first thing in the morning and during the day- get outside and take in some rays as this will help to regulate your natural body clock.
  • Reduce stress during the day. Take little time outs or make sure you change tasks on a regular basis.  Don’t take on too much at work if it makes you feel too stressed and have the ability to say “No” when you need to.
  • Eat a diet balanced in protein, fats, carbs, vitamins, minerals and water so that your body has the nutrients it needs to support your body to induce and sustain sleep. Something as simple as drinking enough water so you don’t wake up thirsty during the night can make a huge difference in the quality of your sleep.  The time that you eat can also impact on the quality of sleep you have.  I eat most of my calories at the end of the day around 4-6 pm as I find this helps me to sleep better.  When I used to only have a small meal at night I would struggle to go to sleep and wake up too early.
  • Avoid stimulants 4-6 hours before bed like caffeinated drinks as the stimulatory effect can keep you awake for hours. I personally can only get away with having a coffee in the morning otherwise two things happen- I go to sleep at a normal time and wake up at 3 am or I can’t go to sleep until 2-3 am.  Either way it is a shocking sleep!
  • Utilise supplements to regulate sleeping patterns. I use methylcobalamin (B12) first thing in the morning as it helps to set my body clock.  It helps switch off melatonin in the morning (the hormone that induces sleep at night) so when bed time rolls around melatonin kicks in when it should to help me go to sleep.  Magnesium is another awesome sleep aid- I use it every night (400-800mg).  Research shows that a deficiency in magnesium can stop the brain from relaxing and settling down at night.  There are also a number of effective sleep inducing formulas you can buy which can include 5-HTP, magnesium, valerian, passion flower, vitamin C and  zinc to name a few.

If a lack of sleep has been compromising your gains in the gym give these simple strategies a try and I guarantee a better nights’ sleep!  Awesome dreams everyone!

 

 

 

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Sleep your way to more size! 2013

One of the most important ways to improve gains in the gym, apart from diet, training and supplements is sleep!

The optimum amount of sleep is slightly different for each person but the consensus from most experts is that you need at least 7-9 hours a night to make sure you are able to recover and grow from your weight training sessions.  I would personally go for a minimum of 8 hours of sleep per night.

If you find it hard to reach this each night a power nap would definitely help.  Just consider, however that some research suggests that 20-30 minutes is all you should have during the day as this amount has positive results without impacting on your ability to perform everyday tasks.  If you are unable to nap, catching up a few hours on another night will go a long way to correcting and reducing the negative effects that sleep deprivation can have on you.

Early warning signs of not getting enough sleep could be:

  • Needing an alarm clock to wake up in the morning.
  • Struggling to get out of bed first thing.
  • Feeling tired or sleepy during the day.
  • Needing a nap to get through the day.
  • Feeling the need to sleep in on weekends.
  • Weights are not going up in the gym.
  • Little niggles like pulled muscles start to occur when you train.

Serious signs of not getting enough sleep are:

  • A lack of motivation, focus and energy to do anything let alone train.
  • Getting annoyed and grumpy easily.
  • Struggling to handle physical and mental stress from work, the gym and life in general.
  • More susceptible to colds, getting injured and being weaker in the gym.
  • Increased cortisol release (a catabolic hormone) which often leads to increased fat storage and a range of health problems like digestive issues, diabetes and heart disease.
  • Increased hunger and cravings for foods.
  • A serious lack of sleep can even affect your ability to think, balance and react to the point where you are as clumsy and as slow as when you are drunk!

As you can see not getting enough shut eye can have a huge impact on your performance, recovery and gains from the gym.  If you are still not convinced here are the benefits of getting the right amount of sleep.

  • It optimises your hormonal out-put so you; recover faster; get bigger, stronger and leaner.
  • You are more motivated, focussed and energetic when you train.
  • You will have better judgement which means you will train smarter and avoid injury.
  • Reduces any food cravings and speeds up your metabolism so there will have less fat around your hips, abs and thighs.

Also you will be a nicer person to get along with and be able to enjoy life a whole lot more!  What other activity can offer you so much for no effort and no expense.  Train hard, eat well, use supplements wisely and SLEEP your way to new muscle now!

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Changing the resistance angle of an exercise to build more muscle. 2013

I have found that changing an exercises angle to manipulate when maximum resistance occurs during the exercise can have a positive effect in several ways, it can:

  • Improve motivation and enthusiasm for training by providing variation.
  • Stimulate muscle growth by overloading the muscle in a different way.
  • Allow you to keep training intensely when working around small recurring injuries.

Although I have never struggled much with having enthusiasm to train, nothing is more satisfying and motivating when you try a new variation of an exercise and BOOM, you feel it in a way you have never felt before, you get an awesome pump and you just know it will contribute to new growth (often a good dose of muscle soreness the next day too).

Of course there are multiple ways of changing the way that you train to get the above effect; however, using different variations of an exercise to provide another way to overload the muscle at different points along the range of motion can be used when all other methods such as lifting heavier, more volume, exercise order, different exercises etc, etc have been tapped out.

So how can you change where maximum resistance occurs during an exercise?

You can do this by changing the angle of the body and its levers in relation to gravity or by changing the angle of resistance by other external forces like cables or cam machines.  A good exercise to explain this is the dumbbell side raise for the side deltoids.  In a normal dumbbell side raise maximum resistance occurs at the top of the movement when the arm is parallel to the ground and perpendicular with gravity.  If you were to do side raises lying on a flat bench or on the floor sideways, maximum resistance would occur at the start of the movement when the arm is next to your side as this is where the arm is now perpendicular to gravity.  To get maximum resistance during the middle of a dumbbell lateral raise you would need to lie sideways on an inclined bench.  So when I train my side deltoids my “Omni DB side raises” looks like this:

Lying side raise 1 set (one arm at a time) -max resistance at beginning.

Incline side raise 1 set (one arm at a time) –max resistance near mid- point.

Seated side raises 1 set (both arms) -max resistance at the end (top).

The above approach has allowed me to overload the side deltoids in a productive and unique way with comparatively lighter weights while still using rep ranges conducive for muscle growth.

This leads me to my next benefit, working around injuries. I mentioned last article that I had some niggles with my elbows. This was occurring during elbow flexion of around ninety degrees, especially during dumbbell curls. In a normal dumbbell curl maximum resistance occurs when the arm is flexed at ninety degrees and the forearm is perpendicular to gravity.  So I have been using cable curls that are set up in such a way that maximum resistance occurs at the beginning of the movement with less resistance in the flexed position allowing me to continue to train intensely and productively without any pain or further damage.

So, if you have hit a plateau in your training or have a nagging injury that just won’t go away consider changing the angle of resistance to manipulate when maximum resistance occurs during your favourite exercises and watch your muscles start to grow again!