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Building Muscle On A Vegan Diet
Unless you live under a rock — a rock with no wifi access — you’ve probably noticed that there’s been an explosion of interest in vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. Once the province of new-age hippies and animal rights activists, plant-based diets have gone mainstream in a big way. Indeed, according to a 2019 article in The Economist, 25% of 25- to 34-year-old Americans say they are vegans or vegetarians, and the trend is accelerating.Before we go on, let's establish the difference. A vegetarian is someone who doesn't consume any food products made from meat, poultry, fish, or seafood. In addition to these staples, a vegan will also not consume eggs or dairy products. Some extremely strict vegans will also extend this prohibition to some insect by-products such as honey.So, why go veggie? Well, there's the sustainability issue, of course. It takes a big old mountain of vegetable matter to feed one cow that in turn can be sliced into a few steaks. Environmental and ethical concerns aside, however, many people have discovered that they simply feel better after eliminating meat from their diet, whether it's due to digestion issues or allergies. Reducing meat intake may also help reduce cholesterol levels, lower A1C blood sugar levels, and lower the risk of getting certain kinds of cancer.One last bastion left unconquered by the vegan hordes has always been the realm of serious muscle-building athletes. Common consensus has always maintained that vegetable proteins are incomplete proteins that are not as efficiently utilized by the body to repair and build muscle tissue. The Protein Biological Value Scale, which ranks food sources according to percentage of protein that can be digested and used for muscle building purposes, includes all meats at the top and plants toward the bottom, generally speaking.All of which brings us back to our primary question: Can You Build Muscle on a Plant-Based Diet? For our purposes here, we're going to be considering the vegan lifestyle, so no eggs or dairy either. The answer is a classic good news / bad news proposition.1) Yes, you can build significant muscle mass on a vegan diet.2) It won't be easy.Skeptical? You don't have to take our word for it. Tennis superstar Venus Williams, pro basketball standout Chris Paul, and multiple Wimbledon champ and world number one tennis player Novak Djokovic have all embraced plant-based lifestyles while reaching the apex of their sports. Powerlifter and Germany's strongest man Patrik Bouboumian credits his vegan diet with helping him build colossal muscle and strength.So it is possible. But vegan athletes have to be even more diligent about the food they consume than their meat-eating contemporaries. And even then, challenges remain. Let's take a look at some of them. 1Maintaining a Caloric Surplus We talk all the time about how many muscle-building athletes undermine their gains by simply not consuming enough calories every day. All the exercise in the world won't make a difference if there isn't enough growth fuel in the tank. And these athletes have access to calorie-dense chicken breasts, lean beef and whey protein formulas. Now imagine how difficult it is to gain muscle solely on leafy greens. There's a reason cows and deer spend every waking moment munching foliage.We advise ALL aspiring muscle builders to use a calorie calculator. A good calculator -- they're free all over the internet -- will tell you how many calories you need to maintain and grow muscle. And then you have to manually weigh what you eat and plan your meals ahead to make your macros. This is even more important for vegan athletes. It takes a lot of kale to hit your daily protein intake number.In terms of sheer calories, one solution for vegan athletes is to rely on nutrient-dense plant-based foods like nuts, seeds, oils, and complex carbohydrates. (Early warning here that if you're also gluten sensitive, you're in a double-bind because some of the following suggestions are gluten-rich grains.) Excellent sources of protein for vegans include ancient grains such as spelt, barley and sorghum, as well as quinoa, oats, soy, tempeh, and all sorts of nuts and nut butters. If you're culinarily adventurous, you might consider mycoproteins, a non-animal-based protein derived from fungus, and seitan, a kind of "wheat meat" that is one of the richest plant protein sources available and is a good source of selenium, iron, calcium, and phosphorus.Complex carbohydrates will help you elevate your caloric intake and are an excellent energy source for your workouts. Again, whole grains, wild rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes and oats are your friends here. Bulk up!The key is to eat and eat often. If you're grazing like a deer, you need to approach it like a deer. As an eight-meal-a-day job. 2Combining Plant-Based Meal Options to Create Complete Amino Profiles Different plants have different amino profiles, but one thing they all have in common is that they're incomplete. Veggies tend to be deficient in leucine, which is essential to facilitating protein synthesis in muscle tissue. You can meet this challenge by turning to vegan protein powders sourced from green peas, wild rice, hemp and chia seeds, all of which have relatively higher leucine values.Soy protein powder actually has a protein biological value slightly higher than fish and lean beef. This makes it an ideal option for mixing into shakes, stir-frys, stews and other meal options. Other plant-based options that contain comparable amounts of protein per serving as animal-based foods are pumpkin seeds, black beans, lentils, and almonds. Also consider combining nuts and seeds with legumes, as well as grains and legumes (rice and beans, for instance) to create more complete amino profiles. You don't have to do this in the same meal, but as part of your everyday regimen.You may want to increase your overall protein intake as well. Plant-based proteins aren't as swiftly absorbed as meat proteins. If you absorb 85% to 95% of the protein in chicken breast and beef, you might only absorb 50% to 75% of the protein in common vegan protein sources. So if a typical carnivore is consuming 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, you might want to shoot for something closer to two grams. Again, it's a lot of eating. 3Accessing Proper Amounts of Trace Nutrients A vegan diet is rich in the nutrition you need to achieve peak physique and performance, but some very specific trace nutrients can be harder to obtain. The one most commonly cited is Vitamin B-12, which is found almost exclusively in animal-sourced foods such as fish, meat, dairy products, and eggs. Vitamin B-12 deficiency can increase risks for a number of serious health conditions, so it makes sense to supplement for this key nutrient. Fortunately, there are vegan-friendly B-12 products formulated from fairly exotic sources such as lichen algae and nori seaweed.Omega-3 fatty acids are super-nutrients that support heart health, antioxidant activity and recovery from intense exercise. We primarily associate Omega-3s with fish oils, but flaxseed is another vital source of Omega-3s, as are walnuts, chia seeds and Brussels sprouts. For greater absorbability and utilization, consider supplementing with an Omega-3 formulation derived from algae.You would think the "sunshine vitamin" and plant-based foods would go hand-in-hand, but actually the Vitamin D found in plants is the much less bioactively useful Vitamin D2. Vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol is better absorbed and effectively raises blood vitamin D levels for a longer period than vitamin D2. Fortunately, nature has you covered here, as Vitamin D3 is a hormone that your body produces naturally in response to sunlight. During winter months, you can supplement with Vitamin D3 derived from lichen algae.Other trace nutrients that can be lacking in vegan diets include iodine (which can be derived from kelp and furnished in supplement form), taurine (available in synthetic form), and calcium, which is usually associated with dairy products, but is also richly supplied in leafy greens like kale and spinach as well as tofu, almonds and chia seeds. 4Avoiding Blood Acidosis Here's an aspect of muscle-building where vegans actually have an advantage over their meat-eating friends. Dietary regimens that include animal-based products tend to make the blood acidic, especially over time. Increases in blood acidity can decrease muscle mass and inhibit growth. This is one reason older people lose muscle mass as they age.Foods that are highly alkaline include fruits and vegetables. Consuming them in sizable amounts can help in aiding and preserving muscle mass regeneration, as long as you're getting enough calories, proteins, exercise and rest. Which brings us to an obvious conclusion. It should go without saying that to gain muscle the vegan way, you need to keep all the other aspects of your fitness regimen on point. Train hard and rest just as hard. Avoid processed foods. There are plenty of vegan food options in the frozen food and snack aisles that are just junk. Manage stress and set realistic goals. The pathway to peak physique via vegan living can be a little more winding and challenging than the carnivore highway, but it is just as rewarding.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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Are Low Testosterone Levels Making You Fat?
Americans are getting heavier. It's a national epidemic. We all know that. Today, about 65% of adults in the United States are overweight or obese.When asked to consider the causes for this state of affairs, medical professionals trot out all the usual suspects: Americans don't get enough exercise; they eat too much junk food; they don't make healthy choices.And while that may be true for many people, it may not be true for you. In fact, it may be a little frustrating to hear. There are plenty of men out there who are hitting the gym regularly, eating a varied and healthy diet, and they're still carrying extra belly weight and are firmly entrenched in the "overweight" column of the BMI scale.If you're one of these frustrated men, you should know that there are other mitigating factors that can contribute to retaining stubborn excess body fat. Too much stress, lack of proper rest, nutrient deficiencies, even over-training or too much steady-state cardio exercise. Another factor could be low testosterone levels.Before you say that you're too young, too vital, too good-looking to have that problem, you should know that low testosterone levels are more common than you may think, even among younger men.In a recent study presented at the 2020 American Urological Association Virtual Experience (1 Patel), researchers used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 1999 to 2016 to analyze serum testosterone level changes over time in 4,045 young adult males (defined as age 15-39).After controlling for variables -- including year of study, age, race, BMI, comorbidity status, alcohol and smoking use, and level of physical activity -- total testosterone was found to be lower among younger male subjects in the later (2011-2016) versus earlier (1999-2000) cycles. In fact, mean total testosterone decreased from 1999-2000 (605.39 ng/dL), 2003-2004 (567.44 ng/dL), 2011-2012 (424.96 ng/dL), 2013-2014 (431.76 ng/dL), and 2015-2016 (451.22 ng/dL).It should be noted that measurements of 300 ng/dL or lower mark the threshold at which physicians may offer a diagnosis of clinically low testosterone levels and may suggest treatment (of which testosterone replacement therapy is one). Still, however, the results of this study show a substantial decrease in testosterone levels in ostensibly young men.The researchers then went further, digging deeper into the data, and noted that elevated BMI was associated with reduced total testosterone levels in test subjects, with the mean BMI increasing from 25.83 in 1999-2000, to 27.96 in 2015-2016. They concluded that even men with a normal BMI (18.5-24.9) had declining total testosterone levels during the same time frames.These are sobering conclusions. But what of this relationship between low testosterone levels and elevated BMI? Do low testosterone levels cause increased excess body fat retention? Or does excess body fat undermine testosterone levels?The truth is, it works both ways. The two factors can, in fact, form a vicious cycle in which each symptom exacerbates the other. Testosterone plays a crucial role in maintaining muscle mass, which burns body fat as fuel. Testosterone also plays a role in supporting efficient metabolism and thus, better body composition. So lower testosterone levels correlate to increased body fat.On the other hand, having excess weight, especially in the form of belly fat, can boost the activity of an enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen, which in high levels, is linked to obesity in men.What to Do If You Think You Have Low T LevelsFirst of all, let us state emphatically that no physician anywhere is going to prescribe Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) as a weight loss treatment. Nor should they. While generally safe, TRT products carry a packaging warning stating that they may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, including strokes and heart attacks. These treatments are also, by their very nature, temporary. The effect lasts only as long as the therapy continues.Having said that, you should by all means schedule an appointment with your doctor to have your testosterone levels checked. Two measurements (usually taken in the morning when T levels are peaking) below 300 ng/dL may result in a diagnosis of chronically low testosterone levels. In which case, TRT may be for you. That's up to you and your doctor to decide.Natural Ways to Support Male Testosterone ProductionBut what if your testosterone levels are low, but not low enough to merit pharmaceutical intervention? Here you are, probably suffering from one or more of the typical symptoms of low T levels -- low energy, slow metabolism, reduced sex drive, reduced response to resistance exercise. And you've still got this nagging and persistent roll of belly fat. What then?In that case you should know that you have safe, all-natural approaches to supporting and maintaining testosterone levels at your disposal. Many of them are simple, common-sense measures that can make a significant change in your T levels and in your overall health and well-being.Simply training correctly can have a positive effect on T levels. High-volume workouts that emphasize heavy compound moves (squats, deadlifts, bench presses) can facilitate testosterone production increase. Beware over-training that places your body under more stress than it can handle. This will send levels of cortisol soaring, which in turn will depress your testosterone production. And keep the steady-state cardio to a minimum. A well-planned training program that prioritizes volume, brevity, adequate work-to-rest periods and recovery time will help elevate and maintain testosterone levels.Dietary fats have also been linked to healthy levels of testosterone in males. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism reported that a diet with fat content exceeding 100 g per day resulted in increased free testosterone in healthy male subjects. When subjects were put on a low fat diet (<20 g of fat per day), the authors reported that blood cholesterol levels (which are used to produce testosterone) decreased (2 Reed).You may also want to consider a Vitamin D supplement, particularly in the winter months when exposure to sunlight (the body's principle means of producing Vitamin D) is in short supply. In a 2010 study published in the journal Hormone and Metabolic Research, healthy male subjects given 3332 iu of Vitamin D3 for a year ended up having 25.2% higher T-levels when compared to placebo (3 Pilz).You also need to address some of the lifestyle factors that may be undermining your T levels. We know you're not spending your days eating bags of potato chips in front of the TV. But are you getting enough rest? Are you avoiding unnecessary stress? You should be shooting for eight or nine hours of quality sleep per night, establishing consistent turn-in and wake-up times, and avoiding stimulants starting several hours before bedtime. Daily chronic stress tends to elevate cortisol, which negatively impacts free testosterone levels and health. Learn to effectively manage your time and look to other stress-reducing options like meditation or hiking. Consider a Natural Testosterone-Boosting SupplementIf you've ever seen products in this category before and been a little skeptical, we can't blame you. Wherever there's a discipline of scientific research and development that offers dramatic benefits to an especially large demographic (in this case men looking to maintain their youthful vitality and well-being) there will be less-than-scrupulous marketers looking to take advantage.You should know, however, that the latest breakthroughs in this area of supplement science have been genuinely exciting. In particular, there has been an amazing amount of scientific progress in recent years regarding the efficacy of protodioscin-rich botanical extracts derived from the herb Tribulus terrestris. Indeed, new evidence suggests that these extracts, when subjected to new and advanced methods of processing, can have positive effects on testosterone production in males.In one of several recent studies, published in the journal Andrologia in 2016, 65 men (aged 18-65) with no hormonal issues took an herbal extract containing 112 mg of protodioscin daily for 12 weeks. It was concluded that taking the protodioscin-rich extract led to an increase in blood testosterone levels, which coincided with decreased body fat percentage, and increases in lean mass (4 Salgado).The Product Research Team here at ProSource has long been among the industry leaders in this highly specialized area of research and product development. This groundbreaking scientific research effort, conducted over decades, forms the foundation of AndroTest, the first true clinical-grade natural testosterone support supplement for men.The key active ingredient in AndroTest is derived via a rigorous and highly complex multiple-extraction process under the most stringent protocols utilizing state-of-the-art laboratory procedures. This meticulous process, which entails up to twenty different extractions, results in a Tribulus extract standardized to contain an unprecedented 40% to 48% protodioscin, which is up to 40 times more potent than existing Tribulus-based products.What about results, you say? Well, in a 4-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, product-specific study, subjects using AndroTest experienced statistically significant increases in total testosterone levels, averaging 59.88% over baseline, with some subjects showing total increases as high as 275% over baseline. Subjects also experienced major increases in free testosterone, averaging 59.75% over baseline, with some subjects reaching up to 218% over baseline. Results of this kind are truly unprecedented for products of this kind. Of course, AndroTest is just one of several natural methods of supporting T levels. The key is recognizing how crucial the all-important male hormone testosterone is to so many markers of health and well-being (including losing excess body fat) and prioritizing the lifestyle strategies that will peak them peaking as the years go by.Scientific References1. Patel P, Fantus R, Lokeshwar S, et al. Trends in Serum Testosterone Levels Among Adolescent and Young Adults Men in the United States. Presented at: 2020 AUA Virtual Experience; May 15, 2020. Abstract MP78-01.2 Reed MJ, Cheng RW, Simmonds M, Richmond W, James VH. Dietary lipids: an additional regulator of plasma levels of sex hormone binding globulin. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1987 May;64(5):1083-5. 3 S Pilz, S Frisch, H Koertke, J Kuhn, J Dreier, B Obermayer-Pietsch, E Wehr, A Zittermann. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Horm Metab Res. 2011 Mar;43(3):223-5.4 Salgado RM, Marques-Silva MH, Gonçalves E, Mathias AC, Aguiar JG, Wolff P. Effect of oral administration of Tribulus terrestris extract on semen quality and body fat index of infertile men. Andrologia. 2016 Jul 12. Use AndroTest as directed. Read all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. A 4-week study of healthy males showed a 59.75% average increase in free testosterone compared to baseline and 59.88% average increase in total testosterone compared to baseline. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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20 Lifestyle Tips For Achieving Your Peak Physique in 2023 -- Darrin Hills
Happy New Year everyone. Can you believe that it is 2023? Crazy thought, especially as I get older. I graduated high school in 1988! Cell phones? Forget it! But I do have to say that since I started my fitness journey, I feel much better than ever and have a great release when the days are tough. It's called high-intensity weight training and I am addicted. For those of you that don’t know much about me, I started my fitness journey in early-mid 2015 at age 45. Not very savvy to the proper lifting, eating, and supplementation for growth, so the first year or two I was hit and miss with all of the above, including a few injuries. I had the weight training underway, but just start somewhere, right? Sure, lift some weights and read up on what others are doing, apply, and see what you get. What about supplementation? Being that I had a heavy search history on weight training, various target ads started showing up about T-boosters, proteins, and amino acids. My initial response was that I'd better look into this because I was a sponge. I wanted to put weight on, I wanted to stay lean, I wanted to be vascular, something most of us are after. You know, look like the big guys. This is when I found ProSource in 2015. I started with some aminos, then some proteins, then some T-boosters and I could not believe how much better I felt in so many different ways. But growth was still lagging. Why? Diet. Don’t forget to get your diet dialed in. Eat clean, small meals. My eating plan consists of 8 small meals per day currently and I will increase amounts on those 8 meals depending on what I am trying to do. Build muscle or lean out. Always remember that there is no magic pill. It takes Intense exercise, a good healthy diet geared towards building or leaning out, quality supplementation of which the likes of only ProSource can deliver, and REST! And please remember, it is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time. I am about to hit year 9 on my journey, 70 plus pounds heavier, more confident, strong, and healthy. And as always, thank you ProSource for the incredible proteins and supplements that have helped me get to this point at the very young age of 53. 20 Lifestyle Tips For Achieving Your Peak Physique in 2023 1. Minimize alcohol at all cost, it is poison 2. Eat slower to allow leptin to release in your body. This tells your body when you are full 3. Sugar does not make you fat 4. Watching the news is a documented depressant. Exercise is a documented anti-depressant 5. Cardio is like day trading for quick profits. Weight training is like investing for retirement; it boosts metabolism 6. Muscle confusion is not a real thing 7. Eat as much fruit as you want. Nearly impossible to overeat 8. Black coffee and sparkling water are great appetite suppressants 9. To avoid after-dinner eating, brush your teeth 10. Cold showers minimize stress 11. The quantity of your food affects how you look. The quality of your food affects how you feel 12. If you struggle to consistently hit your workouts, do it first thing in the morning 13. Eggs are a superfood, not a food to avoid 14. You don’t need any gym equipment. All you need is your body 15. Minimize liquid-calorie sources like soda pop, cooking oils, and Starbucks sugar shakes 16. More muscles equals higher metabolism 17. A high-protein diet is the best diet 18. The way you think about yourself drives default actions. Stop saying you are lazy or worthless 19. Get plenty of sleep – Lack of sleep increases your hunger during the days, making it harder to lose fat 20. Water. Drink a lot of water – Relieves fatigue, enhances skin clarity, weight control, blood pressure regulation, body temp regulation, supports energy boosting, kidney function, digestive efficiency, and joint health There are some things to keep in mind as you kick off the new year. Stay focused, stay positive, and when you do go to the gym or exercise, give your 100% for that day. Thanks so much for reading and you can always find me on IG @darrinjhills The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of ProSource Performance Products, LLC. The articles featured on this site are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein. Endorsers used products in conjunction with diet and exercise and may have been compensated for their appearance. Endorser's results are not typical. The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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8 Golden Rules for Eating to Gain Muscle Mass
In the world of weight training, probably the most humbling piece of workout equipment you’ll ever face is the tape measure.Months go by, you’re hitting the iron like an animal — four, five days a week — pushing yourself to your limits. Your work output is increasing, you're doing your splits correctly, you’re adding plates to the bar, your intensity is on point. And then comes that day when you pull out the tape measure, extend it, and wrap it around your bicep.You’ve gained 3/8ths of an inch.It’s enough to send you right back to the couch and the TV and a life of laziness.Gaining significant muscle mass is the hardest transformational goal to achieve, much harder than simply losing weight or even increasing fitness. There’s a reason for this. Your body naturally resists muscle gains. It does so because muscle is metabolically expensive to maintain. It requires constant upkeep, whereas fat is easy to maintain. It just sits there, waiting for famine to strike. Of course your body will — reluctantly — add muscle if it absolutely has to, like if your body is constantly encountering intervals of huge physical stress and resistance. That’s called training.But even then, your body will only add muscle under the most advantageous nutritional conditions. And that’s where most people get muscle mass increase wrong. Many people simply aren’t eating as much as they think they’re eating. And some people are just eating wrong. Either way, your muscle gain plans will go awry.So, what are the rules of eating right to gain enough muscle to move that tape measure in a positive direction? Let's take a look.1 Maintain a Caloric Surplus at All TimesThis is not as easy as it might seem. And it's vitally important. Your body requires a constant stream of nutritional factors to continue to repair and build new muscle tissue and to fuel the multitude of physiological cellular reactions that make mass increase possible. When that stream is interrupted, your body slips into a catabolic state and starts tearing down muscle tissue for fuel.This means that three meals, even big meals, per day aren't going to cut it. There's no way you can ingest enough calories in three sittings to drive muscle growth. We'll get into some specifics regarding protein, fats, and carbs in a bit, but just in terms of sheer caloric intake, you should be eating six or seven meals a day, or about once every 2.5 hours. That can be challenging, but we'll also discuss strategies that will make it easier.In the meantime, if you're training hard and eating clean, the scale will tell you if you're eating enough. If you're just getting started, the needle or digits may not move in a favorable direction because you're losing fat. After that though, if you're not making progress, that's a sign that you need to eat more. You can increase your caloric intake gradually by simply adding a mini-meal to your day and see what happens. Keeping a meal log -- literally writing down everything you eat -- will help make sure that you're being consistent in your eating habits. 2 Protein, Protein, and More ProteinThe RDA for protein intake is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body mass each day, but that's for your typical modestly active adult. Your physique goals are a little loftier, so you should be shooting for 1.5 grams to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body mass per day. (For a 200-lb male, that's 135 to 180 grams of protein per day.) That's a lot of protein, and much of it will come from whole food sources like beef, chicken, fish and eggs. To attain these protein intake goals, you're going to want to buy in bulk and cook and store food in sizable batches. For flavor, prioritize spices over sugary coatings or glazes, and of course batter-dipped anything is out.This brings us back to the topic of mini-meals. Believe it or not, there's only so much steak and fish, so many hard-boiled eggs, you can possibly eat in a day. So adding yet another chicken breast as a mini-meal probably isn't going to be feasible. This is where a high-quality whey protein isolate or advanced whey blend can work wonders. Whey protein actually has a higher protein biological value (BV) than beef, chicken or fish and it has the added benefit of being portable and convenient. One scoop of protein typically provides 20 to 25 grams of protein and functions as an ideal added mini-meal that won't fill you up too much when you're on the go between meals.Just make sure it's a high-quality protein like ProSource's own NytroWhey Ultra Elite. NytroWhey Ultra Elite contains the highest-potency whey isolate formulated via an advanced Cross-Flow Microfiltration (CFM) process that yields a product with greater overall protein content, plus higher amounts of essential amino acids like leucine, and does not damage any of the natural biological fractions found within whey protein. NytroWhey Ultra Elite also contains a cutting-edge whey hydrolysate that is micro-processed to yield extremely low-molecular-weight di- and tri-peptides for immediate amino absorption and assimilation by the body, plus a state-of-the-art leucine peptide technology designed to maximize protein synthesis in the muscle cell. Together these three protein sources, all proudly manufactured in the USA, combine in a state-of-the-art protein blend justifiably celebrated for its light, clean taste and smooth, luscious texture.3 Avoid Empty CaloriesIt's hard enough to consume all of the daily calories you need to drive significant muscle growth without cluttering up your diet with useless calories. Every empty calorie you eat -- every potato chip, every cookie, every sugary soda -- takes the place of a restorative, nutrition-packed calorie that could be supporting your muscle gain efforts. In short, it's a wasted opportunity to grow.The easiest way to avoid the temptation to binge on junk is to always have healthy food choices on hand. At home, you should have meals prepared and waiting for you in your fridge, not to mention plenty of fruits and vegetables on your kitchen counter or in your pantry. Get used to bringing prepared meals with you to work so you don't end up participating in the office-wide lunch time fast food order. Keep a few protein bars or a shaker cup with two scoops of protein powder in your car for when you're on the go. Always be prepared to meet fast-food or junk food cravings head on and defeat them.4 Be Smart About CarbsTo gain mass, you need plenty of carbs. Carbs are your primary source of calories required for growth and they'll restore depleted glycogen levels in muscle tissue to ensure you have the energy you need for intense weight training. Fifty percent of your diet should be made up of carbs, but not just any carbs.Your body loves high-glycemic carbs. Potatoes, white rice, processed foods with added sugar. Specifically, it loves to store them directly as body fat. These are the carbs of energy spikes and crashes, not the carbs that should be forming the foundation of your dietary regimen. Rather, you should emphasize low-glycemic carbs: oatmeal at breakfast, leafy green vegetables with lunch and dinner, brown rice, quinoa, whole-grain breads, sweet potatoes, good fibrous vegetables like broccoli and carrots. Just like protein, you should have at least one serving of low-glycemic carbs at every meal. 5 Precision Target High Glycemic Carbs Directly After Your WorkoutNow that we've expressed the importance of sticking to slow-digesting, low-glycemic carbs, we're going to break that rule in one specific instance. Immediately after your workout, your muscle fibers are ravaged, your glycogen levels are on E, and your body is screaming for fuel to begin muscle repair and trigger the growth that will help your muscles survive the next physical onslaught. You have a remarkably short period of time to shuttle vital nutrients to muscle tissue and begin this process.This is where high-glycemic carbs suddenly become your friend. They will help spike insulin levels, which drive the carbs into muscle cells, restoring glycogen levels for your next workout. Insulin also helps shuttle amino acids into muscle cells to build new muscle proteins. This process in the foundation for growth.Now, do we suggest that you gulp down a couple of spoonfuls of table sugar after your workout? Absolutely not. Instead, here again is a time of day when a super-premium supplement can be of great help. The best post-workout mass builders are designed to provide your body with the precise nutrients your muscles need to survive and thrive in the immediate growth window that exists after a high-intensity workout.One such mass builder, MyoZene from BioQuest, represents the state of the-art science in this category. MyoZene's protein component is comprised of a blend of highly specialized hydrolyzed whey rich in essential di- and tri-peptides for ultra-rapid absorption into the muscle. It is also fortified with an advanced leucine peptide technology to enhance muscle protein synthesis.Just as importantly for our purposes here, MyoZene contains an advanced carbohydrate matrix designed to raise blood glucose levels, potentiating insulin release, which in turn plays a key role in skeletal muscle protein synthesis by activating ribosomal activity and growth initiation factors within skeletal muscle. Finally, to ensure that MyoZene is your one-stop shop for post-workout muscle growth, MyoZene contains creatine monohydrate for cell volumization and strength support, taurine and glutamine for recovery support, and L-carnitine L-tartrate for additional hormonal support. If your not taking a high-quality mass builder of some sort, you're undermining your growth potential.6 Eat Before Bedtime and As Soon As You WakeBelieve it or not, there are bodybuilders who set their alarms for 3am so they can get up and eat a meal and thus break up the fasting interval we call sleep. We don't suggest you do this, for reasons we'll get to soon. We also don't suggest that you tuck into a turkey dinner with all the trimmings at 11pm. But there are ways to shorten the longest famine of your day -- the eight hours you spend asleep.Before you go to bed, mix and drink a shake composed of slow-absorbing proteins. Casein in particular is ideal for this. Casein sits in your stomach and dissolves very slowly, providing a slim and continuous stream of aminos necessary to keep your muscles in a growth environment. Night-time is also an excellent time to ramp up your intake of healthy fats. Add some flaxseed oil to your shake or eat a handful of walnuts or cashews, or just take a couple of high-quality Omega-3 gels.When you wake up, it is critical that you eat right away. And not a breakfast bar on your way out the door either. Make and eat a real breakfast with portions of protein -- eggs, bacon, ham -- and low-glycemic carbs like oatmeal made from steel-cut oats. Never, ever skip breakfast.7 Drink Plenty of WaterOur species may be far removed from its seaborne origins, but we still carry the sea inside us wherever we go. Water is essential to every physiological reaction in our bodies, and just a 2% reduction in bodily hydration will negatively impact every aspect of performance and recovery including endurance, strength, and muscular response.And yet many of us walk around dehydrated all the time. We don't drink enough water while we lose moisture to sweat and diuretic substances like caffeine and diet soda. When you go out onto the gym floor, make sure you bring some water with you. Drink water before, during, and after your workout. In general, try to drink the equivalent of 3.5 liters of water a day.8 Get Sufficient Restful SleepNo, this isn't dietary advice. But no article on jump-starting muscular growth would be complete without mentioning the third leg in the three-legged stool of mass gain success. The first leg is training, the second is diet, and the third is rest.Without proper rest, all the eating and training in the world isn't going to help you achieve anything. Your body executes most of its repair and growth while you sleep. Establish a firm sleep schedule with a consistent bedtime. Draw the blinds and keep the room comfortably cool. Clear your room of electronics (yes, that means your TV) and put your phone out of reach. Consider supplementing with a sleep support compound like ZMA or melatonin. Your body -- and your muscles -- will thank you.Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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