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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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KNOW Your BCAAs, GROW Like Never Before
If you follow enough workout warriors on social media, you’re probably familiar with a common genre — the video clip of someone customizing their own pre- or post-workout supplement formula. Some of these efforts are misguided, but others are genuinely enlightened, particularly when it comes to pre-workout formulations.In these short clips, you might see a suitably well-trained individual creating their own pre-workout formula from scratch or starting with a standard-issue pre-workout and augmenting it with extra ingredients, such as arginine-AKG, creatine monohydrate, beta alanine, glutamine, and/or BCAAs.There's a good reason for this. While many people believe that garden-variety pre-workout formulas contain all the necessary ingredients to support both training performance and recovery, the truth is a little more complex. Manufacturers will often tout a lengthy laundry list of ingredients in their pre-workout formulas, but then microdose these ingredients so meagerly that they offer no real performance benefit. Or they will simply omit some highly useful co-factors entirely. In fact, some of the category's biggest sellers contain little more than stimulant content in various forms. (For a true all-in-one pre-workout formula that contains individual performance co-factors in science-based dosages sufficient to facilitate enhanced power, endurance and intensity, look no further than BioQuest's Fusion Force.)One particular under-supplied ingredient in most pre-workout formulas is branched-chain amino acids or BCAAs. This is unfortunate because BCAAs not only provide a ready source of fuel your muscles can tap into to postpone fatigue and maintain work output, they also help support muscle recovery after high-intensity training. Powering Productivity Before, During and After Your WorkoutBCAAs -- the branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine -- are considered essential because, unlike non-essential amino acids, your body cannot make them. You need to get them from your diet. They are also unique in that they are metabolized directly by muscle tissue during high-impact exercise. Of the three BCAAs, leucine offers the most performance and recovery benefit.When you begin to exercise, your muscles tap into muscle glycogen (a stored form of carbohydrates) for fuel, but this stored energy doesn't last very long. When these are diminished, your muscles will turn to blood glucose to keep going. (This is where isoleucine and valine, which help support blood sugar levels, both play an important role.) Blood glucose is derived from carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Carbohydrates and fats fuel the majority of your energy needs at the outset of exercise, but as your exercise interval lengthens, your body will scavenge proteins from existing muscle tissue. BCAAs make up a great proportion of the total amino acid content in skeletal muscle and are readily catabolized during exercise. Indeed, BCAAs may provide as much as 20% of your body's energy needs in the course of your workout.When your high-intensity workout is completed, you've inflicted considerable damage to muscle tissue. This damage must be repaired and your body will endeavor to add more muscle mass to survive future bouts of exercise-induced stress. The availability of leucine is absolutely crucial during this post-exercise juncture, as it is the trigger for the protein synthesis that is the engine for muscle recovery and growth.Clearly then, BCAA supplementation -- especially leucine -- would appear to offer valuable benefits for highly active people. Science supports this notion. In a study published in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine in 2017, researchers sought to evaluate the effect of a 12-week leucine-rich amino acid supplementation in combination with moderate training. In the study, 48 healthy subjects exercised for 30 minutes three times per week and received either a leucine-rich amino acid supplementation or a placebo. Before and after supplementation, subjects performed an exhaustive eccentric exercise protocol. Maximal concentric strength and safety assessments were performed before exercise and after 3, 24, 48 and 72 hours.The researchers found that the supplementation with leucine resulted in reduced loss of strength at zero and 3 hours after downhill walking compared with the placebo. They concluded that the "principle findings show that leucine-rich amino acid supplementation can counteract the negative effects of eccentric exercise. The treatment resulted in a reduction of exercise-induced strength loss." (1 Reule CA, et al)BCAAs also offer a prominent benefit in the form of post-workout recovery. In another study, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, highly trained resistance athletes were provided 20 grams of BCAAs per day for seven days before and four days after completing a damaging bout of exercise. The ratio of the provided BCAAs was 2:1:1 (leucine: isoleucine: valine).A number of variables were measured including changes in force production, markers of muscle damage in the blood, muscle soreness, vertical jump performance, and thigh and calf circumference. The damage bout caused significant changes in nearly all variables. In particular, changes in creatine kinase (a marker of damage found in the blood) were significantly improved when BCAAs were ingested when compared to placebo. In addition, the recovery of the ability to produce maximal force was also improved to a greater extent in the BCAA group. The authors of the study concluded that providing BCAAs before and after damaging exercise can reduce the recovery time. (2 Howatson, Hoad et al.) Supplementing with BCAAsWhen adding BCAAs to your supplement regimen, sufficient dosing is critically important. As we've said, most pre-workout formulas simply don't supply BCAAs in amounts that provide performance or recovery benefits. The solution to this problem is simple. Just add additional BCAAs to your pre-workout drink taken 30 to 45 minutes before training and then add some more to the water bottle or shake cup you take out onto the gym floor with you.Of course, proper sourcing of precious BCAAs is also important. ProSource has always led the way when it comes to ingredient purity, potency and power, and that is true for BCAAs as well.ProSource's Mega BCAA, available in both powder and capsule formats, contains vastly superior, premium-grade aminos, provided in the preferred ratio of 2:1:1 leucine, isoleucine and valine. And it provides them in an 8-gram per serving dosage designed to fully energize, protect and build muscle tissue. Like all ProSource sports nutrition supplements, Mega BCAA Powder and Capsules are made with the absolute highest quality ingredients available industry-wide to ensure maximum purity, potency and results!Scientific References1 Reule CA, Scholz C, Schoen C, et al. Reduced muscular fatigue after a 12-week leucine-rich amino acid supplementation combined with moderate training in elderly: a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine 2017.2 Howatson, G., M. Hoad, et al. (2012). "Exercise-induced muscle damage is reduced in resistance-trained males by branched chain amino acids: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study." J Int Soc Sports Nutr 9(1): 20.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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Power Peak Performance with a Beta Alanine and Creatine Combo
The perfect workout — the ultra-productive workout that most efficiently generates new muscle mass — is all about volume and duration. Volume is obvious; the more weight you can lift, the more power you can generate, the stronger you are, the bigger you can get. Duration doesn’t refer to the length of your workout — a session that goes on much beyond 45 minutes to an hour actually becomes counterproductive — but rather to the length of each set. The key is to maintain proper form on each rep, while postponing fatigue and putting off that last rep as long as possible until you finally have nothing left to give.That last brutal rep — the rep to absolute failure — is especially important because it facilitates the release of lipase, a pancreatic enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of fats for energy. Those last difficult reps also promote the release of testosterone and growth hormone which will aid in increasing lean body mass, fat burning and recovery. Finally, that last rep is stressing and damaging muscle fibers that your body will have to rebuild bigger and stronger to meet the extreme physical challenges that lay ahead. Unfortunately, most training individuals don't attain any of these benefits because they're lifting too little and giving up too soon.Modern sports nutrition science, however, offers a dramatic edge to serious athletes looking to increase workout productivity, specifically in the combination of supplemental creatine monohydrate and beta alanine.A Perfect Synergy for Dramatic Muscle Growth IncreaseIf power and duration are the keys to an ultra-productive training session, then creatine monohydrate and beta alanine are paired perfectly to help you get to your goal.Creatine monohydrate, of course, is second only to whey protein in its importance to athletes seeking to increase strength and muscle mass. It supports muscle cell volumization by literally pulling water into the muscle cell, making muscles bigger and fuller. Bigger and fuller muscles can generate more force potential. Proper cellular hydration also facilitates the Kreb's cycle, the process whereby muscle cells convert nutrients like carbohydrates and fat into ATP, which in turn facilitates the contractions that make exercise possible. Creatine, especially in its monohydrate form, has been associated with positive effects on strength and power increase, training capacity, muscle mass, and overall cell hydration and volumization in literally hundreds of clinical studies conducted all around the world. Creatine has functioned as the wellspring of muscle strength and power increase for generations of successful athletes.This brings us to duration. If creatine has you covered for short, intense bursts of power, then beta alanine has you covered for stamina. A naturally occurring beta amino acid, beta alanine plays a rate-limiting role in carnosine production by interacting with histidine. High muscle carnosine levels improve muscle performance through their ability to buffer skeletal muscle pH (acidity) during high intensity, fatiguing exercise. By counteracting the negative effects of lactic acid formation, beta alanine allows your muscles to delay the onset of fatigue, increasing endurance and forestalling muscle failure.Creatine monohydrate and beta alanine appear to be the perfect one-two punch for peak performance and growth, and clinical science backs this up. In one ten-week study, published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, collegiate football players experienced significant increases in strength after supplementing with a combination of beta alanine and creatine, as compared to placebo-controlled test subjects. In the same study, the subjects who took beta alanine along with creatine also lost body fat and gained muscle, without altering their diet or training program. [Hoffman 1] Supplement with High-Potency, Super-Premium Forms of Both Creatine and Beta AlanineClearly, creatine monohydrate and beta alanine, working together in perfect tandem, have significant benefits to offer hard-training athletes. Adding them to your regimen can be as simple supplementing with each individually. Indeed, ProSource offers both products in highly potent, super-premium formats. ProSource Creatine Monohydrate is 100% Creapure® sourced from Alzchem of Germany, the world leader in superior creatine manufacturing. This ultra-pure, micro-crystallized creatine monohydrate is unsurpassed in providing the muscle volume and strength-increase results you're seeking. Likewise, ProSource Beta Alanine is 100% sourced with CarnoSyn® brand carnitine, well-established as the gold standard in the industry, and reliably pure and potent to ensure maximum efficacy. Or you can take both creatine monohydrate and beta alanine in precise ratio (with added co-factors) via an advanced, super-premium pre-workout like BioQuest's Fusion Force®. The creatine in Fusion Force® is the same 100% Creapure® found in ProSource's stand-alone brand, and Fusion Force's beta alanine is 100% CarnoSyn® sourced. The ultimate multi-pathway pre-workout performance optimizer, Fusion Force® supports every aspect of performance and muscle growth, while delivering its key ingredients in optimal potencies.One of Fusion Force's key active ingredients, betaine, has been associated with cell-volumizing and power-enhancing qualities much like those of creatine monohydrate. Betaine anhydrous, also known as trimethylglycine, is an amino acid derivative of choline that helps support cell hydration and volume during the dehydration, stress, and metabolite accumulation associated with high-intensity exercise. Fusion Force also provides a powerful matrix of precision-targeted essential aminos, dynamic energy-boosting compounds, muscle pump potentiators, and fat mobilization co-factors. The result is a true all-in-one performance optimizer that functions as an ideal solution for athletes seeking a vitalizing surge of strength, stamina, energy and training intensity that will help you attain peak physique enhancement.Scientific References1 Jay Hoffman, Nicholas Ratamess, Jie Kang, Gerald Mangine, Avery Faigenbaum, Jeffrey Stout. Effect of creatine and beta-alanine supplementation on performance and endocrine responses in strength/power athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006 Aug;16(4):430-46. 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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Research Update: Can Strength Training Help You Live Longer?
When we think of the habits that contribute to a long and healthy life, what do we think of? Avoiding recreational drugs, alcohol and smoking, of course. Also consuming a varied and well-balanced diet. And finally? Staying active.Staying active calls to mind a wide range of lifestyle choices -- everything from just getting off the couch and going for a walk to engaging in a regular regimen of aerobic exercise. We are not the only people who make this common-sense connection. Scientists do it too.That's why there is considerable scientific evidence that points to a connection between higher levels of aerobic exercise, overall wellness and greater longevity. The studies carried out by researchers tend to enlist exactly who you would expect as test subjects -- endurance athletes, runners, bicyclists, swimmers, etc. A somewhat recent meta-analysis of life expectancy studies published in the Journal of Aging Research (1 Reimers, et al) rounded up all the usual subjects. Studies summarized in the extensive review of existing literature found that long distance runners and cross-country skiers might expect +5.7 years of longevity, elite cyclists a rather impressive +8 years. You get the idea.But what about those people who engage in regular strength training? Those men and women who hit the gym two or more times a week and do battle against the iron in order to build muscle? How do they fare in the increased life expectancy sweepstakes?Here the evidence is not nearly as extensive, and there's a good reason for that. While people middle-aged or older are willing to get out and walk or even run or swim, strength training just isn't as common a pastime among this cohort. Indeed, random sampling by the CDC suggests that more than 40% of older Americans get some kind of aerobic exercise on a regular basis, while 10% or less report participating in any kind of strength training at all. So the data is lacking.Two recent scientific studies, both published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine this year, are intended to close that research gap, and they have generated some pretty compelling results.Combining Cardio Exercise AND Strength Training Supports Increased LongevityA study published last month (Aug 2022) in the British Journal of Sports Medicine utilized National Health Interview Survey data (1997–2014) and the National Death Index through 2015 to produce a cohort of 416,420 US adults indexed for self-reported moderate aerobic physical activity (MPA), vigorous aerobic physical activity (VPA) and muscle strengthening exercise MSE, collated with mortality risk. After adjusting for mitigating factors such as age, gender and chronic conditions, the researchers found that people who engaged in one hour of aerobic activity per week had a 15 percent lower mortality risk. Mortality risk was 27 percent lower for those who did three hours a week. These findings were consistent with those in numerous other studies linking aerobic exercise with reduced risk of mortality. (Note, too, the relatively short durations of weekly exercise and the benefits accrued from them!)Because the study sample size was so large, however, the researchers were able to investigate further. Twenty-four percent of the study cohort reported engaging in regular strength training (the MSE group). Of those who took part in one to two strength-training sessions per week, risk of mortality was reduced a full 40% compared to those who didn’t exercise at all. (Again, just one or two strength-training sessions a week!) Better Health Outcomes Linked to Strength TrainingEarlier in the year (Feb 2022) another paper published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine also shed light on the wellness benefits of resistance training. In this study, a systemic review and meta-analysis of 16 clinical studies investigating the links between strength training and mortality, researchers found that engaging in muscle-strengthening activities resulted in a 10% to 20% drop in the risk of mortality, cardiovascular disease and cancer.The authors went on to state, "Our findings showed that the maximum risk reduction for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease and total cancer was obtained at approximately 30–60 min/week of muscle-strengthening activities ... Given this result, the current recommendation of at least 2 days/week could be reasonable." They went on to caution that "Given that the available data are limited, further studies -- such as studies focusing on a more diverse population -- are needed to increase the certainty of the evidence." Get Stronger, Live LongerThe wellness benefits of lifting weights have always been obvious to those who take their training seriously, even if the hard scientific data has been a little tardy in arriving. Resistance training, especially as we grow older, makes functional strength possible. Functional strength manifests itself in countless ways as we proceed through our day -- getting up out of a beach chair, carrying groceries in from the car, gardening, house-cleaning, socializing, merely climbing a flight of stairs. Functional strength is the key to remaining optimally active, vital and independent.Now we are coming to realize that strength training may positively effect our overall health in the most basic of ways -- it may be linked to a reduced risk of disease and early mortality. Much more research needs to be done, of course, but the preliminary message is clear: Lift More, Live Better. Scientific References1 C. D. Reimers, G. Knapp, and A. K. Reimers. Does Physical Activity Increase Life Expectancy? A Review of the Literature. J Aging Res. 2012; 2012: 243958. 2 Coleman CJ, McDonough DJ, Pope ZC, et al. Dose–response association of aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity with mortality: a national cohort study of 416,420 US adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 11 August 2022. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-105519 3 Momma H, Kawakami R, Honda T, et al. Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. British Journal of Sports Medicine, June 16, 2022; 56:755-763.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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Research Update -- Researchers Identify Creatine as Key to Many Aspects of Health and Wellness
Here at ProSource, we often make the point that creatine monohydrate is one of the most investigated and researched compounds in sports nutrition history. Every day, all around the world, studies are ongoing regarding creatine's efficacy in supporting not just muscle volumization and growth in response to resistance training, but also with regard to numerous other physiological processes. Indeed, so much investigation is underway at any given time that the sheer scope of it all is hard to imagine.In recent months, however, the picture of creatine monohydrate as a versatile wonder nutrient for health and overall well-being has gotten much clearer. It turns out that creatine, long a staple in the daily regimens of well-trained athletes seeking greater strength and enhanced performance, has a whole lot more to offer.A Definitive and Comprehensive Systemic Review Casts Creatine in a New LightIn a tremendous feat of research and scholarship, two esteemed academics in the sports nutrition field have compiled a systemic review of 1,322 published, peer-reviewed clinical studies that highlight the many benefits of creatine monohydrate supplementation. The review was authored by Prof. Richard Kreider of Texas A&M University and Prof. Jeffrey Stout of the University of Central Florida, published in the journal Nutrients, and presented at The International Conference on Creatine in Health and Disease in March of 2022. It collates an enormous amount of science documenting the role creatine plays in promoting general health and well-being at any age, preventing loss of muscle mass in old age, improving cognitive function, facilitating glucose management, protecting the heart, supporting anti-inflammatory effects, strengthening the immune system, and promoting mental as well as reproductive and skin health [1 Kreider and Stout].As the authors of the review point out, creatine's potential for supporting and enhancing such a broad spectrum of effects shouldn't be surprising, because creatine doesn't simply regulate the energy balance in muscle cells, it does so in all the body's cells. "Creatine plays a critical role in cellular metabolism, particularly during metabolically stressed states, and limitations in the ability to transport and/or store creatine can impair metabolism," the authors state. "Moreover, increasing availability of creatine in tissue may enhance cellular metabolism and thereby lessen the severity of injury and/or disease conditions, particularly when oxygen availability is compromised."This of course is in addition to creatine's primary benefit for athletes -- increasing anaerobic energy capacity and decreasing protein breakdown, thereby leading to increased muscle mass and physical performance. The widening scope of creatine's potential health benefits opens a vista of therapeutic uses for creatine which researchers are just beginning to fully explore. Many people, particularly athletes already delighted with creatine's physique and performance enhancing power, believed that creatine's story had already been told. The truth is, the story is just beginning to unfold. Creatine Monohydrate Inventory Tightens Up WorldwideNot surprisingly, given the multiplication of creatine's potential health and wellness benefits, supplies of this essential nutrient have become tougher to come by. This scarcity has only been compounded by production and merchandizing supply chain breakdowns across the world. Athletes everywhere have grown increasingly frustrated by this new scarcity and by the startling prices increases that have resulted.Even here at ProSource, which introduced the world's first reasonably priced, superior-quality creatine in the 1990s and has remained the industry leader in this category ever since, access to creatine supply has grown difficult. Indeed, after years of offering the highest-quality Creapure® Creatine Monohydrate at prices that were literally half of our competitors, we briefly ran out of ProSource Creatine stock for the first time ever.Fortunately, being a pioneer and industry leader in creatine retailing has its advantages. ProSource has been able to maintain its vital supply lines with AlzChem Germany, makers of Creapure®, the ultimate premium brand of creatine worldwide, while our competitors remain cut off. Some of those competitors will remain out of stock for the foreseeable future, while others will attempt to market vastly inferior, impurity-laden, virtually useless Chinese creatine at inflated super-premium prices.In stark contrast to these disreputable retailers, we now have 100% Creapure® Creatine Monohydrate bearing the ProSource brand available for purchase once again. And fitness-conscious people delighted at ProSource Creatine Monohydrate's reappearance will notice another thing as well. Its price is still well below what competitors were charging for creatine monohydrate even before the recent supply shortage.At ProSource, our commitment to the research, manufacture and retailing of the world's best and most fairly priced sports nutrition supplements is rivaled only by our desire to see our customers achieve their physique and performance goals. Making the world's finest Creapure® creatine monohydrate available to our loyal customers during these difficult times is just another example of that commitment.Scientific Reference1 Richard B. Kreider and Jeffery R. Stout. Creatine in Health and Disease. Nutrients. 2021 Feb; 13(2): 447. 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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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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The Most Advanced and Comprehensive Joint Support Formula Ever Created
The way some of our competitors’ products stay exactly the same, year in and year out, you’d think there was no such thing as the advancement of sports nutrition science. In fact, of course, that science is evolving continually by leaps and bounds all the time.A good example of this progress is in the category of joint support formulations. Take a trip to any fitness supplement outlet near you and you’ll see rows of mostly identical formulas consisting of glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. There’s nothing wrong with these two compounds; they have a long documented history of providing basic support of connective tissue.Here at ProSource, we have our own variation of this basic formula, Ultra Glucosamine And Chondroitin, though of course ours is sourced from much higher-quality ingredients than those generic products on store shelves. ProSource’s Ultra Glucosamine And Chondroitin is an excellent choice for active, fitness-conscious people and athletes on a budget.But there’s a whole other level of joint support technology available, made possible by recent scientific breakthroughs, for people who desire the ultimate comprehensive, multi-pathway support and feeding for super flexible, strong, resilient joints. This advanced science has been incorporated in the most complete and state-of-the-art joint support complex available to athletes -- ProSource's Extra Strength Joint Command.The Challenges of Providing Proper Care and Feeding of JointsCartilage is a rigid connective tissue that acts as a supporting framework for joints, located at the articulating surfaces of bone, and in joint spaces. Tendons and ligaments are extremely dense, fibrous and narrow bands of tissue that must be both very strong and very flexible at the same time. One characteristic each of these types of connective tissue share is that they receive very little actual blood flow. This makes them hard to feed and support, even as the types of compounds they require for recovery and repair tend to be trace elements in a typical diet.For years, sports nutrition science has emphasized two compounds for joint support supplementation -- glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. There are good reasons for this. Glucosamine, for instance, inhibits collagen degeneration as well as inflammatory processes that exacerbate cartilage damage. Research has shown that daily intake of 1500 mg of glucosamine provides a significant decrease in type II collagen degradation while maintaining collagen synthesis [1 Yoshimura, et al].Chondroitin, on the other hand, supports the retention of water in cartilage, which aids in pressure resistance. Chondroitin also has been shown to increase hyaluronic acid in joint synovial fluid, increasing the viscosity of that essential fluid. Research has shown that chondroitin sulfate can help promote collagen and proteoglycan production by stimulating chondrocyte metabolism, thereby inhibiting cartilage destruction (2 Ronca, et al.)This science is not particularly new, but it is well-documented. Athletes have benefited from it for years now, particularly when the source materials for glucosamine/chondroitin supplements are of the highest quality and provided in clinically indicated dosages, as they are in ProSource's Extra Strength Joint Command.Going Beyond the Basics to Protect and Strengthen JointsIn recent years, sports nutrition experts have isolated a number of other mechanisms of support for connective tissue. Among these are hyaluronic acid, curcumin, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), and boswellic acids. The challenge in each case has been to perfect a technology to deliver the required supportive nutrition in sufficiently bioavailable forms that will affect significant vitalization of joint structures.Hyaluronic acid is a good example. Hyaluronic acid is found within the synovial fluid and is known to be largely responsible for its lubricating properties. In fact, injecting the space between bones with hyaluronic acid is a commonly employed treatment option for joint degeneration. But what of a non-invasive, supplemental approach for supporting optimal joint lubrication and pressure-bearing stability? Extra Strength Joint Command contains a novel patented compound called HyaMax™, which is an orally available, natural, standardized hyaluronic acid supplement. The structure of HyaMax™ allows it to absorb water and expand 1000 times in volume, lubricating joints and muscles. Lubricating joints is conducive to the strength and flexibility of joints while cushioning and protecting bones. Research has demonstrated the highly effective therapeutic effect of hyaluronic acid on individuals, successfully restoring synovial fluid while providing anti-inflammatory effects [3 Moskowitz].Another promising technology, also incorporated into Extra Strength Joint Command, is called 5-LOXIN®. An enriched boswellia serrata extract with enhanced anti-inflammatory properties, 5-LOXIN® has been associated with significant improvement in research test subjects, demonstrating decreased swelling and reported levels of pain with increased range of motion and walking distance capability following eight weeks of supplementation [4 Kimmatkar, et al.]. (The herb boswellia has long been linked with relief from inflammation, but the highly concentrated form present in 5-LOXIN® has been shown to provide significantly greater effects than the herb alone.)Turmeric, a gold-colored spice common to curry dishes, has a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicinal practices. Research, however, has identified curcumin as the active ingredient giving turmeric its supplemental efficacy, particularly with regard to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Unfortunately, a significant problem with curcumin-based formulations was the very low bioavailability of curcumin when it is administered orally. This problem has been successfully addressed with the formulation of Meriva®, yet another key active ingredient in Extra Strength Joint Command. This curcumin-phosphatidylcholine compound (standardized for 18-22% curcuminoids) features an advanced phytosome technology that enhances the bioavailability and anti-inflammatory support properties of curcumin. Long-term administration of Meriva® has been shown to decrease inflammation and pain while improving joint function with noteworthy tolerability of supplementation [5 Belcaro, et al.].Finally, OptiMSM® is a high quality source of methylsulfonylmethane, a natural analgesic that provides the body with organic sulfur to improve blood flow and decrease inflammation. A pilot clinical trial, published in the medical journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, reported that MSM improved symptoms of knee pain and physical function in test subjects in just 12 weeks without major adverse events [6 Kim, et al]. This advanced technology, along with a dosage of UC Type II collagen, completes Extra Strength Joint Command's multi-pathway support of anti-inflammatory action, flexibility support, and overall joint health.The New Science of Comprehensive Joint SupportA devastating rupture or tear of connective tissue is one of the worst injuries an athlete can encounter. Fortunately, supplementation with validated, precision-target nutrition for support of tendons, ligaments, and joints can help keep you injury-free on your journey to achieving your physique and performance goals. Enjoy true peace of mind as you pursue productive workouts, by providing unsurpassed care and feeding to your all-important joints with the widest, most comprehensive array of key joint support technologies -- found only in ProSource's Extra Strength Joint Command. 1 Yoshimura M, Sakamoto K, Tsuruta A, Yamamoto T, Ishida K, Yamaguchi H, Nagaoka I. Evaluation of the effect of glucosamine administration on biomarkers for cartilage and bone metabolism in soccer players. Int J Mol Med. 2009. 24(4):487-94. 2 Ronca F, Palmieri L, Panicucci P, Ronca G. (1998). Anti-inflammatory activity of chondroitin sulfate. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 6(Suppl A):14-21. 3 Moskowitz RW. (2000). Hyaluronic acid supplementation. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2(6):466-71. 4 Kimmatkar N, Thawani V, Hingorani L, Khiyani R. (2003). Efficacy and tolerability of Boswellia serrata extract in treatment of osteoarthritis of knee—A randomized double blind placebo controlled trial. Phytomedicine. 10(1):3-7. 5 Belcaro G, Cesarone MR, Dugall M, Pellegrini L, Ledda A, Grossi MG, Togni S, Appendino G. (2010). Efficacy and safety of Meriva, a curcumin-phosphatidylcholine complex, during extended administration in osteoarthritis patients. Altern Med Rev. 15(4):337-44. 6 Kim LS, Axelrod LJ, Howard P, Buratovich N, Waters RF. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in osteoarthritis pain of the knee: a pilot clinical trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2006 Mar;14(3):286-94. 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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