There are so many red flags and things you need to be paying attention to but for the sake of time with this article I’ll go over a few that I believe are very important. Understand these things are very basic because when dealing with the human body this rabbit hole can get real deep real fast. There will be a recurring theme here and that is rest and recovery. That my friends is a whole new topic for another day. But, we will cover it that’s a promise!
The first thing to watch for and I believe most obvious is how does your body feel? Are you still sore 3, 4, maybe 5 days after you trained a muscle group? If so that’s sign number one its time to back off or your nutrition needs adjusting because you are not recovering. Is your body starting to become just achy like a dull pain? Again, time to back off because you are not healing properly. Are your joints starting to hurt or do muscles feel tight, or are being pulled at their base? You guessed it, its time to back off. Your body is injured, even if it’s just the micro tears in the muscle caused by training. Yes, those are necessary for progress in your training but only if they are repairing and recovering. If not, well then you just opened the door to injury and further setting your progress back.
The second to watch for people tend to rationalize and make excuses for but if you truly are paying attention you will notice and that is, is your strength going down? You will not always be the Hulk in the gym tossing around new heavier weights. Some days its just not there on certain lifts or even the whole workout. I’m talking the big picture here, the prolonged picture.
If this is happening on the daily, then there is a problem. Does it feel like your body is struggling on the movement? Is there just no pop or ‘oomph?’ If this is your new normal, then guess what? Its time to back off! You are not just tired or at a plateau your simply not recovering and the muscle fibers are not growing as a result of this. For a person who’s been training for a decent amount of time, I would say one plus years strength gains become slower because you are past the muscle memory phase where everything skyrockets, and you get a new false sense of confidence. Its ok…this is just how the training world works and we have all been there. Strength gains at this point are generated by the muscle tissue being broken down, repairing, and becoming bigger and better to support heavier loads. That being said, if your strength is continuing to decline then you need to give the body a little R and R.
Last sign to watch for is somewhat a mental one. Are you going because you feel you have to? Does it feel like each workout is a grind and a mental struggle to even show up? That’s not lack of motivation, well in some cases maybe but usually its your body trying to whisper sweet nothings to you. Those sweet nothings are simple, “I need a break.” Believe me you are not less of a man or woman, its 2018 I’m not selective. It is simply that everything is taxed and is in dyer need of a break so your body quits pumping that feel good kick of endorphins to get you in the gym cranking away.
]]>Getting in shape is a science experiment, you’re the project, your results are the grade and you never really have a final. But guess what that means? LOADS of experimentation to continue to get results.
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I have an absolute surprise for you and it’s going to blow your mind. Remember growing up you had to do science experiments for class and your final grade depended on it? Well consider your workout regiment the same.
Getting in shape is a science experiment, you’re the project, your results are the grade and you never really have a final. But guess what that means? LOADS of experimentation to continue to get results.
The Fallacy of a Perfect Workout
Let’s understand one thing. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A PERFECT WORKOUT. Period, point blank. Are there times when some are better than others? Yes, but more often than not, you’ll always analyze things, refine it for the next session and then execute. We have workouts that are close to being perfect, but there will always be something lacking. Especially when you try new things.
How to Experiment
In a lab, there are many variables to consider. Sample size, condition, hypothesis. We aren’t going to deal with all that, because all we’re looking for is a great workout, so we’ll be using some intensity techniques to help you with the sample size, which is usually just you and a training partner or two. With that being said, there are some things you need to track.
Water Intake: Make sure you are adequately hydrated for the workout. Never go into a session dehydrated.
Food: Be well fed going into the session with small meals and snacks throughout the day. DO NOT try to make up for lack of eating with a huge meal. You will pay for it and hate yourself due to food not being digested enough before you start hitting it.
Rest: I get it, life happens. But if you can prevent yourself from going into a workout fatigued, do it. Go to bed earlier, eat a bit more carbs, something. Pre-workouts should really be your last resort. Nutrition fuels you, rest gets you recovered. So don’t discount the role of rest.
How to Experiment
When you want to throw in something to mess with, like drop sets, negatives and the like, they need to be done so intelligently. Yes, I know, what fun is in that, but the smarter you are with throwing in these techniques, the better the session will be overall. We’re going to use legs as an example because I’m sadistic.
Leg Curl: Here we’ll do 4 work sets of 10 reps per set…but with the last sets, we’ll do a drop set of two drops to pump the hams full fo blood. Technique: drop sets
Squats: 4 sets of 8 to 10, pretty straightforward here, Technique: none
Leg press: 4 sets of 15, with a narrow stance. On your last set, you do another drop set taking off too plates at a time until you get to one and then push to failure. Technique: Drop sets
Leg Extension: Pick a weight that you can do for 10 reps. We are going to do 10 reps, rest 30-45 seconds, bang out 8 more, rest another 45 and then bang out 5 more. These will have your legs on fire and twitching. Technique: rest pause
Stiff Leg Deadlifts: 4 sets of 10, Technique: none
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To build off of my BLOG from last week I want to make one more point about women and their training. I constantly see in the gym or on social media individuals training women like they are a smaller man or doing (for lack of better terms) fluffy BS movements for the gram. These styles of training could not be farther from the truth of what females need and is a huge mistake that will limit them from being able to reach their true potential in the gym. Let me make a few points as to why females need to train harder than males.
Hopefully this article will help you to understand some of the differences of females and considerations that need to be taken into effect when creating a workout regimen. In the end let me finish by making one truthful statement. The females that are on the gram or all over Facebook posting pictures in their bikinis that you say are #bodygoals did not get that body from doing plyo's, one legged pushdowns and cardio. They got their physiques from doing compound movements like squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts and lunges. The majority of the females I train could out work my male clients any day. So, quit with the nonsense and get to work!
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Time and time again I hear this statement and every single time I hear it I want to cringe. Let me make one point very clear here, females you will NOT get bulky from lifting heavy weights. Here are a few benefits you will get from lifting heavy weights though:
To further dissolve the issue of women thinking lifting heavy will increase bulk I would like to point out one more study done recently. This study was specifically done using females lifting heavy and light loads for 8 weeks. The study concluded that there was no difference between women who lifted heavy and those that lifted light loads. In their words their study “suggest neither moderate- nor heavy-load training will result in a “bulky” appearance.”
In the end to create the beach body that most females are looking for you must make sure to lift heavy weights and do compound movements that will help you to build the lean muscle tissue to fuel your metabolism. So, enough with the 40lb. squats for 20 reps and start moving some heavier weight to see some real results!
It's a rookie move that even the most advanced people in the gym make. Getting bogged down and wanting to jump from program to program, exercise to exercise and method to method in order to find the secret formula of gains.
Never mind the fact that when you do this, you only spin your wheels and risk the real possibility of overtraining as well as increasing the risk for burnout.
It's popularly called "Training ADD" and most gym goers have it to some degree. I know I do sometimes. It's actually almost natural thing. If you love training and love the gym, then you'll find a way to stay in there for awhile.
However, you have to reign things in and know that more is not better. So here's some simple way to combat training ADD and move forward in making in improvements in the gym.
1: Buy a pre-set program
There's a reason why guys like John Meadows, Chad Wesley Smith and others make a lot of money over e-books. It takes the thought process out of training for the most part. You have your program, percentages, exercises and assistance movements already laid out. This is great if you're easily distracted and need to focus in. While there are flaws with a pre-set program, it works well because you have stuff laid out for you. Just do it and go.
2: Train in a gym with limited equipment
While not an option for everyone, it's still an option for a great many of you. Not as much equipment means not as many options to veer off the program. No, not every gym is the S-4 compound in Ohio (training center for Elite FTS), Quads Gym in Chicago or Bob's Fitness in Bellevue, but most gyms have great equipment. You're going to have that diamond in the rough that simply won't allow you to do a ton.
3: Keep training economy at the forefront
What are the biggest "bang for your buck" exercises? Meaning, what movements affect the muscle the most and over the greatest area
Lets take legs for example:
Squats (and it's variations), leg press, stiff legged deads are pretty much staples that really it the hamstring and quads. After that, you have leg extension, single leg curl and maybe one or two more exercises that make up a very effective routine.
But what I want you to do is select only ONE exercise. Just one. After you select that one, add one more in, then an additional two. Those movements you select HAVE to apply pressure all over to the muscle you are training. That is your leg routine. Keep big exercises at the forefront with one or two isolation exercises.
4: Understand programming
Proper programming is an art. Everything, much like your physique, has to flow together and rather seamlessly. Understand that each week is supposed to build on top of each other and there should be little room for error. That will keep you in check when you want to train HIT Dorian Yates style and then high volume, Sergio Oliva style the next.
4: Have some discipline!
Look, training is great, it's fun, but you have to reign it in. You don't have to do every exercise in the gym for a particular bodypart to make improvements. If you get the urge to go crazy, talk yourself out of it and just stop. Keep calm and go home. The equipment will be there next week.
These are just some things to employ or think about next time you want be a bunny rabbit and hop from machine to machine.
Source: http://tenacitystrength.blogspot.com/
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There are many things that can help you to improve your overall physique but, here are some golden rules to help you get the most out of your efforts.
Although these points seem simple, majority of people fail on executing these aspects of a healthy lifestyle consistently. If you can focus in on these 4 points and make them all a priority in your lifestyle then any goal you may have physique wise should be easily attainable.
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After sitting back and analyzing the pitfalls of success for a good majority of clients I have worked with past and present there are two key aspects that always seem to hold people back from reaching their full potential. These aspects can be applied to not only my world of physique athlete’s but also just in general life.
Hopefully after reading this post you can personally reflect and find out if one of these two points is holding you back from truly reaching success that you deserve. The key point I want you to understand is that both of these aspects deal directly with your MINDSET. If your mental attitude and mindset are positive and you are surrounded by those that continually push, encourage and challenge you I can promise that success is right around the corner.
]]>It’s happened to the best of us, yet we persevere day in and day out.
But what happens when you get down in the dumps and lose your mental edge for training? What happens when the gym is a struggle to get to?
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Confession time today.
Anyone that has been in the gym for any length of time has spent some time in the dumps about their training.
It’s happened to the best of us, yet we persevere day in and day out.
But what happens when you get down in the dumps and lose your mental edge for training? What happens when the gym is a struggle to get to?
Well, it’s a couple of things.
Change it up
You may need a change of pace to your routine to make it more challenging. Straight sets and reps only do the job so long. You may have been a former athlete and want to add in some functional or more athletic based movements. Add in a run here or there. Hell, you may even want the challenge of a full blown fat loss diet. Just something small to mentally engage you in your training can go a long way.
Motivational immersion
Back in the day, we had to rely on magazines for motivation. I’d look at my favorite bodybuilder in a magazine, training the same body part I was about to go in on later that day and get fired up. Thank God for the internet because you have pics and videos at the drop of a hat.
“Motivational immersion” is good because you can just watch video after video of those you look up to. Got a couple minutes? Look up that video of Candance Keene training. Got chest fellas? Look at Dennis James incline pressing.
Point is, don’t be afraid to just immerse yourself in motivation online or on social media. But that leads me to my next point…..
See the Forest For the Trees
It’s natural to want to compare yourself to others, especially in money, success and fitness. But do know that while the level you aspire to be is high, the level you’re at now is better than where you were before. Don’t compare yourself to an Olympia champion if you’re only at the local level. You are fine where you are right now, but don’t become comfortable where you are. Keep pushing!
Keeping in shape is not an easy thing. Sometimes it takes all your mental power to get up and go. Keep sharp, try some new things and keep moving in a positive direction
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But as the clothes come off, you’re noticing something. That winter bulk didn’t go as planned. You don’t have that size on your quadriceps you had hoped for. Those shirts aren’t fitting your arms well, your chest disappears when you raise your arms up. On top of all that, your back and shoulders give no illusion of width and dominance.
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Spring has finally sprung, temps are getting into the upper 60’s and on a good day, pushing close to 80. The sun is out, wind is light and clothes will slowly but surely get lighter.
But as the clothes come off, you’re noticing something. That winter bulk didn’t go as planned. You don’t have that size on your quadriceps you had hoped for. Those shirts aren’t fitting your arms well, your chest disappears when you raise your arms up. On top of all that, your back and shoulders give no illusion of width and dominance.
While there may be numerous reasons for this, the fact of the matter is that you have very little muscle where it counts and it’s May.
If that’s the case, then here are some methods to help you put on size. A little preface though, these are not for the faint of heart. If you’ve been doing high volume workouts for awhile, then you will want to take a week where you cut down on the volume or just take off completely.
Rest Pause Sets:
If you ever read a bodybuilding magazine or were around message board, you no doubt have heard of Doggcrapp Training by Dante Trudel. It was a high intensity, low volume program that put pounds of muscle on many trainees. Most notably Justin Harris, Steve Kuclo and Dusty Hanshaw. One of the main techniques used in the whole scope of the program was the inclusion of rest pause sets. A rest pause set is where you do your desired number of reps, take 45 seconds to a minute, get some more reps, another 45 seconds to a minute rest and then do more reps. After that third rest pause, the set is done.
This is what a set would look like for a set of incline presses:
225/10==rest interval==225/failure==rest interval==225/failure
In that rest pause sequence, you reach around two to three failure points. This stresses the muscle in new way, keeping it under a heavy load, but also increasing the rep count with the weight. This, over time, will equate to new muscle tissue. Another thing to note is that you keep track of your rest pause reps so you can beat them next time.
Note: Do not use rest pause on legs. Too big of a safety issue.
Tri Sets
This is another technique that was around in the mid to late beginning of the 2000’s. Bodybuilding legend Milos Sarcev took giant sets, a technique from back in the OG “Golden Age” of bodybuilding and brought them back. However Milos put a big time remix on them and has people pushing beyond their absolute limits. But seeing as that you nor I hit the genetic jackpot for being elite level physique competitors, then let’s scale it back a bit
Tri sets are simply three exercises, back to back to back with no rest. Simple enough right? Problem is people use this as a reason to back off on weight and try to squeeze the muscle into oblivion. Seeing as that approach didn’t work for you all winter, lets try them another way.
Keep the weight heavy for the first movement of your tri set but for low reps. No lower than 8. For the second movement, lets lighten up just a little, but push the exercise to failure. On the last exercise, keep the weight at a moderate range and push to failure again. In this technique you’ve not only increased the work/rest ratio, but you have also included somewhat of an occlusion effect to get more more blood in the muscle.
Negative Emphasis
This is a technique I’ve come to hate/fall in love with. Without getting to complicated, the negative portion of a rep is where the most muscle damage occurs. You’re actually stronger on the eccentric slope of a rep than the concentric. While you need both phases for muscle growth, the eccentric is one that can be manipulated for new gains in size in strength. Lets use the leg press for an example:
Leg press:
3 plates per side/ 8 reps with a 5 second negative, then go right into 10 reps with a normal pace and then go right into reps with a 3 second negative to failure.
In one set, you’ve set yourself up for a large amount of muscle damage, which depending upon nutrition, can lead to more muscle growth. Negatives can also be great set extenders as well.
Things to consider
The aforementioned techniques will absolutely put muscle on. They will also burn you into the ground if you’re not careful. Your overall nutrition will always play a roll, but pre and intra workout nutrition will also be of importance. Selecting the right products will put you on the right path. Below are my personal recommendations.
Pre: Arc Reactor by Granite Supplements and Impact igniter by Allmax.
Intra: Recovery Factor and Adamantium Aminos by Granite Supplements, Aminotaur by Project AD, EAA Pump by Rock Solid.
Don’t let another spring and summer with no depth or curves to your physique. Add in these techniques and flourish for pool season!
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Constantly I hear of or see people not progressing in the gym or achieving the body they envision. This can be the result of many different aspects but the following are some of the most common reasons I see for why you are stuck spinning your wheels!
year.
I can promise you that if you start to take into consideration all 6 of these points you will begin to see progress in the gym. Take the time to understand that the goals you have are all within your reach but, you must first ask yourself which one of these points applies to you. If it is all 6 then you definitely have some work to do! The positive point is that if all 6 apply you also have the chance to correct those issues and see the greatest amount of progress in the gym you have ever had! Look at this list as an instructional manual to help you improve and recognize the issues you have that are holding you back!
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Contrary to popular belief we are not super human and injuries can and will occur. I am one of the worst offenders when it comes to thinking my body is invincible and until this last year injury prevention was a secondary thought. Within the past year and a half, the damage I have done to my body seems to finally be catching up to me. So, in a last-ditch effort I really began focusing on injury prevention and I have seen massive improvements from taking 4 basic steps to preventing injuries.
Now listen I am not saying that you need to go all out and implement all 5 of these steps to injury prevention. I am simply saying if you are not currently implementing even one of these steps I would begin with picking one or two you know that you can commit to doing. I also want you to understand that you do not have to implement all 5 of these steps daily or even weekly for that matter. Points 3,4 and 5 can all be implemented when you need them. My main point here is begin taking into consideration your body is meant to be healed as much as it is broken down. Take my word for it that you cannot burn a candle from both ends before your body begins to fall apart and then you have to do like I did and implement all 5 of these steps at once. Do yourself a favor, save yourself some money and begin taking care of your body to prevent injuries from happening in the future!
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Let me preface this entire article by saying that this idea of nutrient timing is not accepted by all and is simply a guideline based on results that I have seen from myself and many clients over the years. The idea of nutrient timing has been around for quite some time and was utilized by many of the early pioneers in the health and fitness industry. Recently, this idea has been brought to the masses by people like John Meadows and other top-level coaches.
Nutrient timing is the idea that there are specific times that certain macronutrients should be consumed for optimal results. In this article, I will cover how I utilize this process, the benefits of nutrient timing, and the biggest issue I see with If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) in relation to nutrient timing.
HOW CAN YOU APPLY NUTRIENT TIMING?
For this article’s purposes, I am going to offer some pretty general statements and guidelines. Please understand that these guidelines may not apply to all but should be a pretty good starting point for those of you that would like to utilize nutrient timing correctly.
I follow these 4 main points with the majority of my clients. There will always be exceptions to the rules, but this applies to most!
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF NUTRIENT TIMING?
CONFLICTING ISSUES WITH IIFYM?
In conclusion, nutrient timing can be a very useful tool to help create the physique you envision. If you are already eating healthy and tracking your food daily, this will be a simple tweak that can be applied with considerable results. This very well could be the one change you need in order for your body to get past the plateau you are stuck on. Give nutrient timing a try and let me know about your results!
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So in the last blog post, we went through some intensity techniques that can be used to get you in shape if you are behind the curve in regards to getting in shape. But lets say you’ve been crushing it. You’re eating all your meals, killing your workouts and what not. But you find yourself a bit winded during workouts, not sleeping well and generally not recovering as well. Weights feel heavier and you're just consistently sore. Guess what that means? You are in need of a deload.
Deload to Reload: The When
The deload is a phase in training that generally lasts for about a week. Generally they are periods of reduced volume and weight to give your joints, muscles and recovery systems a chance to breathe. Usually they are put in after a period of hard, balls to the wall training. They were popularized in powerlifting training and have more recently made their way into bodybuilding.
Active Rest: The Why and How of Deloads
As I said above, they are used to give your body a break after a period of hard training. Think of them as an active rest. In this type of period, you can use exercises that you normally wouldn’t use in your training. So if your phase of training was very flat bench heavy for instance, you’d use this a time to throw in some incline bench or machine press. Put in some “pump” work just to get blood in the chest.
Also, volume needs to see a reduction. Wether it be an elimination of an exercise or total workload over exercise selection. Here’s an example below using a back workout….
“Blast” Phase Back Training:
Chins: bodyweight x 4 sets of 10-12
Bent over rows: 4 sets of 8-12
Meadows Rows: 4 sets of 8
Seated Rows: 3 sets of 15
Reload Back Training:
Chins: Bodyweight x 3 sets of 8
Bent Rows: 3 sets of 8 ( not heavy)
Meadows Rows: (OPTIONAL) 2 sets of 8
Seated Rows: 2 sets of 10
Notice how overall workload was taken down. Also something to keep in mind during a reload phase is that no sets are pushed to failure and no intensity techniques are used. Weights doing this period are not meant to drive you the brink either. You should be able to do them relatively easy.
Also, a deload is NOT meant for a time to be used to mess around in the gym. The problem with most is that they don’t take this time seriously. Most will stray from the diet (NO), most will indulge in alcohol they don’t normally indulge in (NO) and some will not train at all (not recommended, but different for everyone).
Take the reload seriously. What should be done are additional recovery modalities for you to come back to the gym and smash it up. Contrast showers, deep tissue massage and pool work all insert well into a deload phase.
The deload is meant to be a temporary landing to blast you off into the next phase of training. Know the signs of when you need a one and take it as seriously as your regular training sessions.
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But it’s crunch time. It’s now April and you’re finding the workout portion of your program is lacking a bit. Don’t worry, there are some techniques that you can use to put some iron to the fire (no pun intended) to round out and lean up those muscle bellies a bit more.
Supersets:
This is usually the first intensity technique people go to to lean up a bit. Now, something people don’t know is that supersets are to work ANTAGONIZING muscle groups. That means opposite of each other. So a superset workout should be constructed like the following…..
Chest/Back
Tricep/bicep
Hamstrings/Quads
The only thing that is hard to superset in pure terms are shoulders and calves, but guess what? That’s curable…..
Compound sets:
These are what I like to call the close cousin of supersets. Compound sets are two consecutive exercises for the SAME muscle. It can be two basic, multi-joint exercises, a basic movement followed by an isolation two isolation exercises in a row (generally not advised but can be used if an injury or nagging pain is hitting you).
Giant Sets:
This technique is quite simply, the devil. Only the strong use this type of technique. So this is a circuit of exercises done for the same or opposite muscle group. This is an advanced technique, but since it’s almost time for boat parties and pool dates, we’re gonna bust this out. With these you want to ideally do these in an empty gym and you’ll also want to string an upward of five exercises together. So lets take a look at how would we want to put together a giant set workout for legs, as we are sadistic here at Rexius Nutrition (ok, really just me.)
Lying leg curl
followed by
Leg Extension
followed by
Leg Press
followed by
Hack Squat
followed by
Stiff Leg Deadlift
What you want to understand with giant sets is that there is no real “right” way to do them. But what needs to be kept in mind is to keep a balance of exercises pretty even. Now sometimes that’s hard to do, so don’t beat yourself up over it if it doesn’t turn out that way.
Putting It All Together: Sample Workouts
Now that we have a basic grasp of the concepts, lets piece together sample workouts to execute. You can play around with exercise tempo and other factors later on, but lets just put together a simple module of exercises.
Chest/Back Superset:
Flat Bench
superset with
Bent over Barbell Rows: 4 sets of 10 (after 2 warm-up sets)
Chin-up
superset with
Incline Machine Press: 4 sets of 10
Lat pulldown
superset with
Machine (or dumbbell) fly: 3 sets of 10
Compound set: Sample Back Workout
Chins
followed by
Bent Over Row: 4 sets of 10
Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown
followed by
Seated row to the chest: 4 sets of 10
Hammer Strength Pulldown
followed by
Dumbbell Pullovers: 3 sets of 10
Things to Consider: Downfalls
While supersets, compound sets and giant sets are great for leaning out, the volume accumulates QUICKLY. That means the risk of overtraining is greater. I advise that you use this for a period of time when you really need to pull that last few pounds off before heading on vacation. There is also a strong cardiovascular effect, so no real need to hit the step mill after a heavy volume workout like the ones listed above.
Also, the amount of weight you use will be limited. While it’s always great to use a heavy load, you won’t be pressing super heavy weights on this type of training. Moderate weight with good power output should be the goal of these.
Intra and post-workout nutrition is of utmost importance. We have the tools you need to get you recovered and ready for your next session. My personal favorites (but not limited to)….
Intra: Recovery Factor x by Granite Supplements or Postlift by Nutrex
Pre: Arc Reactor by Granite Supplements or Convict by Condemned Labs
Post: Postlift by Nutrex
Keep the intensity high during a stretch of training like this and reap the rewards!
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Wait a minute, isn’t salt supposedly bad for you? I mean, if we’re trying to be healthy, aren’t we supposed to be following diets that are low in sodium? The answer: NOT NECESSARILY.
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As a bodybuilder and a coach, I know that many competitive physique athletes sometimes adopt a “food is fuel” mentality and claim that flavor is secondary, although many times I think it’s likely that we’re just trying to convince ourselves. For the vast majority of the people I see in the fitness industry, many of whom are just trying to eat healthier, the flavor of food is a concern, and a valid one.
I want to be very transparent about my feelings on this. Eating in a healthy way in pursuit of your fitness goals and enjoying food DO NOT have to be mutually exclusive of each other.
Last week I inadvertently launched a new series of articles sparked by common questions I get from clients and other people about food preparation (see last week’s article here). I’ll admit that I was in a bit of a hurry last week and wrote my post without really thinking through the ramifications of what I was writing. That’s just how it is sometimes. I start typing and whatever comes out, comes out (kind of like this paragraph is going. HA.). I wasn’t really thinking about embarking on another series, but after some further thought, here goes!
In retrospect, I SHOULD have started any series on food preparation with something more basic than lemon juice and vinegar. But I’ll admit it, I’m one of those weirdos that like sour flavor, so that’s what came to mind first.
Now, HERE’s the article that really should have preceded everything else, the one basic ingredient that can be used more than any others to enhance the flavor of food – SALT.
Wait a minute, isn’t salt supposedly bad for you? I mean, if we’re trying to be healthy, aren’t we supposed to be following diets that are low in sodium? The answer: NOT NECESSARILY.
I don’t want to create unnecessary confusion here. Clearly, if your doctor has instructed you to follow a low-sodium diet, listen to your doctor. There are some legitimate reasons why certain people should limit their sodium intake. Those individuals who have high blood pressure, have suffered a stroke, and many who have a family history of high blood pressure or strokes, may want to limit their sodium intake. Additionally, some people are simply sensitive to sodium, and if you experience significant bloating or discomfort (due to water retention) after a meal that is high in sodium, you may want to limit your intake of salt. Further, there is also a correlation between high-salt diets and stomach cancer, although the research on this is incomplete.
However, diets can actually be TOO LOW in salt, and this can have deleterious effects on the body, especially for athletes. Salt is actually a compound composed of two important electrolytes, sodium and chloride. Sodium plays a role in muscle contractions, and when sodium is lost through perspiration, this can lead to muscle cramps. Sodium is also involved in proper nerve function and maintaining blood volume and blood pressure. Chloride, like all other electrolytes, is involved in everything from nerve impulses to fluid balance. Very low levels of chloride can lead to an excessive build-up of carbon dioxide in the blood, causing the blood to be more acidic.
Further, several studies have shown that low-salt diets can have negative effects on cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Insulin resistance can also be a result of low-salt diets. And, while this may seem counter-intuitive, extremely low-sodium levels can also lead to water retention.
In conclusion, here’s my take on this. Unless you have a specific medical reason not to, it’s absolutely ok to put moderate amounts of salt on your food. If you’re generally avoiding processed foods (which I strongly encourage) you’re very likely in complete control over your salt intake. For competitive bodybuilders and physique athletes, there may be reasons to restrict sodium as you near your competition (and by that I mean within a week – there’s just no good reason to cut out salt for weeks in advance), but this will only be for short periods. The rest of the time – SALT YOUR FOOD. Your food will taste better, making it more likely that you will stick to your meal plan, and you may actually feel and perform better in the gym.
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One of the questions I get most frequently from my clients and others is “Are there ways to make the foods on my meal plan taste better without ruining my plan?” The answer, of course, is YES. However, many of us with busy schedules don’t really want to spend MORE time in the kitchen.
This week’s article details two quick ways to make your food taste better without compromising the nutritional aspects of your food. The following common condiments are things I use just about every day, they have multiple uses, and they may have health benefits themselves.
LEMON JUICE
Lemon juice is frequently overlooked, but it’s a great way to add some flavor to many foods, particularly fish or vegetables. I use lemon juice both as a condiment on food that’s already been cooked, like salmon, or as a dressing on spinach or any other vegetables.
However, one of my favorite uses for lemon juice is as an ingredient when baking tilapia. I’ll pour just enough lemon juice to cover the bottom of a baking dish, set the tilapia in the lemon juice, and then add seasonings. The tilapia absorbs a lot of flavor from the lemon juice, which is great, since tilapia doesn’t really have much flavor on its own.
While a fruit juice, lemon juice has virtually no sugar content, thus the sour flavor. However, it is rich in Vitamin C, which is a powerful anti-oxidant, and other vitamins and minerals. Lemon juice also has an alkalizing effect on the body, which should be of interest to athletes, since intense training and high protein diets tend to make the body more acidic.
VINEGAR
Many people have reported on the health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar, and I use it every day (with lemon juice, water, and a greens powder – for more information on that see: https://www.rexiusnutrition.com/blogs/rexius-nutrition-supplement-shorts/dont-forget-your-greens). However, the taste of Apple Cider Vinegar is not that pleasant, so its use as a condiment is pretty limited.
There are MANY different kinds of vinegar, and vinegar is used in the cuisines of many different cultures. The various flavors of different kinds of vinegar can be useful, but one should be aware that certain vinegars will have some amount of sugar, like balsamic vinegar. Vinegar is useful as a tenderizer when preparing marinades for meats, and it can be used in various dressings for vegetables and salads.
My favorite vinegar is Red Wine Vinegar. Red wine vinegar has a lot of the same health benefits of red wine, which is rich in anti-oxidants and bioflavonoids. This vinegar usually has no sugar content, so I don’t hesitate to use it when I’m dieting. As I often want to have healthy fats in my diet, I tend to pair vinegar with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This pairing is a great way to add flavor to fish, chicken, or vegetables. Be forewarned, this is a very robust flavor combination, but can be very enjoyable with the right amount of seasonings. My favorite combination is garlic salt, crushed red pepper, and Italian seasonings.
You might have guessed by now that I tend to like sour flavors. I realize that lemon juice and red wine vinegar may not be to everyone’s liking, but part of the fun of food preparation is in experimenting to find what YOU like. Give these a try – I’d appreciate hearing back from you if you find a way to use them that you liked!
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First of all, thank you for following this blog and for bearing with me through another multi-part series. I just want to wrap up this series on recovery with a few related topics that are relevant to this discussion.
As there are so many factors that go into recovery, assessing your own recovery needs can be a bit challenging. As a coach, one of the axioms I find myself repeating often is “Everybody is different.” This may seem a bit trite, but there’s a lot of truth in that statement. There are, however, several general statements that can be made about individual recovery ability.
Surely, I don’t need to compile a list of likely sources of stress. I’m sure we all are aware of the many things (or people) that have potential to add stress to our lives. Our fast-paced lives are full of potential sources. However, here’s a list of things that I and many others have found helpful in managing/relieving their stress.
Whether you are exercising for weight loss, strength, or hypertrophy (muscle growth), the very nature of resistance training is that muscles are damaged during training. Recovery is the process of the body repairing the micro-damage done to skeletal muscle tissue, and the body’s adaptive response to this process, over time, produces increases in strength, training capacity, and muscle size.
Ideally, this process would go on without interruption until our goals are achieved. However, the reality is that sometimes we overdo it with our training, sometimes muscular imbalances occur (and there many potential causes for this), and sometimes (especially as we age) our bodies just fail us. In any case, injuries are a part of any athletic endeavor. Sometimes, injuries are completely outside of our control, but much can be done to improve the health of connective tissue, which also can assist in injury prevention.
Suffice it to say, I think all athletes have done some type of stretching in their lives; however, if we’re honest, I’m sure most of us would confess to not stretching nearly as often as we probably should. One common thing that I have noticed among the many bodybuilders and powerlifters that I have known in my life is this: athletes that are the most flexible also tend to be the strongest relative to their size. In addition, there is an aesthetic quality that flexible athletes have in their muscles; those athletes’ muscles just have a healthy, supple look about them.
As with most things in life, some people are more naturally gifted than others – some people are just more or less flexible than others (although a lot of this probably has to do with physical activity in childhood). However, flexibility can be developed, and flexibility training (stretching) can extremely beneficial when used properly. Further, neglecting this aspect of training can have a negative impact upon how muscles perform, feel, and look.
But does stretching itself have an impact on recovery? I believe that it does. Certainly, stretching has been shown to decrease muscle soreness, but that’s not really what I’m getting at. Since recovery is the process of repairing the damage done through training, one needs to bear in mind HOW the body does this. There are all kinds of nutrients that the body attempts to distribute to damaged muscle tissue after training through the bloodstream. One problem that arises is when muscle fibers are chronically tight, blood flow is restricted. The act of stretching temporarily restricts blood flow to the muscles being stretched, but it quickly elevates blood flow after the stretch is released.
Of course, there are many different ways of stretching, but trying to cover that would quickly go beyond the scope of this one brief article. For the benefits of recovery that I’m attempting to address here, stretching during or after exercise is commonly practiced among athletes.
However, stretching alone has its limitations, especially with some muscles that are particularly difficult to stretch (shoulders, upper back) or in individuals whose muscularity has developed to the point that the range of motion of certain joints is limited. Increasing numbers of health practitioners (mainly chiropractors, physical therapists, and massage therapists) are recognizing this, and many offer services that have some of the same effects on muscle tissue that stretching does. Deep Tissue Massage, Active Release Therapy (ART), Graston Technique, and Cupping are some of the most common of these therapeutic modalities. I have had first-hand experience with all of these techniques, and I find them all to be beneficial, both for alleviating existing discomfort and soreness, and for optimizing the body’s ability to recover from training.
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Using peri-workout nutrition to enhance recovery
Whatever your fitness goals are, nutrition obviously plays a part in achieving those goals. Weight-loss, fat-loss, muscle-building, strength, and performance can all be enhanced by manipulating nutrition to be in alignment with your training goals. This is especially important with peri-workout nutrition, meaning the pre-workout and post-workout meals, as well as whatever nutrients taken in during your workout (or intra-workout nutrition).
One of the reasons why peri-workout nutrition is so critical is the direct impact it can have on recovery ability. This is not to imply that nutrition at other times of the day don’t affect recovery; ideally one would be on point with nutrition all day long. However, it must be emphasized that the nutrients you take in surrounding your workout can both set the tone for your workout and help you get a jump-start on recovery (or not).
Here are some helpful ways to think about your peri-workout nutrition:
Pre-workout
Your pre-workout meal should ideally be consumed 60-90 minutes before you start your workout. If you have a particularly fast metabolism, you might be able to shorten that time. If you just don’t have the flexibility in your schedule to do that, then perhaps consider keeping your pre-workout meal small and simple. Ideally, this meal should consist of a good balance of protein, simple and complex carbohydrates, and fats. Depending on your digestive system, metabolism, and personal preference, you may want to choose protein and carbohydrate sources that are relatively easy to digest – this is what I prefer to do. The point here is to provide fuel for the workout, but you don’t want the discomfort of a full stomach hindering your workout. Currently my pre-workout meal consists of oatmeal, whey isolate (currently using Isoflex, by Allmax), strawberries, and some natural peanut butter. But chicken breast, white rice, and a small amount of avocado could also work well.
Intra-workout
For many years, I wasn’t particularly concerned with intra-workout nutrition; I just wanted to stay hydrated. This has been the biggest change that I have made in my approach to nutrition within the past 2 years, and it has made a big difference, both for me and for my clients. I have learned that during your workout is really the time when you can use nutrition to both improve your performance during your workout and set yourself up for better recovery once the workout is complete.
Carbohydrates during your workout can help keep energy levels high, as carbohydrates are the most readily-used form of energy. In a sense, taking in some simple carbs during the workout (usually in a liquid form) helps enhance short-term recovery, meaning the rest you’re getting between sets. Since hydration is also a concern, particularly during strenuous training, water and electrolytes can also be useful when consumed as part of an intra-workout drink.
In addition, consuming amino acids can also be beneficial during your workout, as amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Now, there is some level of debate about the value of BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids) vs. EAAs (Essential Amino Acids). From what I understand about the current research on this topic, BCAAs are beneficial in terms of preventing protein breakdown, whereas EAAs both prevent protein breakdown and enhance protein synthesis. Since repairing the damage done from training is how we build bigger, stronger muscles, EAAs seem to be superior.
Currently, for intra-workout nutrition, I’m using Carbion, by Allmax, Adamantium Aminos, by Granite Supplements, and some Gatorade powder.
Post-workout
The post workout meal is all about recovery. For most people, this meal should be your highest carbohydrate intake of the day, and fast-digesting carbs are extremely valuable at this time. The primary reason this is the case is the role that insulin plays in nutrient uptake. Insulin is the hormone the body produces to regulate blood sugar levels, but it also is the most anabolic hormone in the body. With a high carbohydrate meal, insulin will rise, transporting nutrients to the muscle cells that need restoration prior to training. For this reason, I recommend fast digesting complex carbs such as white rice and simple carbs like fruit or honey as part of a post workout meal. I also recommend a reasonably easily-digestible protein such as chicken breast or fish, or a whey isolate supplement like Isoflex (Allmax) or IsoSurge (Mutant). I do not tend to consume much in terms of dietary fats with my post-workout meal, as I prefer to leave those to other times of the day. The exception to this would be if I’m having a cheat meal, but that is a topic for another day!
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One of the most important (and least discussed) aspects of recovery is that thing we do for about 1/3 of our lives --- sleep.
Pursuing athletic or physique goals certainly involves training and nutrition, and much of the information we acquire as we try to educate ourselves or the athletes we coach centers around these two topics. However, for the purposes of recovery, sleep is arguably just as important as training and nutrition. Unfortunately, for many of us, sleep is treated as an afterthought in our busy, hyper-committed lives.
Ian King, one of the world’s foremost strength coaches and coach of numerous Olympic athletes, places a great deal of emphasis on the importance of sleep. “Sleep is incredibly important in the training process with its contribution to recovery. In reality, it’s a full-fledged member of what I call the training triangle – eating, training, and sleeping.”
Imagine if we were all as structured and disciplined about sleep as we are about training and nutrition! I daresay we’d generally feel better and by more fully recovered from our workouts.
Why is sleep so important? Sleep is essential for all of us, and not just because of our athletic endeavors. Much of the reason why sleep is important has to do with brain health. Without going into a complex discussion of the brain and how it works during sleep, just know that sleep is a time for brain chemicals to restore and re-balance. Many of these chemicals play a role in physical recovery as well, notably cortisol and growth hormone. A lack of sleep can have detrimental effects on energy levels, hormonal balance, appetite, and immune system function.
Both the quality and the quantity of sleep are important for optimizing recovery. While everyone is different, it’s generally agreed upon that healthy adults need 6-8 hours of sleep each night. Many scholars believe that athletes involved in regular, strenuous activity need more sleep than regular adults, particularly for the purposes of maximizing recovery – something more like 8-10 hours each night.
In any case, the quality of sleep is best when it’s uninterrupted. For this reason, it might be necessary for some of us to develop better habits so that we are not sabotaging the quality of our sleep. Here are some suggestions:
Signs of poor or inadequate recovery
Those of you who follow this blog on a regular basis may have noticed that nothing was posted last week. For that, I apologize, but I was in the midst of learning an extremely valuable lesson on the subject of recovery.
In planning out this series of articles on recovery, I had actually intended on saving the post discussing signs of poor or inadequate recovery until I was nearing the end of the series, but my recent circumstances have compelled me to change my mind about that.
Three weeks ago, I started to feel sick. You might even remember that I submitted a post about whether you should train when you’re feeling sick (see Exercising When Sick – A Good Idea?). As it turned out, I ended up coming down with the flu. Yes, the FLU – fever, respiratory issues, body aches, diarrhea, etc. I really haven’t been THAT sick in a long time. I spent several days in bed; it ended up taking me out of the gym for over a week……
….And I was pissed about that. So when most of my symptoms had subsided, I was very eager to get back in the gym. But something was off. The first day wasn’t so bad, but starting on the second day, there was a noticeable loss of endurance as I went through my workouts, strength was down on some exercises (most notably on those which I had made significant recent improvement), and my energy levels were very low throughout the day. I pushed through for several days. I wasn’t experiencing a relapse of my flu symptoms, but I didn’t seem to be fully well, either.
As the week went on, after about the third day in a row of debating with myself if taking a nap might actually be more valuable than training, I had to accept that I was not fully recovered from the flu. Rather than being stubborn and emotional about not being able to train, I realized that I needed to take a hard, objective look at the situation.
Now this is an acute and obvious example of often ends up being a much more chronic and subtle problem for some people, but the principles remain the same. As I was not fully recovered from the flu, I was not recovering well from my workouts either. However, these signs can be present even if you haven’t recently been ill. Here were the signs:
What did I do about it? In my case, I was fortunate to have already scheduled a week in Colorado to visit my family. Essentially, I took another week completely off from the gym……and I didn’t feel any guilt or anxiety about it. Could I have trained? Absolutely. However, I spent some quality time with my parents and my sister, ate some of my mom’s amazing cooking, and I got a lot of extra sleep. For me, this was the right decision.
And I feel AMAZING. I woke up at 5AM this morning, ready to go. I trained legs this morning, and I had a GREAT workout. I’m on schedule with my meals today, and I haven’t nodded off while working on this post even once (If you’ve been nodding off while reading this, I don’t want to hear about it.....but take note for yourself if this is happening regularly!!).
Now, not everyone in my circumstances would need to take a whole week off. In all honesty, I probably didn’t NEED an entire week off, but certainly a reduction in the volume and intensity of workouts would have been necessary. That’s a difficult mindset for me – if I’m going to train, I prefer to go all out. If that’s you, but you’re experiencing some or all of the signs I’ve listed above, then perhaps try taking a week, and give your body a chance to recover more fully.
And if you HAVE been out of the gym with illness, PLEASE learn from my experience. In hindsight, I probably should have taken the “extra” week off right after my symptoms had subsided. I hope I remember to follow that advice the next time I’m knocked down with illness……
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Very often, articles written by professionals in the fitness industry are centered around training or nutrition. Likewise, as a coach, the vast majority of the discussions I have with my clients stem from questions about one of these two areas. Unfortunately, one area that I think we may all be guilty of not trying to adequately understand is the topic of recovery.
There are a number of reasons why this may be true. One, in the hyper-competitive environment of the fitness industry, I think there is a wide-spread proclivity to take pride and find identity in how hard we work, how hard we train, how much we are willing to suffer, etc. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be self-disciplined and proud of our work efforts, but this can be taken to an unhealthy level. When you’re consistently taking on more work, (training harder, etc.) just for the sake of doing more work (or for impressing your friends and social media followers), maybe you should re-evaluate your priorities. Certainly, sacrifice and suffering are part of any hard-sought goal, but let’s try to keep the goal in mind, ok?
Two (and this is not unrelated to reason One), I think there is a reluctance to admit that we ALL have limitations. Whether those limitations are physical, mental, or emotional, there is a propensity to equate the need for recovery with some kind of weakness. I know that I am guilty of both of these tendencies, and I know more than a few people who would probably have to admit the same.
Now, let me be clear. I am not excusing a lack of dedication or a lack of effort. I am writing this series of articles from the position that I assume that you are dedicated to your goals and that you are pursuing them with your best efforts. I realize that this is a big assumption, but if it IS actually true for you, the purpose of this series is to challenge you to be more mindful about the need for adequate recovery.
Simply put, adequate recovery is necessary in order to achieve our fitness goals, regardless of the goal, whether those goals are gaining muscle or losing fat. Muscles don’t grow while training. True, muscles will grow as an adaptive response to training, but only if the muscles have an opportunity to repair from the damage done while training.
If fat loss is the goal, the body also needs to be given a chance at recovery. Cortisol, a hormone that is part of the body’s response to stress, is the enemy of fat loss. If our fat loss strategy is to just do more and more work (or eating less and less food), without being mindful of recovery, the body natural response will be to resist those additional efforts.
That being said, the next several articles will be focused on one or more of the following aspects of the topic of recovery:
Sleep
Training intensity and volume
Macronutrient intake and timing
Pre-/Intra-/Post-workout nutrition
Stretching and other recovery techniques
Managing stress levels
Knowing your own individual needs for recovery
Signs of poor or inadequate recovery
I hope that you will find this topic to be interesting and the articles in the coming weeks to be useful (and perhaps challenging) as you continue to pursue your goals.
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It’s January, the beginning of a new year. This is an exciting time in our industry, as we encounter lots of people who have specific fitness goals. This might be in the form of New Year’s resolutions, regular gym goers who are just re-focusing their exercise and nutrition plans, or competitive bodybuilders and physique athletes looking ahead at competition season later this year.
Unfortunately, January also means we’re in the midst of cold and flu season. Certainly, no one plans to get sick, and it always seems like we get sick at the most inconvenient times. This is especially frustrating for goal-oriented people like myself, who “simply do not have time to be sick!” (sound familiar?) When you have been killing it in the gym and staying on point with nutrition, no one wants to lose the momentum you have gained in pursuit of your goals, and you really don’t want to go backwards in your progress.
Dang it….I’m sick. What should I do?
Here are a few thoughts on training when sick:
Some final thoughts:
-Don’t get sick. Especially at this time of year, make sure you’re washing your hands regularly. You may even want to carry an anti-bacterial hand wash in your gym bag.
-Fresh fruits and vegetables are great immune boosters.
Some other products that can be helpful: Vitamin C, Zinc, Echinacea.
-These all can be beneficial for boosting one’s immune system.
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This will be the conclusion of the short series on macronutrients. Part one primarily dealt with defining terms (protein, fats, carbohydrates, etc.), part two gave some insight into what I do as a coach (and what you can do on your own) when designing a nutrition plan, and part three offered some basic principles on how to substitute foods in your meal plan. These can be accessed through the following links:
Part one: https://www.rexiusnutrition.com/blogs/rexius-nutrition-supplement-shorts/marcos-101-part-1
Part two: https://www.rexiusnutrition.com/blogs/rexius-nutrition-supplement-shorts/macros-101-part-2
Part three: https://www.rexiusnutrition.com/blogs/rexius-nutrition-supplement-shorts/macros-101-part-3
This week, I want to share a sample meal plan, offer some alternative foods, and explain the rationale behind those substitutes. Here’s the sample plan:
Meal |
Time |
Food/Amount |
Protein |
Carbs |
Fat |
Calories |
1 |
7:00am |
.5 Tbsp. coconut oil |
0 |
0 |
7 |
60 |
|
|
2 whole eggs |
12 |
0 |
10 |
138 |
|
|
8 oz. liquid egg whites |
26 |
2 |
0 |
112 |
|
|
1/2 cup oatmeal |
5 |
27 |
2.5 |
150.5 |
|
|
1 cup spinach |
1 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
10:00am |
7oz. 96/4 ground beef |
42 |
0 |
8 |
240 |
|
|
4oz sweet potato |
3 |
24 |
0 |
108 |
|
|
1 Tbsp. coconut oil |
0 |
0 |
14 |
126 |
|
|
1 cup broccoli |
3.2 |
6 |
0.3 |
39.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
12:30pm |
6oz. Chicken breast |
53 |
0 |
6 |
266 |
|
(pre-wkt) |
1 cup white rice |
4 |
53 |
0 |
228 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1:30pm |
2 scoops Aminocore |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
(intra-wkt) |
2 scoops Carbion |
0 |
50 |
0 |
200 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
4:00pm |
7 oz tilapia |
49 |
0 |
3.5 |
227.5 |
|
(post-wkt) |
1.25 cup white rice |
5 |
66 |
0 |
284 |
|
|
1 cup spinach |
1 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
7:00pm |
1 can tuna |
32.5 |
0 |
1 |
139 |
|
|
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil |
0 |
0 |
14 |
126 |
|
|
1 medium banana |
1 |
27 |
0 |
112 |
|
|
8 spears asparagus |
3.2 |
6.4 |
0 |
38.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
9:30pm |
456g nonfat Greek yogurt |
45 |
18 |
0 |
252 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
T0TAL |
285.9 |
281.4 |
59.3 |
2802.9 |
|
|
percentages |
40.8 |
40.158 |
19.0409 |
|
This plan was written for a 24-year-old athletic male who, at the time, weighed 190lbs. His goal was to gain muscle without gaining much bodyfat. He happens to be very lean naturally, so as his coach I wasn’t overly concerned about him gaining a little bodyfat while I took some time to determine his metabolic needs. In truth, this turned out to be not nearly enough food for him to gain weight (he has a very fast metabolism); therefore, as we worked together I continually increased his food intake, mostly from carbohydrates, since he seemed to respond well to that approach.
Notice a few things about this plan. I started off following two basic principles that are fairly common for someone with his goals. In determining daily protein intake, I multiplied his bodyweight in pounds by 1.5 (190 x 1.5 = 285). In determining other macronutrient intake, I followed the standard ratio of 40/40/20, or 40% of calories from protein, 40% from carbs, 20% from fats. Remember that this was just an INITIAL plan, so those ratios diverged from that standard as foods were added. I also resolved to keep his carbohydrate intake fairly even throughout the day, with a slight increase surrounding his workouts. This was something else that changed as time passed, but that’s a topic for another day!
In addition, notice that I have him eating at regular intervals throughout the day, or every 2½ to 3 hours. His schedule allowed him to work out in the early afternoon, but if he were to train at a different time, the pre-, intra-, and post-workout meals would have to be moved to a different time of the day.
Now for the point of this week’s article. Many people don’t relish the idea of eating the exact same 6 meals day after day. Personally, I find that makes things easier, but I realize that I’m not most people.
First, consider the macros in the main sources of protein (eggs, egg whites, ground beef, chicken breast, and tilapia). I have kept the serving size within certain limits in order to yield about 40-50g of protein with each meal. Notice that chicken breast has more protein per ounce than the other meats, while tilapia has less fat, and so on.
Any of these protein sources COULD be exchanged for each other, if necessary, but there are some occasional tweaks that might also be necessary in order to fulfill the macronutrient goals for the day. For example, if tilapia were used instead of ground beef with meal two, some extra fats might have to be added to that meal, either in the form of additional coconut oil, or some other source of fat like almonds or avocado (in this particular example, 1oz. of avocado would be great, as that would add 4g of fat, without adding much in the way protein or carbs).
Or consider this scenario. Let’s say your grocery store is offering a special on fresh salmon, and that just strikes your fancy on this particular day (and salmon seems more appetizing than canned tuna just about any day, in my opinion…..). And as many of you know, salmon is higher in healthy fats than most fish. Meal 5, would be a perfect place to substitute about 6oz. of salmon. No, it wouldn’t EXACTLY match the macronutrients of the tuna and olive oil (as a very poor graduate student, I at a lot of this particular meal, by the way), but it comes very close.
Next, take note of the macros for the carbohydrate sources. Notice that, in terms of macros, 4oz. of sweet potato is about equivalent to ½ cup of oatmeal, which is about equivalent to ½ cup of white rice. These are in effect SOMEWHAT interchangeable, but it’s not as simple as it may seem based on the chart. This is where just going by macros can be misleading. Carbohydrate sources can also be compared by the Glycemic Index. Simply put, your body breaks down certain carbs to simple sugars faster than others. White rice, which is broken down fairly quickly, has a high glycemic index, with oatmeal and sweet potato being slower to digest, having a lower glycemic index. As the need for easily accessible energy is greater around the time one trains, the white rice is located before and after the workout. So while the carb source COULD be swapped out for each other, that would not be ideal.
As far as fats go, coconut oil and olive oil are basically interchangeable. Both are good for you in different ways, so I would use both. But in a pinch, you can sub these out for one another.
One brief word about intra-workout nutrition. I’ve featured two products made my Allmax in this plan that I highly recommend to take during a workout. Taking in some simple carbs from Carbion during your workout can help sustain your energy levels, especially when going through a long or particularly grueling workout. The BCAAs in Aminocore help with protein synthesis in order to prime your body for recovery after your workout. I’m a big proponent of this combination of products.
One final word about this particular plan. Why Greek yogurt? One, it’s a great source of casein protein, a slower digesting protein that is ideal for bedtime. Two, the live cultures (or “good bacteria”) in quality Greek yogurt are beneficial for digestive health. Cottage cheese would be a possible substitute, or whey protein with some added fats (I’ve used both natural peanut butter and olive oil) to slow the digestion, although neither of these would be as beneficial as the Greek yogurt for digestive health.
Obviously, there are innumerable possibilities for creating variety in one’s meal plan, and this can be both liberating and confusing. There is always more to learn about various foods and their effects on the body, which is fun for me (but then again, I am a total nerd). As a coach, I also have to remember that everyone responds differently, which makes my job a perpetual exercise in creative problem solving, and I love it.
Thanks for sticking through this series with me.
Jeff McCray
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Last week, we discussed some of what goes into designing a nutrition plan specific to your fitness goals. This week, I want to share some principles to follow if you need to temporarily diverge from your plan. Reasons for such diversions might include planned events with family and friends around the holidays or unplanned occurrences that are an inevitable part of life.
Before I dig into the principles, let me clarify a few things. In creating some space for diverting from your plan, I am not advocating a lackadaisical attitude toward the execution of a nutrition plan. So often in any disciplined effort (yes, it’s a cliché, but it’s also true), failing to plan is planning to fail. In maintaining a lifestyle where fitness and nutrition is a priority, one must be sufficiently organized in regard to food shopping, food preparation, clean-up, etc. We can’t all afford to hire a meal preparation service to do that for us, after all!
I AM advocating that one can have a life outside of the pursuit of one’s fitness goals and that holidays and other occasions don’t have to be a time of deprivation and isolation from one’s family. Now, I’m not saying that you can’t eat your tuna and rice out of Tupperware while everyone else is dining on turkey and prime rib, but unless you’re in the midst of preparation for a bodybuilding competition, I’m saying that you don’t have to. Of course, if staying on your plan on Christmas Day makes you happy, do what makes you happy, but I’ll be enjoying some turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes and not feeling guilty about it.
For some useful tips about eating (and enjoying yourself) on holidays, please refer to a previous post: https://www.rexiusnutrition.com/blogs/rexius-nutrition-supplement-shorts/5-tips-to-take-on-holiday-eating
Now for two principles that I encourage you to consider:
Not all macronutrient sources are created equally.
Some basic knowledge about macronutrients can be utilized to create some flexibility with your plan, but I am not advocating for eating WHATEVER you want, as long as it “fits your macros.” There are such things as healthy and unhealthy foods, and if we’re really being honest with ourselves, most of us know the difference. Simply put, carbohydrates from rice and potatoes are not the same as carbohydrates from cookies and Pop Tarts. In considering such foods, the general rule that I follow is GIGO – Garbage In, Garbage Out. Plainly stated, healthier foods will yield better results in terms of how I feel and how I perform in the gym. Junk carbs might make you feel good temporarily, but they shouldn’t be a regular of your nutrition.
Foods that are closer to how they occur in nature tend to be healthier.
This is fairly self-explanatory. I’m not saying that all processed foods are bad, but it’s pretty obvious that potatoes are better for you than potato chips. Another way of stating this might be, “If you can’t kill it, pick it, or dig it out of the ground, you probably should think twice about eating it.”
Know the basic facts about the foods on your plan
The flexibility that I AM talking about is more like the following scenario. Recently, after a particularly busy week jammed with obligations that were not part of my normal schedule, I was a bit behind on my food preparation. So instead of eating the ground beef called for in my plan, I had to substitute with chicken breast. Of course, just about any lean protein would have sufficed, but that’s what I had on hand. However, how much chicken should I eat in order to get a similar amount of protein to what I’m supposed to have? This is where some knowledge about macros can be helpful. In the case I’ve just described, 4 oz of chicken breast (cooked weight) has the equivalent protein content to about 5oz of ground beef (cooked weight), so it’s not too difficult to calculate. However, depending on the fat content of the ground beef I typically use in my plan, I may also need to add some healthy fats to this meal in order to really stay on track with the macronutrient goals for the meal.
There are many on-line resources that you can consult for basic nutrition facts about foods, so it’s not necessary to memorize the macronutrient content of all the foods you eat in order to be successful with this (but it helps…..). Just know that not every kind of meat has the same amount of protein per ounce. The same is true about fats and carbohydrates.
Next week, in order to further illustrate this point, I’m going to share a sample meal plan and some reasonable substitutes for certain foods on the plan.
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Last week we discussed the basic definitions of calories, macronutrients, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Now let’s put some of that into practice.
I have both been a coach and worked with coaches who advise and design nutrition programs for bodybuilders, physique athletes, and general fitness clients. When designing a meal plan for anyone, some initial assessment must take place in order to determine an appropriate starting point for the client. If you’re designing a program for yourself, I hope you’ll consider the following:
What is your current physical condition? This takes into account age, gender, height, weight, body fat percentage, level of physical activity (both inside and outside the gym), current nutritional habits, and other factors. From this information, some informed decisions can be made about caloric and macronutrient intake.
Further, what are your goals? As specific as some clients’ goals may be, I tend to boil them down for the purposes of designing the nutrition plan: gain/lose weight? gain/lose fat? gain/lose muscle? Granted, I’ve not yet come across a client whose goals include gaining fat and losing muscle, but it’s important to consider when both designing a plan and in making necessary adjustments.
I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to keep your goals in mind when designing and implementing a plan. As I mentioned last week, there is a lot of information out there on the internet. For example, the USDA, which purports to be an authority on nutrition, makes all kinds of recommendations, from caloric intake to specific macronutrients. However, what a lot of people don’t realize is that these recommendations are not meant for people seeking to gain muscle, or really for anyone with an athletic physique. Did you know that the USDA’s recommendations for an active 30-year-old male is 3000 calories, but only 6oz of meat, per day? What’s harder to find is that this recommendation is for a man who is 5’10” and 154lbs. That doesn’t sound like many people I know in the gym who are looking to improve their physique!
My point is that many of the USDA’s recommendations are just not applicable for everyone, especially if you’re looking to gain muscle and/or lose fat. Of course, there are all kinds of other sources of information for what caloric and macronutrient intake should be based on age, height, weight, activity level, etc. However, these are all guidelines that may or may not be accurate for your own needs.
This is all a long way of saying that determining what your needs are is not such a simple process, but a knowledgeable nutritionist or coach can be helpful. I have found that sometimes it takes a few weeks with a new client to accurately identify what the caloric and macronutrient intake should be.
Next week, I will discuss what to do with a structured meal plan, and how some knowledge about macronutrients can be helpful to stay on the plan (or at least not completely abandon the plan) in the context of busy schedules, holidays with friends/family, and unplanned events that will sometimes happen.
]]>“You’re still counting calories? That’s SO 1990’s….. Don’t you know that counting macros is more important?”
In all seriousness, now that the internet has become such a prevalent part of our daily lives, we live in a period of information overload. Particularly in the world of health and fitness, there is so much information out there that sometimes it’s difficult to determine what is accurate or helpful. To make the situation worse, we as a society are drawn to instant gratification and quick fixes, so we are susceptible to the latest fitness trend or celebrity diet. Fads with some marketable catch phrases gather lots of followers, but these followers don’t always understand what exactly they’re being led into.
This article is an attempt to clear up some common confusion about something we hear a lot about in the fitness industry: macros.
WHAT ARE MACROS?
“Macro” is a shortening of the term macronutrient. Broadly speaking, the nutritional needs of the body can be divided into two categories: macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and protein) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). The three sub-categories of macronutrients all have their specific roles in the body, and they all provide the body with calories, or energy. Therefore, the term “macros” refers to carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
While foods can be broadly categorized into a protein, carbohydrate, or fat based food, most foods do not consist of only one macronutrient. For example, most meats contain both protein and fat, and most vegetables contain (to a greater or lesser extent) all 3 macronutrients.
What is a carbohydrate?
Carbohydrates are the main energy source for the body. Carbohydrates consist of chains of sugar that are metabolized (broken down) into glucose. These chains exist in varying levels of complexity, which require more or less time to metabolize – thus the terms simple carbohydrates, which metabolize relatively quickly, and complex carbohydrates, which are slower to metabolize. Glucose, the absolute simplest form of sugar, is the fastest source of energy for the body’s cells.
Carbohydrates are mainly found in starchy foods such as grains (including rice) and potatoes, as well as fruits and dairy products. Vegetables and nuts also contain carbohydrates, but in lesser amounts.
What are proteins?
Protein is what makes up most cells. Proteins are used to build new tissues for growth and tissue repair, and they play a role in most body functions. Protein can also be metabolized and used for energy when carbohydrates are not present.
Proteins are found primarily in meat, fish, poultry, and dairy. Proteins are also found in plant-based foods such as nuts and beans, and to a lesser extent, in most vegetables. Proteins from plant-based foods are said to be incomplete because they do not contain all nine “essential amino acids.” (For more information about Essential Amino Acids, please refer to this blog post)
What are fats?
While we have largely been conditioned to believe that fats are to be avoided, fats are actually extremely important to include in a healthy diet. Fats are essential for many body functions, including brain function, hormone production, cell regeneration, and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K.
Fats are present in many foods, both animal- and plant-based. Not all fats are bad, but not all are healthy. In general, plant-based fats should be preferred, and common sources of healthy fats are avocados, almonds, olive oil, and coconut oil.
Fats can also be used for energy, both the fat we consume in our diets and the fat that is stored in our bodies. Gram for gram, fats are actually the most efficient source energy, with each gram of fat containing more the twice the calories than carbohydrates or proteins.
What are calories?
The term calorie is a unit of measurement of energy. Simply stated, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins can all be used for energy. Carbohydrates may be the easiest macronutrient for the body to use for energy, but fats provide more energy per gram.
Calories per gram of macronutrient:
Carbohydrates – 4
Protein – 4
Fats – 9
Consuming an adequate number of calories is essential for meeting our nutritional needs and achieving our fitness goals. Defining such a number is dependent upon several factors including age, gender, current weight, activity level, and genetics. Broadly stated, if we consistently consume a surplus of calories, we will gain weight, whereas if we are consistently in a caloric deficit, we will lose weight. However, gaining or losing weight is not always quite that simple, which will be discussed in future articles.
Why should I count macros?
Counting macros can be helpful in planning for consistency in both your caloric intake and your macronutrient intake. Of course, eating the exact same amounts of the same foods every day would ensure consistency, but not everyone is willing to do that. Part 2 of this article will discuss ways that one can plan for some variety in one’s nutrition, while still maintaining a level of consistency in terms of calories, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
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What exactly are the benefits of eating vegetables if they don’t have much significance in terms of calories or macronutrients? Of course, we all KNOW they’re good for us, but how? In short, vegetables are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and other micronutrients that help prevent inflammation and disease. The micronutrients and the fiber in vegetables also are beneficial for intestinal health, which has a direct impact on your immune system.
Vegetables also have an alkalizing effect on the body. This is especially relevant for people who exercise intensely or follow high protein diets (sound like anyone YOU know?), as both tend to produce an acidic environment within your body.
I realize that for some of you, the thought of eating more vegetable is truly horrifying! The good news is that there is a simple way of supplementing your meager efforts to eat more vegetables, and that is in the form of a greens powder.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:
I believe in giving credit where credit is due, so I have to thank my good friend Nick Langer, Director of Franchising and Product Development at Rexius Nutrition, for turning me on to this. A little over a year ago, I started using a greens supplement every day in the manner I’m about to describe.
Up to that point, despite many years of eating very healthily, living a bodybuilding lifestyle, and competing, I had always struggled with both a sensitive digestive system and recurring sinus issues. I often fought heartburn, indigestion, and rather prolific mucus production. Considering the links between gut health and immune function, this is not surprising. Eating was frequently a struggle, and drinking more water honestly made my discomfort worse.
In truth, taking a greens supplement is the only truly habitual thing that I’m doing differently now, and I feel so much better. I rarely struggle to eat my meals, and I have no digestive discomfort. I truly believe this has made a big difference for me.
Now, here’s how I take my greens supplement. First thing in the morning, about 30 minutes before my first meal, I mix the following and drink it:
16oz. water
1 scoop greens powder (I currently use Grazed by AD Wellness)
the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)
2 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
As I’ve discussed this with other people in the bodybuilding world, I’ve learned that there are several variations on this. Some will add vitamin C powder, others will add a magnesium supplement, but the same foundation of greens, lemon juice, and ACV is always there. While both lemon juice and ACV are acidic, they compliment the greens powder in terms of the alkalizing effect on the body.
Taste-wise, it’s not as bad as it sounds, but honestly, it’s still not great. Some greens supplements are flavored, which DOES help. For those who truly can’t tolerate the taste, I recommend adding a scoop or 2 of your favorite flavor of A-Cuts by Allmax, a product which is already familiar to many of our customers.
Now that doesn’t sound so terrifying, does it?
PRODUCTS WE CARRY:
Grazed, by AD Wellness
Abundant Greens, by NutraOne
]]>If you are anything like myself then you understand that Halloween marks the true beginning of the holiday season in Nebraska. (which you dread because you now have to fight your inner fat kid for the next 4 months) This also marks the inevitable start to most individuals “bulking” season. With the weather getting colder and more clothes being strapped on most tend to start packing on the extra lbs. over the next few months. With multiple family celebrations for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas it is hard to say no to your Aunt Linda’s cookies or your Mom’s famous apple crisp. Trust me….. I get it…. But, what follows are 5 tips I personally use and/or tell my clients to help get through the holidays without expanding waistlines or completely wreaking havoc on your physique.
(DISCLAIMER: if you are in a contest prep these rules do not apply to you. Just enjoy the time with your family and accept the fact you will be the weird one eating out of Tupperware. It’s ok, they are family, they will understand… they may ask you a thousand times if you are ok…. But, they will understand. Just do yourself a favor and try not to look like you want to murder everyone for their food. This is your choice, your prep, so embrace the suck!)
If you know that you will be having a large meal with your family in the evening make sure that you are compensating earlier in the day by not taking in as many calories. Let me clarify I do not mean starve yourself before your meal with your family. I simply mean eat 4 to 5 meals but, make sure you drop your total caloric intake down for the day before your meal with your family. In the end, at it’s most simplistic form, it is about the total calories you take in that day. If you can make sure that overall you do not end up taking in too much of a surplus of calories that day your physique will not suffer.
(Note: if the meal with your family is earlier in the day simply change your meals for the rest of the day after the feast to compensate for the high caloric intake)
Tip 2 is an extension of tip 1. When dropping the calories in your meals leading up to the holiday surplus make sure to pull calories from “energy” based macros. What I mean by this is drop calories coming from macronutrients that your body would tend to use as fuel. (carbs and fats) When lowering these macronutrients I still want you to keep in mind that you need to be taking in calories leading up to the holiday meal or you will binge.
One of the best ways to make sure that you utilize this meal is to do some sort of resistance training before you eat. If you have also manipulated calories earlier in the day and approached your training with lower amounts of “energy” based macros you will now be in deficit. This deficit will now have you set up in a perfect position to make the most of the feast.
Note: Please do not sacrifice time with family to go to the gym. If you can’t make it to the gym just follow steps 1,2,4 and 5 to help maintain your physique!
Be smart about the food that you do decide to eat. Enjoy the food your family members or friends have made but make sure to fill up on foods you know are good for you. Fill up on protein sources (even if it is protein with higher fat) and veggies first and foremost. Then enjoy some “fun” carbohydrate sources and sweets. By the time you reach the sweets you should be full enough that you only end up having one slice of pie instead of the entire pie.
Lastly, there are supplements called glucose disposal agents that can help your body to utilize the increase of blood sugar. These products are designed to aid your body in depositing blood glucose into the muscle tissue and away from fat cells. Again, let me clarify that these supplements are just an aid and cannot be used to negate over indulging in sweets or calories.
I want you to remember that Holidays are meant to be about friends, family and food. The moments you have with everyone will not come again and they are only once a year. But, by implementing these 5 tips you should be able to enjoy all that the holidays have-to offer without destroying your physique!
]]>Whatever your fitness goals are, following a consistent plan for exercise and nutrition is an extremely important component of your success. There are many reasons why this is true, and this short article discusses some of those reasons, as well as some tips for establishing better consistency in your program.
Being a relatively new member of the Rexius team, many of you who follow this blog may not know that I come from the world of classical music. In addition to my experience as a competitive bodybuilder, I regularly perform with several professional orchestras, including the Omaha Symphony and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. Playing an instrument on a professional level, as you might imagine, requires a similar kind of discipline to what is required of a competitive athlete.
Not that all of us aspire to be professional musicians or competitive bodybuilders, but if you are reading this blog, I assume that you have some kind of fitness or physique goals that you are pursuing. Through this brief article, I hope to share with you some of my insight into the process of pursuing goals.
The number one factor that I find has a lasting impact on a successful pursuit of a goal is the consistent application of intelligent effort. As a musician, it’s important that I practice my instrument on a consistent basis (daily) in order to be ready for performances. As a bodybuilder, a consistently executed training and nutrition plan is critical when preparing for competition.
However, I’ll go one step further. In order to really improve over time, the consistency that is applied to preparing for performances or competitions must be applied throughout the year, not just in the weeks leading up to an event. For many in the fitness world, competition is not the goal, so I would assert that your success in pursuit of your long-term goals is directly linked to your long-term consistency in exercise and nutrition.
I think one challenge that many people face in the pursuit of their goals is in the realm of scheduling. Not all of us have the luxury of a schedule that allows for spending multiple hours in the gym every day. I think it’s important to determine a level of consistency that is sustainable in the context of the totality of your life’s responsibilities.
When I was a music student in college, I would frequently practice my instrument 3-4 hours a day. However, as a working musician, with more life responsibilities (not to mention my training time as a bodybuilder), I have had to scale back my practice time to less than 2 hours a day. In fact, there have been periods of my career when just one hour a day, consistently, was more effective than practicing for longer sessions, but then taking days off, even if the total number of hours practiced per week was greater. I frequently tell my training clients that it may be more beneficial for them to follow a 3-4 day per week training plan than to try to follow something that requires 5-6 days, if that means they will be skipping workouts every other week so. Likewise with nutrition, which for most of us requires cooking and cleaning as well, the total time and money spent on a particular nutrition plan needs to be considered
Because the body will eventually adapt to the challenges placed upon it, every plan requires modifications to ensure lasting success. Even when implementing changes to your plan, consistency plays a role. Consistency allows you (or your coach) to make informed decisions on how to modify your plan for better or sustained progress. Too often, people adopt a buffet mentality to their training and nutrition, following this or that training philosophy or fad diet. It’s true that different people have different needs when it comes to training and nutrition, but it takes time to truly be able to determine if something is working or not. Without consistently following a plan, you really never know if it is really working for you. By diligently sticking with something for several weeks, you give yourself the best opportunity to make an intelligent decision about moving forward.
Jeff McCray
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