The Myth Behind Supplements - Why Supplements Promise More Than They Deliver

In 2012, $11.5 billion was spent on nutritional supplements in the United States alone[1]. It's easy to see why a lot of people rush to nutrition centers when they hear Arnold Schwarzenegger endorsed a product. The majority of people don't do research before they buy a product. They look at the models and decide that's how they want to look. They might think that the product is a magic pill or powder. But, if that's the case, why is America one of the most obese, high income countries[2], when over half of Americans proclaim taking or trying supplements[3]?
Supplement companies spend millions on advertising and marketing[1], while very little money has been spent on actual bodybuilding research[4]. Most of the models you see in supplement ads are likely not even using the products they're promoting. They achieved those results through hard work and discipline.
There are many reasons you cannot count on supplements to give you greater gains, and you must focus on your diet to give your body the proper building blocks. Here are two of the most prominent reasons.
* Supplements are not regulated by the FDA
Because there are no purity standards enforced by the FDA, companies can put the smallest amount of ingredients inside of a blend, and you have no way of knowing if it will deliver on its promise. At most, you only know that it contains the ingredient. The most important factor, however, is how much of that ingredient does it contain.
Clinical trials use a strict dosage to test how effective an ingredient is. Most commercial products fall short. But, it doesn't stop supplement companies from showing how they tested in clinical trials. The point of all of this is to do your research. Make an informed decision about what your going to put in your body.
* Most research on supplements is for athletic performance - Not Bodybuilding
Pro athletes as well as amateurs want an edge, and every team wants to win. Since steroids are banned substances in most athletic sports, A lot of money gets spent on research for athletes[4] to perform better with "clean" supplements.
While some supplements do have their place, it's important to do your research thoroughly. You have to make sure your not putting yourself in danger, and that the contents of the active ingredients meets the dosage that was used in clinical trials.
Most supplements are extremely expensive, and offer no greater results. A healthy, clean diet and proper training techniques will provide you with the biggest, most impressive gains. The main thing to take away from this is that you have to be more patient. In a world focused on instant gratification, being more patient will save you a lot of money, and a ton of frustration.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9743841

The Best Superfoods For Men

Men are naturally stronger than women. But sometimes even they need some superfoods to get stronger, healthier and tougher than usual. No matter how strong they are, still they lose energy and become weak over time. Which is normal, they are humans after all. When body is lacking vitamins and minerals, the need for natural sources shows up. Whatever the body lacks, can be substituted with the famous superfoods that have been known for years. Let’s see how you can reduce pain and improve your immune system with some of the following superfoods that made boom in the last few years.
Royal Jelly – Get stronger, healthier and leaner with this nutrient-packed superfood. Fuel your body with this Australian made Royal Jelly product to keep you going throughout the day. High in vitamin A,C,D,E, 18 different amino acids and minerals. Everything a man needs to stay healthy, strong and in good shape. No need to poison your body with chemicals when you can boost the energy level naturally with 100% pure product made of the purest beehives.
Manuka Honey – Men simply hate to go to doctors. Even when they feel sick and weak. That’s because they don’t want to show their weak side. In cases like this, men could really use the Manuka honey. Natural energy stimulator that treats wounds and skin infections fast and easy. During a workout, men can accidentally cut themselves from the gym machines. If that happens, think of Manuka honey, perfect for healing cuts and abrasions and for many other purposes and conditions.
Tomatoes – Believe it or not Tomatoes are one of men’s favorite superfoods. It is said that these exotic foods are rich in beta-carotene, a very important component that promotes healthy skin, tissue lining and most importantly boosts immune system. Tomatoes are loaded with antioxidants that successfully prevent cancers such as colon, prostate, lung and pancreatic.
Aronia Berries – Aronia berries belong in the group of best superfoods for men. According to a recent survey that was conducted by the Fuji Women’s University, aronia berries are quite useful for serious stomach problems like colon cancer and ulcers. Some even say that aronia berries reduce the risk of heart attacks, thanks to the high level of anthocyanins.
Bee Pollen – Bee pollen is considered as one of the best nutrient dense foods that people around the world use. What makes the bee pollen so popular is its composition of enzymes, flower pollen, nectar and bee pollen grains (rich in vitamins, amino acids, minerals, healthy fats, carbohydrates, antioxidants). This chemical and preservative-free natural product is highly used for energy boost as well as improving stamina and overall health. Charge your health with Australia’s bee pollen, one of men’s best superfoods.

Diet To Build Muscle

Hey Guys!
Today I will be covering over diet. I know everyone that does bodybuilding just thinks about supplements and what can help my body get bigger. But go basics first diet is so important. Make sure you get the exact ratio of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. If your trying to put on muscle go with P carbohydrates, 5 proteins and fats. I will go over what foods are good for each category.
The foods you need when getting in the carbohydrates are pasta, potatoes, wholemeal bread, non-sugary cereals, rice but brown rice is so much better than white, lots of fruits and yoghurt an I'm d just going over some briefly. With these carbohydrate foods they have good fats and sugars in them. What you don't want to do is eat ice cream, lollies, chocolate and soft drinks because they have bad sugars and fats in them. Protein rich foods are milk, cheese, fish, tinned salmon and tuna, eggs everyday, fruits, vegetables, beans everyday, nuts and obviously all meats especially chicken, turkey which are more than half protein, beef, pork and funnily enough Alistair Overeem eats horse meat as it's so lean and consumes so much protein. Get the leanest meat possible, its less processed and has more protein in it. You will also find in these good protein and carbohydrate foods that you will get your essential fats from, remember fats help our brain work, help our organs work. Especially in fish they have fatty acids which is vital!
This is my diet.
Breakfast: 4 egg omelette with cheese and ham. 3 Weetbix cereal with honey. UpnGo.
Snack: Sunflower Seeds, Pistachio Nuts which have huge amounts of iron. Smoothie with frozen berries, low fat milk, low fat yoghurt, a banana and an egg or a scoop of protein.
Lunch: Either a salmon sandwich on wholemeal bread or a tin of baked beans on wholemeal bread. Sesame seed bar or a muesli bar. low fat rice crisps. Eat something you enjoy every meal just find out what you like and is good for you. An avocado and an apple.
Snack. Olive Oil on wholemeal bread. Carrot. Treat yourself such as a sweet which has a few carbohydrates but not too many.
Dinner: Chicken, Fish, Beef, Pork or Pasta depends on the night. Mashed Potato. Broccoli, Carrot.
Supper: Low fat fruit drink. Spaghetti.
Water through every meal is the most important. Water is one of the best supplements, you won't put on much muscle without water. You need at least 2 litres a day.

What Is Bodybuilding

This sport is not just about body and big muscles, it is much more. Like every physical activity bodybuilding is about health and fit mind. Weight training and aerobic exercise can also help you to reduce stress and depression. Some people exercise for recreation, or as competitive sport. Training weights, aerobic exercise, proper diet, bodybuilding has it all. You can decide, if you want to build muscle mass, or loss your belly fat and get ripped and proportionally shaped body, or if you are just looking for losing weight and belly fat and health benefits. Proper diet is also very important in bodybuilding. It is full of healthy food and nutrition's, proteins, complex carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and many other dietary supplements.
How to start bodybuilding?
First you must know, what is your goal. Are you training weights to gain more muscle mass and strength, or are you looking for lean ripped body, or just losing weight and belly fat. Second thing would be to create a training plan depending on what your goals are. Third thing is your diet plan, also depending on what your goals are.
How to create training and diet plan?
As sad before, your training and diet plan depends on what your goals are.
If your goal is to get lean, ripped body, you also must train weights. Biggest difference than training muscle mass, is that now you must do more repetitions, and lift smaller weights. Your pause between sets should be one minute. Also weary important is the right diet. Biggest difference in the diet is when you are training for ripped body, carbohydrates intake must be lower. Best time to eat carbohydrates is after training, and in the morning. Eat complex carbohydrates.
Losing weight is actually very simple. It is like a simple mathematical formula. All you have to do is burn more calories than you eat! To burn calories, you have to decrease the amount of calories you take in throughout the day and the second thing is burn calories with exercise. Also you must focus on cardio training such as running, aerobic, Pilates, dancing, and all sports that you can imagine. Weight lifting can help you to lose fat, because after training weights, body burns many fats couple days after training.
If you want to gain more muscle mass, training weights will lead you fast to that goal. Perform basic workouts and exercise with heavy weights and smaller number of repetitions, at least three times a week. Also weary important is your diet. In my opinion proper diet is more important for developing muscle mass than training weights. Most important in your diet are proteins,they help the muscle to regenerate after training and muscle growth. Daily intake: at least 2 grams of protein per 2.2 pound of body weight. That means if you are 173 pounds, protein intake 160 grams. To gain even more muscle mass increase your protein intake to 3 grams per 2.2 pounds of body weight. Try to eat every three hours, smaller meals. Also don't forget complex carbohydrates, and eat them in the morning and after training weights.
Bodybuilding raise your self-esteem and confidence. You will feel stronger and full of energy. Whit more energy, you will be able to fight everyday stress. You will be able to control your life,health and body!

Top 7 Natural Muscle Building Myths

Have you ever been confused about the advice you've been given for building muscle? Are you sick of hearing multiple answers for what you know is a simple question? Well, now you can put all of the bro science behind you and get ready to uncover the 7 biggest muscle building myths you thought were true.

Myth #1: You can gain a pound of muscle in a week
This is definitely not the case. At the maximum, you could achieve a gain of about one pound every two weeks. That will also depend on your diet even more than your exercise habits.
Myth #2: Supplements will maximize muscle growth
I'm sorry to inform you that supplements will not boost your muscle growth like proper diet, and training techniques. Those companies spend millions of dollars trying to make you believe that. It's not your fault.
Myth #3: You can build muscle eating the same amount of food
This may be the main thing holding you back. The majority of people associate lifting weights with building muscle. But, you can lift weights and not build any muscle if you're not providing your body with the calories to repair the torn muscle tissue.
Myth #4: Working out more equals more muscle
This is untrue for several reasons. But the biggest reason is because if you workout six days a week, you're not giving your body enough time to recover and build that muscle.
Myth #5: The more protein you eat, the more muscle you'll build
Your body can only synthesize so much protein to build muscle with. By consuming too much protein, your robbing your body of the other essential nutrients it needs to repair your torn muscles.
Myth #6: There is a single best program
In reality, each quality program has the ability to take you where you want to be. It's more about finding the right program for you. The one that fits your schedule and gives you great results. Look for customized approaches.
Myth #7: If women lift heavy weights, they will get bulky
Women do not produce enough testosterone and other potent factors the same way men do. Unless the woman in question is taking steroids or hormones, they simply will not get big and bulky.
I hope this cleared up a lot of the confusion surrounding natural muscle building. We dissected the top 7 myths and now we can move forward with enlightenment, and more realistic goals to set.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9738513

No Gym Full Body Workout

Muscle Building Foods To Pack On Muscle Mass

1. CHICKEN BREAST:- Chicken breast is one of the top Muscle Building Foods and you can actually pack on a lot of muscle mass by adding it to your diet. It is the best source of lean protein as it contains 30 grams of protein in every 100 grams of chicken breast. If you are a non-vegetarian guy then this is one of the best Muscle Building Food for you. 2. FISH:- when it comes to Muscle Building Foods than fish is the most powerful item you can add in your meals. Fish is the only food which helps you to gain muscle while burning fat at the same time. Fish is loaded with pure proteins and good fats. Eating fish after a workout helps our body to recover faster from serious muscle gaining, which makes it super Muscle Building Food. 3. EGGS:- Eggs are the cheapest source of protein you'll ever find. The reason behind adding eggs in Muscle Building Foods is that it contains 6 to 8 grams of pure protein and 70 calories in each egg. Eggs also contain vitamins and minerals in good quantity which helps our muscles to get bigger. Eggs are the natural source of vitamin d and omega-3 fatty acids. If you are on a tight budget then this is most preferred Muscle Building Food for you. 4. BEEF:- Beef contains protein in high quality but what makes it super Muscle Building Food is its beneficial minerals like antioxidants, irons, zinc and minerals. It also fuels our bodies with carbs and fats. The best thing is that it contains 2 grams of creatine per pound. The right cut of beef is wonderful Muscle Building Foods. 5. BROCCOLI:- Broccoli is packed with irons, fibers, potassium, and it is a good source of vitamin k, which helps our body to maintain proper bone density. Broccoli contains calcium equals to one glass of milk. If you are a vegetarian then this is the best Muscle Gaining Food for you. 6. SPINACH:- If you want to know how Popeye gets stronger after eating spinach, then the answer is spinach contains quality nutrients such as calcium, iron, vitamin k. It promotes muscle growth in our body up to 20%. It is a great choice for vegetarians to add the spinach in their list of Muscle gaining Foods. 7. SWEET POTATOES:- Sweet potatoes contain good quality fibers which helps in better digestion. Sweet potato is mostly included in the diets of all the bodybuilders because sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin B-6, magnesium, vitamin C and potassium. The reason behind adding it in Muscle Gaining Foods is that it provides our body many vitamins and nutrients for repairing muscle tissues, gives energy and it includes quality cards which help us to load muscles. 8. WALNUTS AND OTHER NUTS:- If you are facing difficulties in gaining muscles then you need to add walnuts and other nuts in your Muscle Building Food list. You can eat walnuts, almonds, pistachios, peanuts and see the fast muscle gaining in your body. If you want to gain serious muscles than add these Muscle gaining Foods in your list, as they provides calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin E, carbs, proteins and omega -3 fatty acids to our body. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9668535