ASPIRE To be different /

Your Fitness Resolution Needs Feeding

runner-728219__180

 

Staying on top of your fitness goals is going to be a challenge. And that is exactly how you want it to be. A big part of your resolution is to face up to these. But if you had a choice making it hard or easy, which route would you take? Add in the fact that the hard route will become a real slog and lead to you quitting a few weeks down the line.

The easy choice is to make your new aspirations challenging but fun and become an essential part of the real you. Setting goals is great but unless you are eating the right foods, then all your efforts will be wasted.

 

Keeping Hydrated

It’s not news, but it is true. Are you drinking enough water? Ignore the odd story that drinking too much water is bad for you. It is accepted that most of us need to be drinking more. That is especially true when you start adding in runs and strenuous workouts.

It is a good idea to make your water bottle a constant companion. Water refreshes and flushes out the organs. It is vital to keep your fluid intake high. Conversely, you need to be cutting back on the cappuccino and lattes. Try and switch over to an Americano to still enjoy your caffeine fix.

A couple of days and you won’t even notice the difference. Avoid juices packed full of artificial sweeteners. Opt instead for smoothies made in your Nutribullet or liquidiser. Steer clear of energy drinks that are nothing more than sugar, caffeine and flavouring. Let natural highs be your new fix. Get out and exercise in the fresh air and feel good.

 

Supplements

It’s not just water and fluid you are using up when you are working out, or letting the sweat steam off in your power yoga class. You are losing valuable nutrients and minerals such as potassium and magnesium. Given that some us may be getting nowhere near enough in our current diets, we should be taking supplements to make up for those deficiencies.

This is especially true when you start to increase your levels of activity. Choose a reputable supplier such as Isagenix to get a range of supplements that will help stay on top of your new regime. A supplement needs to be taken on a regular basis and not just now and again to be effective.

 

Diet

The magic word, so easy to say and so hard to do. There is little point in taking a hit and miss approach. Why wait until you feel tired and lousy? Processed junk food that has been wiped of all its nutrients is not going to give you anything but a feel full quick fix.

Plan a diet that is going to work for you. Download a diet chart, print it off and pin it up in your kitchen. Know in advance exactly what you are going to eat and stick to it! It’s easier to fight temptation if you have a ready supply of good food options around you. Make complex carbohydrates a regular part of every meal. Switch white pasta and rice for brown. Eat the wholemeal alternatives where you can. Allow good fats to take centre stage. Butter, olive oil, avocados and nuts. Feast on fresh vegetables and good proteins. Don’t mess with thousands of years of evolution!

 

Combine your diet with your supplements and drink plenty of water. Now get those running shoes on and get out there. Prepare to feel fantastic!

 

ASPIRE To be different /

5 Big Mistakes That Are Limiting Your Ability To Bulk Up

gym23

One simple Google search will give you a tonne of advice on what you need to do to build muscle. In fact, on this very website you can find Mathews McGarry’s complete guide to packing on muscle mass. But, what a lot of the advice doesn’t do is outline what you need to avoid. See, putting on muscle is all about knowledge. And, if you don’t have the right amount of knowledge, you will do the wrong things. There are that many mistakes out there that it is just as important to know about the things you are doing wrong as well as the ones you are doing right.

 

  1. Taking Too Many Supplements

Never has the phrase the clue is in the title been as apt. Supplements are not a replacement for your entire diet. What they are is a tool that can fill in the gaps that you are missing from your regular diet. Don’t you eat enough fruit? That’s fine because you can take vitamin tablets to fill in the cracks. However, when you supplement them for your whole diet, you are taking away vital nutrients that your body needs to build muscle. Always consider a balanced diet first, and then add the supplement later.

 

  1. Overtraining

Training too hard is a condition that you want to avoid at all costs. There is almost a need to train as hard as physically possible because you feel better. You feel as if your training will be more effective. On the flip side, you are doing more damage to your muscles. When you exercise, you tear your muscles. For the most part, these are microscopic tears that do no damage. But, when you go too hard for too long, they become a problem and inhibit the muscles’ efficiency.

 

  1. Not Doing The Right Training

Obviously, you want to concentrate on training that aids muscle mass. The best chest exercises for mass are more pertinent to you than anyone else. Still, that doesn’t mean you can forget about cardio altogether. To get bigger, you need to lose the fat that surrounds your muscles, which is why Cardiovascular training is important. Think of your training like your diet – it should be balanced and well-rounded.

 

  1. Setting Unrealistic Targets

For one thing, you are not a pro athlete so don’t act like one. Unrealistic targets only help you do one thing – give up. When you are not hitting your targets, you feel disillusioned and won’t feel like carrying on with your program. Small goals are a great way to help you get to achieve your final target.

 

  1. Eating Dirty Calories

There is a myth that you can eat what you want as you are in training. That is a lie. Yes, you might develop a big chest and forearms, but you will also develop a big stomach. In reality, you want to eat more foods that are high in protein because muscles use protein to build and repair.

 

Now you know, you can hit the gym and start with renewed vigour.

ASPIRE To be different /

The Truth behind Building Muscle – by Mathews McGarry

2651904068_17e189d741_b

The truth behind muscle building

In order to stay in shape, it is recommended that you train every once in a while, mind what you eat and lead a healthy lifestyle in general. Still, if you want to bulk up and build some muscles there is a lot more to it than that. Some say that muscle building is a sport while there are others who claim it is no less than art. When you come to think about it, what you actually do here is sculpt your body as if it was a piece of marble in order to achieve the form of an Olympian. Unfortunately there are a lot of urban legends and myths about muscle building out there. For those willing and ready to embark on this endeavor here are some simple truths about muscle building.

 

Start slow

The most common rookie mistake when it comes to muscle building is digging right into the most rigorous of training right away. Once you first step into the gym, your body will need some time to get accustomed to the nature of these new exercises. This is why you should use the first one or two months for some light exercises that will serve as a foundation for any later training regime. The first few weeks are crucial, since with difficult training you can get burned out and a bit of easier training might bore you. It is however essential that you remember just one thing: the effort of molding your body is not a race, it is a marathon.

 

More strength, more muscle

The truth is that exercises that boost strength greatly differ from those that are done solely for looks. However this is not always so. Although this is not something everyone is willing to admit, there are a lot of guys out there relying on steroids and other muscle building hormones. Because of this, their training will greatly differ from yours. Just remember one thing: for you as a drug-free lifter there is one golden rule – more strength will get you more muscles. Try to enhance your general strength first and the long term results will turn out to be more than satisfying for both your looks and your health.

 

Be careful what you eat

When it comes to your eating habits, this is a double-edged sword. A well balanced and carefully organized diet can do wonders for your muscles. However, eating fatty food may have an adverse effect. A recent study conducted by Matt Hulver and other Virginia Tech researchers discovered that eating unhealthy food for just five days you can change the way your muscles process nutrients. This can be extremely harmful for your organism so make sure you don’t allow it to happen. It is often the best to ask for professional help, so visit a nutritionist and have him compose a proper holistic diet that will help you gain some muscle.

 

Proper supplementation

The fact that you won’t resort to muscle building hormones is an admirable thing indeed, however this does not mean that you are completely on your own. Proper supplementation may help you get your results quicker and be more content with them in a completely natural way. For example, whey protein powder is a great thing to consume before training and it is great if you want to burn fat, enhance muscle development and sate your hunger. If you are unsure about what to eat, which supplements to take, etc, you can always consult a personal fitness trainer, who will help you align your goals with your diet.

 

Make sure to take a day o ff

Regardless of how impatient you may be to get the results that you need, it is imperative that you rest properly after each and every training. By not letting your muscles rest after the training you will actually slow down their advancement. You should never skip your training but it is also paramount that you never skip your rest day either.

As you can see, there is much more to muscle building than simply lifting weights. Doing exercises properly is often more important than doing them with large weights and rest can sometimes be as important as the training itself. Start slow, build strength, eat properly and never be afraid to turn to supplementation for help. Most importantly, remember to arm yourself with patience since everything that is worth in life takes time.

 

Author

Image Mathews McGarry is passionate about many forms of strength training, and spent years lifting, dragging and flipping all manner of heavy objects. After graduating from the Faculty of Health Sciences, he started writing about his experiences, and sharing tips for better life at High Style Life and other health blogs. Follow him on Twitter.

 

 

 

ASPIRE To be different /

3 Tips To Help You Pack On Muscle And Get The Ultimate Beach Body

Summer may have ended, but that doesn’t mean your dreams of a beach body have to end too! There’s still time for you to make some gains and get in the best physical shape of your life. Looking for some ideas to help gain muscle? Take a look down below:

bodybuilder-646482_640

Start Making Your Workouts More Intense

The key to the ultimate beach body is having a strong muscular body and very little fat. To do this, you’re going to need to start working out in a way that burns calories. If you’re stood in front of the mirror doing the same old bicep curl routine, you aren’t going to see results. It’s time you mixed things up a bit and altered your training style.

Start doing workouts that require you to activate more muscle fibres in your routines. Mix up the tempo of your lifts, if you slow things down, it gets way more intense. The more intense it is, the more effort you put it, which will show as you start sweating loads. Sweating is a good sign because it means you’re burning calories and shedding some of that fat away. I also recommend you get in a few cardio sessions during the week too. I’m not talking your boring treadmill cardio; I’m talking about HIIT. Get an HIIT circuit set up and you can shred some of that fat and look lean and muscular.

Performance Enhancing Supplements

If you want to gain muscle, then you need to have your supplement game on point. There’s no way you can get as big and lean as you want, without supplementation. Protein is an absolute must, along with creatine. These two supplements will help you recover faster, attack your workouts with more energy, and build more muscle. You should also look into things like pre-workouts that are designed to give you a performance boost before you hit the gym.

You could go down another route too and consider legal steroids. Steroids are often given a bad name and people are wary of them. According to Anabolic Pharma , steroids can increase muscle mass while reducing body fat. I won’t tell you that you should or shouldn’t use legal steroids, it’s up to you what you put in your body.

Eat The Correct Foods

We can talk all day about changing your workouts and supplementing things, but diet is also key. You won’t be able to achieve your true potential if you’re not eating properly, that’s a fact. If you want to look good, you have to eat good. Most guys go through a bulking phase and then a cutting phase. When you’re bulking, you eat loads of protein rich foods and complex carbs. You want to fuel your muscles with as much stuff as possible so they get bigger. Once you’re happy with your muscle size, you switch to a cutting diet to get rid of the fat. This means protein, but fewer carbs and calories. You want to shred all that fat but keep the muscle mass. Doing this will leave you looking huge and ready to strut your stuff and turn heads.

ASPIRE To be different /

How to Get the Best Possible Outcome From Your Workout

Bench_press

If you’re someone who’s health conscious, there’s no doubt you exercise. You might go to the gym or workout from home. Sometimes you’ll even do a mixture of the two. When you work out it’s essential to try to reach the best shape of your life . And the way to do this is to make sure you work out properly.

Check out the suggestions on this list, and try to apply them where you can. These are all ideas to help you have the best workout possible, and make sure your body benefits.

 

Nutritionist

Something a lot of people won’t think to do is to hire a nutritionist. They will be able to advise you about what you should and shouldn’t be eating. They can set you a strict diet plan, and advise you exactly what to eat before and after working out. This way you get your body and metabolism working at the ideal capacity. Having the advice and help of a nutritionist can prove more vital than you think.

 

Protein Shakes

There are certain routines that people like to observe in the build up to a workout. And one of these is to make sure they take protein shakes . This is something you need to get into the habit of doing. These shakes are an excellent part of the workout process, as they boost metabolism and give you energy. Check out the different proteins on offer before you make your choice.

 

Supplements

One of the key elements of a successful workout is making sure you use supplements. These give your body an additional boost and help you to achieve peak workout condition. Check out 1st Phorm supplements online, and choose the ones you feel will help you the most. These are essential for helping to build muscle mass, and keeping you lovely and toned.

 

Do the Right Exercises

It’s imperative that you do the right exercises when you’re working out. You’d be surprised how many people get this part of the process wrong. You’ve got to plan out a routine and regime. Figure out what you want to achieve from your workout, and choose the right exercises accordingly. If you can work the right areas of your body in the right way, you’ll achieve maximum benefit.

 

Lift Properly

There will be periods of your workout where you’ll be doing some lifting. Now, you need to make sure you lift properly . In fact, you need to make sure that you use all the equipment properly. The last thing you want is to pick up an injury. This will curtail any future workouts you might have planned for a long while. Make sure you observe the proper lifting principals to keep yourself in top physical condition.

 

You already know how vital your workout sessions are, and how much impact they can have. So it’s important to look for ways to get the best possible outcome. The suggestions on this list are excellent ideas to achieve the best possible outcome from each workout you do. If you can follow these, you’ll enjoy the best workout of your life, with remarkable results.

ASPIRE To be different /

Three must use supplements for the Modern Man – Guest Post

Here is a post from Adam at ‘Shreddy Brek’, as aspiring bodybuilder. This is his advice on the three must use supplements for the Modern Man. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ShreddybrekGYM .

Long gone are the days where protein shakes and meal replacements were solely thought of as a ‘meat head’ only product.

The sophisticated modern man is more active than ever. Whether this is pumping iron in the gym, playing 5 a side football with the lads, or taking part in a fitness class, an active lifestyle is becoming more and more popular than ever. For those who want to take their training to the next level, we can look beyond the exercise plan and diet, and venture into the world of sports supplements. Although I do take part in competitive bodybuilding, i think the term ‘bodybuilding supplements’ is old hat. With the advancements in science, taste, product availability and product awareness among the mass market, rather ‘sports supplements’ or ‘sports nutrition supplements’ is a far more suitable term.

However that is all semantics. Today I want to share 3 must use supplements that the modern can benefit from, regardless of their sporting activity.

Protein Powder

For anyone looking to gain lean muscle mass, a higher amount of protein is required, compared to that of a non-active adult.

Even if muscle gain isn’t your primary goal, simply taking part in physical activity will put stress on the bodies muscle. Anything such as swimming, cycling, weight lifting or even team sports such as rugby or football will all fatigue our muscle’s, and require the proper nutrition to encourage repair.

Protein works. It is needed for muscle repair (and if the muscle is placed under enough stress, muscle growth), but don’t be frightened by the thought of turning into the Hulk. The larger than life physiques you see bodybuilders sporting are from years of intense weight lifting, high calorie diets, and often, performance enhancing drugs.

The simple addition of a protein shake into your diet will not make muscles sprout up over night.

Why Use a Protein Powder?

  • Easy to digest
  • Fast absorbing
  • Enhances Immune function
  • Convenient To Drink

Consuming a whey protein powder is digested far easier, and far quicker than regular ‘whole foods’. This makes it ideal to consume upon waking, post workout, or when you need to ingest protein without putting your digestive system under too much work.

Whey protein contains a full amino acid profile. When we consume protein, our body breaks it down into amino acids, and sends it to the muscle. Certain types of protein sources all contain different amino profiles. Eggs and beef are 2 whole foods that contain complete amino profiles.

This is why it is important to have a wide range of protein sources in our diet, chicken, beef, turkey, fish, eggs, cheese, nuts and so on.

However whey protein contains a full amino acid profile.

Over on myprotein discount code website I’ve highlighted the best budget protein powder in my impact whey review. This whey protein concentrate is a market leading whey protein, and the most affordable in the UK.

You don’t need to spend a fortune on big name brands, or expensive protein powders. Despite what the marketing claims will lead you to believe. My protein shake recommendation would be a solid whey protein concentrate, from many of the bulk suppliers that sell supplements online.

Some of the most popular brands are MyProtein, Go Nutrition, The Protein Works and Bodybuilding Warehouse.

I used Impact Whey all throughout university, and made solid progress in the gym.

Caffeine

Many people start their day with a cup of coffee, but I hate the stuff. Its an acquired taste. Besides, I’d likely end up burning my mouth every morning and spilling it all down my shirt. Not the best way to start your day.

Caffeine is known to:

  • Enhance Cognitive Functioning
  • Provide Energy
  • Enhance Fat Burning Ability
  • Improve Endurace

If you do like coffee, the problem is, most brands do not disclose how much caffeine per serving you are consuming. It is recommended to supplement with 100-200mg prior to exercise.

Adding a caffeine supplement, such as a tablet or capsule, to your supplement stack would be a wise choice.

You will know exactly how much caffeine you are using, and can taper the dosage based on your tolerance. It’s convenient, cheap, and you won’t have to worry about coffee stains or burning your mouth!

Creatine

Creatine is arguably the most cost effective supplement that provides the greatest ROI.

It has been proven in study after study to work. Its cheap, and it gets the job done.

Creatine does the following:

  • Improves muscle strength
  • Increased Endurance and offsets muscle fatigue
  • Helps to promote the growth of lean muscle tissue

Without getting all Walter White and jumping into the science too much, creatine provides the muscle with more energy. Creatine can be found in food sources such as beef. However supplementing with 5-10 grams of creatine daily will greatly enhance sports performance.

I’ve been using it for years, and its one of the few supplements I would recommend to anyone, regardless of their experience with training, goals or current size.

No matter what your activity is, or what your goals are, creatine will help enhance your performance.

Supplements aren’t magical

Remember that no supplement is a magic potion. There isn’t a product on the supplement market that will make you lose fat, or gain muscle without having to put the hard work in.

However supplements definitely do help. If you’re training or exercising regularly, then the above 3 supplements, are in my opinion, sure fire ways to help your performance, and lead to greater gains.

LAP_6803 adam

You can follow me over on my bodybuilding blog, http://www.shreddybrek.com or supplement review and discount code site http://cheapproteindiscountcodes.co.uk along with my fitness youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/shreddybrek. You can also follow me at:

#/shreddybreklol

#/shreddybrekgym