Do You Really Need To Eat 6 Meals A Day To Build Muscle Mass

If your looking to build muscle mass, I'm sure you've heard that when it comes to nutrition, you need to eat at least 6 meals per day.

Depending on where you read it, some resources say you need 5 meals, 6 meals, some even 7 or 8 meals.

In fact, there some popular resources that say you don't need 6 meals but you can get away with 3 meals per day. Which is right? How many meals do you actually need?

Over the years, I've tried experimenting with meal quantities, times, calorie intake, carbohydrate intake, protein intake, and fat intake and I've found that my body reacts best to a consistent flow of nutrients each and every day.

I mean, I've tried eating 3 meals per day all the way up to 8 meals per day including waking up in the middle of the night to have a protein drink. The one thing that has always worked for me is meal and time familiarity.

So, what's the deal with 6 meals a day? Well, it's been widely believed that 6 smaller meals per day promotes a steady stream of nutrients such as amino acids to your body at regular intervals. This ensures your body stays in a positive nitrogen balance throughout the day. Nitrogen balance is the difference between the amount of protein you have in your system minus the amount of protein excreted. A positive nitrogen balance means you have a net surplus of protein in your body. A negative nitrogen balance means you have a deficit of protein in your system.

Therefore, with a steady flow of nutrients into your body, you will create an environment for a positive nitrogen balance. Of course, this depends on the foods you eat.

Secondly, in theory, 6 small meals doesn't promote an insulin spike like 3 big meals does. After a large meal, there is a large influx of carbohydrates which promotes a huge rush of insulin. Once the insulin spike is over, there is a huge dip in the levels of sugar in the body and the only thing you want to do is sleep. I'm sure you've experienced this phenomenon after a large meal. The first thing you want to do after a large meal is head over to the couch to lay down. This is the effect of an insulin spike and dip.

Thirdly, the thermal effect of food on the bodies metabolism has been shown to increase with smaller meals spread throughout the day. That is, the bodies base metabolism has been shown to increase with smaller, frequent meals throughout the day. What does this mean? It means that the body is forced to work harder in order to digest food. That is, the body is forced to expend more energy “metabolising” food. Ultimately, more calories are burned while your body is doing nothing. This is good news for those of you who want to burn fat.

Personally, my body loves familiarity in terms of what I eat and at what times I eat. I've tried experimenting with different meal times and I've come to the conclusion that my body grows best when it's fed at exact times during the day.

I think this is the key to optimum nutrition. Now, I've tried varying the amount of nutrients that are in my meals and I've found that as long as I eat enough clean foods to satisfy my needs, I'm good. When I say clean foods, I mean whole foods that aren't processed. That is, as long as I don't go over the edge with my eating, I don't get sluggish and tired.

My meals are balanced with just enough calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Too much carbohydrates and fat and the first thing I want to do is head over to the couch. This is usually the case with my lunch meal if I have too much to eat. It's at this point my body simply doesn't have a good enough reason to digest my surplus food. However, there are certain times of the day that I will have a little more food than the rest of my meals. I'll get to that in a moment.

When it comes to the size of a meal, we've been led to believe that unless it's a “big meal” it's not really a meal. Personally, I can't have 5, 6, or 7 “big” meals each and every day. I simply don't have the time or the energy to make 6 big meals per day. However, I can make 6 or 7 “snacks” that have the necessary protein, carbohydrates, and fat that I need for each meal.

There are times of the day that I do have big meals and it's at those times when I know my body will use up most of those nutrients. I'll have a big breakfast stuffed with complex carbohydrates. I'll have another big meal about an hour and a half after my workout and one right before I go to bed. I guess you can say I do have 3 bigger meals throughout the day but I still have 3 or 4 smaller meals spread out during the day.

I've found my body uses up big meals at these times because it absorbs all the nutrients. For example, when I have breakfast, I'll have a huge bowl of oatmeal with 6 egg whites cooked in mixed with ½ cup of vanilla yogurt, ½ cup of strawberries, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Why such a huge meal? I'll tell you this, after 8 and a half hours of sleep, my body is in starvation mode.

As soon as the food gets into my stomach, my body starts working and getting those nutrients into my starved muscles. About two hours later, I'll have a small meal consisting of ½ cup cottage cheese, with 2 tablespoons of slivered almonds, and a half cup of sliced peaches. This carries me to my lunch.

My next big meals is after my workout. My body is on the road to recovery and I'll kick start that recovery by getting some quality nutrients into my muscles. I know, that my muscles are starving at this point because they've just about been depleted of all amino acids, creatine, and sugar. I want to stuff as much of these nutrients into my muscles to get them on the road to recovery. As we all know, the faster your recovery time, the faster your muscle growth.

My next big meal is right before I go to bed. I think I started this ritual when I first heard Dorian Yates eats a big meal of oatmeal right before he goes to bed. I remember thinking at the time, “Maybe Dorian's on to something? So, I tried it and I can tell you this, I've been doing it ever since - That was over 12 years ago! My last meal of the day usually consists of oatmeal and egg white protein. These are two slow burning nutrients that will gradually provide your body with nutrients throughout the night, as your sleeping.

So what does my schedule look like? It looks something like this:

• Meal one - Big - 700 plus calories;
• Meal two - Small - 400 calories;
• Meal three - Small - 400 calories;
• Meal four - Small - 300 calories - pre workout
• Meal five - Small - After workout - 400 to 500 calories;
• Meal six - Big - an hour an a half post workout - 700 plus calories;
• Meal seven - Big - Prior to bed time - 500 plus calories

Actually, if you count my pre workout drink I'll have 7 meals. You have to remember, I'm usually in full swing with my weight training routine when I'm at this stage of my nutrition. Like I said before, this set up works best for my muscle building program. When I'm cutting fat, I'll simply cut out the big night meal and cut down on my calorie intake.

Of course, you don't need to eat this amount of nutrients. Here's what I suggest. Try and eat 5 to 6 small meals throughout the day. Remember, the meals don't have to be big. The important point here is to get your body used to eating every 2 and a half hours. You have to get into the habit of eating a breakfast. If you can manage to eat a balanced breakfast, you will boost your muscle building efforts.

Now, for most of us, this can be a pretty tall order. How do you put a meal plan together that doesn't go stale? I'm sure most people will get sick and tired of eating plain chicken breast day in and day out. Lately, I've started using Dave Ruel's "Anabolic Cooking" recipes. There are over 200 muscle building recipes designed for one thing, BUILDING MUSCLE!!.

“Anyone Can Gain Weight - Even You"!!!!!

You see, as a hard gainer, you’re probably frustrated to the point of calling it quits and/or confused beyond the point of knowing where to start. Not to fret because I can tell you right now, that anyone can gain 10, 20, or even 30 quality “muscular” pounds in a relatively short period of time.

It’s not that you lack the motivation but rather, it's the lack of knowledge. This is the number one problem that keeps hard gainers from achieving their goals. Combine that with the use of incorrect and misleading information and you have a recipe for failure.

When you think about it, it all comes down to the information and methods that you choose to learn and apply, that will determine your success.

Unlike losing weight, which has an abundant (Maybe too much) amount of information, the subject of gaining weight has never been given much attention. Studies on healthy weight gain are next to nonexistent and methods are simply nill. Personally, there is nothing wrong with some healthy weight gain. In fact, adding a few quality pounds of muscle, will never be detrimental to your quality of life. On the contrary, it can only enhance it.

I can understand the hard gainers dilemna. I used to be a very skinny dude myself with sticks for limbs. At 130 pounds, I would walk down the school halls and simply disappear. I used to be picked on constantly and be the brunt of jokes and punches from bullies and jocks alike.

You want to know something, I overcame. I learned and applied all the techniques for gaining muscular weight. Some methods were a complete waste of time while others were pure gold. Over the course of 3 years, I jumped from a puny 130 pound bean pole to a 190 pound powerhouse. One look at me coming down the halls and the crowds parted like the Red Sea. Since than, I have never been the brunt of any type of joke. I don't "disappear" anymore, instead I get double takes from guys and gals alike.

If you're sick and tired of "disappearing" and want to be noticed and respected, Please read on and learn how to do it from someone who's been there...

Record and monitor your progress

This is very important as it will help you evaluate your nutritional program. I suggest you evaluate you training and diet every week. Sit down on a day where you're not so busy and evaluate your progress. A good time to do this is on Sunday when your planning your week's meal plan.

You should be able to identify weak and strong points in your program. By monitoring your training and diet you will also identify if you are on target with your goals. If you need sample logs, go to this page here .

Sample Nutritional Plan Calculations

Alright, now that we know how to figure out our diet ratios we need to practice. Let's go through the whole process with a fictional character. Here is a sample menu for a person who weighs 145 pounds and wants to gain additional weight and muscle. Let's assume that this person needs the following nutritional requirements to achieve his goals:

Nutritional needs on a daily basis to reach goals:

Calories:
3,220 per day

Protein:
3,220 x .25 = 805/4 = 201 grams of protein per day

Carbohydrates:
3,220 x .55 = 1,771/4 = 443 grams of carbohydrates per day

Fat:
3,220 x .20 = 644/9 = 72 grams of fat per day

Nutritional needs per meal:

Calories;
3,220/6 = 537 calories per meal

Protein:
201/6 = 34 grams of protein per meal

Carbohydrates:
443/6 = 74 grams of carbohydrates per meal

Fat:
72/6 = 12 grams of fat per meal.

The following schedule has been identified in order to achieve his goals:

5:45 am wake up

Two 8 ounce glasses of water
10 grams of L-glutamine mixed with water

6:25 am breakfast

1 whole wheat bagel
1 tbsp peanut butter
½ cup cottage cheese
½ cup strawberries
1 multivitamin and mineral tablet

Yields 529 calories, 30 grams of protein, 77 grams of carbohydrates, and 12 grams of fat.

9:30 am Mid morning meal

1 scoop protein powder (2oz)- 22 grams protein
1 cup orange juice
1 medium banana
1 ½ cup 1% milk

Yields 487 calories, 35 grams of protein, 73 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fat

12:00 pm Lunch -lean roast beef sub

6 " whole wheat bun
4 ounces lean roast beef
1 cup lettuce
1 tomato cut into slices,
½ oz low fat cheddar cheese
2 tbsp mustard
1 cup 1% milk

Yields 502 calories, 43 grams of protein, 47 grams of carbohydrates, and 16 grams of fat

2:30 pm Mid afternoon meal

1 granola bar -Quaker
½ cup blueberries
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup low fat natural yogurt
1 apple
½ glass of low fat milk

Yields 528 calories, 19 grams of protein, 90 grams of carbohydrates, and 10 grams of fat

4:30 pm

2 glasses of pure water
Branched chain amino acids
An apple

5:15 pm workout

2-4 glasses of pure water while working out

6:30 pm post workout meal

1 cup strawberries
1 cup low fat strawberry yogurt
1 scoop(2oz) vanilla protein powder- 22 grams protein
½ tbsp honey
1 cup 1% milk
1 cup orange juice
5 grams creatine monohydrate

8:30 pm dinner -chicken teriyaki

3 oz skinless/boneless chicken breasts
1/3 cup prepared teriyaki sauce
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp cornstarch
1/3 tsp ginger
½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ cup small broccoli florets
½ can (4 ounces) sliced water chestnuts
½ cup rice
1 cup pure water

Yields 549 calories, 38 grams of protein, 69 grams of carbohydrates, and 13 grams of fat

10:00 pm

10 grams of L-glutamine with 1 glass of pure water

10:30 pm

Bed time

Daily totals for actual and daily goal allowance (as planned from above calculations):

Actual

Calories: 3,145
Protein: 206 grams
Carbohydrates: 431 grams
Fat: 63 grams

Daily allowance

Calories: 3,220
Protein: 194 grams
Carbohydrates: 426 grams
Fat: 69 grams

As you can see, the actual numbers are pretty close to his daily allowances. Don't worry too much if your numbers don't exactly add up.

Also, you have to drink enough water in order to keep your muscles working at they're optimal level.

Did you know that a slight water dehydration can drastically decrease your performance in the weight room? I'm going to tell you right now, drink a lot of water because it will definitely improve your performance.

For more information about water and your muscles, click here .

Okay, this is how you want to structure your nutritional plan for building muscle. Identify your goals and plan your menu around those goals.

Remember to keep track of what you eat in a diet log and remember to evaluate your diet and progress on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

If there is one thing that is probably the most important element to building muscle is consitency. Your body loves and strives to be consistent. If you can be consistent with your diet, I can gaurantee you that you will build muscle, and lots of it. Think of it as this - Follow a consistent diet and you'll get consistent results - Follow an inconsistent diet and you'll get inconsistent results.

Building muscle is a slow and enduring process. In order to constantly improve your performance, you need to be consistent with your diet. Strive to stick to your diet year round. This way, you are never that far off from your desired peak performance state.

I highly recommend you take a look at Kyle Leon's program "Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer". This program is the first of its kind that customizes a complete nutrition plan for your specific body type including:

- Metabolism

- Age

- Gender

- Activity levels

- Somatotype (Body type)

Go grocery shopping

Once you have planned your diet and meals, prepare a grocery list and go out and do some shopping. I usually prepare all my meals and grocery list on Sunday mornings. I usually hit the grocery store in the morning when nobody's there because I can't stand waiting around in a grocery line:(

When you plan your meals and groceries, you will A) Eat what you buy; And B) Save a whack of money on items you will never eat or use.

However, try and hit the grocery stores when it is convenient for your schedule. Also, get into the habit of going to the grocery stores on a consistent basis. This way, it gets much easier to do over time.

Meal plan

You will need to find out what recipes you will need to achieve your desired goals. I highly recommend "Anabolic Cooking" by Dave Ruel for muscle building menus and recipes. It has great tasting recipes that are a snap to make. You also get meal plans for 1,200 calories, and up to 4,000 calorie menus. These recipes are structured for muscle building. You can read my personal review of this book at:

Dave Ruel Anabolic Cooking Review

You can also use some of the menus that are outlined in the recipes section of Building Muscle101. See these pages here:

Muscle building recipes

Sample menus

5 day muscle building diet

Eating to gain muscle mass

Just remember to adjust the ingredients and nutritional content to match that of your desired nutritional percentages in your nutritional program. When you are planning your diet, I strongly suggest you plan your meals in advance. By planning your meals in advance, you have no excuse to go to the restaurant.

Break your meals down into breakfast, mid morning, lunch, mid afternoon, post workout and dinner. Remember to pack your meals in convenient containers and take them to work with you.

Cooler bags are perfect for this. Plan Ahead!

How much Fat???

When it comes to fat, I suggest your diet contain anywhere between 15% to 25% of fat. Remember that one gram of fat is equal to 9 calories.

To find out how much fat you need simply take your desired caloric intake that you figured out above and multiply that number by your desired fat percentage (20%).

Use that number and divide it by 9 which will give you your new daily fat requirement in grams. For example, if you need 3,000 calories to gain an extra pound of body weight per week, you will need the following fat requirements: 3,000 x .20 = 600 / 9 = 67 grams of fat per day. If you are eating 6 times a day, you will need 67 / 6 = 11 grams of fat per meal

Carbs???

An ideal weight lifting diet will contain 55% to 65% carbohydrates. I recommend that 55% of your diet be made up of carbohydrates. Remember that one gram of carbohydrate is equal to 4 calories.

To find out how much carbohydrates you need in your nutritional plan, simply take your desired caloric intake (as above) and multiply that number by your desired carbohydrate percentage (55%). Use that number and divide it by 4 which will give you your new daily carbohydrate requirements in grams.

For example, if you need 3,000 calories to gain an extra pound of body weight per week, you will need the following carbohydrate requirements: 3,000 x .55 = 1,650 / 4 = 413 grams of carbohydrates per day If you are eating 6 times a day, you will need 413 / 6 = 69 grams of carbohydrates per meal.

The amount of protein!!!

An ideal diet for gaining weight will contain 20% to 30% protein. I recommend 25% of your diet be made up of protein. Remember that one gram of protein is equal to 4 calories.

To find out how much protein you need, simply take your desired caloric intake that you figured out above and multiply that number by your desired protein percentage (25%).

Use that number and divide it by 4 which will give you your new daily protein requirement in grams.

For example, if you need 3,000 calories to gain an extra pound of body weight per week, you will need the following protein requirements:

3,000 x .25 = 750 / 4 = 188 grams of protein per day.

If you are eating 6 times a day, you will need 188 / 6 = 31 grams of protein per meal

Averaging

Keep a written record of everything you are eating and take an average at the end of the week. Add up all of your daily calories and divide it by 7 (days in a week).

Once you find out how much calories you consume on a daily basis, determine how many more additional calories you need to achieve your goals. You may have to add more calories depending how active you are.

Remember that in order to gain one pound of body weight per week, you need an additional 3,500 calories per week. That means you need to add 500 extra calories per day to your nutritional plan.

I suggest putting on ½ to 1 pound of body weight per 100 pounds of body weight each week for two to three weeks. After 5 weeks, gain an average of ½ to 1 pound of body weight per 100 pounds of body weight each week.

You will need to monitor your progress and make any adjustments as needed. If you have trouble gaining, add an additional 300 to 500 calories a day to your diet. If you have a super high metabolism, you may need an additional 500 to 1,000 calories per day.

A word of caution. You don't want to gain weight too fast because you will be gaining fat as opposed to muscle. Muscle takes time to build and with fat, it takes not time at all. Remember to monitor your diet on a regular basis and keep your body composition in check at all times.

Ideally, healthy ranges of body fat are 18 to 25 percent for women and 15 to 20 percent for men.

There are numerous methods to determine your body fat levels but by far the easiest and one of the most accurate ways is to use the Accu-Measure Body Fat Caliper. You simply take three easy measurements on your abdomen in the comfort of your own room and presto, you have your body fat percentage. It doesn't take any more than 2 minutes.

With the Accu-Measure body fat calipers, you don't need the assistance of other people and you don't have to take 10 different measurements on 10 different parts of your body. The measurement is very accurate

If on the other hand you don't want to use body fat calipers, you can use a quick and easy manual measurement. Although the numbers will not be as accurate as using the Accu-Measure body fat calipers. You will need a weight scale and measuring tape for this one.

For men: 1. Lean body weight = 94.42 + 1.082 (body weight) - 4.15 (waist in inches)

2. Body fat percentage = body weight - lean body weight x 100/body weight

For women: 1. Lean body weight = 8.987 + .732 (weight in kilograms) + 3.786 (wrist diameter in centimetres) + .434 (forearm circumference in centimetres)

2. Body fat percentage = body weight - lean body weight x 100/body weight

Remember to record your body weight, body fat and lean body mass figures. Always remember to monitor these three indicators on a weekly or bi weekly basis.

As an example, let's say you want to add another 10 pounds of body weight. You currently weight 145 pounds and consume 2,500 calories per day.

You will need to add an additional 500 calories per day to gain an additional pound of body weight per week. Your new daily caloric intake will be 3,000 calories per day.

You've identified that you will be eating 6 times a day. Therefore, you will need 3,000 / 6 = 500 calories per meal.

Determine the amount of calories needed to achieve your goals

First, determine the amount of calories you need in order to achieve your goals. There are a number of ways you can do this. Here are three simple ways to determine your caloric intake for your diet.


Multiply your bodyweight by 17
The easiest way to determine your base caloric intake is to multiply your bodyweight by 17. For example, if you weight 165 pounds, multipy 165 by 17 and you get a base caloric intake of 2,805. This will be your starting caloric intake to start your program.

This is a quick way to find your base caloric intake but remember that it is not 100% accurate.

Metabolic Rate
This method is also a relatively easy way to figure out your caloric intake. More accurate than the first method.

Finding your base daily caloric intake

#1

For Men
1 x body weight (kg) x 24 =

For Women
.9 x body weight (kg) x 24 =

*1 Kg = 2.2 lbs

For example, Let's say you weight 145 pounds, your base metabolic rate is 1 x 145 lbs/2.2 x 24 = 1581

#2

Multiply results from step one by the coefficient under the multiplier which corresponds to your body fat level. That is, multiply the above figure with the figure beside your body fat percentage.

Men 10 to 14%,
Women 14 to 18% Mulitplier= 1.0

Men 14 to 20%,
Women 18 to 28% Multiplier= .95

Men 20 to 28%,
Women 28 to 38% Multiplier= .90

Men over 28%,
Women over 38% Multiplier= .85

Given as:
Base metabolic rate x multiplier = multiplier coefficient

For example, let's say that you weight 145 pounds and you have a body fat percentage of 10%. The equation is as follows: 1581 x 1.0 = 1581

#3

The above steps calculated your base metabolic rate. Now, we will factor in physical activity to get a more accurate picture of your caloric expenditure. Find the best descriptions that will apply to your current life style.

Daily Activity Ranges

Inactive

1.30 (130%) = sitting, talking, light walking
1.55 (155%) = light work, walking

Average Active

1.55 (155%) = light work, walking
1.66 (166%) = Moderate, light jogging, swimming or Building-muscle101 beginner Program

Average Athlete

1.80 (180%) = Heavy, hockey, football or Building-muscle101 advanced program

2.00 (200%) = Very heavy, two or more hours of intense weight training per day

Given as:

Daily activity range x multiplier coefficient = daily base caloric intake

Take the results from step two and times the multiplier for which your body fat percentage corresponds to. This equation will give your you base calorie intake for your activity level.

For example, let's say you weight 145 pounds, have a body fat percentage of 10% and you are quite active including weight training, your equationis as follows:

1.80 x 1581 = 2845 calories per day

In order for you to maintain your current bodyweight, you will need 2845 calories per day.

This method is a little more detailed but it is fairly accurate. You will need to find out your body fat percentage for this one. See the methods mentioned below.

Averaging

Keep a written record of everything you are eating and take an average at the end of the week. Add up all of your daily calories and divide it by 7 (days in a week).

Once you find out how much calories you consume on a daily basis, determine how many more additional calories you need to achieve your goals. You may have to add more calories depending how active you are.

Remember that in order to gain one pound of body weight per week, you need an additional 3,500 calories per week. That means you need to add 500 extra calories per day to your nutritional plan.

I suggest putting on ½ to 1 pound of body weight per 100 pounds of body weight each week for two to three weeks. After 5 weeks, gain an average of ½ to 1 pound of body weight per 100 pounds of body weight each week.

You will need to monitor your progress and make any adjustments as needed. If you have trouble gaining, add an additional 300 to 500 calories a day to your diet. If you have a super high metabolism, you may need an additional 500 to 1,000 calories per day.

A word of caution. You don't want to gain weight too fast because you will be gaining fat as opposed to muscle. Muscle takes time to build and with fat, it takes not time at all. Remember to monitor your diet on a regular basis and keep your body composition in check at all times.

Ideally, healthy ranges of body fat are 18 to 25 percent for women and 15 to 20 percent for men.

There are numerous methods to determine your body fat levels but by far the easiest and one of the most accurate ways is to use the Accu-Measure Body Fat Caliper. You simply take three easy measurements on your abdomen in the comfort of your own room and presto, you have your body fat percentage. It doesn't take any more than 2 minutes.

With the Accu-Measure body fat calipers, you don't need the assistance of other people and you don't have to take 10 different measurements on 10 different parts of your body. The measurement is very accurate

If on the other hand you don't want to use body fat calipers, you can use a quick and easy manual measurement. Although the numbers will not be as accurate as using the Accu-Measure body fat calipers. You will need a weight scale and measuring tape for this one.

For men: 1. Lean body weight = 94.42 + 1.082 (body weight) - 4.15 (waist in inches)

2. Body fat percentage = body weight - lean body weight x 100/body weight

For women: 1. Lean body weight = 8.987 + .732 (weight in kilograms) + 3.786 (wrist diameter in centimetres) + .434 (forearm circumference in centimetres)

2. Body fat percentage = body weight - lean body weight x 100/body weight

Remember to record your body weight, body fat and lean body mass figures. Always remember to monitor these three indicators on a weekly or bi weekly basis.

As an example, let's say you want to add another 10 pounds of body weight. You currently weight 145 pounds and consume 2,500 calories per day.

You will need to add an additional 500 calories per day to gain an additional pound of body weight per week. Your new daily caloric intake will be 3,000 calories per day.

You've identified that you will be eating 6 times a day. Therefore, you will need 3,000 / 6 = 500 calories per meal.

construct a quality muscle buiding diet

A quality diet will consist of 20% to 30% protein, 55% to 65% carbohydrates and 15% to 25% fat. It should look something like this:

25% protein
55% carbohydrates
20% fat

Just remember that everyone is different and you will have to do a little experimenting to find your optimal amount of nutrients to include in your diet. Different people have different goals and therefore, different eating habits.

If you are gaining weight, think about putting on ½ to 1 pound of body weight per 100 pounds of body weight each week for two to three weeks.

After 5 weeks, gain an average of ½ pound of body weight per 100 pounds of body weight each week. You will need to monitor your progress and make any adjustments. If you have trouble gaining, add an additional 300 to 500 calories per day to your diet. You may need more depending on your metabolism. If you have a super high metabolism, you may need an extra 500 to 1,000 calories per day more.

Just remember that you will need to experiment a little to find out your optimal caloric intake. Everyone is different and will need different nutritional needs.

The thinking is quite simple. Hard, heavy and smart training followed by rest and consuming quality calories in the form of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

Remember that Protein, carbohydrates, and fat need to be structured in a balanced combination to support optimal muscle growth while maintaining overall good health.

Also remember to record any changes to your diet in your diet log.

Carbohydrates And Protein Together In Your Weight Lifting Diet

I strongly suggest that after your workouts, you ingest carbohydrates with protein. Why carbohydrates and protein? When carbohydrates is taken with protein, there's a blast of insulin. Insulin kicks the body's glycogen making machine into high gear.

Glycogen is considered the principal storage form of glucose and is found mainly in liver and muscle.

Glucose supplies the bodies active tissues with energy. Therefore, insulin will speed up the movement of glucose and amino acids into cells which is what you definitely want. Think of this process as a muscle devlivery business.

Insulin is the name of the company and they deliver energy and muscle builders to your customers which are your muscle cells. The most effective hours of operation are right after your workouts and delivery is very fast, with the proper vehicles in place. The most effective vehicles are are fast acting carbodyrates sources such as simple carbs and fast acting protein sources such as whey isolate.

Always remember this - The sooner you get the proper amount of nutrients into your body after a workout, the faster you can start to build muscle.

Also, recent research has shown that ingesting a protein/carbohydrate supplement after exercise triggers the release of growth hormone. You simply cannot ignore the muscle building effects of a potent carbodyrate and protein drink after your workouts. Remember - You need fast acting carbohydrates with this drink, not just protein.

Find Out What Fuels Muscle???

If you want to build muscle, your going to have to take in a lot of quality, complex carbohydrates. No question about it. You are going to have to fuel your body to handle heavy weight lifting.

You must include an optimal amount of carbohydrates in your nutritional plan in order to fuel heavy weight training sessions.

Carbohydrates are a very important source of fuel for the muscles as well as the leading source of energy for your body. When you have a hard workout, your body draws on carbohydrates, which is stored as glycogen in the muscles.

Glycogen is the product of glucose which comes from the breakdown of carbohydrates after the digestion of food. Glycogen is stored in the liver and muscle.

During a long intense weight lifting session, you can easily deplete your glycogen reserves. When your muscles cannot get enough glycogen, fatigue sets in and your body begins to lose endurance and performance drastically reduces.

I'm sure all of you have experienced this drastic drop in strength and endurance at one time or another during a long intense weight lifting session.

However, there is a way to delay the onset of muscle fatigue. By taking enough carbohydrates each day, you are ensuring that the amount of glycogen stored in the muscles is being constantly replenished.

Every meal must have sufficient carbohydrates to sustain your hard intense workouts. I like to think of my muscle cells as mini fuel tanks. If you want to keep going hard, you are going to have to keep the fuel tanks filled with top notch fuel. Always include high quality carbohydrates in your nutritional plan.

Your diet should consist of 55% to 65% carbohydrates.

What if you don't get enough carbohydrates? Your body will resort to other fuel sources such as protein. As active weight trainers looking to build lean hard muscle mass, we never, ever want this. We don't want our own bodies to start canabalising it's own muscle tissue.

Protein is a second rate energy source. Protein's primary job is to build muscle, not fuel it so you definitely don't want this, you want carbodyrates to fuel your muscle building sessions.

Therefore, keep your body filled with grade A fuel to support and maximize your hard, intense, muscle building workouts.

Quality Protein

Want To Build A PowerHouse Body? You Need Lots Of Quality PROTEIN!
Protein builds muscle. Without an adequate supply of protein, your body will not support any kind of muscle growth. If you supply your body with the optimum amount of protein, you ensure optimal growth, it's as simple as that.

After all, you want to build muscle and to do that, you need a steady supply of high quality protein. You must include an optimal amount of protein in your weight lifting diet in order to build and sustain muscle growth.

So how much protein should you include in your diet for maximum performance and muscle gain? Each of us have very different body types and the amount of protein will differ from individual to individual.

Protein intake will also depend on the amount of activity involved and how frequently you do it.

Your diet should be comprised of 20% to 30% protein. That roughly translates to .8 to 1.3 grams of protein per pound of body weight. If you weight 145 pounds, your daily protein intake should be anywhere from 102 grams to 189 grams of protein per day.

You will have to do a bit of experimenting at the beginning to find out your optimal protein intake.

I suggest you eat 6 times a day spread out over 2 to 3 hour intervals. This way, you are constantly feeding your body the nutrients it needs. For example, if you are consuming 145 grams of protein per day, each meal will have 145/6 = 24 grams of protein per meal.

Here is a partial list of high quality protein sources:

Chicken breast
Venison
Round steak
Scallops
Sirloin steak
Lean ham
Pork tenderloin
Low fat milk
Lean turkey
Low fat cottage cheese
Turkey breasts
Low fat cheddar cheese
Whey
Egg whites

consume more total calories in your daily diet than your body uses each day.

It is very important to understand that the human body is constantly working, using and storing energy day and night.

It is also very important to understand that in order to keep the machine rolling, you need to know what and how much to feed it. This is the single most important element in the muscle building process.

You need to feed the correct balance of calories, protein, carbohydrates and fat that is best for your body type. Complete nutrition is the key . If you can find this key, I'll guarantee you that your efforts will sky rocket.

Complete nutrition leads to optimal nutrition. Over supplementation of certain nutrients will lead to imbalances in your overall nutrition plan and can be more detrimental to your weight training program and more importantly, your health. It's important to understand that a well balanced diet, that's conducive to building muscle is always the best choice.

Prepare a well balanced diet that is rich in quality calories. Most people who start out looking to build muscle and gain strength, usually overlook the importance of a well balanced diet. Nutrition can be very confusing, especially if you have absolutely no idea where to begin.

The sooner you understand that you need an optimal diet, the sooner you'll achieve your goals and objectives

So, how so you put a solid nutritional plan in place? Well, the first thing you need to understand is that you need a starting point - Very important. The starting point is what you will base all your nutritional information on.

On this page, I'm going to ouline to you how to put together a true, muscle building diet that will get you on the road to muscle growth.

Firtsly, I'm going to quickly outline what each of the macronurtients does and how it affects your body. Macronutrients are proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that you eat each and every day. This is very important because you need to understand what it is your putting into your body and why. Secondly,we're going to calculate a sample diet and meal plan that shows you how much calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fats you need in order to grow.

Exercise & Fitness

Fact: Regular physical activity - even at moderate levels - reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity. Here?s another fact: 65% of Americans are considered obese. So while the risks associated with not exercising are clear, we don't seem to be doing anything to change our sedentary ways.


Heart disease facts

Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of death in the United States. Over a million people each year will have a heart attack and 25% will die before they get to the hospital while or in the Emergency Department.
Prevention is the key to treatment of heart disease.
Diagnosis of heart disease is often made by careful history taken by a health care practitioner. Some individuals may have atypical symptoms, including almost none at all.
The testing strategy to confirm the diagnosis and plan appropriate treatment needs to be individualized for each patient diagnosed with heart disease.
Treatment of heart disease depends upon the severity of disease, and is often directed by the symptoms experienced by the affected individual

Diet And Nutrition

A quality diet that is conducive to building muscle and strength is often the most neglected part of any weight training regime.

Often forgotten, nutrition is one half of the muscle building equation that will ensure complete success.

I'll be honest with you, building quality muscle mass requires the right nutrition. More importantly, it requires the right knowledge and information - This is the key.

Make not mistake, nutrition is an essential part of any fitness program and if you want to achieve any type of success, you have to get it down to a science

Fish Oil Supplements – What’s The Real Benefit?

Usually I get 3-4 questions per week about what supplements people should be taking. Listen, there are only 2 supplements most people need to take… One of them is a multi vitamin and the other is a quality fish oil or essential fatty acid pill (EFA). ( I made a video on this exact topic, as well as other organic supplements )

Also there is a HUGE difference between the fish oils you buy at Kroger, and the kind you would get from a nutrition company like Prograde. I was at a conference a while back and one of the guys I hung out with who is a very good nutritionist told me if you’re buying fish oil from a regular store, “you’d have to take upwards of 26 fish oil pills a day” to see any results. That’s insane!

Since Ive been taking a good fish oil supplement, Ive definitely noticed a big change in my body after the workouts. My soreness has gone down a lot, and honestly I just feel a lot better throughout the day. I definitely recommend you start taking an essential fatty acid supplement (same thing as fish oil) if you aren’t yet…

The Top 10 Fitness Myths (busted!)

10. Women will get bulky from lifting weights

Let me be more specific – women are afraid that lifting HEAVY weights will make them bulky. Crappy fitness videos abound with women performing biceps curls and triceps kickbacks with dumbbells that should only be used as paper weights.

Women can not get big and bulky for one very good reason…their bodies don’t produce enough testosterone to build the large bulky muscles you’re likely to see in bodybuilding ads. Testosterone is a key ingredient to putting on muscle mass, and the only way women can get this type of big bulky look is by taking steroids and hormone injections. This is why you see bulky female body builders.

So don’t be afraid to lift heavy weights if you’re a woman. Lifting heavy will make a woman strong, not manly. And personally, I find a strong woman sexy as hell.

9. Yoga will make you long and lean

I’ve been to a few yoga classes in my day. And yes, I’ll admit my attendance was at least “partly” motivated by the target rich environment of fit young ladies (there was only one other dude in the class). But the flexibility and breath training of yoga appealed to the martial artist in me, so I took the class seriously.

My take on yoga? After over 25 years of martial arts training, yoga was the best flexibility training that I ever experienced. I also found yoga to be outstanding for balance, static strength, and breath work. But hearing someone say that yoga will make your muscles long and lean makes me cringe. Maybe we’re dealing with semantics here, but I’m thinking the “length” of a muscle is not going to change anymore than the skeletal structure it’s attached to. Perhaps the increase in flexibility from yoga training causes people to use the term “long” to describe their muscles. Whether it’s poor terminology or marketing hype, yoga will not make your muscles long.

As far as lean, yoga will contribute no more to being “lean” than any other activity using equivalent caloric expenditure. I’m saying that if your yoga class causes you to burn 150 calories and mopping the floor causes you to burn 150 calories, mopping the floor will make you just as lean as doing yoga. But then you’re unlikely to see the hot blonde chic doing the downward dog in yoga pants while mopping your floor.

8. Deadlifts and Squats are dangerous.

Have you picked a bag of groceries off of the floor recently? Then you’ve done the deadlift. Have you stood up from a seated position? Then you’ve done the squat. Danger in these movements is a factor of load and technique. Proper technique will ensure proper skeletal alignment, reducing the chance of injury. Using a load appropriate for your current fitness level will also reduce the chance of injury. Notice I did not say eliminate injury. All movement involves the risk of injury to some extent, whether it’s rocking a 400 pound squat or crossing the street.

7. Three sets of ten repetitions is the best program for building muscle.

Let me make this clear from the start: There is no “best program” for building muscle. There are too many factors that change from person to person to call anything “best”. That being said, three sets of ten reps is a good program for building muscle – for the beginner.

But damn near any resistance training someone does if they have no prior training is going to garner a muscle building response. Beware the lofty promises of the glossy fitness mags. Three sets of ten reps is not a cure-all for the muscularly challenged. The Gym Junkies muscle buiding program would be a better starting point.

6. Machines are safer than free weights

Damn near every exercise machine lulls you into a false sense of security. The machine makes you think you are strong, when you are much weaker than you would be if you spent the same time and effort with free weights. The machine forces you into a plane of motion that is not natural and almost always robs you of the opportunity to develop stabilizing muscles, posture, and balance.



So when the real world strikes – and the real world always strikes – and you have to lift a couch or push a car or pull your dog off of the mailman, you’ll find that all of your machine work doesn’t quite transfer to the task at hand. Skeletal and muscular injuries are a risk in ANY exercise program. A deadlift isn’t bungee jumping. Grab the bar and move some damn weight!


5. Looking fit = being fit.

Oh how I love it when the former high school football star walks into my gym for the first time. He’s five or ten years removed from his varsity jacket, but he still appears to be in pretty good shape. Hell, he still goes to the gym three days a week and he IS in better shape than the average Joe.

But his fitness mag workout built muscles lie to him. They give him an arrogance that I smell and I can’t help but satisfy the urge to serve him some humble pie. So I feed him a simple 4 minute workout of Tabata squats. No added weight – just his body. His face reddens, his legs quiver, but he makes it to the end. And then curls into the fetal position in the corner.

Being “fit” should give a person relative high performance across a broad spectrum of physical attributes including strength, endurance, balance, flexibility, and coordination. You can look like an underwear model and still get humbled by having to move the refrigerator.

4. Targeting specific muscle groups is the best way to lift.

How many times have you heard “Today I’m doing bi’s and tri’s” or “Monday is my chest day”? How you plan a resistance training program depends on several factors, but the one factor we’ll concern ourselves with here is the goal in mind.



Why are you doing resistance training? I prefer to design programs around movements instead of muscles. The real world is never going to give you a task that focuses only on your “bi’s”. The body moves as one piece so it is important that you treat it accordingly. Full body movements like deadlifts, power cleans, and presses should be the staples of any resistance program.

At least any program that wants to get you fit and not just ready for your beach vacation.

3. You need supplements to get in good shape

Supplements should be used only for what they’re name implies: to “supplement” an already nutritious diet. Pills, powders, potions, and magic elixirs are not the Holy Grail they are purported to be.

Most supplements are useless, and the few that are beneficial should only be applied after solid nutrition is in place. What supplements do I consider alright? A good multi-vitamin is never going to get bad mouthed by me. An omega-3 supplement if you are unable to get it from your diet (and few of us can) is alright. And maybe, and I said maybe, a protein powder if you are unable to acquire the required amount of protein from your diet. Keep the Horny Goat Weed to yourself.

2. Long slow running is the best way to lose weight

I so wish this one would go the way of the dinosaur. But I still hear people saying how they’re running 5 miles a day in their efforts to lose weight. I tell them that if they want to run to lose weight they should sprint their ass off until they see stars and then walk until the stars go away. Then repeat this cycle until they feel like it is impossible to continue.

The reality is that long slow cardio training of any kind – whether pounding the pavement or watching the wheels go ’round on the eliptical is inefficient to put it nicely and a waste of time to put it bluntly. And for all of you wannabe-gerbils rocking the treadmills, don’t get me started on the pretty lights and the “fat burning zone” of the digital read out. Just like your prom date saying it’s her first time, those things lie – don’t believe the hype.

Cranking your metabolism into a fat burning furnace takes pushing yourself to an exertion level that is “uncomfortable”.

1. Crunches will get rid of belly fat

Oh man, this one is right up there with long slow cardio as far as pervasive myths that get my blood boiling go. In a very broad sense, getting rid of fat is a simple factor of expending more calories that you take in.

And doing a crunch, which moves the body through a minuscule range of motion, is not going to expend many calories. Cranking the metabolism with some solid muscle building resistance training is going to go a hell of a lot farther in reducing your spare tire than racking up your crunch total.

I’ll even go as far as to say you can get the abs of a Greek god without doing a single crunch.

Heart Rate Monitors Fine-Tune Players’ Fitness

STORRS, Conn. — As soccer practice began one recent afternoon, each University of Connecticut player grabbed a puck before he kicked a ball. The puck was a small rectangular transmitter that attached to a chest strap and was worn beneath the players’ jerseys.


On the sideline, a wireless receiver sat next to a laptop computer. As the Huskies performed their drills, heart rate data for each player appeared on the computer screen in real time, both in block numerals, as if on a gas pump, and in the wavy, crayon-colored lines of a collective stress test.

For nearly a decade, UConn, a perennial power, has been at the forefront of using heart rate monitors in N.C.A.A. soccer in an increasingly sophisticated attempt to gauge the intensity of training and create optimal conditioning for its players.

Coaches estimate that 10 percent to 30 percent of college soccer teams use similar technology to customize workouts, help plan their lineups and substitution patterns, and rethink the hoary tenet that harder training is always the best training.

The aim is to calculate precisely that players are giving the desired effort during workouts and, just as important, to prevent them from overtraining and to limit their susceptibility to soft-tissue injuries that can arise from fatigue.

“Soccer is a great game, but there is very little science to it,” said Chris Watkins, the soccer coach at Brigham Young University, which has used heart rate monitors for two seasons. “If you can find science, it gives players an advantage. We’re much smarter in our training now. Fitness is not an issue. We know exactly how to address it.”

UConn (17-3-2) is a top seed in the N.C.A.A. tournament and will open play at home Sunday. The team’s players, coaches and support staff say they are convinced that sports science, along with technical skill and tactical awareness, has played a vital role in UConn’s success. One measure is that the Huskies have scored 21 of their 34 goals after halftime this season.

“I think we’re among the top 5 percent of the fittest teams in the country,” said Mario Diaz, UConn’s trainer. “A lot of times we break teams down in the 65th or 70th minute of games. We outrun and out-endure our opponents.”

The idea of using portable heart rate monitors in sports originated in the mid-1970s with cross-country skiing in Finland. Since then, monitors have become popular in individual sports like distance running and in team sports like soccer, in which some players run six or more miles during a 90-minute match.

Long used in European soccer, heart rate monitors have gained currency in the United States over the past decade, most visibly with the men’s national team, which earned international respect at the World Cup for its relentless, indefatigable style.

At the N.C.A.A. level, UConn has been a pioneering team under the guidance of Chris West, 40, the university’s associate head strength and conditioning coach. Previously, heart rate monitors also have been used in training for the Huskies’ men’s basketball team; this season they have been introduced to women’s soccer and women’s basketball.

“I think it can be really good,” said Geno Auriemma, who has coached the UConn women’s basketball team to seven N.C.A.A. titles. “The naked eye isn’t always telling the truth.”

A former soccer player at Humboldt State, a Division II school in Northern California, West said his interest in heart rate monitors stemmed from the fact that athletes spent about 90 minutes a week in the weight room, compared with 15 hours training and playing games.

“What you are controlling” in the weight room “is a small piece of the pie,” West said. “So you take a step back and say, ‘I’ve got to start understanding what the total stress is on them.’ ”

UConn uses the Polar Team2 monitoring system, a Finnish brand that costs about $10,000. After each practice, West downloads data from the transmitters and produces a report of each player’s effort level that includes: duration of training; minimum heart rate; maximum heart rate; average heart rate; and the time spent in various zones of elevated heart rates.

5 Energy Boosters!!!

As much as we’d all like to think energy comes in a bottle, it doesn’t. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find it elsewhere. You just have to know the right places to look for it!

First of all, don’t believe the hype. No matter how many commercials you see with energetic, skinny people running around, they didn’t get like that from whatever product is for sale. It’s called acting, and the product is most likely a scam.

Second of all, one of the most well-known sources of energy drain is stress. You’ll see as soon as you learn techniques to reduce stress, your energy levels will increase. One great suggestion to try is deep breathing; another is meditation.

With that said, check out these five surefire tips to aid you in regaining an upward momentum:

1. Get adequate sleep — This may seem like a no-brainer, but many people suffer from different forms of insomnia. Although the average amount of time is eight hours, it’s whatever you need to feel rested and only you can determine that. Avoid caffeine and alcohol to assure a good night’s rest.

2. Stay hydrated — It is not only important to stay hydrated for your skin and digestive health, but your overall engine running, as well. Remain conscious about how much you’re drinking throughout the day. You’ll feel better when you’ve imbibed enough water!

3. Take a multivitamin — Eating a balanced diet doesn’t insure you’ll get the minimum dietary requirements you need for energy. To remind yourself, put your bottle of multivitamins next to your toothpaste or something else you know you’ll use at least once a day! (Editor’s note: Click here to check out eDiets’ complete line of supplements.)

4. Exercise — Although many people think exercise makes you tired, it does just the opposite if done in moderation. Exercise actually increases energy by getting the heart pumping, providing oxygen to working muscles and by increasing cardio respiratory capacity.

5. Eat breakfast – Many may think it’s not that important, but those who eat breakfast sure can tell the difference on days they skip. Your body is resting all night and the only way to get it started in the morning is by feeding it. It’s like trying to start a car without gas — it won’t work. Something light and healthy is a great way to start your day.


Although the idea of a fizzy, lifting drink like the one in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a fantastic one, there is no such thing. Actual products on the market try to persuade the public their liquid energy is a magical experience. But it’s not. Red Bull doesn’t really give you wiiiings.

And next time you’re feeling a little sluggish, don’t rush to Starbucks for that Venti Mocha Frappuccino with extra whipped cream. Put on your mp3 player, kick on some energetic music, grab a bottle of water and take a brisk walk.

Everyone could use a little more energy in their day. Just a little push is all we need sometimes to kick into high gear. Just changing a few things in your everyday routine can make a difference. Try these tips — they’re almost a guaranteed prescription for increased energy.

Food Groups

Foods can be classified by the way they affect the body and/or by their food group. It is important to understand both in order to balance your meals and achieve optimal health.

Macronutrients


The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines macronutrients as substances essential in large amounts for the growth and health of an animal. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. All foods fall into one of these three categories.
Carbohydrates


Carbohydrates provide energy for the body, especially for the brain and nervous system. Many of these foods are rich in certain vitamins, minerals, and fiber that might not be found in other macronutrients. For the average person, carbohydrates should make up approximately 50-60% of total daily calories.
Proteins


Proteins are required for the function, regulation, and structure of the body's tissues and organs. Protein intake should make up about 20% of total daily calories.
Fats


Fats are important for blood clotting, brain development, insulation, energy storage, and absorbing and moving fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) through the bloodstream. Fat should make up less than 30% of total calories.


Food Groups


Foods are grouped based on similar nutritional properties, but may function differently in the body.
Starches / Grains


This group is composed of breads, cereals, rice, tortillas, pasta, popcorn, crackers, chips, and things like waffles and pancakes. For optimal health, it is best to choose whole grain, high-fiber varieties of these foods.

Starchy vegetables are also found in this group. Examples include peas, corn, beans, lentils, potatoes, acorn squash, butternut squash, and plantains. All of these foods will function as carbohydrates, but beans, peas, and lentils will function as both carbohydrates and proteins.
Fruits


This group includes apples, oranges, melons, berries, peaches, bananas, grapes, etc. All of these will function as carbohydrates. Fruits are a very important part of a balanced diet; they provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
Dairy


This food group is mainly made up of milk (cow, soy, etc), cheese, and yogurt. These foods provide calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D. Adequate intake (about 3 cups a day) of dairy is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and lower blood pressure.

Milk and yogurt function as carbohydrates. Cheese and cottage cheese function more as proteins, while sour cream, cream cheese, and half-and-half function as fats. It is important that you check the labels when purchasing dairy - it is best to choose low-fat or fat-free dairy. The high-fat varieties can be detrimental to your health. If you don't know how to read a label, learn how here.
Sweets / Desserts


Foods in this group, like cookies, pies, cakes, ice cream, and candy bars, do not have many vitamins, minerals, or fiber. In fact, their nutrition quality is very poor; they are high in calories, sugar, and fat. Try to eat these foods at special occasions only. These foods function as carbohydrates and fats.
Non-Starchy Vegetables


These vegetables are classified as carbohydrates, but very little of it is digestible. Because of this, along with high nutritional value and low calories, they are often referred to as "Free Foods." Examples of non-starchy vegetables include: asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, mushrooms, okra, onions, peppers, spinach, and tomatoes.
Proteins / Meats / Meat Substitutes


Proteins are typically made up of all animal meats (poultry, beef, fish, pork, wild game), eggs, and tofu. Healthy choices include lean meats labeled as "loin," egg whites, Canadian bacon, tuna, trout, salmon, skinless poultry, and sandwich meats or tofu varieties with less than 5g of fat per serving.
Fats

Fats are important parts of proper body functioning; however, they typically pack a lot of calories and fat in a small serving. As an example, most cooking oils, mayonnaise, butter, and some salad dressings and margarines provide 45 calories and 5 grams of fat in just 1 teaspoon!

Other foods in this group include avocados, nuts, nut butters, olives, bacon, etc. When choosing fats eat more mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, and avoid saturated and trans fats.

Bike + Mountains = Excitement And Challenge

Tired of paved roads? Want to go where there aren't any speed limits? If you answered yes, then your vehicle of choice could very well be a mountain bike. Ever since a group of friends took a fast-paced ride down a steep incline in Northern California, mountain biking has been an exciting challenge to off-road riders. Its inclusion as an event in the 1996 Olympics confirmed what riders already know: Mountain biking is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, both in popularity and participation. If you've never been on a mountain bike you might wonder what all the fuss is about. Many riders say it's the freedom. After all, destinations are unlimited on these machines built for rough terrain.

The Right Equipment
Mountain bikes are sturdier than your average 10-speed or hybrid bicycle so they can withstand rough roads. They have wide tires that grip the trail, and cantilever brakes, similar to those found on a motorcycle.

When purchasing a mountain bike, be sure that it isn't too large. You should always be able to put a foot on the ground to steady yourself. A helmet is a must, and knee and elbow pads are sure-fire scar preventers.

Your Body On A Bike
Riding a bike is one of the best cardiovascular exercises around. Not only does it provide an aerobic workout, but it strengthens the large muscles of the lower body, including the thighs, hips and buttocks, without putting a lot of stress on the joints. The upper body and arms come into play when climbing hills.

Always warm up before you begin your ride. Pedal in a low gear over flat terrain until you begin to sweat or feel warm.

This usually takes about five to 10 minutes. And don't neglect to cool down when you come to the end of your ride. Gradually lowering your heart rate can help prevent the pooling of lactic acid in the muscles. Again, pedal slowly in a low gear.

On The Trail
Practice makes perfect isn't a cliché when it comes to handling a mountain bike. Once you start heading up hills and mountains and over rocks and steep falls, you'll need to rely on your instincts, which, if they don't come naturally, develop through practice. One of the first things to do is to get a feel for how the brakes work. The front brake on a mountain bike usually has more power than the back, and pulling it alone may send you flying over the handlebars. Practice quick stops before you hit the trail so you can feel how your weight may affect how you stop. Cantilever brakes are stronger than those on other bikes, allowing riders to control factors such as their rate of decline. When descending a hill, lightly squeeze and release the brakes - a technique called feathering - to prevent the wheels from locking.

Change gears as it becomes necessary in order to keep a steady cadence. Use a low gear when you need power, and a high gear when you want speed.

Climbing requires a shift in your weight that will control the tires' grip on the ground. Short, steep hills may require out-of-the-seat pedaling to garner more power. If you try this on a long climb, however, you'll likely tire before you reach the top. Shift your weight forward, off the seat if necessary, to gain the power you need.

Get Pedaling
You can obtain information about trails in your area from your local library or mountain-biking group. The sooner you start pedaling, the sooner you can test your limits - those set by both your body and your mind.

Pay Attention To Pain & Soreness

When any workout or specific exercise causes you pain, pay attention. Knowing how to react can help you avoid a serious injury. Strength training can cause several types of pain including:

Muscle Soreness
When you use muscles you have not used for a while or try a new exercise or training technique, it is normal to feel a dull ache of soreness in the muscles that were trained. This pain is caused by microscopic tears in the fibers of the connective tissues in your body--the ligaments that connect bones to other bones, and the tendons that connect muscles to bones.

This microtrauma may sound harmful but is in fact the natural response of your muscles when they experience work. This is the primary reason it is so important that you get enough rest between specific muscle workouts. Each time you work out with weights, you cause this "damage"--these tiny tears in your muscles; they need ample resting time to rebuild and become even stronger, bigger, and more firm.

Pain During or Just After a Workout
During a workout, repeated contractions cause lactic and other acids, as well as proteins and hormones, to build up in muscle tissue. This can cause pain even without injury. But if you experience a sharp, continuous pain, or pain accompanied by a burning sensation, stop lifting and get it checked.

Cramps
These happen when muscles, often in the calves or feet, knot up in intense contractions. Cramps occur most commonly in endurance sports like cycling and running, where the athlete loses a lot of fluids through sweating. This is why it's very important to stay well-hydrated during exercise. If you do get cramps, the best way to stop them is to gently stretch the cramped muscle.

Injury
When working out with weights you need to be in full control of both the weights and your own body as it lifts and uses the weights. Careless weightlifting can result in injury. Not warming up, attempting to lift too heavy a weight, using momentum or jerky movements, letting the weights drop, not using correct form, or forgetting to stretch or cool-down after your workout can indeed result in injury.

The following injuries can occur as a result of carelessness:

1.Tendonitis: This is inflammation of the tendon and can occur if you begin your first set with too heavy a weight and/or are not properly warmed-up. Rest is the best treatment for this painful injury.
2.Fascia injuries: Can occur if you suddenly jerk or pull the weight. Fascia is basically the packaging tissue of muscle. When fascia is torn, it becomes inflamed and the pain is severe. The injury should be treated with cold packs and wrapped with an ace bandage.
3.Ligament injuries: Can occur when people use momentum and jerk the weight to accomplish a lift. This injury is treated by using cold packs and rest.
4.Sprains or muscle tears: Are uncommon if you warm-up, stretch, and cool-down properly and implement the safety precautions and principles we teach.

Any time you do have inflammation or swelling, use the R.I.C.E method of reducing damage and speeding healing. For injuries, R.I.C.E. is nice.

1.Rest: When you are hurt, stop your workout immediately and take weight off the affected area.
2.Ice: Wrap ice in a towel and hold it against the injury for 10 to 20 minutes, three or four times a day until the acute injury diminishes.
3.Compress: Wrap the injured area in a snug, but not tight, elastic bandage.
4.Elevate: Raise the injured limb and rest it on a pillow to reduce swelling.

Strength training provides many important benefits that cannot be achieved by any other exercise or activity. However, when enjoying this great form of exercise, be sure to pay attention to pain and soreness so that your program is not only effective, but safe as well. Good luck: I hope you enjoy all the wonderful benefits of a safe and effective strength training program.

VEGGIES

Vegetables: Four Reasons Why You Should Be Eating Them!

Are you a bodybuilder who scoffs at the thought of giving up your beloved protein for some boring carrots? Big mistake! You need your veggies if you want to reach your full bodybuilding potential. Lauded by health experts, doctors and your mom (remember "You're not getting any dessert until you eat all your broccoli"?), vegetables don't have a sexy rep, but their therapeutic and healing properties are essential to keeping you as healthy as possible for maximum gym efforts. And a bodybuilder in optimal health will make gains faster than one who isn't. So ignore vegetables at your muscle-gaining peril. Here's the dirt on why, along with what's best to keep in the crisper.

Vegging Out
From fighting disease to revealing your washboard abs, there are so many reasons to spend more time in the produce aisle that we could fill an entire issue. These are the most important reasons to say, "More, please," when it comes to vegetables.

Mighty Phytos
Unlike fiber and vitamins, what you don't see in those vegetable nutrition charts are the powerhouse antioxidant chemicals called phytochemicals. A vegetable will produce them to protect itself during growth, but many phytochemicals, such as lycopene in tomatoes and carotenoids in carrots, can also protect us against many ailments. There's even a group of phytochemicals called indoles (found in cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and broccoli) that stimulate enzymes to make estrogen less effective — a definite advantage if you yearn for more mass. Acting as antioxidants, phytochemicals also aid in postworkout muscle repair.

Bulking Up
Vegetables are a great source of something often neglected in bodybuilding nutrition — fiber. As a source of bulk, veggies can slow digestion, which helps regulate blood-sugar levels. Improperly timed spikes in blood sugar (which often come from eating high-carbohydrate, low-fiber foods like white bread) promote fat storage, and sudden drops can cause energy "crashes," making it less likely that you'll push serious weight at the gym. Add vegetables to your lunchtime stir-fry and you could say adios to those ups and downs. You'll also tend to eat less because low-calorie, higher-fiber veggies take up room in the stomach and release chemicals that tell the brain to shut down the appetite. And don't overlook the fact that by improving digestion, vegetable fiber can support the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids — all of which your muscles need for further growth.

Burn, Baby, Burn
Vegetables are a "free food" with a very low calorie-density, so you can eat almost unlimited amounts while still burning fat. This lean indulgence is all because of a biochemical quirk that only veggies (except the starchier ones like corn and beets) enjoy — the body uses almost as many calories to digest vegetables as they contain in the first place. The leftover calories don t even have a fighting chance of being stored in a fat cell.