Bodybuilding - How to Accelerate Your Muscle Growth

Building muscle isn't easy, it isn't just lifting weights. Yes that is a very important factor as it is how you stimulate your muscles to grow, but if you are looking for fast growth you need to implement two other main factors into your bodybuilding routine.

Firstly you need to understand that when trying to build muscle through weights you are breaking your muscle fibres BUT don't worry because this is a good thing. Your broken muscle fibres come back bigger and stronger and all this is through the miracle of (drum roll)...REST!

Rest is an important factor for building those muscles because this is when your body repairs itself. Rest doesn't just mean sleep, it means resting some days of your routine - you should only be working out 3-5 times a week no more otherwise you won't give yourself enough time to recover and rebuild. Sleeping is also critical in the rest sector, sleep should be the minimum of 8 hours or less if you are going to have naps in your day.

As mentioned above rest is the period when your body rebuilds but do you think that the body does that itself? No! It needs your help especially when you try to build muscle. You need to give it the essential nutrition!

When bodybuilding you will need to consume a healthy and balanced diet. This is so that your body can be supplied with the energy to workout, go through the day and also give it the energy to recover too.

A decent body building diet should be high in protein and by high I mean that the amount you way you should consume (180 pounds in weight you should consume 180 grams of protein). Protein is the building blocks for your growth and by supplying enough to your body you will be able to repair those muscles faster.

You should look to consume 6 meals a day with each meal giving you about 30gramms of protein. This will give you the protein intake you need and also the energy and nutrition to last you the whole day.

Make sure that you have:

• A good healthy diet that is high in protein to build and recover your muscles
• At least 8 hours sleep
• Rest days from your workout

What Should You Avoid If You Want to Gain Weight?

Most of the sacrifices you make are healthy choices, but nonetheless they take a pinch out of you. The first thing you should avoid is being ill or having a low immune system. Having a poor immune system or being sick is a slow spiral staircase down the weighing scale. No matter how powerful your regime is, without health you will go down. Your immune system can be improved by the usual vegetables, fruits, water and also by sleeping 8 hours of uninterrupted rest at a go.

Speaking about sleep, there are a lot of things which will de-rail you from sleeping. In our metropolitan society, we have nightclubs, bars, internet gaming and socializing which will probably prevent you from getting your sleep. If you avoid all these temptations, I promise you that the gains will always come faster for you. Remember the hard work you put in so put in the effort so that the results are more permanent and easier to achieve.

Some permanent boundaries are created by us and smoking is one of them. The alarming rate that people smoking to socialize has increased drastically over the years that it is no longer startling to see an underage teenager smoking anymore. Being socially numb to this just proves how inhumane we have become and how we are so willing to accept instant gratification over the long term results which will last. Gaining weight is not a touch and go achievement. It requires precise planning, well-thought out and executed actions in order to work. Smoking is definitely not a stepping stone for you in your pursuit of weight.

The next thing to avoid is tweaking the system that is working for you, no matter how small the results. We always have a tendency to tweak something when it is working for us as we are impatient and want the end results to come faster. However, unnecessary tweaking is the thing that separates the good from the great. The great do and when it works, sticks to it all the way. Even if the efficient way to dig up a hole in the ground was to use a teaspoon, a great person will keep digging until he gets the whole he desire, whereas the good person will find a shovel, hire manpower, get an excavator and by the time he is done with all this, gives up because it has been too draining on him.

What Is Metabolism and How Does It Affect Us?

Metabolism is said to resemble a fire; in terms of how "big" or "small" it is. Essentially, metabolism is a general term given to describe all the activities and chemical reactions that happen in the body on a cellular level. This basically means how much work your body does and this is usually related to how many calories a person uses in a day. There are some key phrases to remember regarding metabolism.

Basal metabolism is used to describe the energy used by the body doing no physical activity at all that day. Knowing your basal metabolism is like marking a baseline on how much energy to consume. If you are a person who is desk bound to a job or generally inactive, your calorie intake should not vary too far away from your basal metabolism as you would have excess calories which will turn into fatty acids. In the same way, a construction worker who does a lot of physical work in a day requires more calories in a day when compared to his basal metabolism as he is active.

A high metabolism is a characteristic trait of an ectomorph. An ectomorph is someone who has difficulty gaining weight because of this trait. He is usually characterized as someone who has very little muscle mass and generally very lean. The high metabolism not only means that it consumes more energy which contributes to him being lean, but also that his body turn to using the glycogen in his muscle when it feels it is starved of energy, resulting in a state known as catabolism or muscle degradation.

A person with a low metabolism is used to describe an endomorph. An endomorph is someone who puts on weight easily due to the very nature of the body using the energy it gets from food slowly which results in a significant amount of calories to be stored as fatty acids. Endomorphs are also generally bigger in size and have a difficult time in burning calories which are stored as fats. Endomorphs however, are blessed with the ability to maintain anabolism or muscular productivity as the body does not "feel" that it is going through a state of starvation and thus will not turn to using the glycogen in the muscle.

Lastly, metabolism rate can be tweaked by both diet and exercise. Science has proven that when we consume food, the body will go into a state of overdrive as it has a new task of breaking down the food in the stomach and using it productively all over the body. This state will last generally for an hour before gradually falling down to suit the person's activity level. The same state also goes for exercise but instead of breaking down food in the stomach, the body goes to work repairing the muscular damage it faces during an exercise. An endomorph can use it to his advantage by consuming small meals throughout the day which will spike the metabolism more often which will thus burn more calories. When this is paired with intense exercise, this result in a fat burning ability which will ensure that he will lose weight easily.

An ectomorph must also follow this training regime but tweak it such that he consumes more full volume meals throughout the day. This raises his calorie intake so that it is easier for him to put on weight. The reason to integrate exercise into his plan to put on weight as muscle is 3 times denser than fat which will then be translated into weight gain on the weighing machine.

Top Eight Foods to Supercharge Your Weight Gaining Effort

If you have been dreaming to gain more weight in order to achieve a muscular body, you should put more importance on your diet nutrition by knowing what that best weight gaining foods are. This is especially true to those who are skinny and wants to put on some weight. Check out this list of some of the best foods to help you to gain weight and achieve a muscular body.

Brown Rice - Carbohydrates is essential when you want to gain weight, and brown rice is a healthy source of .carbohydrates. This is a kind of a whole grain food that is much healthier compared to the traditional white rice that we are accustomed of. Aside from having carbohydrates and proteins, brown rice also contains lots of vitamins, especially B vitamins as well as iron and magnesium.

Fish Oil - It is a given fact that fish oil is filled with omega 3 essential fatty acids necessary to reduce the inflammation in our body and helps us gain weight in a healthy way. The most common examples of fishes that are considered as good sources of omega 3 are salmon, tuna, mackerel and trout. Therefore, you must include these types of fishes in your diet.

Fruit Juices - Fruit juices are another source of dense carbohydrates and therefore, they are great for anyone who is trying to gain some weight. Make sure to drink fruit juice after every meal, instead of the unhealthy beverages such as soda or cola. Fruit shakes are also highly recommended, for just like the fruit juices, they are also rich in calories and are very helpful in gaining weight healthily

Healthy Oils - Adding healthy oils into your diet are very effective in gaining weight and building muscles. Some of the most common examples of healthy oils are virgin olive oil as well as the canola oil. These oils contain mono and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids too.

Nuts - Cashew, peanuts, walnuts and almonds are nuts that are rich in proteins and fibre, as well as healthy fats like polyunsaturated fatty acids. These nuts are also high in calories. Therefore, people who are skinny should get sufficient amount of healthy fats by including nuts into their diet.

Red Meat - Red meat is considered as the number one sources of protein-rich foods. But these types of foods, does not only have proteins in them - they are also filled with essential vitamins and minerals that are helpful to our body. These foods could certainly help skinny people to gain weight fast and increase muscle mass.

Whole Eggs - Protein is one essential nutrient needed to build muscles and the number one source of this nutrient are eggs. And aside from protein, eggs also contain several other important nutrients like Vitamins A, D and E. Because of these nutrients, eggs are considered as one of the best foods to eat when it comes to gaining weight.

Flaxseed - Flaxseed is rich in proteins and contains omega-3 fatty acids. This food is also known to be the number one sources of dietary fibers that are essential for the overall health of the digestive system. Therefore, if you are aspiring to gain weight and build muscles, make sure to include this food into your diet.

The foods mentioned are just some of the best weight gaining foods that you must include in your diet in order to gain weight. Aside from helping you gain some weight and achieve a muscular built, these foods are also essential for your health. Other foods that are also helpful in gaining weight are oatmeal, bagels, granola, corn, turkey, and many more. Also, keep in mind that complementing your daily meals with protein shakes is important if you want to gain fast progress.

5 Most Common Fitness Mistakes That Officially Make You a Gym Idiot

1. Lifting too much weight too soon.

This usually applies for newbies. You are increasing the risk of torn ligaments, tendonitis, arthritis at the joints, and stress fractures to name a few. The more weight you lift, the greater the risk is. If your muscles are adequately stretched/warmed up, you are not going to hurt yourself. Lifting heavier is the only way to increase your strength and build some mass but you will do more damage than good if you lift much heavier than your muscle can handle.

How heavy is too heavy?

If you can't finish the set with a good form, reduce the weight.

2. Not stretching before and after a workout.

Don't stretch your muscles the moment you arrive at the gym. Do it after warming up. Stretching your muscles improves the range of motion of your joints. When the muscle tissues are too tight, a little tear could happen if you force a joint to move through its full range of motion. Warming up and stretching can prevent this from happening.

3. Not warming up before and cooling down after a workout.

Stretching is not warming up. It is really important that you perform a warm-up before stretching. It is not a good idea to perform stretching before your muscles are warm enough. Rotate your joints (from toes to your finger) followed by at least five minutes of aerobic activity. For each weight exercise, perform one or two sets of exercise with lighter weight to warm-up the muscles.

4. Not working out within the target heart range.

To get the maximum benefits of cardio, you need to workout within the target heart zone three or four times a week. Exercising at this level promotes weight loss and burns fat. It reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, obesity, and other health related effects. Doing cardio at least 3 times a week also helps lighten up your mood. If you are a beginner, start at a lower target heart zone (perhaps 50% of your maximum heart rate). As your fitness improves, exercise at higher intensity from 60 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate.

5. Running too far too soon.

Be moderate. Run too far and you can get injured and lose your motivation. To measure your fitness level, use X-minute mile instead of X miles per hour. A beginner will jog from 10 to 15 minute mile. A world-class-trained male athlete might run a 6-minute mile.

The process of building muscle is a trial and error. Most of the theories in bodybuilding are debatable and it can be overwhelming to digest all the information on how to eat and train the right way.

Is Peanut Butter Healthy - The Staggering Question Prevails

Sure there are practically a number of ways to eat your peanut butter spread. While some simply loves the nutty kick, some prefers its creamy undertone on bread and celery. Whatever it is, the jar of delicious butterscotch peanut butter sitting quietly at your shelf is simply nutritious and healthy.

According to the American Peanut Council, there are more than 30 vitamins and minerals in it which offers you that ultimate nutritional value for overall bone and muscle development. Of course peanut butter is healthy.

Now lets us take a closer look

Your favorite jar is loaded with protein and fibers. While protein typically renders you energy, the fiber which greatly reduces appetite and improves the overall digestive system for easy bowel activities. Wait, before you take a mouthful of butterscotch peanut butter, your hot favorite food also contains riboflavin, a particular type of vitamin, which helps in increasing red blood cell production.

Moreover, it also helps in building and in boosting the metabolism muscles. Yes, it's definitely good to kick start your day a PB&J sandwich with a tall glass of cold milk for bones, lean muscle and also for added nutrition

2 Table spoons of peanut butter contains the following nutritional benefits

— It contains 200 mg of potassium.
— It has significant amount of Magnesium
— The healthy nutty spread is also loaded with Vitamin E, which helps in combating the free radical damage
— Yes, just 2 table spoon of your favorite butterscotch peanut butter contains 2.9mg of vitamin E, folate, which is a particular type of vitamin in preventing birth defects during pregnancy.
— Possibly you know this already, Magnesium plays a key role in nerve, and muscle functions and in keeping the bones strong. Just two tablespoon of the spread provides 50 mg of magnesium!
— Just two table spoon of this nutty delight has 7 grams of protein also 2 grams of dietetic fiber

You are free to indulge your senses by spreading it bread or graham crackers, crackers and on fruits like bananas, strawberries and apples. How about getting more creative? Go ahead and add a dollop of this nutty spread to your pancake mixture, or create tasty frosting, bake cakes or cookies with it.

Is peanut butter healthy even if it contains saturated fats?

Well, the obvious answer to this question is a big and resounding yes. This is typically because just the presence of saturated fat doesn't necessarily push any food into the so called unhealthy category. Tofu, olive oil and even wheat germ all have some amount of saturated fats and that doesn't make them unhealthy. The same logic is also applicable for the buttery and nutty spread. In fact, it is typically the whole package of the nutrients, and definitely not just the one or two nutrients which typically determines the health of the food!

Full of protein and loaded with healthy fats, peanuts are a great source of nutritional value. As per a recent research unveiled by the Harvard Medical School peanuts have almost the same amount of fats as olive oil. And this healthy snack has been famed for reducing the risk of heart disease as well as type 2 diabetes.

Diet Solution - 3 Fat Loss Solutions To Burn Belly Fat

You're frustrated. You've tried countless diet solutions but nothing seems to work. Diet doctors and workout gurus have inundated you with crazy, and down right dangerous workouts and diets. These diets and workout solutions all promise miracle results in 10 days or less. You've seen the ads or possibly have tried the "kool aid" but nothing seemed to work. You did exactly what they said and 10 days later you're still in the same position you were before.

Not to worry I have 3 fat loss tips to help you discover the solution to belly fat once and for all. Don't worry doesn't involve a 10 day diet plan.

1. Solution #1 - I know you've probably heard it before - Strength training must be a major part of your fat loss solution. Strength training builds muscle which in turn elevates your metabolism, thereby burning more calories and burning more fat. You're probably asking what does having more muscle have to do with burning belly Fat? Well, it has everything to do with it. You see like I was saying more muscle Equals more calories burned - Right? That means less fat on your body therefore less Fat on your belly.

Solution #2 - This may seem a little weird but definitely works. Its cinnamon, who would have thought that something that tastes so good could burn belly fat Some of the benefits of cinnamon - controls blood sugar, helps maintain insulin sensitivity, and is a powerful anti- oxidant, plus tons of other benefits You see cinnamon doesn't burn belly fat directly such as by elevating metabolism rate, etc it does it indirectly.I already mentioned all the benefits of cinnamon, but the main contributor that will help you find a solution to belly fat is it's strong effect on maintaining blood sugar levels in your body.

Cinnamon can also increase insulin sensitivity, that means it's aiding your body in controlling blood sugar while also allowing your body to make less insulin.If your insulin levels are high you will definitely have more belly fat Just sprinkle cinnamon on foods such as yogurt, oatmeal, cottage cheese, smoothies or any other food you can think of. This can help help control blood sugar and insulin response which will help Keep energy levels on an even keel and control cravings decreasing belly fat.

Solution #3 Multi - Joint Movements - We've already discussed the importance of strength training as a solution to fat loss. Well multi joint movements takes it a step further. You see there are specific exercises that you can do to accelerate fat loss on your body, specifically belly fat.

The exercises that you do all burn calories but some exercises burn a lot more than others. The reason multi - joint movements burn more calories than others is there is more muscle involved in the exercise. For example performing a squat involves the quadriceps, hamstring, low back, and many other muscles. The bicep curl a single joint movement involves the biceps a much smaller muscle and only one muscle so far less calories burned. Other examples of multi- joint movements are deadlifts, barbell rows, lunges, etc. So if your goal is to burn as much fat as possible in your workouts multi- joint movements should be a part of your exercise routine.

There you have it, utilize these 3 workout and diet solutions to help burn the belly fat and aid you in living a longer, healthier, more energetic life.