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Eating Junk Food – The Suicidal Fitness Coach

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Eating junk food is a great way to lose those abs FAST – have you ever eaten so so badly that you want to jump off a bridge? No, I’m not suicidal but I feel like a total mess right now. I’ve been on the road for the past week and while I always start off my trips eating very healthy (like I would at home), this trip fell apart at the end!

Saturday night, we ordered Chinese food (gasp) and I had egg rolls, wonton soup, California rolls AND half of a large chicken lo mein. Talk about grease and carbs and nastiness. YUCK.

As you know, I allow myself one cheat meal per week so I was okay with it, I said “listen, you’re out with friends, just have a good time, relax and stuff your face.” Well, that would have been fine and dandy but Sunday night came around. And then Monday morning. And at 12:43am, the group decided that we were hungry and needed some food. Rather than go out, we called the last place you’d ever want to call to procure food from – Domino’s.

Eighteen dollars (plus tip), a medium cheese pizza and an order of cheesy breadsticks later, I began to feel slightly nauseous as I considered the amount of gunk I had put into my body over the past 30 hours. I can guarantee that my sleep last night was not as good as it should have been and I totally attribute that to eating all of that junk food.

So I’m going to document my first Shakeology cleanse over the next three days and tell you about it. Because Monday and Tuesday are travel days, I will be unable to work out and that’s GOOD – you’re not supposed to do a cleanse like this in the middle of an intense program like P90X because those workouts take a LOT of energy. When you’re not feeding your body as you normally would, it is a bit more tired so working out like crazy is not the best idea. Of course, I’ll be hitting the Chest & Back workout on Wednesday like a maniac but I figure I can do it for the last day. If not, you’ll hear about it haha!

We all have periods where we slip in our eating habits. Luckily, mine was only two REALLY bad meals over a 30 hour span but the key is to right the ship and steer according to the plan that you’ve set for yourself. This 3-day cleanse will help me release some of those nasty toxins and junk that I’ve accumulated in my guts over the past two days and it will prepare me to start anew and KILL it with my workouts going into the weekend.

And you also have to consider the position we’re all in around the holidays – pies, cakes and sugar are quite abundant and it’s up to our self-control to steer clear and grab some carrots + Sabra hummus (SO GOOD) instead.

So I had two cheat meals this week, they just happened to be incredibly nasty cheat meals. Domino’s? Really? I mean, I can think of SO many better options to revel in a cheat meal. But whatever. I’ll keep you updated on this cleanse, it should be interesting!

November 14, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: eating junk food | Leave A Comment »

What Is Shakeology?

What is Shakeology? That was my first question when I tried the tiny glass full of chocolate something-or-other at an event in Nashville two years ago. Plain and simple, Shakeology changed my life, my health and the entire way I view myself and my body and if you want to get in better shape and finally get that six-pack, Shakeology is worth a look.

See, I always used to get caught up in the mid-morning cravings. Breakfast at 7am was fine but by 10, I was starving and lunch wasn’t until 12 or 1pm. So I’d usually find some junk to eat that added fat and/or carbs to my diet. Shakeology changed that for me – with a simple shaker cup, some water and a packet of Shakeology, I could get a filling meal on the go and avoid eating crazy junk food. If I’m at home, I’ll take the time to make a mean glass – blender + Shakeology + 8 0z. of milk + a scoop of peanut butter is the BOMB. It tastes like chocolate milk and it fills me up like crazy.

It’s a meal replacement. It’s a protein shake. It’s an energy supplement. Try drinking Shakeology instead of coffee at 2pm and you’ll feel a huge difference – it will power you through ’til dinner and it gives you REAL energy, not a caffeine surge. There are no sugars, no artificial anything and it’s gluten free.

But I’m serious when I say that it tastes like chocolate milk – my buddy Mike started ordering three cases of Shakeology a MONTH because he would drink two glasses each night instead of satiating his sweet tooth with Ben & Jerry’s. The recipes that come along with Shakeology are great, I’ve tried them all but I stick to my good ol’ peanut butter shake. Chunky peanut butter works best in my opinion, a bit more filling.

One packet/scoop of Shakeology has 150 calories, 18g of protein, 100% of your daily value of Vitamin B12, phytonutrients from spinach, wheat grass hydrilla (to name three sources), an antioxidant super-fruit blend and probiotics to help digest food and improve regularity. I also love that the whey protein used in Shakeology is of such high quality – only the best in this shake.

And look at this crazy image that they put in the promo videos – to get the nutritional value from fruits and vegetables that you receive in ONE packet of Shakeology, you would have to spend over $40 and eat all of THIS:

Shakeology’s amino acid blend is great for helping to repair muscles – between my post-workout protein and my recovery drink, I’m pretty well covered but YOU might not be using all of those supplements – maybe you’re just drinking one Shakeology per day – that’s FINE. One Shakeology per day will help to keep your muscles fed and healthy over the course of your workouts.

I’ve tried every protein shake/meal replacement on the market. The vanilla ones suck, we all know that. The chocolate ones are better but most of them taste like chalk or corrugated cardboard AND they usually have some undesirable ingredients in them. But I have only good things to say about Shakeology. It tastes AMAZING and it fills me up – I don’t have to eat for three hours after drinking it which makes it the BEST meal replacement I’ve ever tried.

Use Shakeology for a month and replace one meal a day with it. If you’re going for the six-pack, you need to drink Shakeology. Click here to try a one-month supply of Shakeology today!

November 13, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: shakeology nutrition, what is shakeology | Leave A Comment »

Onion Calories: Onion Nutrition Facts

When determining onion calories, you must first delineate between dry onions and fresh green onions. Dry onions weight in at 46 calories in a half cup and green onions clock in with 16 calories in the same serving size. The good news is there is no fat in onions; in the makeup of the vegetable, there is basically no protein and a lot of carbs (again, relative to its composition, there are not a ton of carbs in an onion itself).

Neither dry onions nor green onions contain fat, saturated fat or cholesterol. Dry onions have 11 carbs, 1 gram of protein, 6 mg of vitamin C and 2 g of dietary fiber. Green onions weigh in a bit lower on the bad scales and higher on the good scales with 4 carbs, 1 gram of protein, 1 gram of fiber, a whole lot of vitamin A, 10 mg of vitamin C and 1 mg of iron.

As I mentioned in my last post, the bachelor lifestyle lends itself to using dry onions in nearly every concoction known to man – I wouldn’t be surprised if somewhere, a bachelor used dry onions in a lemon cake by accident. But I think its safe to say that dry onions are much more popular than green onions.

Of course, when talking about dry onions, you have two different kinds: sweet onions and storage onions, both of which fall into the 46 calorie column. Storage onions have the highest sulfur content (if you read the last post, you know all about how beneficial the sulfur compounds are to your body) and are pretty much always in the grocery stores. These onions also pack a lot more flavor in them than the sweet ones, especially when they are caramelized. The sweet onions are generally uncooked when put on other foods and are not my favorite onions.

Where green onions are concerned, there are four major variations: spring onions, ramps, leeks and green onions. The green onions have the longest stalks and are sometimes grilled but generally served raw. Leeks are thicker versions of green onions and add to the taste of many different soups – when using leeks, it is important to scrub the debris off of them before cooking. Ramps, also known as Tennessee Truffles almost look like onion leaves and have a similar taste to garlic. These are the most expensive of the green onion family and are only around for three months during the spring time. And finally, the spring onion; the stalk looks very similar to the green onion but there is a semi-developed bulb at the bottom which distinguishes the spring onion. Also, the length of the stalks are considerably smaller than those of the green onion.

I used to have trouble picking onions in the grocery store so I would just buy twelve bags of onions and stock up for a week or so but with these two little guidelines, you should be able to pick out any onions you want at the store. First, get the big’uns – you want some weight to the onions that you buy and you want to make sure that they have not sprouted. And just like picking apples, you should make sure that the onions are devoid of any discolorings on their skin.

As I’ve mentioned, onions go great with just about any recipe in my book; beans, stir-fries, gourmet-pasta dishes, etc. But you can also make some delicious Thanksgiving onion dips on that one day when you decide to take that bag of original Lays potato chips to town (man, I wish it was Thanksgiving already so i could do that!). Recipes like French Onion Soup are easy to make but require a lot of prep time and shopping (you need things like gruyere cheese, sage leafs, beef stock, shallots and about every single possible color of onion alive to make this stuff).

However, caramelized onions by themselves are absolutely out of this world and are pretty easy to make (and fairly healthy assuming you don’t go crazy on the butter). Coming in at 150 calories with a serving size of two adults (although I’ll take an entire sweet onion to myself, thank you very much) here’s what you do:

Throw your grill on a medium setting for about ten minutes.
Take a sweet onion and slice it into sections (picture Green Bay Packers’ cheeseheads for inspiration).
Put the chunks on aluminum foil and dab butter here and there.
Season with salt (or garlic salt), pepper and beef bouillon (I usually do a lot of the pepper).
Close up the foil similar to a bag of microwave popcorn but make sure there is a tiny opening in the top of the foil.
You’ll want to cook the onions for a minimum of forty minutes and a maximum of an hour and fifteen. This all depends on the heat of your grill. I would also advise mixing up the onions in the foil packet every fifteen minutes or so to make sure they don’t overheat and start to burn.

So there we have it: onion calories, onion nutrition, onion-buying tips and a deliciously easy onion recipe. And if you want to start eating healthier, click here to get my free video on nutrition and portion-control.

May 28, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: calorie in onion, calories in an onion, calories onion, calories onions, caramelized onions, how many calories in onions, onion calories, onion nutrition, onion nutrition facts, yellow onion calories | Leave A Comment »

Benefits of Onions: Protecting Your Health

The benefits of onions are almost impossible to count; from blood pressure to fighting bacteria to staving off the common cold, onions tend to do it all. They’re also incredibly easy to incorporate into a daily diet, at least, they are from my standpoint. As the bachelor’s way of cooking goes, onions mix well with just about anything: kielbasa and beans, hamburgers, turkey burgers, scrambled eggs and stir-fries consisting of whatever is in the kitchen at the time. It’s quite bachelor-esque to buy three bags of onions at one time and stockpile like crazy because we tend to use them a LOT!

Calories in onions depend on the type of onions being used – read this article to get the skinny on onion calorie counts.

Onions are known for having high levels of sulfur ingredients in them, one of which is the cause for crying while peeling and chopping. However, it’s worth putting up with the tears because those sulfur compounds are great at fighting off bacteria including E. coli and salmonella and let’s face it: there are hundreds of opportunities for these sorts of bacteria to creep into your body so it’s nice to know that the onion is able to help in the fight against these invaders.

Not only do they help prevent bad bacteria, onions actually promote the growth of healthy bacteria called bifidobacteria. These bacteria, usually found in the intestines, are actually taken out of the body, grown and taken as medicine by many people who want to replentish the good bacteria in their body. Sometimes, a bad bacterial infection can wipe out much of the “good bacteria” in the body so it is important to promote healthy growth of the enzymes that keep our bodies strong.

Also called “probiotics,” the healthy bacteria will help your body to receive the most nutrients out of the food it consumes by breaking it down easily. And of course, having a good amount of healthy bacteria also aides in the rejection and detoxing of any unhealthy bacterias found in the body – basically, you get a double-dose of bad bacteria fighting from onions.

Eating whole onions won’t totally solve your winter cold or your cough but for many years, onions were used to treat these symptoms. Even today, it is widely accepted that the effects of respiratory issues such as asthma and various bronchial infections can be lessened with the help of onions and particularly onion extracts.

Cauliflower and onions are two unlikely companions in the production and supply of vitamin C: 200 calories of cauliflower can supply the body with nearly half of the DV of vitamin C and onions provide flavonoids which amplify the positive effects that vitamin c has on the body. These include maintaining the strength of blood vessels as well as preventing unnecessary blood vessel expansion which can lead to a lack of blood flow and possible strokes/heart attacks. Not only do onions help prevent blood vessel expansion, they also keep the passageways clear by preventing blood cells from clumping up in various spots which is generally what happens before the vessels begin to grow with lack of room for normal blood flow. The anticlotting provided by the onions helps make sure that the anti-inflammatories provided by other fruits and vegetables don’t need to be utilized with the blood vessels as they will (hopefully) never become blocked up to begin with.

There is a difference between dry and green onions which I will talk about in my next article. And if you want to get my free half-hour video on how to shred fat by eating smarter, click here.

May 27, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: benefit of onion, benefits of onions, benefits onion, health benefit of onions, health benefits onion, health benefits onions, onion benefits | Leave A Comment »

Cauliflower Calories: The Blood Vessel King

Cauliflower is one of the only white foods I recommend eating (for those of you who have been through my Ripped Nutrition video, you know all about white foods) great, low-calorie snack – half a cup of cauliflower weighs in at 15 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 15 mg of sodium, 3 carbs, 1 gram of protein and sugar as well as 40% DV of vitamin C. Containing almost half of our DV of vitamin C, cauliflower is an extremely powerful antioxidant. It also contains five other antioxidant-based acids which work together to keep free radicals out of the body as well as aide in cardiovascular health.

The anti-inflammatory properties of cauliflower benefit the cardiovascular system immensely. When blood cells start to clot, they can widen the blood vessels, irritating them and eventually blocking blood flow. Folate is also part of this dance as it is helpful in decreasing the risk of anemia as well as tissue development. Folate, together with allicin, vitamin C and selenium are all great vitamins and enzymes that help keep the immune system strong, protecting the body from disease as well as providing significant benefits towards reducing the risk of heart disease. Cauliflower works to increase blood circulation and although it is not a substitute for a great omega-3 supplement, it is certainly a good source of omega-3. And by keeping those free radicals out of the blood stream and working against inflammation, regular cauliflower intake will decrease the risks of strokes and heart attack.

Especially in today’s world of man-made and processed foods, our bodies have a tendency to get junk put in them which is why incorporating vegetables like cauliflower is so important. Cauliflower gets our bodies’ detox system going with its infusion of glucosinolates however vegetables such as broccoli and brussels sprouts do this particular job a bit better. Still, any vegetables that help to maintain the detoxification process are great to add to our diet.

By eating about 200 calories of cauliflower, you receive 50% DV of fiber (about 25 grams worth). And of course, we all know how helpful fiber is in cleaning us out and maintaining a healthy digestive system but there’s something else that cauliflower provides: glucoraphanin. This enzyme wards off bacteria from growing on the stomach lining including a very specific bacteria strain that can cause stomach ulcers.

Women should definitely try to incorporate cauliflower into their diets as it positively affects the production and metabolism of estrogen. Cauliflower also helps cells divide and grow correctly which is a great benefit to newborn babies – pregnant women are notorious for filling their bowls of Cheerios with cauliflower (all the parenting magazines talk about cauliflower for pregnant women) as it has been proven to help the development of their unborn children keeping all aspects of their bodies healthy. In fact, I’ve heard stories of women eating too much cauliflower, getting gassy and then thinking something is wrong with the baby when really, they just overloaded on the vegetables.

Sauteing for steaming is the best way to preserve the nutrients and personally, I love me some steamed cauliflower. I will admit to adding butter on occasion but even straight steamed cauliflower is tasty enough for me. Other options include throwing it on a salad, roasting and putting lemon juice in it or a vegetable stir-fry. This is a vegetable that you should incorporate into your diet two to three times per week and if you’re into salads, it’s pretty easy to chop up a few pieces and throw it on top of the lettuce.

To get my FREE video on nutrition and healthy eating habits, click here.

May 27, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: benefits of cauliflowe, cauliflower calories, cauliflower health, cauliflower nutrition, how many calories in cauliflower, raw cauliflower calories | Leave A Comment »

Weight Loss + Fish Oil: Losing Fat Naturally

Achieving weight loss with fish oil is a very effective process and the best part is, it’s really easy. When you see those annoying blobs of fat on your body, what’s really going on is a conspiracy! Yes, tons of little fat cells are conspiring against you and your 6-pack and you seem almost powerless to stop them. Luckily, fish oil has some incredible properties (you can read my other blog articles on fish oil to learn about it more in-depth and see how it cures depression, increases brain development in unborn babies, stops heart attacks, etc.) and one of those has to do with fat cells.

When your body takes in sugar, carbs, any materials it cannot immediately synthesize and get rid of, it starts to turn them into fat. Well, sort of. We have these cells called “pre-fat cells” which eventually turn into the real thing. Taking a fish oil high in EPA and DHA (you need about 1000mg between the two of those, I’ll get to that in a second) will produce pre-fat cell targeting molecules in your body which will begin to curb the production of those pre-fat cells. Therefore, you will be much less likely to keep accumulating fat because your body has a much lower chance of actually converting those cells to fat. Pretty cool huh?

I’ve also noticed that the fish oil supplement I take, Core Omega 3, works wonderfully to boost my metabolism because Core Omega actually lowers my insulin levels. When you have high insulin levels, the insulin tells the body not to burn the fat and not only that, it actually wants the body to store the fat if it is unable to get rid of it.

By taking my fish oil supplement daily, I am freeing up my body to produce a hormone that is bent on disintegrating the fat cells that have already materialized and burning them on a daily basis (and in my workouts).

So right now, we have the omega 3 enzymes that work to get rid of pre-fat cells in our body. Then, the omega 3 lowers our insulin levels so that our bodies become reconditioned to burn off fat cells at a faster rate. But there’s one other factor that is very important when talking about weight loss and dieting: depression.

Many people who are seeking out a weight loss program don’t feel great about themselves; they look in the mirror and wish they could change this or that and they get down on themselves and their bodies. As I mentioned earlier, fish oil supplements have properties that work to balance out brain chemicals, particularly coming from the DHA component of the fish oil. Achieving weight loss with fish oil is easier because the DHA combats depression, calms the brain and helps people feel better about themselves. In this way, someone is ten times more likely to be positive about the changes that will be coming without beating themselves up for where they are right now.

Using a fish oil supplement as part of a weight loss is a fantastic idea and you can read about my favorite fish oil/omega 3 supplement by clicking here. But in order to lose weight, you’re also going to need the right foods, the right portion sizes and maybe a slight tweaking of your overall eating habits. Click here to get a free thirty minute video from me on nutrition and weight loss.

May 25, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: best omega 3 supplements, core omega 3, fish oil benefits, fish oil health, fish oil pills benefits, fish oil supplements, fish oil weight loss, omega 3, omega 3 fatty acids, omega 3 fish oil, omega 3 supplements, omega 3 vitamins, weight loss fish oil | Leave A Comment »

Best Whey Protein Powder: My Top Recommendation

When I started working out, I thought I was putting on muscle fast and compared to where I was before (which was not working out at all), that was certainly true. But then I started taking a whey protein powder to feed my muscles and get bigger faster. And guess what? I put on 13 pounds of muscle in 30 days. Soon after that, I had a friend of mine who wanted to lose 40 pounds so I recommended that she try drinking a whey protein shake in the morning and at night – she lost 11 pounds in the first month and she wasn’t even working out.

So I did a lot of research into whey proteins – I talked to my doctor, I bugged the heck out of every health food store in Connecticut and I read every darn label – and it was tough because there are so many different whey proteins out there. There are tons of different brands never mind trying to understand the difference between isolate and concentrate. After a few months of research and some pretty nasty tasting proteins (I’ve tasted close to 20 different whey protein supplements and powders at this point), I found the one that works best for me.

The Beachbody Whey Protein Powder is the best whey protein powder I have ever used and tasted. It comes in two flavors: vanilla and chocolate and both are freaking delicious. I mix them with low-fat/skim milk and usually put a banana in as well and man, it tastes like ice cream, I love it. One serving of this drink is 110 calories which means it will help you gain lean muscle mass OR lose weight – your choice. The banana is a nice touch because it boosts it up to about 205 calories and fills you up for a few hours which is great if you’re looking to lose weight.

Here are some other reasons why I tell people this is the best whey protein powder available:

Price. It’s $39.95 for a tub of it which is nothing for a natural whey protein supplement like this. And for the results it gives me, it’s so worth the money.
It’s natural. The Beachbody whey powder has high-quality natural ingredients which is SO important to me – I tried other whey proteins that had nasty corn syrups and starches in them. Beachbody’s powder doesn’t contain any of that and it doesn’t need to because it already tastes really good.
It gives me a LOT of energy – a good whey protein powder gives you extra energy in a very natural way. This is not the caffeinated, jumping around type of energy but rather a steady release throughout my body which makes me even more energized after a workout than I would normally be.
In line with the energy thing, it also boosts my metabolism. As soon as I started taking the Beachbody whey, I noticed that I could eat more carb-laden foods and not gain fat. My metabolism was boosted significantly and this is great for weight loss as well as making sure you’re constantly adding lean muscle in your workouts.
It contains both whey protein isolate AND concentrate. The explanation behind why you need both is a long one but long story short, you’re getting the best pure protein with no other additives when you are taking isolate and concentrate in one shot – that means your muscles are able to rebuild faster and your body can benefit from the pure protein in the most efficient way. Most other powders don’t have this so you end up spending twice the $ to get your isolate and concentrate and then mix the shakes. The Beachbody powder gives them both to you and especially since I don’t have time to play chemist in the kitchen and mix powders, this works wonders.
With 18 grams of protein, you are giving your body exactly what it needs to build serious muscle and if you’re taking the whey protein shakes as I suggest around your workout schedule, you’ll be taking in 36 grams of protein per day just from your whey powder. You don’t need more than that and you don’t want more – trust me, I know – I’ve tried others and they have messed up my stomach because they go overboard on the protein. This one is just right (didn’t mean to steal Goldilocks’ line there).
It contains nearly 500 mg of arginine which is an important amino acid related to muscle repair and recovery. When I use this in conjunction with my recovery formula, I’m never sore after a workout.

I’m sure there are more advantages and I’ll probably go back and edit this post as I think of them but plain and simple, Beachbody’s supplement is the best whey protein powder I’ve ever used and if you’re looking to incorporate a whey protein into your workouts or weight loss, get this powder now. If you have any questions before buying, shoot me an email: generationripped[at]gmail[dot]com.

I use this whey protein powder twice a day. It’s amazing, trust me. And when you buy it from me, you get a 30-day money back guarantee, no questions asked. Click the picture below to buy it now.

May 23, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: best whey protein powder, whey protein drinks, whey protein powder weight loss, whey protein powders | Leave A Comment »

Whey Protein Effects: Muscle Growth and Weight Loss

Taking whey protein in conjunction with intense workouts is a great way to build muscle fast (and you’ll read about the only side effect I’ve ever experienced below). I initially took it to get my upper body bigger but as I was doing my other cardio-based routines, I found that my legs got just as strong and muscular as my biceps. But before I talk about that, you can get rid of body fat by using whey protein as well…click here to read my article on losing weight with whey protein. Okay, back to the muscle building.

The amino acids and vitamins found in whey protein is extremely beneficial not just for muscle recovery but muscle building as well. These ingredients prime muscles for fiber-tearing exercises and get them juiced to build on top of each other even faster. When I first started using my whey protein shake, I gained thirteen pounds of muscle in a month – a single month, how crazy is that? And for me, it’s important to be natural and organic and by taking the shakes, I was building that muscle in a way that was incredibly healthy and normal for my body. The second month I took my favorite whey protein shake, I gained another 11 lbs. of muscle – 24 pounds of muscle in 60 days by taking my whey protein shakes before and after my workouts and making sure I was doing my workout routine according to the game plan.

When you’re doing weight training, whether it be pushups, pull-ups, bicep curls or bench presses, you’re tearing your muscle fibers like crazy. You always get sore afterwards which is an indicator that you have torn up your muscles. Whey protein is packed with amino acids which work to repair your torn muscles. By drinking it in conjunction with your workouts, you are setting yourself up for incredibly fast recovery time which will affect your muscle building in a number of ways:

Your muscles will be healthier because they will be receiving plenty of the nutrients they need to keep themselves hydrated.
Assuming you picked the right whey protein supplement, you’ll be receiving natural amino acids and vitamins which are vital to muscle growth. This means your body won’t have to exert extra effort in stripping out fats and synthetic organisms so your muscles get their nutrition right away.
If you’re taking whey protein, your muscles will be less likely to be sore the day after a workout because they have quickly repaired themselves. This means you will have better pumps in your workouts and you’ll be able to go to failure again with fully-repaired muscles. So in the sequential workout, you’ll be tearing your muscle fibers even more which will increase their size. It’s also incredibly easy to digest so that your body can focus on repairing muscles instead of digesting synthetics.
As mentioned in the diet portion of the article, it will increase your metabolism. For someone who wants to build muscle, this is great because an increased metabolism will shave off any fat coming in through your diet so that the muscle you are building is lean muscle mass.

If you’re using whey protein to gain muscle, you don’t necessarily need to take it when you wake up and go to sleep. As I described above, doing so certainly has beneficial effects on the body but it’s not entirely necessary. I take my whey protein shake two times each the day: before my workout and after my workout. I usually drink it 45 minutes to an hour before each workout and within ten minutes of my cool-down and stretching session after my routine, I’ll make another shake. Sometimes I’ll use water but most of the time I will mix my powder with milk. Milk is a little harder to digest so if I know I’m going to jump on a three hour plane ride in the next ten hours, I’ll usually mix it with water – I’m so tall, I barely fit in those airplane bathrooms anyway! That’s the side effect – ingesting all that milk and protein can sometimes give you a run for your money during the first few days as your body adjusts to the whey protein.

Did you know that your muscles can actually breakdown after a workout? Yes, the muscles have expended so much energy and important nutrients within that they essentially start feeding on themselves to extract the last little bits of glycogen and other hormones. Usually, it’s important to have a meal right after a workout but if you’re as disorganized as I am, preparing a meal to eat right after a workout is no easy task especially when you’re running around the house trying to find a clean pair of jeans (aside from the other seven pairs currently in the dyer) to go out for the night. This problem is mostly solved by drinking whey protein after your workout which counteracts a lot of those post-workout muscle breakdowns. It doesn’t totally solve that problem but I’ll get to that in a second.

The Bottom Line

Obviously, whey protein is a great way to build muscle as well as lose weight but you really need to choose the right whey protein. When I started taking whey protein, I probably did about 75 hours worth of research to find the best supplement that could be used to gain weight AND lose muscle at the same time. The one I use daily is natural, tastes like ice cream, has a ton of protein and only 110 calories. Click here to read my review of my favorite whey protein supplement.

May 22, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: whey protein benefits, whey protein dangers, whey protein effects, whey protein side effects | Leave A Comment »

Whey Protein Weight Loss: Boosting Your Metabolism

Whey protein can be used with or without a diet and can also be used to build muscle mass (you can read about building muscle with whey protein by clicking here). If you’re dieting, you’re going to need a way to keep your blood sugars at a normal level. If your blood sugar is not at a steady amount throughout the day, you will start dreaming about Hershey bars at work which makes the whole point of a diet counterproductive and you’ll probably nix your diet within the first week. Whey protein supplements are great because you’re going to be getting an average of 15 grams of protein in (usually) under 200 calories. Sure, you’ll get a bunch of protein from KFC as well but wouldn’t you rather get the protein without all the extra calories and fat?

Some whey protein drinks taste icky but the majority taste pretty good (especially the one I use). You want to stay away from the ones that have more than 150 calories because those supplements usually include nasty corn syrups and fats to make them taste better. It’s much better to have a lower-calorie whey protein supplement and throw a banana in the blender with the shake – that gives you the calories you need so that you’re filled up for a while after drinking your shake. And the low-calorie shake that I take every day tastes even better than those fatty, syrupy ones (I’ll tell you about the whey protein shake I use later in this article).

Whether you’re dieting or working out rigorously, you need solid amounts of protein each day to replace the carbs you’re burning in the workouts or cutting out in your eating plans. And diets have a way of reducing muscle mass due to their l0w-calorie counts so using a whey protein supplement ensures that you will be keeping the muscle you’ve built by making sure the nitrogen keeps being replenished in your body. Also, you can’t get fat from whey protein as long as you stay close to the recommended dosage and if you’re using something that has both whey protein concentrate and isolate (the one that has no carbs of fats), you’ll be in great shape. By using whey protein supplements with your diet, you’ll decrease body fat and if you’re working out, your lean muscle tissue will begin to increase rapidly.

If you want your metabolism boosted, whey protein does just that which is yet another great benefit for someone on a diet. It is also incredibly easy for our bodies to process and digest meaning your body will have more time to burn off those fat cells that you’ve been storing for a while (no offense to your fat cells).

Whey protein also has the ability to provide you with extra energy. While this is very helpful if you’re in the middle of a rigorous workout program, it can also aide you in your weight loss. If you’re on a diet that restricts the amount of calories you can consume, you’ll probably start feeling lethargic and tired more often. By taking whey protein, your body will get increased energy that is all-natural. Kind of nice not to have to rely on coffee each morning, isn’t it?

As far as weight loss, you’ll get the most benefit from consuming whey protein when you wake up and right before you to go sleep. Your body synthesizes protein while you’re sleeping which means you’ll have less protein in the morning and that’s something you definitely need to start your day. If you’re dieting, taking it right after you wake up and just before you hit the sack will keep your blood sugar steady as well as make sure you don’t lose any muscle mass.

If you’re dieting, you’re obviously conscious about what you put into your body so if you’re going to use a whey protein supplement along with your diet, something I’d definitely suggest, you should learn about my favorite whey protein supplement. It is pure and delicious and will allow your body to focus solely on burning off the fat in your body. Click here to read about the whey protein shake that I use every single day.

May 22, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: weight protein to lose weight, whey protein use, whey protein weight loss, whey protein weight loss for women | Leave A Comment »

Cellmass Review: Pumped Up by BSN

A lot of my buddies have used Cellmass as a post-workout supplement, usually stacking it with Nitrix or No-Explode as their pre-workout usages. The goal is to be a recovery supplement that provides creatine and amino acids to help muscles recover after a workout and while you’re sleeping. I’ll talk about my experience with it before going into how it works.

I used BSN Cellmass for seven days instead of my regular recovery drink and I took every day after my workouts. This product has a LOT of creatine – it packs it in there pretty good. Now I drink a LOT of water, I swear to you, you’ll probably never see anyone drink more water than I do and I was hindered by cramping in my legs and shoulder muscles for the week that I used Cellmass. I tried drinking even more water to combat this (because you do have to drink water while taking creatine) but it wasn’t that much of a help – keep in mind, I average downing one bottle of Poland Spring every hour and twenty minutes between 10am and 9pm. Mid-workout, I would have to stop and stretch which is something I don’t like to do because static stretching has the propensity to tire out your muscles, not allowing you to get maximum reps. And I’ve heard this from other gym-rats as well: Cellmass helps build muscle but if you’re one of the people whose body can’t handle the way BSN packages their creatine, it makes workouts very tough. Because as I was on Cellmass and cramping during workouts, I wasn’t able to get to failure and tear more muscle fiber.

Obviously, creatine has specific advantages, the most attractive of which (to most people, at least) is the ability to put on weight fast. If someone is working out every day while getting creatine, they’re likely to put on 5-15 pounds in less than three weeks so obviously creatine is pretty popular. The second advantage is its ability to help our bodies recover after a workout. Recovery-wise, I think Cellmass does good stuff – I like the amino acids they put in there and getting good sleep with Cellmass obviously increases the recovery time. Before I started cramping and had to stretch, I could feel my muscles being able to go longer because they had recovered from the past two workouts – I felt this on the third day through the seventh.

I just don’t love the way Cellmass gets creatine into your body with their four creatine analogs, it causes too much stress on cramping muscles. After my week-long trial, I went back to my regular post-workout supplement and I was right back to recovering faster – I was able to workout harder and build muscle quickly with no cramps. That drink has just the right amount of creatine to help muscles recovery, harden and grow. Do a bit more research and click here: read my review of the post-workout supplement that I use every day.

May 18, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: bsn cell mass, bsn cellmass reviews, cell mass bsn, cellmass, cellmass reviews | Leave A Comment »

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