Carbs Before a Workout: Can It Help?

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/carbs-before-a-workout-can-it-help/#!35

While a popular belief is that carbs are the enemy, it’s just not the case, especially when it comes to working out. Carbs Before a Workout: Can it Help? In fact pre-workout carbs can help, and if you’re looking to improve your athletic performance, they’re a potent ally.
Fat is not the only macronutrient used for fuel, carbs are a primary source as well. Providing your body with proper carbohydrates will fuel your body through exercise, as well as aid in recovery and muscle gains. The body stores both fat and glycogen for fuel sources. Glycogen is stored in lower quantities. Low-to-moderate levels of exercise will utilize fat as fuel, but exercising at higher levels of intensity causes the body to shift its energy source from fat to glycogen. That’s one reason regularly including proper carbohydrates in your diet is an essential part of athletic training.

CARBS BEFORE A WORKOUT: CAN IT HELP?

“Carbohydrates are…the main fuel source to ingest for optimal recovery allowing for high volumes and intensity of training in subsequent bouts,” writes Dr. Jon Bartlett, Ph.D. College of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Victoria University in Melbourne.

Carbs Before a Workout: Can It Help? Yes it can if it is a carb source that will provide proper energy levels versus a spike and later drop in energy. The three main sources of carbohydrates are starches, sugars, and fiber. If you eat a lot of starches and sugars, you get the spike and drop in energy. If you eat more complex carbs mixed with some more starches or grains you will get a more even energy expenditure. When you eat carbs your body stores glycogen for energy use.

When you exercise, your body uses these energy stores and the glycogen is pulled into the muscle to be used as fuel. If you are not getting high quality carbohydrates for fuel your levels will be low. If your levels are low, this will create low energy. For an example, if you’ve gone on a long bike ride or a long run or pushed through a long exercise class and suddenly lost your energy or felt like you hit a wall, you’ve experienced what it feels like to have depleted your available glycogen stores.

In research, Van Loon found that simply eating carbs during exercise can help delay when you might hit that wall. A review by the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine showed that consuming carbohydrates prior to and during exercise “has been shown unequivocally to extend endurance performance.”

HOW MANY CARBS DO YOU NEED?

The body cannot store glycogen in large quantities. If you are consuming the proper calories within your daily nutrition you could do about 90 minutes of hard effort on your glycogen stores. The nice thing is your body can replenish this store fairly quickly and easily. Plus, as you get fit, your body becomes more efficient at storing and utilizing glycogen.

So the real answer to Carbs Before a Workout: Can It Help, is yes if in the right amount. It varies based on the exercise that is being done. The recommendation is typically 30-60 grams per hour of exercise (up to two hours). Go beyond two hours, and you might need to up it 60-90 grams.  It really comes down to the need for balance to provide the most efficient energy

SO HOW DO YOU CREATE THAT BALANCE?

Carbs Before a Workout: Can It Help? This may become a balancing act. It is about choosing high quality foods and/or supplements that provide real food carbohydrate sources in the proper ratios to keep the energy levels and recovery optimal for performance. For some this can be hard if there is not a great understanding in how to balance food to make this happen. So the suggestion is to eat balanced meals but also supplement with high quality supplements that already have the balance created for you. One of the best nutritional supplement lines on the market is the Beachbody Performance Line. This line provides high quality pre-workout, during workout, post workout, and night recovery that will truly give you that edge to take your workouts to the next level.

Here is the thing, if you are working out regularly, ignore the headlines suggesting you need to go low-carb. Carbs Before a Workout: Can it Help Your Workout? YES IT CAN! If you give your body the fuel it needs, keep a clean portioned nutrition plan, use high quality supplements you’ll feel better during your workouts and be more likely to see results if you do.

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/carbs-before-a-workout-can-it-help/#!35

BEST SUPPLEMENTS FOR MUSCLE GAIN

Are you trying to build muscle, but not seeing results you want? Read on for the Best Supplements for Muscle gain!

You can flip through magazines or stroll through most brick and mortar supplement stores or online supplement stores and you see tons of supplements pitched in every possible way to make their supplement seem like the best for Muscle gains. Many of these supplements may provide results for most people, but not all supplements are created equal. To get the greatest Muscle Gains you need to know the Best Supplements for Muscle Gains. There are a number of supplements that show the greatest benefit and the most return across the board. The key is using the highest quality. The more pure the formula, the better your body will assimilate the product for proper muscle gain.

HERE ARE THE BEST SUPPLEMENTS FOR MUSCLE GAIN…

CREATINE

Creatine is a naturally occurring substance within muscle cells. Approximately 95 percent of the body’s creatine can be found around the skeletal muscle tissue. The remainder is stored throughout the rest of the body. Creatine may help increase the pace of muscle growth.

This naturally occurring metabolite has been reproduced as Creatine monohydrate for dietary supplement purposes. It’s used for cellular energy production and modulation. As with all things, the quality of the monohydrate can be of poor or high. If you skimp on quality, your results will likely suffer.

The advantages of Creatine supplementation when you consume the purest form possible in the appropriate dosage can be the promotion of lean body mass, increased muscle cell volume, faster post-workout recovery, increased glycogen storage, and an increase in high-intensity muscle performance.

BEST SUPPLEMENTS FOR MUSCLE GAIN

The best and most pure Creatine that we have come across is the Creatine from the Beachbody Performance Nutrition Line. This product is definitely a cut above the rest, and it is NSF Certified. This means athletes from amateur to professionals can use it and will not test positive for any performance enhancing supplement or drug. This is why this is number one on our list of the Best Supplements for Muscle Gain.

BETA-ALANINE

This is number two on our list of Best Supplements for Muscle Gain because it is a naturally occurring non-essential amino acid that comes into the body through foods that are rich in clean protein. The performance enhancement of beta-alanine (BA) is due to its ability to increase intra-muscular levels of carnosine. This increase in beta-alanine through supplementation suggests carnosine levels may be raised by over 60% in as quickly as four weeks.

This increase is significant because during high-intensity exercise our bodies accumulate a large amount of hydrogen which causes our pH to drop (whereby we become more acidic). This acidification (lactic acid) can cause severe fatigue, decrease muscle performance, and shut down the neural drive, which can force muscle failure. By maintaining increased levels of carnosine through BA supplementation you are decreasing the accumulation of hydrogen, resulting in lower acid levels, which subsequently delays muscle fatigue, muscle failure, and aids in decreased muscle soreness.

Additional benefits of beta-alanine supplementation are elevated endurance, improved force output, and improved repeated sprint and fast twitch muscle ability. Beta-alanine also can work synergistically with Creatine.

We are going to go back to the Beachbody Performance Nutrition Line for our recommendation of their Energize Pre-Workout Supplement. Their high quality Beta-Alanine coupled with the purest form of Quercetin that we have seen, truly creates the best Pre-Workout formulation that will keep your muscles firing on all cylinders for the greatest muscle gains.

WHEY PROTEIN

It’s been systematically proven that there are improved performance and muscle gains when protein is consumed post workout. The trick here is to have a high quality protein formulated with the appropriate ratio of nutrient dense carbohydrates. The protein is needed for muscle synthesis but the carbohydrates are needed to carry the protein to the cellular level.

Whey protein supplies the body with protein that helps to jump-start the muscle-growing process. For increased protein synthesis and to improve muscle recovery and restoration, it is best consumed after a workout. Whether the goal is to add lean mass or drop body fat, adding a whey protein supplement post workout will speed the gain and loss process.

Here is the key point to make sure you are getting the right whey-protein supplementation for your post workout shake. Be sure it is the highest and purest quality; you get what you pay for. If you are purchasing a high quality product it will be easily digestible and balanced with the appropriate ratio of carbohydrates. The Recover Protein Shake from the Beachbody Performance Line provides the best of the best. It provides three types of protein (fast, intermediate, and slow release) and is formulated with the proper phytonutrients and carbohydrates to reduce muscle soreness, provide rapid recovery, improve strength recovery, and muscle rebuilding.

BRANCHED-CHAIN AMINO ACID (BCAA)

Another common supplement that is a part of the Best Supplements for Muscle Gain is BCAA’s. Branched-chained amino acids (BCAAs) help improve workout results. There are 20 amino acids in the body, and three are referred to as the BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These are the key amino acids that stimulate protein synthesis and help with protein metabolism.

The body uses BCAAs to help muscles recover by driving nutrients to the muscle tissue. This allows for greater workout recovery, reduces pain from muscle fatigue, and improves metabolic recovery.

There is also some measure of proof that BCAAs can help improve endurance by keeping muscles fueled for longer workouts and distances.

The body will burn off BCAA’s as you work out. Therefore supplementation can help restore what is lost during intense exercise if consumed post workout with proper protein and phytonutrients. This formulation can be found in the Recover Formula we discussed previously. Another great time to provide the body with BCAA’s is before you sleep. The body’s greatest recovery time is at night when you are sleeping. If you consume BCAA’s in conjunction with a slow release protein and phytonutrients prior to overnight recovery it will create greater muscle gains as well. Most companies have yet to develop such a product, yet science has defined this to be a good practice.Recharge from the Beachbody Performance Line is the most complete formula we have seen in this arena.

GLUTAMINE

Our final supplement in our line of Best Supplements for Muscle Gain is Glutamine. It is touted for its ability to slow muscle-tissue breakdown during intensive exercise, and may also improve strength thresholds and elevate endurance.

Taking Glutamine post workout has a number of benefits. These benefits inclue preservation and restoration of muscle tissue which allows for increased fat burning, increased lean mass, and because it feeds into the immune system, more rapid recovery for the body as a whole.

Since we find the Beachbody Performance Line to currently be the best line on the market, you will be happy to know that both the Recover Protein and the Recharge Overnight Protein have optimal levels of Glutamine.

In conclusion we want to remind you that ultimately you can have results without supplements, but the process may be a bit slower. The advice that I give first and foremost is to get your daily nutrition in line first. For this the best nutrition plan that you can use is the Portion Fix Nutrition Plan which uses Portion Controlled Measuring Containers, and can be used in conjunction with the top selling cookbook Fixate, by celebrity trainer Autumn Calabrese. You will be very surprised by how much better your body will respond to your fitness plan when your nutrition is in line. Then if you decide to take the supplements I have recommended, you should see even greater results.

The results you gain from supplementation are going to vary, specifically because each person will have a different workouts utilizing different levels of intensity and length. If your nutrition is in line and you are working out with the utmost intensity, these Best Supplements for Muscle Gains may help you get to the next level.

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/best-supplements-for-muscle-gain/#!35

Are Carbohydrates Bad?

Are Carbohydrates Bad? They make you fat right? Come on it must be true, you read articles about it all the time. So they must make you fat…right?

Here is the deal. There is one small problem, carbohydrates are very important. In fact, carbohydrates (especially the right kind) are essential to your body. They aid in muscle growth, providing energy, as well as providing your body many other benefits. So, Are Carbohydrates Bad? The answer is NO!

Now let’s be real. Lumping all carbs together into one category is like saying all quarterbacks who play in the NFL will be just like Joe Montana. It would be absurd to call all carbs bad when vegetables and fruits are also carbohydrates. With that said, I would have a hard time believing that you would think that a nutrition plan attempting to completely purge carbohydrates would be a good idea. I have a feeling you are a pretty smart cookie (oh, that would be a bad carb). So to suggest that all carbs are evil, is just plain nonsense.

Let’s take a step back and take a hard look at reality, compared to personal preference. I need to ask you a question. Are you willing to wipe the slate clean and start fresh with the truth about carbohydrates? I am going to assume you said yes, either way I am going to give you the facts.

Are Carbohydrates Bad?

 Are Carbohydrates Bad? Will bread and grains make you fat? Uh, NO! Blanket statements just don’t work. The “don’t eat carbs” or “Carbohydrates are Bad” statements are just that, Blanket Statements. Statements like these just confuse the general public. The reason people get confused, is that most don’t have a nutrition background or truly understand what qualifies as a carbohydrate. 95% of us look at food as simply that, FOOD. All blanket statements have done is cause people to adjust their diets in a way that keeps their bodies from functioning properly. This is why many people have been going out of their way to avoid certain foods, like bread, rice or potatoes. When in fact, these foods can have a place in a balanced nutrition plan and can play a role in helping you lose weight or gain lean muscle.

Now you know that carbs as a whole are not bad, BUT there are certain types of carbs that are not good for your body. Generally, these types of carbs will make you feel bloated and tired. These types of carbs often contain processed sugars, corn syrup, or are white flour based foods, and the list can go one with all the other processed crap available. If you cannot grow it, or it doesn’t come from minimally processed whole grains, it is not good. Yep, simple as that.

It comes down to the food manufactures like to confuse people. If they can get the general public to buy into what they are saying about a particular food, macronutrient, or diet, they make money and lots of it.

So back to the question at hand… Are Carbohydrates Bad?

NO, but all of us could gain a better understanding to guide our eating habits. Eating vegetables and fruit, as well as high quality, high fiber grains are an important part of healthy nutrition. If you truly want a balanced healthy nutrition plan that will aid in weight loss or muscle gains you really need to have at least 100 to 200 grams per day depending on your daily level of physical activity and exercise.

The overall message is, you cannot consume bucket-loads of refined low quality carbohydrates and chase them down with and extra-large soda and say, “well they said carbs aren’t bad”. I know you are smarter than the average bear and understand that you need to choose your carbohydrates wisely to have a healthy nutrition plan. It is about eating more good foods such as lean proteins, colorful vegetables, a variety of fruits, high-fiber grains, healthy fats, and cutting out the highly processed garbage such as candy, soda, sugar-loaded foods, poor quality breads, and boatloads of pasta.

Another important factor is choosing the correct portions of the carbs you consume. This can be as important as the kind of carbs you choose to eat. Grain and fruit carbohydrates should be smaller portions than vegetable carbs. If you need assistance with nutrition, portion sizes, and proper balance of carbs, proteins, and fats you may want to check out the 21 Day Fix on Beachbody On Demand. It has an amazing nutrition plan that creates the perfect balance of nutrients and portions. If you struggle with cutting out the crap, you definitely want to take a look at adding a total nutrition shake like Shakeology.

When it’s all said and done, if you are eating healthy and choosing wisely 85-90 percent of the time your body will be happy, you will have energy, and you will lose weight, gain muscle or maintain depending on your goals. You now know the truth to the question “Are Carbohydrates Bad?”

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/are-carbohydrates-bad/#!35

Daily Protein Requirements for Men and Women

Are you getting too much Protein? Are you eating too much Protein at one time? If I eat too much Protein could it have a negative effect on my body? These are all questions I have had and this article provided me the info I needed. Take a look and learn about Protein!!!  #Protein  #healthyfood #Dailyprotein 
http://www.gettingfittogether.com/daily-protein-requirements-for-men-and-women/#!35

What are the Daily Protein Requirements for Men and Women? The average man in the United States consumes about 100 grams of protein per day, while the average woman takes in approximately 70 grams, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The amount of protein you need daily really is dependent on your gender and activity level, as well as your goals because this determines your total caloric intake which has an effect on the amount of protein you need to consume.

Daily Protein Requirements for Men and Women

The Institute of Health and Nutrition finding is that for general health, men should get around 56 grams of protein per day and that women should get around 46 grams. It is also important to know that the human body cannot properly utilize more than 20 grams of protein in one consumption. Therefore the grams should be spread out throughout the day in smaller doses. When consuming protein it needs to be of higher quality to ensure that you are getting the nine essential amino acids that are needed but your body cannot produce on its own. Meat, fish and poultry provide all of the amino acids, but if you are a vegetarian, you can combine foods, such as rice and beans, or whole-grain bread and peanut butter, to get a complete array of amino acids. Shakeology which is a total nutrition shake, will also provide all the nutrients you need from the protein to the amino acids. Including this shake in your daily nutrition will help you reach your protein needs without overloading the body with hard to digest animal proteins.

It is also recommended that 10 to 30 percent of your total calories comes from protein. This guideline is general and is dependent on goals. Example: 1,800 calories per day, 180 to 540 of those calories should be from protein. Each gram of protein is 4 calories. This would put your consumption at 45 to 135 grams of protein. This proves why it is dependent on gender, activity level, and personal goals.

Most People Get Too Much Protein
To avoid weight gain, water retention and extra wear and tear on your digestive system, do not take in more protein than recommended. Your body will only use the protein it needs and can process at one time. If you are consuming more than your body needs you will either store it as excess fat or eliminate it. Therefore consuming too much at one time is bad for your body and a waste of money.

Eating large amounts of meat and animal protein each day can be especially unhealthy and hard on the body. Animal products should be eaten in moderation. Plant-based proteins, such as beans, whole grains and legumes are choices that keep the protein levels where you want them and provide a lot of other nutrients. Of course eating a variety of protein sources ensures your body balanced nutrition with all the essential amino acids and prevents it from being bogged down when there is too much of one food item.

Best Result with Your Protein Consumption
Most people don’t realize this, but the muscle gains and recovery do not come from just protein. You need to have a balanced proportion of proteins with complex carbohydrates for your body to actually assimilate the protein for muscle gains and recovery. Therefore you need to consume protein in small amounts, keeping the total grams in one sitting to no more than 20, and include carbohydrates that will optimize protein utilization. This is why we mention plant-based protein sources, as they provide both protein and carbohydrates.

If you are looking at supplements for help getting good protein and carbohydrates you want to use something that is natural and does not have additives or artificial sugars and ingredients. Two of the best sources of high quality supplements are the superfood shake Shakeology, and Beachbody’s Recharge and Recover Protein from their Performance Nutrition Line. These products are clean, high quality protein sources that are perfectly balanced with carbohydrates for optimal assimilation of the protein and super nutrient dense carbohydrates to aid in the process of muscle gain and recovery. When you are providing your body the proper macronutrient quantities, you will get the greatest results. Too much or too little will keep you from having the gains and results you are looking to obtain.

With the knowledge of protein requirements and overall balanced nutrition, great things will happen for you.