Different Ways To Prepare Eggs

We all know how important protein is towards building muscle. One of the best ways to get cheap protein is by eating eggs. check out a few ways to prepare eggs in this article.

The incredible edible egg. It is a great source of protein and nutrients. It is inexpensive and easy to prepare. The egg is used in many different recipes and is commonplace in most cultures. It is s staple among breakfast foods.

Eggs are much more than a breakfast food. It is a great protein source for bodybuilders. It is such a potent source that many bodybuilders used to drink eggs raw. Due to health scares in recent years the trend has moved to eating fully cooked eggs. Hard-boiled eggs are common, and they make a great way to get in plenty of protein, anywhere. Even convenience stores and grocery stores have started adding hard boiled eggs and deviled eggs to their deli coolers. They make a great snack on the run.

But, what if you don’t want plain, hard-boiled eggs or you want a change? There are a multitude of options for preparing eggs. Pickling those hard-boiled eggs will add a tangy twist. This can be done in just vinegar, or vinegar with various spices in it. Deviled eggs add a little more flavor by adding spices (and anything else you want) to the yolk. Hard-boiled eggs are often added to salads also, increasing the overall protein content of the salad. These eggs can be chopped or mashed up, and mixed with mayonnaise, to make egg salad. This can be used in sandwiches or, after adding some spices to it, eaten without the bread.

Fried eggs, using a cooking spray, offer another option. Scrambling the eggs makes for a quick fix. Vegetables and cheese can be added to the scrambled eggs for additional flavor and color. Omelets are another great option for preparing the eggs. An omelet with cheese, ham, and mushrooms will provide tons of protein and flavor. Poached eggs on whole oat bread also offers a change.

Eggs can be cooked in a frying pan, on a griddle, in the oven, or even in the microwave. Eggs can be cracked into a cup or bowl and thrown in the microwave. A great way to make a perfectly round cooked egg for a breakfast sandwich is to spray the inside of a coffee mug with cooking spray, crack the egg into the mug, and cook in the microwave. The result is an egg that will fit your biscuit or muffin. Add some low calorie cheese, and turkey sausage and you have a great breakfast sandwich.

The egg truly is a versatile food choice. It can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any meal in between. The portable nature of the hard-boiled egg make it a great choice for protein on the run. Mashing that hard-boiled egg and adding spices and mayonnaise will give you a great egg-salad. Whether it is poached, fried, baked, or scrambled the egg can be combined with other flavorings or spices to make a refreshing new taste. A few bodybuilders even invest in their own chickens to make sure they have their eggs. The other side of that is that when they no longer lay eggs, they have some high protein chicken for meals, as well. The egg; a real superfood.

Why Food Turns into Body Fat

Food is a necessity. The body uses it for energy, for repair, and for building new structures. Food can be as powerful as a drug when it comes to building lean muscle mass. Lack of food can lead to a catabolic state in the body. Starvation leads to the body eating itself and the first thing to go is the lean, protein rich tissue. So, if food is this important and a necessity, why does it turn into body fat?

First, it is important to understand that body fat actually has a purpose. It began back in prehistoric times. The body needed a way to store energy in between feedings, that might not come for a while. The body fat stores afford that opportunity. A lot of energy can be stored in the fat stores. This is insurance for those times of starvation.

Our bodies are still programmed for this survival mechanism and even though food is plentiful the body will still protect against possible starvation. This is the mechanism that leads to fat storage. This is why calorie restriction diets are often unsuccessful in the long run. The body senses starvation and slows the metabolism to survive, then shuffles the calories consumed to fat stores for future needs.

Every day the body burns a certain number of calories just to maintain normal functions within the body. This is the basal metabolic rate. Then, any additional activity increases the amount of calories needed to support and maintain the body. The body expects this amount of energy to be consumed throughout the day. Any deficit in the caloric intake results in the body using its stores of energy. If there are no energy stores, or if the deficit is significant enough to trigger the survival response, the body will attack the lean tissue for energy. This results in a reduction of muscle and bone mass.

Any calories in excess of the daily needs get stored in fat stores for those future lean times. After an extended period of low calories the body slows the normal processes in the body to reduce the caloric needs. This means the body can survive on fewer calories without turning on itself. Then, when the food becomes plentiful again, the priority becomes making sure the body has adequate energy stores for future periods of starvation.

Different nutrients are stored at different rates due to chemical and hormonal differences. Fat taken in through the diet is chemically closest to the make-up of body fat, however, it is also a great source of energy, especially in the long term. Energy is released each time it is broken down to a smaller unit. Then the final products of fat metabolism can be converted to glucose for energy use. The body prefers this energy source, due to its large quantity, but excess will easily be converted to body fat. Carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates, trigger the release of insulin which opens up receptors on fat and muscle stores to receive the calories. This makes the storage of excess carbohydrates (and any other nutrients eaten with them) in fat stores easy. Protein is the farthest from fat, chemically. It is also used for repair of many structures in the body and to produce hormones and other messengers. It is the last nutrient used for energy and the last to be stored, but in excess any nutrient can be stored for future energy use.

Individuals trying to lose body fat are fighting millions of years of genetic coding. The survival mechanism keeps the body from shedding body fat too quickly. The energy from food is stored there for future needs. Any excess calories, beyond regular daily needs, are shuffled to the fat stores for this reason. The body is an amazing machine with survival as the main program.

Alcohol and Its Effects on Bodybuilding

Alcohol, although it can offer some benefits in moderation, it plays a very negative role in building muscle and losing weight. Lets take a look at alcohol and its effects.

Alcohol has had a rocky history. It’s beginnings may have been an accident, when the juice of berries was allowed to ferment accidentally. The resulting drink had surprisingly refreshing qualities and it exploded from there. In early historical records alcoholic beverages were used for medicinal, spiritual, and social purposes. In these early times drunkenness was discouraged, although still a regular side-effect of consumption. It has gone through many periods of control and moderation, from religious bans to the U.S. prohibition. It has recently begun to enjoy a resurgence for its medicinal qualities. But, as a bodybuilder, is it a benefit or detriment?

Alcohol has been found to be beneficial to the heart in moderate doses. One to two glasses of beer or wine a day can be a great stress reliever and protect the heart and circulatory system. However, those are additional calories that have no direct benefit to the body. Calories from alcohol tend to be stored as fat easier than other nutrients. The effect of alcohol on the hormones in the body turns on the receptors in the fat stores and shuffles the calories there quickly. This also carries over to other food eaten with alcohol.

Alcohol is also a mild diuretic. It quickly pulls water from the bloodstream and organs to help the liver and kidneys to filter and dilute it. The body will use this water and then excrete it through the kidneys and into the bladder for removal. So, that vital water that you have take in to keep the muscles full and keep the system running properly is robbed from the body. It also tends to cause water to spill into the space between the muscles and skin leaving a “puffy” appearance.

This dehydration is one of the major causes of the hang-over, as well. It is tough to train effectively when hung over. It is also impossible to get a good pump when dehydrated. Mild intoxication can lead people to do some stupid things that may lead to injury. And, of course, injuries can be detrimental to bodybuilding success.

Many people enjoy mixed drinks, and these can be even more dangerous to the bodybuilder. A fruity mixed drink packs a lot of extra, empty calories. The sugar in the drink, combined with the alcohol, causes a rush of muscle hiding water to be released and the insulin spike also causes the fat stores to open up for depositing of the excess calories. Fruity drinks also lead to over consumption which leads to hundreds (and even thousands) of extra calories.

Drinking is associated with eating. Hot wings and beer. Beer and pizza. Wine and cheese. Peanuts, pretzels, subs, you name it, they all have been tied to alcohol in some way. These foods are a diet killer. Even when drinking at home, the act is often tied to food consumption. This leads to a mental association with food and often adds unwanted, and unneeded, calories.

Alcohol in moderation may be a good choice to improve heart health in sedentary people, but a better solution for the bodybuilder is a few extra minutes of cardiovascular work. If bodybuilding is done correctly heart health should not be an issue and the alcohol will only be a hindrance to future success. The diuretic effect will actually lead to more muscle hiding water in the body and will rob the muscles of the water needed to appear full. The extra calories just add to the fat stores and lead to other calories being shuffled there, as well.

In the long run, alcohol and bodybuilding are not great partners. An occasional social drink will not stop all gains or lead to failure, but long term use can be a problem for the bodybuilder.

Steps To Consistently Maintaining a Healthy Diet

Diet is a word that is all too familiar to bodybuilders. The necessity of a healthy diet is obvious to the hard training bodybuilder. There is nothing more discouraging than building slabs of powerful muscle, only to be hidden by a thick layer of body fat. Hard working muscles need the right fuel to continue to grow bigger and stronger.

Every bodybuilder knows the importance of a healthy diet. The real question is how to consistently maintain a healthy diet, even during those times of temptation. There are plenty of temptations and opportunities to slip. A small slip is not a big deal, but a large or continuous slip can be a major issue that may undo much of the hard work.

There are some helpful strategies to maintain a healthy diet. There are motivational techniques, behavioral choices, and, of course, the avoidance plan. No matter which strategy is used, it is important to accept the fact that you are human and mistakes occur. If you slip, get back on the plan and move forward. If the guilt is eating away at you, do an extra thirty minutes of cardiovascular work.

Trying to stay the course can be tough when people around you are not on the same page. Holidays become a tough time, also. Parties and social gatherings offer a lot of tasty, diet killing, muscle hiding food. These times require a little extra willpower. These are also the times when you need to remember your motivation for staying on a healthy diet.

If you have made some significant gains since adopting a healthy diet it might help to carry a before picture of yourself to remind you of why you eat healthy. A picture of a bodybuilder you admire, and aspire to be like, might help also. Before attending an event where food may be an issue try spending ten minutes posing in front of the mirror or do a short, pump-building workout. The pumped feeling may help remind you each time you feel tempted by a bad choice.

Behavior modification strategies might include working with a partner who has the same goals to constantly remind each other why the healthy diet is the right choice. Convince yourself that food is simply a fuel for muscle growth and energy needs and schedule your meals accordingly. Stop eating for flavor and start eating for survival and performance. This will help you avoid those splurge meals or those little treats. Eating a healthy, high protein meal before going to a social gathering might help reduce the chances of cheating, as well. The protein meal will help fill you up and stay with you so you are not hungry and you will not need to snack.

Avoidance is the optimal choice. If you can avoid putting yourself in a position where temptation exists then you eliminate the problem. However, total avoidance is not an option without becoming a hermit. Avoiding the dessert table or skipping the sauces and dips can be accomplished fairly easy. Avoiding the bar and not ordering appetizers will also help reduce unhealthy choices. Asking family members to have healthy choices at family gatherings will also help you avoid many of the temptations regularly experienced at holiday times.

The Importance of Water For Building Muscle

Water. It is everywhere. It covers approximately 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. More importantly to the bodybuilder, it makes up nearly 70 percent of the body of a lean individual. Water is required for transport of the nutrients, hormones, and other messengers in the body. It is also required for many chemical reactions within the body. Digestion, nerve transmissions, muscle contractions, energy production, and joint lubrication all require water, as well.

Since water is essential for all of these functions within the body it is obviously an important part of a bodybuilder’s diet. Water is lost through urination, perspiration, respiration, and other waste removal functions. Increasing the workload on the body increases the water loss, as well. During a workout the body loses water faster through increased perspiration to cool the body, increased respiration to remove carbon dioxide created in the muscles, and increased metabolic processes increasing the waste product production. This leads to an increased need for water.

Water is needed to fill out the muscles as well. Muscle cells are over 70 percent water and when the body is dehydrated the muscles appear flat. A bodybuilder taking in adequate water will have full, powerful looking muscles. The muscle cells also rely on water to produce energy and facilitate contractions.

Water is essential for strong muscle contractions. It starts with the nerve impulse and the chemical reactions that happen at that level. Then the muscle cells require water for the transport of nutrients through the cell wall for energy production. The water also lubricates the muscle fibers, allowing for less friction and stronger contractions. And finally, the fuller, thicker muscle provides greater leverage.

Protein metabolism requires water, even more than metabolizing other nutrients. The removal of the nitrogen requires water for the chemical reactions and transport. The kidneys need extra water to help with removal of wastes produced during protein metabolism and the anabolism and catabolism associated with bodybuilding. Water is an essential for anabolism. It transports the amino acids to the muscles for repair and building.

A common myth in bodybuilding is that too much water will cause the body to hold water. In reality, it is just the opposite. When the body begins to become dehydrated it shuttles water into every nook and cranny to hold onto it. The best storage place is between the muscle and skin. The way to reduce this excess water is to increase water intake. Once the body is sure it will get enough then it will begin to get rid of the stored water. Maintaining an adequate water intake is the best way to combat water retention.

The recommended daily intake of water for the average person is eight glasses. For a hard training bodybuilder it increases, to as much as a gallon (or more) each day. Strong, resilient, and full muscles require water. Metabolizing all that extra protein bodybuilders take in requires water. And, keeping the overall system running efficiently requires water. With all of that in mind, it is easy to see why water is one of the essential parts of the bodybuilder’s nutritional regimen.

Importance of Fruits and Vegetables For Bodybuilding

Fruits and vegetables are often forgotten in the bodybuilder’s diet. They become more of a secondhand occurrence instead of a main part of the daily diet. Vegetables and fruits add variety to the diet and make a great tasting way to get many of the essential vitamins and minerals needed by a hard working bodybuilder.

Bodybuilders focus on protein rich foods such as lean meats, fish, and chicken. They also get a lot of complex carbohydrates through pasta, rice, and potatoes. Bodybuilders often avoid fruits due to their high sugar and calorie content. They also tend to forget about vegetables because they don’t add precious protein in large quantities.

Vegetables do add some very important vitamins and minerals to the diet. Many of these are lost through sweat during training and are used to metabolize the foods taken in. They are also used in the repair and replacement of muscle cells. The great thing about vegetables is that they do not add a lot of calories to a meal, but may add some much needed fiber.

Fruits may be slightly higher in calories and add some natural sugar, but they also add many other nutrients to the diet, as well. Many fruits have important antioxidants, also. The natural sugars in fruits have been found to be healthier than refined sugar, and the skins provide some important fiber. They make healthier treats than candy or snacks made with refined sugar.

The benefits of eating fruits and vegetables are many. The reduction of many chronic illnesses is one of those benefits. Increased protection from cardiac problems and improved circulatory health is also listed among those benefits. Fruits and vegetables are very moist and provide some natural water. The fruits and vegetables with a high acid content also help the body to detoxify naturally. The high antioxidant content of these foods protects from the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

These benefits are all important to the general public, but how do they translate to the needs of a bodybuilder? First, a bodybuilder needs to look at long term health just like anyone else. And, due to the stress placed on the heart and circulatory system during intense training, it is important to ensure good cardiovascular health for the future. Many of the vitamins and minerals found in fruits and vegetables are essential for internal functioning. Antioxidants help reduce the damage caused by factors of muscular breakdown and injury during training. They also speed the healing, from regular training damage and injuries. This damage can accumulate over time and lead to chronic injuries, while a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables might help reduce the damage.

Bodybuilders often get tunnel vision when it comes to their diet. They focus on protein rich meats and complex carbohydrates from starches. They forget the value of fruits and vegetables in the formula. The antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals make these a must for everyone, especially hard training bodybuilders. Fruits and vegetables are a great way to add some flavor and variety to the bodybuilder’s diet without sacrificing health. They provide many needed nutrients without adding a lot of unnecessary calories. So, hit the produce section and start adding some flavor to your life.

Tips For Staying Healthy While Eating Out

Healthy eating does not require complete seclusion. The idea behind eating healthy, and being healthy, is that you can enjoy life. Socializing and dining out are a common part of life in all developed countries. The chance to relax and enjoy a meal that someone else prepares makes dining out an enjoyable treat. Even bodybuilders and the “health nut” needs to be able to eat out at times.

Most restaurants are not diet-friendly for the bodybuilder. Foods in a restaurant are usually high in calories and fat. Restaurants spend a lot of time and money on developing food that tastes good, without a lot of regard for the health of the food. Customers come to the restaurants for the taste, and they don’t survive if the customers don’t come. That is why they use ingredients in their foods that are high in fats and sugar, and consequently taste, to make the food more flavorful.

This does not mean that bodybuilders need to avoid restaurants all together. Healthy eating can still be accomplished while eating out, it just takes a little pre-planning and a careful scanning of the menu. The planning starts with the restaurant selection. In today’s market, restaurants have to offer healthy or light choices on the menu. Those that don’t risk losing a lot of potential customers. The key is choosing a restaurant that has healthy choices that you enjoy. Eating something, just because it is the only healthy choice, is not really enjoying the experience of eating out.

Mental preparation is an important step in maintaining a healthy diet while eating out. The sights and smells in the restaurant are bound to tempt you. That creamy fettuccini alfredo the waitress carries by will have your taste buds watering. Ask for a seat as far from the kitchen as possible. Sit near the window so you look out the window instead of at other plates. Take the time to remind yourself why you are eating healthy and set your mind right. Enjoy the experience of dining out and focus on the companionship and atmosphere, not food.

Avoid appetizers and breads that add a lot of extra calories to the meal before it really begins. Have a salad instead of fried appetizers. Cut out the extras on the salad (croutons, meat, fried chicken, etc.) and ask for the dressing on the side. Baked or broiled, plain (unbreaded) choices are best. Avoid heavy creams and sauces that add tons of calories. Fish or chicken make a good dish, with a light lemon or olive oil dressing. Add some steamed vegetables for some color and fresh flavor, without adding many extra calories. If you see something you like on the menu ask for it to be prepared your way. If the cook won’t do it then ask for a manager, explain your situation, and offer to go to a rival restaurant if they won’t help you out. This is usually enough to get your meal your way.

Water is the best drink choice. Add some lemon for flavor, if you wish. Diet iced tea is another good choice. Diet sodas are less healthy but will not add a lot of extra calories. Regular sodas are never a good choice because they add a lot of useless calories (as many as 250 per glass.) Fruity drinks and creamy shakes are definite calorie traps. Alcohol in strict moderation might be okay occasionally, however, the calories must be counted.

One major problem with eating out is the obligation to clean the plate. Many people feel that if they paid for it they must eat it. Instead, just eat until you are comfortable (not stuffed), then have the rest of it bagged up and take it home with you for a meal later. It is actually a good practice to leave a little food on the plate. Skip dessert. Most restaurant desserts are very large and high in calories (and often quite expensive.) Remind yourself that the money spent for the meal was for the atmosphere and the convenience of having someone else cook.

Don’t be afraid of eating out. It is easy to maintain a healthy diet and build muscle without gaining fat when dining out as long as you plan ahead and take the time to study the menu. Program yourself to focus on a healthy eating plan and you will find the enjoyment of eating out again, without sacrificing your hard work.

Creatine Supplementation

Creatine is a staple in the bodybuilder’s arsenal. When creatine entered the market it was considered a natural replacement for steroids. Marketing hype claimed that it was going to change the market forever. Creatine, reportedly, increased strength and lean muscle mass and strength as well as steroids. The affordable price of creatine made it an instant success. Bodybuilders everywhere jumped on the creatine wagon.

As new supplements hit the market, with more hype, creatine was forgotten. When creatine did not live up to its hype in real world results, people turned their attention to new products. Many new supplements, like hormonal pre-cursors, joined the game and overshadowed creatine. Just like so many other well-hyped supplements, they rode the crest of fame and soon languished in infamy. Following the normal trend, new supplements came on scene to replace these and quickly followed suit but creatine is still around. Creatine does have some solid, research-backed results. The real-world results, which really are the only ones that count, have backed up the research results. To understand the benefits of creatine it is important to know what it is and how it works.

Creatine introduces extra phosphates into the energy cycle, at the cellular level. Phosphates are an important part of ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate.) ATP is the immediate energy cycle, it is used for short explosive bursts of energy. It is used for most cellular functions and to produce energy at the cellular level. Activities such as explosive weight lifting, short sprints, and jumping rely on ATP to produce the powerful forces needed. When energy is needed the bond between one of the phosphate molecules and the adenosine molecule is split resulting in a release of energy and leaving a phosphate molecule and ADP (adenosine di-phosphate.) ADP must find a free floating phosphate molecule to bind to in order to become ATP again and create a potential for energy. This is where creatine enters the picture. Creatine places many more phosphates into the cycle for more potential. Additional phosphates means that the ATP energy cycle lasts longer and may produce more energy, resulting in more powerful contractions and delay of the lactic acid energy system. This introduction of more phosphates means more ATP being stored in the muscle cells. This results in more powerful and longer lasting muscular contractions.

Creatine also affects the amount of water stored in the muscle. The additional phosphates creates an imbalance within the cell, requiring more water to be introduced to balance the cell. The muscle cells increase in size with the added water, creating a fuller muscle. A leverage advantage is created which leads to greater power output by the muscles, as well. The temporary increase in size is gradually replaced by protein and structural cells, leading to harder muscles.

Since creatine pulls water into the muscle cells, dehydration is a concern. When supplementing with creatine water intake should be increased to offset this factor. It will also ensure that the water is available to be pulled into the muscles. Extra water is beneficial to overall health anyway.

Dosing of creatine can follow two basic structures. Some people swear by the loading and maintenance formula. This requires anywhere from 2 to 5 days of large doses of creatine to load the muscles followed by a maintenance period. This maintains the creatine at optimum levels. The loading phase may be repeated every 12 to 18 weeks, if needed. The second dosing schedule is a level dosing formula. This follows a level dose from start through the entire supplementation period. The maintenance dose may be slightly higher than in the loading and maintenance formula. In either dosing schedule, taking the creatine with a drink containing simple carbohydrates, such as juice (grape juice is preferred) my increase the uptake of the supplement.

There are hundreds of different manufacturers and each one has a slightly different formula. Each one can supply pages and pages of research about their product and why it is the best. Although the different formulations might approach the issue from a slightly different angle, they are all essentially the same. Any supplement that will introduce extra phosphate molecules into the ATP system will result in more energy, which is the ultimate goal.

Creatine is a simple supplement with a simple process for increasing power output and muscular size. Creatine works at a cellular level to produce more energy for stronger contractions, meaning more strength and more weight lifted. This translates to larger and stronger muscles. Now, isn’t that the goal of all bodybuilding supplements?

Eating Healthy at Work to Build Muscle

I am sure you all know how beneficial it is to eating 6 meals a day for muscle building. The problem is that being at work for most of the day makes it difficult to consume some of those meals and get all your calories needed throughout the day.

So lets assume that you have eaten a breakfast before you go to work. You are going to need 3 more snacks/meals for the day, a pre-lunch meal, lunch, and afternoon meal. Depending on how many calories you need the size of the meals might differ between each person.

For those how have a refrigerator and microwave at work:

You can bring all your meals for the day in Tupperware or other plastic containers and stash in the refrigerator. Good ideas for all meals should include chicken, turkey and lean beef for protein sources. These can easily be reheated in the microwave. For your carbs/starches you can also store rice, potatoes, and veggies in Tupperware as well. For smaller diets some meals could include yogurt, mixed nuts, cottage cheese, protein bars, and whey protein shakes.

Cooking you meat days ahead of time is also a great idea. Just buy a bunch of chicken or other meat and cook enough for three days a work. Once the chicken has cooled, place it in a plastic container in your fridge and it is ready to go to work with you the next few days.

If you have a microwave but not a refrigerator, you can always bring in a cooler with ice to keep your meals cold.

For those of you without a refrigerator or microwave at work:

This can make it really difficult. Nuts are always a good snack. You might also want to start bringing in a shaker bottle with meal replacement or protein drinks. Meal replacement drinks are very effective and all you need is some cold water for them. Protein bars are also very convenient as long as they are not too high in sugar or fat.

Another option would be to bring in a cooler and just make turkey sandwiches with actual cooked meat instead of deli meats. I would avoid most processed deli meats since most have lost their nutritional values. Leftover meats also make good sandwiches and do not need to be reheated.

Finding time to eat all these meals should not be too much of a problem. Hopefully your boss is not too big of an asshole that he or she will not let you take two other short breaks to eat.

Here are some of the things I eat at work: Bagels, cottage cheese, protein bars, chicken, and turkey sandwiches.

Do not forget to drink plenty of water throughout the day! Avoid those sodas and coffee at work and stick with H2O.

Please share with us what you eat at work.

PRE AND POST WORKOUT NUTRITION

Suggestions on what to eat before and after a workout are a question that is often asked. What you eat before and after your trip to the gym is essential for muscle growth and recovery. To gain the best results form your workouts, eating the right foods in the right proportions will help ensure that you gain the best results from your fitness routine.

Pre Workout Nutrition

Eating a good pre workout meal can make a difference between in your ability to get a good set in or adding more weight; or not. A lot of people put a all their focus on post workout nutrition by disregarding pre workout meal. Most fitness buffs, claim that working out on an empty stomach helps to burn more fat. The opposite is true. If you are not taking time needed to eat a proper meal in preparation for your workout, then you could be doing more harm than good to your overall fitness goals. It’s important to fuel your body with the right nutrients to gain muscle strength, endurance, and recovery.

Test it for yourself. Workout without eating and see how long you last. Next, you’ll want to workout after eating a solid meal and compare your overall endurance levels and intensity with the first study. You’ll notice that you will be much more equipped to last longer during your workouts, while combating fatigue.

Due to the time it takes to digest a meal, it’s best to eat one to two hours before your workout. A proper meal should consist of simple carbohydrates and protein. Simple carbohydrates can come in the form fruit or vegetables. Fruit tends to help replenish the flow of blood in the body as well as fuel the body with enough energy to get through your workout. If you want, a small amount of complex carbohydrates they can be added in the form of oatmeal, yams, or brown rice. Next, add a serving of protein such as an egg or a protein shake. If you want a quick meal try a low sugar protein bar that has a good combination of carbohydrates and protein.

It’s vital that you drink plenty of water before you workout. Water will help alleviate cramping and low energy levels. In athletes, it’s best to drink water to supply the body what it may lose through perspiration during training.

Post Workout Nutrition

For people who train, your post work out meal is most important. To make this simple, your post workout meal should only consist of protein and carbohydrates. The best time to consume this meal is within an hour after your workout. However, consuming your meal within 30 minutes is best. Good sources of protein include a whey protein shake. While other protein sources for building muscle such as eggs, fish, and chicken are good sources of protein as well. During this time, you want to eat something that’s going to quickly absorb into your digestive system supplying your muscles with vital nutrients, fast.

After your workout, it’s important to restore your muscle glycogens so that your muscle tissue doesn’t breakdown. For that purpose, carbohydrates are the best to eat, which will help push nutrients into your muscle tissue faster. Looking for carbohydrates with high fiber amounts such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, or oatmeal.

If achieving your fitness goals quickly is your goal, then carefully plan your pre and post workout nutrition. If you don’t supply the body with the nutrients it needs for proper muscle growth, your time working out may be in vain. Use this outline of pre and post workout nutrition as a guide to make your own nutritious muscle building, workout meals.