Archive for the ‘Nutrition Tip’ Category

Impact of Hemp Protein on Weight Gaining Efforts

Friday, December 1st, 2017

Hemp protein is made from hemp seeds and it is considered to be a high-fiber supplement. Many people use it to enhance how much protein they get in their diet with other foods. Because it has higher than average digestibility, it is considered a good form of protein for athletes who are trying to bulk up and gain weight.

hemp protein muscle

What is Hemp?

Hemp is a type of crop that is very diverse and can be grown for medicinal purpose. The hemp protein made from its seeds is mostly made up of 45% hemp oil, 35% hemp protein, and 10% carbohydrates. Because of these amounts, hemp is a good source of nutrition and it can have a lot of benefit to your health. (more…)

Share the Swole!

What is the General Motors Diet and Why Does it Work?

Thursday, November 30th, 2017

GM Diet – The Quickest Way to Reduce 3-5 kgs in a Week

Everyone these days are trying to lose weight, for health reasons or just to look good, and trying every trick in the book to lose those stubborn kilos. But most people give up midway as they are unable to get the desired results within the stipulated time frame? But what if you get to know about a diet plan which can help you lose 3-5 kgs in 7 days. Would you believe that?

I know most of you would regard me with skepticism, “are you taking us for a ride?” Not really, the General motors diet or the GM diet can help you lose weight within 7 days. Okay, even if it is not your ideal weight, at least closer to your ideal weight.

fruit vegetable fitness diet

The General Motors diet broke into the diet horizon in the year 1985, taking the nutritional world by storm.  Conceptualised by the General Motors with the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture, who worked in tandem to create a diet for its employees.

This was chiefly designed to make their workers sprightlier and definitely healthier so that they can devote 100% to their work. Well, the diet worked and how! Most workers reported a loss of 10-17 pounds in a week. The diet is very easy to follow, as it hardly has any complicated foodstuffs to procure or make great demands to your existing lifestyle. So does the diet work for you?

(more…)

Share the Swole!

5 Benefits About Hemp You Should Know for Your Health

Saturday, September 23rd, 2017

Hemp is an environmentally friendly plant that has been in use for very many years as fiber and medicine. Hemp is a pain reliever, antioxidant, powerful anti-inflammatory and highly nutritious.

Hemp and Fitness

Hemp falls under Cannabis sativa plant species. Cannabis describes both hemp and marijuana. They are the same species but are distinct plants. The main difference between hemp and marijuana is that marijuana has more tetrahydrocannabinol than hemp. This is the compound that is responsible for psychoactive properties. Hemp is very low in tetrahydrocannabinol.

Hemp may be used to get the nutritional and medical benefits of cannabis plant with no “high” that is associated with marijuana.

Hemp seeds are very nutritious and contain various minerals, protein, and healthy fats.

Do you want to know how you can use hemp to gain health benefits? Here are the five benefits that someone can get from hemp. (more…)

Share the Swole!

The Untold Secret of Vitamin D in Less Than Four Minutes!

Saturday, July 22nd, 2017

Do you think about the Vitamin D when you are bathing in the sun? If yes, then you are among us. The Vitamin D is commonly termed as “Sunshine Vitamin.” The reason for this is because Vitamin D is produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight.

vitamin D health

Vitamin D is fat-soluble with a family of D compounds that includes Vitamin D-1, D-2, and D-3 and affects as many as 2,000 genes in the body. Apart from this, Vitamin D is also obtained from various foods and supplements to maintain the adequate level of Vitamin D in your blood stream. (more…)

Share the Swole!

3 Surprising Nutrients Affecting Both Mind and Body

Thursday, July 13th, 2017

When we consider getting bigger and stronger in the gym, we often think of our muscles first and for good reason. If we are trying to increase aspects of our appearance or simply become stronger, most of the effort needs to be done with our muscles. However, our brain and our body are not as separated as we might believe.

healthy mind body

Instead, the brain and the body are a single unit, which helps us to achieve a stronger and more aesthetically pleasing physique. For example, all of the body enhancing hormones, such as testosterone, growth hormone, and others, are released through signals from the brain. Our brain is intertwined with our body.

If this concept is strange, that’s probably because it is uncommon. Most people don’t think in this way, which is why we’ve got a list of 3 surprising nutrients that will change both your body and body. (more…)

Share the Swole!

The Wonders of Superfoods

Thursday, April 20th, 2017

Superfood Fitness “Superfoods” is a term that many of us have heard but not all of us understand. These are natural foods which boast a whole host of wonderful qualities. From protecting the immune system, to improving brain activity, to aiding eyesight and strengthening bones; they are rich in nutritional value.

As would be expected, they work great as part of a healthy lifestyle to burn fat and build muscle. Best of all; many of them are simple, readily available produce that can be easily worked into our everyday diet regime.

While whole foods are typically the best choice, supplementation can boost our total nutrient intake. Especially when it comes to green vegetables – I don’t know about you, but I can’t eat 3 kale salads every day – supplements like green powders and other antioxidants can really help us meet our daily needs.

But I digress…

So, what are some examples of the wondrous whole-food superfoods available today? (more…)

Share the Swole!

5 Ways to Make Nutritious Food Tasty

Thursday, April 6th, 2017

By: Paul Jenkins CEO and founder of DNA Lean

Nutritious Food in a Nutshell

Fitness experts, medical doctors, psychologists and even venture capitalists recommend eating better every chance they get. But with fast-food chains readily available within walking distance of workplaces and whole, organic, fresh foods more expensive than their processed counterparts, it’s not easy to implement such expeditious advice.

veggies

If this weren’t hard enough as it is, farmers’ markets are sometimes located remotely from central areas, making it an entire adventure to fit a two-way trip in one’s schedule without missing out on an entire afternoon.  Moreover, healthy food always seems to taste… well, plain-old bland in comparison to ice-creams or the good, old-fashioned burger. Not even those venture capitalists would spend their life-earned investments on such odds.

Nonetheless, when it comes to the quality of one’s life, all of these problems fade away and turn into mere hindrances that are easy to deal with. Below, you’ll find some of the fastest and cheapest ways of delivering some richness to your healthy food. Using this advice, you can also improve upon 6 of the best pre workout meals you need to know.

Are you ready to make healthy food delicious again? (more…)

Share the Swole!

The 5 Step Plan to Start Journaling Your Food so You Can Beast Harder

Monday, February 13th, 2017

Nutella Binge It’s happened.

Yet again.

It’s 5am, and you are standing in the light of your fridge, with a ladle in the Nutella jar, greedily chomping down any hope that you were going to eat well that day.

“Maybe tomorrow will be the day I lock down my nutrition,” you tell yourself.

“There, there—of course tomorrow will be the day,” the not-so-helpful you replies, the ladle craning towards your mouth, brimming with that sweet, sweet hazelnut spread.

If this feels familiar (and lawd knows it does for me), you aren’t alone.

We all struggle mightily with our nutrition at one point. Or many points. Or all the fuckin’ time.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. And before you laugh and shuffle off to another one of the 7 tabs you have open, you should consider starting a food diary.

Maybe you’ve thought about writing your food before.

Then you were like, “Nah, I ain’t got time for that.”

Or you snickered at the idea of keeping a “food diary.”

Sounds kinda prissy, right?

But really, put aside giving a baker’s hoot what others may or may not think for a moment.

If you want to feel metric butt-ton better, have higher and more consistent energy levels over the course of the day, and you know, beast at a 20% harder rate*, then start putting pen to paper and unleash this certified and proven weapon for kicking names and taking ass—err—in the kitchen.

* Anecdotal approximation. See a doctor if it lasts longer than 4 hours.

Here’s how a food journal will help you open a can of whoop-ass in the gym and in life: (more…)

Share the Swole!

Top 5 Foods to Maximize Muscle Gains

Thursday, February 9th, 2017

Build muscle with food Muscle gain is not just about what you do in the gym. Although you can’t just eat your way to a dream body, your nutrition can enhance and help you on your journey to a leaner and a more muscular body. If you want to gain muscle faster, add these five foods to your shopping basket.

Meat – Beef and chicken

Protein is of course what your muscles are made of and it shouldn’t come as a surprise then that meat is good for muscle gain. Different meats are the easiest way to eat vast quantities of meat and protein isn’t the only thing going for them – meat also comes back with essential nutrients and vitamins.

The two best meats to opt for include beef and chicken. Lean beef is full of iron and zinc, which are essential for a healthy body. Furthermore, lean beef has a high level of amino acid, which will work together with insulin to promote and boost muscle growth.

You should also opt for chicken (if you’re also trying to cut, get rid of the skin) when looking for high quality protein. Chicken can help with bone health, which is a crucial part of muscle growth. Chicken can easily be spiced with different mixtures to make it taste delicious and ensure you’re not eating the same tasting food every day.
(more…)

Share the Swole!

Does Creatine Help Prevent and Reverse Muscle Wastage?

Thursday, November 17th, 2016

Muscle Atrophy Creatine is the most researched and well understood training supplement.  Creatine is also one of the most widely used, and trusted, sports nutrition supplements for weight trainers wanting to maximize muscle mass.

Creatine helps increase the speed and force of muscle fibres and helps them repair more quickly and scientific studies have found that taking a regular creatine supplement increases the reserves of creatine in muscle fibres. This means that the benefits of creatine supplements could be further reaching than just being used as a sports supplement.

Catabolic muscle wastage, cachexia and sarcopenia

If you’re suffering from a catabolic wasting condition where your muscles are starting to decrease considerably in size (muscle atrophy), then creatine supplements could help you. The term ‘catabolic’ refers to the breakdown of muscle tissue, and is the opposite of the term ‘anabolic’ which means the building up of muscle tissue.
(more…)

Share the Swole!

Top 5 Best Green Superfoods of 2016

Monday, October 3rd, 2016

Superfoods

What actually are Superfoods?

When we mention the term “Superfoods” it is not uncommon for there to be a sense of confusion among most people. This is not really surprising either. While consuming nutrient dense foods is an ancient practice, the concept is basically lost in our fast-paced and convenience focused culture. Only recently has there been mainstream attention and research towards the importance of introducing this kind of nutrition back into the human diet.

The term “Superfood” refers to any nutrient-dense food that is widely considered to be beneficial towards our health and overall well-being. The term is a relatively new one, having only generated popularity in the last 20 years or so. However, the idea is simple. Foods that have a wide-ranging nutritional profile that includes; micro & macro-nutrients, phytochemicals, phytopigments, antioxidants, vitamin and trace minerals.

Most “superfoods” are plant based covering everything from fruits, vegetables, sea-vegetables, grains, nuts, grasses and herbs. There are even many all-in-one type of green superfood supplement powders. There are also some superfoods that are derived from fish as well. While most “superfood” products will have different ingredients and ratios of such, for the most part they will typically include all the same stuff.

What can Green Superfoods do for you?Hannah Polites superfoods

There are so many benefits from regularly consuming foods considered to be “superfoods”. Whether you are consuming a green drink in the morning, or eating dense salads at lunch, or ending your day with a chia-seed pudding. By including any, or all of these foods into your diet most people will agree that you will see and feel great results.

The increase in foods rich in antioxidants like beta-carotene will add great regenerative and overall health benefits to your body. This plays an important role regardless if you are a young child, an athlete, a middle-aged parent, or an old timer. The ability to fight off illness and increase recovery time is crucial to living longer, and staying healthy and fit along the way.

“Superfoods” can offer a host of essential vitamins and minerals like B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and magnesium. There are ingredients that are otherwise quite uncommon in a typical diet today. On average most Americans are lacking in essential vitamins and minerals that help our body maintain itself, and the vitamins we do take are usually in the form of capsules or sugary pills that do not always absorb into the body sufficiently to have an impact.

Greens, which make up the majority of the “superfood” category, are extremely important to the body. Not only do they provide fiber, but they are also alkaline forming. By maintaining a balanced ph level in the body, research has shown that it will help prevent the formation of many health related issues, including cancer. (more…)

Share the Swole!

8 Signs Your Body Needs More Protein

Thursday, September 15th, 2016

Why is protein so important?

Protein is an essential building block to the body, as it helps create strong muscles, bones and even blood. Athletes and those who exercise hard are among those who are at high-risk to be protein deficient. 

Dietary protein

Your body may be sending you signals that you aren’t getting enough protein, but you may be interpreting these signals as something else. Take a look at the following examples of symptoms that can be misinterpreted as another issue in the body.

Are Your Muscles a Pain?

Many people believe in the old adage, “no pain no gain.” However, sore muscles may

be a sign that you are protein deficient. Because muscles use Amino Acids as their building structure and Amino Acids come from protein, if you aren’t getting enough your muscles may feel sore and weak. Lack of protein can also cause flab to appear where you once had muscles, because your body may be using those muscle as protein for the body. If you are feeling sore muscles or even joints, take an inventory of your protein intake. Adding a bit of protein with a nutritional supplement like Advocare may help those sore muscles disappear.

(more…)

Share the Swole!

6 Foods to Help Prevent Muscle Cramps

Tuesday, August 9th, 2016

How to avoid dreaded muscle cramps!

A muscle cramp can be a serious buzzkill when you are dialed in on a workout. Or worse, they can be an unwanted and painful wake up call in the middle of the night. So how can you prevent these awful knots in your muscles from occurring? While proper hydration and sleep are important factors, your nutrition habits can have a huge impact on preventing cramps.
Leg and muscle cramps
Foods rich in potassium, sodium, magnesium, Vitamin D, and calcium help your muscles function properly and prevent muscle cramps. Potassium is an electrolyte that your body sweats out when you exercise. Lack of potassium is one of the leading causes of muscle cramping. Those taking diuretic supplements have higher tendencies for potassium deficiencies and should be especially aware of their intake efforts.

Sodium is another important electrolyte your body needs for optimum performance. While too much sodium can be a problem, most people forget to make sure they have enough when exercising. You lose it quickly when you sweat and need to make sure you’re replenishing these levels or you may experience harsh side effects like nausea and vomiting.
(more…)

Share the Swole!

The 4 Best Types of Whey Protein

Friday, July 22nd, 2016

The 4 Best Types of Whey Protein & Alternatives to Whey

Follow the whey It is pretty much widely accepted that to truly build a solid and lean physique, one must make sure they are receiving an adequate amount of protein in their diet. While a solid diet with meals rich in protein, fats, carbs and fiber is important many athletes and lifters choose to add a protein supplement following a workout, like one of these top 5 protein supplements here. For decades now, whey protein has been a mainstay choice of fitness professionals.

Whey is a by-product of cheese making, which is then dried and made into a powdered form. Typically being from cow’s milk, it contains 20% protein. By comparison human milk contains 40% protein. Whey is a huge source of branched chain amino acids, or BCAA’s, which stimulate protein synthesis in the body. It is for this reason that whey protein is so successful at building lean muscle mass.  

After intense training and our bodies have burned up all our fuel is when our muscles need protein the most. By supplementing with a liquid protein source, like whey protein, you are ensuring that you will feed those broken down muscles, rather than them start to feed on themselves. Being in liquid form allows for greater absorption. And whey protein specifically is synthesized over a longer period of time, allowing your muscles to be fed for hours. Whey protein can be taken in four different forms: concentrate, isolate, hydrolysate, & casein. While each has its own benefits, they are all none-the-less extremely beneficial to building the physique you desire.

(more…)

Share the Swole!

Debunking the Common (Yet Utterly Ridiculous) Myths Women Have about Eating More Protein

Monday, July 18th, 2016

By: Sara Jane Adkins
women need protein
Admit it.

You felt the same way I did at some point in your life.

As a woman who is extremely active (I do crossfit four times a week), I rebelled for the longest time against adding more protein to my diet.

The majority of the advertisements that I saw for protein powder featured guys that looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his heyday.

And while I would not mind my husband sporting those round shoulders, there was no way I wanted my physique to resemble anything remotely close to that.

My misconception of the effect that protein has on the body is very common among many women.

Protein is a crucial nutrient for the body. In fact, it accounts for 20 percent of our body weight, and helps in the synthesis of hormones, enzymes and vital cellular structures.

Protein also assists with fluid balance and the building of antibodies that protect against infection and other harmful viruses. In short, if we do not supply our bodies with the proper amount of protein, we cannot survive.

That is why it is so important to understand the crucial role that protein plays in maintaining overall health, especially since many women limit their protein consumption because of the myths associated with it.

Some women fear that high-protein diets may cause them to look too “bulky,” can compromise bone health or may be taxing on the kidneys. However, these assumptions are nothing more than myths that should be set straight for a variety of reasons.

(more…)

Share the Swole!

How to Gain Lean Muscle Fast

Tuesday, September 24th, 2013

Are you in the market to gain muscle?
Lean Muscle Chick
Building some hardcore muscle—without gaining fat along with it—is easier than you might think.

Here are some tips to start building muscle today.

Pump Up With Protein

Because muscle fibers are made up of many different proteins, protein is the #1 necessary ingredient to build muscle.

One study found participants who ate 20 grams protein every 3 hours significantly increased muscle building potential, compared with those who ate 40 g every 6 hours. [1] So, eating good amounts of protein throughout the day feeds muscles and keeps them raring to go.

The ideal daily protein intake is about 1 g protein per pound body weight. [2] So, a 200-pound man should eat about 200 g protein a day. Of course, this differs depending on individual needs.

The best high protein foods to eat are chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef, eggs, beans, nuts, milk, and cheese. [2]

Many bodybuilders also use protein supplements, which provide a heavy dose of pure protein. Whey protein powder is generally the best choice because it has high protein content and lots of muscle-building branched chain amino acids. [3]

Be careful, though. Protein shouldn’t make up more than 30% of your caloric intake. Too much protein increases risk of kidney problems, dehydration, and other issues. [4]

(more…)

Share the Swole!

B Vitamins Enhance Muscle Building

Tuesday, September 17th, 2013

Take Your B’s to Build Huge Bis

Few people know the 8 B vitamins by name, but were you aware that they all contribute to the body’s ability to build muscle? They are often referred to as the vitamins that provide immune support and while this is helpful when training hard which can place a stress on the immune system, their role extends far beyond this.

Each plays a role in the metabolism, which is the processing of the foods we eat to ensure the release of energy needed to power muscle function, but also helps to support the nervous system to make co-ordinated movement possible. Here we take a look at each in turn, considering their importance and where they can be sourced from the diet, as well as how else you might be able to top up your intake of these essential nutrients.

Vitamin B1Vitamin B1

Also known as thiamine, this vitamin is needed for the production of ATP, the substance which the body uses for energy release to enable muscle contraction to occur during weight training. It’s therefore no surprise that tiredness can be a sign that you aren’t getting enough of this micronutrient, which can interfere with the effort you are able to put into training.

Thiamine also controls the movement of electrolytes across cell membranes, which is needed for the nerves and the muscles that they control to function. The richest sources of this B vitamin are meats, brewer’s yeast, whole grains or cereals that have been fortified with b vitamins; in many countries it is mandatory that refined flour and white rice have thiamine added to them, as the processing removes the majority of this vitamin.

(more…)

Share the Swole!

Top 5 Cooking Tips for Bodybuilders

Friday, August 23rd, 2013

Bodybuilding Cooking Tips to Build Hugeness

Sexy Chef
If you’re interested in bulking up, then you may be aware of the fact that you need to change your approach to both diet and exercise. Although the fitness portion won’t be easy, you probably know that you need to start a program of weight training that involves scheduled increases in order to gain muscle mass. On the diet front, however, you may not have a very good idea of how to go about bulking without gaining fat in the process.

If you’re cooking for someone whose goal is to bulk, all you need to worry about is making that healthy food taste great. While I don’t have to time type out all of my recipes today, here are at least some tips to get started.

You’ll almost certainly have to increase caloric intake, but it doesn’t take a genius to know that adding high-calorie foods isn’t enough; they have to be the right foods. Donuts and soda aren’t going to cut it, even if they can help you to more easily reach your caloric goals. For this reason, you need to create a fitness-friendly diet that delivers the nutritious balance required to help you create the bodybuilding physique you crave. Here are just a few tips for your kitchen that will have you cooking like a pro and help you to reach your goals in no time.

(more…)

Share the Swole!

Gluten – Should It Be In Your diet?

Wednesday, August 7th, 2013

Should you eat Gluten

Gluten Fit Boy
One of the hottest topics in the nutrition world in the last 3-5 years has been gluten-free diet. As usual, the media and a general population acting like sheeple have once again blown something out of proportion.

People are needlessly following a gluten free diet just because they heard about it in the media or read about it on the Internet. Some of these people have even lost weight. But why? Most likely because they cut down on carbs altogether, or at least started eating healthier carbs.

But the question is, do YOU need to be a on gluten free diet? And the answer is, probably not. Here’s why

(more…)

Share the Swole!

Secrets for Success: The Top 5 Effective Healthy Eating Plans

Thursday, August 1st, 2013

Top 5 Effective Healthy Eating Plans Review

Healthy Diets
Finding the right diet plan can be very challenging because there are plenty of diet plans to choose from. However, as long as you know the things to consider in choosing the best healthy diet plan, you can ensure that it will help you in losing weight. An effective and safe diet plan should be scientifically evaluated as well as recommended by the health and wellness authorities.

It is important to choose diet plan that helps the dieter not only in losing weight but also lead healthier life. Thus, you should know the top 5 diet plans that you can consider in losing weight.

(more…)

Share the Swole!