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Bobybuilding Aids That Work - Whey Protein And Creatine

Bodybuilding aids have become the trend over the last two decades or so. Bodybuilding supplements as well as all supplements are exactly what they are called; supplements. There are many people out there that hear about a product and go straight out to buy it, take it for a few weeks and realize nothing happens.

There is no proven supplement that will do all of the work for you. Along with supplements, a healthy diet, regular exercise and weight training are the essentials to bodybuilding and achieving the body you desire.

If you ask any bodybuilder how many meals a day he or she should eat and the answer you will most likely get is 5-6 times a day. Eating six meals a day seems a lot because it is!

One solution to getting all of your protein is meal replacements. These can come in a powdered drink mix or even in a "protein" bar. Since there are many different types of protein, I am going to discuss whey protein, which is to be considered the best of all of them.

Whey protein is a protein that comes from milk. Whey protein builds muscles, protects the muscles and will enhance your performance. These supplements deliver a great amount of amino acids that bodybuilders need. Whey protein is easy to digest and is evenly distributed throughout the body when taken. There is essentially no fat contained.

Whey protein is the main ingredient of any weight gainer supplement. Weight gainers are high in carbohydrates, actually taste good and there are many different types you can buy. These should be taken up to three times a day, now only leaving you with three protein filled meals to cover on your own.

Bodybuilding supplements have many other purposes than to just give only nutrients and to replace a meal. Many of these are to be taken right before and after a rigorous workout. The reasoning for these types of powdered drinks is that some of the formula in the supplement can actually enhance blood flow, giving you the "pumped" feeling. Long after your workout, your muscles will still feel the blood pumping through their veins, continuously working.

Creatine Monohydrate is a top supplement for bodybuilding that creates the "pumped" feeling. Creatine is a nutrient found in our bodies that is naturally produced, yet not nearly enough for bodybuilders.

Creatine is necessary for the production of our body's energy unit, ATP (adenosine triphosphate). While storing extra creatine in your muscles, you will have much more strength and endurance for quick bursts of energy lasting from anywhere from 30 seconds to possibly 3 minutes. Creatine Monohydrate gives your muscles the extra boost you need during a workout for maximum growth.

Creatine in the form of a Creatine Monohydrate Supplement can be taken by a meal replacement powered drink and the body treats it as if it was naturally created. Considering the market for supplements today, all are packed with the highest nutrients and actually taste good! The results you can gain by taking a Creatine Monohydrate supplement are immediate. You will actually feel your muscles working hard, both during and after your workout!

The advantages of both whey protein and creatine are you will give your body the right amount of nutrients, amino acids, endurance and muscle energy for your intense workout. These two stacked together will produce excellent results along with your weight training.

Steven Johnson is committed to helping people maintain healthy and effective lifestyles. For more information on any other health supplements please visit his website Alternative Health Supplements at http://alternative-health-supplements.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_A_Johnson

Weight Gain to Obtain Athletic Superiority

Just as athletes want to lose weight for competitive purposes, many attempt to gain weight to obtain athletic superiority. For most, this means improved strength and power, which can also lead to increased speed and greater resistance to opponents' movements. This would be especially advantageous in sports such as football, heavier classes in weightlifting and wrestling, and track and field events (specifically the javelin and other throwing events).

However, athletes are not the only ones who desire body mass gains. Many recreational weight trainers also strive to gain weight, and the protocol used to achieve this goal should be no different from that used by athletes. Also, from a health standpoint, weight gain is often necessary for proper physical and metabolic maturation. Such is the concern in the extremely lean individual or amenorrheic female who risks bone IOSS. Regardless, the goals of weight gain should maximize increases in lean body mass while minimizing gains in fat mass. But, just as a loss of lean tissue often accompanies weight loss, the accrual of fat is usually an undesired addition to muscular gains. In either instance, optimal physique enhancement is always accomplished by appropriate dietary and training practices.

In the case of weight gain, this is best accomplished through resistance training. Such exercise promotes an anabolic environment by enhancing protein synthesis, stimulating the release of muscle-building hormones, and encouraging muscle growth through adaptation to strenuous training. As this is achieved, the body is primed for the acceptance of additional calories (beyond that required to maintain body weight) that presumably favor lean body mass gains.

The appropriate caloric intake required to stimulate lean body mass gains is approximately 500 to 1000 kcal in excess of the total daily energy expenditure. The approach is similar to weight loss in terms of manipulating energy intakes. However, whereas exercise can be used to increase the daily caloric deficit during attempts to lose weight, it must receive compensation in the dietary regimen of those who seek to gain weight. For example, if an individual expends 2500 kcal daily as a result of free and regular activities, and an additional 300 kcal from weight training (a total of 2800 kcal daily), this individual's program of weight gain should contain 3300 to 3800 kcal daily.

As with weight loss, weight gains should proceed slowly, at the rate of approximately 0.5-1.0 kg/wk. Rapid weight gain is typically associated with gains in water weight initially, followed by fat gains. This is especially the case when one desires to gain a significant amount of weight. To prevent this, weight gain should be prolonged further, such that individuals proceed at approximately 0.25-0.5 kg/wk. This approach would likely ensure primarily lean body mass gains. Finally, as with attempts at weight loss, body weight and composition should be monitored regularly (every 1-2 wks) to signal necessary dietary changes.

Choosing macronutrient ratios that favor muscular gains is also an important but often overlooked strategy for physique and athletic improvement. Proper manipulation of these dietary variables is a substantial tool in establishing an anabolic environment, thus promoting muscular growth. Also, pre and post-exercise feedings are also crucial to attaining a desired goal, be it to gainllose weight or enhance athletic achievement.

Do you wish to know more about fitness exercises or bodybuilding and fitness? Then have a look at authors site on which you will also find vitamin supplements.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Davids_Jones

How to Get Big Arms

The reasons for wanting big arms are many and obvious. Arms rank second to a flat stomach as the most noticed and sought after fitness goal. The vast majority of people make three consistent mistakes in training for big arms. Depending on your current size (smaller arms will obviously respond more) my workout can add up to an inch in the first month and will continue adding size after that.

First, all workout plans should be well rounded and full body in focus. So if you are relatively new to training focusing on your arms is a mistake. Your primary goal in the early stages of a mass gaining plan should be the big muscles. Focus on compound exercises (bench, military, and leg presses, seated rows and lat pull downs in particular) that work the smaller muscles as well as the large. But if you have a foundation of training already (at least 6 months) then you are ready to isolate and can start seeing some real gains.

Secondly, did you know that the triceps muscle makes up 60% of your arm size? People who focus on bicep curls as the basis for getting big arms are completely wrong. The primary focus should be on the triceps, if overall size and arm balance are your goals (and it should be). Lastly, the mass gaining principals for arms are the same as for any other body part. You must go heavy and low rep. And I mean heavy. Most people grab up a set of dumbbells and knock out 3 sets of 12-16 reps of curls and wonder why my arms aren't growing.

Here are the basic principals to remember in an arm workout geared to mass gains:

1) You must have a foundation of training before you start isolating arms

2) Do 3 triceps exercises for every 2 bicep exercise

3) If you can do more than 6 reps of anything with good form it isn't heavy enough

4) Never do the same number of reps with the same amount of weight in consecutive sets. Never.

5) If you are not sure, on weight and reps, add weight, reduce reps

6) Perfect form is NOT a necessity for all reps (don't injure yourself but "cheaters" reps with heavy weights are VERY effective)

The last principal is one that I use because of the psychological impact it has, and it may not be for everyone:

7) I train my bi's and tri's together, alternating sets, in a workout of just arms. I do this because the rush of fully pumped bi's and tri's simultaneously, gives me, momentarily, the biggest arms I can have and it motivates me better than working one or the other on separate days and as secondary workouts.

Follow these basic principals for any arm exercises for a month, eat right (plenty of protein) and get your rest and I guarantee you that in the first month your arms will grow more than they have been.

Steve R. Robbins has been a life long fitness enthusiast. Has the distinction of being able to run a marathon and bench press twice his weight in the same day. All at the age of 50. Editor and regular contributor to http://www.MuscleandHealth.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_R_Robbins

Weight Gain to Obtain Athletic Superiority

Just as athletes want to lose weight for competitive purposes, many attempt to gain weight to obtain athletic superiority. For most, this means improved strength and power, which can also lead to increased speed and greater resistance to opponents' movements. This would be especially advantageous in sports such as football, heavier classes in weightlifting and wrestling, and track and field events (specifically the javelin and other throwing events).

However, athletes are not the only ones who desire body mass gains. Many recreational weight trainers also strive to gain weight, and the protocol used to achieve this goal should be no different from that used by athletes. Also, from a health standpoint, weight gain is often necessary for proper physical and metabolic maturation. Such is the concern in the extremely lean individual or amenorrheic female who risks bone IOSS. Regardless, the goals of weight gain should maximize increases in lean body mass while minimizing gains in fat mass. But, just as a loss of lean tissue often accompanies weight loss, the accrual of fat is usually an undesired addition to muscular gains. In either instance, optimal physique enhancement is always accomplished by appropriate dietary and training practices.

In the case of weight gain, this is best accomplished through resistance training. Such exercise promotes an anabolic environment by enhancing protein synthesis, stimulating the release of muscle-building hormones, and encouraging muscle growth through adaptation to strenuous training. As this is achieved, the body is primed for the acceptance of additional calories (beyond that required to maintain body weight) that presumably favor lean body mass gains.

The appropriate caloric intake required to stimulate lean body mass gains is approximately 500 to 1000 kcal in excess of the total daily energy expenditure. The approach is similar to weight loss in terms of manipulating energy intakes. However, whereas exercise can be used to increase the daily caloric deficit during attempts to lose weight, it must receive compensation in the dietary regimen of those who seek to gain weight. For example, if an individual expends 2500 kcal daily as a result of free and regular activities, and an additional 300 kcal from weight training (a total of 2800 kcal daily), this individual's program of weight gain should contain 3300 to 3800 kcal daily.

As with weight loss, weight gains should proceed slowly, at the rate of approximately 0.5-1.0 kg/wk. Rapid weight gain is typically associated with gains in water weight initially, followed by fat gains. This is especially the case when one desires to gain a significant amount of weight. To prevent this, weight gain should be prolonged further, such that individuals proceed at approximately 0.25-0.5 kg/wk. This approach would likely ensure primarily lean body mass gains. Finally, as with attempts at weight loss, body weight and composition should be monitored regularly (every 1-2 wks) to signal necessary dietary changes.

Choosing macronutrient ratios that favor muscular gains is also an important but often overlooked strategy for physique and athletic improvement. Proper manipulation of these dietary variables is a substantial tool in establishing an anabolic environment, thus promoting muscular growth. Also, pre and post-exercise feedings are also crucial to attaining a desired goal, be it to gainllose weight or enhance athletic achievement.

Do you wish to know more about fitness exercises or bodybuilding and fitness? Then have a look at authors site on which you will also find vitamin supplements.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Davids_Jones

How To Guide for Six Pack Abs

So you want six pack abs? The truth is, for most people getting six pack abs is not an easy task because it requires dedication and motivation... but it is possible! Below is a general 2-step guide that, if followed religiously for 3 months, will improve your abs.

Step 1: Nutrition

This is the single most important part of the puzzle, hands down. You can have the most impressive set of abs, but if they're covered with a layer of fat, you won't see them! Break up your day with 5 or 6 mini-meals because this jump starts your metabolism. And stop eating the food that is preventing you from seeing your abs: white bread, pasta, soda, candy, dessert, fast food, hydrogenated oils, sugars and fructose corn syrup.

Instead, eat the foods that will help you reach your six pack goal: oatmeal, olive oil, whole grain breads, fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, natural peanut butter, chicken, fish, protein, green tea and water. Be realistic - you'll slip here and there, but make a conscious effort to improve your eating habits because getting a six pack will be impossible if you don't.

Step 2: Exercise

You need to concern yourself with 3 different exercises: cardio, weightlifting and ab exercises. And aim to workout 4 times per week.

The cardio you do can be anything: walking, running, biking, swimming...whichever cardio you don't mind doing so you stick with it. The trick is to do the cardio in bursts. For example, if you're running, walk for one minute and then sprint for 15 seconds and repeat 10 times. Perform this type of interval cardio 2 times per week.

Weightlifting is important because 3 pounds of added muscle burns as many calories as a 1 mile jog...and this is while you're just sitting around! Aim for 30-45 minutes, 2 times per week. If you're confused as to what exercises to do for each body part, check out the following website. It features professional bodybuilders, but the information is great and can be used by anyone.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm

The last exercise you need to incorporate into your workout are ab exercises. Aim to work your abs 3 times per week. There are a ton of different ab exercises you can do so try to find 3 or so that you enjoy doing and mix it up. A good database of different ab exercises can be found here:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exername.php?MainMuscle=Abdominals

Tip: mix up your workout routine every 2 weeks to keep your body guessing and improving. Add or take away different weightlifting or ab exercises, or at the very least, vary the weight, reps or form of cardio you do.

Well, there you have it. Follow the above for 3 months, and while results will vary from person to person, you will see an improvement in your abs. And keep in mind that dedication and motivation will go a long way to helping you reach your goal of having six pack abs.

Imagine the feeling you'll get when you look in the mirror and like what you see.

Honestly, this article only scratches the surface on getting six pack abs. If you really want to learn the tried and true techniques for developing a rock-hard midsection, check out The Truth About Six Pack Abs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ryan_Cote

5 Secrets to Massive Muscles

If you're looking for serious muscle growth then you will need to follow some universal muscle building rules. Muscle growth will only occur when certain elements are in place and triggered correctly. There are many things you can do to improve your muscle building results like change your routine, change your sets and reps and change your diet for the better. Making these changes will change your results. Here are 5 secrets for massive muscles that you can use or consider.

1. You must lift heavy weights - How often have you heard that one? Heavy weights, how heavy is heavy? The weights must be heavy enough that by the time you get to 6 reps you are struggling to reach 8 to 12 reps. You should not be able to do 15 reps. The ideal rep range for muscle growth is 8 to 12 reps but in order to induce muscle growth you should struggle on the sixth rep while pushing for 8 to 12. You should always have someone on standby when you are pushing heavy weights.

2. Keep your workouts under 1 hour - Train with high intensity but never go over the hour. It is a waste of time and recovery energy when you go over the hour. 45 minutes is even better. The idea is to induce muscle growth by warming up the muscle area sufficiently then hitting the muscle groups hard (2 muscle groups per session is good) and then get out before the hour.

3. Do fewer sets and fewer body parts - There is absolutely no reason to do six sets of this exercise and six sets of that exercise. You can but you will get little or no results for it, especially if you're trying to lift heavy weights and train intensely. It cannot be done successfully. 2 to 3 sets per body part is more than enough to induce muscle growth, not counting your warm up sets. 2 body parts per session is all you should be concentrating on at a time, some people only train 1 body part a session with great results.

4. Eat 8 meals a day - It's easier than you think. You can eat 4 solid decent meals along with 3 or 4 protein shakes. There's breakfast lunch dinner and snack and there's also the pre and post training meals or shakes, and you can fit in a protein shake last thing at night just before bed. You need those calories and protein to ensure sufficient energy for recover and muscle growth.

5. Supplements - Some might say you don't need supplements to build muscle but I say you do need some, but not most of the "supplements" that are available. After training with heavy weights under high intensity your body's entire mechanisms are completely drained, not just your muscles. You need more calories and protein than the regular person in order to recover from it and grow new muscle. You need whey protein and casein, you need a multi vitamin/mineral, Vitamin C Vitamin E, Zinc, and creatine is a great idea for its muscle building and health benefits.

Note: You should check with you GP or Health Practitioner before starting or changing an exercise program and before taking any new supplementation.

So there it is, another 5 muscle building "top secrets" that you can consider. Muscle building does take commitment, time and discipline, even if you are doing things completely wrong. If you're not gaining muscle then you know you are doing something wrong, just remember to lift heavy weights (safely) Get out before the hour, Do less sets and less body parts, Eat plenty of nutritious food, and take some supplements.

Darren O'Connell - Health Fitness Fat loss & Muscle building http://www.topmusclebuilders.com
http://www.flab-u-loss.com For Massive Muscles go here http://www.xtrememusclegrowth.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darren_O'Connell

Chest Muscles Building - Is Bench Press The Bench Mark

The reason why the chest muscle build much faster, is that the chest muscles are normally not under stress to any big extent in almost all daily routines. So the moment they are subjected to stress of lifting heavy weight, they explode with tremendous growth and mass gain. Though, some theorists believe that this may simply be because of the fact that chest is so close to heart, allowing for almost immediate blood flow. Even at that rate, if chest develops so quickly then why is it that so few amateur bodybuilders really have a great looking chest.

The major hurdle is not building chest muscle, it is the manner in which the chest is trained. We have all seen the guys with the big bunchy chest or the chest that bulges or hangs. The pecs run across the top of the rib cage and are normally slab-like in appearance - wide, high but tight. Although a muscle's shape is determined mostly by the genetics, the ultimate goal is to get the pecs to be as "flat" as possible. This requires even muscle development. Since the pecs develop quickly, it should not take more than one workout per week to achieve this goal. But only if it is done in a right manner.

Unlike while doing machine exercise, maintaining proper form may be a problem during bench press especially with free weights. They require more control of the nervous system. A bench press negates the body movement to a degree because the major part of body is braced. Going with the understanding that the bench press is so effective, one would think of it as the best exercise for chest. However, over dependence on the bench press can lead to narrow, low and ultimately imbalanced chest development. Work quickly through your workout, but pay proper attention to the form. The key is to concentrate!

Resting for a longer period than necessary is another big problem. Your goal is to lift as heavy as you can, but taking longer portions in order to lift more weight is not going to bring you any additional benefit. Another advantage of working out without taking too much rest is that it induces the natural secretion of growth hormones. The most optimal time is less than a hour, beyond that any workout will hardly bring any gain. When you get to gym, take it as going to war. Don't go for a stroll.

I suggest that you go for a professionally designed complete bodybuilding program. Most of such bodybuilding program take care that they are covering entire body workouts and all exercises that can help you in muscle building in proper shape. You can look for top bodybuilding programs like one designed by Sean Nalewanyj or Vince Delmonte, their programs are well known over Internet and should get you the results that you want. If you need more help you can take a look at the bodybuilding program resources given below in the resource box.

Nick K

Recommended Resources: bodybuilding programs, muscle building, muscle gain

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You Cannot Gain Weight And Build Muscle Without Knowing Your Body Type

Now, you have decided to gain weight and build muscle? Well, you have to know what body type you are before you can begin to draw up any diet or weight training regime.

We are all born with different genetics and our bodies react differently to different things. If you understand the three body types and which one you fall into, you will be in with a better chance of succeeding in your body transformation goals. Bodybuilding without knowing your body type is like swimming without any limbs, your just going to sink like stone. The three main body types you can fall into are : Ectomorph, Endomorph, and Mesomorph.

Mesomorph - Mesomorph's are genetically gifted and can gain weight and lose weight easily. They don't have to work as hard in the gym as any other body type and they can eat almost anything to gain weight and build muscle.

Distinguishing features - Gains and loses weight easily, Rectangular shaped body, Upright posture, Thick skin, Hard muscular body, Builds muscle quickly.

Since Mesomorph's have the more genetically gifted physique, their body fat percentage is lower than that of other body types. They aren't too big and they aren't too skinny. They are usually on the move more often than not and they can don't have to target any specific workout at the gym to gain weight and build muscle. They can build muscle and gain weight by both weight training and cardio training, and they should eat 5-7 small meals a day.

Mesomorph's should workout with basic compound exercises as well as single-joint isolation movements. They should do about 3-4 sets per body part with about 10 repetitions each. Remember, if you fall into this category, you want to try to maintain what you already look like. You want to adjust weight training more often to keep your body from getting used to one exercise.

Ectomorph - Ectomorph's generally find it hard to gain weight and build muscle. This is due to an extremely high metabolic rate, which makes it really hard for people in the gym and at dinner.

Distinguishing Features - Trouble gaining weight, muscle growth takes longer, flat chest, delicate build, and small boned.

Ectomorph's can eat anything and they still can't gain weight. This is because their metabolism is burning up calories at an extroardinary rate.To gain weight and build muscle they need to eat a lot more and a lot more often than the more genetically gifted individual. If you want to gain weight and build muscle and your an ectomorph it is recommended that you eat 6 meals a day at regular intervals of 2 to 3 hours.When working out you should do minimum cardio and and more weight training. You should only train every other day and no more than 3 a week.

Ectomorph's should stick with 3-4 mass building exercises which workout the major muscle groups, like your chest, arms, and legs. Be careful not to overtrain! Many Ectomorph's think the only way to "catch up" to others that are much bigger and stronger is to workout for hours a day. Keep your workouts to 45 minutes to an hour, max. Get in the gym, do your thing, and get out! Ectomorph's should do around 10-12 sets for larger body parts and 6-8 for smaller ones. Your last 1-2 sets should be performed to failure, meaning workout until you can't lift the weight(s) again.

Endomorph - You can probably guess given what you know already that Endomorph's have a slower metabolic rate than any other body types. Their bone structure tends to be slightly larger than the average person and although they can lift heavier weights in the gym, their hardwork wouldn't show because of the body frame they have.

Defining Features - Soft body, Round shaped, Under developed muscles, over developed digestive system, gains muscle easily, trouble losing weight.

Given their slow metabolic rate it is advised that an endomorph should maintain a low fat diet with a low to medium intake of carbs. Endomorph's are advised to train using weights and to also include high work on cardio. Supplements can bused to lose fat but it neither healthy or a magically cure. There is no substitute for a good diet and a good training regime. If you do not eat right and exercise regularly you will not lose weight, I can't stress that enough!

Wesley is a bodybuilding and fitness expert that has over 5 years experience in the industry. He is a hardgainer who has managed to transform his body using natural methods. Find out how to gain weight and build muscle now and visit his site at http://www.weightgain4you.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wesley_McDermott

Does Alcohol Make You Fat

One of the most common questions anyone who wants to go on a diet or simply maintain their current weight asks is does alcohol make you fat? This article provides an answer to this question, so read it to the end.

The problem with alcohol and fat is that alcohol contains a great deal of sugar and is calorie rich. This sugar quickly turns to fat inside our body. That alcohol induced fat clings to our belly, thighs, arms, and all body parts. The common assumption that alcohol somehow affects belly fat more than on any part of the body is false. Each person has his or her own genetic makeup. This alone determines the body parts which are more prone to accumulate fat.

Overall, men gain more weight in the abdomen, so it's likely that alcohol would cause belly fat for men. But it's not different from any other fatty food. Women mostly add fat in the pelvic area, so alcohol will not cause a massive accumulation of belly fat for them. However, it will still add more fat overall.

Because alcohol is calorie and sugar rich, and because it doesn't make you less hungry, it's detrimental to weight loss. One of the things it can hurt more than anything is an effort to get a flat stomach or six pack abs, since that requires an overall low body fat percentage.

Alcohol makes you fat only if you drink too much of it. If you want to lose body fat, I recommend that you cut down on your alcohol intake. I'm not suggesting to cut it out entirely. You're still entitled to enjoy yourself. But cut it down to 1-2 drink when you go out. That should be enough to enjoy yourself but still keep your body fat down.

To read how you can start to lose as much as 9 lbs. in 11 days and keep it off, visit this webpage:
How to lose 9 lbs. every 11 days with The Shifting Calories method

John Davenport lost over 30 pounds in his twenties after being overweight most of his life. He finally achieved his six pack abs. To read how, click here: How To Get Flat Abs

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Davenport

Benefits Of Carrot Juice

Carrots are well known as the universal vegetable for juicing. It has benefits for us at a very young age. it has a number of health benefits. The carrot provides what is certainly the most important basic juice. The yellow color is due to carotene. The juice has a number of wellbeing effects. The carrot provides what is definitely the most imperative necessary juice. An imperative element in an infant's up bring can be found in the vitamin A. Drinking carrot juice is thought to be extremely beneficial for the liver due to Vitamin A's cleansing effects. Vitamin A reduces bile and fat in the liver. It has anti-carcinogen properties. The juice is best ingested in the afternoon because of the burst of energy that always follows.

Another vitamin contained in carrot juice is vitamin E. This vitamin appears in three forms, known chemically as alpha-, beta-, and gamma-tocopherol, and commonly known as the vitamin E complex . It helps prevent cancer. It is also believed to have cancer-curing properties. A carrot and milk juice is the ideal vitamin A source for infants and can in no case lead 10 the risk of the child having too much A. It blends with practically all other juices. It is a delicious nourishing beverage for all members of the family at all times and it should be an important part of the diet in cases of illness. Many of the aches and pains related with being older, will be far less if carrot juice is in our diet on a daily basis.

Carrot juice if applied on blemishes regularly helps them to fade away. A helping is one of the best swallows you can make to enhance your life. It is like a tonic. It will improve the overall health of you and your child, and increase immunity. Drinking the juice, as well as eating carrots, is thought to be especially beneficial for prenatal health. Beta-carotene that forms into Vitamin A is said to be very healthy for both mother and child. Beta carotene is an anti-oxidant, and thus it prevents cell degeneration. Anti-oxidants also slow down the ageing process. Another fruit which is an excellent anti-oxidant is the berry. It can be taken alone, or combined with other fruit and vegetables juices.

Carrot Juice Benefits Tips

1. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and revitalizes and tones the skin.

2. It helps prevent cancer.

3. Low blood pressure can be helped by consuming parsley, capsicum and garlic juice.

4. If applied on blemishes regularly helps them to fade away.

5. Carrot juice applied daily is great for uneven skin tones due to blemishes and pigmentation.

Juliet Cohen writes articles for beauty makeup tips and health beauty tips. She also writes articles on skin care tips.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Juliet_Cohen

The Way Food Affects Our Life

You do not need to be a scientist to be aware of the influence science has on our daily lives. Science has made us aware of what we are made of and how we live with this everyday. Science, or more specifically, biochemistry, has shown us that the human body is made out of: the four elements, the majority being water, and that all these elements are natural products of nature. The ways these substances and elements interact affect our physical and emotional feelings. What this means is that our emotions, passions, desires are interwoven with how we feel: and feelings and thought run along the same path. Our actions and behaviors affect our decisions in everyday life, and we create our world through interacting with our surroundings. Then our surroundings reflect back our actions, which in turn influences the way we feel, which impacts our thoughts, which influence what decisions, we make!

Lets go back to how we feel, since feelings play an important role in how we react and communicate not only with our selves, but also within the society and our environment. Lets just say for the moment that our feelings are like the way a scientist experiments with chemistry. The chemist pours a little bit of this and a little bit of that and we get a certain type of pattern called short temper (of course this is a very complex, interwoven theory and it is beyond the scope of this article), and he does it again using a different substance and he gets tolerance...

We could say these are the type of substances (food and beverages) that we pour into our body constantly everyday. These substances (food and beverages) when eaten as nature intended, greatly influence the way we feel... especially when we eat food that is genetically modified, due to high demand and multi-national corporate strategies.. This affects our natural balance (homeostasis) and therefore plays a vital role in how we feel. Then it becomes simply rational to say that one need not be a scientists to know that what we eat, becomes part of us, part of our feelings and part of our decisions, The result leads to our behaviours and actions. Simply put " We are what we eat" and our lives reflect what we put into our mouths.

P.S. Food for thought!

With best wishes,

Omid

(If you want to change your chemistry...check out my new delicous no-fuss raw, mostly raw recipe book Chop to Impress at http://www.triedtastedserved.com)

Omid Jaffari is a healthy raw, vegan cookery writer, who also has a website Tried*Tasted*Served filled with shopping tips, suggestions on cooking, eBooks, raw food recipe and a weekly free newsletter that you can sign up and to start benefiting from motivational tips/words of inspiration and encouragement, and the latest cutting-edge news, and resources in healthy living, alternative medicine, and mind-body health. http://www.triedtastedserved.com

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Good Fat Vs Bad Fat - Monounsaturated Fat and Polyunsaturated Vs Saturated Fat and Trans Fat

What is the difference between good fats and bad fats? Generally, good fats include monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. They are necessary for the functioning of our body. Bad fats include saturated fats and trans fats and are harmful to our body. However, we still need a small amount of saturated fats for optimal health. Let us explore them in a way that is easy to understand with minimal technical jargons.

Good Fats
Monounsaturated Fats
When you consume monounsaturated fats instead of saturated fats, it will lower your bad cholesterol level and maintain your good cholesterol(HDL) level.

Food that contains monounsaturated fats includes canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil as well as most types of nuts.

Polyunsaturated Fats
These includes Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 is known to lower the risk of heart attack by lowering the level of triglycerides. It also helps to reduce blood clotting and inflammation.

Food that contains Omega-3 includes herring, salmon, sardines, mackerel as well as walnuts, flaxseed and soybeans.

Omega-6 is necessary for healthy hair and skin. It also helps in emotional balance. Many health experts recommend that the Omega-6 to Omeg-3 ratio should be around 4:1, a key element for good health.

Food that contains Omega-6 includes cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, soyabean oil and corn oil.

Bad Fats
Saturated Fats
Too much saturated fats increases the level of bad cholesterol(LDL). This increases the risk of coronary heart diseases and cancer. However, a small amount of saturated fats is necessary for the source of energy, hormone production, organ padding and other functions.

Food that contains saturated fats includes animal products like pork, beef, lard, skins of poultry as well as diary products like creams and butter.

Trans Fats (Hydrogenated Fats)
Trans fats that are found in food is usually a result of the manufacturing process. It causes the level of LDL to increases and also lowers the level of HDL. You should try to minimize your consumption of trans fats. A small amount of natural trans fats are also found in certain types of food. However, they are usually less harmful than man made trans fats.

Food that contains man made trans fats includes margarine and food that are prepared with partially hydrogenated oil.

Big Fat Lies! For a limited time only, get your free 41 page report, Skyrocket Your Fat Loss at http://www.lubanol.com/1/NaturalFatLoss.html

You will discover unique information that you will never hear from the weight loss and fitness industry.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lubano_Lim

Omega 3 Help Gain Weight Naturally - How Does Omega 3 Help Gain Weight

With more emphasis being laid on losing weight, it is easy to forget people who are underweight or too thin. Just as being overweight can put you at a risk of various health problems, so can being underweight. We will tell you how fats such as Omega 3 help gain weight in a natural and healthy way.

Fats should form a major part of your diet if you want to gain weight. This does not mean you start munching on junk or oily foods; you need to consume the right kind of fats for ensuring a healthy body.

Saturated or trans-fats that are present in processed foods and oily stuff, are very bad for your heart. They add to the fat content in your body but also increase the cholesterol levels that can lead to cardiovascular disorders. Thus, keep your intake of saturated fats low.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are the right kind of Fat that your body requires. They play a critical role in muscle building and aid in the growth of lean muscles. Omega 3 fats can help you gain weight naturally and also keep the hormone-production under control.

You need omega 3 fats for the effective functioning of each cell in your body. Omega 3 fatty acids help in the transmission and storage of Vitamins in our muscles. They also aid in the digestion process and lower insulin sensitivity. This helps the body to convert protein into muscle fat rather than adding up to body fat.

Now that we know that these fats can help you gain weight, we need to know about the dietary sources of these essential fatty acids.

The richest dietary source of Omega 3 fatty acids are cold-water fatty fishes such as Salmon, Tuna, Mackerel, Sardines and Hoki. Fish are a rich source EPA and DHA fats, the two most essential omega 3 fats.

There are certain vegetarian sources as well. These include green leafy vegetables, walnuts, hemp seeds, flaxseed oil and canola oil. However, vegetarian sources are not considered very effective when it comes to the health benefits.

This is because plant-based sources of omega 3 are rich in ALA fats that need to be converted into EPA and DHA fats, before they can be utilized by the body. While the body mechanism in healthy people is capable of this conversion, for elderly and underweight people this becomes difficult.

We now know why doctors recommend consuming fish oils to underweight people. The EPA and DHA fats present in fish oil help in balancing the metabolism rate in the body and enable proper nutrient absorption.

Underweight people require a high amount of omega 3 to help them gain weight. One such omega 3 rich supplement is the Fish oil extracted from the Hoki fish. Hoki is a cold-water species that is found in the southern oceans of New Zealand. The Hoki has naturally high DHA and EPA levels.

Coming from ocean waters that have high toxin levels, fish oils are bound to contain some of these toxins and contaminants. To ensure you get a pure product, buy only molecularly distilled fish oils.

Molecular distillation is a refining process that is used by manufacturers to remove all impurities from the fish oils and make them safe for regular consumption. Regular intake of pharmaceutical grade, molecularly distilled fish oils will help you gain the right weight and provide many more health benefits.

Micheal Thomas is an editor for a series of health related websites. Learn about the best fish oil capsules that we ourselves use daily after extensive product comparisons and research over at http://www.omega-3-fish-benefits.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Micheal_Thomas

Gain Weight Shakes

What is the deal with all those gain weight shakes? You know the ones that usually have the muscle built guy on the front and make you think that if you could just get a tin of gain weight shakes, you too could be like the model. But do they work?

Here are a few of the benefits of the gain weight shakes:

1. They build your percentage of lean muscle.

2. They increase muscle mass.

3. Help you recover quicker after a workout.

4. To lower risk of injuries related to working out.

5. Help you maintain a healthy and fit body.

6. Make you feel better through out your workouts.

8. Increases the body levels of gluthathione-a powerful anti-oxidant that is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system.

9. Help to prevent bone loss.

10. Assist in the healing wounds and surgical incisions.

As you can see there are many benefits to those gain weight shakes and it is recommended that you take 30 to 60 grams of the powder mixed into either water or milk each day. These shakes are an extra on your diet, so make sure that you are still eating plenty of protein -which is found in most meats and also kidney beans.

But these gain weight shakes will not work without a proper training routine that includes quality gym sessions as well as taking time out to rest and let your muscles rebuild themselves. So the answer to the question about whether the gain weight shakes do work, but only as an additive to your current weight gain plan.

Want to learn more about gaining weight and building muscle? Visit: http://www.gain-weight.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Sinfield

Stop Making Excuses And Gain Weight

Just like loosing weight, it takes time, effort and thought to loose it. Are you will to do what it takes for you to put on those extra pounds and to turn it into rock hard muscle? Or are you happy making excuses?

Here Are A Few Common Excuses:

1. I Am Too Busy To Gain Weight

People make times for the things that are important to them. All you need is 30min to an hour ever second day for the gym, and a little extra time to prepare a healthy meal that is full of calories that will help you put on weight. You always have time but do you want to gain weight and build muscle?

2. I Have A High Metabolism

So what? So do I. This is one of the excuses I used to always make, but you know what? There are ways to slow your metabolism down. Stop doing so much exercise, sit down and take time to relax slow your life down and you will slow your metabolism down.

3. I Just Can't Put On Weight!

This is the cry of a desperate person, who needs to change what he is doing. Constantly trial new methods and ways for you to gain weight and build muscle. Often it is one tiny thing that will make all the difference, so keep searching until you find it.

Don't make excuses, use your time more wisely and focus on new ways for you to gain weight. Excuses are for weak people - don't give in and let yourself become weak.

Want to learn more about gaining weight and building muscle? Visit: http://www.gain-weight.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Sinfield

The Secret to Staying Lean With Protein

Mathematics is used just about everywhere, even the human body. Subtract a few carbs and add a few proteins. Wise eh!! The importance of protein in our body has been talked about time and again. Its always essential to calculate how much protein is consumed each day.

Let's first discuss some science first. We say protein quite quickly as any term, but do we know the literal meaning of the word "Protein"? It has been derived from the Greek term "proteios" which means "primary" or "holding first place". It is a well selected term and most of the living things depend on the four chemicals which are proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and lipids.

On an average, a wheat grain contains about 15 percent protein. This is grouped into two. One which is concerned with the metabolism of the grain like enzymes etc. The second kind is stocked by the grain so as to give some kind of nitrogen upon germination. This information had been provided by J. R. Oliver from Wagga Wagga, AUSTRALIA.

Scientists have talked about protein being an "effective strategy" to burn some fat and keep away what is called "dietary thermo genesis" or "thermic effect of food."

Now we are all aware that protein is necessary for our body. However, most of the proteins are found in our muscles. The tissues in our muscles contain what is known as actin and myosin proteins which complement each other when the tissues expand and contract.

Few of the experts say that as you maintain your weight, with some protein added to your meal, you have very less chances to gain any weight, especially when it's lost. However, even if there was any weight gain, it was lean weight and no actual fat. This showed the high protein rate and less of appetite. Even though for losing fat, calories are of utmost importance, still they are not the only reason. Proteins form an essential part as compared to carbohydrates and they play an exceptionally significant role, to lose weight and gain never again.

We know how important protein is, but the question is do we know how much protein we should eat? The two recurring questions are: 1) What are the protein foods that we should eat and 2) how much? As we know protein food which can be consumed are milk, cereal and pulse combinations, cottage cheese and yogurt (curd). In case you are a non vegetarian; you can include lean meats like chicken, fish and eggs (minus the whites). Try having portions of the protein food everyday and you are sure to meet the simmer you. Say you can try this combination, one glass of milk, one cup of yogurt, two servings of any of the pulses you wish to prepare and one serving of lean meat like chicken, fish or even an egg.

Some wish to try supplements, but for someone who works out supplements aren't quite advised.

Remember, you need to eat more protein to burn fat.

Chris McCombs is a personal fitness trainer in Huntington Beach At one time Chris was 143 pounds overweight at which point he looked in the mirror and decided to do something about it. Chris lost the weight and started his own fitness business Positively Fit Inc. which is an Orange County personal training service.

You can learn more about Chris at http://www.socalworkout.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_McCombs

The Top Five Healing Fruits And Vegetables

Of course I don't need to tell you that fresh fruits and vegetables play a vital role in healthy eating habits. At the very minimum, you should eat five servings of produce each day. Seven is even better, and nine is really great.

The reason fruits and vegetables are so important is that they are packed with micronutrients that help your body to support specific systems.

They are also a great source of fiber. Plus fruits and vegetables are your best source of carbohydrates. Your body needs carbohydrates to produce energy. The carbs you get from produce are easier to digest than those you get from grains. (Carbs in grains are denser and "sticky," which makes them hard for your body to use.)

Here are five recommendations for the types of fruits and vegetables you should reach for most often. These will help your body fight disease, they'll lower your levels of inflammation, and they'll generally improve your health.

Berries
Brightly-colored berries like cranberries and blueberries are packed with antioxidants that help your body to fight disease and lower inflammation. In fact, when it comes to antioxidants, berries deliver the most of any fruit or vegetable.

Research shows that compounds in blueberries help your brain to stay healthy. 1 As you age inflammation and oxidation take a toll on your brain, even if it is disease-free. Your motor skills, cognitive function, and memory may all suffer. However, blueberries can make a difference. The polyphenols in blueberries help protect against diseases like Alzheimer's, they prevent age-related declines in function, and they may even help the brain to work better by enhancing its neuronal communication.

Other studies suggest that cranberries and blueberries both may protect against certain cancers, against heart disease, and against stroke. 2

In addition to all this, berries are rich in soluble fiber, which can improve your digestion and help to lower cholesterol levels.

Cherries
Cherries are rich in the antioxidant compound, anthocyanin. This compound may help relieve the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. In animal studies, researchers found that anthocyanin significantly improved the symptoms of arthritis. 3

In addition to anthocyanin, cherries contain a broad spectrum of flavanoids and phytochemicals-these are micronutrients that work as very specific antioxidants in your body. Together they can make a positive difference to your health at the cellular level.

Cruciferous Vegetables
Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus are rich in a compound called diindolylmethane, or DIM for short. DIM converts into indole-3-carbinol in your body. This compound helps to remove aggressive estrogen from your system. It also helps prevent new aggressive estrogens from being absorbed into the body.

This does your body two favors. First, it helps to bring your hormones into better balance. Second, aggressive estrogens are associated with breast and prostate cancers, so cruciferous vegetables help protect you from these deadly diseases.

Tomatoes
These tasty, versatile vegetables (or fruits, depending on who you ask) are rich in lycopene. Lycopene may reduce your risk of a number of cancers including colon, breast, prostate, and skin cancer.

Tomatoes are also a good source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that serves many purposes in your body. It boosts the immune system, improves the health of your skin, and fights against many cancers.

Nuts
Okay, nuts aren't technically a fruit or a vegetable, but they do grow on trees, so I'm making an exception. Nuts are a rich source of minerals. Brazil nuts, for example, are one of the best available sources of selenium. Nuts can also provide calcium, zinc, iron, copper, and manganese. In fact, a 100 gram serving of mixed nuts a day delivers your daily-recommended amounts of all these important minerals. 4

Food is your absolute best source of the many nutrients your body needs for optimum health. These five foods will give you a wide variety of micronutrients, antioxidants, and minerals-the building blocks for a healthy, disease-free body.

Mark Rosenberg, MD
Institute For Healthy Aging

http://www.vitalmaxvitamins.com
http://www.vitalmaxvitamins.com/blog

Vitamin Water - A Health Drink That Enhances the Benefits of Drinking Water or Silly Sales Gimmick

Many people drink vitamin water and believe they are consuming a health drink, but that's like believing cotton candy is good, fat free food. Let's look at the small print on a bottle of vitamin water. The flavor we'll investigate for this article is kiwi-strawberry, which the label suggests will improve your "focus".

The first thing we notice about the ingredients is that there is not one mention of kiwi or strawberry, only "natural flavor", which could be anything from sugar to MSG. In fact, on a bottle of supposed kiwi-strawberry "nutrient enhanced water beverage" the label states that this health drink contains less than 1% fruit juice. What is really in this vitamin water and is it a health drink? Upon closer inspection we see that it is really a bottle filled with distilled, de-ionized water, sugar, isolated vitamins and minerals.

One nutrition fact to note on the label of the vitamin water is that each bottle contains 2.5 servings. This is where the amount of sugar can be deceiving because the label reveals only 13g of sugar, but that's per serving. Multiply 13g times 2.5 servings and you've got a whopping 32.5 grams of sugar in each bottle of vitamin water, that's more than most sodas. You see, the first ingredient listed on the label, after the dead, de-mineralized water, is crystalline fructose, which might best be described as liquid cotton candy. That's what this bottle of pink vitamin water tasted like-liquid cotton candy, only with less flavor and more of a chemical aftertaste. I could only handle a few sips before beginning to clearly "focus" on how very bad this product is, and how sneaky the manufacturer is to make it look like a health drink.

Now, let's take a good look at the "vitamins" that are in this "nutrient enhanced beverage" of kiwi-strawberry vitamin water. According to the label, each serving contains 10% of your daily requirements for Vitamins A, B3, B6, B12, and B5 and a hefty 40% of your daily allowance of Vitamin C. The problem is that these "vitamins" are not attached to any whole food like strawberries or kiwis.

Remember, those whole foods were missing from the ingredients. Therefore, the live enzymes needed to help your body absorb the vitamins into your cells are not there. It is a nutrition fact that whole foods like fruits and vegetables contain live enzymes, which act as catalysts for vitamins and minerals to work in your cells. Without those whole food properties, isolated vitamins are not easily absorbed by the body and are more than likely eliminated in the toilet. So, how many of those vitamins in the vitamin water are actually being put into use by the body? Probably about as many as you could get from eating cotton candy.

If you really want good tasting health drink formulas that truly enhance the benefits of drinking water, then you need to search the Internet. There are some excellent all natural health drink formulas that contain live enzymes, real whole food vitamins, and more nutrients than you could ever get from a case of vitamin water, but you won't find those superior health drink products at the convenience store. You have to look past the sales gimmicks, read labels carefully, learn about live enzymes, whole foods, and how the body absorbs nutrients. You can find all of this information on the net. If you are serious about your health and fitness and want something more than a gimmick, search the web. Look for nutrition facts about whole foods, all natural foods and health drink products to truly enhance the benefits of drinking water, or anything else you are putting in your body.

Cliff Smith is the owner of an online health food store and is always searching for healthy all natural foods and health drink products. He is an avid mountain biker who cycles 50-100 miles per week over rugged terrain in the southwestern United States and consumes only the highest quality nutrition for an athlete

Cliff offers free audio about all natural foods for a healthy balanced diet, free samples and free nutrition facts at BestHealthFoodStore.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cliff_Smith

Why High Reps Are Better For Gaining Weight Fast

Most bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts trying to gain weight fast are always told that in order to gain muscle mass they should stick to heavy weights for low reps.

This weight training myth stems from many believing that “heavy weights for low reps” are for “size”, and that “light weights for high reps” are for “endurance”.

Well, nothing could be further from the truth.


As a matter of fact, if gaining muscle weight is a challenge for you, heavy sets with low reps could be a huge mistake.

Why do I say this?


Well, the European Journal of Applied Physiology posted some research done on how different gene-types in the body responds to different workout routines, based on sets, weight, and reps.

What they discovered was significant.


First off, there are basically two different kinds of gene make-ups for every individual:

1) ACE II


2) ACE DD


In one of the studies conducted, scientists took 99 weight trainers and placed them on two types of workout routines:

• One workout program was made up of multiple sets for high reps and lighter weight (reps were in the 12-15 per set).

• The other workout routine was made up of multiple sets for low reps with heavier weight (reps were in the 8-12 per set).

What they found was that the weight trainers that had a harder time gaining weight and muscle had predominantly ACE II genes.

These individuals responded great to the higher reps for lighter weight program.

Yet, when following the lower reps for heavier weight routine, they made no progress at all in terms of building muscle mass.

Sure, they may have gotten stronger, but we’re focusing on gaining muscle weight and size, not strength.

(No, size and strength don’t go hand in hand, as many would have you believe. Which is a huge reason why most natural bodybuilders / fitness enthusiasts never truly achieve their goals. They get stronger, but not bigger. Is this the case with you??)

One of the reasons for why higher rep training is much better for those that are predominantly ACE II is because they have greater tissue oxygenation, which can elevate contracting of the heart and skeletal tissue.

More reasons why higher reps are better than lower rep for heavy weights to gain weight fast:

• The high volume of blood forced through the veins and arteries while working out with high reps will carry with it important muscle building nutrients to feed the training muscles.

• High rep training enhances capillary density (the thickness of the capillaries within the muscle).

• High rep training increases the diameter (size) of the blood vessels within the muscle.

• High rep training stimulates the formation of new blood vessels.

…..all of which are responsible for making your muscles bigger in size and mass.

(Hey, isn’t that what you’re after in the first place????)

Leave the heavy weights for low reps to the powerlifters.

To read more proof on why most of what is recommended to gain weight fast is the wrong way, check out Jonathan Perez's workout site at http://www.FromSkinnyToMuscular.com/articles.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Perez

Weight Gain Pills

I'm sure that in your search for information to gain weight you would have come across some of those ads for weight gain pills. You know the ones that promise to increase your appetite, decrease your metabolism, or somehow magically redirect your weight gain exactly to the places that you want it.

Excellent, so pop a couple of pills before each meal and you'll soon be exactly where you want to be - no need to train, and you can eat what ever you like. These websites usually have very convincing testimonials, but cite no research or studies. These products will not work as dramatically as suggested in the advertisements, however they can have a positive impact on your weigh gain goal.

If you stop and check the ingredients of the pills, you will find out that they are nearly identical to the average multi vitamin.

What the manufacturers have done is found a new market for their product in the weight gain industry, and just re branded their product as a weight gain supplement - at a heavy markup! The reason they work on some people is because small vitamin deficiencies can have a direct impact on your ability to gain lean muscle weight. If you have decided to employ an intense training program, then the additional stress to your body will create a greater need for nutrients, and a multi-vitamin should be the first thing considered.

Even though something is given the title of a weight gain product, it doesn't mean that it is going to help you to put on weight. Make sure that you do your research. You will definitely want to look into taking a multi-vitamin, as it will be a great value to you weight gain goals. However your diet and training plan are the most important ingredients to your weight gain plans.

Want to learn more about gaining weight and building muscle? Then visit http://www.gain-weight.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Sinfield

Muscle Building Tips

Here are listed some of the important muscle building tips which are required to be followed in order to build muscle and get ripped fast. Plain language makes it easier to understand and follow:
* Proper warm up exercises done before every workout routine will increase exercise output, efficiency and will safeguard you any injury like pulls or strains to great extent.
* Recuperation is often the most neglected part of training and it shows in poor underdevelopment. So to muscle-up, rest and grow. Having adequate sleep is the best way to do so.
* Don't train the abs specifically to lose fat - In the fitness world this concept is known as spot reduction, which is impossible. Fat is certainly burned while you train, but here's the catch: Fat is reclaimed from all over your body before it's reclaimed from any given body site. It is an importance fact that your body will burn fat from all over the body reserves then from one point exclusively for which exercises are performed.
* Running or jogging is a good exercise for overall body fat loss. But if running or jogging is done on an uneven ground the resultant body fat loss shoots up to 50% to 75%.
* It is impossible to turn fat into muscle. However it is possible to change your body composition while maintaining the same body weight.
* You need at least two grams of protein per pound of body weight if you want to see any form of muscle gain. For example, a 150 pound individual needs at least 300 grams of protein a day, but most muscle builders don't even take 50% of that.
* Muscle soreness after a workout signals muscle growth. One usually feels soreness the following day on account of training. Don't go back to the gym until the sore feeling has completely vanished. Concentrate on the diet and rest instead to reap the best.
* Be sure to write down details of each of your workouts. This will help you in gaging your strength increase and keep you motivated and up.
* Beware of over training. Long hours of weight training routine don’t benefit in any way. On the contrary it will damage your previous gains also. Often the beginners make this sort of mistake. They may see good gains at the start. But they hit a plateau soon and see no gains in muscle size or strength. All this happens because muscles need adequate rest.
* When you are lifting weights you get a fair idea on the max you can lift. Don't try to experiment on how much you can lift. This is potentially dangerous and ruin all your muscle building goals.
* Take plenty of water. It should be no less then 8-10 glasses per day.
Article courtesy of Jason Thomas. Discover How You Can Build Muscle With Immediate Effective Results Using Proven Simple Steps
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_A_Thomas

Add 20 Pounds to Your Bench in 4 Weeks

There's no doubt that a guy reading this who uses AAS, and one who does not, are going to get different results from any mass-building program. Everyone should start off by saying this, but maybe some assume it goes without saying. However, on the other hand, the good news is, we really believe that someone natural can still add 10-15 pounds to his bench using this exact program, provided that he eats appropriate calories, gets appropriate rest, and uses supplements to his advantage, such as creatine, glutamine, and others that enhance one's recovery and/or strength. Really, it's technique, discipline and pushing oneself beyond a certain point. So, to sum up, if the AAS user is a lazy bugger, and the natural dude is motivated to succeed - no matter what - we think even the natural dude can surpass the lazy bugger. 'Nuff said.

A Little About the Rationale Behind the Program
Anything that promises strength gains does so because it fits a particular profile. Remember this profile and you won't have to read all of these articles all the time, because there are only so many effective combinations in this life. And this one is simply this:

Low Rep - Low Volume - High-Intensity
Okay, so the first two are probably fairly obvious, but how can one encapsulate the concept of "high intensity"? Not quite as simple or obvious, since it's one of those concepts that a lot of people don't understand. It isn't just a mean look on one's face prior to or during a set, it's a set of factors that create a practical concept. Many things can constitute high intensity during training, depending upon what it is you're doing - cardio or weight training. Generally, high intensity is maximum weight, manipulation or use of rest times as intensity, set type or pagination, number of sets or types of exercises combined, and most often forgotten... lack of cheating!

In this case, exercises ought to be basic and compound. Because we're talking about bench press, we're going to be using it mostly, but we'll also add some ancillary exercises to ensure that the bench becomes stronger.

Form should be simple: No bouncing the bar off your chest or cheating the weights up, controlling the bar to just hover at its lowest point just an inch above the nipple area, a full grip rather than a false grip, a slightly wider than shoulder width and a sharp, heavy exhale as you drive the weight upward.

But first things first....
You need to determine your overall rep max with a particular weight. That's crucial because you'll be maxing weight out for intensity and strength and this is a meaningful measurement. So to arrive at it, you'll need to do a few tests first:
2 x 12 with a weight you suspect is your heaviest you can do for :
2 sets of 12 w/ a 2 minute rest in between sets
1 x 8 with a weight you think you can do for:
10 reps w/ a 3 minute rest in between
1 x 4 with a weight you think you can do for:
6 reps w/ a 3 minute rest
Now, try your rep max for 1 with the single heaviest weight and take a 3 minute rest
Repeat by trying again 1 x 1 adjusting until you find it.
Rest 3 days after you do this exercise, then begin the following routine for 4 weeks:
4 WEEK ROUTINE
Bench Press
1 x 8 (weight _90% max_ );
1 x 6 (weight _85% max_ );
1 x 4 (weight _70% max_ );
1 x 8 (weight _50% max_)
Bench instructions: Pause at your chest for a few seconds, controlling the weight at the bottom end for added strength. Have a partner do a few negative reps with you on some of these. You can also use band tension to increase “explosivity” if you have them.
Incline Dumbbell Press (smith or regular bar station)
2 x 8 (weight _85% max_);
2 x 4 (weight _75% max_);
1 x ** (weight _85% max);
1 x 8 (weight _60% max_)
Dumbbell Flyes (Flat)
2 x 5 (weight _85% max_);
2 x 3 (weight _85% max_);
1 x 1 (weight _90% max_);
3 x 8 (weight _75% max_)
French Press - Skull Crushers
1 x ** (weight _75% max_);
2 x 8 (weight _65% max_);
2 x 5 (weight _80% max_)
(Do your regular triceps routine on its designated day if you can, with some drop-set dips added in)
** means to failure in that set
Take 3-4 days in between this workout - Don't let us stop you from doing more of your max toward the end sets of your various movements. Push yourself, though not into injury. Rest times vary depending upon fatigue, but try to keep rest times to 2-3 minutes, tops!
Stretching: Do a series of stretches after this routine. It's going to hurt and you'll want to just stop the madness and pain from the extreme pump you have. You can start off by doing some light sets of flat bench flyes or incline dumbbell flyes. We're talking 20 pounds or so in each hand. Hang from a chin bar too. All of this will help the lactic acid clear out, and soreness will be less. Taking glutamine will also help.
Supplementation: Creatine and Glutamine!! You decide the amounts, but really try to coordinate the first 3 weeks with a creatine load. Always finish off with a carb/ protein shake with 3-4 grams of glutamine.

A final word...
Remember, you can modify this, based on how you feel from day to day. Stick with the basics of the program, but if you are feeling more fatigued and you decide to go ahead with your workout instead of taking another day off, increase rest times slightly, tweak set or rep numbers, but keep it intense and have your partner add in more negatives or do some drop sets instead and end a little early. If you have to cut out something, make it French Press/ Skull crushers. The first 3 are truly important. But if you have to choose, definitely do the first three first.
Learn from your progress and mistakes and attack that bench like you're a cannibalistic beast!

Dane Fletcher is THE Training Authority – sure, he’s got all the industry recognized “certs”… but here is one chap you won’t see hanging that s**t on his den wall. Dane is more comfortable in the dirtiest hole in the wall gym, than your local polished “Fitness Corral”. Originally from London, he has trained in gyms all over the world and has picked up knowledge all along the way from some of the industry’s most recognized personas. Dane writes exclusively for GetAnabolics.com, a leading provider of Bodybuilding Supplements and alternatives to Steroids For more information, please visit http://www.getanabolics.com

Dane writes exclusively for GetAnabolics.com, a leading provider of Bodybuilding Supplements and alternatives to Steroids. Please visit GetAnabolics.com for more info.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dane_Fletcer

Why High Reps Are Better For Gaining Weight Fast

Most bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts trying to gain weight fast are always told that in order to gain muscle mass they should stick to heavy weights for low reps.

This weight training myth stems from many believing that “heavy weights for low reps” are for “size”, and that “light weights for high reps” are for “endurance”.

Well, nothing could be further from the truth.

As a matter of fact, if gaining muscle weight is a challenge for you, heavy sets with low reps could be a huge mistake.

Why do I say this?

Well, the European Journal of Applied Physiology posted some research done on how different gene-types in the body responds to different workout routines, based on sets, weight, and reps.

What they discovered was significant.

First off, there are basically two different kinds of gene make-ups for every individual:

1) ACE II

2) ACE DD

In one of the studies conducted, scientists took 99 weight trainers and placed them on two types of workout routines:

• One workout program was made up of multiple sets for high reps and lighter weight (reps were in the 12-15 per set).

• The other workout routine was made up of multiple sets for low reps with heavier weight (reps were in the 8-12 per set).

What they found was that the weight trainers that had a harder time gaining weight and muscle had predominantly ACE II genes.

These individuals responded great to the higher reps for lighter weight program.

Yet, when following the lower reps for heavier weight routine, they made no progress at all in terms of building muscle mass.

Sure, they may have gotten stronger, but we’re focusing on gaining muscle weight and size, not strength.

(No, size and strength don’t go hand in hand, as many would have you believe. Which is a huge reason why most natural bodybuilders / fitness enthusiasts never truly achieve their goals. They get stronger, but not bigger. Is this the case with you??)

One of the reasons for why higher rep training is much better for those that are predominantly ACE II is because they have greater tissue oxygenation, which can elevate contracting of the heart and skeletal tissue.

More reasons why higher reps are better than lower rep for heavy weights to gain weight fast:

• The high volume of blood forced through the veins and arteries while working out with high reps will carry with it important muscle building nutrients to feed the training muscles.

• High rep training enhances capillary density (the thickness of the capillaries within the muscle).

• High rep training increases the diameter (size) of the blood vessels within the muscle.

• High rep training stimulates the formation of new blood vessels.

…..all of which are responsible for making your muscles bigger in size and mass.

(Hey, isn’t that what you’re after in the first place????)

Leave the heavy weights for low reps to the powerlifters.

To read more proof on why most of what is recommended to gain weight fast is the wrong way, check out Jonathan Perez's workout site at http://www.FromSkinnyToMuscular.com/articles.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Perez

Five Step Action Plan to Get Rid of Belly Fat Fast

Abi Shaan


Losing belly fat has become a big dream for millions of people all over the world, because according to current stats, weight loss has become a multi BILLION industry. And why do people need to lose weight? Mostly because they want to get rid of belly fat or the love handles or finally to get to see their own FEET!

In this article I am going to show you 5 easy steps that will easily get you on track and get rid of those love handles and get a tight belly in no time.

Step 1:

Get Rid of Belly Fat with Nutrition

The first and most important step is to control your nutrition. No matter how hard you workout, you need to give your body the proper input. A car running on petrol won’t run on water. In the same way, giving your body the wrong nutrition can have adverse effects to whatever you do, no matter how many hours of cardio you do or how many Ab crunches you do. If you want to get things in perspective concerning your belly fat situation, then you need to feed your body with the proper input at the proper time. Eg: more lean protein, frequent glasses of water, fruits and vegetables etc..

Step 2:

Get Rid of Belly Fat with the right Meal Plan

This goes along with the nutrition when it comes to importance. In order to get your body ultra fat burning mode, you need to prevent your body from entering starvation mode. This does not mean barging into food all at once. You need to feed your body a maximum of 350-500 calories every three hours or so. Remember; if your body gets no input for more than four hours, your body will assume that you are fasting and it will enter starvation mode, which means your body will be storing all the fat instead of burning them. So BE AWARE of your meal frequency which should be a minimum of five short meals a day.

Step 3:

Get Rid of Belly Fat with the right Training

In order to get rid of belly fat, you need to burn the entire fat all over your body. A guy will flabby arms and gigantic thighs cannot have a six pack. You get me? Hope so. Nutrition and Meal plan do 50% of the fat loss work for you. But weight training or Bodyweight Training help improve your fat loss progress. Every single pound of Muscle added to your body helps burn an extra 35 calories everyday. That’s 3.7 pounds of fat loss per year on autopilot. By training your body with the goal to add muscle, that’s by working your major muscles like the chest, back, legs at a repetition range of 8-12 reps, 3 sets each with a slow tempo of 3-1-2. [Three seconds at the hard part of the movement, 1 second at the peak, and 2 seconds on return].

Step 4:

Get Rid of Belly Fat with Cardio

As much as you don’t like to hear the word cardio, you need to do cardio right AFTER Step 3 because after your workout, your body will be flushing the glycogen [That’s a good thing], which means you can take advantage of it by doing cardio to put the extreme touch on fat burning process. By flushin on glycogen means, your body has used up all the energy, and is now gonna pull out the fat to be used as energy. So doing cardio now will make you happy because you know you are burning the fat.

Now I know Cardio is boring, and according to recent research, an idea used in the 1980’s called HIIT has now become very popular in the fat loss industry because High Intensity Interval Training lets you take your body beyond the normal Fat Burning Zone into gasping for air zone, which is good because the more your body gasps your air, the more oxygen sucked in by your body, and more fresh blood to boost up the fat loss.

HIIT works best with Treadmill, Sprinting, Mountain Sprinting, Body weight Intervals and a Stationary Bike.

Step 5:

Get Rid of Belly Fat with Core Training

As much as it is important to lose fat all around the body, if you don't have a strong core, you wont see those strong abs. In order to achieve a that tight and firm belly fat, you need to do a couple of exercises for your core. This simply means your abs, but a deeper version. Doing hundreds of Ab Crunches won’t work. A few core exercises like Planks, Ab curl ups, Spiderman Climbers, Mountain Climbers etc.. wil do the trick. 8 to 10 reps of three sets each.

Action!

If you just sit on the couch reading hundreds of books and articles on how to lose fat without actually putting them into action, you are not going to reach anywhere. READING how to drive a car won’t help you reach your destination. You need to actually DRIVE it..!

So use these five steps into action right now without fail, and I promise you that if you follow the exact guidelines provided in this action plan, you are going to be smiling wide in four weeks!

If you are serious about getting rid of belly fat, click the link below to get a more advance workout.

www.TruthAboutFat.Blogspot.com

Bodybuilding and Steriods - Roid Gut the End of the Aesthetic Physique

Okay here's a subject that really gets my blood boiling. Bodybuilding is intended to be the creation of the perfect physique...right? That means that the chest, shoulders, legs, arms and back are suppose to be developed to their full potential while keeping the waist muscular but small. Some bodybuilders may have one genetically gifted part that has a tendency to be superior to another part. The normal goal is to emphasize the training of the weaker body part while curtailing training to the more responsive body part. This is done to obtain proportional muscle size. In achieving the perfect physique, the waist is meant to be small compared to upper body parts and the legs. The smaller the waist the more dramatic the surrounding muscles appear. The Back will look like a flared cobra's head when attached to a tiny waist.

I remember the physiques of the past, Arnold, Bob Birdsong, Franco Columbo, Bob Paris and Frank Zane achieved this dynamic look. Darin Lannaghan, Bill Davey and Stan McQuay have produced this look in modern day bodybuilding though they may never be seen at the Arnold Classic Competition.

So What's Changed?

In mid 80's, Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and Insulin became popular drugs with professional bodybuilders. The net result, with these top level competitors, is the "Roid Gut". Now days, we have bodybuilders sporting a 40-46" waists. I am guessing, of course, since no competitor would dare share the mammoth size of their waistlines. If they did, I would bet they would shave the number down an inch or two. Unfortunately, the Roid Gut has a repulsive appearance contrary to the original intent of the sport. When Jay Cutler in his early years hit national prominence, his youthful physique still had the small waist. Today, Jay's waist is absolutely gross. Sure he may weighs 270+ lbs, but also he sports a waist line of a sumo wrestler. Most of the top bodybuilders, Ronnie Coleman, Dorian Yates and Craig Titus, all exhibit this similar phenomenon. These competitors are simply meeting the expectation of what the judges are condoning and encouraging by accepting this look at as the "champion" physique.

I am writing this article to discourage the use of these drugs. They are sucking the lifeblood out of the Sport, destroying the potential aesthetics of the physique, and taking the bodybuilding back to the freak show era of the past. THIS SHOULD NOT BE!

HGH, "Huge Gut Hormone?"

Okay so what does HGH do to the body? In a normal person, HGH is produced by the body and causes the normal body growth process. The HGH drug was originally developed for children that exhibited stunted growth and were found to have a low production of this hormone. Doctors would administer HGH in small amounts to stimulate a normal growth pattern.

In a few people, HGH production is overactive (from birth) it can also create person of gigantic proportions. Andre the Giant had this condition. Robert Wadlow was another and he grew to be 7'11". He had many health problems and died at a very early age.

If HGH is administered to an adult, muscle growth restarts. HGH is very different than steroids. HGH causes production of new cells. Steroids cause only the enlargement of existing cells. The new cell growth seems to target only with the soft tissues and rarely skeletal system. Unfortunately, not only are the muscles cells multiplying but so are the internal muscles like the intestines and heart. Furthermore, organs, like the liver, kidneys and pancreas are growing too. When the growth of these internal muscles and organs occur in a fixed chest cavity, there is only one direction for this extra mass to go and that is out the abdominal area. Starting to get the picture?

Insulin's Additive Affect

Now what is insulin's affect on the body? Insulin is a super steroid that funnels the nutrients and sugar into muscle. When combined with hard workouts, recovery is very quick. Properly taken, it drives cell growth better than any other steroid. However if you screw up in taking insulin at the wrong time or dosage, you can throw yourself into insulin shock and die. Also long term use can make you a diabetic, a condition that shortens life. When Insulin is combined with HGH, the muscles are set to make significant gains.

The downside of insulin is that it is also active in creating the storage of fat in the body in the event of starvation. These fat deposits are stored internally to body and not on the exterior muscles. This is wonderful for the bodybuilder's appearance but not for this health. These fat deposits called visceral fat are found around the internal organs of the liver, pancreas, heart and kidneys. Couple this additional weight with growth of the internal muscles and organs and you have enough extra mass to create a really protruding Roid Gut.

"Side Bar" Story

Let me tell you one story that comes to mind back in the very early 80's. Tim Belknap, then a great in the world of bodybuilding, announced that he was diabetic. I have no reason to doubt he was, but I am now convinced that Tim found the secret to using insulin to maximize his bodybuilding potential. During that era, Tim was by far the most vascular bodybuilder on the scene. I also notice, he had a semi-protruding waistline. At the time I felt sorry for Tim being handicapped with diabetes but admired that he had accomplish a world class physique under this condition. Now looking back, I am sure Tim was able to apply his insulin to his bodybuilding benefit.

You be the Judge

I am convinced that these "super heavy weight" competitors at 270+ lbs might really weigh 240 or so if you stripped the mass out of their guts. But then again they might only weigh 220 if they lost the additional muscularity as a result of these two drugs. Let's return to the aesthetic builds of a few years past. I hope that even if judges don't award the small waist competitor the winning trophy, you will agree, that creating a Roid Gut is neither attractive nor healthy!

Scott Jameson is a bodybuilder and trainer for over 30 years. He has a passion for bodybuilding and helping other achieve this success. He regularly applies the techniques in this article. See more of his articles at http://www.bodybuildingprogramzone.com

If you want to more information on a Bodybuilding Program - Check out the Zone, the site with a passion for you to succeed.

This article may reproduced on your website provided you acknowledge Scott Jameson as the author and must show link to http://www.bodybuildingprogramzone.com

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Weight Gain Supplements Explained

Faced with the issue of gaining weight you may choose some desperate options to try to gain that weight fast. Weight gain supplements are often used by bodybuilders to gain weight before they enter a competition and can also be beneficial for anyone wanting to gain weight. Before you start taking any type of diet supplement you need to create a balanced diet plan for weight gain. Once you are eating to gain weight you can make the decision of whether or not you want to a weight gain product to your diet or not. One of your deciding factors will be whether or not you can consume all the foods in one day that you need to increase your calorie and nutrient needs for weight gain. You may find it difficult to eat so much food during the day. If this is the case, weight gain products are a good choice for you. Weight gain products can provide you with nutritious meals that are still balanced and healthy.

The best types of weight gain supplements are those that help you reach your caloric goal for the day. If you want to add more protein to your diet you can choose a supplement that is comprised of more protein than other weight gain products. Perhaps you are meeting all your protein goals for the day but are having difficulty consuming enough calories. If this is the case you can choose a weight gain product that has a higher complex carbohydrate count but is low in protein. The options that you choose will depend on how much weight you want to gain, how fast you want to gain it, and how much of a supplement you need to add to what you are already eating each day.

Try to stay away from those weight gain supplements that have a large calorie count. You don’t want to consume all of your daily calories at once. Your goal should be to divide your number of daily calories over several small meals. Studies show that it is more effective to supply your body with required nutrients in a steady flow every day than it is to consume them all in one sitting. Try to aim for about six small meals every day.

Before buying any weight gain supplement be sure to carefully read the labels and compare the ingredients between two or more brands. Avoid those weight gain products that are high in sugar since sugar won’t help you gain muscle weight but will instead increase your level of body fat. The weight that you gain should be in the form of muscle and not fat.

Hello My name is Roger Gordon owner of ezinearticle.net Thank you for taking the time to read my article. Please pay a visit to my blog for information on How to gain weight fast

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Why To Gain Weight & Mass Forget About Getting Stronger

In the previous article of this series, “Forget About Heavy Weights To Gain Muscle & Weight", I had mentioned that the first reason why you should not be focusing on trying to lift heavier and heavier weights on a regular basis is because when you take a look at what goes on in the real world, those that concentrate on that aspect of weight training may get stronger with that method but not necessarily bigger in muscular size.


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In this article we’ll be going deeper as to why not to build your workout routine around getting stronger if you main goal is to gain weight and muscle mass..

Reason # 2: The lifting of heavier and heavier weight is not the signal to your body to make the muscle larger in size.

Every bodybuilding article and website still believes in the myth that your body adapts to the lifting of heavier weights by making the muscle larger.

Well, that’s not the case in the real world. Here’s the reality of the situation:
When your body senses that a particular muscle is being forced to lift a progressively heavier weight, the signal that it sends is for the body to become stronger….not bigger.
A muscle doesn’t have to be bigger in size to handle heavier weight!

(Read that last sentence over and over until you fully grasp this concept.)

It just has to be stronger. What does the body then do to adapt to the heavier weight if it isn’t to make it bigger? Realize that the lifting of heavier weights is a matter of your body becoming more efficient at recruiting more motor units to come into play to handle the heavier weight…which has nothing to do with becoming physically larger.

It is also a matter of becoming better at using leverage in your lifting technique…which has nothing to do with making the muscle grow. It is also a matter of your neuro-muscular system becoming better at sending nerve signals between the muscle and brain to handle heavier loads…which has nothing to do with stimulating muscle mass. …and on and on.

Do you see the point I’m trying to make here.

A muscle being able to handle heavier and heavier weight really doesn’t have much to do with making the muscle physically larger in size and appearance.

Again, I’ll refer back to the real world example of bodybuilders versus powerlifters / Olympic trainers.

Powerlifters have their bodies trained so that they are very efficient at using leverage in their lifting techniques, recruiting a maximum amount of motor units, and establishing excellent neuro-muscular connections / pathways…all which allow them to lift extreme amounts of weights.

However, their muscular development is nowhere near that of a bodybuilder.
Although the bodybuilder probably can’t lift not even half of the amount of weight that a powerlifter can, he has muscles that are much bigger in size and development.
That’s because a bodybuilder could probably care less about using leverage, recruiting motor units. etc. He’s just trying to gain weight and build muscle mass.

I’ll go deeper into why not to focus in lifting heavy weights to gain muscle weight in the next article….

Weight Gain Diet Foods

Weight gain diet foods are essential to help you gain extra pounds of healthy weight. Skinny people need to know what kind of food and how much to eat. Eating the wrong foods such as high carbs like fries, chips and other junk food is a sure way to create future health problems downstream like hypertension, heart diseases and diabetes. We will look at some of the proper weight gain diet foods you should include in your daily diet and the portions you should be consuming to gain weight quickly and healthy.

There is a right way to eat for weight gain. Instead of eating everything within the 3 basic meals, distribute your food intake into 5 or 6 meals – 3 main and 2 light ones. This would aid your calorie intake and maintain a healthy balance.


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In order to gain weight, it simply means that you have to eat more than what your body requires for the day. This is translated to eating more than your daily calorie requirement to maintain the calorie-burning activities you perform. Eating just enough to meet your daily needs would only keep your weight constant, and not add any additional weight. Studies have revealed that in order for a person to gain extra 1 pound, the person needs to increase his/her calorie intake above what he/she needs by 3500 calories. Assuming the additional weight gain is achieved within a week, this equates adding 500 calories per day to the meals consumed. An average male adult requires about 2000 odd calories per day. If you want to know the exact calorie counts you need to consume, head to my blog to find out your Basal Metabolic Rate.

If you are interested in the kind of weight gain diet foods you can try the following:

1. Milk (3 Glasses)Milk is packed with protein, the ingredient necessary to put on muscle mass. Start the day with a glass of milk, drink it over the next few meals until you are done with more than 3 glasses.

2. Fruits & Vegetables (5 Servings)Eating fruits and vegetables help prepare our bodies for healthy weight gain. They are rich in fiber and vitamins, and aid us in digesting our weight gain diet foods.

3. Breads Choose hearty and dense breads such as oat bran and whole wheat rather than light white breads. Eat them with generous servings of peanut butter and jam.

4. CerealsCereals make great weight gain diet foods. Eat more dense cereals such as muesli, grape-nuts, granola, shredded wheat and bran or wheat chex. Avoid flaked cereals. Remember to use low fat milk instead of water when preparing hot cereals and garnish with nuts and dried fruits.

5. BeveragesDrink more filling beverages like shakes, milk, fruit juices instead of water, tea, coffee and sodas. Go for the higher calorie content.If you are interested to know more about weight gain diet foods and how to gain muscle mass quickly and healthily, read up at my blog for some hot tips.

http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/weight-gain-diet-foods-91459.html

Negative Calorie Foods and Weight Loss

You gain weight when your calorie intake is more than your calorie expenditure. But if this calorie equation is reversed, then it results in "negative calorie" balance in your body. In this negative calorie case, you expand more calories than you take in, resulting in a decrease in the stored calories in the form of body fat, and you experience a weight loss. About 10% of daily caloric intake is used to process foods in the body. You can expand more by doing physical activities.


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There are certain foods that show negative calorie effect because the body has to expand more energy to extract calories from these foods. The negative calorie foods need more calories to break down the foods and digest than the calories the foods actually contain. The extra calories are taken up from the stored fat in the body. Thus the negative calorie foods (may also be called as minus calorie foods or fat burning foods) are ideal for reducing the body fat and for losing weight.

Let us take an example. A piece of dessert consisting of 300 calories may require only 150 calories to be digested by our body, resulting in a net gain of 150 calories which is added to our body fat! So if you eat 100 calories of a food that requires 150 calories to digest, then you have burnt an additional 50 calories simply by eating that food. These 50 calories are used up from the stored fat in your body!

These foods are widely available in nature. Some of the foods from the list of negative calorie foods (about 100 in number) are: asparagus, broccoli, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, carrot, garlic, papaya, spinach, turnip, zucchini, apples, oranges, lettuce, grapefruit, pineapples, strawberries, and raspberries.

It is a great idea to eat these negative calorie food items to your full satisfaction without counting calories. Include these foods in your daily diet and plan your diet according to food pyramid. You will be amazed to see the fast weight loss results. You can follow negative calorie diet plan for safe and permanent weight loss.

This article has been written by http://www.fatfreekitchen.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=P._Mehta

How To Tighten Up Your Stomach Muscles

Most people want to look their best, especially during the warmer spring - summer months where most people dress on the lighter side. To look your best, many people focus on strengthening and tightening up their stomach muscles. If you look even a little bit, you can find many stomach muscle exercises to consider for your exercise program. So which exercises would be best for you?

There are a couple of things to consider before choosing the actual exercise program to strengthen and shape your midsection. The first thing is you need to do is pick a program you are really willing to complete and stick with, since no exercise program will have any benefit long term of you don't keep it up. The second thing to consider is to choose a set of exercises that work all the various muscles groups that form the abdomen from the obliques to the upper and lower abdominal muscles.


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Stomach crunches have always been a popular and effective stomach exercise. Regular crunches work the front stomach muscles while side crunches work the obliques. Crunches are not perfect though, and for some can cause back and neck strain.

A crunchless crunch exercise is a lower abdominal core exercise where the intent is pull the lower abdominal muscles at the belly button inward toward your spine and hold for 10 seconds. This really works those lower muscles that you probably did not even know where there. This type of exercise is done while kneeling or when lying on your stomach. This exercise also eliminates the back and neck strain you may get with a normal crunch.

A long arm crunch involves lying on your back and with knees bent and feet flat. Put your arms straight back as if to reach over your head and then contract your stomach muscles slowly and lift your arms head and shoulders off the floor to about a 30 degree angle. Hold this position for a few seconds and then slowly go back to your original position. Rinse and repeat for a set.

The hip lift involves lying on your back with arms at your sides and palms up. Then lift your legs straight to about a 90 degree angle to your torso and hold. Now contract your lower abdominal muscles at your belly button to your spine. At the same time, lift your hips off the floor to a height of 2-3 inches and hold there, your legs still being held straight upward. after a few seconds lower your hips back to the floor and then repeat the cycle for a set.

Another good stomach muscle exercise involves laying flat on your stomach with legs straight and arms extended above your head. Now, raise your body up with hands clasped together as if you were doing a pushup. Hold this position for as long as you can stand it and repeat as desired. This exercise strengthens your whole stomach.

The Pilates workout offers a good stomach muscles exercise because each Pilate exercise focuses on strengthening the core of the body otherwise know as your stomach muscles. Almost every movement in Pilates will work the stomach muscles directly or indirectly so Pilates is a good choice to consider.

There are other stomach muscle exercises out there not mentioned here that are good as well like the vertical leg crunch and the torso twist. If you are serious about working and strengthening your abdominal muscles you will find it advantageous to try several different stomach muscle exercises to find which ones work best for you.

Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of My-Personal-Growth.com a site that provides information and articles for self improvement and personal growth and development.

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100 Calorie Snacks

Listed below are more choices for 100 Calorie Great Snacks. These Snacks are great for in between meal snacking, when you don't want a 100 calorie pack of cookies or chips. Burn a calorie, get up and prepare a snack, something good for you. You must want to treat your body right, if you are searching for 100 Calorie Snacks. Fats and calories are approximated in the following recipes, but remember to check your food labels for complete nutrition information as you prepare these treats. A few recipes listed below are less than 100 calories per serving. Eat frequently throughout your day as digestion raises the metabolic rate, and helps maintain our blood sugar levels.

This skin you're in, is the largest organ on your body, and may account for the largest proportion of our total body weight. Our skin is nearly waterproof, so pamper and hydrate your skin by drinking 8 glasses of water in an eight ounce glass, spread out throughout your day. Water also aids in the process of metabolism. Deep clean your skin and pores with a natural Mineral Epsom Salts Bath, 2 cups sprinkled into your warm bath is pure bliss!!! Exfoliate your skin using your mild soap and a cotton washcloth as our skin sheds several pounds of dead skin cells every year.


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1. Berries and Whipped Cream: Heat 1/2 cup of Frozen Blackberries, Blueberries or Raspberries in the microwave for 2 minutes in a microwavable covered dish, let it cool for 10 minutes at least, then top the cooked Berries with 2 tablespoons of Reddi Wip Whipped Light Cream. Contains about 100 calories, 1 gram of fat, and the Berries are loaded with antioxidants.

2. Chocolate Fix: Fill a bowl with about 6 tablespoons of Reddi Wip Whipped Light Cream, about 45 calories, and add 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons of pure Hershey's Cocoa. Whisk until blended and creamy, approximately 50 endorphin feel good calories, and 3 grams of fat.

3. Tea with Cheese and Crackers: 1 large glass of Iced Tea, squeeze 3 lemon wedges in the tea, 1 wedge of The Laughing Cow Original Swiss Cheese, and 7 Wheat Thins Multi Grain Crackers. This treat has approximately 100 calories and 4 grams of fat. Eliminate artificial sweeteners from your diet and enjoy the benefits of Iced Tea with Lemon, natural Tea contains antioxidants that protect your body from free radicals, and has about half the caffeine of coffee. Add fresh squeezed lemon to taste, for the added immune boosting benefit of vitamin C, and don't put the lemon slice in your glass as the lemon peels can contain oxalates that may inhibit the absorption of calcium. You can always keep on hand Minute Maid Lemon Juice, which contains the juice of 7 lemons in a 7.5 ounce container, use approximately one or to squirts to taste, you can find it in the freezer at your grocery store. If you have to have Sweet Tea, try 1 or 2 packets of Estee Fructose Natural Sweetener with 10 calories per packet, it is delicious and not an artificial sweetener.

4. Breakfast Sandwich: Fry 2 eggs in Pam over medium heat about 2 minutes, then turn over with a spatula, at the edge of both eggs, cut into egg yellows and mash out about two thirds of the yellows and discard. Add salt and pepper to taste. When eggs are done approximately 3 to 4 minutes total, place eggs on one slice of Aunt Millies Fiber for Life Whole Grain Bread with 3 grams of fiber and 35 calories, toast and slice in half, spray toast with Fat Free Parkay Spray and you have a delicious Egg Sandwich with about 4 grams of fat, 12 grams of protein, and approximately 100 calories.

5. Puffed Wheat Cereal: 2/3 cup of Puffed Wheat, one half cup of skim milk and 1 packet of Estee Fructose Natural Sweetener. With less than 1 gram of fat and 100 calories total, this great tasting and filling cereal has approximately 1&1/2 grams of fiber, 12 grams of carbohydrates and 15% of the RDA for Calcium and 15% of the RDA for iron.

6. Toast with Blackberry Jelly: 1 slice of Aunt Millies Fiber for Life Whole Grain Bread toasted, spray with Fat Free Parkay Spray, and spread 1 teaspoon of Blackberry Jelly on the toast. Great snack with about 50 calories. This treat has under 1 gram of fat and 13 grams of carbohydrates with the added bonus of 3 grams of fiber.

7. Mozzarella Cheese Stick and Marinara: Heat 1/4 cup of Barilla Marinara Sauce in the microwave with one light Frigo Mozzarella Cheese Stick in a covered dish, let cool before eating. This snack has about 100 calories, 10 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fat.

8. Southwest Ranch Salad: This salad complete with salad dressing has approximately 100 calories and 3 grams of fat, you'll never want to buy premade light ranch salad dressing again, once you have tried this recipe.1 cup of Romaine Lettuce torn into bite size pieces, 3 Cherry Tomatoes and 3 Cucumber slices diced. Top salad with 2 tablespoons of Fresh Gourmet Tortilla Strips and 1&1/2 tablespoons of your Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing, to make this dressing, combine 1 cup of Kroger Reduced Fat Sour Cream, 1 cup of Kroger Cultured Lowfat Buttermilk and 1 packet of Hidden Valley Original Ranch Buttermilk Recipe Salad Dressing Mix, wisk all ingredients together until creamy and refrigerate 2 hours before serving. This Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing contains approximately 53 calories and 2 grams of fat in a 2 tablespoon serving. Create a large dinner salad by adding 1 extra cup of Romaine lettuce and 1 grilled chicken breast, 4 ounces, this will add about 120 calories and 23 grams of protein.

9. Vegetable Tray with Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing: 1/2 cup of cucumber slices, 6 celery sticks, 6 slices of sweet red pepper 1/2 cup of raw broccoli florets. 2 tablespoons of your Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing, recipe above for your vegetable dip.. This Vegetable Tray has about 100 calories and 2 grams of fat.

10. Turkey Sandwich: 1 slice of Aunt Millies Fiber for Life Whole Grain Bread and a 2 ounce serving of Fat Free Turkey Breast. Spread a teaspoon of mustard on your bread and a few lettuce leaves. Approximately 100 calories, 10 grams of protein and 1 gram of fat.

Please post your comments at the Snack Forum.

Owner of Up2Tempo located in Cincinnati, Ohio selling a variety of Cooking and Dining Magazines and sharing some of my favorite recipes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janie_Hotchkiss

How a Very Low Calorie Diet Can Make You Gain Weight

The weight loss industry is a multi-billion dollar industry filled with meal plans that provide very low calorie levels. This is the magic bullet because if you follow these meal plans closely you will absolutely lose weight. You’re happy and the company can say they gave you what they promised. Physiologically we know that very low calorie diets work for short term weight loss but the question is what are we doing to ourselves in the long run?

The fact is; very low calorie diets (1,000 – 1200 calories or less) are contributing to weight gain more than they are helping people to find lasting weight loss. Many people feel they have to go on a very low calorie diet because this is the only way their weight will budge. Well…they’re right and this is why.


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When a person goes on a very low calorie diet they are putting themselves into starvation mode. If they lose more than two pounds per week they can end up losing muscle mass which will negatively affect their metabolism. This is a topic that is worth spending a minute on. Let’s look at what happened to Sally when she lost more than 2 pounds per week. It may be all too familiar to you!

Sally’s Story:

Sally’s resting metabolic rate (how many calories she burns) was 2500 calories per day. This means she was consuming around 2500 calories each day to maintain her weight where it was. She decided to lose weight by going on a “diet”. The diet program estimated her calories at 1000-1200. She lost 10 pounds in two weeks. She is of course very happy about this weight loss. This is success! What she doesn’t know is that part of that rapid weight loss is not fat but muscle. Sally then gets bored on this diet after the first month, which is typical, and goes back to her old eating habits.

What happened to Sally’s body during this diet? She lost lean body mass along with body fat. Muscle is the most important factor in keeping your metabolic rate high. One pound of muscle burns 30-70 calories while one pound of fat burns around 0-10 calories. During her weight loss in the last month Sally lost approximately 6 pounds of muscle mass (lean body mass).

Sally’s metabolic rate used to be 2500 calories for her weight to stay stable and now it has decreased to approximately 2100 calories. Now when she goes back to her old eating habits which were landing her on an average of 2500 calories in per day, she will gain her old weight back plus more.

What do you think will happen when she goes on the next low calorie diet? What will happen after 4-5 weight loss diets? You guessed it! She will continue to decrease her metabolic rate. This is why so many people feel that they don’t eat that much but still gain weight. It’s true! To add insult to injury, there are also studies that suggest when people go back to their original eating habits they gain fat tissue rapidly instead of lean body mass.

Don’t despair dieters! There are steps you can take to get your metabolism fired up again but the first step is to stop low calorie diets. The next time you see a program that tries to estimate your calorie level by height, weight, and age; don’t do it! This method is almost never accurate because they aren’t taking into account your health history, genetics, age and all the other multitude of things that make up your individual metabolism. Remember, they want you to lose weight fast so you are satisfied with their product or service so they will give you the lowest calorie level.

The only way to truly know how many calories you burn is to get your metabolism tested with a breathing test. These tests are now made affordable and can be done for $50-$125. To find someone in your area that provides these tests go to www.healthetech.com. Otherwise do not trust estimates from scales or calculations. They almost always under estimate your calorie level which will do you more harm than good.

© Meri Raffetto, 2005. All Rights Reserved

Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. Learn about her online Balance Weight Loss Program and sign up for her free monthly newsletter to receive nutrition tips, inspirational stories, and healthy recipes.

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Gain Weight - Dumbbell Workouts - A Smart Way To Exercise

Dumbbell workouts have been around for many years, especially as part of weight training equipment and programs. Fad workouts and equipment have come and gone, but dumbbell workouts have remained an easy, inexpensive way to get in shape and strengthen muscles. Their reliability and effectiveness are just some of the reasons for the longevity of their popularity. Add in the fact that they take up little space and cost far less than many other types of equipment, and it becomes clear that they are a perfect choice for many fitness fans, especially as part of a home gym. There are many different dumbbell workouts that can be done at home.

Advantages of Dumbbell Workouts

Working with dumbbells has several advantages over other types of equipment that use resistance. For instance, by their very nature, dumbbell workouts require you to use stabilizing muscles that are important to strength, balance, and posture. Unlike some exercise equipment that utilizes movements that may take some getting used to, dumbbell exercises use many of the body’s natural movement patterns and also incorporate a greater range of movement than many other types of fitness equipment. And the flexibility of dumbbell workouts means that you can target specific areas of the body very effectively.



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Dumbbell Safety

Before getting started with dumbbell weights, there are some basic safety rules to follow. As with all forms of exercise, it is best to start with some stretches or warm ups to loosen and prepare each muscle group. Failing to stretch the muscles can result in strains, tears and other injuries. It is also important to learn how to do the exercises properly, using correct form and technique before moving to heavier dumbbell weight sets and more difficult dumbbell workouts. There is a wrong way to do the exercises, and this too can result in injury or at a minimum, a lack of conditioning or effectiveness. Using a mirror helps you to see if you are using correct form.

In addition, experts recommend that with any type of weightlifting program, you have someone spot you at all times. Spotting entails having a person who watches every step of your workout to be sure you are not overextending yourself and to provide support and encouragement at critical points. A properly executed dumbbell workout will push your muscles to their limits and even a lightweight dumbbell can hurt like heck if you drop it on your head or toe. Lastly, it is a good idea to check with your physician or fitness professional before beginning exercises if you have health concerns or have experienced an injury, especially in the back or shoulder area.

Dumbbell Workout Exercises

When people think of dumbbell workouts, they often think of working the biceps and triceps. And in fact, dumbbells are ideal for strengthening and growing these muscle groups. However, there are exercises that incorporate dumbbells in ways that work every major muscle group in the body. The following six exercises each tackle one area of the body. They are some of the most common and easy to understand.

1.) Build those biceps

Hammer Curls - Stand straight and slightly loose with a dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms on each side of your body with your palms facing each leg. Keep your elbows tight against your body, curl the weights up in a hammer motion and slowly return to the starting position. You can work both arms simultaneously or alternate the two. Repeat as many times as possible. Remember the goal is to fatigue the muscle.

2.) Try your triceps

Press – Lie flat on a mat or weight bench. With a dumbbell in each hand, extend your arms straight above your head, palms facing each other about two inches apart. Keep your shoulders pressed flat and avoid moving them. Bend your elbows and slowly lower the weights until your hands are on either side of your head. Push your arms back to the extended position and repeat for the desired number of reps.

3.) Shoulder the load

Shoulder Press – Can be performed sitting or standing. Sitting is recommended for beginners, as is a chair or bench with back support. With a dumbbell weight in each hand, extend your arms directly over your head, keeping elbows slightly bent to avoid locking. Slowly lower your arms until they are bent in a 90-degree angle, then push back to extended position and repeat. It is important to be sure you are pressing straight overhead as the tendency is to move at a diagonal.

4.) Best Chests

Flies – This exercise can be done lying flat or at a slight incline with back supported. With a weight in each hand, extend arms above your chest with palms facing each other. Bend your elbows slightly and be sure to keep that bend throughout the exercise. Lower your arms to either side until your upper arms are parallel with the floor. Push back to the extended position and repeat.

5.) Back to basics

Bench Rows – This exercise requires a bench set at a 30-degree incline. Adjust the height of the bench so that when you lie face down on the bench, your hands just barely touch the floor. Grab a dumbbell in each hand with your palms turned toward your feet. Bend your arm at the elbow and lift the dumbbells to your sides so that your upper arm is parallel with the ground. Slowly return the weights to the starting position and repeat.

6.) Get a leg up

Lunges – This is an exercise that is often included in an aerobics workout. Adding a dumbbell helps target the leg muscles and increases the strengthening effectiveness. Stand straight with feet about 12-18 inches apart. With a dumbbell in each hand, held at your sides, step forward with one foot, bending the knee at a 90-degree angle. Allow the other leg to bend automatically and that knee to just barely touch the floor. Push back to an upright position with the original foot and repeat. Do a set leading with the opposite foot as well, or alternate after each lunge.

These are just a few of the different dumbbell workout options. Trainers and fitness professionals have developed dumbbell exercises for all levels and situations. Dumbbells are an inexpensive, versatile way to burn calories and target specific muscle groups. They work well for people with limited space and for anyone who wants to add difficulty to an existing workout.

About the Author:

C.J. Gustafson is a successful writer for Best-Home-Gyms.com, providing consumer information and reviews on the best home gyms, strength training equipment, adjustable dumbbells and the best ab machines.

Permission is granted to publish this article on your site only if the author's byline is included and all links are hyperlinked.

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Gain Weight - Creatine Side Effects

Creatine is an amino-acid based compound that is produced naturally in the human body. The body produces half the required creatine endogenously from internal amino acids and the rest is produced from the food we take. Creatine is found largely in fish and red meat. Creatine is produced by the liver, pancreas and kidneys and is sent to the muscle tissues through the blood. It is converted into phosphocreatine molecules that store energy in muscular tissues. This allows the body to release large bouts of energy when the body is exerted.

Creatine is taken as a food supplement like vitamins and minerals. This is to create additional phosphocreatine in the body for generating more energy. Creatine supplements are generally taken by people participating in sports like weightlifting, wrestling and sprinting as these sports require sudden bursts of energy for short periods. Creatine supplements are approved by the FDA and under the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Creatine also has other benefits like promoting lean-muscle mass and reducing muscle wasting in post-surgical patients. It is also believed to help heart patients by increasing their exercise capacity, reducing heart spasms and thus increasing heart function. Some studies have also indicated its usefulness in treating neuromuscular disorders though tests are still being conducted.



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Use of creatine as a food supplement is on the rise. Despite its usefulness, creatine is found to have some side effects albeit few. The most common side effect is weight gain due to more water in the muscle and increase in the lean-muscle tissue. Other side effects observed were dehydration, muscle cramps, nausea, diarrhea, gastrointestinal distress and seizures. For persons with existing kidney or renal disorders, creatine was found to cause renal stress because of more stress on the kidneys.

The long-term effects of taking creatine over a long period of time haven’t been established yet. Its side effects when used along with other medications or supplements also haven’t been determined yet. Hence it is better to be well informed about the likely side effects of creatine before using it, especially in the “loading” method. Most creatine supplement products sold over-the-counter have the precautions and the likely side effects listed on the label. Manufacturers also provide information when requested. There are several websites over the Internet that provides useful information about creatine supplements and their side effects.

Creatine provides detailed information about creatine, creatine benefits, creatine monohydrate, and more. Creatine is affiliated with Body Mass Index Chart.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Bailey

Gain Weight - Creatine and Whey Protein - Worthwhile or Worthless

The bodybuilding industry is notorious for promoting supplements that do nothing more than lighten your wallet. Some supplements are good, but some are just expensive dextrose or protein concentrate in a fancy can. Read the label and see what you are getting for your money.

Supplements are just that: a supplement to proper food. Remember: the cornerstone to nutrition is food. Most supplements are nothing more than powdered food and can offer nothing more than that which is naturally occurring. All the ‘old school’ bodybuilders somehow built their physiques without today’s supplements, usually relying heavily on their local butcher for their daily protein requirements!

The big advantage supplements and Meal Replacement Powders (MRPs) bring is in convenience and when trying to gain weight. Sometimes skinny guys simply cannot stomach the amount of food necessary to gain the mass they want. MRPs are a calorie dense alternative that makes mass gaining much easier.



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The supplements that I have found most useful have been whey protein concentrate and creatine.

Since I was on a mass gain program, I was unconcerned about the extra fat of the protein concentrate, plus it was much cheaper (I bought it in 20 Kg bags) and I could mix it in with everything: breakfast, meal 2 , post workout, and bedtime shakes.

Creatine is a metabolite that is naturally found in red meat, but at a concentration that makes it difficult to consume in useful quantities. Typical dosages are 25g per day for the loading phase, and 5 g per day maintenance. When loading, I found a noticeable increase in muscle strength and endurance; I was able to squeeze out another 2 or 3 reps of whatever exercise I was doing. It is crucial to drink more water than normal when taking creatine and you will often find yourself becoming more thirsty anyway. A concerted effort is needed to drink more water than usual. The result will be an increased ‘pump’ in the muscle during a workout, and ultimately, increased muscle mass. When taking creatine, changing my diet, and training as I was previously, I went from 75Kg(165 lb) and 8% BF to 92 Kg(202 lb) and 9% BF in the space of 9 months: a net gain of over 30lb of muscle !

Combining these two supplements gives me my favourite post workout meal: 40 grams of protein with 5 grams of creatine, mixed with cordial to give me an insulin boost. The insulin helps to transport the creatine and protein into the muscle where it is needed. More on this in a later article !

Max Heywood is a former 'skinny guy' who transformed his body with 30 lbs of natural muscle. Read his reviews and recommendations of the best bodybuilding programs available at http://www.buildnaturalmuscle.com

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Gain Weight - 15 Muscle Building Rules for Skinny Guys and Gals!

WHY CAN'T YOU GAIN WEIGHT?

Though there may be many reasons why you may be thin, the most apparent reason is because of your genetics. If your parents are naturally thin or have a small body frame, then you will most likely have the same small body type.

To some degree, your size can also be controlled by your metabolism. If you have a difficult time gaining weight of any kind (fat or muscle) then you most likely have a fast metabolism. That simply means that your body burns calories at a faster than normal rate. You must take this into account whenever you are considering a particular diet or training program. Is it geared towards someone with your metabolism and goal?

Now as you know, there are many ways to train. Hundreds, thousands even. Some work and some do not, but for the specific goal of gaining weight, there are a few UNIVERSAL things that all skinny guys must do.

Though much of the information I cover here is not as "magical" as you may like, I consider these rules to be the basics with regard to weight gain. These are not all of the answers, but they are definite elements that MUST be addressed in any successful weight gain program.

You should be able to easily integrate these rules into your current program to make it more suitable for your particular body and goals.

GENERAL RULES

1.Get the proper information that pertains to your SPECIFIC condition and goals.

The first big problem I find in most people is the lack of correct information. Yes you are motivated and doing things, but your effort is wasted on incorrect dieting and training information. Basically, skinny guys are taking advice from people who have never had a weight gain problem. Want to know how to gain weight? Then find someone who has walked your shoes. Someone who has been where you are.

2.Set a specific goal and create a plan of attack.

If you were to drive cross country to another city, would you just start driving randomly, or would you plan a route that would get you quickly and efficiently?

Think of your plan as a road map and your goal as your destination. Without a plan and a specific goal you will be without focus and can easily get lost or side tracked. This happens more often than you know. I see many people in the gym just doing whatever, or just eating whatever -- no plan or specific goal. They wonder why they don't make progress. They have no focus.

Having a specific program to follow allows you to take action each day. This action is focused on specifically getting you to your destination quickly. There is no thinking, debating or guessing. You just do it. A specific plan provides necessary daily structure that not only keeps you on the road moving forward, it also helps to develop good eating and training habits that will benefit you long after you have reached your destination.

3.Have confidence in yourself and belief in what you are doing.

Let’s face it; we live in a cruel world. Hate and jealously is everywhere. For most people who begin a fitness program to improve themselves, getting started will be half the battle. The other half will be staying motivated throughout the constant onslaught of negativity from others. A few negative words can do serious damage if you allow it.

The most insulting things you hear may be from friends, co-workers and acquaintances at the gym. People hate change. It makes them insecure, because they suddenly discover there’s more to you than they were probably willing to admit. They fear that you may actually achieve your goal. It makes them look less “superior”.

Once you have begun your plan, you must have faith and believe in what you are doing. Stay focused and avoid overly critical or negative people. If you have to, keep your business to yourself. When I first began my program, I stopped talking about what I was doing because I got tired of hearing things like “you can’t do that”, “that’s impossible”, “you’re wasting your time and money”. Funny thing is, now those people are constantly bugging me for advice.

It’s your life. It’s your body. It’s your dream. Don’t allow your success or failure to rest in the hands of others.




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WORKOUT RULES

4. Stop listening to every ridiculous piece of advice you hear in the gym or read on a message board.

Recently a client of mine informed me that someone in the gym stated that he was training all wrong and he needed to train 5-6 days a week, and aim for more reps during his workout. Somewhere in the range of 15-20 reps per set.

The person giving the advice was quite confident about his recommendations, and he had an impressive physique that typically elevates him to the elusive "listen to me if you want to look like me" level in the gym. He was bigger than my client, so even though my client's "intellectual" mind knows that advice is absurd; his "unrealistic dreamer" mind took this information very seriously. So seriously that he changed his program and didn't inform me until a week or so later. This particular person had been making great progress on his current program, yet he allowed this one person’s comment to overshadow that progress and convince him that his program was inadequate. This is a mistake and it showed in his lack of further progress.

In addition, don't judge the validity of what a person says by how they look. Just because the guy is huge doesn't mean he is spewing pertinent advice for you. Many people that have big physiques are big despite of their training, not because of it. I know some huge guys that know very little about training and dieting correctly. They can do whatever and still gain muscle; unfortunately we are not that way, so we much approach things in a more intelligent way.

5.Workout Infrequently

This is the most difficult concept for many to grasp simply because it involves less action, instead of more. When we get motivated and start a new program, it’s natural to want to do something. We want to train and train and train. Thinking all along that the more you train, the more muscle you will build. Unfortunately, this could not be farther from the truth.

More training does not equal more muscle growth. Understand that the purpose of weight training is to stimulate muscle growth. That takes very little time. Once that has been done, the muscle needs to be repaired and new muscle needs to be built. That only happens when you are resting. You do not build muscle in the gym, you build muscle when resting! If you never give your body any essential “non active” time, when will it have a chance to build muscle? Think about that.

Now, add in the fact that you have a difficult time gaining weight and the importance of rest increases. Individuals who are naturally thin and have difficulty building muscle tend to require less training and more rest.

6. Focus on Multi-Jointed Lifts

Multi-jointed exercises are those that stimulate the most amounts of muscle fibers. Unlike isolation exercises which only work individual muscles, multi-jointed lifts work many different muscle groups simultaneously. For those needing to gain weight, this is ideal because these lifts put your body under the most amount of stress. This is the stress that will shock your nervous system and cause the greatest release of muscle building hormones. This results in increased muscle gain all over the body.

You can still do some isolation work; however it should not be the focus of your workouts, and should only come after your multi-jointed lifting is complete.

7. Focus on Using Free Weights

Free weights are preferred over machines for many reasons, but most importantly because they allow the stimulation of certain supporting muscle groups when training. Stimulating these stabilizer and synergistic muscles will allow you go get stronger, and ultimately build more muscle faster. Yes, some can most likely still build large amounts of muscle using machines, but why make it more difficult if you already have a difficult time gaining weight?

8. Lift a weight that is challenging for you

Building mass involves lifting relatively heavy weight. This is necessary because the muscle fibers that cause the most amount of muscle size growth (called Type IIB) are best stimulated by the lifting of heavy weight. A heavy weight as one that only allows you to perform 4-8 reps before your muscles fail.

Using a lighter weight and doing more reps can stimulate some Type IIB fibers, but again if you have a difficult time gaining weight, why make it more difficult? You need to try and stimulate as many as you can with the use of heavy weights.

9. Focus more on the eccentric portion of the exercise.

When you lift a weight, it can be divided into three distinct periods. The positive, the negative and midpoint. The concentric or “positive” motion usually involves the initial push or effort when you begin the rep. The midpoint is signaled by a short pause before reversing and returning to the starting position. The eccentric, or “negative” portion of each lift is characterized by your resistance against then natural pull of the weight.

For example, when doing push-ups, the positive motion is the actual pushing up motion. Once you have pushed all the way up, you hit the mid point. The negative motion begins when you start to lower yourself back down. Most would simply lower themselves as fast as they pushed up, but I recommend extending and slowing down this portion. Slowing down the eccentric part of the lift will help to stimulate more muscle growth. It actually activates more of the Type IIB fibers mentioned about in Rule 7.

10. Keep your workout short but intense.

Your goal should be to get in, stimulate your muscles and then get out as quickly as possible. It is not necessary to do large amounts of exercisers per body part trying to target every muscle and hit every “angle”. This should only be a concern of someone with an already developed, mature physique who is trying to improve weak areas.

If you have no pec, don’t concern yourself with trying to target inner, outer, upper, lower or whatever. Just work your chest. You should do no more than 2-3 exercises per body part. That’s it. Doing more than that won’t build more muscle, faster. In fact it could possibly lead to muscle loss. Long training sessions cause catabolic hormone levels to rise dramatically. Catabolic hormones are responsible for breaking down muscle tissue resulting in MUSCLE LOSS. While at the same time, long training sessions suppress the hormones that actually build muscle.

If you don’t want to lose muscle during your workouts, I suggest limiting your sessions to no more than 60-75 minutes MAXIMUM. Less if you can.

11. Limit your aerobic activity and training

Honestly, I do not do any aerobic activity when I am trying to gain weight. This is mainly because it interferes with the important “non-active” time my body needs for muscle building and recovery. I do understand that people have lives and other activities that they don't want to give up, so it must be kept to a minimum. It won’t hurt your progress as long as you don’t over do it. If you find that you are doing more aerobic activity weight training, that’s overdoing it.

I also don’t recommend it because people tend do it for the wrong reasons. Many start aerobic activity because they believe it will help them to lose fat. While that is true, it won’t do so on a high calorie mass diet. To lose fat, you need to be eating fewer calories.

12. Don’t program hop

Here’s how it usually happens. You’ve just read about a new exercise or workout that is supposed to pack on the mass. Now, even though you had already started another training program a few weeks ago, you are tired of it and really want to start this routine instead because it sounds better.

I call these people, “program hoppers”. They are very enthusiastic when starting a new program, but they never follow it long enough to actually see any results. They are easily distracted and love to drop whatever they may be doing to follow the latest "hot" workout or exercise.

My advice is don’t do it. This is a bad habit that never leads to a positive outcome. Understand that it takes time for any program to work. To be successful, you must follow your program consistently. Yes, there are many different training methods and interesting routines out there, but you can’t do them all at the same time and jumping around won’t allow enough time for any of them to actually be effective for you. Pick one that is focused on your current goal and stick with it. There will be plenty of time to try the others later, but NOT NOW.

EATING RULES

13. Eat more

This rule is pretty simple, but usually the one that is not done correctly. If weight gain is your goal, then you will need to eat more food. Period. In most cases, you will need to eat more than you are normally accustomed to.

One large problem that I had when starting out is I just had no appetite. I knew I needed to eat more, but I just did not want to. I had to force myself to eat at each meal. Thankfully, after about 2 weeks, my appetite grew. I was becoming hungry before each meal, and if I didn't eat my meal at the normal time, my body knew it.

If you have this problem, you still must eat something, no matter how much. Start off making yourself eat something small like fruit every few hours. Then, as your appetite becomes more active, gradually move into more real food.

What this will do is gradually get your body accustomed eating at regular intervals. Eventually you will be hungry before each meal time.

When eating more, you will need to make sure that you are getting plenty of good quality protein. Protein is a nutrient that is essential for building muscle. Every meal that you eat should contain some form of protein. Meal Replacement Powders like Myoplex are excellent for this purpose. They enable you to eat large amounts of good quality protein in a very convenient manner.

14. Eat more often

In addition to eating more calories, you should also strive to eat more often throughout the day. Eating infrequently, or going long periods without eating, will cause your body to breakdown muscle tissue for the calories it needs. This is especially true for those with fast metabolisms.

Spreading your meals throughout the day will give you more manageable meal sizes, improve nutrient assimilation, and make sure that your body always has the calories it needs for muscle building and repair. I recommend eating a high protein meal every 3 hours. During normal waking hours, that usually equals about 6 meals.

Now, I know what you are saying, “I’m too busy to do this”, or “how can I do that with a full time job and school?” Don’t let the thought of this being too difficult keep you from doing it. It may seem very inconvenient at first, but once you get in the habit of doing it, it becomes second nature and you don’t have to give it much thought. Trust me, I’ve been doing it for years and do not feel that it’s limiting or time consuming.

15. Use Nutritional Supplements.

Before you buy any product, remember that supplements are not magic. Too many people think that just because you buy the latest product, it guarantees that you will automatically begin to pack on the pounds. The truth is that supplements are only there to enhance an already solid diet and workout program.

They can give you the extra edge by:

* Adding More Convenience: Using food supplements like Myoplex or Designer Protein help to eliminate the common problem of 'not enough time', by providing you with a quick, efficient way to get your required nutrients each day. They make eating large amounts of calories and protein easier for people with low appetites.

* Increasing Strength Levels: Products that contain Creatine, like Phosphagen HP or Cell-Tech enable you to swing the odds of gaining more weight in your favor by increasing your strength output. Creatine enables you to lift heavier weights, which will stimulate more muscle fibers and cause more muscle growth.

* Decreasing Recovery Time: Vitamin C is essential to prevent free radical damage, which is accelerated after the heavy trauma of weight training. It is also essential is helping to repair connective tissue. All of this helps decrease the amount of time you are sore.

* Enhancing Your Immune System: Weight training increases the body's need for many minerals like magnesium and selenium. I always use a good multi-vitamin ensures that I am not deficient in any major essential vitamin or mineral. Deficiency symptoms include muscle weakness and suppression of the immune system, muscle cramping and fatigue.

I can honestly say that I could not have built the body I have today without the convenience and enhancements supplements provide. I simply don't have the time or desire to do it any other way. This is a choice that you must decide for yourself. You will be spending your money on these products, so make sure that you know their place in your program.

IS THIS POSSIBLE?

Yes, but I have to be honest and say that from my experience, gaining weight is much more difficult than losing fat. Even if you are doing everything right, it will still be difficult because you are fighting against what your body naturally prefers. If you are naturally thin, building an impressive physique involves persistence and determination, but no matter what anyone says, it is well within your ability. Good luck and for more information on how to gain weight, be sure to check out my website at http://www.fastmusclegain.com

Former "skinny guy" Anthony Ellis is the author of Gaining Mass. The most widely used weight gain program in the world. This unique program designed to help people gain weight and build muscle, is currently being used in over 90 countries. For more information on how to gain weight and build muscle, check out his website at http://www.fastmusclegain.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_Ellis

Gain Weight Fast - What Every Major League Muscle Building Program Should Have

Muscle building is a long process that takes months for obvious results. First of all, if you're not looking forward to getting into the gym any more, that may be a sign. It is true, you have to decide what you want to do and since you want to build muscle, you need to increase overall caloric intake.

One more very important ingredient in a muscle building diet and every muscle building program should go over is water. While you are working out in the gym you are stimulating your muscles but it is only when resting that your muscles get a chance to recover. Once you know exactly why you should never listen to that "buff guy" at your gym, you'll have an unfair advantage over all the rest who hang on his every word.

Weight Training

Weight Training Periodization Learn how to incorporate weight training periodization into your training and you will unlock all of your muscle building potential. We will go against the grain and gain weight fast. Guess how many people perform weight training exercises correctly.

Protein Tip: To promote a positive nitrogen balance, use approximately 1 to 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day from a combination of high protein foods and supplements. If you want to succeed and build muscle mass fast you have to follow some basics principles and the first one is lift heavy weights with low repetitions, usually about 70-80 percent of your max strength this will put a lot of pressure on the muscle and give them a really good workout. A great muscle building program is based around this princible.




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Nutrition

Don't try and get big off of mc Donalds' or you'll end up harshly over weight and in worse shape then you were to start out with. This male hormone is what builds muscle and it needs protein, carbs and fat if you want to build muscle.

There are some major key parts to a successful muscle building program. One major aspect of body building includes diet and nutrition. There is so much conflicting information out there when it comes to the topic of building muscle, and sometimes it can be very difficult to know where to start.

Building Mass

Mass plus strength doesn't always equal increased speed. With a little intelligent bodybuilding training, you can build muscle mass and gain weight fast. A solid muscle mass building program won't take anything more than a little intelligence and a few extra hours a week to implement so.

Yes, the foods you choose will be one of the deciding factors as to the kind of mass you want to gain. A diet high in quality nutrients will produce much better results for building muscle mass and maintaining body fat levels than a diet high in fat and processed foods. If you can do this, while training hard and heavy, you will gain quality muscle mass while maintaining current body fat levels. Choice of food is the real key to building lean muscle mass. I suggest you do the following: Find your starting point; Multiply your body weight by 20 to get your base starting caloric intake for adding mass.

Muscles

Some elite athletes perform special exercises specific to their sports to improve the neural stimulation of their muscles, and many do weight training to build more muscle. Besides making muscles bigger, anabolic steroids may help athletes recover from a hard workout more quickly by reducing the amount of muscle damage that occurs during the session. In fact, these studies show that supplemental andro stenedione doesn't increase testosterone and that your muscles don't get stronger with andro use. Creatine monohydrate is a compound produced by your body that helps release energy in your muscles. Creatine helps muscles make and circulate more adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Creatine is stored in your muscles, and levels are relatively easily maintained.

These are some Muscle building and weight lifting tips that work. You can try following these techniques for excellent muscle building. Ensure that you don't listen to every piece of advice you hear in the gym or read on a message board. In case you are planning to get involved in muscle building, just ensure that you create your training in such a way that it includes all muscle groups. Most beginners and even a lot of seasoned gym goers can't. It also can't hurt to talk to your doctor before choosing any muscle building supplements as well.

Steve Gwillim's R.I.P.P.E.D. Weight Training Ultimate Muscle Building Program and Bodybuilding Guide: http://www.rippedweighttraining.com/

You will find truckloads more bodybuilding tips in his manual then you ever thought possible as well as everything else the R.I.P.P.E.D. program has to offer.

Body building Weight Training Program

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Gwillim

Gain Weight - Quality Muscle Mass

When we think of a big muscular person we generally think of that person as being strong. This obvious thought is not always true. What may seem obvious, can be very confusing and misleading in the fitness world. Quality muscle mass is a strange title. Most people would assume all muscle mass is the same. However, this is not the case at all. Muscle mass can be of low quality and high quality. Scratching your head? Just bear with me. First, let's define what high quality muscle mass is.

To have high quality muscle it needs to serve a function, it needs to be maintainable, and it needs to be partnered with strength. Examples of high quality muscle mass can be found in multiple sports including wrestling, football, Olympic weight lifting etc. On the other hand, low quality muscle mass can be defined as having very little function if any, not being maintainable and not coinciding with strength. An example in this form of muscle mass is some forms of bodybuilding.

I say some bodybuilding because there are bodybuilders who are not just massive, but strong as well. Trust me; I have seen big looking bodybuilders who could not deadlift 135lb without hurting themselves. Simply put, they lack functional muscle mass. The mass they have is highly unstable. If the bodybuilder finds himself injured he will not maintain the muscle he put on. This article will outline some of the guidelines for putting on functional muscle mass. This article is not intended to go to deep into the “mechanics behind the scenes”. For a more in depth look at quality muscle mass check out this my site.


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Before we get down to it, let’s make sure we are on the same page. The guidelines I am going to outline are for those who have an understanding for exercises and have been in the gym before and know the difference between a barbell and a dumbbell.

In order for the human body to alter its composition enough stimulus needs to be loaded on it to make that happen. This is usually an overload placed on the body. The overload will guarantee strength with muscle mass (when used correctly). Following these guidelines you will get big fast and be strong to boot. Also, these are not all the guidelines, but they will help a great deal:

1. The number of reps dictates the training effect: For muscle mass and strength we will need fewer reps, which will allow for greater intensity. Please do not confuse time under tension with the amount of intensity (weight) being used.

2. The weight being used has to be lifted as fast as possible. Lowering (eccentric motion) weight slowly is great and when used correctly can increase strength and muscle mass quick. However, lifting weight in a slow form is highly questionable in its effects on muscle mass and strength. Most studies have pointed to quick lifting (concentric motion) as a superior form of training for strength and muscle mass. The actual time it takes to move the weight is not as important as the effect of a person lifting as fast and controlled as the can possibly lift. For example, if it takes a person four seconds to bench press a certain weight instead of one or two, the time it takes doesn’t matter as long as he has bench pressed the weight as fast and controlled as he possibly could.

3. Keep the intensity high by keeping the weight heavy: I touched on this already. Many people get intensity confused with high volume. They are not the same. Typically, the higher the volume is the lower the intensity must be. For example a person may be able to squat 225lb for thirty reps. Even though, the body may be fatigued afterwards the intensity was still low. On the other hand, if the same person were to squat 325lb for ten reps the intensity would increase and the volume would be lowered. This would allow for a higher strength and muscle mass gain.

4. Quality muscle mass is gained between 70-80% RM (rep max): What this means is the weight being used should not be able to be lifted more than twelve times and no less than six times. Different muscle groups will call for different RM. To get a more in depth look at this, check out this.

5. The newer and younger a lifter is the more repetitions will be needed: This is because of the maximum potential is not yet reached. So to release higher levels of growth hormone, use more muscle fibers per movement and to gain better neuro-efficiency; the newbie will need higher reps.

6. Rest needs to be higher when more intensity or muscles are being used in an exercise. The rest can also be lowered when to opposite exercises are put together in a workout (superset).

Okay, that’s a few guidelines to give you a better workout in the gym. Good luck with your fitness endeavors.

Ty Ferrell is a NASM certified personal trainer and a constant student of the vast field of fitness. He is the founder of http://www.thefitnessroad.com and can be reached there.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ty_Ferrell

Gain Weight - Beginner Bodybuilding Diet Guidelines & Tips

Beginner’s Advice:

1) The first thing an absolute beginner should do is visit his/her doctor and get the all clear to begin a workout program that will include cardiovascular and weight training.

2) Decide on what are your goals. Do you want to lose body fat and tone up or do you want to gain weight? Doing both at the same time can be achieved too but is very difficult and can lead to zigzag diets.

3) A general guideline is that if your body fat is below 14% you should be ok to bulk up and gain some weight and body fat. If you are above 14% then you should try to first lose some fat and then try to gain the weight. Generally anyone who has a body fat percentage of over 30% is considered to be obese.




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4) Have a set nutrition plan before you begin training. 5-6 meals a day are an absolute MUST whether you want to lose bf or gain weight.

5) Have a set training regimen. If you have to, hire a personal trainer for a couple of sessions to show you how to perform the basic exercises. Ask for advice on your routines, either from knowledgeable people in the gym or in our forum.

6) Choose a gym that will have all the basic equipment (benches, squat racks, smiths etc). If you go during peak hours (5pm-8pm) you should try and join the gym with the most equipment around. This will help you finish your workout faster and not wait for someone to get off your machine. Make sure your gym has personal trainers and helpful staff. Cleanliness is also a MUST!

7) Don’t just go to the gym to train chest and arms! If you want your progress to be fast you MUST train all muscles at least once per week.

8) Do not tax your body with unnecessary time in the gym. Go in, train hard and get out of there as fast as you can! Growth takes place OUTSIDE the gym while you are eating healthy meals and while sleeping and resting.

9) Cardio training is a good tool for all beginners in order to help them gain some cardiovascular strength for strenuous weight workouts.

10) Always remember that you will progress faster if you contantly apply te following equation to your lifestyle:

TRAINING + MEALS + REST = GROWTH! If one or more components are missing, growth simply won’t take place and you'll end up being very frustrated.


Kostas Marangopoulos is a certified personal trainer, natural bodybuilder and owner of one of the best bodybuilsing websites & forums on the web, http://www.BodybuildingApplied.com. To get Kostas' free monthy bodybuilding diet & training secrets newsletter, please visit http://www.BodybuildingApplied.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kostas_Marangopoulos

Crohns Disease Diet To Gain Weight

If you are a sufferer, finding a suitable Crohns disease diet to gain weight can be a serious challenge. It is vital to stick to a nutritious diet and avoid any foods that seem to worsen the symptoms.

Until now no Crohns disease diet treatment has been proven effective for preventing or treating the disease and reliable dietary rules to improve a sufferer's symptoms have been difficult to find. Some people find that their symptoms can be made worse by drinking milk or alcohol, eating hot or fried food for example.

However, a new book written by Mark Anastasi offers a completely new approach. Instead of medication and fighting the symptoms, you start thinking about health and treating the cause. This new holistic approach looks very promising and focuses on the modern human diet. For centuries our diet consisted of basic, natural foodstuffs such as water, seeds, nuts, grasses, herbs, roots, fruits, vegetables and cereals.




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In our twenty-first century diet, sugar, sweets, biscuits, crisps, chocolate, cola and soft drinks, fats & oils, cigarettes and alcohol, pharmaceutical drugs, chemicals, pesticides, and preservatives have replaced many of these.

For those unfortunate people who are suffering from Crohn’s disease, this new approach through dietary change may, at last, offer a long-term cure. Instead of treating the symptoms it may be better to treat the root cause.

Conventional medical research into the treatment Crohn’s disease has also taken an interesting step forward due to work being carried out in the U.K. If a new theory being researched at the University College in London is confirmed then the widely accepted theory that an overactive immune system causes the damaging inflammation, could be turned on its head and that the opposite may be correct.

Their research suggests a weaker-than-normal immune response triggers the bowel inflammation that leads to Crohn's disease. If this is the case then they believe that the use of medications like the drug Viagra may prove beneficial in treating the bowel disorder by stimulating an increase in blood flow to the affected area.

This debilitating disease is often diagnosed in late teens or early twenties and can have a dramatic effect on the quality of life enjoyed by the sufferer. With no clearly definable cause and no absolute cure there is still much work needed. Statistics indicate that heredity plays a part in some 20% - 25% of cases and incidences are higher in some more isolated communities with higher levels of inter-marriage.

Earlier research carried out also indicated that a relative of the tuberculosis germ, Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis, or MAP, might be implicated. This theory goes back to 1913 when a similarity between human Crohn’s disease and the animal disease known as Johne’s disease was highlighted.

In 1996 the discovery of a gene known as NOD2 was found to play a significant part in incidences of Crohn’s in some people. Exactly what role this gene plays is still unclear, but it appears to play some part in disturbing the balance between intestinal flora and the immune system.

In conventional medical treatment of the disease, drugs are prescribed to control the disease, rather than provide the elusive cure. When severe flair-ups occur cortisone based drugs are used, but they do often cause severe side effects and should only be used for short periods. Biological agents that stimulate a particular part of the immune system are also being tested in a bid to replace steroids.

Sue Hall is a medical researcher of chronic diseases and alternative therapies. http://www.squidoo.com/treating-crohns-disease To read more on a finding a suitable Crohns disease diet to gain weight and fight this disease holistically visit http://www.squidoo.com/treating-crohns-disease

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sue_Hall

Perfects Abs - Three Ab Routines To Show Your Six Pack

Crazy, ripped, hard abs. That's the key to showing an awesome body. If you think that all training is about is making sure your chest is big enough to make your shirt hang out past your stomach then you’re missing the boat. Chiseled abs is awesome abs.

How do you get ripped abs?

It's about diet, cardio and hard ab routines. I'll give you the low down on how to burn in some washboard abs with this killer ab routine and save the diet ramble for another time.


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First of all if your not training abs, start. That would be beginner ab routine phase one! Three sets of crunches for 20 reps a set. If that's not a problem then superset each set of crunches with a set of hip roles, followed by a brief 30 second rest to let the burn fizzle a bit.

For hip roles you lie on the ground pushing down with your hands and raise your pelvis off the floor so the tail bone comes right up and squeeze the abs!

Last step in the beginner ab routine is to add in some bridges or "planks" as some "guru's" of fitness have coined them. This is basically a pushup position but you don't rest on your hands, you rest on your forearms and just hold it for 30-60 seconds. Don't let your lower back sag! Keep a slightly inverted c posture like your trying to pull your hips toward your chin.

So here is the ab routine once you are working all exercises together.

Beginner ab routine phase 1:
Crunch x20
Hip roll x20
Bridge for 30-60 seconds
Rest and repeat for 3 circuits or just keep rotating through!

Alright enough of the easy stuff, we're here for some serious abs, killer abs.

Onto Ab Routine 2: The ab killer! I love pet names.

This ab routine will all be done on the decline bench.

The first ab exercise? Decline hip roll/leg raise. Beauty!

Step 1: Put your head where your feet should be

Step 2: grab the bench or the footholds; whichever is more comfortable (not that it will matter in a few minutes)!

Step 3: Stretch out and do a straight-legged leg raises.

Step 4: once at the top of the leg raise turn it into a hip roll so that you point your feet at the ceiling. Hold for a three count and go back down!

Second ab routine exercise:
Incline sit-ups:
Step 1: put your feet in the foot holds (you've turned around!)
Step 2: Lower yourself until you're about a foot short of lying fully back
Step 3: Come back up if you’re still with me!

Third ab routine exercise:
Incline Russian twists (even sounds evil doesn't it?)

Step 1: don't move out of the sit up position. Just grab a medicine ball or a 10- pound weight.

Step 2: straighten fully your arms right to your front and lower yourself to the bottom position of the incline sit up and hold it.

Step 3: Rotate to the right 90 degrees with your arms straight and then back to the left at 90 degrees. That's one rep. You don't come out of the bottom at all! Fun huh?

Here it is ab routine layout:
Leg raise/hip roll x20
Incline sit-ups x20
Russian twists x20 or 40 if you count both sides!

No rest between ab exercises, and only 30-60 seconds rest after completing the tri-set.

Third Ab Routine:
And the grand daddy hardest ab routine ever? For mortals anyway? Because I remember something about homer Simpson and a cannon ball, but I think you need to have access to the applesauce bar for that ab routine to work!

Well let’s call it the "commando cardio ab annihilation" workout. I have to have a fancy name on it or you wouldn't be interested! It involves a pre-stretch, a contraction and a dynamic stabilization (I just made that up, but you get the idea) exercise. Here are the ab routine exercises.

1. Smith machine, Swiss ball hip rolls
2. Partner resisted Swiss ball crunches
3. Swiss ball rollouts
4. Profuse sweating and clutching of the stomach.

Ab routine exercise 1: Smith machine, Swiss ball hip rolls:

1.Set the bar low in the smith machine, just below the top of the Swiss ball.

2. Sit on the ball and roll out so that you have to reach back and grab the bar as you lie on the ball. You should be about 2-3 feet away, stabilizing your self by holding the bar and flexing everything!

3. Using only your abs, stretch your pelvis down as low as it will go and then do a hip roll. Legs straight is the hardest.

Ab routine exercise 2: Partner resisted Swiss ball crunches.

1. It’s a normal Swiss ball ab crunch but your arms are crossed across your chest and your "friend" pushes down on your shoulders to apply resistance. That's it,..ahem.

Ab routine exercise 3: Swiss ball rollouts.

1. Kneel on a pad with legs crossed ball in front of you not on the pad.

2. Your hands are on the ball so it now looks like your praying?

3. Roll the ball out until your straight as a board with your head between your arms and pull it back in.

4. Profuse sweating and clutching of the stomach. This should come naturally.

In an ab routine all together?

Smith machine/Swiss ball hip rolls x20

Partner resisted Swiss ball crunches x20

Swiss ball rolloutsx20

Rest 30-60 seconds after each tri-set circuit or continue right through if you're a freak of nature or slightly "touched". I've never gotten 20 on all ab exercises on all three sets in a continuous circuit, let me know if you do!

I'll have to buckle down!

Ray Burton is a motivational speaker, an ISSA-certified personal trainer, philanthropist, and author of the best selling weight loss book, "Fat To Fit - The Journey” Ray has written hundreds of articles and been featured in Rising Women, The Calgary Sun, and www.Crosstrainer.ca

For info on Ray's book, visit the home page at: http://www.FatToFitBook.com. To get Ray’s FREE weight loss tips newsletter visit his weight loss website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Raymond_Burton

Know Your Muscle Building Exercises - The Legs

Every bodybuilder and weight trainer will have his or her favorite exercises for each body part. That's how it should be - as you progress through the various stages of learning you'll understand what works best for you. It is useful, however, to take stock of your progress every so often and carry out an analysis of where you are and what changes, if any, are needed to move onwards and upwards.

Part of this analysis should include an assessment of the core exercises that make up your bodybuilding training program. In this article we'll look at the leg exercises that have proven their worth to serious bodybuilders for many years. Where appropriate a series of exercises suitable for achieving pre-exhaustion will be presented. All exercises should be performed to failure with one set of six to eight reps.


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1. Leg extension - this exercise will allow you to isolate the thigh muscles preserving the strength of the other leg muscles for the compound exercise to follow.

- Push the pads until the knees are almost locked.

- Pause.

- Lower with control to the starting position.

2. Leg press - you can move straight on to this exercise if you are sufficiently experienced.

- Place your feet firmly at shoulder width on the foot board.

- Bend the legs until they are almost touching the chest.

- Pause.

- Return with control to the starting position.

Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Mitchell

Know Your Muscle Building Exercises The Chest

Every bodybuilder and weight trainer will have his or her favorite exercises for each body part. That's how it should be - as you progress through the various stages of learning you'll understand what works best for you. It is useful, however, to take stock of your progress every so often and carry out an analysis of where you are and what changes, if any, are needed to move onwards and upwards.

Part of this analysis should include an assessment of the core exercises that make up your bodybuilding training program. In this article we'll look at the chest exercises that have proven their worth to serious bodybuilders for many years. Where appropriate a series of exercises suitable for achieving pre-exhaustion will be presented. All exercises should be performed to failure with one set of six to eight reps.



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1. Dumbbell flyes - this exercise provides a useful means of isolating the pectorals and preserving the triceps for the subsequent exercise. The exercise should be performed as follows:

- Hold dumbbells directly overhead.

- Lower them to sides with elbows slightly bent, pulled back and to the side. Lower no further than level with the torso.

- Use the pectorals to pull the weights back up to the starting position.

2. Incline bench press - you can move straight on to this exercise if you have reached an appropriate level of experience. If you perform this exercise as the second part of a pre-exhaust routine you may have to use lighter weights than normally.

- Take a shoulder width grip.

- Lower the bar to the chest with the elbows pointed to the side.

- Return to the starting position.

Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article.
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Gaining Lean Muscle Mass

When it comes to gaining lean muscle mass a person should not only be concentrated on their work out routines, but also on what they are actually eating. Certainly without having a good diet in place no person will be able gain any good lean muscle mass. It is the protein stores as well as other food that you eat within your diet which will providing you with the building blocks on which you can then build up the lean muscle mass that you want.

Below we provide some details of what constitutes a good diet when you are looking to gain lean muscle mass.


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Lean Meat This is extremely important to include in your diet as it contains high amounts of protein and is the foundation towards helping you to build more muscle. Meat such as steak is especially good and is a staple part of many diets of many bodybuilders around the world today and for decades now.

Foods rich in Fiber As well as being well known for helping people to lose weight it is also ideal for preventing the body from absorbing too much fat. Plus it is a great way of lowering cholesterol levels and is a good way of getting slow burning carbohydrates that are essential if you not only you want to lose weight but also gain muscle mass. Foods such as oatmeal, wheat, vegetables and fruits contain high levels of fiber within them. Plus you may well consider buying some kind of supplements as well as products such as Niox as well.

Water It is essential that all times you drink plenty of water as especially during your workouts you will find that these deplete your body’s natural fluid resources very quickly. Certainly products such as Niox (a nitric oxide supplement) require that you drink at least 10 fluid ounces whenever you take them.

Soybeans These like lean meat are a great source of protein and are also low in fat as they contain literally no cholesterol. Often people will eat soybean in forms such as tofu or bean curd desserts.

Whey Protein It is readily available through any health food store on online today and it can be either taken as a supplement or added to soups, shakes or vegetables. It is probably one of the easiest ways that a person is able to absorb protein and is certainly one of the best sources of protein available over the counter today.

Above have looked at some things that you should remember to include within any diet when you are looking at gaining lean muscle mass. By keeping these in mind you should then start to see results for all your hard work.

To find out how Niox can help you create lean muscle mass visit Niox Review at www.nioxreview.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Cruz

Forget About Heavy Weights To Gain Muscle and Weight

I guarantee you that whatever workout routine you're currently using to gain weight and build muscle mass is causing you to focus on "getting stronger".......instead of "getting physically bigger".

This is where the whole “lift big to get big” philosophy comes from.

Most have us have been fooled to associate the lifting of heavy weights with the building and stimulating of large muscles.

But is that the case in the “real world”….as I like to call it?

The simple answer……NO.

There are many, many reasons for this.

In this article I’ll discuss the first reason why not:

1) Lifting heavier and heavier weight is not the main factor in stimulating muscle weight gain and growth

I know, this seems to go against what everyone and their mama seem to think.

But, let’s take a look at what goes on in the real world.

How many individuals do you know (and perhaps you’re one of them) that can bench press a ton, yet when they take their shirt off don’t have that much of a chest to show off?

How many weight lifters do you know that can squat a car, yet when you take a look at their thighs / quads it leaves much to be desired?


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How many bodybuilders have you seen that are as strong as an ox, yet if it wasn’t that you’ve seen them lifting weights at the gym or know them personally you would have never

guessed that they even work out?

Again, yes, they may lift progressively heavier weights every week, and yes, they may be getting stronger and stronger consistently……but that doesn’t mean that they are growing in size and muscular weight!

Every article and workout program recommends to “progressively overload the muscle”….which is absolutely correct.

However, the type of “progressive overload” that is recommended in 99% of these workout routines is to lift heavier and heavier weight…….focusing on the strength building aspect of the equation……instead of the size building aspect.

Lifting heavier weights is not the main stimulus for building and developing muscle mass.

(In future articles I’ll get into the other factors that trigger muscular growth).

Think about it, if lifting heavier and heavier weight on a progressive basis was the way to gain muscle mass then powerlifters and Olympic lifters would have the largest and most developed muscles, not bodybuilders.

All you have to do is take a quick look at the pec development of a bodybuilder and compare it to the pec development of a powerlifter / Olympic lifter.

Sure, the powerlifter / Olympic trainer can probably bench press literally hundreds of pounds more than the bodybuilder, but the bodybuilder will always have a physically larger and more developed chest.

That’s because powerlifters / Olympic trainers are focused on the lifting of heavier weight, regardless of how the muscle feels, while the bodybuilder could care less about how much weight he / she can lift, but instead is focusing on the feel of the muscle, the tension that’s placed on it.

Sure, a powerlifter may weigh 100 pounds more than a bodybuilder, but we all know that half of a powerlifter’s body weight is fat.

Also, many of the most well developed physiques are of individuals who hardly ever increase the amount of weight they lift, at least not on a regular basis.

Yet, they built and gained some serious muscle mass and weight.

That’s because they knew that there are other more important factors in stimulating muscular development than lifting progressively heavier weights.

If you'd like to read more articles detailing the specifics on the quickest ways to gain muscle weight naturally, visit http://www.FromSkinnyToMuscular.com/articles.html . Jonathan Perez, the author, is a Cleveland Firefighter and Certified Personal Trainer that has written many articles on different training and dieting aspects.

How to Gain Weight and Build More Muscle

For many thin guys around the world, gaining weight without using illegal steroids has been a challenge. For thousands of lean young men, the dream is to gain weight, but no matter how much they eat they remain thin. Some people are naturally thin; that means their genetic makeup is in such a way that the body burns more calories than others. The very basic method of weight gain is to eat more calories than your body burns off. By providing the body with more calories, this balance can be altered and body mass can be increased. Weight training is of great importance in this context, which enables the body to absorb more nutrients from the food by increasing the level of certain hormones and increasing the muscle mass.

There are many incorrect beliefs and theories bout building muscle. The type of food to be eaten is an important factor which decides the type of weight gained, whether it is muscle mass or mere accumulation of fat. Some types of calories are not equal to others for gaining muscle; because most processed junk food contains empty, totally nutritionless calories. These foods promote accelerated fat storage, and do not provide the body with the correct nutrients essential for gaining muscle. High quality protein, which the body breaks down into amino acids, should be the centerpiece of all your meals. Intense exercise increases demand for amino acids, which support muscle repair and growth.


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Another factor is the selection of the right type of weight training. Resistance exercises will help with muscle growth. Whereas aerobic exercises can result in the reduction of weight. For maximum muscle gain, the focus of your workouts should consist of free weight exercises, rather than machines or bodyweight exercises. To get a very effective workout, you must stimulate as many muscle fibers as possible, and machines do not do this. The main reason for this is a lack of stabilizer and synergist muscle development. Stabilizer and synergist muscles are supporting muscles that assist the main muscle in performing a complex lift.

The results of weight training can vary from person to person, and will usually depend on your consistency and commitment to your program. You should have the patience and motivation for building a powerful body with a consistent diet and exercise schedule.

Exercise Guidelines for building muscle:

Weight training involves the use of equipment that enables variable resistance. This resistance can come in the form of free weights like barbells and dumbbells, machines that use cables or pulleys to help you lift the weight, and bodyweight exercises like pull-ups or dips. The more stabilizers and synergists you work, the more muscle fibers stimulated. The exercises that work the large muscle groups are called compound (or multi-joint) movements that involve the simultaneous stimulation of many muscle groups. These compound exercises should be the foundation of any weight training program because they stimulate the most amount of muscle in the least amount of time. Multi-jointed free weight exercises like the bench press require many stabilizer and synergistic muscle assistance to complete the lift.

Free weight exercises like the dumbbell press or squat put a very large amount of stress on supporting muscle groups. You will get fatigued faster and not be able to lift as much weight as you did on the machine. But you will gain more muscle, become stronger very quickly and have a true gauge of your strength.

If you use machines in your program, they should be used to work isolated areas and only after all multi-jointed exercises have been completed. Beginners should begin with a limited combination of machine exercises, bodyweight exercises and multi-jointed free weight exercises. Before increasing the weight levels, they should work on becoming familiar with the proper form and execution of each.

The following are some proven basic exercises to encourage muscle and strength gain unlike any other exercises.

Bench Presses - works the chest, shoulders, triceps

Overhead Presses - shoulders, triceps

Pull-ups/Barbell Rows - back, bicep

Squats - legs, lower back

Dead lifts - legs, back, shoulders

Bar Dips -shoulders, chest, arms

To build mass, you must weight train with heavy weights. To consider a weight heavy, you should only be able to do a maximum of 4-8 reps before your muscles temporarily fail. A weight is considered 'light' if you can do more than 15 reps before muscle fatigue sets in. Heavy weights stimulate more muscle fibers than lighter weights which result in more muscle growth. Heavy weight training puts a huge strain on your body, so adequate rest and recuperation after your workouts is essential.

Eating guidelines for building muscle:

A high protein diet is an inevitable part of any weight training programme, importantly, protein derived from animal sources. Proteins you need to be concerned with are those found in whey, casein (cottage cheese), eggs, beef, poultry, and fish. Soy protein, tofu and bean curd are some alternatives. Eating the right amount of foods consistently will force your body to grow beyond what you may think possible. The diet also should contain an adequate amount of carbohydrates (potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, oatmeal, cream of wheat, cream of rice, rice, beans, bread, pasta, all cereals) and fat. Green leafy vegetables and fruits also should be included.

When you train with weights, you should eat a minimum of 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. You also must have protein at every meal. To enable your body to actually assimilate and use the all the calories you will ingest, you have to reduce your meal size and increase your meal frequency. Splitting your calories into smaller, more frequent portions will enable food absorption and utilization of nutrients.

During the past 20 years there have been great developments in the scientific understanding of the role of nutrition in health and physical performance. Studies shown that adequate dietary carbohydrate should be ingested (55-60% of total energy intake) so that training intensity can be maintained. Excess dietary saturated fat can exacerbate coronary artery disease; however, low-fat diets result in a reduction in circulating testosterone. So the balance between protein, carbohydrate and fat should be maintained.

So the focus on weight gain programmes must be on two components, lifting heavy weights, which will stimulate the largest amount of muscle fibers. Your body responds to this stimulus by increasing your muscle mass and secondly eat more calories than your body is used to. When you overload your system with plenty of protein and fats, your body has no other choice but to gain weight.

A Mass Gaining program is incomplete without the timely measurements to monitor your progress. Without it, you won't know how exactly your body is responding to your diet and training routine. Just looking in the mirror and guessing is not acceptable. If you want to start getting great results, you must develop the habit of accurately tracking your progress. This also provides the motivation to continue with the weight gain schedule and for the further progression. So even though you have a very thin body type, and haven’t been able to gain weight no matter what you try, you will definitely succeed with a well planned weight gain programme.

References:

1) http://www.fastmusclegain.com/part1eating.htm

2) http://www.fastmusclegain.com/part2weights.htm

3) http://www.fastmusclegain.com/part3muscle.htm

4) http://www.fastmusclegain.com/part4suppl.htm

5) http://www.fastmusclegain.com/part5monitor.htm

6) http://www.skinnyguy.net/tips.html

7) Lambert CP, Frank LL, Evans WJ. Macronutrient considerations for the sport of bodybuilding. Sports Med. 2004;34(5):317-27

Former "skinny guy" Anthony Ellis is the author of Gaining Mass. The most widely used weight gain program in the world. This unique program designed to help people gain weight and build muscle, is currently being used in over 90 countries. For more information on how to gain weight and build muscle, check out his website at http://www.fastmusclegain.com

Tips on How To Gain Weight Quickly

Tips on how to gain weight quickly are priceless to skinny people who struggle to put on some extra pounds. The world we live in is a contradictory one. There are folks who put on weight rather effortlessly and yearn to lose their weight and fats through unhealthy diets. Yet on the other end of the spectrum, thin people find it tremendously challenging to gain that extra few pounds to enhance their physical appearance and regain some masculine appeal in the case of men. Skinny ladies also dream of fitting nicely into beautiful clothes that look so fabulous on those svelte and voluptuous models. But do not envy those who put on weight too easily, especially those through unhealthy diets. It is better to understand the fundamentals behind healthy weight gain. This is where you can learn more on how to gain weight quickly and healthily.


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Before we tackle the issue of how to gain weight quickly, let us look at the reasons why scrawny and thin people fail in gaining weight successfully no matter how hard they try. Survey statistics discovered the following as the top reasons why they are not putting on weight:

1. Poor Diet

Skinny people are not eating right and enough. By that, it means that they are not eating foods that would help them to gain weight. Protein is critical in adding extra weight but many folks do not get enough protein intake. This is where things go awry. So how can they expect to gain weight quickly or for that matter, any significant weight improvement at all? It is important to load more on protein, and less on simple carbs. Read on for specific weight-gain diet foods.

2. Proper Work-out

Eating is not sufficient. We all need to engage in some kinds of physical activities to convert our food intake to healthy mass. This conversion can take place only with proper exercises. People who truly understand how to gain weight quickly do so in a healthy manner with proportionate muscle mass gain.

3. Poor Motivation

Weight gaining or slimming works in a similar manner. Medical practitioners have come to understand that the motivation behind the individual wanting to gain weight is vital to his/her success. Our generation is often called the “instant noodles” generation where everyone desires instant results. Weight gaining is not an overnight mission, but a long-term goal. Failing to understand this is a sure ingredient for weight gain failure.

Once we are able to acknowledge and work around the common grounds for failure, we are well on our way to successful quick weight gain. Are you ready for some easy-to-follow tips on how to gain weight quickly?

1. Weight Gain Diet Foods 101

I mentioned earlier that eating the right foods and eating enough of them is the key to weight gain. Foods such as fast food, chocolates and other junk food like chips won’t do you any good. Any weight gain from such foods would do your health more harm than good.

Cultivate a habit of eating more than your daily energy and calorie needs. First, find out what is your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) which equates your daily calorie need/count to maintain your weight at its current level. Next, start planning your weekly dietary plans to increase your weekly intake by 3500 calories to achieve a weight gain of 1-2 pounds within a week. This translates to an additional 500 calories in your daily calorie intake.

Eat more protein-based food stuff such as beef and chicken. Drink more milk for it is a rich source of protein. Balance your meals with vegetables and nuts as well. Eat 5 or 6 small meals rather than 3 big meals to balance the calorie intake.

2. Weight Gain and Muscle Mass Building Routine

You need to tone up the extra weight you are adding to your bodies so that you don’t end up obese. Depending on your preference for physical activities, the 2 kinds of activities recommended here would be useful in complementing with your weight gain diet.

Engage in moderate activities such as brisk walking, jogging or playing a sport for at least 30 minutes for 3-4 times per week. Try to inject some fun into your physical activity so that you would feel encouraged and motivated to cultivate this as a habit and eventually as part of your lifestyle.

Work out in the gym on some resistance training for at least 3 times per week. But before you do so, speak to a qualified physical training instructor who can advise on what exercise routine is suitable for you. If not, go to the library to read up on what are the work-out routines that are ideal for a person of your build and weight.

Knowing these simple tips on how to gain weight quickly should give you better knowledge than most people in the basic building blocks of gaining weight healthily. For more details about the ideal natural weight gain diet foods and more tips on how to gain weight and muscle mass simultaneously, visit my blog for further reading.

This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, blog or website. The author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

Davion is a successful webmaster and author. Find out more about natural and effective tips on how to gain weight and muscle mass quickly that have benefited many skinny people at his blog http://gain-muscle-mass-weight.blogspot.com

How to Weight Train for Maximum Muscle Gain

Weight training involves the use of equipment that enables variable resistance. This resistance can come in the form of "free weights" like barbells and dumbbells, machines that use cables or pulleys to help you lift the weight and bodyweight exercises like pull-ups or dips.

Free Weights vs. Machines vs. Bodyweight Exercises

For maximum muscle gain, the focus of your workouts should consist of free weight exercises. Not machines or bodyweight exercises. This is not to say that you should not use machines or bodyweight exercises, but they should not be the focus of your training. To get an effective, muscle blasting workout, you must stimulate the most muscle fibers as possible, and machines do not do this.


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The main reason for this is a lack of stabilizer and synergist muscle development. Stabilizer and synergist muscles are supporting muscles that assist the main muscle in performing a complex lift. The more stabilizers and synergists worked, the more muscle fibers stimulated. Multi-jointed free weight exercises like the bench press, require many stabilizer and synergistic muscle assistance to complete the lift. On the other hand doing a bench press using a machine will need almost no stabilizer assistance.

Since machines are locked into a specific range of motion and help to support the weight along that path, they fail to stimulate the muscles that surround the area you are working (stabilizers). This is a mistake. If your stabilizer muscles are weak, then the major muscle group will never grow!

Free weight exercises like the dumbbell press or squat, for example, put a very large amount of stress on supporting muscle groups. That's why you will get fatigued faster and not be able to lift as much weight as you did on the machine. But you will gain more muscle, become stronger very quickly and have a true gauge of your strength.

If you use machines in your program, they should be used to work isolated areas and only after all multi-jointed exercises have been completed.

Beginners should begin with a limited combination of machine exercises, bodyweight exercises and mult-jointed free weight exercises. Before increasing the weight levels, they should work on becoming familiar with the proper form and execution of each. Soon, bodyweight exercises will become insufficient to stimulate growth and they will need to focus on more free weight exercises.

Multi-Jointed Exercises

The exercises that work the large muscle groups are called compound (or multi-joint) movements that involve the simultaneous stimuation of many muscle groups. These compound exercises should be the foundation of any weight training program because they stimulate the most amount of muscle in the least amount of time.

Here are the basic movements:

* Bench Presses (works the chest, shoulders, tricep)

* Overhead Presses (shoulders, tricep)

* Pull-ups/Barbell Rows (back, bicep)

* Squats (legs, lower back)

* Deadlifts (legs, back, shoulders)

* Bar Dips (shoulders, chest, arms)

I cannot overemphasize the importance of these exercises. Do not start an advanced weight training program without them!

They will overload your entire skeletal and muscular system like no machine could ever do, giving you and effective workout in a very short period of time. If you can only do a few exercises, then do these. They have been proven (and not just by me) to encourage muscle and strength gain unlike any other exercises.

Lift Heavy Weight

To build mass, you must weight train with heavy weights. By heavy, I mean a weight that is challenging for you -- not me, or anyone else. To consider a weight heavy, you should only be able to do a maximum of 8-12 reps before your muscles temporarily fail. A weight is considered "light" if you can do more than 15 reps before muscle fatigue sets in.

Heavy weights stimulate more muscle fibers than lighter weights. It's that simple. More muscle stimulation means more muscle growth.

Don't Overtrain

Heavy weight training puts a huge strain on your body, so adequate rest and recuperation after your workouts is essential. If you are prone to train too often, several things happen:

You don't give your muscles enough time to recuperate between workouts. If your muscles have not repaired themselves, you will not be at maximum strength for your next workout. Rest is essential. Other than eating, this should be your main focus.

You are setting yourself up for burnout or an injury. I know you are motivated and excited about working out, but don't be careless. You must pace yourself, you want to be able to keep this up for a long time, not burnout before you reach your goals. I only weight train 3 times per week, that's all. Anymore than that and I would not give my body enough time to repair and build new muscle.

Contrary to popular belief, you do not grow while working out, you only grow when you are resting.

Below is an example mass workout. I did 4 heavy sets for 4-8 reps each.

Wednesday (legs, abs)

* Heavy Squats, leg extension superset

* Seated Calve Raises, 4 strips sets

* Crunches (4 sets of 20)

-------

Friday (chest, shoulder, triceps, abs)

* Flat bench press, incline dumbbell flyes superset

* Shoulder press, side raises superset

* Tricep pushdowns

* Reverse incline leg raises (3 sets of 20)

------

Sunday (back, biceps, abs)

* Wide grip pull-ups, latbar pulldown superset

* EZ bar bicep curl, incline dumbbell curls superset

* Crunches (4 sets of 20)

Nothing fancy, but effective.

Former "skinny guy" Anthony Ellis is the author of Gaining Mass! The most widely used weight gain program in the world.

This unique program designed to help people gain weight and build muscle, is currently being used in over 90 countries and boasts the largest private weight gain forum on the Internet, with well over 13,000 members at http://www.fastmusclegain.com

Gain Weight Fast - 3 Essential Steps To Rapid and Healthy Weight Gain

"How can I gain weight?" Is this a question you ask yourself much? And if you possessed the knowledge to gain weight fast, then what kind of a difference would this make to your life? How valuable would it be?

Whether it's to boost your confidence, attract the girl of your dreams, or simply the exquisite feeling of being in the best physical condition of your life - these 3 keys to 'muscle & weight gain wizardry' should form the backbone of any plan for rapid and healthy weight gain.


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The good news is that you don't need many ways to gain weight. You only need one.

So take the time to incorporate these powerful concepts into your life, and get yourself ready for some seriously rapid weight gain.

1. Eat Plenty

The plain and stark-bleeding-obvious truth is most skinny guys don't eat enough to gain weight. If you possess a hyper-fast metabolism, it's vital you get enough healthy protein, carbohydrates and fats in your system to support your weight gain goals.

And it's not just about how much you eat either. The quality of those calories, and how you distribute your consumption throughout the day, play an equally important part too.

Aim to weed out the empty calories from your diet - the foods that lack any real nutritional value - and plan ahead to fit 5-7 good sized meals inside you each day.

Yes, it may be a little shock to the system, but your appetite will increase as your muscle size grows.

2. Muscle Overload

When you add up the time you actually spend exercising , it still accounts for less than 5% of the total hours in a week.

Therefore what you do IN your workout sessions had better be accurate and right on target if you're going to gain weight fast.

Your aim is to progressively overload your muscles with increasing amounts of weight from one workout session to the next. You see, muscle hypertrophy (= muscle growth) is a direct response to a muscle being exerted beyond it's current threshold. It needs to be given a reason to grow.

So be sure to increase the weights you're using gradually and steadily - whilst still maintaining excellent form and control - and you'll begin to notice a positive difference in muscle size.

3. Recover FULLY Between Workouts

Proper recovery and recuperation, which accounts for the other 95+% of hours in a given week, is the 'missing link' for many in their plans to gain weight and muscle. Simply put, if you head back for another weight training session before your body has fully recovered, you're setting yourself up for failure.

You'll quite literally be stealing away energy your muscles would have used to grow stronger and bigger if you fail to your body enough time to re-energize and fully recharge between workouts.

And the secrets to this - adequate sleep, decent nutrition, and a well-prepared and thought-out weight training program - really aren't rocket science.

All you need do is pay attention to how your body responds to your workout sessions, and make adjustments accordingly. That's all. If you need more rest, then permit yourself to have more rest. That way your immune, nervous, hormonal and muscle systems will be able to deliver the kind of rapid and healthy weight gain results that you're seeking.

Conclusion:

Eat Plenty. Overload your Muscles. Recover Fully Between Workouts. Sounds simple doesn't it?

So take some time to put these points into action, and you may surprise yourself at how simply you gain weight and muscle as well.

About the Author:

Matt Carter is an enthusiast and self-professed 'font of knowledge' in the areas of natural bodybuilding, muscle growth and weight gain. You can additional information at http://www.honestmusclegain.com

He specializes in simplifying the process of how to build muscle and gain weight in honest and easy (bite-sized) action-steps that literally anyone can follow.

Gain Weight Fast With These Ten Powerful Tips

By the time you finish reading this you will have the basics down to eating to gain weight fast!

If You want to gain weight fast you have to eat right to gain weight! So here we will focus on this crucial yet misunderstood element to gain weight.


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Gaining weight fast takes much more than just eating though. In following Parts of this course we will cover:

Lesson 2: Training To Gain Weight Fast
Lesson 3: Rest And Recuperation To Gain Weight
Lesson 4: Planning A Routine For Gaining Weight
Lesson 5: Supplements To Gain Weight
Lesson 6: Answers To Some Commonly Asked Questions about Gaining Weight.

If you would like to receive all 6 parts of this Mini Course to gain weight by email, you can go to here and sign up.

http://www.gainmuscleandlosefat.com

Each one of these jam packed lessons needs to be applied to your gain weight routine if you truly want to gain weight as fast as you can!

Let's now continue with the rest of my Eating Tips To Gain Weight!

Gain Weight Tip-6: Eat "Power Meals" For Added Energy and To Gain Weight.

Power meals is the term I came up for a particular meal structure that if eaten at specified times during the day can boost your bodys abilty to Gain Weight.

A power meal is basically a meal which comprises of a quick digesting source of protein and particular energy foods which also digest quickly and help to increase blood glycogen levels as fast as possible.

An example of this would be a quality whey protein powder blended with certain fruits.

Power meals are for these specified times only. Too many power meals will compromise building lean muscle by increasing fat gain and lowering your sensitivity to insulin.

Gain Weight Tip-7: Eat Foods Your Body Requires For Optimal Growth Hormone Production and Health.

To naturally produce hormones your body requires for gaining weight, specifically testosterone, you need to give it the building blocks it requires. Testosterone is made from cholestrol ( simplified). To gain weight by building muscle you need testosterone. This is the main difference why males are more muscular than females. It is because men have higher testosterone levels than females. To give your body what it requires for optimal hormone production you require the right fats in your gain weight diet.

Examples of these fats would include:

coconut oil

animal fats

eggs

Essential oils

butter

cheese

Stay away from trans fats and hydrogenated fats!!

Gain Weight Tip-8: Eat Enough Fibre

Fibre is not talked about much in relation to gaining weight but is important for digestive system health and nutritional assimilation. It is also important to keep your digestive system moving and assimilating as much nutrient as it can per day. Kind of like an assembly line! The more production you can get out of your digestive system the more you can fuel your muscles for gaining weight!

Gain Weight Tip-9: Eat Enough Protein Per Meal

It is crucial you get enough protein per day and spread it out throughout your day. Protein requirements have been exagerated for many years in the interests to sell more protein.

On the other hand protein requirements are definitely higher for a person or athlete training to gain weight than for a lazy couch potato hunting for his next show with a remote control! At least one gram per pound of lean body mass is required to build muscle to gain weight and up to 1.5 grams per pound of lean muscle mass is optimal for heavy intense weight training.

Gain Weight Tip-10: Choose Your Supplements Wisely.

There are lots of supplements to choose from on the market and 99% of them are inferior to natural food for building muscle to gain weight. Natural food is higher in many naturally occuring vitamins and minerals benficial for muscle growth. Stay away from weight gain powders. These are just empty calories not much different than most junk foods on the market. Supplements that are worth trying are Creatine monohydrate , L Glutamine ( in moderation and carefully) and a good healthy protein powder without artificial sweeteners, colors and flavours( more on in a later lesson).

Gain Weight Bonus: Sample Meal Plan to Build Muscle:

As a little bonus here is a sample muscle weight gain meal plan for 2092 calories per day on your weight training days:

Meal 1:

1 banana
1 cup oatmeal

Meal 2:

1 scoop whey protein
1tbsp MCT Oil*
(several tips and recipes are available in my book to add delicious flavor)

Meal 3:

4oz chx brst
1cup spinach
1tbsp MCT Oil*

Meal 4:

1cup frozen strawberries
1 banana
1 kiwi
1 cup orange juice
2 scoops whey

Meal 5:

3 whole eggs
1 tbsp coconut oil

Meal 6:

1 scoop whey
1tbsp MCT Oil*
1/2 cup whole milk

Daily Totals: protein 166 grams/carbohydrates 144 grams/fats 84 grams/Calories 2092

Building muscle and gaining weight is no Fluke! You need to follow the above eating tips to build muscle mass fast to gain weight and combine your eating with an effective and proven training and recuperation program.

God Bless!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Jordan

Eating Strategies to Gain Weight

It costs 3500 calories to gain one pound. That means, in order to gain one pound a week, you have to consume 500 extra calories every day. Here are some tips forgetting those extra calories into your daily meal plan.


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Muscle Gaining Secrets. THe Ultimate Muscle Building Program Available On The Internet Today. World Renowned Fitness Expert, Jason Ferruggias Masterpiece Collection Of 11 Different E-books.
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• Eat frequently! -- Make time for 3 large meals and 2-3 hefty snacks every day.
• Eat larger than normal portions at meals!
• Eat higher calorie foods! -- Choose dried fruit, starchy vegetables, dense whole grain breads and cereals, hearty bean soups, nuts...
• Add lots of “extras” to food! -- Don’t eat anything plain.
• Add healthy unsaturated fats: olive and canola oil, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, avocados. • Add healthy carbs and protein: honey, jam, dried fruit, wheat germ, nonfat dried milk powder, soy protein powder.
• Make beverages count! -- Drink shakes, milk, juice, etc. instead of water, coffee, tea, and diet sodas. • Do resistance exercises! -- Weight training helps convert the extra calories into muscle rather than flab. Aim for 2-3 times per week.


TRY THESE QUICK-N-EASY BREAKFAST IDEAS:

⇒ Whip together 2 cups fruit juice, 1 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit, 1 cup yogurt, 1/4 cup dried nonfat milk powder, and 1/4 cup wheat germ or oat bran for a high energy liquid meal to go.⇒ Spread peanut butter, honey, or jam on large bagels, muffins, hearty whole wheat bread/toast, graham crackers or stoned wheat crackers. Grab an extra large banana and wash it down with a tall glass of milk

⇒ Fill a plastic bag with raisins and nuts (trail mix) or your favorite dry cereal.Grab an 8 oz container of fruit yogurt and a couple cans/boxes of fruit juice.⇒ Nontraditional ideas: * Heat up leftover pizza, pasta, or Chinese food from last night’s dinner. * Make a peanut butter and honey, grilled cheese, tuna, or turkey sandwich.* Pop a baked potato in the microwave for 5-10 minutes; top with chopped veggies (frozen ones are quickest) and melted cheese, canned chili, or hearty bean soup.* Wrap vegetarian refried beans, shredded low fat cheddar cheese, and tomato salsa in a couple of flour tortillas.TRY THESE QUICK-N-EASY SNACK IDEAS:

⇒ Dry cereal: Wheat Chex, Shredded Wheat, Cheerios, Oat Squares, granola. NOTE: Add raisins or other dried fruits to boost the calories and carbs.⇒ Pretzels: Naturally fat free. Look for reduced salt or salt-free varieties if you are watching your salt intake.⇒ Crackers: Stoned wheat, sesame, bran, RyKrisp, or other low fat or fat free brands NOTE: Spread with peanut butter or add slices of cheese to boost the calories and protein.⇒ Bagels: The bigger the better. Look for whole wheat, pumpernickel, rye, or ones with seeds to get the most nutrients. NOTE: Spread with peanut butter,honey, jam, or low fat cream cheese to boost the calories.

⇒ Fruits: Bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, or other fresh fruits. NOTE: Dried fruits (like raisins, apricots, and dates) are especially easy to pack and verycalorie dense.⇒ Nuts and seeds: Peanuts, pistachios, almonds, sunflower seeds and other nuts/ seeds are high in calories and good sources of protein, healthymonounsaturated fats, vitamin E, and several other vitamins and minerals.

⇒ Sports bars, breakfast bars, and low fat granola bars: Prewrapped, veryportable, and very tasty.


Foods to Choose When You Need More Calories

• Breads Choose hearty, dense breads such as whole wheat, oat bran, pumpernickel, or rye (as opposed to fluffy white breads). The bigger and more thickly sliced the better! Spread generously with peanut butter, jam, honey, hummus, or low fat cream cheese.

• Cereals Choose dense cold cereals such as granola, muesli, Grape-Nuts, Cracklin Oat Bran, Shredded Wheat n Bran or Wheat Chex (instead of flaked or puffed cereals). When making oatmeal and other hot cereals, use low fat milk instead of water. Add extra nuts and dried fruits for flavor.

• Vegetables Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, peas, corn, carrots, winter squash, and beets have more calories than watery veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, green beans, and cucumbers.

• Fruits Bananas, pears, apples, pineapple, and all dried fruits (raisins, dates, dried apricots, etc.) have more calories than watery fruits such as oranges, peaches, plums, berries, and watermelon. Buy canned fruit packed in heavy syrup,instead of its own juice, for extra calories.

• Soups Select hearty black bean, lentil, split pea, chili with beans, barley, or minestrone soups. These soups have more calories and carbohydrates than brothy chicken, beef, and vegetable types.NOTE: Creamed soups and chowders are also high-calorie choices, but theyare very high in saturated fat and should be eaten in moderation.• SaladsRather than filling up on watery lettuce, pile on the garbanzo and kidney beans,green peas and corn, chopped vegetables, sunflower seeds and chopped walnuts, raisins, cottage cheese, lean meats, tuna fish, and croutons. Top with a liberal amount of vinegar and oil type dressing.

NOTE: Creamy dressings are high in calories, but also high in saturated fat.

• Beverages Quench your thirst with fruit juices and nectars, low fat milk, shakes, fruit smoothies, and regular soft drinks. Avoid filling your stomach up with non caloric beverages like water, coffee, tea, and diet soft drinks.


HEALTHY HIGH-FAT ADDITIONS
Try... Instead of... canola or olive oil• use to stir fry vegetables, chicken, • butter and lean meats • add to pasta, tomato sauce, and salads • creamy sauces and creamy salad dressings nuts and seeds * • add to hot or cold cereals, stir fry dishes, vegetables, casseroles, salads natural peanut butter *• spread on bread, bagels, crackers • butter, cream cheese trans-free tub margarine• add to potatoes and other vegetables, • instead of gravy, sour cream, and butter hot cereals, soups, breads, rice low fat and fat free cheeses *• sprinkle on casseroles, soups, and salads • regular cheeses • melt on vegetables • serve on sandwiches and crackers low fat and fat free cream cheeses• spread on bagels and crackers • regular cream cheese • serve with fruit avocado• add to sandwiches, salads, • mayonnaise, sour cream and Mexican dishes

HEALTHY HIGH-CARBOHYDRATE AND PROTEIN ADDITIONS• Add Carnation Instant Breakfast, Nestle’s Quick, Ovaltine, or malt powder to flavor low fat milk. • Add dried fruit, sugar, or maple syrup to sweeten hot or cold cereals. • Spread honey, jam, or jelly on breads, bagels, and crackers. • Add wheat germ or oat bran to casseroles, hot cereal, or power shakes. • Mix nonfat dry milk powder or soy protein powder into shakes, casseroles, mashed potatoes, soups, and hot cereal. * Also a good source of protein.


Sample Weight Gain Menus
The key to gaining weight is to consistently… eat larger than normal portions,choose healthful, high calorie foods and beverages, and make time for three meals plus one or more hefty snacks every day!These sample menus suggest healthful, high calorie, carbohydrate rich sports meals and snacks.

Eating at Home: Approximate Calories Breakfast1 ½ cups orange juice 165 1 cup granola 500 1/4 cup raisins 120 1 large banana 130 2 cups 1% low fat milk 200 Total 1115‘ Lunch1 7-inch pita pocket 240 1 6.5 oz can tuna 200 4 Tbs. lite mayo 150 1 tomato + lettuce/sprouts 50 1 can lentil soup 360 1 1/2 cups apple juice 200 Total 1200Dinner3 cups spaghetti 600 1 cup Prego pasta sauce 300 1 10 oz pkg. frozen spinach 75 or 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed veggies 1/4 cup parmesan cheese 120 1 slice hearty wheat bread 100 1 1/2 cup 1% low fat milk 150 Total 1345 Snack2 slices hearty wheat bread 200 2 Tbs. peanut butter 200 3 Tbs. jelly 150 2 cups 1% low-fat milk 200 2 medium carrots 60 Total 810Day’s Total: 4470 calories Eating on the Run: Approximate Calories Breakfast (at Bagel Shop)2 large bagels 600 3 oz lite cream cheese 260 1 cup low fat fruit yogurt 250 12 oz orange juice 165 Total 1275 Lunch (at McDonald’s) 1 Grilled Chicken Delux330 1 sm french fries 210 16 oz low fat chocolate shake 340 1 large (32 oz) Sprite 310 1 large banana 130 Total 1320 Dinner (at Pizza Place) 1 medium (10-inch), thick 1200 crust cheese + veggie pizza Salad Bar (1 cup lettuce + 255 1/2 cup each green pepper, broccoli,carrots, tomato, and garbanzo beans) 2 Tbs. Italian salad dressing 100 Water0Total 1555Snack (Cafeteria) 2 slices hearty wheat bread 200 3 oz turkey breast 165 1 tomato + lettuce/sprouts 50 1 large apple 100 1 cup (8 oz) 2% low fat milk 120 Total 635 Day’s Total: 4785 calories

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