Tag: Nutrition
What Is The Zig Zag Diet & Is It Worth It?
Often referred to as “calorie cycling”, this diet is a powerful technique.
For many of us, finding a diet and hopping onto it can be one of the most challenging things. Time and time again, we are able to last about three days before someone offers you a beer, or those candy bars stare at you while you wait in line at the grocery store. And just like that, the diet is no more. With so many ways to diet, and of course those infamous fad diets, even finding the right technique can be overwhelming, leaving you in a pit of despair and pizza. But we’re here to bring you a potentially amazing dieting technique in the zig zag diet that could quite possibly change things around for you.
Let’s say you get past the first couple weeks of your new diet. You’re cruising along, seeing great gains, and then a sudden speed bump stands right before. You try and try but can’t seem to get over that hurdle. This dreaded plateau that can happen in weightlifting can happen just as much in dieting and can be soul crushing. It can make you question just how hard you’re willing to work, how resilient you are to adversity, and how much you wish you could just drop those pounds. But the zig zag diet is a great technique to burst through any plateau so you never falter when it comes to your progress.
Let’s jump into the zig zag diet and see what this technique is all about. You deserve to have the best chance at growth and your diet is a great place to start.
What Is The Zig Zag Diet?
The zig zag diet, also known as calorie cycling, is a great dieting technique that forces you to change and alternate the amount of calories you consume on a given day to really promote growth and weight loss. By changing the amount of calories you consume on a given day, you start to avoid those dreaded plateaus that can be an unfortunate side effects of constant calorie diets (1).
Typically, your days consists of those low, medium, or high calorie days, each with their own respective benefits to help you get to where you want to be. Your low days are meant to maximize the amount of fat burned so you start to see some real gains to weight loss. Those medium calorie days will work to maintain and build muscle, especially if you are active and workout during this time. Those high calorie days will boost your metabolism to burn it off and refill energy stores for future days so you no longer feel sluggish or depleted.
For those looking to avoid plateaus, the zig zag diet is right for you. Depending on your fitness level, the amount of calories per day will certainly change but you need to be make sure you have adequate amounts of fuel to carry you through your daily life.
Benefits Of The Zig Zag Diet
The zig zag diet does consist of a few great benefits worth noting as you consider making this lifestyle change for yourself. Benefits include:
Avoid plateaus: Don’t worry about hitting those dreaded plateaus that constant calorie diets follow.
More muscle: Work to maintain and build muscle so you don’t sacrifice current gains and those you continue to make in the gym.
Less fat: With your metabolism working overtime, you will work to shed that fat and really give yourself a chance at a lean physique.
Metabolic confusion: Test your metabolism and see just what it can do when you need it to work for you by consistently changing up the amount of calories your body processes (2).
Easily adjustable: Depending on your activity level, this is easily adjustable and can be done using calculations based on your information and amount of activity you perform.
How This Diet Works
We’ll offer an example of what a typical day may look like. While you will still be eating quality and nutritional food, you are changing the amount of calories on a given day. Ensuring enough protein is in your diet is huge, but you can cycle with carbs. Here is an example of what the numbers look like (always adjust calories to you and your lifestyle).
Monday: 1,800
Tuesday: 2,000
Wednesday: 1,800
Thursday: 1,600
Friday: 2,000
Saturday: 1,800
Sunday: 2,000
How The Zig Zag Diet Can Break A Plateau
The zig zag diet can work to break through any plateau because it requires you to zig zag your way around calories and the amount that you consume. This will cause metabolic confusion which can be helpful in the long run especially when it comes to burning off calories. By kicking your metabolism into gear, you work to lose weight while still maintaining and potentially gaining muscle mass (3).
Is It Worth It?
Dieting can be very subjective and what works for one person may not work for someone else. The zig zag diet ultimately is a safe and effective way to lose weight given that it requires you to eat healthy foods, with the right amount of calories per day (even if a day or two are slightly lower), and maintain control so you don’t diet the wrong way. Effective for bursting through plateaus, the zig zag diet is worth it, especially when it comes to staying on track and not falling victim to the dreaded dieting lull, which often times leads to you reverting back to old habits.
Wrap Up
The zig zag diet, or calorie cycling, is a great dieting technique to help break dieting plateaus and keep you on track. We all know dieting can be hard so why not set ourselves up for success with a worthwhile and effective technique that can really work to boost our gains. Check out the zig zag diet today and really see what it can do for you. When done right, you won’t be disappointed with the results.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Howell, Scott; Kones, Richard (2017). “‘Calories in, calories out’ and macronutrient intake: the hope, hype, and science of calories”. (source)
Patterson, Ruth E.; Laughlin, Gail A.; Sears, Dorothy D.; LaCroix, Andrea Z.; et al. (2015). “Intermittent Fasting And Human Metabolic Health”. (source)
Freire, Rachel (2020). Scientific evidence of diets for weight loss: Different macronutrient composition, intermittent fasting, and popular diets”. (source)
Benefits of Fruit For Bodybuilders Despite Myths
We’re all told fruit is good for us, but certain myths may be preventing us from really maximizing our goals.
We are told from a young age that we must eat fruit. And for good reason. Healthy and packed with nutrients, these sweet foods keep us away from the sugary and artificial junk that seems far more appealing. The trouble for fruit is that when sugar gets attacked as the main source of weight problems, fruit ironically gets thrown into the mix.
Fruit contains natural sugar and while this may be different from the artificial stuff that plagues a lot of products, just the word sugar is enough to send people into a tailspin. When it comes to our bodybuilding goals, it is important to remember to have fruit in your diet and the benefits are beyond great. Even if you take a great multivitamin or pump yourself with other supplements, nothing compares to the real deal. Of course, anything can be had in moderation, but don’t let certain myths around fruit deter you from seeing gains become reality.
While certain myths may exist around fruit, the benefits are undeniable. Sure, natural sugar may go against certain diets, like keto for example, but if your body craves it, give yourself a piece of fruit. It’s better than binging and going for the real sweet treats.
Myths Around Fruit
You can eat as much fruit as you want without gaining weight.
While we would love for this to be true, again, anything in moderation is best. Fruit does contain high amount of simple sugar (although natural!) and a good amount of calories so making sure you eat the right amount of fruit and at the right time is important.
Eating fruit before bed is a bad idea.
Conflicting ideas around this exist but grabbing a piece of fruit late night is better than some alternatives. Depending on the calories in that piece of fruit, and your goals for weight loss or maintenance, just be cautious of which fruit you eat before bed.
Some fruits are better for you than others.
Fruit is all nutritious and each has certain benefits in their own right. If you don’t like pomegranate, don’t force yourself to eat it because you think you should. Eat what you enjoy and get all the nutrients you need to succeed.
Sugar in fruit is bad for your health goals.
The sugar found in fruit is natural and something your body needs. When you start to crave something sweet, reach for an apple or your favorite fruit because its better than grabbing that candy bar or soda. Also, whole fruit takes time to digest so you feel full and your body can metabolize much easier.
Benefits Of Fruit
Weight Management
When it comes to weight loss or maintenance, it’s all about calories in and out. Fruit is a healthy alternative to sugary foods and will satisfy that sweet tooth without pumping you with extra calories (1). Also, fiber in fruit helps keep you full longer so you don’t snack as much ruining all of your goals. Fiber also slows the rate of the natural sugar being released so you don’t suffer from spikes or crashes.
Full Of Nutrients
It may go without saying, but we should say it anyway. Fruit will pump you full of all those vital nutrients you need for daily functioning. The vitamins and minerals will offer a variety of benefits and really work to keep your body in top shape. While a multivitamin is a great aid to have in your dietary regimen for those nutrients you miss from food, nothing beats what you’ll get from eating all of that whole food.
Cognitive Assistance
The nutrients in fruit will help with your central nervous system as well as the maintenance of brain functions and health. Fruits can help reduce stress and slow age-related decline in brain function (2).
Best Fruits For Gains
Oranges
Oranges are a great source of vitamin C which is vital for aiding in immune health (3), especially as we get closer to cold and flu season. They can also help lower cholesterol and blood pressure since they are rich in potassium. The polyphenols in oranges help with brain development and memory functions.
Watermelon
Watermelon can help lower inflammation and oxidative damage since it is rich in lycopene and vitamin C. Citrulline in watermelon can also help relieve muscle soreness (4) to aid in recovery so you are ready to go for that next workout much sooner.
Apples
High in fiber and water, apples are great for helping you feel full longer aiding in weight loss to alleviate any snacking tendencies. Containing pectin, they act as a good prebiotic to help the good bacteria in your gut.
Pineapple
Pineapple has great benefits for immunity as well as inflammation to keep you healthier overall. Bromelain and manganese are important for bone regeneration and bone growth, so this fruit can really benefit your overall structure.
Bananas
Bananas have great benefits to regulate blood sugar levels and improve digestion. High in antioxidants, bananas can help reduce damage done by free radicals and lower your risk of some diseases. They can also help with muscle cramps and soreness as a result of exercise (5) so this fruit is great for athletes when it comes to recovery and endurance exercise.
Wrap Up
Despite some myths surrounding fruit, these sweet treats are great for bodybuilders and all athletes, as well as everyday people. While it is important to consume fruit in moderation and watch out for what time you eat it, don’t be alarmed because it has sugar. The sugar in fruit is natural and digests easier than processed sugar and your body needs it to function. Getting all those vital nutrients from whole foods is important for your overall growth and development so don’t let certain myths ruin your diet by eliminating fruit. Pick up some fresh fruit today and enjoy all that it has to offer.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Fujioka, Ken; Greenway, Frank; Sheard, Judy; Ying, Yu (2006). “The effects of grapefruit on weight and insulin resistance: relationship to the metabolic syndrome”. (source)
Conner, Tamlin S.; Brookie, Kate L.; Carr, Anitra C.; Mainvil, Louise A.; Vissers, Margreet C. M. (2017). “Let them eat fruit! The effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on psychological well-being in young adults: A randomized controlled trial”. (source)
Carr, Anitra C.; Maggini, Silvia (2017). “Vitamin C and Immune Function”. (source)
Perez-Guisado, Joaquin; Jakeman, Philip M. (2010). “Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness”. (source)
Hallissey, Hannah Marie (2014). “The Use Of Bananas In Preventing Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps”. (source)
Should A Growing Teen Pay Attention To Nutrient Timing Or Just Eat?
When it comes to teens, nutrition becomes a very essential thing of their life. This is because it is during these times that they are experiencing a lot of changes especially physically but also mentally and functionally. During Nutrient Timing that most people engage in sporting activities. Therefore, when looking into the aspect of nutrition for the teens, it is also important to consider whether such a teen actively involves in sporting or may working activities or not.
What is nutrient timing?
What now is nutrient timing? Nutrient timing involves having specified times of taking foods so that you end up with certain body properties that you need. Nutrient timing therefore seems a strategic way of getting certain outcomes for the teens. The question therefore remains, is it necessary? Considering teens in sporting activities as well as bodybuilding, nutrient timing seems to be a great idea since its sole purpose includes:
Evolution of Nutrient Timing
Nutrient timing has been around for a while. For almost 50 years, Nutrient timing has formed a very crucial part of bodybuilders and several researchers have done serious work to find its many benefits. The benefits are not well brought out mainly of some few limitations. These include:
The use of short-term blood makers meaning that the long time benefits are left out.
The use of ultra-endurance athletes during the study.
Related Article:: How to Do Bodybuilding Above 50 years Age
The Concept of Anabolic Window
Something very controversial about nutrient timing is the anabolic window. It is sometimes referred to as the window of opportunity and is a period of about 30 minutes after workouts during which it is assumed that the body can absorb nutrients perfectly. This is a concept that is still debatable, with some people arguing that it a fact while still others believe that it is a myth.
How Does the Concept Seem To Work?
The theory of anabolic window assumes to work based on two important aspects.
1. Carb Replenishment Principle
This aspect is supported by abundant research, with carbs especially glycogen being replenished within about 30 minutes to an hour. This is usually after workouts and hence the need for immediate replenishment. This of course serves to increase performance and recovery.
However, there seems to be a problem. Despite the fact that the concept is well in line with the theory, this will only imply that timing is only going to be of essence if you have a teen who is dedicated to training several times a day. It therefore becomes irrelevant to people who train once are not into training at all.
Another thing that seems not in line is the finding that training will be even better with lower amounts of glycogen in the muscles. This largely applies to teens who are actively involved in fat burning and fitness programs. Immediate replenishment has in fact been shown to reduce the benefits that should be coming out of the respective programs. It is therefore important to note that this aspect does not necessarily apply to most people making the theory of anabolic window almost a myth.
Must Read:: 8 Bodybuilding Myths Those Are Total Bullshit
2. Protein Intake Principle
The protein intake principle works on the basis of using proteins to stimulate the synthesis of proteins in the muscles. Protein synthesis in the muscles is very crucial because it facilitates their growth and also aids in recovery. However, is it necessary that one replenish the proteins right after working out? Well, research has spelt out clearly that it is not necessary and that what is important is actually the total daily protein intake. By taking high quality proteins during each meal, the concept of anabolic window becomes useless and more or less a waste of time and energy.
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The Concept of Pre-Workout Window
Another very important concept that is important in nutrition timing and which therefore also determines whether teens should pay attention to nutrition timing or not is the concept of the pre-workout window. Unlike the anabolic window, this concept to some extend tends to agree more with researchers and experts in the field. This is because keeping the correct time for the pre-workout has been shown to greatly aid performance. This is to mean that there is a timing for teens who wish to burn the fat in their body and there is timing for the teens who wish to enhance their performance in such things as sports.
Carbs are very essential in this window. They provide the energy you need and therefore should never be skipped. A common mistake that people make is eating immediately before the actual workout. This ensures that there is minimal competition between the stomach and the muscles and therefore lets the muscles concentrate on the performance. An allowance of 1 to about 4 hours will generally be perfect.
Another thing to include to your pre-workout nutrition will be sufficient water. This is very essential and drinking about 430 ml of water before a workout will most likely boost the performance.
Must Read:: Bodybuilding Diet Myths for Beginners
It is advised that vitamins should not be taken during this phase. This is because of their negative influence on performance and serving to minimize the benefits of the workout. Thus, in as much nutrition timing as a whole is more of a false myth, some concepts like this pre-workout window is important. The main benefits of adhering to this include:
Help maximize the performance of the teen.
Improve the body structure and composition.
Fat loss acceleration.
Relationship between Nutrient Timing and Breakfast
So what should your teen eat for breakfast or should he or she even it at all? It is a very debatable concept with some expert advising that it may not be necessary to even eat breakfast while others advising certain types of meals with specific nutrients. For those who recommend breakfast, they argue that it should contain very low amounts of carb and high amounts of fat. Such a breakfast will of course help raise the energy levels, maintain higher mental function and accelerate fat burning from the body.
There is no enough evidence to support this though and everything is currently in grey areas. Anything is possible and some even propose that proteins during this time will be great. Therefore, for teens as well as any other person who is looking into the issue of nutrition timing, breakfast timings are not well researched. Ones preferences and also what one wants to achieve should be the driver.
Related Article:: Muscle Building Breakfast Ideas: Start Your Day Right
Relationship between Nutrient Timing and Night
Almost every concept for nutrient timing seems to be a false myth and this one seems to be yet another one. It is generally believed that reducing carbohydrates at night will definitely lead to weight loss. It is a false myth that has been spread across the globe to the extent that people are actually into it. In truth however, when you reduce the carbs, the calories are also going to be reduced. The calorie-deficit that is the result of this will ensure that there is weight loss. It is therefore not a matter of timing but a matter of reduction of one thing, which then affects another.
Reducing carbs at night might in fact be the opposite of what is expected. This is because some experts have proved that carbs at night might help improve sleep quality. For teens therefore, nutrient timing at nigh seems to be out of question and not a suggestion at all.
Nutrient Timing Vs. Just Eating
Despite the fact that nutrient timing has been around for several decades now, more and more research is slowly disapproving it and making it obsolete. What remains is for the teens therefore is simply eating without the stress that comes along with nutrient timing. However, there must be order behind just eating as we are going to see next.
Teen athletes
When talking about nutrition and teens, it is important to consider this concept of physical activity. This is because teens who are physically active have unique nutrient requirements, which we will consider here.
Teen Nutrition Composition
For teenagers, their food should contain certain components that help sustain them through this period. They should be able to get the right balanced nutrients with more calories and most basic nutrients such as proteins.
A teen’s diet should comprise more or less of the following:
Fruits and vegetables that contributes to about 2000 calories every day.
Calcium about 1300 mg per day. The calcium should be fat-free or with less fat. The common sources milk and yogurt.
Proteins which are much needed to help build muscles and as well as other rapidly growing muscles. Popular sources of proteins include lean meat and poultry.
Foods, which are rich in iron. Iron is essential in both girls and boys but will be particularly useful in girls who lose a lot of blood through menstruation.
Whole grains. Whole grains are very good sources of the much needed energy during the teen phase of life among other important roles.
For teenagers, fat should be limited as much as possible. Fat of about 2 to about 30 percent of the total calories will be a good amount for the teens.
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals should be part and parcel for teen nutritional diet. There are several vitamins and minerals all of which serve different functions in the body. Calcium and iron are particularly important for those teens who are physically active because they bring about strong bones as well as sufficient supply of blood to the muscles respectively. Iron is abundant in many types of foods such as the fish and most green leafy vegetables and many more others. Calcium on the other hand is rich in such foods as milk and milk products.
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Must Read:: Best Diet Plan for Bodybuilders 2019
Many vitamins are also very important and can easily be acquired from different types of foods especially fruits and vegetables. Having a balanced diet is sure to give the best result in terms of getting the required vitamins as well as mineral salts.
Carbs
Of course, when one thinks about energy sources, the first thing that comes to mind is carbohydrates. This have been proved beyond doubt to be a very nice source of energy and are therefore a very crucial part of teen nutrition. Teens should never think of cutting back on carbs and especially when they are active in sports, it may cost them a lot in terms of performance.
A good thing about this carbs is that they are readily available in most foods and hence there deficiency is rare. Sources include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. However, there is some selectivity when it comes to eating the carbohydrates. For instance, processed grains are not generally recommended while whole grains such as brown rice are more appropriate in the sense that they provide extra nutrients that may not be in processed grains. Also, carbohydrates that have a lot of sugar should be avoided as much as possible. Such carbs when taken especially before the game tend to gives people a quick burst of energy within a short time and then leave them without anything shortly afterwards.
Proteins
For proteins, it will depend on whether the teen is physically active or not. Physically active teens will definitely need more proteins as compared to their less active peers. Proteins are easily acquired from the common foods that teens eat now and then every day. While it is generally assumed that eating lots of proteins leads to gain of large quantities of muscles, it is not very true and such muscles can only be acquired from training and abundant working out. In fact, those teens who take large quantities of proteins in the name of gaining large and strong muscles end up with some side effects that include
Occurrence of dehydration.
Loss of considerable amounts of calcium from the body.
Occurrence of kidney abnormalities.
Protein sources include fish, lean meat and peanut butter.
Fats
Should teens take fats or burn them? Well, technically speaking, excess fats are not recommended. However, a little fat is very necessary and teens should purpose on having them in their diet. Fats are important for long lasting energy. Carbs get used up fast and therefore fats come in a little while later after the carbs are done.
Fats also differ in types and teens are advised to take certain types and avoid other types. The main types are unsaturated and saturated fats. Unsaturated fats are considered healthier for teens and can be found in such foods like vegetable oils and some types of fish. The unsaturated fats can further be grouped into trans and cis fats. Again, cis fats are the best for teens as well as any other person. Some of these fats are particularly abundant in meat and other high fat dairy products.
For fats, timing can be of essence. It is not good for example to consume fats a short time before and after exercise for physically active teens. This is based on the fact that fats tend to make digestion slow.
Are supplements essential for teens?
For supplements, it is really good if teens know the consequences that using certain supplements will bring. There are certain supplements that can be used without actually doing any harm while there are others that come with extreme negative effects.
Anabolic steroids
Anabolic steroids are among the most commonly abused supplements nowadays especially for teens in sports as well as bodybuilders. For teens, these should be supplements that they should try as much as possible shun. This is because most anabolic steroids are derivatives of hormones or hormones and will definitely have adverse side effects.
Anything that interrupts with the normal hormonal composition will also interfere with the normal functioning of the body. Common side effects of using anabolic steroids include:
Male pattern of hair loss on the forehead.
Shrinkage of the testicles.
Growth of facial hair in girls.
Depression and mood swings.
Salt tablets
Salt tablets are common supplements to reduce dehydration. However, the belief seems to be a false one since salt tablets demonstrate to actually be the reason behind dehydration in teens and people who use them. The salts also, especially when taken in large quantities tend to have side effects such as:
Causing nausea and vomiting.
Brings about painful cramps.
Causes diarrhea.
Damage to the stomach mucosa.
Proteins and energy bars
There are some supplements in form of proteins and energy bars. These are some of the supplements which are not 100% important and at the same time not 100% useless. They have not been implicated in doing lots of harm to the body and therefore can safely be used occasionally.
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Dehydration and teen Nutrient Timing
Water is also another very important composition of teen nutrition that is very essential. Teens should always ensure that they avoid dehydration as much as possible. This is especially when it comes to teens involved in sporting activities. A lot of water is lost during exercises and this might be a great contributor to dehydration. Dehydration is related to such conditions as the feeling of overheated and some form of headaches. Teens in hot and humid conditions are likely to get dehydrated.
Dehydration will definitely lead to reduced performance and that is why people not only teens should strive to remain as dehydrated as much as possible. Different people require different amounts of water daily. This will depend largely on the size of the person, their age, how much they are involved in physical activities as well as the surrounding environmental conditions.
Highly physically active teems should at least drink water just before and after exercise as well as during the exercise every about 15 minutes. It is not necessary that one feel thirst before drinking water. Thirst in fact simply implies that you begin dehydrate a long time ago. At the same time, it is not necessary that you force yourself to drink water.
Some sports provide specific nutrient added water. The water is usually important in case of long periods of training but water is no different either. Carbonated water and drinks are not preferred during the exercises due to their probability to cause stomachache. Also don’t drink energy drinks. In fact, avoid the energy drinks at all costs because they have caffeine as well as other components, which have the stimulant effect of caffeine.
Caffeine and Physically Active Teens
Teens who are in sports sometimes are tempted to use supplements with caffeine such as the energy drinks that we have talked about above. Caffeine has many effects in the body but importantly here is that it is a diuretic. Diuretics are substances that basically cause formation of more urine by the kidneys. It might be one of the causes of dehydration but the concept needs more research. Due to its diuretic effects, it cause an increase in the heart rate as well as leading to hypertension. It also leads to reduced quality of sleep and also having an effect of making someone abnormally anxious. The effects when combined will lead to a reduction in performance.
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Despite the fact that some experts have found small benefits of caffeine especially in those endurance sports, it is best to keep away from it. Its benefits seem to be way below the side effects.
Conclusion
Teen nutrition can be very confusing. While there are times when nutrient timing is good, sometimes just eating will be a really good option. Nutrient timing has come a long way and while it is being seen as a false myth, there are some concepts that actually hold true and should be good for teenagers and there complicated nutritional needs. During teenage time is also a time when most people involves in sporting activity. They need to eat certain foods and avoid certain supplements. Weighing the two concepts, it is just good that teens just eat instead of chaining themselves with a theory that lacks full scientific evidence.
Best Creatine Pills vs. Powder – Pros and Cons of Both Forms
Creatine is one common supplement that you can use to achieve several benefits in your body if you are an athlete. It has been in use for a long time and as such, it exists in different forms that have evolved with time throughout its history. Creatine Pills & Powder is one most studied supplement used by athletes and that’s why there is sufficient information on it.
The two common forms that creatine supplement exists are the pills and powder forms. These have often lead to problems as people are not sure which form is the best for use. Since both forms exists in practically equal measures, this article highlights some important information on both forms with a stress on the pros and cons of both forms.
Creatine in details
In the body, creatine is a compound, which naturally produced from the amino acids. It also acquires from other sources other than the body’s amino acids for example the proteins of animal food. The creatine referred in this article however is the supplemented form that can be bought from different stores.
Dietary supplemented creatine that is bought ensures that you get as much creatine as much as possible and not only the minute amounts produced naturally in the body. Used this way, it has an impact on the performance of an athlete and also on the general health of the user. Just like many other dietary supplements, there have risen concerns about its use since it generally interferes with several physiological functions of the body.
Generally, for athletes, creatine is very important in ensuring that increase strength, increase muscles mass and performance as mentioned above. It is the most commonly used supplement because it is among the few supplements that prove to bring about the intended results.
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Benefits of using creatine as a supplement
Creatine has a wide range of benefits some of which we describe here:
1. Creatine increases your energy levels
Creatine has the effect of increasing the available energy. This means that when it comes to your workouts, you will work harder than ever before. Working out harder also leads to muscle hypertrophy. The reason behind the increase in the energy is because creatine increases anabolic responses as a result of increased hormones responsible for such activities in the muscle. A good example of such a hormone is insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1).
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2. Reduction of protein breakdown
Creatine has a great impact in reducing the breakdown of proteins in the body. This is advantageous to bodybuilders since it means that they will retain a lot of proteins some of which are a crucial part of the muscles.
3. Hydration
Creatine increases water concentration in muscles. This water is responsible for making your muscles stronger and bigger.
Related Article:: Drink More Water If You Want To Lose Weight And Build Muscle Fast
4. Improving brain function
Aside from muscles and bodybuilding, creatine has been known to improve the functioning of the brain. The supplement when taken leads to increased brain creatine which may improve the function of the brain. The brain functions that have been noticed to improve include the short-term memory and reasoning.
5. Growth signaling
Creatine is also important in growth signaling. The growth signals are particularly meant to improve muscle hypertrophy through the action of satellite cells, which are responsible for sending the signals. The signals mainly stimulate muscle repair and growth particularly after your workouts and training sessions.
6. Reducing the levels of inhibitors
The major inhibitor for muscle growth is myostatin. When it is held back, muscle growth proceeds at a faster rate. Creatine is a very good inhibitor of this compound and the overall results is increase in muscle mass is at a faster rate.
Besides its use by bodybuilders, creatine has other applications especially for medical purposes. It has for instance been considered to be helpful in heart diseases, some form of cancer, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson disease among others.
Drawbacks of Creatine
Creatine has been referred to as the most safe supplement to be taken. This implies that it has very few if any drawbacks. Many researchers have looked into this area and have concluded the same way. The most important thing that needs the right dosage. As long as one is taking the right dosage, they can be sure to stay safe when using the supplements unlike other common supplements. There are however some few concerns that a few people have noticed when using creatine. These concerns include:
Cramps and dehydration
A few people who have used creatine supplements have complained of cramps and dehydration. This has not been proved and there exist no scientific explanation to it. It has actually been shown that creatine actually does the opposite of this health effects.
Bloating
Bloating is perhaps the most reported problem associated with taking creatine supplements. Also, Bloating results in discomfort especially when one is just beginning to take the supplements, a period called the creatine loading phase. Bloating comes as a result of increased water in the muscles leading to weight gain. The bloating seems to affect only a section of the people who can still avoid it by restricting themselves to a certain amount of the dosage.
Kidney problems
There are no problems that are caused by creatine on the kidney. People have associated creatine with kidney problems because increase creatine also leads to increase creatinine levels and creatinine levels are used as kidney markers. However, this may prove challenging if there already exist a kidney problem. People with such problems are advised not to use creatine before seeking advice from a medical specialist.
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Types of creatine supplements
It comes in different forms some of which are highlighted here.
Creatine monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate is the form of creatine which is commonly used in different studies. It is sometimes considered the standard creatine over which all the other forms are compared. It also the most potent form.
Creatine pyruvate
Creatine pyruvate has a major effect on increasing the blood levels of creatine. This however does not seem to have an influence over the performance.
Creatine citrate
This form is more water-soluble compared to the others and can help avoid clumping in the water.
Creatine magnesium chelate
When this form of creatine is used as a supplement, it tends to prevent the gain of water especially at low doses.
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Buffered creatine and creatine hydrochloride
These 2 forms are best known for their conversion back into their basic form by the stomach acid.
There are many other forms including:
Micronized creatine monohydrate.
Creatine ethyl ester.
Forms Of Creatine Supplements
Creatine supplements can come in form of pills, powders or capsules. Capsules contain the powder and therefore there are two major forms in which creatine can acquire, that is, the powder forms and pills forms. Each of these two forms have their own advantages and disadvantages, which clearly highlighted here below. Generally, people say that they are minor if any differences between the two forms. The most important thing to note here is that whether they are pills are the powder, the content of creatine is the same. Differences therefore come in in other aspects other than content of creatine taken in.
Creatine Pills
Creatine pills are usually taken together with fluids such as water orally. Taking creatine this way is the best way in which you can increase the levels of creatine in your body. Take creatine together with multivitamins without any problems.
THREE-ATINE (Monohydrate) > > HERE
Pros of Creatine Pills
Transportation – Transportation of pills is much easier instead of powders. This is because they are not likely to spill.
Less wastage – When taking pills or tablets, you expect little wastage since tablets are not likely to be spilled while being consumed.
Dosage – When it comes to dosage, pills ensure that you get the exact dosage as specified. Pills have that specific amount of monohydrate hence every pill will be the best for you.
Cons of Creatine Pills
High Cost – Purchasing pills can be troublesome for some people because they have a higher purchase cost compared to powder forms of creatine. This will be particularly felt during the loading phase when you need more of the pills.
Absorption is slower – Compared to powder, pills have a slowly effect after you take them. Attributed to their compact form, which means that they must first be digested before they take the effect on your body. To help minimize the problem, they are taken earlier so that they can be absorbed.
Combining with other supplements is harder – Creatine can be a very good companion when combined with complementary supplements. The common supplements which are best combined include the carbohydrates and proteins. With pills however, it might be difficult to combine and only powder form can be useful.
Creatine Powder
Creatine powder is perhaps the most common form of creatine consumed, at least by bodybuilders and other people who like working out.
Micronized Creatine Powder > > HERE
Pros of Powder
Cost effective – One can easily afford creatine powder as compared to pills.
Absorbed More Readily – The form of powder as compared to the tablets s readily absorbed because there is no need of digestion.
Combining with other supplements is easier – Creatine combines more easily with other supplements like mentioned above. The powder form will make it easier to combine unlike their counterparts the pills.
These pros have made many people like the powder as compared to pills. The fact that they are cost effective means that one will spend less on them and also the fact that they can be combined easily with other supplements means that one will get maximum benefits.
Cons of Powder
Not easy to transport – Spills are common with powdered forms of creatine when transporting and this leads usually to great losses.
Wastage – Apart from wastage due to transportation problems, powdered creatine is more likely to waste through other forms also. They may for example get stack around the corners of the containers.
Incorrect dosage – One is more likely to get incorrect dosage when using powdered form of creation as compared to pills. This aspect also closely links to wastage because when the powder sticks on the vessel of taking the powder. Incorrect dosage may even lead to side effects being experience more often.
Related Article:: Top 20 Weight Loss Bodybuilding Supplements to Try This Summer
Effectiveness Of Creatine
Whether in powder or pills form, creatine affects several physiological functions of the body and therefore leading to some effects. How effective creatine can be depends on several goals that one intends to achieve after having used creatine. Here is a clear overview of how effective the supplement can be in the line of what one needs to achieve.
Muscles mass
Creatine has effects on the muscles and several athletes and bodybuilders have been using it to gain muscle mass. With muscle mass, creatine is more effective compared to any other supplement known including the proteins. This will particularly be more pronounced if it is used in during resistance training. All of these arguments are a result of intense training in the area.
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Strength
You can increase Strength of the muscles through several processes by different supplements. There are those supplements that improve strength through water retention. For creatine however, it has its own way of improving the strength in the muscles. This is through increasing the energy of in the muscles, which means that the muscle cells have the energy needed for their actions. This is much way better than water retention and this makes creatine among the best supplement ever to bring about strength.
Performance
For performance, creatine is good in increasing performance especially when it comes to short burst exercises. It is ability to stimulate production of ATP in sufficient amounts in the muscles is the one responsible for increasing the performance. Creatine does not seem to extend this effectiveness to such activities that require long endurance.
It is very clear that creatine is a perfect supplement that you can count on to help get the best effect ever as seen above. All the information on creatine has been supported by great research and there is therefore no doubt about its effectiveness.
How to take Creatine supplements?
Creatine is an orally taken supplement. Different ages can take in creatine as follows depending on their needs and goals.
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Children and teenagers
Creatine supplements are not good for children. Sometimes however, they may take them for medical purposes although it is very rare. Requires advice from medical specialist.
Adults
Doses for adults vary from person to person and with the intended effects. For example, the loading dosage requires in exercise performance take 5 g of creatine monohydrate 4 times in a single day for a period of not more than 5 days. One can also take 2 g of the creatine monohydrate each day as part of the maintenance dosage in exercise performance. Something that has been researched and found to be good when taking in creatine is combining it with carbohydrates. The carbohydrate make absorption better.
The Right Time to Take Creatine
Whether you are taking the powder or pills, creatine needs to be taken at the right time. This will depend on which activity you are engaging in during the day. Basically, take creatine during the day when one plans on Exercising.
On the day when you plan to carry out your exercises, you can take creatine in three different way according to how you may like it.
Shortly before exercising
You can take 5g about 30 minutes before you start your exercises. This means that you are going to supply your muscles with creatine instantly and will increase your performance.
Shortly After Exercising
Take creatine Within 30 minutes after your exercises in which you should take just 5g of the creatine. Creatine is good when it comes to muscles recovery therefore people who take creatine after exercises usually have this in mind.
Mornings And Evenings
Take your creatine some few hours before or after the exercise. This is not however justified and may not be good. Using creatine this way produces the least effects as compared to the other two ways. When not on your exercises, you can still supplement your creatine without any bad health effects. This is mainly to ensure that you have high levels of creatine in your muscles all the time. Just ensure that your doses are a little less as compared to when you are going to exercises.
Interactions of Creatine with Other Compounds in the Body
Creatine interacts with several compounds that may also ingeste. These are particularly drugs and therefore when one is taking certain medication, they should be careful not to include creatine as well because it may lead to some unwanted health effects. Some of the drugs that interact with creatine in the body include:
Caffeine
Caffeine interacts with creatine in the body and results may not be good to the user. First, caffeine has the effect of reducing the effect of creatine in the body. It also possess the risk of dehydration. When used together with ephedra, the effect may be disastrous since there is the risk of developing stroke.
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Diuretics
Diuretics or what some people call water pills, also interact with creatine leading to harmful effects on the body. Like caffeine, they also lead to dehydration in addition to increasing the chances of kidney damage.
Probenecid
Probenecid is a drug used to treat a condition called gout. It interacts with creatine leading to increased chances of kidney damage.
NSAIDs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs interact with creatine and also usually increases the risk of kidney damage. They are some of the most used pain relieving drugs and so one is likely to use them and still use creatine. Great care should therefore take a while.
Creatine Loading
Creatine loading is another good aspect that directly or indirectly relate to whether one uses the creatine powder or pills. It is a phase where one tries to maximize as much as possible the available creatine in their muscles. It basically involves taking in more creatine at the shortest time possible so that the muscles saturate faster.
Necessity Of Creatine Loading Phase
Creatine loading serves to immediately boost your creatine levels at once so that your main task after the phase is to maintain the levels. However, it is not purely necessary that one undergo this phase. This is because even taking smaller doses can eventually bring the levels up and only time makes the difference here.
How Can Creatine Loading Be Beneficial?
Creatine loading is all about maximizing the muscular creatine levels at the shortest time possible and this can be beneficial. Some of the crucial benefits include the following:
Accelerate Muscle Gain.
Strength and power also increases up to as much as 5 to 25 %.
Performance too increases during high intensity exercises.
Creatine loading is also important in preventing injury such as strains, muscle tightness and other types of injuries common in sporting activities.
Side Effects
Generally, creatine loading is safe and can be used over both the long and short-term periods without many issues. However, it has its own side effects:
Gastrointestinal related issues
Gastrointestinal issues are sometimes experienced but it is very rare for one to experience them. These problems include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Weight Gain And Bloating
Generally, creatine associates with weight gain and bloating. With creatine loading, this seems to be accelerated.
Conclusion
Whether you want to use pills or the powder is up to you. It all gets down to what you do every now and then. For example, if you are a person who likes moving from place to place, then you will probably have to settle for pills to avoid losses. Just keep in mind that powders and pills contain the same substance which is equally beneficial and only minor differences comes in.
5 Creative High Protein Meal – Prep Dishes to Save You Time
For people who are always busy a good example being athletes, meal prepping comes in as a very important concept. The concept basically involves preparing your meals or dishes way before consuming them. It is a very imperative not only in saving time but also in its effect on the health of the individual. Preparing Meal a head of your schedule as it seems is of course a bit complicated. We therefore decide to explore this concept here in great details highlighting some of the top 5 most creative high protein meal prep dishes that can help you save time if you are a busy individual.
Why is meal prepping beneficial?
Preparing your meals in advance some great benefits touching on some aspects such as your nutrition, your lifestyle and so much more. Here are some of the most important benefits that you can be sure to rip if you consider meal prepping:
Helps you stick to your preferred diet – When you have your meals ready, you can never be tempted to eat something that is may not be important for your health nutrition-wise.
Controlling your diet is easier – Meal prepping does not only help in making sure that you stick to your diet but also comes in strongly in helping ensure that the diet you are consuming has the right contents in the right amounts.
You can easily put your hunger under control – Since you already prepared your meal, there is no point why you should feel hungry since you can easily eat your meal.
Saving time – Of course, we cannot fail to mention that meal prepping saves quite some time especially if you have little time to prepare your meals.
Saving your costs – Have your meal already prepared saves some costs such as costs of delivery of meals, you don’t waste a lot of food and other resources.
When you start meal prepping, you tend to know exactly how much of the ingredients you will need for each of the meals that you will be preparing. This in the long run helps reduce wastage.
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Some disadvantages of meal prepping
Meal prepping lacks many disadvantages. Some of the few that can be found include:
It can get boring for some people – Some people prefer to eat a wide variety of food. Meal prepping on the other hand in most cases will involve eating only a single variety of food. This will not favor people who like going for variety.
Prep Containers > > HERE
May not be good for kids – Meal prepping may not work for kids because they may not like the plan.
The disadvantages of meal prepping can easily be avoided through using spices of different varieties or any other way of flavoring your food. This way, you end up avoiding the monotony.
The different ways of prepping High Protein Meal
Meal prepping can be done in several ways most of which take care of how much time you want to spend during the process. You can always spare your weekend if you choose the best way of meal prepping. Here are the different ways that you can prep High Protein Meal:
Cooking meals in advance
This way of meal prepping simply involves cooking full meals such that the next thing when they are removed from the fridge will be eating them. The only thing that might intercept will be reheating them so that they are warm and good for consuming. The most appropriate meals that this way of High Protein Meal prepping is suitable are those meals that are particularly great for dinner.
Batch cooking
Another way of meal prepping is batch cooking. Batch cooking involves preparing sizeable quantities of a certain recipe, which can then be divided into single portions. These portions are each frozen and are consumed for a given period of time usually of several months. Meals that are good for lunch and even dinner will be best prepped using this way of meal prepping.
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Portioned individual meals
In this way, one basically prepares meals then divides them into portions that are separate. These portions are refrigerated and can be easily grabbed and consumed afterwards. If you like quick lunches, then this way will be particularly good for you to use as you prep your meals.
Earlier ingredient preparation
Sometimes if you do not want to prepare meals in advance but still want to save some time, then you can consider preparing your ingredients earlier. This means that you are going to use minimum time as much as possible while in the kitchen.
There may be other ways that you can do your meal prepping. It totally depends on your day-to-day routine. However, the above-mentioned ways are the most common and one or two are likely to favor your routine and ensure that you are not late whether you are an athlete or any other person who is busy.
Must Read:: Best Diet Plan for Bodybuilders 2019
What to Consider Before Starting Meal Prepping
Before you start meal prepping and even before choosing your recipe, there are 3 things you need to put into consideration:
The meal you want to prepare at an appropriate time
There are meals you may want to prepare for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is very important that you know which food will be the best at such times for you.
The day of doing your meal preps – So that you do not interfere with your work or your workouts, find a suitable time that you can do your meal preps. People often go for Sundays and Wednesdays but it is upon you to choose the appropriate day.
The amount you want to prepare – Deciding on the amount to prepare is also very important. This makes sure that you do not waste a lot of time and at the same time ensure that the food lasts the time intended.
The Type and Number of Meals to Prepare During High Protein Meal Prepping
Something that is very crucial when it comes to meal prepping is getting to know the type of meal as well as the number of meals to prepare. This is because Meal Prepping is all about planning a head and one cannot plan ahead without knowing what and in which amounts to prepare. To ensure that you get the right type and amount to prepare, you can follow this guide here:
Find out the type of meal that you want depending on your preferences.
The next thing that you will consider is the meal prepping method that will fit your day-to-day activities and lifestyle.
After having landed the best method for you, have a quick check on your calendar and find out the number of breakfast, lunches and dinners that you will require for the specified period of time according to your method and again your lifestyle.
Take into consideration the times you are likely to not use your meal preps for example you may have dates and so on.
Start with recipes that are familiar to you and then slowly transit to more complex recipes.
Spending less time while High Protein Meal prepping
While it help save time in the long run, meal prepping can keep you in the kitchen if you are not well prepared. Highlighted here are some of the tips that can help ensure that you are spending less time as much as possible in the kitchen when doing your meal preps.
Have one schedule that you use
Having a single schedule for your meal preps is a good first step in ensuring that you spend the least time possible in the kitchen. Have a clear outline of when you will fetch your groceries and when you will be preparing the meals. This of course also depends on your lifestyle and how busy you are.
Know the recipes that you need for your meal preps
Having a well-known combination of recipes for a given meal preps is something else that goes a long way I ensuring that you spend as less time as much as possible. It is generally recommended that your recipes should at least require different cooking methods so that you do not end up requiring the same utensil for several kinds of meals.
A good organization in prep and cooking time is required
Different foods have different cooking times. Knowing this will help you organize how well you can ensure that you they fit into your lifestyle. Generally, start with foods that require long cooking times. As they cook, you can focus on the ones that require shorter times.
Have a shopping list
Lastly, if you are considering saving time while making your preps, always ensure that you have your shopping list. This is one area that when not properly taken into consideration will lead to a lot time being wasted. Things like getting to double check everything will waste a lot of time. Therefore, a shopping list is a great tool for you to save time while making your meal preps in the kitchen.
General types of foods suitable for meal prepping
Before looking into the 5 high protein meal prep dishes, here are some of the general types of foods that are good when it comes to meal prepping. Some of them will be a crucial part of the dishes you will want to prepare.
Frozen vegetables – are among some of the best foods you can incorporate into your meal preps. They include broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and peas.
Starchy vegetables – suitable for meal prepping include cassava, potato, taro and canned pumpkin.
Stiff fresh vegetables – in this category include cabbage, carrots and radish.
Lean protein – are also part and parcel of meal prepping. Foods in this category include eggs, shredded cheese, tofu, beef and pork.
Whole fruits – to ensure that you balance your diet, fruits should also be part of the meal preps. Notable fruits include apples, oranges, pears and bananas.
The 5 creative high protein meal prep dishes
After having looked into various concepts of meal preps, one thing that has emerged is the need to save time. Busy athletes and other people will try to identify those dishes, which will help them save time and at the same time contain high protein, which is required considering the nature of their activities. Here are some of those dishes, which will make sure that you are spending less time in the kitchen and contain high proteins.
1 Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken
Barbecue chicken for a long time has been the best meal to be taken during dinner. Something good about it is that it can be made more easily and quickly compared to most other foods.
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Here is how you can prepare your barbecue chicken as a meal prep:
You will first make a tex-mex salad with lettuce, tomato, onion, black beans, Monterey jack cheese and crushed tortilla chips about a handful.
This is followed by topping over a thin-crust whole-wheat pizza dough and then sprinkling with mozzarella.
After that, you will top over medium baked sweet potato.
Then make a quesadilla with high protein tortillas, Monterey jack cheese, beans and diced tomatoes.
Finally, roll into a high protein tortilla full of lettuce, tomato, onion and Colby-jack cheese.
2. Beef Stir – Fry With Asian Peanut Sauce
This another great dish that falls in our category of creative high protein meal preps, you can quickly prepare this dish through following the simple steps below.
Chop the beef and add it to brown rice and beans or a chili if available.
Beef Stir > > HERE
You can then cube, reheat and then add to a soup that is broth-based and which has sliced vegetables, a good example being carrots.
The next thing that you do is making a Panini sandwich using thin slices of pork and some cheese.
Next, you serve over wild rice with sautéed cauliflower or even kale on the side.
Finally, slice and then add whole grain pasta with vegetables.
3. Rosemary – Mustered Pork Tenderloin
Next on our list of the top 5 creative high protein meal prep dishes is the rosemary- mustered pork tenderloin. Here is how you can prepare your dish.
Chop the pork tenderloin and add it to brown rice and beans or even a chili.
Proceed to add to a broth-based soup with sliced vegetables after having cubed and reheated.
Follow this by making a Panini sandwich with thin slices of pork and cheese.
Serve over wild rice with sautéed cauliflower or kales if available on the side.
You can then slice and add to whole grain pasta with vegetables.
4. Baked Salmon With Citrus Herbs
This dish is for those who like fish. A delicious dish can be prepared as described here below.
Baked salmon can be enjoyed over some green salad made with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese and sunflower seeds.
It can be served with quinoa or sometimes faro and some side vegetable be it cauliflower or broccoli.
The leftover salmon can diced and used in a frittata or an omelet.
You can then chop and make into salmon cakes.
This can be used in fish tacos with black beans, shredded cheese dice avocado.
5. Teriyaki Tofu
Although it can generally be said that tofu lacks the flavor, it is a far way good dish that can quickly be prepared and also contains high proteins. Besides, you can easily infuse ginger, garlic, onions or any other flavors to suit your flavors.
Teriyaki tofu can be served over brown rice or even sorghum.
Toss it into leftover chili.
You can then create a Buddha bowl with sautéed greens and lentils.
Finally serve with baked sweet potato fries and broccoli.
Storage of the Meal Preps
After having prepared your meals, the next thing that you will consider is storage so that they remain fresh for the period that you specified. The most important thing that is highlighted here is the medium of storage. Getting the right storage contain will go a long way into ensuring that you get the best result ever. Storage containers can be:
Airtight Containers
Airtight containers can be used to keep ingredients, which are ready to cook. They should be washable and include silicone baggies and stainless steel containers, which are reusable.
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BPA-Free Microwavable Containers
BPA-microwavable containers have the advantage in the sense they are very convenient and are not harmful to your health. Example of these containers include Pyrex glassware and collapsible silicone containers.
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Freezer-Safe Containers
Freezer safe containers come in strongly in helping maintain the quality of your food. This because they have this effect of limiting freezer burn as well as nutrient losses. The container of choice in this category include the wide-mouthed mason jars with a space of about 1 inch left to allow space for the expansion of food when it freezes.
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Compartmentalized Containers That Are Leak-Proof
Finally, some very good containers that you may consider using for storage of your meal prep dishes are the compartmentalized leak-proof containers. Particularly if it comes to those meal prep dishes intended for lunch or those dishes that usually require their ingredients to be mixed at the end.
Food Safety When Carrying Out Prepping
Meal prepping can result to some health problems if enough care is not taken into consideration. One such health problem is food poisoning, which affects millions each year. So what guidelines can be used to ensure that food poisoning as well as other health effects related to meal prepping are not experienced?
Proper Temperatures
You refrigerator or freezer should always be at proper temperatures. The recommended refrigerator temperatures are about 5 degrees Celsius or below while for the freezer should be -18 degrees Celsius or below
Refrigerating Fresh Foods
Fresh foods should always be refrigerated as early as within 2 hours of purchase and after cooking. To ensure that they cool quickly, you can simply spread those foods, which have been cooked into containers, which are a bit shallow. This is followed immediately by transferring them into your refrigerator.
Storage Period
Storage times for certain foods is important. For instance, such foods like fresh meat or even fish should be cooked within about 2 days after purchasing them. Others like red meat can stay a bit longer but not more than 5 days after purchasing them. Within the storage times, it is recommended that they foods be kept in the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
Cooking Temperatures
Cooking temperatures should be the right for the right type of food. This is because bacteria in different foods are killed at different temperatures. For example, meats heated to temperatures of at least 75 degrees Celsius will ensure that most of the bacteria are killed.
Thawing food
Thawing food should also be done safely and the best way to this is by using your refrigerator instead of instead of the countertop like some people do. So that this process is done faster, you can submerge the food in cold water and change the water after every 30 minutes.
Reheating the food
Reheating the food is another thing that will ensure that your food is well and safe. This should be done at the right temperature as well as just once. The recommended temperature of reheating the food is usually about 75 degrees Celsius. It is generally considered that the more times you heat your food the more you increase the chances of food poisoning. It is therefore in the best interest that you heat your food only once.
Labeling
Labeling your food and including the date on which they should be consumed also helps ensure that your dishes stay safe as much as possible.
Eat food at the right time
Lastly, eat the food within the stipulated time. This will ensure that the food does not go and give you food poisoning.
Conclusion
Meal prepping can be a great way to help you save cooking time if you are a busy athlete. This article has highlighted some important concepts regarding meal prepping as well as giving you some of the top 5 creative high protein meal preps that can be very helpful.
How to Boost Weight Loss Through Cheat Meals
It’s possible to eat your favorite foods and still lose weight. Actually, eating your favorite foods, occasionally, can help boost weight loss.
There’s a bunch of false information surfing the internet about how losing weight only comes from eating “clean” foods. And while eating clean foods helps, weight loss comes from an energy deficit, regardless of the foods you choose to eat.
Not only that, but you need to eat enough calories to maintain and build muscle mass, which is important for losing weight and building an astonishing physique, and including your favorite foods will help make sure you’re eating enough calories. Plus, it will make your weight loss journey more sustainable since it won’t make losing weight a total buzzkill.
Below, find out how cheat meals can be beneficial for your weight loss goal.
Calories In Vs. Calories Out
The reason you’ll be able to lose weight when eating cheat meals is simple. Losing weight comes down to your calories in vs. your calories out (1). If you intake fewer calories than you’re burning, you’ll lose weight. No matter what you eat! This means you can go on an all candy diet like this doctor and still lose weight.
However, that’s not the healthiest approach to take since eating healthier foods will provide your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to function properly. But if you don’t care about your health and just want to lose as much weight as possible while enjoying your favorite foods, then it’s probably nice to know that you have the option to eat whatever you want and still lose weight.
Aside from the health benefits eating healthy brings you though, eating your proper personal macronutrients will also affect how you look. To build your best-looking physique, you’ll need to make sure you’re eating adequate amounts of protein, and cookies, cake, and pizza just won’t give you the protein you need for maximal muscle growth (2).
With that being said, I recommend you follow flexible dieting — eating healthy 80% of the time and 20% of the time you can eat whatever you want – so long as you’re hitting proper nutritional targets — calories, protein, fat, and carbs. This will allow you to eat your favorite foods in moderation, have optimal health, and build your best physique.
Importance of Building Muscle for Weight Loss
When many people go into the gym to lose weight, they place way too much emphasis on cardio. That’s why oftentimes you’ll see overweight people spending all their time on the treadmill and elliptical machines. And while some cardio is beneficial for your health and for fat loss, strength training is much better for weight loss. That’s because the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism will be, meaning you’ll burn more calories throughout the day (3).
Calories Are Imperative for Muscle Mass
In order to build optimal muscle mass though to rev up your metabolism, you’ll need to make sure you’re consuming enough calories. And there’s no better way to consume more calories than to eat some good ole’ cheat meals. Junk food has more calories than “healthy” foods, which means it will be a lot easier for you to eat more. Plus, it’s not punishment either indulging in your favorite desserts.
Low-Calorie Diets Are Bad
And while making sure you’re in a caloric deficit is important for weight loss, spreading yourself too thin with a calorie restriction has its drawbacks. For one, it’s not a sustainable way to lose weight. You’ll end up burning out and never reaching your weight loss goal.
Studies show that low-calorie diets can decrease the number of calories you burn (4).
Another issue with low-calorie diets is that they destroy your metabolism since they deteriorate your muscle mass (5). Your muscles need enough calories to give them the energy to not only build more muscle but to also hold onto the muscle you have. If you’re not eating enough, then you’ll slow down your metabolism since you’ll have less muscle.
This is why having some cheat meals here and there can be beneficial for making sure you’re eating enough calories.
Refeed Days Benefits
Now, this doesn’t mean I’m giving you permission to go on an all-out eating spree. That will only prolong you reaching your goals and will end up making you hold onto some unwanted fat. However, I’m allowing you to have some wiggle room with your diet, and actually, I recommend you do. There are smarter ways to go about this though.
A good way to allow yourself some room for cheat meals is by having a refeed day once a week. On this day, you’ll consume about 20-30% calories more than normal, which you can get from your favorite foods. This will ramp up your metabolism and help you build more muscle and maintain muscle mass while cutting weight.
In fact, this study investigating subjects undergoing a calorie restriction for 7 weeks found that those who had a 2 day refeed day helped preserved their resting metabolic rate (6).
That’s because putting your body in a continuous caloric deficit lowers your leptin levels, which hurts your body’s fat-burning process. Including a refeed day into your diet will temporarily increase your leptin levels to prevent adaptive thermogenesis, a survival process that may interfere with weight loss (7).
Benefits of Cheat Days
Although cheat days get a bad rep, they’re warranted and will make reaching your weight loss goal easier, more enjoyable, and sustainable. Below is a list of different benefits of having some cheat meals/days.
Makes weight loss sustainable
Revs-up your metabolism
Helps you maintain muscle when cutting
Helps you build muscle
Makes your life more enjoyable
Don’t Go OverBoard
So now you have been given the pass on pigging out on your favorite foods from time to time guilt-free but be sure you don’t go overboard with it. Just like losing weight comes down to burning more calories than you consume, gaining weight is the reverse — consuming more calories than you burn. And as you likely know, that’s easy to do with cheat meals. That’s why I recommend only a couple of cheat meals a week on refeed days or allowing yourself a little wiggle room each day for your favorite snack or two, in moderation, of course.
Conclusion
Losing weight can suck at times. Oftentimes, that means going on a very low-calorie diet and cutting out your favorite foods for many people. However, having an occasional cheat meal won’t mess up your progress and will make weight loss more enjoyable, sustainable, and easier to achieve.
What’s your favorite cheat meal? Tell us and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
References
1 – Strasser, B., Spreitzer, A., & Haber, P. (2007). Fat loss depends on energy deficit only, independently of the method for weight loss. Annals of nutrition & metabolism, 51(5), 428–432. https://doi.org/10.1159/000111162
2 – Carbone, J. W., & Pasiakos, S. M. (2019). Dietary Protein and Muscle Mass: Translating Science to Application and Health Benefit. Nutrients, 11(5), 1136. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11051136
3 – McPherron, A. C., Guo, T., Bond, N. D., & Gavrilova, O. (2013). Increasing muscle mass to improve metabolism. Adipocyte, 2(2), 92–98. https://doi.org/10.4161/adip.22500
4 – Müller, M. J., & Bosy-Westphal, A. (2013). Adaptive thermogenesis with weight loss in humans. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 21(2), 218–228. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.20027
5 – Willoughby, D., Hewlings, S., & Kalman, D. (2018). Body Composition Changes in Weight Loss: Strategies and Supplementation for Maintaining Lean Body Mass, a Brief Review. Nutrients, 10(12), 1876. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10121876
6 – Campbell et al. 2020. Intermittent Energy Restriction Attenuates the Loss of Fat Free Mass in Resistance Trained Individuals. A Randomized Controlled Trial. J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol.2020, 5(1), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk5010019
7 – Dirlewanger, M., di Vetta, V., Guenat, E., Battilana, P., Seematter, G., Schneiter, P., Jéquier, E., & Tappy, L. (2000). Effects of short-term carbohydrate or fat overfeeding on energy expenditure and plasma leptin concentrations in healthy female subjects. International journal of obesity and related metabolic disorders : journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 24(11), 1413–1418. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801395
A Complete Guide To Super Greens Supplements
Super greens work to boost our overall health and wellness so nothing stands in our way.
Many of us overlook super green supplements and give ourselves a pass. We take a multivitamin which can pump us with those essential nutrients to optimize growth and bodily functions. Many of us even toss in an omega-3 supplement to really give a boost to our overall health and wellness. But what a good super greens supplement can do is support our overall health and wellness by giving our bodies the right nutrients exactly when we need them so we can fuel and tackle any challenge.
Getting enough greens in our diets is vital to continue to maximize the most out of everything we do. But think about your daily eating routine and really wonder if you are getting enough greens. Making sure we get enough in our diet can help our organs function, cognitive health, and maintain a healthy routine. But too often our often busy schedules force us to resort to other means of nutrition, and while they may not be bad, we can always do better. Super greens are there to fill in any missing nutrient gaps and make sure your health stays priority number one.
We’ve put together this complete guide for super green supplements so you can make the best choice possible for yourself. We know supplementation can be tricky, but knowing exactly what to look for and how to navigate the market can prove to be very much worth your while when looking for the best to boost your growth.
What Are Super Greens Supplements?
Super green supplements are dietary supplements designed to help you reach your daily recommended intake of those vital greens. With benefits ranging from immunity, to energy, and detoxification, it is no wonder why these supplements have taken off in popularity. Typically in powder form, you can mix with water or any desired liquid to get these nutrients into your body. Usually packed with tons of ingredients, like leafy greens, other vegetables, fruits, grasses, and probiotics, these supplements are created to pump you with only the best to keep you operating at maximum capacity.
Benefits Of Super Greens
Super greens will offer you a great foundation for your overall health with a range of benefits stemming from the many vitamins and minerals packed into one serving. A great super greens supplement will:
Increase energy: Consistently supply you with an energy source throughout the day to ensure nothing goes to waste and you burn fuel efficiently.
Offer antioxidants: Fight oxidative damage from free radicals (1).
Improve gut health: Help break down food for maximum nutrient extraction to assist your gut.
Serve as vegetable substitute: Can help fill any missing nutrient gaps missed from a whole food diet.
Key Ingredients In Super Greens
While there are often times many ingredients included in a super greens supplement, these will differ based off brand and formula. This list below are some staples that should be in your super greens supplement.
Leafy Greens: These include things like spinach, kale, and collard greens. Benefits include aiding in digestive health, balancing cholesterol levels, working to maintain weight, boosting energy, and aiding in muscle strength (2).
Grasses: Including wheatgrass, barley grass, and alfalfa grass. These can eliminate toxins, help with digestion, and boost your metabolism.
Vegetables: These include foods like broccoli, carrots, beets, and a host of others. Help with weight loss, cognitive function, and provide great nutrients (3).
Fruits: Typically high in antioxidants like blueberries, goji berries, and acai. Offer great antioxidant properties and pump you with vitamins and minerals.
Probiotics & Digestive Enzymes: Various forms of probiotics and enzymes like amylase, lipase, among others. These can aid in digestion to not upset your stomach and work to improve gut health (4).
Safety & Effectiveness
On the whole, super greens are safe to take and are a great all-natural way to really boost your overall health. Always read the label to see what the respective company advises in terms of use and directions, but the right super greens supplement from a transparent and honest company will give you everything you need. By pumping you with those vital nutrients, it is highly effective in offering aid to your mind and body as you seek the best for yourself, your training, and your lifestyle.
Featured Super Greens Supplement
While there are many great super green supplements, out there, and our list of the Best Super Greens Supplements contains many of them, we wanted to share one that is an all-star product.
Transparent Labs WellnessSeries Prebiotic Greens
Transparent Labs offers a solid super greens supplement with their WellnessSeries Prebiotic Greens, a mineral rich and nutritious prebiotic supplement to maximize nutrient utilization. With two parts to this formula, their Algae Greens delivers much needed vitamins and minerals to aid in detoxification and their Prebiotic Fibers will provide healthy gut fibers to maximize this nutrient utilization. With clean ingredients and a transparent formula, Transparent Labs takes pride in knowing their product is geared towards the needs of the consumer with no ulterior motive.
Price: $39.00
Try Transparent Labs WellnessSeries Prebiotic Greens Here
Check out our list of the Best Super Green Supplements for more awesome products!
Wrap Up
When it comes to supplements to give us real aid to our overall health and wellness, looking to super greens is a great start. A multivitamin and omega-3 supplement may give us the similar benefits, but each works in their own respective way to better us. A super greens product can give you those important vitamins and minerals while working to provide great benefits to you. We know that finding a high quality super greens supplement can be challenging, but we make it our goal to always bring you the best products to give you the best chance at growth. This complete guide will help you as you navigate the world of super greens and look for the best option for your health today.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Transparent Labs & Envato
References
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Antioxidants: In Depth”. (source)
Edith Cowan University (2021). “Green leafy vegetables essential for muscle strength”. (source)
Dias, Joao Silva (2012). “Nutritional Quality and Health Benefits of Vegetables: A Review”. (source)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Probiotics: What You Need To Know”. (source)
How to Drink Alcohol and Still Hit Your Fitness Goal
It’s possible to get into the best shape of your life all while enjoying your favorite drinks. You may have heard the notion that alcohol is horrible for your health — especially for your fitness goal —, and well, while that’s true to an extent, alcohol is fine in moderation, won’t impact your fitness goal, and even has some health benefits.
Fitness should enhance your lifestyle not consume it. If reaching your fitness goal makes you sacrifice your favorite foods and activities, it’s not worth it. Sacrifices including social activities and enjoying your favorite alcoholic beverages with your family, friends, or significant others are still possible while hitting your fitness goal.
Like Jame Bond himself, you can still have a physique that’s athletic with strength and endurance that’s capable of fighting off a beer all while being able to throw back some beer with your friends on the weekend.
If you enjoy drinking, but also want to build the best physique of your life, learn how you can make alcohol a part of your diet below.
Too Much Alcohol is Bad for You
Drinking alcohol isn’t inherently bad for you. Of course, if you drink too much, then yes, alcohol is detrimental to your health, body, and fitness goal. Before diving into the positive effects of alcohol, it’s first important that we cover why you shouldn’t drink too much.
Alcohol can cause several negative effects if you don’t drink with caution. Below is a list of the negative side of alcohol if it isn’t controlled.
Negative Effects of Alcohol
High blood pressure and other heart diseases.
Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon.
Weaker immune system.
Impaired memory and cognitive functioning.
Mental health issues.
I know all these side effects sound daunting, and they are and shouldn’t be taken lightly. However, these are only the effects of drinking TOO much alcohol. If you drink responsibly and in a controlled manner, it can be beneficial for you and still allow you to hit your fitness goal.
Moderate Drinking is Healthy
Aside from the long-term consequences of drinking too much alcohol, alcohol in moderation isn’t unhealthy for you, and in fact, can have some benefits and help you reach your fitness goal. Let’s take a look at some of them below.
Positive Effects of Alcohol
Healthy for your heart.
Prevents kidney stones.
Increased testosterone.
Better brain health.
Improve blood sugar levels.
Better Health
Light to moderate drinking lowers your risk for heart disease. It can raise your “good” HDL cholesterol in your bloodstream and decrease your blood pressure (1). Also, it reduces your stress and temporarily decreases stress and anxiety (2). Moderate drinking keeps your immune system strong and lowers your risk of catching the common cold (3). Moderate drinkers are also 23 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s diseases (4).
This study found that moderate drinking is linked to a reduced risk of dementia (5). Studies show that drinking 1-2 glasses a day decreases your chance of developing type 2 diabetes (6).
Increases Testosterone
A low dose of alcohol — approximately 4-5 drinks — actually increases men’s testosterone (7). Interestingly, a 2009 study published by the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that the chances of erectile dysfunction were reduced by 25 to 30 percent among alcohol drinkers (8).
Drinking Doesn’t Impair Your Muscles
A common myth is that alcohol diminishes your muscular gains in the gym, however, that’s only true if you overdrink. Moderate drinking does absolutely nothing to your muscle gains, so if building muscle is your fitness goal, you don’t have anything to worry about (9). (Of course, drinking too much alcohol decreases your muscle’s ability to regenerate, hindering your muscle growth potential.)
Funny enough, bodybuilder, Ronnie Coleman, won his first 1997 Grand Prix Russia after sharing a few drinks (vodka) with bodybuilding legend, Kevin Levrone. What this did is that it made his physique stand out further by making his muscles pop out more. That’s because his muscles were dehydrated, so he looked leaner, more muscular, more chiseled, and more of the freak of nature that he was.
Needless to say, Coleman went on to become one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time after sharing a few drinks that night with Levrone.
Alcohol Isn’t Fattening
Alcohol isn’t fattening, calories are. There’s not a single food in the world that makes you more fat than others, as long as the calories are equal. What it comes down to is how many calories you’re consuming. If you’re in a caloric deficit while enjoying a few drinks, you’ll continue to lose fat. On the contrary, if consuming alcohol puts you in a caloric surplus, you’ll gain fat. So as long as the amount of drinks you have is still within your nutritional targets, it will be fine. In fact, this study shows that moderate drinking leads to a reduction in weight gain (10).
How Much Alcohol is Too Much?
Now, you may be wondering just how much alcohol is considered “moderation.” Well, there’s no one size fits all answer for that since everyone is built differently and has a different tolerance for it. In general, most experts agree that one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men won’t affect you negatively. However, it’s safe to say that for most people it will be 4-5 drinks for men and 2-3 drinks for women (drunken over a long period though, not all at once, of course).
Drinking Guide to Reaching Your Fitness Goal
If you want to have your cake and eat it too when it comes to alcohol and reaching your fitness goal, there are some rules and guidelines you’ll want to adhere to.
For one, research indicates the red wine is the healthiest for your heart since it’s high in antioxidants (11). Although red wine is deemed the healthiest by researchers, the main thing you’ll want to monitor is how many calories you’re consuming when drinking (besides making sure you’re drinking in moderation as well).
If you’re only planning on having a drink or two, then it’s fine to get a beer, some wine, or a cocktail because that will only end up being around 200-300 calories. With that said, if you intend to have 3-5 drinks, you’ll want to stick to low-calorie drinks.
This would be your favorite liquor of choice (vodka, whiskey, gin) and some water — or you could drink it straight — however, having some water with your drink helps keep you hydrated since alcohol dehydrates you.
Below, are some options for low-calorie drinks.
Lower Calorie Alcoholic Beverages
Light beer – Miller Lite, Bud Light, Michelob
Vodka soda with lemon
Coke zero and whiskey
Mojito (without syrup)
Light bloody mary
Dry Champagne
Diet gin and tonic
Vodka Martini (James Bond’s favorite)
Fat Loss and Building Muscle
At the end of the day, losing fat and building muscle comes down to your training regimen and the number of calories you consume. As long as you drink in moderation — and your alcohol intake is still within your nutritional targets — you’ll still be able to hit your fitness goal and drink like James Bond too.
Conclusion
If you enjoy a drink or two from time to time, you can still get into stellar shape and reach your fitness goal. As long as you adhere to the guidelines laid out in this article, you won’t have to worry about any negative impacts of alcohol and will even reap some extra health benefits alcohol can provide.
What’s your favorite drink? Let us know in the comments below and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
References
1 – Ronksley, P. E., Brien, S. E., Turner, B. J., Mukamal, K. J., & Ghali, W. A. (2011). Association of alcohol consumption with selected cardiovascular disease outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 342, d671. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d671
2 – Nielsen, N. R., Truelsen, T., Barefoot, J. C., Johnsen, S. P., Overvad, K., Boysen, G., Schnohr, P., & Grønbaek, M. (2005). Is the effect of alcohol on risk of stroke confined to highly stressed persons?. Neuroepidemiology, 25(3), 105–113. https://doi.org/10.1159/000086352
3 – Cohen, S., Tyrrell, D. A., Russell, M. A., Jarvis, M. J., & Smith, A. P. (1993). Smoking, alcohol consumption, and susceptibility to the common cold. American journal of public health, 83(9), 1277–1283. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.83.9.1277
4 – Loyola University Health System. (2011, August 19). Moderate drinking may protect against Alzheimer’s and cognitive impairment, study suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 14, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110816112134.htm
5 – Mukamal, K. J., Kuller, L. H., Fitzpatrick, A. L., Longstreth, W. T., Jr, Mittleman, M. A., & Siscovick, D. S. (2003). Prospective study of alcohol consumption and risk of dementia in older adults. JAMA, 289(11), 1405–1413. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.289.11.1405
References Cont’d
6 – Lando L.J. Koppes, Jacqueline M. Dekker, Henk F.J. Hendriks, Lex M. Bouter, Robert J. Heine
Diabetes Care Mar 2005, 28 (3) 719-725; DOI: 10.2337/diacare.28.3.719
7 – Sarkola, T., & Eriksson, C. J. (2003). Testosterone increases in men after a low dose of alcohol. Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research, 27(4), 682–685. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ALC.0000060526.43976.68
8 – Chew, K.‐K., Bremner, A., Stuckey, B., Earle, C. and Jamrozik, K. (2009), ORIGINAL RESEARCH–ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION: Alcohol Consumption and Male Erectile Dysfunction: An Unfounded Reputation for Risk?. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 6: 1386-1394. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2008.01115.x
9 – Steiner, J. L., Gordon, B. S., & Lang, C. H. (2015). Moderate alcohol consumption does not impair overload-induced muscle hypertrophy and protein synthesis. Physiological reports, 3(3), e12333. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.12333
10 – Wang, L., Lee, I. M., Manson, J. E., Buring, J. E., & Sesso, H. D. (2010). Alcohol consumption, weight gain, and risk of becoming overweight in middle-aged and older women. Archives of internal medicine, 170(5), 453–461. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2009.527
11 – Micallef, M., Lexis, L., & Lewandowski, P. (2007). Red wine consumption increases antioxidant status and decreases oxidative stress in the circulation of both young and old humans. Nutrition journal, 6, 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-6-27
The Truth About Artificial Sweeteners In Your Supplements
We love them for watching calories, but what exactly do artificial sweeteners do?
This love-hate relationship we have with sugar is a constant battle for many of us, especially when it comes to weight loss and working towards a shredded physique. When artificial sweeteners first rolled around, everyone thought that was it. The cure for our sugar cravings were no more. And while artificial sweeteners do have all the taste of sugar, minus the calories, it seems as though we’ve found our solution.
Artificial sweeteners, while a healthy alternative to sugar, do not come without their fair share of controversy. Many false claims and theories float around the Internet and now the rhetoric surrounding artificial sweeteners appears to be that of clarity for some and skepticism for others. The truth is that many of the products we consume have at least sugar or artificial sweeteners of some kind in them. That is what makes them taste good and provides for flavor where naturally it doesn’t exist.
Sports supplements are those which we should be concerned about, especially as a bodybuilder or athlete looking for an all natural product. While you still receive the benefits of a pre-workout supplement for that boost of energy and muscle pump, or that BCAA supplement to provide for intra-workout support, many do contain artificial sweeteners. Even whey protein powders will contain artificial sweeteners to offer a solid taste for that post-workout recovery routine of yours.
While artificial sweeteners are not the end of the world for your overall gains, if you are someone who wants to seek more natural supplements, then knowing about artificial sweeteners is something to consider.
What Are Artificial Sweeteners & How Do They Work?
Artificial sweeteners are sugar substitutes that are chemicals added to food and beverages to give them a sweet taste without the added calories. While some do have calories, the amount is incredibly small. They tend to be incredibly sweet, much more sweet than sugar, which is why people have latched onto these sweeteners so hard (1).
Artificial sweeteners work very similar to sugar in that the taste receptors find the molecule to send the signal to your brain. This then allows the brain to identify the sweet taste and give you the pleasure of something tasting good. While artificial sweeteners can fit into the taste receptor, the body cannot break most of them down, so you get all the benefits of taste without the calories.
Benefits Of Artificial Sweeteners
The benefits of artificial sweeteners, in particular on those who seek the best for their health and fitness, will work to eliminate the need for so much sugar, especially if you crave it. An easy solution to keep weight off and aid in the fat loss process will ensure a more healthy diet. Of course, some sugar here and there will not hurt your overall goals, but eliminating it where necessary is always a great idea. Some studies have shown that replacing sugary foods and beverages with artificial sweeteners could actually lead to a feeling of being less hungry so you don’t consume more calories (2).
By controlling the sensation of tasting something sweet, you are able to then eat healthier in order to aid in weight loss while also tasting something good. Many of those supplements that taste great contain artificial sweeteners, but if they didn’t, you would be drinking the original flavor of BCAAs which is probably not too delicious. Even adding them to coffee or tea at least provides a healthier alternative to sugar and will keep your dental health high as well.
Side Effects Of Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners cannot be broken down like natural ones so they offer no benefit to your energy stores or in the processes of protein synthesis and recovery. Some can reduce blood glucose levels which can effect the maintenance of those levels (3) which have effects on performance and cognitive function. Without the proper maintenance, these can decline and your workout may suffer. Low levels also impair the recovery process and muscle growth by impeding on the insulin response after a hard workout (4).
It is observed that some artificial sweeteners can impair sensitivity to certain signals and actually promote food intake which would have the adverse effect for your weight loss goals. While much of this is fueled by the controversial studies and debates surrounding artificial sweeteners, everyone is different and it matters how you feel and how your body reacts (5). While artificial sweeteners and the effects on diseases and other potential harms have been studied and debunked, or at least were decided on to need further investigation, seeking a more natural product is always a solid first step with anything.
Types Of Artificial Sweeteners
When looking at the nutrition labels for your supplements, any good and reputable company will list all of the ingredients with no hidden formulas or ingredients. Here are some artificial sweeteners that may appear on those labels.
Sucralose (Splenda): Derived from sugar in a multistep chemical process. A popular sweetener, it is debated among people as to the exact benefits and side effects.
Acesulfame Potassium: Highly versatile, it is in many foods and beverages. Claims that it disrupts metabolic processes and interferes with weight control exist but have not been proven.
Aspartame (Equal): Made from aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Claims of headaches, depression, weight gain, and a host of others have been reported by those opposed to aspartame, but more research needs to be done on the actual validity of these claims.
Saccharin (Sweet’N Low): One of the oldest on the market, it is stable and has a long shelf life. The effects on blood sugar levels are unclear since it does not metabolize in the body.
Wrap Up
Artificial sweeteners have been around for a long time as a way to give people a substitute for sugar so they don’t have to deal with all the pressure of weight gain when it comes to those sugary cravings. The truth surrounding artificial sweeteners remains unclear. While they do have the benefits of limiting the amount of sugar you eat, which has its own risks attached, the side effects of too many of these artificial aids is dependent on the individual. Always seek the natural approach if possible and be cautious about the ingredients in what you consume, especially your supplements, because they should always help you, not hurt your overall goals.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. “Low-Calorie Sweeteners”. (source)
Rolls, B. J. (1991). “Effects of intense sweeteners on hunger, food intake, and body weight: a review”. (source)
Purohit, Vikas; Mishra, Sundeep (2018). “The truth about artificial sweeteners- Are they good for diabetics?”. (source)
Richter, E. A.; Mikines, K. J.; Galbo, H.; Kiens, B. (1989). “Effect of exercise on insulin action in human skeletal muscle”. (source)
Pearlman, Michelle; Obert, Jon; Casey, Lisa (2017). “The Association Between Artificial Sweeteners and Obesity”. (source)
Applying Introspection: Using Mindful Meal Prep to Get Better Results
Applying Introspection: Using Mindful Meal Prep to Get Better Results
Mindfulness is awfully trendy at the moment. Everywhere you look, someone’s touting being in the moment, experiencing the fullness of life, and learning something new about themselves.
It’s a great buzzword.
Before you write it off as “touchy-feely” or a little too spiritual for you, the phrase became trendy for a reason. Awareness is the core of it all, and the idea, once understood, can be applied to any aspect of your life. The practice is particularly useful for monotonous or repetitive tasks to bring a new meaning and significance to them.
As the mindfulness movement grew and evolved, an obvious opportunity for application appeared: food prep. Mindful meal planning was originally intended to help medical practitioners combat the growing obesity epidemic by having participants examine and redefine their relationship with food, the enactment of which has so much more potential than weight loss.
Meal planning in the fitness sector gets a bad reputation, especially for those who assume it’s all chicken and broccoli. While it may not be quite that bad, it certainly isn’t an exhilarating experience. Mindfulness can upend that.
Reevaluating your experience with food can help you to understand your meal planning more comprehensively. By identifying how you relate to food and how your experiences have informed your eating habits, you can find ways to make meals sustainable and more interesting.
Identify Your Current Approach to Food
Start by considering your current relationship to food. Why do you eat the way you do? Beyond just keeping track of your nutrition for athletic reasons, understand what drives you to make food choices the way you do. It can be easier to undo a bad habit if you know where you got it from and why you return to it.
Is you diet culturally informed? What were meals like growing up? Is food merely a functional part of your day, does it serve to control a medical condition, or do you enjoy the ritual of preparing food and eating? For many, especially those who religiously meal prep, food simply becomes a tool to get the results they want, rather than a culinary experience or a creative outlet. When you place strict rules on your dietary intake, you limit the conventional cooking experiences available to you.
Food is a highly emotional and psychological experience for just about everyone. There’s no way to get through life without it, and in many cultures, a family meal (or lack thereof) is an important part of childhood and adolescence. In order to fundamentally change eating habits, regardless of motivation, you must understand where your current habits come from and what emotional ties they hold.
Food as Fuel
Whether you’re an amateur or a professional, if you’re a serious athlete, you’ve put time and energy into learning something about nutrition. Without understanding how your body uses food and nutrients, you can’t make informed decisions to put your body in peak physical condition.
The “If It Fits Your Macros” diet is currently a popular way to focus on macronutrient intake without fully restricting the diet to impossible standards. In contrast, mindful eating allows you to incorporate a similar mindset towards “cheat foods” without settling for a system that can be easily exploited.
When using mindfulness to build your meal plans, the easiest place to start is by identifying what foods you’ve precluded yourself from by virtue of your experiences. Sometimes, this is as simple as realizing you don’t eat brussel sprouts because you’ve previously never enjoyed them, but the reality is that you’ve never had them prepared in a way you enjoy. Other times it’s more complicated than that. You may have cut yourself off from a food group because of the traditions you were brought up in, where you source your food, or your own cooking abilities.
Once you identify what you don’t have in your diet, you can set about solving problems — and making compromises. When you find groups of food that you’ve historically dismissed, examine what you’re missing out on without that source in your diet. This allows you to find substitutions for nutrients you may be missing or open up a new creative outlet by learning news ways to prepare food. Similarly, you may find new reasons for foods that always make you break your rules, along with a newfound appreciation for the role they play in your happiness.
Creating an Informed Routine
The importance in understanding your proclivities and motivations in regards to meal prepping leads to one very simple result: you are better able to achieve the results you want.
Using the information you gleaned by examining your current relationship and your historic upbringing with food, make assessments about what foods you want to incorporate into your diet, what you’re not willing to sacrifice, and how your mental state changes with different types of fuel.
From there, you can make decisions that balance enjoying your food with the logical requirements for your physical activity. When you try to eliminate the emotional element of eating, you’re removing a fundamentally human aspect of your diet; even if you adhere to your regimen strictly, there is room for more joy within your meals.
Using macros as a guideline, plan your meals out and try to incorporate previously eschewed foods. You might include a new way to prepare a previously hated vegetable because the micronutrient payoff is worth the extra effort. Or, you might work a favorite dessert in on occasion because the psychological lift you get from consuming it makes it easier to push through the hard days.
This isn’t an invitation to get rid of all your restrictions and eat as you will. You still need to make wise decisions if you’re going to meet your goals. Sticking to food restrictions is one of the most universally challenging things humans undertake. For some, it may be easy, but if you struggle, it may be worth working through the steps of mindful food prep to understand where your hangups are originating — and to combat them.
The connection may seem tenuous at first, but with practice an persistence, your relationship with food will become more complex — in a good way.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Alyssa is a lover of words and movement who happily resides in the Pacific Northwest. If she’s not at the gym or out playing pick-up games, she’s probably feeding her favorite humans something stealthily healthy or devouring her latest bookstore find. She’s passionate about making health and fitness accessible to anyone, regardless of their situation. Tweet her @arobinsonwrites.