Protein Helps You Build Muscle & Maintain A Healthy Weight.

When it comes to building muscle or maintaining a healthy weight, protein is one of the most important things you can take into consideration.  There are many different types of proteins to choose from and it can get a little confusing trying to decide which protein is best for you. There are several kinds of protein such as hemp, whey, casein, egg, soy, wheat, and rice, but we will only focus on whey, casein, egg, and soy as they are the most popular.

To figure out what is the best protein for you, you first have to understand the difference between each type of protein powder and what your protein needs are.

Whey Protein Powder

Whey Protein Powder Mixes Easily and Tastes Great

Whey is a co-product of cheese production.  Whey is considered a complete protein as it contains all the amino acids for building muscle.  Whey has the highest biological value of any protein source which means, due to its high ratios of amino acids and digestibility, a higher percentage of protein is actually utilized for muscle repair and tissue building.   Whey has also been shown to spike protein synthesis (leads to muscle growth) as much as 68% due to the high levels of the amino acid leucine, but due to the fast digestibility it is only sustained for short periods of time.

There are 3 major forms of Whey Protein

Whey Concentrate – Concentrate naturally has low levels of fat and cholesterol but in general has more carbohydrates in the form of lactose.  To be labeled concentrate, it must contain between 29-89% protein by weight.  The percentages of protein are dependent on the production process and can vary between manufacturers. The typical digestion rate of whey concentrate is about 45 minutes to an hour.

Whey Isolate – Whey isolate is an ultra filtered derivative of whey concentrate.  This is a much more expensive process, but the end result is very low in fat, and lactose free.   To be labeled an isolate it must contain at least 90% protein by weight and it has a much faster digestion rate as there is less fats, carbohydrates and bioactive compounds for the body to digest.  The typical digestion rate for an isolate is between 30-45 minutes, so this would be the best if you need protein to get into your muscles very fast.

Whey Hydrolysate – Is the highest quality protein and is also the most expensive of all the proteins.  The increase in price is due to the higher processing requirements than concentrate or isolate. It is produced using low heat, low acid and an enzymatic filtration process which the end results creates protein bonds that have already been broken so it can be quickly digested by your body.  This is the cleanest protein as it contains very little fat, carbohydrates and no lactose and contains more protein by weight. The typical digestion rate for whey protein hydrolysate is between 10-30 minutes.

You may also see many different types of filtering processes such as Cross-flow Cold Processed, Micro-filtered, Ion Exchanged, or many other fancy names for filtering the impurities from the protein. These different types of filtration processes give you a “better” protein without damaging the molecules thus giving you a better quality protein.   A lot of this is marketing by supplement companies so I wouldn’t pay too much attention to these filtering processes.  These filtering processes may give you a better quality product but the difference is so marginal that it’s not worth paying extra money.

Why You Should Take Whey Protein

Whey protein is an excellent choice for those looking for a protein product that tastes great, highly digestible, mixes easily and has lots of BCAA’s for muscle building and strengthens your immune system.  Whey protein is the only protein that contains powerful substances called immunoglobulins, or immune peptides, that play a vital role in keeping your immune system ready for action.

Whey protein is a quickly digested protein, which makes it ideal to drink:

1. First      Thing In The Morning:  Stop the      Evening “Fast”. Your body has not had any protein since your last meal and      when your body gets low on protein your muscle will be in a catabolic      state (your body takes the amino acids it needs from your muscles instead      of your nutrition).   I drink shake      as soon as you get up and then 30 minutes later I eat a normal      breakfast.
2. Pre-workout:  Take a whey protein shake an hour before      you workout instead of eating a meal because your body digests whey      protein powder within an hour as opposed to chicken or fish which takes      your body 2 to 2.5 hours to digest.       That way you won’t feel bloated at the gym and the protein is going      straight to your muscles instead of sitting in your stomach waiting to be      digested.
3. Post      workout: This is the absolute most important time to take whey      protein.  This is the beginning of      the all important “recovery” phase.       You must drink a protein shake within 30 minutes of working out to      maximize the benefits of your workout. Your muscles have been broken down      from a strenuous workout and you need to get protein, especially Amino      Acids to them fast in order to repair and build new muscle.

Casein  Protein Powder

Casein Protein Accounts For 80% Of The Protein In Cows Milk.

Casein accounts for almost 80% of the proteins in cows milk (Whey accounts for the other 20%).  Micellar Casein is extracted by a filtration process that extracts the whey protein from the casein without the use of chemicals.  This process increases the amount of bioactive milk peptides that support immune function as well as enhance muscle growth.   Due to caseins PH sensitivity, when consumed; it gels in the acidic environment of the stomach. This “gelling” slows down the digestion process allowing it to take more than twice as long as any other protein to be broken down into their amino acid subcomponents.  This is the primary benefit of casein as it is considered anti-catabolic or a muscle protecting protein because of the slow and steady release of amino acids into the blood stream.   The slower absorption will help sustain elevated amino acid levels over a longer period of time reducing the body’s need to break down your muscles in order to acquire the amino acids it requires to function.

In one study, researchers gave healthy subjects 30 grams of either whey protein or casein protein and made several measures of the anabolic and catabolic effect for 7 hours after the meal. Whey protein resulted in a rapid increase in blood amino acids and protein synthesis, but it was short-lived. Casein, on the other hand, resulted in a prolonged increase in blood amino acids that resulted in a 34% reduction in protein breakdown. The net protein balance remained more positive after intake of casein protein over a 7-hour period.

Why You Should Take Micellar Casein

The long and steady release of protein and the higher concentration of glutamine than other proteins making casein is perfect protein for taking during the day when you know you will not be able to eat for several hours and before going to bed when the body needs a steady supply of proteins while the muscles repair and rebuild during the night.

Egg Protein Powder

Egg Protein Comes From Egg Whites And Is Naturally High In Protein and Low In Fat.

Is considered to be one of the best muscle building foods Mother Nature has to offer. Egg protein powder comes from egg whites and is one of the highest-quality proteins available and has an outstanding amino acid profile for muscle maintenance, growth and recovery. It also has the highest net nitrogen utilization rating, which means that you use more nitrogen which is what actually builds the muscle. Egg protein is virtually devoid of carbohydrates and fats and  is loaded with vitamins such as highly bio-available iron, potassium, magnesium (helps maintain proper muscle function) , phosphorus, riboflavin, folate, Vitamins B, D and E, and choline (which enhances strength and brain function) and also naturally rich in arginine ( precursor to nitric oxide, antioxidant and enhances fat metabolism) .

Why You Should Take Egg Protein

If you are lactose intolerant, egg protein is a great alternative to whey protein because it has almost no fat and on top of that, it’s much cheaper than whey.  Egg protein is not the best tasting protein but it is extremely nutritious and if you are looking for a good protein with the digestion rate (between 1.5 – 3 hours) between that of whey and casein – egg is perfect.  Egg protein is much more convenient than eating 6-7 egg whites and provides excellent muscle building nutrients than whey, casein, and soy protein powders.

Soy Protein Powder

Soy Protein Comes Is Made From These Tasty Treats.

Soy is derived from soy beans and is the only “complete” non animal protein, meaning it contains all the essential and non essential amino acids. Soy has a neutral taste, is natural and has an abundance of health effects on the body.   Its valuable nutrients include saponins that support healthy immune system function and helps reduce cholesterol by binding with salt in the small intestine. Soy also has Phytosterols, which have been shown to help maintain cholesterol levels already within normal range.  Isoflavones  (genistein and daidzein) have not only exhibited effects as powerful antioxidants, but have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer.  Soy protein has a neutral taste and therefore has been used as a food additive for decades to increase the protein content of food products.

Soy protein powder is similar to whey protein in that it comes in two forms, Soy Concentrate and Soy Isolate.

Soy concentrate – 70% protein per weight and naturally low in fat, cholesterol and carbohydrates.  Concentrate contains most of the fiber from the original soy bean and therefore is often added to food products for additional nutrition.

Soy Isolate – Undergoes additional filtration to remove fat and carbohydrates to 90% protein per weight. Isolates also provide reduced bacterial fermentation for less stomach irritation.

Soy Protein is the most controversial of all the proteins.  Many of the soy enthusiast tout it as a super food that can reduce blood pressure, enhances brain and immune system function, reduces the risk of cancer as well as many other claims; however many bodybuilders do not dispute these claims but do not recommend soy as it has a much lower biological value which means your body is not easily able to use the protein for building muscle and   contains phytoestrogen’s, which is a derivative of estrogen and if consumed in mass quantities can change the ratio of testosterone/estrogen in favor of estrogen.   Many of the soy proponents claim that soy is a precursor of estrogen.

Why You Should Take Soy Protein

If you are vegan soy is a healthy way to get non-animal protein into your diet and can be used as a meat substitute.  Soy is ideal for high protein/low carb diets.  Much more than just an ingredient for a protein shake, soy protein can be used for cooking instead of flour, producing high protein foods that are extremely low in fat and carbohydrates.  Soy is also a good alternative to milk based proteins if you are lactose intolerant.

Protein Blends

BSN Syntha 6 Is A Very Popular Protein Blend.

You will also hear the term “protein blends”, which is basically a combination of proteins explained above trying to take advantage of a constant and steady release of protein within the body. Many blends will try and take advantage of different digestion rates such as combining ultra fast digesting Whey Hydrolysate with a slower digesting protein such as egg protein to take advantage of  not only the steady flow of amino acids into your body but the nutrient qualities of each proteins.  These blends are “versatile” protein powders meaning if you are unaware of when your next meal will be, this will cover your bases for several hours due to the fast and mid absorption rates.   If you purchase a protein blend make sure it does not contain casein as it coagulates in your stomach, slowing down the digestion of all the proteins in your stomach therefore negating the benefits of a blend.

Get a stronger core this year with these 7 amazing core exercises.

2012 is just around the corner and for many it’s the chance for new beginnings.   We get to forget about all the mistakes we did last year because that was “so last year”.  This year I’m going to focus on my health including eating fewer meals out, getting to the gym at least 4 days a week, doing some sort of physical activity every day, eating more vegetables AND focusing on my abs.  I can go to the gym and bench, squat, dead lift, do dips, all day long, but when it comes to my core I’m definitely guilty of finding any excuse to cut it short.  This year I’m going to get an amazing 6 pack and here’s how I’m going to do it.  I’m not going to use conventional ab workouts because it has not worked for me in the past so I’m going to use some advanced core exercises that not only focus on your abs, but strengthen your core also.

7 Advanced Ab Exercises

Mountain Climber with Hands on Swiss Ball

Assume a pushup position with your arms completely straight and hands placed on a Swiss ball. Alternate raising each knee as close to your chest as you can. Alternate back and forth for 30 seconds.

Keeps your core engaged, back straight and alternate raising each knee towards your chest.

Cable Core Press

1. With a hand-overhand grip, grab a handle attached to the mid pulley of a cable station. Stand with your right side facing the weight stack and spread your feet about shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent. Step away from the stack so the cable is taut. Hold the handle against your chest and brace your abs.
2. Slowly press your arms in front of you until they’re completely straight, pause for a second, and bring them back. Do all your reps, then turn around and work your other side.

Tip The objective of this exercise is to prevent rotation. So if you’re hiking up your hip or rotating your shoulders, you’re using too much weight.

Starting position. Feet shoulder-width apart and keep your core engaged.

Keep lower body, core and upper body firm and slowly straighten your arm putting all the tension on your core.

Side Plank with Reach Under

1. Lie on your left side with your knees straight. Prop your upper body up on your left elbow and forearm. Raise your right arm straight above you so that it’s perpendicular to the floor.
2. Reach under and behind your torso with your right hand, then lift your arm back up to the starting position. That’s one rep.

Keep your body firm and do not let your hips sag.

Slowly reach your extended arm behind your torso keeping the tension on your oblique’s and core.

Lateral Roll

1. Lie with your upper back placed firmly on a Swiss ball. Raise your hips so that your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Hold a pole or broomstick, with your arms straight out from your sides.
2. Without allowing your hips or arms to sag, roll across the Swiss ball as far as you can, taking tiny steps with your feet. Reverse directions and roll as far as you can to the other side.

Lateral Roll is great for strengthening your entire core and your upper back.

Roll the ball across your upper back keeping your hips up, your core firm and not allowing your arms to sag.

Swiss-Ball Jackknife

1. Assume a pushup position with your arms completely straight. Rest your shins on a Swiss ball. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your ankles.
2. Without changing your lower-back posture, roll the Swiss ball toward your chest by pulling it forward with your feet. Pause, then return the ball to the starting position by lowering your hips and rolling the ball backward.

Get in a push up position with shins resting on the Swiss-ball. Keep your back straight and do not allow your hips to sag by keeping your core engaged.

Keep your arms firm, tighten your Abs, and slowly bring your knees towards your chest rolling the Swiss-ball up your shins and stopping at your feet.

T-Stabilization

1. Assume a pushup position. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your ankles.
2. Keeping your arms straight and your body rigid, shift your weight onto your left arm and rotate your torso up and to the right until you’re facing sideways. Pause for 3 seconds, then lower back down to the starting position. Rotate to your left. That’s one rep. Continue to rotate back and forth.

Pushup position keeping your hips up and your back straight.

Shift your weight on one arm then rotate your body till you are in a similar position as side plank. As you are rotating you should feel the tension in your lower Abs and Core. Remember not to allow your hips to sag during the exercise.

Core Stabilization

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Hold a weight plate straight out in front of your chest. Lean back so your torso is at a 45-degree angle to the floor, and brace your core.
2. Without moving your torso, rotate your arms to the left as far as you can. Pause for 3 seconds.
3. Rotate your arms to the right as far as you can. Pause again, then continue to alternate back and forth for the allotted time. A good goal: 30 seconds.

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your back at a 45 degree angle. Be sure to use a light weight, keep your arms parallel to the ground and engage your core.

Do not move your legs or torso and rotate your arms to your left keeping your arm straight. You should feel the tension in your left sideoblique’s.

Do not move your legs or torso and rotate your arms to your right keeping your arm straight. You should feel the tension in your right side oblique’s.

Ab Workout

My ab defining program is simple.  I go to the gym 4 days a week and on 2 of those days I will split my Ab workout  in half and then one day I will dedicate my whole workout to just abs.  This is what my workout schedule will look like.

Tip:  Do 3 sets of each ab exercise.

Monday:  Cable Core Press, Side Plank with Reach, Mountain Climber, and then go into my regular lower body workout.

Tuesday: Day Off

Wednesday:  Lateral Roll, Swill Ball Jackknife, T-stabilization, Core Stabilization, and then go into my regular upper body workout.

Thursday: Day Off

Friday:  Core Workout – Entire Ab Workout and Cardio

Saturday:  Full Body Workout (no abs).

Sunday:  Day Off

This is a simple Ab focused exercise plan that only requires you to go to the gym 4 days a week.  Because of how difficult the workouts are you should begin to see results as soon as the first month and by summer time you should see a full 6 pack.

There’s a saying that goes “Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym”.  I don’t completely believe that, but your diet is a VERY important part.  I would say 50% of Abs are made in the kitchen and 50% at the gym.  The gym part you have covered with this workout so all you need to do now is focus on your diet.  Enjoy!

Tip:  To get the greatest results from this workout you should not use any machines for the upper, lower or full body portion of this workout, but rather free weights.  Free weights are much better as they require your core to be engaged while doing the exercise thus working out your core during your entire workout.

These vitamins can give you the energy you need to not only get into the gym, but to finish your workout with energy to spare.

The more we exercise, the more our bodies use up a lot of essential vitamins and nutrients. As long as we are eating a healthy, balanced diet, this isn’t too much of a problem because they will soon be replenished. However, if you are starting off with a deficiency in a particular area, you may find exercising particularly difficult, or you may not get all the benefits youotherwise could if your body had everything it needed.

Vitamin B-12:

Vitamin E:

Iron:

Vitamin B-6:

Thiamine:

New Considerations

Solid-an extremely powerful androgenic hardening agent. Its unique defining effects can help to promote a more contest ready and overall hardened physique.

Anyone that has ever lifted a weight, visited a gym, or read a muscle magazine from cover to cover knows exactly what I’m talking about…We’ve all seen that look. The one dude in the gym that’s so freakin’ lean and muscular that his skin looks like it’s going to burst. So shredded and rock hard that you wonder what he’s on. I’m talking about being so chiseled-to-the-bone that you know it didn’t happen overnight. It definitely didn’t happen eating egg whites and chicken breasts. It didn’t happen doing hours of cardio. It took something a bit more drastic. Something a bit harder.

Bpi SOLID’s  dual Anabolic and Androgenic activity results from the fact that it’s  formulated with a novel class of naturally-occurring compounds…*  Compounds which appear to effectively bind to androgen receptors, and  modulate protein synthesis and help decrease protein breakdown. The anabolic actions of androgens are demonstrated through changes in  body, plasma amino acid level, and plasma urea level, among other  indicators.

The  physiological (regulation, metabolism, and mechanisms) importance of  this dual anabolic and androgenic activity simply cannot be  understated. It is T-H-E key. The key to SOLID, the key to getting the  hardening, definition, strength, and vascular effects you want… and,  need, to be contest ready!

Solid Nutrition Facts

1. I am not a professional bodybuilder or a professional athlete, but I do play sports at a high level and I would like to enjoy them without having to sacrifice too much of a normal lifestyle.
2. I believe food is the spice of life and if I completely cut out unhealthy meals I get bored and I find it affects me emotionally.
3. When that “cheat” day comes it keeps my body guessing and it gets me mentally and physically ready for another 6 days of healthy eating.
4. I believe the body is highly adaptive and if you eat nothing but healthy food your body gets used to it and the moment you eat
   something unhealthy or greasy to be exact it upsets your stomach and you feel sluggish.
5. My cheat days* are technically not cheat days, but rather cheat meals combined with “healthy cheat meals”.   On my cheat day I have only 1 or 2 actual unhealthy meals and it’s usually when I go out to eat. The other meals consists mostly of meals that are typically unhealthy but I’ve modified them so they are healthy but still have a lot of flavor.

Healthy Turkey Sandwich

Healthy Turkey Sandwich

Bread

Alpine Valley Multi Grain is all organic and only contains ingredients you can pronounce. That is a plus in my book!

Turkey

Costco's Kirkland Signature's Pre Cooked Turkey Breast is very low in sodium and has no preservatives. It's a great alternative if you don't have the time or an oven to cook your own turkey breast.

Turkey is the star and as with most things, there is nothing more satisfying than a home-grown star.  I like go to Trader Joe’s and buy 3lb uncooked boneless turkey breast and marinade it in olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette, pepper , herbs  and spices.  It’s very easy to cook, just bake it in the oven and it comes out tasting great, is very low in sodium and does not have all the preservatives that are in traditional cold cuts.

If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s you can go to Costco and get their Kirkland brand Pre cooked turkey breast, it’s low in sodium and has only 2 ingredients, turkey and less than 2% broth.

If you don’t have either a Trader Joe’s or Costco you can go to any store and get Columbus brand or Boars Head low sodium turkey breast as they use real turkey instead of processed turkey rolls loaded with preservatives.

Condiments

Sabra Pine Nut Hummus has a delicious creamy nutty flavor that goes perfectly as a mayo substitute in sandwiches.

Produce

Whats Wrong With Cheese

Conclusion

*I call it a cheat day not because I eat unhealthy for the entire day ,but throughout the week I shoot for a macro nutrient ratio of 40-40-20 consisting of 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates and 20% fat and on my cheat day I don’t pay attention to my macro nutrient percentages. Fats and carbohydrates naturally taste good to our bodies so I know on these days the fat % and carbohydrate % go way up yet the majority of my meals that day are still from healthy fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

A strong core is a sign of overall health.

Men and women alike are all interested in not only burning away excess belly fat but toning those abdominal muscles as well. Whether you know it or not your core is the most important aspects of fitness. All your power and strength from an athlete’s perspective is connected to your core muscles. Even if you’re not an athlete, your core is engaged in every activity you do. Without a strong core you could suffer from constant back pain, increase the risk of injury, promotes bad posture, and can stop you from achieving the results you want from the gym.  Working on your core muscles not only improves your workouts but a strong core is also pleasant to look at and it’s a great indicator of overall health.  The key to having a strong core is not only focussing on the central abdominal muscles but the upper, lower and side oblique as well. Below are several different abdominal exercises that are sure to provide you with optimal results.

Traditional Crunch

The traditional crunch is a great place to start although it is not everyone’s favourite. You lay flat on the floor or on an exercise mat. With your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, place your hands behind your head and lift your shoulders off the floor using your abdominal muscles, not your neck muscles. Do 30 reps in sets of 5-10 depending on what level you are working at.

Pilates Bicycle

The Pilates bicycle is a great abdominal workout but can seem incredibly hard for those at lower core strengths. You lay flat on a mat as in the first option with your knees bent but your feet off the ground. You then take your left elbow and twist towards your right knee as your bring it forward as if you were pedaling a bike. Without placing your feet on the ground switch elbows to right and left knee and continue in a constant sequence for 1-2 minutes. 

Bosu Crunches

The bosu can be an excellent abdominal tool if you know how to use it. Traditional crunches can seem 10X harder when done on the bosu. You can also do a similar version of the Pilates bicycle on the bosu. Simply sit on the edge of the bosu with your hands behind you for stability and begin “pedaling” your bike without placing your feet on the ground. It is harder than it sounds!

Oblique Twists

Oblique Twists is another way to work the parts of your core that are often overlooked. Lying flat on your exercise mat with your knees bent and your feet firm on the floor place your hands behind your head so your elbows are sticking straight out to each side. Then take your left elbow and twist to your right knee by lifting your shoulders off the ground. Return to your starting position and alternate sides. Make sure to really twist in order to get the full benefit of this exercise.

Medicine Ball

The medicine ball is another exercise tool that can really help build core muscle without you really even realizing it. Wood chops is by far the most popular exercise. You choose the weight of your medicine ball (between 5-8lbs is good to start) and start by holding the medicine ball above your head and to the right of your body. With your feet hip-width apart you twist over and down to the other side of your body and touch the ball to the floor. Return to starting position and repeat. After about 1 minute switch sides and twist in the opposite direction in order to work both sides.

Side Bridge

The Side Bridge is a great way to work your obliques and you don’t need any equipment you can even do these at home while your watching tv.  Lie on your side with your forearm on the floor under your shoulder to prop you up, and your feet stacked on top of each other. Tighten your core and push your forearm into the floor to raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from ankles to shoulders.  Hold for 30-60 seconds and then turn over and do the same on the other side.  Do not allow your hips to drop. Keep your abs, obliques and glutes tight to keep your body straight.  

With any exercise, proper form is critical to targeting the correct muscles and to preventing injuries.  Watch each video before performing the exercise to see the proper technique and the correct range of motion.  Start with no weight to practice the correct form and once you feel comfortable you can add weighted medicine balls to get faster results.  Doing each of these exercises should take you no more than 20 minutes and if done 3 times  a week along with watching your diet, you will have summer ready abs in no time!

Chris Hemsworth As God Of Thunder Thor

If you watched the movie Thor I’m sure you were impressed with what you saw.  I’m not talking about the movie; I’m talking about Chris Hemsworth’s chiseled body.  The movie was great, but I was more impressed with Chris’s transformation from George Kirk in Star Trek to the god of thunder Thor.  At first I was thinking maybe it’s just the suit that makes him look big or maybe it’s just camera angles and Hollywood magic at work.  Then there was the “scene” or as I like to call it, the “obscene” where Thor walks around without his shirt and you can see that there was no Hollywood magic or camera tricks involved.  I watched the movie twice and the second time around as the “obscene” came on I looked around the theater to see people’s reactions.  I could see every woman’s face light up and every man’s face grimace.  It wasn’t the kind of grimace because it was disgusting; it was the grimace of  embarrassment because first off we don’t have a body like that and second the girl sitting next to us knows we don’t have a body like that!   

Chris’s body wasn’t always like this. As a young Australian he was a constant surfer with a slim surfer’s body.   He worked vigorously with trainer Michael Knight to transform his body from thin surfer to god like in 3 months.  This is what Chris said about his transformation to Thor. 

Chris Gained 20 lbs Of Muscle For The Movie Thor

“I put on a lot of weight — I put on about 20 pounds at one point. It was purely eating, eating, eating, working out and working out, trying to sleep as much as you can — that’s the other third of the equation. The eating was the biggest thing; since stopping shooting I probably work out the same but don’t eat as much, and I’ve probably lost 15 pounds or something. Chicken breasts and protein shakes, boiled chicken . . . clean meats, the right carbs. Sickly stuff.”

As Chris stated; there are 3 crucial steps to building an amazing body:  Eat a ton, workout hard and Sleep.

Eat a Ton

It Takes a Lot of Lean Protein, Good Carbohydrates and Healthy Fats To Build a Body Worthy of Thor

The foundation of any muscle-building plan is to eat lots of protein, but if you want a muscular lean build you have to focus your diet around lean proteins, unprocessed carbohydrates, and good fats.

Chris states, adding that much weight required a constant intake of food, most of which came from protein sources, vegetables, and fruit. “I feel as if I’ve been busy, but all I’ve been doing is eating all day,” he says while passing a farm stand brimming with organic broccoli. “Eating when you’re not hungry and taking in that amount of food is exhausting.”

Chris had to eat every 2-3 hours whether he was hungry or not.   As he states it’s not easy taking in that many calories from what he calls “not fun food”.  Chris mentions that he ate lots and lots of chicken and protein shakes at each meal along with carbohydrates from a combination of steamed vegetables, quinoa (sometimes brown rice) and fruits.  He would also eat fats, but limit his fats to around 20% of his diet. His fats were coming from good whole food sources such as fish, quinoa, avocados, walnuts, almonds and olive oil. 

Key Points

• Avoid all processed foods (fast food, eating out).- Nutrients have been removed from these types of food.
• Eat between 4,000-6,000 calories a day depending on your height.  – Chris Hemsworth is 6’3 so you need test what is the perfect amount of calories for your height.
• Limit sugar intake.  – Empty calories.
• Limit sodium intake – Makes you retain water.
• Aim for a 40-40-20 diet.   40% protein – 40% carbohydrates – 20% fat.
• Eat the majority of your carbohydrates throughout the day before your workout. – This allows your body time to use the carbohydrates as fuel and not store it as fat.
• Drink lots of water.  – Keeps your muscles hydrated and aids muscle recovery.

As you can see his diet is extremely strict and it takes the most disciplined individual to eat nothing but “boring” food as he likes to call it.  I would suggest you have 1 to 2 cheat meals  a week  where you can eat whatever you want (within reason) so you don’t feel deprived, keeps you mentally focused and you feel satisfied.  Also the majority of his protein came from chicken so I would suggest preparing your chicken in different ways to “spice” things up a bit.  Try cooking your chicken in the broiler, on the grill, baking, or stove top and add seasonings that do not add calories such as herbs and aromatic vegetables such as onions and garlic.  Another good way to flavor your chicken is to add spices such as peppers, curry, and cayenne.   These spices will not only add flavor but boosts your metabolism and they are loaded with antioxidants to help with muscle recovery.

Workout

Michael Had Chris Workout in 2 Phases, BodyBuilding and Total Body Circuits

The Thor workout consisted of 2 phases.  Chris’s trainer , Michael Knight states,  “The first was a bodybuilder-type protocol focused on high-weight, low-rep moves designed to pack on maximum size, while the second was total-body circuits designed to shift his excess fat while maintaining muscle.”

During the Phase 1 Michael Knight required Chris to do compound workouts ensure you get the most amount of muscle fibers per workout while varying his workouts by changing the reps, speeds, weights, and hand grip to ensure Chris’s growth would not stagnate.    

The workout was done 5 days a week for no more than 60-90 minutes per workout. 

Workout provided by Mens Fitness.co.uk

Thor Workout Part 1 – eight-week bulking plan:

How to do it:
- Week one – sets 4 reps 4-6
- Week two – sets 4 reps 6-8
- Week three – sets 4 reps 8-12
- Week four – sets 4 reps 4-6
- Repeat for weeks five to eight

Session one – chest and back:
- Bench press
- Bent-over row
- Weighted pull-up
- Weighted dip

Session two – legs:
- Squat
- Deadlift
- Hamstring curl

Session three – arms:
- Weighted chin-up
- Close-grip bench press

Thor Workout Part 2 – four-week fat loss plan:

Circuit one – Tabata 
(20sec on/10sec off):
- Double kettlebell squats – four rounds
- Eight rounds of snatches – eight rounds

Circuit two:
- Kettlebell swings – 30sec two-hand, 30sec right-hand-only swings, 30sec left-hand-only swings, 30sec 
alternate swings
- Cleans - 5 right, 5 left, 4 right, 4 left, 3 right, 3 left, 2 right, 2 left, 1 right, 1 left, then back up to 5 each side for a total of 60 reps with no rest

Circuit three:
- Turkish get-ups – 5min continuous
- Windmill - 5 each side

   Sleep

No Matter How Much You Eat & How Hard You Workout , if You Don’t Get Enough Sleep it Will Severely Limit Your Growth.

Sleep is the most commonly overlooked part of this equation.  Proper nutrition gives you the building blocks to build muscle. Muscles are broken down in the gym.  Lastly, muscles grow while you are sleeping.  No matter how much you eat and how hard you work in the gym, if you don’t get enough sleep it will severely limit your growth. 

There are 4 stages of sleep.  We won’t go into the details of the different stages but you should get enough sleep to go through all the stages especially REM sleep (Deepest sleep) which releases the greatest amount of growth hormone so you wake up feeling refreshed.  For most people this is between 6-9 hours a night.  While you are sleeping your body is doing many things to help it become stronger:

• Repairs broken down muscle tissue and rebuilds them bigger and stronger.
• Increases blood flow to the muscles.
• Increase growth hormone production which promotes fat loss.
• Increase testosterone production which promotes muscle-building.
• Reduces cortisol levels which make you gain weight around the mid section.

Conversely Lack of sleep will deter you from building muscle by:

• Reducing your mental focus.
• You will not have the energy to push yourself in the gym.
• Reduced  strength.
• Impairs your immune system. 

Conclusion

Chris Before Thor. Not As Genetically Gifted as You May Think

I know getting a Thor like body is not easy.  If it was we all would be walking around with capes and no shirts, but that’s just not the case.     

You may be thinking Chris Hemsworth is an actor who has trainers, nutritionists and gets paid to be in shape and most normal people have real jobs so there’s no time to dedicate to our bodies…..Right? Wrong! You just have to plan ahead.  Your meals need to be prepared ahead of time so you can take them to work and have food throughout the day.   Also you have to get at least 6-8 hours of rest a night so you have the energy after a long day of work to get into the gym and push yourself for another hour.  

At the time Chris was training he was working 12 hour days filming Thor and Red Dawn and he still made time and had energy to work hard.  If you’re thinking that he is just genetically more muscular than us, look at his before picture.  I don’t think so. If Chris can do it, you can definitely do it.  It takes knowledge, hard work, dedication and discipline to achieve the results you want, but if you follow this article and stay motivated, you can build your own Thor body.

Speed Up Metabolism and Lose Weight

Weight loss is a very hot topic today and learning how to lose weight and get healthy are two of the most important decisions in people’s lives today.  The average “American” today has succumbed to such an unhealthy and inactive lifestyle that their metabolism has slowed to almost nothing.  You don’t have to be the average “American”; out of shape, stressed out, tired and blaming your weight on a “slow metabolism”. 

Within this article we are going to provide you advice and options on ways to boost your metabolism so you can not only begin losing weight but also have the energy required in order to work out! Losing weight is not an easy task but if you have your metabolism working for you, it will be a much easier and faster journey.

The key to boosting your metabolism has to do with the foods we eat and the amount of activity/exercise our bodies experience every day. If you’re not consciously watching what you eat every day or moving your body, you are not doing your metabolism any favors. We understand that it’s not easy to change your habits overnight and this is why you need to do it gradually to ensure you that you stick with it.

Help Your Metabolism With Healthy Small Meals

You want to step back and take a close look at what you put into your body every day. A great way to really see how much you eat a day is to write down what you eat, how much of it you eat and what time you eat for a few days so you can really get a visual.  You want to shoot for 4-6 small meals (including snacks) a day as this will keep your insulin levels from dipping too low which not only causes you to over eat but it will stop putting your body into “starvation mode” which means your body doesn’t know when it’s going to get its next meal so your metabolism slows down and it stores food as fat. 

Once you get your small meals under control to 4-6 per day you can begin working on foods to keep your metabolism high.  Your small meals should be focusing on lean proteins (at every meal), slow burning carbohydrates and good fats.  

• Lean/healthy Proteins include: fish, chicken, turkey, grass fed beef, eggs, protein shakes, low fat cheese, low fat Greek yogurt and cottage cheese.

• Slow Burning Carbohydrates include: Whole wheat bread, oatmeal, whole grains, vegetables (avoid white potatoes), beans and fruits.

• Good Fats: Nuts, olives and olive oil, omega-3, flax seeds, avocados, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds.

Once you see what your eating habits are you will want to take a few of the unhealthy meals/snacks and replace them with an apple, low fat yogurt, or nuts instead of a bag of chips or french fries.  Lean proteins, slow burning carbohydrates and good fats will not only help boost your metabolism, but it can help provide your body the energy it needs to choose working out versus sitting on your couch watching TV.

Go for a walk

Now let’s talk about your activity level.  If you’re an average “American”, it is likely quite low, but that’s okay everyone has to start somewhere. We all have very busy schedules, but everyone has 20minutes to spare a day so there are no excuses!  By creating a schedule and allowing yourself 20minutes a day 3 times a week to start for a workout program you are starting off slowly and safely. You can choose to go for a brisk walk after dinner, jog on a treadmill or utilize an at home workout video. Whatever you choose as long as you are working up a sweat you are boosting your metabolism.  As your endurance increases, then increase either the number of days per week, the duration from 20 minutes a day to 45 or the intensity to ensure you keep your sweat up and further increase your metabolism. 

If you are determined to lose weight and change your life go for a bike ride and you will be amazed at how good you feel.  Make better food choices and in a week I guarantee you will feel better and have more energy.  This will evolve into you not wanting to miss a single workout and make healthier food choices at every meal. The more we do to keep our metabolism high, the more it does for us in return; more energy, clothes fit better, look better, feel better, happier, healthier, the list goes on and on.  Now your metabolism is working for you!

Cutting Carbs can be very difficult for many people.

There are very few people in the world who have not heard of the South Beach Diet. Perhaps you have heard of it but you are not exactly sure as to what is pertains to and how it works. There is nothing more important than understanding a diet plan fully before deciding to jump in with both feet. Although it may appear from first glance that the South Beach Diet is a healthy way of life, it is at its core another fad diet and one that unfortunately has many pitfalls within it to watch out for.

The first two weeks of the South Beach Diet are incredibly difficult to stick to. You are not allowed to eat rice, breads, pastas, fruit, potatoes, sugar, alcohol or baked goods. As you can see this is a major pitfall right from the beginning. It is not reasonable to expect someone to change their diet this drastically right off the get go which makes this a recipe for disaster. What makes this first two weeks of the South Beach Diet that much more troublesome is the dangerous state it puts your body in. Without the adequate amount of carbs your body will go into a state called ketosis. What this means is ketone bodies are produced because of the lack of carbohydrates and in some severe cases this can lead to coma or even death.

You will most definitely see significant weight loss during the first stages of this diet but it is important to know that it is not fat you’re losing but water. This is what makes the South Beach Diet one of the biggest yo-yo diets on the market today because once you begin eating again you will gain all that weight back that was lost. When you lower your calorie intake to this extreme you are also slowing down your metabolism significantly. Your body goes into something referred to as survival mode. It begins to think it is not going to get any food again so it stores everything that comes into the body so it can survive. When this happens your metabolism slows right down.

Typical South Beach Meal – Quality protein with veggies.

Overall, the South Beach Diet is far too strict for anyone to stick to for the long term. If you truly want to lose weight and regain and healthy lifestyle fad diets are not going to provide this for you. You need to find a healthy diet plan you can stick to for the rest of your life. Learning how to eat healthy and exercise on a regular basis is a lifestyle choice not a fad diet and one that will provide you with safe and natural results. The South Beach Diet is far too complicated and is something that definitely has a timeline to follow. There is no way you could follow the South Beach Diet for any length of time without creating serious health problems from the lack of food you are taking in.

Kettlebells come in many different weights.

If you have decided it is time to lose weight and get into shape, there is a certain type of workout on the market today that can not only help you lose weight but help you tone up as well. Kettlebell workouts are affordable, can be done from home and even beginners to utilize the powers of this workout with little to no instruction necessary. Kettlebells look something like a bowling ball with a handle on top and they can be purchased in weights anywhere from 5lbs to 150lbs. What this means for the beginners out there is there is room for improvement and the equipment is there as you are ready to advance.

There are many different moves and exercises that can be done with the Kettlebell but in the beginning you will want to stick with the basics so you can learn more about how the kettlebell works and how your body will respond to this new form of workout presented to it. What’s great about the following kettlebell exercises is that anyone can do them and you can bring your kettlebell with you no matter where you go so you never have to miss a workout.

Deadlift

Kettlebell Deadlift: Bend at the hips and push your butt back like you are reaching for a seat.

This exercise targets your legs, hips, core and back and is the very first kettlebell exercise you should learn before all others. Stand straight with your feet hip width apart, place the kettlebell between your feet. With your hips back, squat down (knees behind the toes and butt back) and grab the kettlebell by the horns. Push with your heels to lift the kettlebell off the ground and once you get towards the top, squeeze your glutes together.  This is one rep. Repeat 12-15 times to start and then increase the reps as you get stronger with each workout.

Video: How To Do A Proper Kettlebell Deadlift

The Swing

Kettlebell Swing: Must keep back straight at all times.

This exercise works out your entire body, but it really targets your hamstrings, quads, glutes and abs. You will start out the same way as with the Deadlift; feet hip width apart and the kettlebell between your feet. This time pick up the kettlebell but instead of lifting it you are going to pop your hips forward and allow the momentum to swing the kettlebell until it reaches the height of your chest and then repeat. Be careful not to swing too hard because this can overextend your arms and cause unnecessary injury.  12-15 reps to start with this exercise but make sure to increase the reps by at least 5 with every workout.

Video: How To Properly Do The Kettlebell Swing

The Front Squat

Kettlebell Front Squat: Do not allow your Knees to go above your toes.

This exercise utilizes your biceps, triceps, core, back, glutes and leg muscles all within one simple movement. Hold your kettlebell by the handle at chest level. With your feet hip width apart slowly bend into a squat position. This means knees behind the toes, chest up and shoulders back, head looking forward. Make sure on the way down you bend at the hips and push your but back like your are trying to reach for a chair behind you.  Make sure not to “round” your back so you don’t put improper strain in your lower back.  Repeat 20 times to start and increase as stated with the above exercises.

Video: How To Do A Proper Kettlebell Front Squat