By Mike Geary

I am sure you have heard previously that your post-workout meal is actually the most important meal of your day (aside from breakfast of course).

I would have to agree with that assertion for the most part because refueling your body with the right combo of nutrients is so vastly important to repairing your muscles from the breakdown of a workout, and keeping your metabolic rate sky high.

Here’s some recent research on post-workout meals:

“A recent 12-week study says that those who failed to consume a post workout meal immediately after their workouts suffered a lower metabolism, loss of fat free mass, and had clear indications of muscle loss – while their counterparts (those who consumed a post workout recovery meal) significantly lost more fat, increased lean muscle, improved their metabolism, and increased dynamic strength.”

I have noticed that many people are confused as to what actually makes a good post-workout meal. A couple common questions I receive about post workout meals:

1. Aren’t post-workout meals only important for muscle building? Do they matter at all for fat loss goals?

2. Is it best to use one of the fancy post-workout drinks or shakes that you see in the magazines or is a whole food meal better? What’s the best combo of carbs to protein to fat in a good post workout meal?

3. How soon after a workout is best to have my post workout meal?

Answers:

1. Post-workout meals are actually vitally important for BOTH muscle building and losing body fat!

Always remember that one of the most important considerations of long term body fat loss and maintaining a lean body for life is raising your overall metabolic rate by building and maintaining adequate lean muscle mass throughout your entire body.

By consuming a good post workout meal after every workout, you assist your body in repairing and building lean muscle throughout your whole body. The more lean muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate (even when resting)… hence, you lose fat easier and faster, and it is MUCH easier to stay lean in the long term.

2. Are whole foods or supplement shakes best? This can actually be done either way, but I am going to show you some guidelines why some post-workout shakes are better than others and some whole foods are better than others. Either way, it can work.

First, keep in mind that your goal throughout the majority of each day is eating small whole food meals frequently that digest slowly with high fiber and a controlled glycemic response (blood sugar). These normal daily meals should also contain healthy fats and slowly digested proteins to maintain a steady supply of amino acids.

When it comes to post-workout meals, you can just about use the exact opposite strategy of your normal meals. With post-workout meals, you actually want a faster digesting carb source to stimulate an insulin response. This helps to push nutrients and glycogen back into your muscle cells for repair. Remember, this is not just important for building muscle, but also for losing fat.

So while I always preach high fiber for most of your meals, with post-workout meals, you actually want lower fiber, higher GI carbohydrates, and quickly digesting protein as well to kick start muscle repair.

Another consideration to keep in mind… while I always preach healthy fats at most of your meals… with the post workout meal, you actually want almost all carbohydrates and protein, and very little fat. Fat in the post workout meal just slows the absorption and glycemic response which is not what you want at this key time.

What about the best ratios of carbohydrates and protein?

I have reviewed dozens of studies on this subject and most seem to agree that a ratio of approx 2 to 1 carbs to protein is optimal. This seems to be the best combo to maximize muscle repair to boost that metabolic rate for long term body fat loss.

I usually make my post-workout shakes using a frozen banana, whey protein, water, and some real maple syrup (not the cheap high fructose corn syrup based maple syrups at most stores) and aim for about a 2:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein in the shake.

If you want to make things a little simpler, one of the best post-workout shakes that I’ve found that is already mixed in a 2:1 carb:protein ratio is Prograde’s Varsity Post-Workout mix. You can find it at the bottom of this page.

3. How soon should you eat (or drink) your post-workout meal once your done working out?

As soon as you can after your workout (the sooner the better)!

Studies have shown that the sooner you consume your post workout meal following your intense workout, the better your muscle recovery will be, and a higher quantity of the carbohydrates ingested will be used for muscle glycogen replenishment instead of other uses.

The first thing I do when I get back from the gym is make my post workout shake, and this is about 10 min after finishing my workout.

We have more info about the most effective post-workout meals for muscle recovery at http://natural.getprograde.com/varsity

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By Kaleena A Lawless

I spent a lot of time working through out various womens only fitness facilities and there was one thing that remained consistent with most of the ladies I trained and counseled. They either did not want to lift at all. Or they did not want to lift too much out of fear of bulking up and adding weight on the scale.

Five Reasons Why Women Need To Increase The Weight They Lift

1. More weight equals more strength. I’m not saying lift the most you can. What I’m saying is you need to progressively increase your weight. Honestly, a toddler can lift 5 lbs. My 13 year old sister can do 8lb bicep curls. You may not want to pull a car in the next strongman competition but strength is very useful in everyday life. It’s nice to be able to carry home groceries, lift your baby out of the crib and hold your arm in the air for more than 2 minutes to screw in a light bulb.

2. Lifting weight adds bone density. Women are prone to osteoporosis. Weight lifting increases bone density. If you want to be able to walk down the stairs without breaking your hip in the future, then you need to lift weights to prevent injuries in old age.

3. You wont “bulk up.” Do you have any idea how long it takes to put on muscle? Most people are lucky if they can put on a 1lb in a month. And they’re actually trying! It’s hard to bulk up. Besides, the women I see with some muscle look GOOD! Muscle on women makes you look fit, not like Hulk Hogans twin sister.

4. Lifting weights helps you to lose weight. By increasing your weight and putting on a bit of muscle, you will burn more calories throughout the day. Lifting helps to speed your metabolism for longer periods after exercise than cardio. If you only do cardio you will look “waify.” Cardio and weights helps to develop a fit and healthy appearance, which is probably what you picture, when you think of your ideal physique.

5. The scale might go up initially but your body fat is going down. Muscle does weigh more than fat. I won’t lie, the scale may go up a bit. You know what though, who cares? The scale goes up if you drink water. Are you going to stop drinking water? It’s much more accurate to test progress by taking a body fat composition test and by taking tape measurements. The scale fluctuates too much to be trusted.

Women and men may have different fitness goals but in the end, the basic approach is the same. Change up your routine, lift some days with challenging weights and other day with lighter weights for endurance and fat burn. Work on strengthening bones, joints and ligaments and throw in some core stability exercises to improve overall performance.

Now Go Get Em!

Kaleena Lawless

Personal Training Specialist

http://www.kalisthenixfitnessblog.com

Technorati Tags: body fat, body fat calipers, bone density, bulking up, fat, Hulk Hogan, kaleena lawless, metabolism, Muscle, strength, weights, women weightlifters

I am going to begin featuring specific exercises on a more consistent basis. Today I'm going to talk about a really versatile exercise called Hanging Power Cleans. Some people call them hanging clean, cleans from dead hang, etc. You can use this lift to burn fat at the end of a workout, increase athletic ability, or gain incredible definition in your, back shoulders, and arms.

[Here is a good example of a fit woman without excessive muscle. It is good to strike a balance between muscle and aesthetics. A routine based around HIIT, Circuits, and Low Volume Resistance Training…creates this type of look. Obviously diet plays a crucial role as well.]

Hanging Power Cleans Will Help You Burn Bodyfat 
(more…)

Related posts:

1. Explosive Pushups to Increase Your Bench Pressing Power and Pectoral Definition
2. Use Partial Reps to Shock Definition and Strength Into Lagging Muscles
3. Lift Light Weights for Low Reps to Gain Strength and Muscle Definition

Figure competitor, Michelle Anderson dishes some straight talk about fat burners and how they should be used responsibly.

“Fat burners are all too common, and many assume that they need the “extra” fat-loss effects that they claim to provide. So should they be used as a regular supplement to fat loss? My personal opinion on fat burners — and if using one, who should use one, are they effective, and what is a good way to implement one in a program?” – Michelle Anderson of MichelleFit.com

Technorati Tags: adverse effects, body fat, central nervous system, diet, efficacy, fat burners, figure competitor, metabolism, Michelle Anderson, supplements, sympathetic nervous system, weight loss

Using the right combination of ingredients, fat burners can help raise resting metabolism, enabling you to burn more fat particularly during times when you are not actively exercising. There are a lot of fat burner pills available, and most claim to melt your fat away. So determining which fat burners will work best for you and which are really safe may require a little research. Thankfully there are a lot of top fat burner reviews available, as well as information on top selling fat burners to guide you in finding the right fat burner for you.

Consider the Ingredients and Your Specific Needs

Xenadrine and Hydroxycut are currently two of the most top selling fat burners on the market today. Xenadrine is actually a brand name associated with several products, each of which has the same basic makeup. Most of the ingredients in Xenadrine products can be found in other common fat burners. No major side effects have been reported for any of the Xenadrine products, although some users do experience headaches, insomnia, increased heart rate, and the jitters. Though fat burner reviews of the top selling products such as Xenadrine do include many satisfactory customers, it is important to note that many felt more energy, but didn’t lose weight. If you are seeking a fat burner to lose weight and not just to be more energetic, Xenadrine may not be the right product for you. Keep in mind though, that muscle weight and body fat should both be measured in any weight loss program. Maintaining your same weight is not always a bad thing if you are burning fat and gaining muscle.

Hydroxycut is another top selling fat burner, which has been reformulated over the years. Hydroxycut is a thermogenic based weight loss drug that contains ephedrine, guarana extract (caffeine), green tea extract, willow bark extract (aspirin), and other ingredients. It is the combination of these ingredients in Hydroxycut that make it an effective top selling fat burner; but ephedrine can cause side effects which include insomnia, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attacks, restlessness, and euphoria. Ephedrine triggers energy bursts similar to adrenaline, but the potential side effects make it a riskier option for burning fat.

While the original Xenadrine product did contain ephedrine, it is important to note that the new Xenadrine EFX fat burner by Cytodyne has completely removed ephedrine. This new ephedrine free product has shown promising results with many users experiencing fat loss and weight management in a healthier manner than with common ephedrine based products.

Author Promoted Sites: Health Articles and Natural Remedies

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Technorati Tags: caffeine, Cytodyne, fat burners, green tea extract, guarana, hydroxycut, metabolism, side effects, thermogenic, weight loss, willow bark extract, Xenadrine