A new video from two time “World’s Best Personal Trainer” Billy Beck III. If you don’t have a gym or don’t dig the health club scene then here is the place to learn quick effective, low cost workout programs from the trainer who has been named the Best in the World (twice)! If you are ready to take it to the next level of fat burning workouts, nutrition and supplementation then go to www.BB3TrainingCenter.com
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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This is a question that many people ask for the simple fact that we are a society of instant gratification addicts. Just look at all the different exercise contraptions and diet pills being peddled on infomercials all over the TV. And they all promise that you can get the abs that you always wanted in just a few weeks. But are they telling the truth and just how long does it take to get a six pack?
Let’s take a closer look at what is involved with sculpting a set of killer abs which will give you a better idea as to how long it may take you because while all those exercise “Gurus” are making promises in actuality it is more involved then they may lead you believe. The reason for all the misunderstanding about how to get a set of killer six pack abs can be summed up in two words: Body Fat.
Layers of body fat are the reason most of us cannot see what we all have; abdominal muscles. They are there but if you are looking to get a set that you can show off that layer of body fat has to go. It’s like a swim suit model wearing a baggy sweater and sweat pants. We know what she looks like underneath we just can’t see it.
Of course for the swim suit model all she has to do is take off those baggy clothes to show off her body. It will take a little more work for you. It will take motivation and desire on your part to reach that six pack goal but it can be done, just look at those fitness models on all those infomercials. They accomplished that same goal using the same belly fat burning techniques that have been used for years: Diet and Exercise.
You see the vast majority of those hard bodied fitness models didn’t get that way using that ab machine that loud mouthed sales person is trying so hard to sell you. No, they made a significant decision to put in the work necessary to reach their goal. And that’s what it takes to get that flat and firm stomach you have always wanted.
If you are still wondering how long does it take to get a six pack the answer is it is entirely dependent on you. Only you can set motivate yourself, make the necessary diet and exercise changes, and reach that goal. How long it takes will depend on how serious you are and if you do what it takes to change your body into what you have always dreamed of.
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John Williams, Ph.D., has degrees in archaeology and anthropology. His research and fieldwork has focused on the Paleolithic and Neolithic of the “Old World”, which basically means the Stone Age of Europe, Africa and Asia. John has always had an interest in nutrition, which actually works quite well within prehistoric studies, because our past was one big food quest.
CB: John, you have an interesting background. Now, let’s talk about North American nutrition for gaining muscle and losing fat. What’s new in nutrition approaches for athletes, fat loss, and health?
JW: I try to stay current with nutritional literature for my own interests, but I don’t want to get in over my head with respect to performance nutrition for athletes. Others like John Berardi, who make a living in this field, would be better suited to discuss the latest and greatest approaches.
I have been reading a lot about fish oil lately, and its positive effects for both overall health and positive effects on body composition. Adding a little fish oil in your diet is one of the easiest ways to boost your metabolism. Recent studies have shown that as little as 3 grams of combined EPA and DHA (both omega-3 fatty acids) can speed your metabolic rate by about 400 k/cal per day.
These long-chain fatty acids also have a host of great health benefits, including brain health, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, better sugar management, and more. So by doing something as simple as popping a couple of fish oil caps with each meal, you can live a longer, leaner, brainier life!
CB: John, do you have any other superfoods that you think absolutely must be in everyone’s diet?
JW: Fish oil would be one, for the reasons given in the previous answer. Another must-have in everyone’s diet is spinach. Among the leafy greens, spinach offers some of the best benefits in terms of vitamins and micronutrients. It’s chock full of important phytochemicals, vitamin A, B vitamins, calcium, phosphorous, iron, folate and potassium.
But that’s not all! Spinach is also one of the most alkaline foods available, which means that it helps neutralize acidic foods that are common in high protein diets. So by adding more spinach to our diet, we can alleviate a lot of stress on our muscles and bones.
I also think that most people could benefit from simply increasing their daily intake of fresh veggies and fruit. I’m not talking fruit juice or even V8, but the real deal: every color and variety of vegetables and fruit that you know of. This isn’t groundbreaking news, but fresh fruit and vegetables provide an enormous amount of benefits, ranging from anti-cancer properties to improved blood lipids to increased energy.
Another food of the grain variety that I think many people would benefit from is quinoa (pronounced “KEEN-oowa”). It’s a South American grain domesticated by the predecessors of the Incas that grows on a plant that looks a lot like spinach. So it’s a “leafy grain” rather than a grass grain such as wheat and corn.
Quinoa is gluten-free, and contains none of the allergens common to grains from the grass family such as wheat, rye, barley, oats, and corn. Furthermore, quinoa contains lysine, an amino acid deficient in many grains, making it a complete protein. Quinoa is also an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and B vitamins. It’s one of the good guys in the grain family, so pick some up next time your in a whole foods-type market.
CB: Are there any nutrition-fat loss myths that you would like to clear up?
JW: With respect to the recent swing of the pendulum to low-carb diets, it seems that a lot of people used that as an excuse not to eat vegetables. Low carb diets certainly have their benefits for many people, but there is absolutely no excuse for avoiding a big serving of broccoli for fear of a few extra carbs. Unless it’s drenched in margarine, broccoli (or insert any leafy green here) can do nothing but good.
CB: Thanks John. I believe that eating large amounts of fibrous vegetables is one of the keys to getting, and staying lean. How do you think someone should eat to get lean? Does eating to stay lean differ from getting lean?
JW: Let me address the last question first: The ideal situation is to learn how to eat to maximize both your performance and health goals, and simply eat more or less according to how much muscle you want to gain versus how much fat you want to lose. In other words, eating to get lean and eating to stay lean would differ only in overall calories consumed.
There are certainly cases when someone would benefit from a more extreme diet like Atkins to remove years of overindulgence and bad dietary choices, but the danger is always there that the person will rebound unless they learn how to eat properly.
So, how do we eat to get (and stay) lean? I have a few simple rules, like caloric balance, sufficient protein, lots of whole veggies and fruit, no processed carbs outside of the post-workout window, balanced fats and let’s not forget the other side of the coin: activity (preferably a mixture of heavy lifting and some sort of cardio). There are certainly a lot of details within those rules, and tricks to make it work for your individual goals, but it all boils down to those simple rules.
My good friend John Berardi has spoken extensively on how some people have a tendency to replace hard lifting, and even a healthy diet, with the acquisition of knowledge. These folks have mediocre or even poor physiques, yet all of their time is spent in pursuit of the holy grail of fitness and nutrition knowledge. How many carbs does that 5.8 oz serving of artichoke have, and how will this affect insulin levels? Who cares, just eat the darn thing and go lift some heavy weights! The fact remains that it takes hard work in the gym to get a good physique, in addition to knowledge about how to lift and what to eat.
Obviously, the road goes both ways, and there are still hordes of folks out there that don’t know an artichoke from a Twinkie, but the key is to not get lost in the minutia and neglect what really matters: a balanced diet and hard training.
CB: You have a Ph.D. in archaeology, and you’ve researched evolution and nutrition, correct? What lessons have you learned from your studies? How have we evolved to eat? Does it differ geographically?
JW: That’s right, Craig. We archaeologists love to make fun of trendy “Paleo-diets” and books like Neanderthin. There was no single paleo-diet; people during the Paleolithic ate whatever they could get their hands on, and what they ate depended upon what region of the world they were living. I recently talked with Erik Trinkaus, a paleoanthropologist and the world’s premier expert on Neanderthals, and he summarized his thoughts on the matter by saying “the Neanderthal world was in no way idyllic. These folks had hard lives and died young, and their version of a paleo-diet was to eat whatever didn’t eat them first”.
That being said, there are certain lessons we can learn about our past that can help us understand why we’re having so many diet-related problems today.
I have a few simple lessons from the archaeological record concerning nutrition:
1) Eat more protein and less of the other stuff.
In a nutshell, we’ve been eating a diet rich in plants, fish, and animals for millions of years now. There have been many studies published in peer-reviewed journals demonstrating that getting your protein consumption over the 10-15% national average has positive benefits in terms of body composition and blood lipids.
2) Get your carbs from their source.
Paleolithic people didn’t have Krispy Kreme, otherwise they’d be as fat as your average sugar junkie today. Outside of the post-workout window, when simple sugars and fast-absorbing protein is desirable, we can all benefit from avoiding all of the hyper-processed food that litters the aisles of our grocery stores, and opting instead for foods in their original, unadulterated state. If you took a look in my kitchen cabinets, you’d see a variety of whole grains and legumes: quinoa, barley, steel-cut oats, oat bran, wheat bran, lentils, split peas, and chick peas.
3) Eat your veggies and fruit.
It’s clear that we’ve evolved to reap the benefits of a diet rich in veggies and fruit, judging from the preserved remains of literally hundreds of varieties of wild plant foods at sites such as Ohalo II, a 23,000 year old fishing camp on the Sea of Galilee. I never realized how many veggie haters there are until I started trying to get my friends and family to eat more of them.
After months of avoidance, I finally convinced a good friend of mine to increase his vegetable intake. He was by no means fat, but he was getting frustrated with a slowly growing tire around his waist. I gave him some recipes to make things like broccoli and spinach more palatable, and he eventually took my advice. After this change, he is leaner than he has ever been in his life, and he is constantly telling me how much energy he has.
4) Balance those fats.
This is an issue that really ties-in with my prehistoric research. It’s interesting to note how skewed the fatty-acid profile of the modern western diet is towards saturated fat and omega-6’s, at the expense of monounsaturated and omega-3’s. In our not so distant past, this wouldn’t have been possible, because wild animals don’t store so much overall fat, and they weren’t fed corn meal to inflate the omega-6’s in their adipose tissue. Also, our ancestors got a lot more omega-3’s from wild plants, animals, and fish. All in all, it looks like we’ve evolved on a diet with a good amount of monounsaturated fats from nuts, seeds, and animals, as well as a nearly equal amount of omega-6’s to omega-3’s. Tons of studies have shown that an inflated omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is contributes to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, while getting a more balanced fatty-acid profile, including sufficient monounsaturated fats, actually protects against these health problems. What’s the solution? Free range meat and eggs are always a good choice, and when you’re buying meat from feedlot animals, go for the leanest varieties. Throw-out any corn oil in your cupboards and replace it with olive oil, and then eat plenty of fish and/or supplement with flax and fish oil.
CB: Thanks John. Excellent info. Simple guidelines. Focus on whole, natural foods.
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com
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In the modern health and image conscious world burning fat and building muscles are common dreams. Therefore there are various opinions born by different people on realizing those dreams.
But the commonly accepted norm is that there are three major components that you need to pay attention on when you are looking to burn fat and build muscles. Basically you need proper supplies, proper gear and adequate time for you to have the body that you have been longing to have.
So let us read about them one by one. As I said earlier you need to have proper supplies and this means you need to have right nutrition. You need to eat right food at the right time because it will give your body the desired energy to continue the exercises and build muscles.
Taking the right nutrition is often ignored when one is engaged to burn fat and build muscles because some question themselves, ‘why should I eat and take in calories when I’m trying to burn them?’ Well you’ve got a point, but our body is not created to lose calories, instead store. Therefore the moment the body starts losing fat abundantly, the brain will stop the process. Hence, make sure you keep taking in the right supplies.
Now that you have the proper supplies you got to concentrate on the methods of using them and the gear. So you need to have a concrete work out plan to burn the calories, shape and tone the muscles. The work out plans differs from person to person depending on various factors including gender, age and body mass. However if you are looking for a total work out plan then your exercises need to include abs, bicep, triceps, chest, shoulder and leg workouts. If you engage in these exercises for long enough with proper discipline, then you will definitely build the muscles you desire while losing the fat you desire losing.
That’s not all. You also need to rest well because when you labor yourself working out, certain body parts tend to get worn out. Therefore the body needs time to revamp itself. And allocating adequate time for that purpose is compulsory to burn fat and build muscles.
So if you find the right balance of these three vital components then you are guaranteed of burning fat and building muscles in the time to come.
Your Weight Loss guaranteed, Lose 14lbs in 14 Days, by eating more! Get access to more weight loss diet tips from my blog.
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