Lemons are ones of the most beneficial fruits you can consume, with a delicious sour taste which makes it extremely refreshing. Lemons are a rich source of vitamin c, and their fresh juice easily provides the needed daily amount of this vitamin. They are also abundant in electrolytes, copper, magnesium, and potassium. Yet, if you want to enjoy all the health benefits of the fruit, you should consume the entire, unpeeled lemon, and not just a few slices. Therefore, you must try the following recipe for lemon water which can significantly improve your overall health:
Lemon water recipe
You should take a few organic lemons, and slice them in half. Then, squeeze a bit of their juice into a cup of water, and grate a bit of the lemon rind into the zest. Add the zest as well, fill the glass with hot or ice water, and mix it all well.Your lemon water is ready for consumption! Enjoy!
This healthy drink will help your body absorb the nutrients better, it will store insulin, and help digestion by alkalizing the environment.Furthermore, it will boost the metabolism, treat constipation and fluid retention issues, and it will have a beneficial effect on the GI tract. Its consumption will detoxify the body and cleanse it from harmful substances, and strengthen the immune system.
There’s a natural tendency to want to leap right into a workout. After all, who isn’t pressed for time?
But failing to take the proper steps before each training session can sabotage your results, if not lead to injury and long-term ailments.
By planning ahead and warming up properly, you’ll have a more effective workout, be less susceptible to injury, and produce the results you desire. Here are four quick steps you can take to do just that.
#1: Eat 60 to 90 Minutes Before Training
Many people arrive at the gym without being fueled for their workouts.
Whether you train first thing in the morning, worry about getting queasy while training or subscribe to the misguided notion that training on an empty stomach burns more fat, you are doing yourself a disservice by not filling your gas tank prior to a workout.
If you train just after waking up – the only time many of us have to work out – chances are you’ve gone as long as 12 hours without eating. Your body is starved and unlikely to perform its best.
A pre-workout meal will give you much-needed energy and stamina. Plus it drives metabolism by contributing to protein synthesis, the process in which cells build and manufacture proteins.
To boost strength, increase lean mass and burn fat aim for a pre-workout meal of lean protein and slow-acting carbs such as brown rice, oatmeal or sweet potatoes.
If your workout takes place just minutes after waking up, making even modest meal preparation impossible, try a workout shooter. Mix a scoop of whey protein with a glass of watered down orange juice to break your fast and provide the nutrients needed for your morning training.
#2: Use a Foam Roller 10-15 Minutes Before Training
After just 10 minutes on a foam roller you will feel more limber and be able to perform your workout more effectively.
There’s a reason many pro athletes have deep tissue specialists work on them before games and practices. Such treatment breaks up knots in tissue, improves muscle quality, and increases mobility.
Most of us don’t have access to such experts, but thankfully we can get an effective "poor man’s massage" in the form of one of those long, foam tubes that likely are sitting in the corner at your gym gathering dust.
After just 10 minutes on a foam roller you will feel more limber and be able to perform exercises more effectively.
A simple way to foam roll is by starting from the bottom and working your way up.
Sit on the floor with your legs straight out and the foam roller under one of your calves. Using medium pressure guide your body over the foam roller so it works it’s way over your calf muscles 6 to 8 times. Then switch over to the other calf.
If you find an especially tense area, hold the foam roller there until the tension dissipates.
Use this same technique on your hamstrings, glutes, middle and upper back, lats, quads and chest. Do not foam roll over joints (like the back of your knees) or your lumbar spine (lower back), which can put you at risk for injury.
#3: Do Dynamic Mobility Work 5-10 Minutes Before Training
There’s nothing wrong with static stretching, those traditional stretch-and-hold movements we did for 30 seconds apiece in high school gym class. But just as a warm rubber band stretches more easily than a cold one, we’ll save static stretching for after our workout.
Prior to training, we’re going to focus on dynamic mobility, full body movements where the stretch is held for only one to two seconds in each position. Recent research has shown that those who engaged in dynamic warm-ups produce greater long-term gains in mobility and flexibility, along with strength than those who do static stretching or skip the warm-up altogether.
You either can develop a dynamic mobility routine to do before every training session or pick movements that work on the muscles that you will train that day. Either way, including 5 to 10 minutes of dynamic mobility work will elevate your heart rate and prime your muscles for the workout ahead.
Effective dynamic movements to include before you train are the Elbow-to-Instep stretch, which fires up the glutes, hamstrings, calves and ankles, a Scapular Wall Slide for your scapulae and shoulders, and a Side-Lying Extension-Rotation for thoracic spine mobility (see links at the end of this article for video demonstrations of each).
#4: Do a Workout-Specific Warm-Up at the Beginning of Training
Performing warm-up sets at 40 to 70 percent of your one-rep max for each of the major lifts you plan to do is an effective way to prevent injury, prime the nervous system and improve performance during your “work” sets.
If, for instance, your two big lifts of the day are the front squat and the bench press, you should perform two to three warm-up sets for each movement in the same range of repetitions that you are going to use during the workout.
So if you are planning to front squat 185 pounds for 6 reps, begin with a set of 8 at 95 pounds, then a set of 6 at 135 and finally a set of 4 at 160. This will provide the proper balance of being primed for your work sets without being fatigued by performing too many warm-ups.
A rule of thumb is the closer to your max you are attempting to lift, the more warm-up sets you should do.
Try these 6 quick exercises to get the washboard abs you've always wanted.
The hallmark of fitness is a nice six pack, because it not only represents a certain level of effort in the gym, but also maintaining a relatively low bodyfat percentage.
THE WORKOUT PROGRAM
Perform one set of each exercise 3 times a week. These exercises are of sufficient difficulty that one set will be a good start. Shoot for a rep range of 8-12. Once you can consistently get 15 reps with good form, and still make it through the workout, add another set.
Rest: 90-120 seconds
1) THE PIKE
Lie faceup with your legs straight, arms at your sides, palms facing down. Raise your legs and torso 45 degrees off the floor. (You should look like a "V".) Reach your hands alongside your legs as high as you can without rounding your back.
Key Point: This one is tough, but focus on contracting the abs to move your body.
2) CABLE SIDE BEND
Attach a D-handle to a low-pulley cable and stand so your left side faces the weight stack. Grasp the handle with your left hand, keeping your arm by your side, and place your right hand on your hip. With your head facing forward, slowly bend to the left. Return to standing, repeat for reps, then switch sides.
Key Point: Granted, obliques aren't abs, but this movement is an integral part of any ab workout.
3) WEIGHTED CRUNCH
Lie faceup with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms toward your knees, holding a lightweight plate with both hands. Keeping your arms extended, slowly lift your head and shoulders off the floor moving into a full crunch.
Key Point: Again, focus on contracting your abs to do the work. Use a light weight and anchor your feet if needed.
4) OVERHEAD CRUNCH
Lie faceup with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms extended overhead with your hands clasped together. (Your upper arms should be alongside your ears.) Keeping your arms straight and alongside your head, curl your torso forward, raising your shoulders off the floor. Pause, then return to the start.
Key Point: Another great way to hit the abs with extra overload. Perform shortly after the Weighted Crunch for a deep burn.
5) BALL PLANKS
Get into a push-up position on an exercise ball: hands shoulder-width apart on the floor and your legs extended behind you, feet up on a ball. Maintain a straight line from head to toe, and push back slightly such that your arms are out in front of you. Hold this position for up to 60 seconds.
Key Point: This ain't your grandma's plank. Your abs and entire midsection will be screaming by the end of this.
6) WINDSHIELD WIPERS
Lie faceup and tuck your hands under your pelvis, palms down. Keeping your legs straight and feet together, raise your legs so your heels point toward the ceiling. With your head and shoulders flat on the mat, lift your glutes off the floor and lift your feet toward the ceiling. At the top of the movement, twist your hips to the left (your feet should point to the left). Lower your legs back to the start (feet suspended off the floor), then lift up and twist to the right. Alternate sides for reps.
Key Point:A great way to finish off your abs. Start with your hips on the ground if needed and progress to the exercise as described.
Japanese have a crazy habit of drinking water right after they wake up in the morning. Well, it may not be that crazy, as science backs up this ‘trend.’
You can read more about the power of water and the best way to use it further in this article.
According to Japanese medical society, water treatment works well against stubborn ailments and modern diseases.
Moreover, water is the only remedy and cure for headaches, aches, cardiovascular issues, arthritis, tachycardia, epilepsy, obesity, bronchitis, asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine malfunction, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, vision problems, womb, cancer, menstrual disorders, and last but not least, ear, nose and throat issues.
Water treatment
1. Drink 4 glasses of water, 160 ml each, right after you wake up. You may want to do this before you brush your teeth. 2. Brush your teeth and rinse your oral cavity as you usually do. Do not drink anything for the next 45 minutes. 3. Have a normal breakfast, and drink your favorite juice or tea. Plain water works well, too. 4. Do not drink or eat anything for 2 hours after you finish your meals. 5. If you cannot manage drinking 4 glasses of water in the morning, start off with a glass or two, and increase this amount gradually. 6. Water treatment helps both healthy and sick individuals. It helps you enjoy a healthier life.
Here is the proper duration of your water treatment, depending on the ailment you are treating:
1. Hypertension – 30 days 2. Gastritis – 10 days 3. Diabetes – 30 days 4. Constipation – 10 days 5. Cancer – 180 days 6. TB – 90 days 7. Arthritis – Patients should do the water treatment for 3 days in the first week, and do this on a daily basis from the second week.
Water treatments have no side effects, and of course, frequent urination does not count here. Stand strong during the treatment and make sure it becomes your favorite daily routine.
Explaining the Effects of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
We’ve all had those days after an intense workout where all you want to do is curl up into a little ball and never move. Your muscles feel tight, stiff and make getting out of bed feel just plain terrible. So what causes our body to become sore after a workout?
Soreness results when you workout or do physical activity that is greater than normal. It is known that you body’s eccentric muscle contractions, cause more soreness in the days following the workout than either isometric contractions or concentric contractions. Okay, that was a quite the mouthful! So, what do those things even mean? Let’s take a step back for a moment and break it down.
Eccentric Muscles: The muscles that lengthen when you are lowering a weight for example.
Isometric Muscles: The muscles that does not change length. For example, like when you are holding a weight.
Concentric Muscles: The muscles that shorten like when lifting a weight for example.
You’re probably asking “why do your eccentric muscles cause the most pain?” I’ll be getting to this in a moment, first, let me explain more about what you are experiencing. The soreness you are feeling in the days after your intense workout can be referred to asdelayed onset muscle soreness or “DOMS.” Your muscle mass is always being broken down, and is also always being synthesized at some point. When you work out, the stress that you are putting on the muscles activates chemicals that causes your body to build up your muscle tissue. If you feel soreness or the “tearing” as some refer it as, you are noticing one of the signs of this chemical process. There are many other things that affect the way your body responds to physical activity. Some of these include metabolic, hormonal, and dietary changes that function in various ways.
If you’re currently looking for ways to massage your muscles or relax them after an intense workout, I’d suggest checking out the Trigger Point Total Package. With the Trigger Point Kit’s patented design mirroring the feeling of a human hand, you are able to massage almost any part of the body safely and effectively on your own. If you’d like to learn more about this product, click the image on the left or visit the Fitness Town website.
“No Pain, No Gain” Misconceptions.
One of the biggest misconceptions is the saying “no pain, no gain.” Some believe you need to workout until your muscles feel sore or exhausted. I definitely disagree with this belief, I believe you do not need over-do it for them to grow. While working your muscles until they’re achy means you technically did tax your muscles, which helps them get stronger, it’s actually not beneficial in the long run. So why do eccentric muscles hurt more than others? DOMS tends to begin 24 to 48 hours after exercising and you can feel the discomfort peak between 48 to 72 hours. Studies have shown that eccentric muscle activity, which is actively resisting lengthening of the muscle (like raising or lowering a weight), gives the most discomfort. When overworked, DOMS could be due to high tension on muscle fibers and connective tissues which is less common in isometric, concentric, or static tension activity.
Consistency is Key!
At Fitness Town, we believe that keeping active on a daily basis is important. Pushing your muscles past your comfort line on one day means your muscles are going to feel extremely exhausted for days after. This means when you go to workout the following day, you’ll be more likely to skip your routine. I find more often than not that many people struggle with keeping up with their fitness routines overtime. This is why it becomes a very big issue! Why? Well, because when getting back into shape, consistency and determination is key! Personally, I believe it is about developing and learning how to maintain a different lifestyle. It is easier to do this by working out less intensely every day, than to go all out on one day and dread every second of the few following days. Ultimately, if you dread the effects of your workout, you are going to be less motivated to continue on with your fitness goals. If you’re looking for something that will speed up your recovery time and give you that extra “umph,” I suggest looking into PurePharma.
Cons of Over-doing It.
Picture this, you have overdone your previous workout to the point you feel like you’re in a full-body cast. You then decide to lay on the couch while muttering all sorts of “I-hate-exercise” and swear words. Like I said previously, you can’t justify to yourself “I went hard a few days ago so I’ve done my time for the week.” Unfortunately for some, working out requires commitment. You can’t be a couch potato for the following 6 days of the week, that’s like one step forward and two steps back! Your muscles will respond better when they’re being constantly worked which allows them to gradually get used to your workouts. By doing this method, you’ll find that is will prevent your muscles from becoming weak and sore.
How Can You Tell You’re Over-doing It?
So, how can you tell when you’re overdoing your workout? If you are into weightlifting and find yourself starting to shake, twitch, get restless, or numb during your reps, that’s a sign you might be hurtin’ tomorrow! If you do find yourself in this situation, I suggest you step farrrrrr awaaay from the weights. Instead of continuing to workout that area of your body, move on to a different area of your body. As soon as you start feeling noticeably exhausted, I would suggest you end your workout session. This way you ensure that DOMS does not get the best of you and instead, you can workout comfortably the following day or so. Remember, the key to successfully reaching your fitness goals is to…
You can head off a lot of your most common beauty concerns simply by downing the right foods. That's right—eating well not only does wonders for your waistline and bolsters your immune system but can also provide some very real get-gorg benefits, such as smoothing wrinkles, giving hair a glossy shine and strengthening flimsy nails.
"Your diet directly affects your day-to-day appearance and plays a significant role in how well you age," said Dr. Joshua Zeichner.
The smart approach, Zeichner said, is to create a plan that includes what he calls "the building blocks of healthy skin and hair"—nutrients, minerals and fatty acids—as well as antioxidants to protect your body from damaging environmental stresses.
Get ready to nab some beauty-boosting perks by tossing these essential face-saving edibles into your grocery cart.
Coffee
Grabbing some java every morning doesn't just jump-start your day—that cup of joe has bioactive compounds that may help protect your skin from melanoma (the fifth most common cancer in the U.S.), according to a recent report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers found that the more coffee people downed, the less likely they were to get the disease: Those drinking four cups daily had a 20 percent lower risk of developing malignant melanoma over a 10-year period than non-coffee drinkers.
Watermelon
The summertime fave is loaded with lycopene.
"This antioxidant compound gives watermelon and tomatoes their red color—and helps skin stave off UV damage," said nutrition pro Keri Glassman, RD, founder of NutritiousLife.com.
Researchers believe that the melon contains as much as 40 percent more of the phytochemical than raw tomatoes; that's the equivalent of an SPF 3, so use it to bolster (not replace) your daily dose of sunscreen.
Pomegranates
The seeds of this wonder fruit are bursting with antioxidants, like vitamin C, that prevent fine lines, wrinkles, and dryness by neutralizing the free radicals that weather skin. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that higher vitamin C intake lessened the likelihood of dryness and wrinkles in middle-aged women. Also in the fruit's arsenal: anthocyanins (which help increase collagen production, giving skin a firmer look) and ellagic acid (a natural chemical that reduces inflammation caused by UV damage).
Blueberries
Boost radiance by popping some of these plump little beauties. Blueberries supply vitamins C and E (two antioxidants that work in tandem to brighten skin, even out tone and fight off free-radical damage), as well as arbutin, "a natural derivative of the skin lightener hydroquinone," Zeichner said.
Lobster
High in zinc, shellfish has anti-inflammatory properties that can help treat a range of skin annoyances, acne included.
"Zinc accelerates the renewal of skin cells," said Dr. Whitney Bowe, clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "That's why you find the nutrient in many acne medications."
In fact, research shows that people with acne have lower levels of zinc than people with clear skin.
Kale
On the long list of this leafy green's nutrients are vitamin K (it promotes healthy blood clotting, so the blood vessels around the eyes don't leak and cause Walking Dead-like shadows) and loads of iron.
"Insufficient levels of iron in your diet can cause your skin to look pale, making it easier to spot blood vessels under the skin," explained Dr. Howard Murad, associate clinical professor of medicine at UCLA. To max out the benefits, eat the veggie cooked, not raw.
Eggs
Your fingernails (toenails, too) are made of protein, so a deficiency can turn those talons soft. Keep yours thick and mani-pedi-ready by cracking smart: "Eggs are a good source of biotin, a B complex vitamin that metabolizes amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein," said Dr. Frank Lipman, director of Eleven-Eleven Wellness Center in New York City.
Walnuts
Omega-3 fatty acids (found in the natural oils that keep your hair hydrated) and vitamin E (which helps repair damaged follicles) are two secrets behind strong, lustrous strands—and these nuts are full of both, Lipman said. All you need is 1/4 cup a day. What's more, walnuts are packed with copper, which will help keep your natural color rich: Studies show that being deficient in the mineral may be a factor in going prematurely gray.
Avocado
Like you need another reason to love them: These rich fruits are high in oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid that helps skin retain moisture in the outer layer to keep it soft, plump and supple, Bowe said.
Cantaloupe
The sweet melon contains beta carotene, or vitamin A, which is believed to regulate the growth of skin cells on your scalp and sebum in the skin's outer layer, Zeichner said. This keeps pores from getting clogged and causing flakes.
We should never regret too much in our lives. However, there comes a time when we realize there are things that, if we had known them earlier, could have benefited us a lot in our younger years. Maybe we only come to these realisations through personal growth and experience, but sometimes we can go through life not being fully aware of situations until we hit a crisis point that leads us to question whether we truly did or cherished things to the best of our ability.
How often have you thought to yourself I wish I’d known this when I was younger? There’s an overwhelming feeling that if your younger self-had just been more enlightened or aware, then you could have dealt with emotions and situations more readily or just moved forward with a more knowledgeable mindset and perspective on life.
With this in mind, here are 7 important life lessons that will change your perspective and mindset to enhance your experience of life for the better.
1. Be Present In The Here And Now
We spend so much time rehashing the past or planning for the future that we forget to experience the present moment. The present moment is what is happening to you right now. Happiness can only exist in the present moment ‒ the past has gone and the future hasn’t come yet so the present moment is all we have.
Our minds have a habit of running at a hundred miles an hour and this means we are rarely just being in the here and now. Try stopping and looking around you, see what is happening right now, be mindful of where you are right in this moment, or simply be aware of your breathing. Once you do this, your mind will start to open up and appreciate what you have right now and you will even start to feel like time is no longer slipping away.
2. Don’t Rule Your Life By What You Think You Should Or Shouldn’t Do
Society or our family’s expectations tend to make us think there are things we should do ― I should go to university and get that degree or I shouldn’t pursue my dreams because I won’t make the same money as I would working in this dead-end office job. We all have these niggling ‘shoulds’ and ‘shouldn’ts’ circling our minds, but when we make these statements, who exactly are we making these statements to? Who exactly are we trying to get permission from? And why is this acceptable? Living your life the way you want to is the only way to be happy. Stop limiting yourself because of other people’s expectations. It’s your life and no one else’s.
3. Don’t Make Things Bigger Than They Are
Our minds can work against us and through mindsets we develop and fears that take over. We can often make problems much bigger than they actually are. It’s all about perspective. How many times have you thought something was a huge deal but a day, week, or month down the line you don’t even think about it anymore? That’s because your mind likes to focus and blow-up worries and problems that aren’t actually problems.
Next time it happens just take a moment to ask yourself: realistically, will I still be thinking about this tomorrow, next week, next year etc.? Most of the time the answer will be “NO” so eliminate all the unnecessary worry you put yourself through.
4. Face Your Fears More
We all have fears ― some are justified and some are not ― but to grow and really get as much out of life as you can, you need to face your fears more often. Remember that many of your fears are only a product of your mind; they don’t actually exist. When you start to realize this, doing things you find intimidating and scary will actually become easier. The feeling you’ll get from facing your fears head on will be the best and most rewarding feeling you will ever have and, 100% guaranteed, it will always never feel as scary as your mind thought it was going to be.
5. Slowly But Surely Wins The Race
When we’re younger, we tend to aim high and want everything quickly. When we set ourselves goals, we can give up easily when we don’t get the results immediately. Our modern world has conditioned us to expect and obtain anything in a blink of an eye which has led us to believe this can be the same for our dreams, goals, and ambitions.
The secret to success is small steps for big changes. Our goals are there to help us achieve and grow and we can’t do this if things happen quickly with no area for learning or getting a sense of achievement from it. Remember to set yourself small attainable goals that will help towards your dreams and know you are on the right path no matter how long it will take.
6. Stop Assuming What Other People Are Thinking
We can often make huge assumptions about what others are thinking whether they are judging you for something or thinking badly about an opinion you had. The bottom line is the world doesn’t revolve around you. Everyone around you is dealing with their own problems, worries, and insecurities and the chances are, they aren’t paying as much attention to you as you may think. So stop caring and, even worse, assuming what others are thinking. You wouldn’t want anyone to assume what you’re thinking so why do it to others?
7. Appreciate Everything In Your Life
One of the most important life lessons is appreciation. The older we get, the more we appreciate the things in our life including people, experiences, lessons we’ve learned, and even our possessions. Establishing this habit early on the better, because gratitude and appreciation is the true key to happiness. The sooner you can be enlightened to this and integrate this into your everyday life, the more you’ll be able to live in the present moment and be thankful for what makes your life a good one―no matter how small the thing is you’re appreciating.
So, whether it’s the shower you get to take every morning, the nature around you, your pet, that one person who you can talk to about anything, the food in your refrigerator―appreciate it all and realize the abundance that’s really present in your life. This will transcend into the rest of your life and establish the positive mindset needed to live a happy and healthy life; your older self will thank you for it!
Can fruit and vegetable juices really sharpen your edge and turbocharge vitality? Experts weigh in on the trend—and tell you how to do it right.
With the influx of health nuts and fitness junkies slamming back cold-pressed juices, you'd be hard-pressed not to think about juicing. But, is it healthy and beneficial enough to be storming the juice bar or cranking out your own concotion; or is it just a health fad?
Well, you already know that diets packed with fruits and vegetables reduce your risk for chronic conditions and diseases that can lead to an untimely death; but produce also plays a key roll in weight management. And odds are good you're not getting the five servings a day recommended by the USDA. (In fact, CDC data shows only a third of US adults eat two-plus fruits, and about a quarter get three-plus veggies, daily. Yikes.) So to close up that gap, most experts agree that juicing can help pack more nutrients into your day. There’s some research (like this study in the journal Nutrition) that supports that recommendation as well.
Still, it’s not as simple as chugging juice. Here’s what nutrition experts say you need to know.
1. Supplement, don’t cleanse. Nutritionists largely agree that juicing can offer a low-fat, nutrient-rich jolt of energy when added to already healthy, balanced diets—but as far as the cleanse-for-weight-loss meal replacement trend? Skip it. Juice digests quickly, and can cause the type of extreme hunger that leads to overeating and binging. “Drinking juice in lieu of eating food is not healthy or sustainable, no matter how nutrient-packed,” says Marjorie Nolan Cohn, RD, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Juice cleanses (read: fasts) can also lead to unstable blood sugar, headaches, and lightheadedness. So, yeah, your workouts aren't going to happen; or you'll be so exhausted during them you won't have the energy to keep up and can up your odds for injury.
2. Pick the right ingredients. Certain vitamins are more easily absorbed as juice, like vitamin C and Bs, while others, like vitamin A, E, K are best taken through the full digestion process, says Cohn. And some vegetables, such as tomatoes, actually provide more nutritional value when cooked, points out Kelly O’Connor, RD, LDN, a registered dietician at Baltimore-based Mercy Medical Center. Keeping all this in mind, these best bets that will maximize nutrition: leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, swiss chard, kale, mustard greens), kiwi, papaya, grapefruit, red bell peppers, broccoli, strawberries, oranges, asparagus and garlic. Cherie Calbom, MS, CN, author of The Juice Lady’s Big Book of Juices & Green Smoothies also favors parsley, blood-pressure-lowering beets (combine with carrot or apple to enhance taste), inflammation-fighter ginger root, potassium-packed cucumbers, and antibacterial lemons. Avoid overly mushy or tender fruits, like bananas (if craving potassium, use half) and peaches, which can make your juice too thick and mushy, says Cohn.
3. Find the perfect mix. Warning: Vegetable juice might not knock your socks off at first, so you’ve got to experiment. Plot how you'll keep a variety of produce stocked, then have fun with it. Start with two cups of greens, which can taste bitter, balanced by one piece of fruit. Then, play around with the ratio, adding cayenne pepper or cinnamon for extra seasoning if desired. (Still not sure where to begin? We asked the experts for their favorite combos—grapefruit-orange-kale-cucumber for Cohn and carrot-apple-ginger for Calbom.)
4. Sip fast. Whipping up batches of liquid vitality for the week, or even day, isn’t most potent. “Guzzle that juice immediately,” says Cohn. “By changing the texture and integrity of fruits and vegetables from solid to liquid and removing protective skins, the foods quickly start to lose nutrients.”
In order to get bigger, it only stands to reason that you need to eat more—food provides calories, which are the building blocks of new muscle. But how much more and what?
For most men, you won’t need much more—300 to 500 calories per day and you’re looking at roughly a pound gain per week. Of course, there are mitigating factors: If you’re overweight, you’re better off at a calorie deficit (meaning you might eat the same number of calories but you’re working out more, or you may also reduce what you eat) until you lean out. However, “if you’re in too much of a caloric deficit, your body will not have the nutrients it needs to recover from the training, re-build the muscles, and support muscle growth,” says Adam. On the other hand, if you have trouble putting on mass, you will need to boost those calories, but only to the point where you gain muscle, not fat. In either case, it can be
a process of trial and error; seeing a sports nutritionist might be worthwhile if you’re serious about hypertrophy.
Now, to the “what.” Contrary to popular belief, a bodybuilding diet is not all protein, all the time. A growing body needs carbs, too, which are the primary fuel for being able to work out that intensely in the first place. “I stick within 50 to 65 percent of calories from carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent from fats, and aim for 1.4 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram (note: not pound) of bodyweight,” Gochnour says. For a guy who weighs 175 pounds, that works out to 111 to 135 grams of protein per day. For reference, a 5-ounce chicken breast contains 44 grams, a cup of Greek yogurt contains 17 grams, and two large eggs contain 12 grams.
There’s also the question of when to eat. You’ve probably heard a lot about pre-workout meals and even more about that post-workout “anabolic window,” in which if you don’t eat, you might as well have skipped your workout for a Netflix binge instead. Good news: Unless you’re an elite athlete or bodybuilder training for competition, this is largely rubbish. “If you want an intense workout, having fuel in the tank leads to better workouts, but if your last meal was within one to two hours, you are probably primed fine,” Gochnour says. “In my experience training recreational athletes, people make gains just fine eating three meals
a day and having snacks without worrying about rushing home to have their protein drink.”
That said, if you like (or need) the energy boost that comes from a carb-focused pre-workout snack or drink, go for it. Ingredients like caffeine and creatine can also provide benefits, for energy and for recovery, respectively. As for post-workouts, if your next meal is many hours away, a pre-made bar containing both protein and carbs is convenient for replenishment.
How to Eat to Get Strong
As you might expect, you don’t need as much of a surplus of calories to build strength as you do size, most likely no more than 300 extra per day. And oftentimes when you’re starting
a strength workout, there may be some leaning out to do, which means a slight calorie deficit instead. A lot of the guidelines here are the same, in terms of carbs and fat (50 to 65 percent and 20 to 35 percent), but you can err on the lower side of the protein input, at 1.4 grams per kilogram of body weight—and frankly, that alone might account for reducing the surplus of total calories.
How Much Cardio Should I Do to Build Muscle and Burn Fat?
If your aim is to put on muscle and you’re eating to sustain growth, it’s counterproductive to break a sweat on the treadmill or go for a bike ride, right? Actually, no. “Cardio holds many major benefits for people who wish to build a lean physique and there are very rare circumstances in which you should avoid it completely,” Adam says. Your personal circumstances will dictate how much you need, though. For example, if you have some fat to shed, you’ll want enough sessions to facilitate that—up to three 45-minute steady-state workouts (like running, biking, or swimming at a consistent pace) or 15-30 minute high-intensity interval (HIIT) sessions. On the other hand, if you’re a hard-gainer (a.k.a., skinny), you want just enough cardio to strengthen your heart and get the blood pumping to those hard-worked muscles to facilitate recovery. That might mean moderate-intensity 10-minute steady-state bouts as a closer to your lifting routines.
As another option to get it all in, Adam recommends “cardioacceleration,” in which you perform one minute of HIIT exercises, such as jumping jacks, during your rest between sets in your lifting session. “Studies have also shown that performing cardio between sets allows for better recovery due to increased blood flow,” he says. This brings more oxygen and nutrients to those working muscles and a better muscle “pump,” which physically stretches the muscles and can lead to actual growth. “You may see a slight decrease in your ability to perform your next lifting set when you first start adding cardioacceleration into your routine, but after you get used to it, you’ll see the opposite effect start to happen due to the aforementioned benefits,” Adam says.
This healthy drink will help your body absorb the nutrients better, it will store insulin, and help digestion by alkalizing the environment.Furthermore, it will boost the metabolism, treat constipation and fluid retention issues, and it will have a beneficial effect on the GI tract. Its consumption will detoxify the body and cleanse it from harmful substances, and strengthen the immune system.
