Nutrition & Supplements To Build Lean Muscle Mass
Muscle Building means hard work, and like many other things in life there is no quick fix. However, hard work and dedication isn’t always the miracle solution for gaining muscle mass, because no matter how hard some people try they just can’t get the right amount of muscle or that “bodybuild” they are looking for.
I am often asked whether it is possible to build lean muscle mass from whole food. The answer is yes, you can build a better body on a REAL GOOD DIET just like the guys back in the 50’s did, just like Steve Reeves, but to do so can take so much time, energy and trips to the supermarket, and could be very costly at the end. Healthy whole food is not cheap, and surviving on $1 ramen meal will not do the job. Also, keep in mind that those who managed to get ripped and muscular with whole food are usually people in the fitness industry - who spend their whole day working out , eating healthy – and not the average joes, who has regular job and life
Supplements make it much easier to get the necessary nutrients to build muscle and can even give you an advantage and enhance your training when taken right and combined with a good diet. If you’re a HARDGAINER like me, then proper supplements IS A MUST. You’re skinny by default, and to change that would require big investment in time (workout) and money (supplements).
In regards to buying supplements and using them, there is no one all powerful supplements, and it takes using about a few to get an effective combination. Of course eating naturally and supplementing with natural foods is the best way. You must eat 6 meals per day and each one should contain protein and carbs. 3 of these meals should consist of whole foods like chicken, rice and salad. The other 3 should consist of liquid protein.
In this following article, I’m going to talk about the importance of supplements, their rank of importance (in my opinion), and supplements that can be added to give you the advantage over the next guy.
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WHEY
Beachbody Whey Protein Powder
Whey is a key factor in building muscle and burning fat. Athletes require more protein than the average person, because of the need to rebuild muscle fiber after strenuous muscle use. Without the use of protein, you can’t build muscle. It is recommended to consume between 1 and 1.5 grams of quality protein per pound of body weight each day. For example, for someone of my weight of 160 lbs, the minimum amount of protein that I should consume is 160 g and the maximum is 240g.
Why do you need Whey? Simple – average person only consume about 100 g of protein from whole food. Unless you’re ready to eat lean chicken breast all the time, whey protein is the way to go. You do need to consume around 3-4 whey protein (or protein bar) throughout the day. Crucial time to consume protein: 1) first thing when you wake up 2) post workout 3) late at night 1-2 hours before bedtime.
ORDER WHEY HERE
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P90X RECOVERY FORMULA
P90X Recovery Formula
Research shows a post-workout meal high in carbohydrates is required to refill muscle glycogen/energy stores. However, you need to consume enough high glycemic carbohydrates to promote a substantial insulin release. Insulin is the hormone responsible for shuttling carbohydrates and amino acids into the muscle. By consuming a large amount of carbohydrates, you will promote a large insulin release, increase glycogen storage, and increase protein repair.
While your post-workout feeding should be rich protein and carbohydrate, this meal should also be fat free. Fat slows down transit through the stomach and so eating fat after a workout essentially slows digestion and absorption of the good carbohydrates and proteins. That’s not what you want. And, yes, that means NO CHOCOLATE!
Why do you need the P90X Recovery Formula? Because it works! I have been using this product the past 2 years, when I first started with P90X. I drank it right after every workout. I have tried many other post workout drinks, even a home-made one, since I started working out in 2004, but nothing gives me proper recovery like this drink. Furthermore, my clients who use the P90X Recovery Drink always have BETTER and SUPERIOR results than those who do not. You could be cheap by making a home-made recovery drink, but your results would be just that – cheap.
ORDER RECOVERY FORMULA HERE
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SHAKEOLOGY
Shakeology
I’ve been using Shakeology for over a year now and it’s helped me gain lean muscle mass and strength, while helping me maintain low body fat around 5%. Since I started drinking Shakeology daily, I can do more pushups & pullups, and I can bench press over 150% of my body weight. My overall mood is improved – AND, I like the taste! Mix Shakeology with raw Almond milk, shake or blend and you got yourself a great tasting delicious milkshake! Or add in fruits, berries, peanut butter, nutella, ice, etc to make a delicious fruit smoothie.
Shakeology contains 70 natural and organic ingredients, including numerous super-foods like sacha inchi, camu-camu, and goji & acai berry, which are essential for building stamina, endurance, strength, lowering down bad cholesterol and many more. Also, Shakeology contains all the vitamins and essential nutrients that you need and thus, you will not need to take any additional multivitamins.
Read my blog on Shakeology Scam here.
ORDER SHAKEOLOGY HERE
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ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
Creatine
Beachbody Men's Strength & Muscle Formula
Scientific researches have proved that it is really safe to use Creatine as bodybuilding supplement since it is the biggest energy producer and enhances the body performance to extreme levels. It’s usually given to bodybuilders during training periods since this is the time when lots of energy really gets exhausted out of the body due to rigorous sessions of the practice and body building. Also, creatine exists naturally in whole food, especially in animal proteins so by taking creatine, you’re not cheating! It is no different than taking calcium or fish oil supplements.
One pound of beef contains 5 grams of creatine (daily recommended dosage), so it is possible to receive it from your diet but most athletes can’t and should not have that much red meat or salmon every day and need to find other sources of creatine (supplements).
ORDER CREATINE HERE
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Protein Bar
P90X Peak Performance Bars
A protein bar delivers a high level of protein to you, which is important for the health of your body, especially if you are growing, lifting weights or otherwise participating in athletics. Protein helps your body maintain, repair and build muscle. One of the reasons protein bars are so popular is because of their convenience. They can be brought with a person to the gym, or used as a meal replacement if you’re in a hurry. You do not need a protein bar if you constantly have access to whole food or whey shakes, but if you’re a busy person like me, it is a good ideas to have protein bars around your backpack, cars, etc for snacks
ORDER PROTEIN BAR HERE
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Preworkout Drink – Beachbody Energy & Endurance
Beachbody E&E
Finding the best pre workout supplement is definitely important so it can help you get through your weekly workout routines. It gives you the energy needed to push yourself through your workout with ease. Most preworkout drinks contain questionable ingredients that can give you ‘instant gratification’ but future side-effects can be harmful.
After trying many pre-workout drinks in the market, I truly believe that Beachbody E&E works the best while helping me to be healthier inside and out.
Read more on my experience with pre-workout supplements
ORDER E&E HERE
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Here’s what I do (with working out in the AM):
Breakfast: Whey Protein
Preworkout: Beachbody E&E
Post Workout: P90X Recovery Drink (2 Scoops) + Beachbody Creatine (1 scoop)
30-60 min Post Workout: Shakeology + Almond milk
Snack between Lunch-Dinner: Whey Protein or P90X Peak Performance Bars
1 hr before Bedtime: Lo-Carb Hi-Protein snack
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Sample Diet for Muscle Building – click here
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