Body Building Supplements Guide

Posts Tagged ‘Sports’

An exciting development in the functional food area is the fortified egg. Bodybuilders know that eggs are a good source of protein, but eggs can now also be a good source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Some egg producers are adding flaxseed to the feed of hens. Adding omega-3 fatty acids, in the form of flaxseeds, to the diets of hens increases the omega-3 fatty acid content of eggs by over six times that of regular eggs. Eating two fortified eggs may provide an adequate amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Egg producers also add vitamin E to the flaxseed feed to keep it stable. This can cause the vitamin E content of fortified eggs to be as much as eight times higher than that of normal eggs. It is also worthy to note that eggs can taste better with the vitamin E enrichment Legumes Sometimes referred to as the poor mans meat, legumes are an excellent source of soluble fiber, which is important for keeping an athletes blood sugar and energy levels stable. As far as plant foods go, most legumes are relatively high in protein and are a good source of slow releasing complex carbohydrates. This is great for providing a more stable and longer lasting supply of energy for working out. Legumes can be eaten in chili, stews, and soups, and are also enjoyable when served cold in bean salads. Some of the more common legumes found in the U.S. include pinto beans, kidney beans, navy beans, lima beans, black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and black-eyed peas. Legumes can be purchased dry, canned, and sometimes frozen. Allium Vegetables Allium vegetables, such as garlic, chives, onions, scallions, and leeks, are a flavorful way to add healthful nutrients to a bodybuilders diet. The benefits of garlic and other allium vegetables may come from their abundant flavonoids, such as quercetin, and also from their sulfur-containing compounds. Allium vegetables may be more beneficial when uncooked. So you may want to add them to sandwiches, salads, salad dressings, and other raw recipes to get the most from them. Mollusks Low in fat, a source of protein, and high in essential minerals, mollusks can be a good addition to a bodybuilders diet. Three popular and nutritious mollusk choices are clams, oysters, and mussels. Clams, in particular, lead the way for all foods in heme iron content. Heme iron found only in red meat, poultry, fish, and seafood is iron bound to a nonprotein compound that is much more easily absorbed by the body than free iron. Clams are also an excellent source of vitamin B12 and copper. These three nutrients may help maintain good blood status for delivering oxygen to working muscles. Along with copper, mollusks are also rich in zinc and selenium. These minerals are necessary for the proper functioning of the bodys immune system and its antioxidant defenses. Mollusks can be cooked in a variety of ways, including steaming, stewing, roasting, baking, broiling, sauting, poaching, and frying. Nuts Nuts are a very rich source of nutrients, including polyunsaturated fatty acids, vegetable proteins, fiber, vitamin E, potassium, folate, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, phosphorous, phytosterols, antioxidants, and arginine. Although nuts are considered a fatty food, the fat in them may be beneficial. Some healthful choices for the bodybuilder include almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, and pistachios. But remember, eating too much of a good thing can really increase your caloric intake, which could lead to an increase in bodyfat. A good guideline may be to eat one or two servings per day. A serving is one ounce (24 almonds). Whole Grains Bodybuilders may find whole-grain foods helpful in providing steady energy for hard training. Whole-grain foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and essential fatty acids. Some examples of good whole-grain foods include oatmeal, whole-wheat flour, barley, spelt, brown rice, and some hot and cold breakfast cereals. Be wary of products labeled 100% wheat, stone-ground, multi-grain, seven-grain, 12-grain, or organic. They often contain very little whole grain. Instead, look for whole-grain products that say 100% whole wheat. Salmon One of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is a great way to add more musclebuilding protein to your diet. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are important building blocks of cell membranes and, like protein, may help athletes recover from strenuous workouts. Omega-3 fatty acids are also a great addition to anyones fat-loss plan. Tomato Products Not often do you find a natural food that actually benefits nutritionally by being cooked and processed. This seems to be the case, however, for tomatoes. It appears that even though some vitamin C is lost when tomatoes are heated, the antioxidant power is increased during the process. Researchers have found that the antioxidant lycopene, which is the pigment that makes tomatoes and other fruits like pink grapefruit and watermelon red, is made more bioavailable to the human body after heating. Foods rich in lycopene include canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato juice, tomato paste, salsa, and ketchup. Flaxseeds Also known as linseeds, flaxseeds are small, oval-shaped seeds from the blue flowering flax plant. Flaxseeds are considered one of the best plant sources of healthful omega-3 essential fatty acids, and they’re also a good source of fiber. Flaxseeds (but not all flaxseed oil) are rich in phytochemicals called lignans that may have strong antioxidant properties that can help you stay healthy. There are several sources of lignans, such as whole grains, various berries, and soybeans, but flaxseeds are the best source. For easier digestion, flaxseeds should be ground first; a coffee grinder is good for this. The pleasant, nutty flavor of ground flaxseeds can be enjoyed in many foods, such as baked breads, muffins, and cookies. They can also be eaten in salads, cereals, soups, sauces, or mixed with a serving of NITRO-TECH protein powder. Cruciferous Vegetables Vegetables such as watercress, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts, and cabbage are known as cruciferous vegetables. These vegetables are high in fiber, rich in vitamin C, very low in calories, and a good source of healthful phytonutrients. Eating cruciferous vegetables is a good way to take in important micronutrients without taking in a lot of calories. Bodybuilders wishing to lose bodyfat will find cruciferous vegetables to be a good addition to a their focused diet. Try to get three or more servings of these vegetables each week. It is also interesting to note that cruciferous vegetables can be a dieting bodybuilders best friend, as in many cases they require more calories to be digested than they provide. Cruciferous vegetables not only help fill you up, but they also help you burn more calories! Bodybuilders put great demand on their bodies during heavy training. Eating well will keep you going strong and staying healthy. Remember, a healthy bodybuilder is a better bodybuilder, so try to add some of these superfoods today.

Dietary Supplement. Anabolic Activator. 80g Protein per 2 Servings. Contains 55 popular bodybuilding supplements! Over 15 years and still going strong! Perhaps the greatest thing about Hot Stuff is that it takes the mystery, guesswork and confusion out of using sports supplements. We’ve achieved this by combining just about every popular bodybuilding product into one delicious high protein super powder. In fact, a daily serving of Hot Stuff is the equivalent of taking over 100 pill (more…)

Supplements and SportsHave you ever wondered what it would be like to be at the absolute top of your game?Have you thought about what the commitment might be?Have you considered what dietary changes you’d need to make?It doesn’t matter what your preferred sports activity might be there is always room for improvement. Many amateur athletes turn to diet and nutrition to improve their performance.While diet and nutrition are indisputably the backbone of any training program, the (more…)

As a sport, bodybuilding goes all the way back to the 12th century in India where we find the first training techniques and bodybuilding specific nutrition. By the 1500s in India, bodybuilding had become a national pastime and people from all over the world had also taken up the practice and used stone and wood to create the first dumbbells, thus giving birth to the crucial component of bodybuilding which is lifting weights.

Among the general public, bodybuilding first became recognized as a widely popular sport for commercial purposes in the late 1800’s with the introduction of strongmen like Eugene Sandow. National and International competitions began taking place by the early 1900’s. Sandow was one of the main figures in the early bodybuilding movement and was known as The Father of Modern Bodybuilding. He consistently pushed his ideas and theories on bodybuilding and fitness to the world through exhibitions, personal appearances and his breakthrough magazine, Physical Culture.

It was the persistent efforts of Sandow that led to the incorporation of weightlifting into the Olympics at the Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. In 1904, Sandow was chosen as an honored judge at a major bodybuilding event held at the Royal Albert Hall in London that attracted over 2,000 people to watch.

The sport became even more popular and profitable as a business in the 1920s with newcomers like Charles Atlas coming on the scene. Who doesn’t remember his ads that appeared in magazines, comic books, and newspapers all over the world? Remember, the bully kicking sand in his face? That was the first bodybuilding course I bought back in the mid seventies. The manufacture of dumbbells and barbells started gaining momentum all over the world and new innovations in training, dieting, and exercise equipment were coming out more every year.

Bodybuilding developed a cult following from the forties to the seventies with movies like Hercules featuring the incredible Steve Reeves, as well as the popular Tarzan series of movies that was played by many different bodybuilding actors. Some of the notables of this time period were Joe Gold, the founder of Gold’s Gym and World Gym franchises, Harold Zinkin, Two time Mr. America John Grimek, and Great Britain’s Reg Park. Bodybuilding was now beginning to set itself apart from weightlifting and became even more popular. The early seventies saw the introduction of a young bodybuilder who would become a pop icon and a household name all over the world, Arnold Schwarzenegger who used his superb talent and charisma along with a never before seen physique to become the best developed man in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Whether you’re a professional athlete, weightlifter, sports enthusiast, or just beginning to work out, you’ve probably thought about using supplements to enhance your training or hasten recovery from injuries. But one look at the supplement section at the health food store or at your gym may have given you second thoughts. There are so many sports supplements available today: protein powders, amino acids for muscle building, fat-burner nutrients,, and so on. You may have wondered, (more…)

Dietary Supplement. Anabolic Activator. 80g Protein per 2 Servings. Contains 55 popular bodybuilding supplements! Over 15 years and still going strong! Perhaps the greatest thing about Hot Stuff is that it takes the mystery, guesswork and confusion out of using sports supplements. We’ve achieved this by combining just about every popular bodybuilding product into one delicious high protein super powder. In fact, a daily serving of Hot Stuff is the equivalent of taking over 100 pill (more…)

Whether you’re a professional athlete, weightlifter, sports enthusiast, or just beginning to work out, you’ve probably thought about using supplements to enhance your training or hasten recovery from injuries. But one look at the supplement section at the health food store or at your gym may have given you second thoughts. There are so many sports supplements available today: protein powders, amino acids for muscle building, fat-burner nutrients,, and so on. You may have wondered, (more…)