As you’ve probably heard before, your post-workout meal may very well be your most important meal of the day.

The reason is that when you’re finished with an intense workout, you’re entering a catabolic state where your muscle glycogen is depleted and increased cortisol levels are beginning to excessively break down muscle tissue. These conditions are not good and the only way to reverse this catabolic state (and promote an anabolic state) is to consume a quickly digestible post-workout meal (can be a shake or smoothie) as soon as you can after training.

The goal is to choose a meal with easily digestible quick carbs to replenish muscle glycogen as well as quickly digestible protein to provide the amino acids needed to jump start muscular repair. The surge of carbohydrates and amino acids from this quickly digested meal promotes an insulin spike from the pancreas, which shuttles nutrients into the muscle cells.

The post-workout meal should generally contain between 300-500 calories to get the best response. For example, a 120-lb female may only need a 300-calorie meal, whereas a 200-lb male may need a 500-calorie post-workout meal. Your post-workout meal should also contain anywhere from a 2:1 ratio of carbs:protein to a 4:1 ratio of carbs:protein. While most of your other daily meals should contain a source of healthy fats, keep the fat content of your post-workout meal to a bare minimum, since fat slows the absorption of the meal, which is the opposite of what you want after a workout.

 For the shakes that I make myself, here are some things to keep in mind if you try it…

A good source of quickly digestible natural carbs such as frozen bananas, pineapples, honey, or organic maple syrup are perfect to elicit an insulin response that will promote muscle glycogen replenishment and a general anabolic (muscle building) effect. The more you can assist the muscle repair process, the more you increase your metabolic rate and can help your fat loss as well.

The best source of quickly digestible protein is a quality non-denatured whey protein and/or some fat-free or low-fat yogurt. Here are a couple ideas for delicious post-workout smoothies that will kick start your recovery process:

Chocolate Banana – blend together 1 cup water, ½ cup milk , one and a half frozen bananas, 2 tbsp organic maple syrup, 2 tbsp chocolate syrup and 30 grams whey protein powder – 38 g prot, 72 g carb, 1.5 g fat, 450 calories.

Pineapple Vanilla - blend together 1 cup water, ½ cup vanilla yogurt, one cup frozen pineapples, 2 tbsp honey (preferably raw), and 30 grams vanilla whey protein powder – 35 g prot, 71 g carb, 1 g fat, 430 calories.

I use the Visalus shakes for the protein powder. It works best for me and gives me the best muscle recovery.

The Healthy Fatty Food Choices:

• Coconut fat: Coconut fat is approximately 92% saturated fat, yet surprisingly to most people, is considered a very healthy natural fat. The health benefits of coconut fat lie in its composition of approximately 65% medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). Specifically, about 50% of coconut fat is a MCT called lauric acid, which has very potent anti-microbial properties helping to enhance the immune system. Also, MCTs are more easily utilized for immediate energy instead of being stored as body fat.  Coconut oil is also an excellent cooking oil for stir-frying, etc. since saturated fats are much more stable and do not oxidize like polyunsaturated oils when exposed to heat and light, which creates damaging free radicals. The best sources of healthy coconut fat are organic coconut milk, virgin coconut oil (available at http://coconut-info.com), or fresh coconut.
• Extra virgin olive oil:  Olive oil is approximately 71% monounsaturated, 16% saturated, and 13% polyunsaturated. Choose “extra virgin” olive oil, which comes from the first pressing of the olives and has higher quantities of antioxidants. Unlike most other oils on supermarket shelves, extra virgin olive oil is not extracted with the use of harmful industrial solvents and is one of your healthiest choices for liquid oils. Try making your own salad dressing by mixing a small amount of olive oil with vinegar. This is healthier than most store bought salad dressings, which are usually made with highly processed and refined (chemically damaged) soybean oil extracted with industrial solvents.
• Dark, bittersweet chocolate (>70% cocoa):  The cocoa bean is a very concentrated source of antioxidants and responsible for part of the health benefit of dark chocolate. The fat portion of the cocoa bean (cocoa butter) is a healthy natural fat, composed of approximately 59% saturated fat (mostly healthy stearic acid), 38% monounsaturated fat, and 3% polyunsaturated fat. I’ll limit the description of healthy chocolate to ONLY dark bittersweet chocolate with >70% cocoa content. Most milk chocolates are only about 30% cocoa, and even most dark chocolates are only about 55% cocoa, leaving the remainder of those products composed of high amounts of sugar, milk fat, corn sweeteners, etc. Look for a quality dark chocolate that lists its cocoa content like Chocolove Extra Dark (77%) or Dagoba New Moon (74%), which contain mostly cocoa and very little sugar. Keep in mind that although dark chocolate can be a healthy treat, it is still calorie dense, so keeping it to just a square or two is a good idea.
• Avocados or guacamole:  The fat in avocados (depending on where they’re grown) is approximately 60% monounsaturated, 25% saturated, and 15% polyunsaturated. Avocados are a very healthy natural food that provides many nutrients, fiber, and healthful fats, while adding a rich flavor to any meal. Try sliced avocado on sandwiches or in salads or use guacamole in wraps, sandwiches, or quesadillas.
• High fat fish such as wild salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, trout, etc.:  Just about any fish or seafood are good sources of natural omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, but the higher fat fish listed above are the best sources of omega-3’s. Due to the radical switch to a higher proportion of omega-6 polyunsaturated fats like soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, etc. in our food supply during the middle of the 20th century, the average western diet is currently way too high in omega-6’s compared to omega-3’s, which wreaks havoc in your body. This is where good omega-3 sources like high fat fish, walnuts, and flax seeds can help bring you back to a better ratio of omega-6/omega-3.  I also recommend KrillOil, which has been shown to possibly have even more health benefits than standard fish oil
• Nuts (any and all – walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, macadamias, etc.): Nuts are great sources of healthy unprocessed fats as well as minerals and other trace nutrients. Macadamias, almonds, and cashews are great sources of monounsaturated fats, while walnuts are a good source of unprocessed polyunsaturated fats (including omega-3’s). Try to avoid nuts that are cooked in oil. Instead, choose raw or dry roasted nuts.
• Seeds (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds):  All of these seeds are great sources of natural unprocessed healthy fats. In particular, flax seeds have received a lot of attention lately due to their high omega-3 content. However, keep in mind that omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are highly reactive to heat and light, and prone to oxidation and free radical production. Therefore, freshly ground flax seed is the only way to go. Instead of using the store bought ground flax seed, you can buy whole flax seed and use one of those miniature coffee grinders to grind your own flax seed. Try grinding fresh flax seed into your yogurt, cereal, or even your salad.  If you’re using a flax oil, make sure it’s a cold-pressed oil in a light-proof refrigerated container, and use it up within a few weeks to prevent it from going rancid. NEVER cook with flax oil!
• The fat in organically raised, free-range animals:  This is where most people have been misinformed by the mass media. Animal fat is inherently good for us, that is, if it came from a healthy animal. Human beings have thrived on animal fats for thousands of years. The problem is, most mass produced animal products today do not come from healthy animals. They come from animals given loads of antibiotics and fattened up with hormones and fed un-natural feed. The solution is to choose organically raised, free-range meats, eggs, and dairy. At this time, the price is still a little higher, but as demand grows, the prices will come down. I’ve found an incredible website that actually offers free-range grass-fed meats delivered right to your doorstep at very reasonable prices. Believe me, it’s very hard to find grass fed meats at any grocery stores.

The Deadly Fatty Foods:

• Hydrogenated oils (trans fats):  These are industrially produced chemically altered oils subjected to extremely high pressure and temperature, with added industrial solvents such as hexane for extraction, and have a metal catalyst added to promote the artificial hydrogenation, followed by bleaching and deodorizing agents…..and somehow the FDA still allows this crap to pass as food. These oils aren’t even worthy of your lawnmower, much less your body! They’ve been linked to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and more. Even small quantities have been shown in studies to be dangerous. If you care about your health, check the ingredients of everything you buy, and if you see partially hydrogenated oils of any kind, margarine, or shortening, protect yourself and your family by choosing something else.
• Refined oils:  Even if the oils are not hydrogenated, most oils on your supermarket shelves are refined, even most of the so called “healthy” canola oils. Most refined oils still undergo the high temperature, high pressure, solvent extraction, bleaching, and deodorizing processes. Anything labeled vegetable oil, soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, and even many canola oils have been damaged by this refining process (unless they say “virgin” or “cold expeller pressed”). This damages the natural structure of the fats, destroys natural antioxidants, creates free radicals, and produces a generally unhealthy product. Take note that the explosion of heart disease in the middle of the 20th century coincides quite nicely with the rapid increase in the use of hydrogenated and refined oils in the food supply.
• Anything deep fried: including tortilla chips, potato chips, French fries, donuts, fried chicken, chicken nuggets, etc. All of this crap shouldn’t even pass as real food in my opinion!
• Homogenized milk fat – Milk fat is a very healthy fat in its natural raw state. Milk and beef from grass fed organically raised cows is known to have higher quantities of healthy fats like conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega-3 fatty acids compared with grain fed cows. Traditional populations around the world have thrived in perfect health while consuming huge quantities of raw, non-pasteurized, non-homogenized, full fat dairy products.  Once again, food processing ruins a good thing by pasteurizing and homogenizing milk fat, rendering it potentially dangerous inside the human body. Unfortunately, you will find it almost impossible to find raw milk in the US unless you personally know a farmer. Check out http://www.realmilk.com for more info on the benefits of raw milk and to find out if it’s available near you. As an alternative, cultured dairy products like yogurt have at least had beneficial microorganisms added back to them making them better for you.  Realistically, since you probably won’t find raw milk, sticking to skim milk is the best option to avoid the homogenized milk fat. If you use butter for cooking, your best option is grass-fed butter.

Each workout – document each exercise done, how much weight, how many reps and how much you had to push it.

At first it might seem pointless, but the reward will be when you have been working at it for a period of time and then look back on how much weight you have increased, how much more you can do and much different you look. It will keep you motivated, and motivate you more. If you are having a stretch where you think you are not getting anywhere there is a reference to measure with. It will help you evaluate your progress.

How you document your progress is not as important as doing it. You can make notes after each workout and date them, or you can use a program to keep track such as one of the Office templates. If you have Microsoft Office, there are some downloads you can find that will put your information into graphs and tables so that you can visualize your progress even clearer. Here, you will find downloadable templates that you can use for handwritten logs, computer logs or whatever your preference is.

There are some great apps to download for your phone that track your workout and even your nutrition.

myfitnesspal

my fitness pal is available for iPhone, android, Blackberry, or Windows

gymbuddy

gym buddy is available in iTunes for iPhone

Biceps – only move your forearm, keep your elbows pointing down. Start with palm up and do not twist your forearm, complete the full motion. If you increase the weight and you are unable to maintain proper position and technique, you should go back down with the weight until you can maintain technique. If you let your elbow raise, you are taking the work load off of the bicep, and the anterior part of the deltoid is taking it. If you want to work your biceps, keep your elbows pointing down.

With this technique you can use two dumbbells and do both arms at the same time or alternately. You can use a barbell working both arms at the same time as well. You can also face your palms toward your body(hammer curl).

Triceps – the first option to use would be the Bent Over Row or otherwise called kickbacks. Put one knee on a bench or chair, that allows your hips to remain level with the knee up, bend over keeping your back straight and parallel to the floor, with the dumbbell in the hand opposite of the knee that is up-keep your elbow at your side, start with your arm bent at 90 degree angle and straighten arm-raising the dumbbell up until your arm is straight. Repeat for your reps.

                 -the second option to try if you do not like the bent over rows, would be the Standing Tricep Extension. Correct your posture, head centered over shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over feet, feet shoulder width apart. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, with hands facing center, with elbows pointing up and bent, dumbbells behind your head-straighten arms raising dumbbells above your head to full extension.

As I have mentioned before, and will continue to mention, technique is very important. It is important because it will help you get better results, working the muscle/muscles you are intending to work and it will help to avoid injury. This video has some great examples. I have some videos that we are working on, but until they are ready I will provide other videos.

http://youtu.be/BgdIsNzrDEQ

Hydration is a part of the nutrition. Throughout the day, drink as much water as you can. There are some great guidelines to follow in the article here. Drink 2-3 cups prior to your workout, and 2-3 cups following, again you can find specific guidelines here. The general guideline of 8-10 cups per day remains true for an average day, and more if you are exercising or in the sun/heat.

During exercise it is also beneficial to drink a good energy or sports drink. Personally I have switched to the energy drink Pro from Visalus because it has less sugar. I find it gives me that extra energy, and helps with post workout muscle recovery. I drink a Go prior to my workout, then Pro during. For reference this comparison chart explains why I choose these products, as well as it gives me more energy with better recovery following the workout. Whatever you decide to use, the most important fact is: look after your nutrition if you want your body to build muscle.

The next tremendously important part of nutrition when building muscle especially is the food that you give your body. Protein is absolutely essential. Again I use Visalus, but you can use another product if you like, or try to get enough protein in your diet with food. I tried adjusting my diet first but found fasting muscle growth when I started using the Visalus shakes, so personally I am sticking with it.

For anyone who does know the correct term for each muscle group refer to the diagram below

Muscle Groups

The weights that an individual starts out with again depends on the current level of strength. Do not try to use weights that are too heavy to maintain correct technique, but use enough weight to work the muscle group. A compact Cap Barbell 40-Pound Dumbbell Set may be a good place to start. On the other hand if the individual is already at a level that increased intensity is needed, a barbell set   , either basic entry level or higher quality with higher weight options like this ST Olympic set would last a lifetime, the individual would not “grow” out of this set:

  ST Olympic Flat Bench with Gun Racks – White

One of the most important things to realize is that to succeed, reasonable goals need to be set and a plan made. When making a plan, decide how much time is available to work out. Decide if you have the equipment that you need or want. Evaluate your nutrition, and learn more about  it if needed. Once everything is in place get to work.

Three times a week is a good place to start. It is challenging on the body to do more if you are not used to it, and if you push too hard, it will be tempting to give up.

goals

plan

equipment

action

evaluate

plan

action………ripped!!

Tips To Remember:
Do not swing your body; momentum should not be used for any exercise. Instead of using a swinging motion to lift the weight, use your muscle to lift it. Use good range of motion. If you go beyond the proper range (E.g. in a Tricep pushdown) you may begin using momentum or other muscles to help with your lift. Make sure you do use a full range of motion.People tend to attempt weight far greater than they can handle and limit their range of motion so that they can handle the weight; the key is to find a weight that you can use during a full range of motion. Work your way up after you understand the form. If you are unsure of the proper form for a specific piece of equipment it would be idea to ask staff working at that facility. If you are doing your workout at home, have accurate references available. Using poor form may limit the target muscle’s involvement in the exercise and therefore limit the usefulness of the exercise totally. To get the most of yourworkouts make sure you know what you are doing and how to do it.

  ST Olympic Flat Bench with Gun Racks – White

If the space you have to work with does not allow for a bench, this set would be a good choice as it is regular size versus the larger longer olympic choice. This set is easy to use because of the threaded ends.CAP Barbell Regular 160-Pound Weight Set with Threaded Ends

Basic facts about what equipment is needed: Dumbbells are very helpful, a barbell can increase  the variety of exercises and positions to use, a bench is great as well-but you can get by without. You need enough weights available so when you are ready to increase your weight they are there.