Lose weight NOW not next year!

Let me apologize now for what you are about to read. Excuse me if I seem a little aggravated or upset, I am just tired of hearing and seeing people make so many excuses about why they can not maintain a healthy lifestyle. This article was not intended to criticize or put anyone down, in fact, it is just the opposite. I have created this post to help people understand that weight loss or living healthy in general is not as hard as some of us make it seem. Here are a few things I have noticed that we MUST change in order to meet our goals. I am hoping that once you finish reading that you will not make these changes a “new year’s resolution”.

Put away the scale and pull out the measuring tape

Why is everyone so obsessed with their weight? Instead of saying “I want to lose 10 pounds”, why don’t we say “I want to knock 4 inches off my waist “? The thing with focusing on weight loss is that we are often disappointed when we step on the scale. This causes us to give up because we feel like what we are doing is not working. Fact is, it probably is working and the reason for not losing weight is because you are adding muscle. You may weigh the same, more, or just a little less but your measurements may have changed for the better. You see, it is possible that you stepped on the scale hoping you had dropped about 5 pounds and got disappointed when you ended up gaining a pound. What you didn’t realize is that you lost 2 inches on your waist.

I’ll give you a very simple and straight forward example. Take two males who both are 6 feet and weigh 200 pounds. Male number one is 20 percent body fat and male number two is 13 percent body fat. Now, they are both the exact same height and the exact same weight but male number two looks significantly thinner and fitter than male number one. It really is just that simple, if we want to stay focused and positive about our progress then I recommend we put away the scale and pull out the measuring tape.

Why wait? Start now!

Why is it that every time someone is going to start a “diet”, they say “I’m going to start on Monday”? I hate hearing that from people who are interested in starting something new. It’s Wednesday, why not just start today? What is the reason that you want to continue the same routine that has you unhappy with yourself for another week?

This “I’m going to start on Monday” is just an excuse that is followed by eating more junk for the days between now and Monday. Have you ever heard someone that smoked cigarettes say “I’m going to quit after this pack” and they end up smoking double the amount they are used to that day? Then the excuse is “I’m quitting after this pack so I have to get in as much as I can now” or something to that effect. People, junk food, like cigarettes is an addiction. By over loading on these unhealthy foods for the next week before you “quit” is just going to push your goals back drastically. Make the decision that you want to lose weight, eat healthier, or whatever it may be but start NOW.

Don’t make a good workout the excuse for eating junk

Today I was on my personal facebook page and saw a status update from a friend of mine and I could not believe what I was reading.

“On my way to workout…see you guys at the bar later”

Need I say more?

Let’s say that this person was in the gym working hard and managed to burn 1000 calories. After that he ends up at the bar and consumes 4 beers adding up to 440 calories. Not to mention his post workout meal and anything in between his post workout meal and his 4 beers. I can guarantee those 1000 calories burned were taken right back in.

Is working out and eating unhealthy better or the same as not working out and eating unhealthy? Obviously it is better to workout over not working out, but what kind of progress do you expect to see if you are filling your body with empty carbs and thinking it is OK because u just worked out?

100% is better than 70%

What is the deal with the person who fills the fridge with slim fast shakes and chooses the elevator over the steps? I applaud you for taking initiative and changing your eating habits. Changing bad eating habits is a huge step for someone who has goals to live a healthy lifestyle.

My question is, why stop there? The hardest part has already been done, if you can eat better, you can live better. Now give yourself that extra push and take the steps instead of the elevator (considering how far up or down you are going of course) or even simply walking over to your co worker to deliver paperwork over emailing it while sitting three offices away.

STOP making excuses

Remember readers, an excuse is just that…an excuse. Yes legitimate reasons to procrastinate exist, but for the most part I feel that it is us building these obstacle courses for ourselves.

“I don’t have time to go to the gym”

“I can’t afford a gym membership”

Here is a very effective home workout routine that can be done in just minutes without any type of equipment.

Also, check out this body weight cardio routine by Vince DelMonte that can be performed from home with no equipment.

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MRI Black Powder Nitric Oxide Results and Review

Time for another nitric oxide review, this time we are reviewing a product by MRI called Black Powder. Black Powder is a pre-workout nitric oxide that comes in powder form. Like most nitric oxide products, Black Powder claims to enhance endurance, trigger tremendous muscle pumps, regulate muscle growth, and amplify the body’s performance signal.

As a lifter who has tried MRI’s Black Powder I will say this, the muscle pumps and endurance enhancements are real. Does it do everything that it claims? I think that like any other supplement, results vary case by case. For those of you curious about trying the product, I have put together ratings from various websites and also a list of things people are saying about this product. My goal is to put together a ratings and review listing that will help you make a better and more informed decision before deciding if this is the product for you.

Ratings!

SupplementCritic.com – 4 out of 5 stars
FitFlex.com – 4.8 out of 5 stars
AdvantageSupplements.com – Top 25 customer recommended product
A1Supplements.com – 4 out of 5 stars
SportysHealth.com – 4.3 out of 5 stars

Ratings on this supplement are higher then most nitric oxide products. Not to mention that MRI’s Black Powder received the bodybuilding.com award for “Best new supplement of 2009”.

What are people saying about MRI’s Black Powder?

Dillon of Idaho writes: “Didnt feel anything after taking it or during my workout on the first day. Now I get a good pump but dont feel an increase in drive or focus, and now it kinda gives me nausea after I take it.”

M of Queensland, Australia writes: “This product is CRAZY GOOD!! Have tried Super Pump, liked it, but this is on another level. Worked a 10 hour day in construction, was tired, 30 min after taking Black Powder I was flying”

Aaron of Washington writes: “I feel a constant energy instead of a short burst. This product not only improves my ability to lift, but also gives me a mental boost. I feel that this product mixed with a good diet, steady workout schedule, and a good post workout protein will yield incredible results”

Jake of Florida writes: " I have tried plasma jet, superpump, NO xplode, and black powder. Black powder is by far the best NO supplement on the market. Got incredible pumps starting the first day, incredible endurance during workouts, and just overall better workouts. I recommend this to anyone."

Colin of Pennsylvania writes: “I have taken it for the last three weeks and I am absolutely stunned by its results. I have never had better workouts”

Chad of Maryland writes: “I decided to go with Black powder after seeing some really good reviews for it. The product is quite thick after mixing it and sits heavy in your stomach. I have been using it for about a month and I have never had any reaction or good pumps or energy”

Karim of Arkansas writes: " Saw all the great reviews and had to try it, best decision i ever made. After taking Black Powder i will never try any other nitric oxide supplement. This stuff is pure magic, i love it!"

Conclusion

There you have it; my personal belief is that every supplement will work differently in everyone. According to the ratings and the things people are saying, Black Powder has a high level of satisfaction and the chance of it working for you are better the most nitric oxide supplements.

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Top 10 protein sources for hardgainers

Although the amount of protein we take in daily plays a huge roll in building muscle mass, we also have to pay a lot of attention to the quality of the protein. If you look over the weight gain formula for hardgainers you can calculate the amount of protein your body needs in order to gain muscle mass.

Now that you know how much protein you should be consuming daily, let’s go over what the best sources are. I have also put together a small list of snacks you can eat throughout the day that contain good proteins and other calories needed for gaining muscle mass.

Top 10 protein sources

Here is my list of the top 10 sources of quality protein. The amounts of grams listed are calculated per serving.

1. Egg whites (6 grams)
2. Chicken Breast (25 grams)
3. Tuna (18 grams)
4. Peanut Butter (8 grams)
5. Ground turkey meat (26 grams)
6. Yogurt (14 grams)
7. Salmon (15 grams)
8. nonfat milk (8 grams)
9. Beans (8 grams)
10. Cottage cheese (28 grams)

Hardgainer snacks for muscle mass

1. Peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread
2. Tuna sandwich with tomatoes on wheat bread
3. Grilled chicken breast salad with almonds
4. Ground turkey with wheat pasta
5. Grilled salmon salad

These are a few great snacks to add to your daily caloric intake. Each one contains quality protein with a great source of complex carbohydrates. As a hardgainer who is eating 5-6 meals a day, it may be difficult to avoid eating the same types of snacks or “in between meals” everyday. With that being said, I hope I have broadened your healthy meal list.

Related Articles

Gain weight fast - Top mass building foods
Skinny to muscle with 3 simple steps
Top 5 reasons you aren't getting any bigger
How to gain weight

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3 Important muscle building rules for guys and girls (Hardgainers)

Why can't us skinny guys ever gain weight? There may be many reasons for why us skinny guys cannot gain weight. Obviously if your mom and dad were skinny at your age you probably will be too. This is the genetics explanation, or if your parents were not very skinny at your age then your weight can be blamed on a fast metabolism. The rules I am about to explain are the same no matter what program you go into.

1. Watch for misleading information - the reason most muscle building programs don't work.

Before you look into finding a program you can follow to help gain weight, I would look at a couple of things. Foremost, look at the actual trainer promoting the program, and look at his background or how he/she got started. If he/she was fat and lost weight to gain muscle, obviously their programs diet and exercise regimens will be backwards for you and not work.

2. When you actually work out.

The biggest thing most skinny guys and girls will do when they are desperate to gain weight they will workout long and hard everyday, or think they have to work out longer than people who are already bigger. This is exactly the opposite of what you should be doing! The more skinny you are, the LESS you should be working out, and the more REST you need! The goal of going to the gym is to stimulate muscle growth, this happens in a very short time period and muscle is build while you are resting!

3. Intensity is key.

While you work out, you should be focused on getting in your reps and getting out fast. After being in the gym for a few hours your body begins to suppress hormones that actually build up muscle. Also keep each body part limited to 2 different excises. Workouts that work on different angles of your arms or legs are designed to only help maintain the weak parts of your body after your body's muscles have grown and matured. While doing all this you should not be in the gym longer than 1 hour!

Is there something I can do? Contrary to popular belief, gaining weight is much harder to do in my opinion than to lose weight. Being naturally thin makes building a impressive body takes incredible persistence and determination! For other information crucial to your success of gaining weight can be found here at http://www.FastMuscle.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_A_Yates

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Top 5 reasons why your arms aren't getting bigger

Take a look around your gym, what do you see?

I’m guessing a few guys doing dumbbell curls, barbell curls, or just finishing up a set and maybe flexing the arm or the bicep in the mirror. When you ask someone to show you their muscles, what is the first thing they do? Yes, they lift their sleeve and give you a bicep flex. It is no secret that anyone who lifts weights to gain muscle has a goal of building arms that rip through t-shirt sleeves.

Although we all want bigger and stronger arms, we are not all going about it the right way. If you can’t seem to gain any size on your arms or simply gained some size and can’t manage to gain anymore, it could be the cause of a few things. I have created a “top 5 list” as to what you may be doing wrong and how to correct it to get those bigger arms you are working so hard for.

Too much bicep not enough triceps
One of the most common mistakes people make when trying to get bigger arms is ignoring the triceps. Considering that your triceps make up about 65% of the mass on your arm, ignoring them could be the most foolish thing you could do. Although the bicep plays a big role in having nice arms, triceps are just as important if not more when trying to get a big defined look.

Over training the arms
Another common mistake we make when training a trouble area is giving it too much attention. Remember, the bicep and triceps are not big muscles and are also needed when working back and chest. With that being said, these muscles are easily over trained because they are getting little or no time to rest. If the muscle does not rest then the muscle does not grow. Assuming you are doing the correct exercises, one arm day, one chest day, and one back day should be more than enough strenuous activity for the week.

Under training the rest of your body
I’ll say it bluntly, if your body does not gain mass, your arms will not gain inches. If you think that you can go to the gym, do some bicep curls and ignore the rest to get bigger arms, you have another thing coming. You will not add inches to your arms if you do not add mass to your body. How much mass for how many inches? It is estimated to be about 12-15 pounds per every 1 inch on the arms. I know it may sound like a lot of weight to gain for a measly inch, but the fact is that one inch on the arms makes an incredible difference and is very noticeable.

Doing the wrong workouts
Although the basic dips and dumbbell curls are essential when getting bigger more defined arms, there are more areas to target on the bicep and triceps. For example the brachialis, this is a part of the bicep that most people overlook. Working the brachialis will aid in the definition of the bicep as well as giving you that nice mountain like peak. The part of the triceps that most people overlook is the long head. The long head is the back of the arm, working this area will not only help with getting nice big and cut triceps but it will also give the arm a much larger and muscular appearance.

Weight Lifting Tip Videos for Bigger arms
Bicep
Bicep and triceps #1
Biceps and triceps #2
Triceps

Little weight and high reps
As basic as this is, I see this a lot in the gym. Guys doing all the right workouts but they never raise the weight. Simply put, high reps for definition and low reps for mass. Now, that doesn’t mean use the same weight and do less reps to get bigger arms. This means add more weight, put some strain on that muscle and force it to want to grow. If the muscle does not feel like it needs to get bigger or stronger for a certain activity, it just won’t. The muscle has to be pushed to the point of fatigue where it will then have to prepare itself for that type of strenuous activity. If the muscle does not feel the need to prepare itself due to the fact that the activity was not strenuous, it simply will not need to make any changes.

Get bigger more defined arms
In conclusion, there are quite a few changes we can make to assure we will get the gains we want. You may be making all 5 of the mistakes listed or you may be making just 1, either way, that one mistake could be the entire reason for your frustration. I want you to reevaluate this article and your current arm routine and make the changes needed when building arms in reasonable time.

Related Articles:

How to Build Biceps From Home Without Weights

Building Arms

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Bodybuilding exercises for ultimate abs

I was recently going over a few of Michael Ferencsik’s free videos online and came across a pretty intense ab workout routine. I thought the workout was so amazing that I decided to change my current routine and try this one. I must say people, if you are looking for a great ab workout that will show great results in a very short period of time, this is it right here.

The workout consists of 3 different ab exercises which you will perform back to back. You will perform the first exercise for 15 repetitions, immediately after you will continue to the next exercise for another 15 repetitions, and directly following that one you will perform the third for another 15 repetitions. Once you have completed all 3 exercises back to back with 15 repetitions each, that concludes one set. Simply take about 60 seconds to rest and repeat.

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Full body workout V.S. Split routine

Which is more beneficial, full body workouts or a split routine? As simple as the questions may seem, it really is not that easy to answer. There are a few things you must factor in before deciding between one or the other. For example, your fitness goals and your body type play a huge roll in answering this question. The small skinny guy that is trying to pack on pounds of muscle is not going to follow the same routine as the big chubby guy that is trying to lean out and get defined. With that being said, I can’t tell you whether full body workouts or a split routine is best for you. What I can do is share some of the benefits you can expect from each one.

Split routine

-Targeted growth
Unlike full body workouts, split routines allow you to target trouble areas by giving greater attention to each muscle group. This also gives you the ability to target stubborn muscles.

-Better for definition
Split routines give you the ability to focus on even the smallest muscles and alternate between higher reps and lower reps. While full body workouts target larger muscle groups, split routines allow you to focus more on definition over mass.

-Easier to stick to
Because full body workouts are so intense and fatiguing, they sometimes become dreadful. With split routines they allow you to get a great workout and leave the gym with enough energy to look forward to your next workout.

Full body workout

-Frequent muscle stimulation

With full body workouts you will be targeting each muscle 3-4 times a week as appose to 1-2. This causes more stimulation per muscle group. The more frequently you stimulate a muscle, the faster it will grow.

-Eat more and gain less fat

With full body workouts you are actually burning a greater amount of calories than you would with split routines. This is due to the large amount of muscle mass being targeted in each session.

-Pack on muscle mass

In order to perform a full body workout that will not require 20 different exercises, you must focus more on compound workouts that target more than one muscle group per exercise. Compound exercises are known for their strength increase along with mass building results.

At the end of the day
At the end of the day, choosing between full body workouts and a split routine is going to be decided by your fitness goals. If you are looking to bulk up and put on muscle mass I would recommend full body workouts. If you are looking to become lean and defined I would say stick to the a split routine. This is not to say that a split routine can’t aid in mass building, just that full body compound workouts is more likely to get you bigger faster.

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Plasma Jet reviews and results (Gaspari Nutrition Nitric Oxide)

As someone who has personally used plasma jet by Gaspari Nutrition and had great results, I was interested in seeing how this product worked for other people. Nitric oxide products have been known to increase lean muscle mass, give you more strength, provide better muscle recovery, increase endurance, and give you a great pump. On the other hand, there is a lot of speculation as to if these nitric oxide products like plasma jet will actually do what they say. With that being said, the only way to really know is to try it for yourself. Here are a few ratings on plasma jet along with what real people are saying about the nitric oxide maximizer.

Plasma Jet Nitric Oxide Ratings

TheSupplementRating.com rates it at 7.2 out of 10
SupplementCritic.com rates it at 3.5 out of 5 stars
Fitflex.com rates it at 4.6 out of 5 stars
Bodybuilding.com rates it at 8.1 out of 10

I would definitely say that these are great overall ratings. Most of these ratings go according to users on the website who have tried the product.

What are people saying about Plasma Jet by Gaspari Nutrition?

Struckels said “I just started taking this and it rocks! I took my first dose and a day in a half later I am still tight.”

Se7enThirty said “I usually get no reponse from NO products and ive tried several of the other companies products.. This is HANDS DOWN the best i have used.. for the first time while working out i actually felt the pump and i got to the poin where my skin just felt crazy tight”

Dcusaf said “I've tried several Nitric Oxide products over the past five years (BSN Nitrix and NO Xplode, MRI NO2 Patinum and Black, Controlled Lab's White Flood, and I like what Gaspari Nutrition's Plasma Jet brings to the table.”

Tripp1592 said “No taste since its a pill easy to take plus it doesnt have any of all the caffeine they put in other n.o. products so it doesnt keep you up all night and the pumps are simply amazing plus the freakin strength gains i work out everyday with weights and i take it everyother day like suggested so it doesnt lose effects you gotta try this supplement”

Maximus06 said “If you want actual NO product that works and gives you sick pumps!! this is i think the best NO product hands down!! A little pricey but worth the money.”

Birdman2211 said “Followed directions to a tee, i did not feel any thing more than regular arginine. Got bad stomach aches after also. No increase in strength at all.”

Jeff of Georgia said “I tried Plasmajet for the first time today and I can notice a greater fullness in all muscle groups. I like the fact that you don't take this product everday and only one serving is required. I have tried every single NO product on the market and I know that what I'm currently feeling at this moment is something special.”

Zack of Illinois said “I am currently 6'1 190 7%bf and i have felt absolutly no pumps hardly at all after taking it for the past week”

Plasma jet by Gaspari nutrition
There you have it people, great ratings and overall great reviews by the users. I can personally say I loved the product because of its great pumps and incredible strength and endurance gains. I highly recommend Plasma Jet by Gaspari nutrition over most nitric oxide products. At the end of the day, just like any other supplement, it works case by case and everyone is different.

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Skinny to muscle with 3 simple steps

As a hardgainer myself, I know that there is nothing more stressful than putting in time at the gym and getting little to no results. The first thing we (hardgainers) need to realize is that our bodies do not create muscle as fast as most. Also, our metabolism is so fast that it makes it incredibly hard to gain weight. With that being said, it is obvious we have to take a different approach when trying to put on muscle mass or gain weight. You see, the average person only requires about 12 times their body weight in calories to pack on mass, us hardgainers require double the amount.

If you are struggling with gaining weight, let me give you 3 simple steps you can follow to pack on pounds of muscle.

Gain weight fast step 1- Hardgainer diet
There are two different approaches we can take to put on mass. The first and more common one for hardgainers is the “6 meal a day plan”. This plan requires you to consume 24 times your body weight in calories (your weight multiplied by 24 = daily caloric intake). You can break each meal down however you would like as long as you’re reaching the proper amount of calories. Calories should be broken down into 50 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 20 percent fats.

The second approach is the “4 meal a day plan”. This plan is created for hardgainers in order to slow down the body’s metabolism. Instead of keeping the metabolism working by consuming food all day (6 meal a day plan), it makes the metabolism work less and eventually causes it to slow down. With the ”4 meal a day plan” you can consume 20 times your body weight in calories instead of 24. It basically just breaks down into 4 large meals as appose to 6 smaller meals. The percentage of each calorie type should be the same as the “6 meal a day plan”.

1st approach
-6 meals a day
-24 x Body weight= Daily calories
-50 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, 20 percent fat

2nd approach
-4 meals a day
-20 x Body weight = Daily calories
-50 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, 20 percent fat

Gain weight fast step 2-Proper workouts
While most weight lifters get by with working out specific muscle groups and performing isolation exercises, hardgainers do not have the luxury. Although muscle group and isolation workouts can be effective, compound and full body workouts are more beneficial to our body type. Compound exercises are workouts that target more then one muscle group per exercise. These exercises are known for their ability to build overall muscle mass and are essential when packing on pounds for skinny guys.

Focus on these top mass building workouts
-Squats
-Deadlifts
-Bench press
-Chin ups/pull ups
-Dips
-Military press
-Bent over rows

Gain weight fast step 3-Rest
Being skinny and seeing little results can easily cause anyone to put in extra time in the gym. In this case, more is not better. Proper rest is crucial for smaller guys, without rest, we will not grow. Working out about 4 days a week should be perfect when trying to gain weight for skinny hardgainers. Because our metabolism is so fast, we naturally burn through calories at a high speed. If we are working out 5-6 days a week we are not resting the muscle enough for it to grow and we are burning extra calories. I recommend working out every other day for best results. Not only is resting the muscle in between workouts important, but without proper sleep we can not maximize muscle growth. Our body actually does most of its “muscle building” while we are in deep sleep. On top of resting every other day, try to get at least 8 hours of high quality sleep every night.

From skinny to muscle
Take a different approach and notice incredible size gains in no time. Eat the proper amount, do the right workouts, and get the proper amount of rest. These 3 steps are the key to gaining muscle mass for hardgainers.

Related articles
The weight gain formula for hardgainers
Gain weight fast – top mass building foods
Top 5 reasons you aren’t getting bigger

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