It is widely accepted that you need to increase your consumption of protein to build and maintain muscle mass and/or achieve fat loss goals. It makes sense, if you want to BUILD muscle you need to provide the mechanical load stimulus (AKA exercise) and raw material (AKA amino acids/BCAAs). This is an oversimplification and it…
It is widely accepted that increased protein intake is necessary for muscle growth, recovery and performance. But- which protein is best? The market is crowded with ALL sorts, from the classic Whey, to collagen, dehydrated beef and even black bean powder. Poor vegans only have a subset of choice- limited to the “plant proteins”…
Do you want to be stronger and more powerful? Would you like to get more muscle tone? Well, supplementing with R1 creatine helps to increase strength, meaning you can lift more in your session. Lifting more in your session, or being able to tolerate higher intensities of power training ultimately increases the work the muscle…
Food consumption at night can be a controversial topic… But I’m not going to start the “carbs at night” debate… instead of “what not to eat”… why not focus on beneficial nutrients that will support muscle recovery and growth during sleep- like Casein: a slow release protein that uses sleep as a window…
Nutrient timing is a popular belief that the exact time of consumption of macros (macronutrients) will influence important health goals like muscle gains and fat loss. Some people even go so far to suggest that nutrient timing is more important than absolute intake of macros…umm OK. This article will look at one popular…
So what exactly is R1 Pre-amino? … A pre-workout OR BCAA supplement? Well, in the famous words of a little taco eating girl “Por que no los dos?” (Why not have both?). The synergistic blend of different nutrients, usually only found in pre-workouts OR BCAAs, results in enhanced cognition, physical performance AND muscle recovery. As…
N.O. idea about Nitric Oxide? Nitric oxide (NO) is a vasodilator AKA a chemical that enables your arteries to dilate, increasing in diameter to enable increased blood flow (fondly known as ‘THE PUMP’)1. Everyone appreciates a #vascular insta pic… but NO supplementation can enhance exercise and muscle function by increasing the efficiency…
First rule of gym club… consume enough protein! Protein is an essential macronutrient that provides the building blocks for of a whole range of tissues, especially muscles. There are numerous forms of protein and making a choice can get overwhelming… animal based… plant based… complete…hydrolysed… dehydrated beef…even ground bug based!!…What if you don’t want…
Questioning whether you need to add a BCAA supplement to your regime? Generally speaking, BCAAs can increase training intensity and reduce recovery time. Through enhancing muscle hypertrophy and reducing muscle break down, BCAAs have become one of the most widely used health supplements. However, not all BCAA supplements are created equal and you are…
How do I maximize muscle growth and reduce muscle soreness (i.e. delayed onset muscle soreness) from my session? Are you all sorted for your summer shred? Meals prepped: check. Gym program: check. Lovely new gym wear: check. So, what is going to stop you? Well, what about a lack of energy from your…
Disclaimer: this article is not intended to replace the recommendations of a qualified dietician. Before drastically changing your diet consult your healthcare practitioner. Definition of a ketogenic or low carb diet: A diet that is high in fat and protein and low in carbohydrates. This is usually measured at anywhere between 20-100g carbohydrates a day…
Metabolic Nutrition, MuscLean Today’s workout formula in the spotlight is for everyone out there with lean muscle gains in mind, but not satisfied with a huge gain of unnecessary fat at the same time. The thing is that in order to build muscle, you must take in enough calories to go beyond just…
Metabolic Nutrition, MuscLean Today’s workout formula in the spotlight is for everyone out there with lean muscle gains in mind, but not satisfied with a huge gain of unnecessary fat at the same time. The thing is that in order to build muscle, you must take in enough calories to go beyond just keeping…
EVLution Nutrition, Trans4orm Today’s workout formula in the spotlight is for everyone out there with lean goals in mind, but not satisfied with a drop in performance. As we saw in a previous article, reducing body fat requires the reduction of calories to below that of the number of calories you need each day.…
Spring and summer is just around the corner, yet the days are still short, and you haven’t gotten any less busy. You have work, friends, family and other commitments that compete with your gym training time. So what can you do to help boost your best efforts in the gym? Read on to find the…
Do you want to increase your energy in sessions, aid your recovery and stop yourself from getting run down as easily? Read on to find out how supplementing with Glutamine might be for you! Glutamine is just one of the twenty amino acids. It is considered to be conditionally essential, and it is also…
Whey is a protein powder which tastes delicious and is a convenient way to supplement your best training efforts in the gym. It is great for use as a shake when mixed with water or as a way to boost the protein content of oats. Neither whey or casein is a “fake” protein, even though…
Do you want to naturally increase the available energy that you have for your workouts? Reduce cortisol (the stress hormone)? Reduce muscle breakdown? Build lean muscle? Read on about the effects of supplementing with BCAAs or Branched-Chain Amino Acids. Branched-Chain Amino Acids are a special kind of amino acid, known as such due to…
Do you want to be able to get more from your workout for the same amount of effort? To recover faster and to be less sore? Read on about how amino acids can do this for you. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. When you ingest protein, the protein is broken down…
Maintain weight but increase tone/tighten up Multivitamin: To promote optimal health and plug any gaps in your diet. HMB: A great way to add leucine and boost muscle-building pathways without adding extra calories. Whey: Protein is important if you would like to increase your lean mass. Right after your workout with some…
Multi-Vitamins can help to bolster gaps in your diet. When you are in a calorie deficit, there is less chance that you will reach all of the minerals and trace elements that the body might need to be in optimal health. Supplements shouldn’t replace food, but they are a great way of supplementing your best…
Fish oil supplements are a great anti-inflammatory and are helpful to speed up your exercise recovery. They contain the Essential Fatty Acids: EPA and DHA (two kinds of Omega 3 fatty acids), which help our bodies with pain and swelling. They are also important for a healthy heart; healthy joints and can help you get…
One of the top supplements to consider for optimal health is a good quality multivitamin tablet. Whilst you can obtain vitamins and minerals from a healthy diet, a multivitamin can help plug the gaps. For example, the soil in this part of the world can be deficient in selenium. In order to not suffer the…
A brand new innovation in protein powder: Promasil! When you want to build great muscle, you will know that quality protein is essential. But did you also know that a variety of protein sources is important? The reason is that each different source contains a different abundance of amino acids, which is the kind…
Supplements are to be considered a supplement to a healthy diet and lifestyle. If you want to get a little extra from your effort that you put in, then look no further than a good quality supplement. Supplements are listed into 4 different groups: amino acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. That said, supplements…
Before there were supermarkets and before there was an attraction to attractive, we had access to many different shapes and types of fruit and vegetables. But somehow over time, we became so bogged down with getting the prettiest and most attractive fruit that we have actually lost sight of the reality: that fruit and vegetables…
Can you get a real life “Photoshop” and become more attractive (without surgery?) and become a nicer person? They always say that eating vegetables is good for you, but one could think it might be an urban myth. Thanks to two studies from a New Zealand University (Otago) and St Andrews University, it turns…
Can You Get Real Results With Online / Virtual Trainers? It can be extremely tempting to buy the services of an online trainer who has rock hard abs and a firm online following. But, what are the costs involved? What should you consider when choosing an online fitness trainer? Read on to find out…
Is Sleep Undermining Your Gains? We have all been there. The procrastination that happens on a “school night” (or work night), where you feel just a little bit naughty by staying up late to watch Netflix, or just can’t be bothered to go to bed. If you are also noticing that your gym…
Have You Hit A Plateau? Congratulations on your new healthy workout routine! You are knocking your sessions out of the park, and you haven’t missed a beat when it comes to post workout nutrition. But something isn’t right. All of those awesome benefits you got at the start have kind of slowed down. There are…
Congratulations on commencing your new healthy life plan! Making a change is hard to do. But how long does it take for the change to happen, and can you speed up your results? It makes sense to crave results: results in themselves are powerful motivators2. Sadly, more than 43% give up due to a feeling…
Exercises to get the heart pumping and the sweat flowing! Arms: Hammer Grip Chin Ups – A lot of people cheat on their ROM (range of motion) when they use a wider grip, but this is one of the fundamental basics that you can pull out in any gym that has the associated handles.…
“I’ll be back” With the Arnold Classic Australia coming up in March, we figured that we would channel our inner ‘Terminator’ and help you get back on track with some tips and tricks if you happened to fall off the exercise “gains train” over the Christmas break. There might be any number of reasons that…
It is the most wonderful time of the year! And it should stay that way during the season without added worry of guilt, or those infamous words… “I’ll start again next year”. Let’s unpack that: health and fitness is a lifestyle; it shouldn’t inhibit your life. That is why we have put together some of…
We learnt in the last post here that the body adapts to exercise: the more exercise that you do, the better and more efficient the body becomes in coping with the demands of that exercise. All levels of your body become fitter too, so at the cellular level; neurologically; and cardiovascularly: your body improves its…