Diet Archives - MuscleNOW

Why Many Natural Bodybuilding Programs Don’t Work

Francesco — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 04:26:02 +0000

Those who seek to build maximum muscle mass and wish to avoid supplements and steroids often seek out a natural bodybuilding program through the Internet or magazines, implementing the advice they find consistently, to utter disappointment. The reasons behind such lackluster progress can be broad, but what follow are some of the common errors found in many bodybuilding workout and diet plans.

Firstly, workout frequency is often less than adequate for maximum muscle growth. Because so many programs stress how important avoiding overtraining is to the natural bodybuilder, they promote once per week muscle group training, which is insufficient to induce maximum progress. While it’s true that frequent direct stress upon each body part can cause overtraining, this is only an issue if sets and reps are not properly cycled, and when they are, targeting each area every 3-5 days provides for the best possible improvement in muscle mass.

Secondly, often natural bodybuilding programs recommend a large amount of different exercises, selecting some that are not designed to promote maximum muscle growth in lieu of those that provide greater overload to the body, just for the sake of adding variety. A large number of exercises is not necessary, as there are specific weight training exercises that stress muscles better than others, and these are what a muscle mass routine should be based upon.

Thirdly, reps and sets are often either not cycled, or structured in a way that leads to overtraining or undertraining (both are extremely detrimental to muscle building). Personal trainers are notorious for focusing on the dangers of overtraining, but more often than not, bodybuilders are actually entering the opposite undertrained state due to poorly designed set, rep and workout frequency cycles.

Lastly, half of the success equation for muscle building, which is an effective diet plan, is either overlooked or based on flawed principles. Natural bodybuilding diet plans often contain too little carbohydrates, incorrect meal division and calorie selection, etc. There are just as many variables in diet as weight training, and those who achieve disappointing muscle growth must ensure that both their eating and weight training routine is consistent with what maximizes muscle building. A perfect diet without the correct weight lifting plan is worthless, and the opposite is also true.

Those who seek to achieve the best possible muscle growth without using supplements or steroids should consider the MuscleNOW natural bodybuilding program, which teaches all of the correct diet and weight training workout methods to follow for consistent results.

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Bodybuilding Diet Plan

Francesco — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 03:53:04 +0000

Are you confused about which bodybuilding diet plan builds muscle without supplements? You are not alone, as the wide variety of available bodybuilding diet plans are extremely confusing, from low carb/high fat, to high carb/low fat, low protein, high protein, balanced fat/carb, etc; the possibilities are seemingly endless.

The truth is, many never gain muscle mass because of a poor bodybuilding diet plan. If you are attempting to gain muscle mass, and have not been achieving weekly results, then you need to change your bodybuilding diet plan immediately! Food is the fuel that builds muscle mass, but eating the wrong combinations of protein, carbohydrates and fats will guarantee very little (if any) progress in your muscle building efforts. In fact, because of a poor bodybuilding diet plan, most out of frustration mistakenly turn to worthless supplements, which create false promises for those who are confused as to the proper diet plan and weight training routine to follow. Therefore, your number one rule is to never invest in any bodybuilding supplementation, as bottled fads are not the answer to achieving dramatic muscle gains, despite the powerful (but misleading) advertising.

What about low carb bodybuilding diet plans? Many have become infatuated with low carb bodybuilding diet routines in recent years, especially when pursuing fat loss, believing that carbohydrates are evil by their very nature, a notion that is not surprising given the level of misinformation available on the Internet. But what proponents of the low carb diet plan fail to mention is that a lack of sufficient carbohydrates will burn muscle mass and slow metabolism, meaning that you slow metabolism, which makes regaining body fat extremely easy and likely! Therefore, low carb, ketogenic bodybuilding diet plans are horrible strategies which prevent muscle building, burn already built muscle mass, and slow metabolism, therefore making them a very poor choice for anybody wishing to display a lean, muscular physique.

Will high carbohydrate diet plans help me to gain muscle mass? While significant muscle mass can be built in the presence of excess carbs, such muscle gains will be accompanied by substantial body fat, which blurs definition, and creates a bloated, disappointing appearance. Many fail to realize that muscle mass is not the only important factor, as there is an equally critical element if the goal is to develop a bodybuilder type physique; keeping body fat levels very low yields a high level of definition, which is necessary to effectively display newly built muscle. A high carbohydrate bodybuilding diet plan will bring about muscle gains, but also produce a level of body fat that will prove unacceptable, not only hiding the muscle mass you worked so hard to produce, but also adversely impacting appearance in general e.g., a bloated face, neck, etc.

Should I follow a higher fat diet plan? Unfortunately, the higher fat bodybuilding diet plan offers the same downsides as low carbs, in that muscle can be lost and metabolism reduced, but higher fat principles can be used for certain meals throughout the day to control blood sugar, especially in those who are sensitive to carbohydrates (gain fat quickly or hesitate to burn fat in the presence of carbs), but if the higher fat techniques are used improperly, they will lead to the same downside as low carbs (metabolism slowdown and muscle mass reduction).

How much protein should a bodybuilding diet plan be comprised of? A bodybuilder seeking to build muscle mass needs a greater quantity of protein than one who is sedentary, but consuming excessive quantities can cause body fat increase and unnecessary kidney stress, so a balance needs to be achieved. Unfortunately, many either consume excessive or insufficient protein for their body to produce desired muscle mass improvements. A bodybuilding diet plan void of sufficient protein will not produce any significant muscle growth, and will quickly burn muscle when calories dip into fat loss levels, while a diet plan which focuses upon excessive protein can prevent fat loss or cause unhealthy stress to the body’s internal organs.

So which bodybuilding diet plan actually works? I’ve personally experimented with high carb, low carb, balanced carb/fat, higher fat, etc, and was able to produce over 60 lbs of new muscle mass without bodybuilding supplements or steroids, learning from the many mistakes I made during my own personal bodybuilding journey, and am now helping others achieve dramatic muscle mass gains through a potent bodybuilding diet plan and weight training workout routine called MuscleNOW.

Is the MuscleNOW bodybuilding diet plan sold in stores? I am the author and sole distributor of MuscleNOW, and I have hundreds of muscle building testimonials from around the world. For many years I have been teaching men and women which bodybuilding diet plan and weight training routine to follow for dramatic, consistent, impressive muscle mass gains, and based on the many success stories, MuscleNOW is a proven winner.

MuscleNOW builds muscle mass naturally. I guarantee that you will achieve the best muscle mass gains of your entire life with my MuscleNOW bodybuilding diet plan and weight training routine, or you will receive a 100% refund, no questions asked. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me anytime, as I will be glad to assist!

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Do Vacations Limit Muscle Gains?

Francesco — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 03:45:30 +0000

Those who seek to build muscle mass have different views on vacations, with some believing that several weeks of consistent weight training workouts should be followed with a break of at least one week, while others fearing the very idea of taking a vacation from bodybuilding, to the point where they try to find a gym even when they are on a pleasure trip with family or friends. The true answer to how a bodybuilder must deal with vacations in order to avoid any significant negative impact on muscle mass is somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.

It’s very easy to become obsessive with weight training, to the point where skipping a workout quickly brings about fears of significant muscle mass reduction, and this can cause those who pursue bodybuilding to actually try and avoid vacations so that they can remain consistent with their weight training workout routines at all times. This, to the outsider, seems excessive, and there is no doubt that, mentally, living such a one-track bodybuilding lifestyle can bring about depression and alienation from family and friends.

Others aim for breaks from weight training workouts every several weeks, performing their weight lifting and aerobic sessions for 4-6 weeks, and then taking a 1-2 week sabbatical from building muscle mass before beginning another 4-6 week cycle. This technique can delay bodybuilding progress significantly, so I recommend, instead, planning breaks from weight training around special occasions (Christmas, summer vacations, birthdays, etc), and saving unexpected vacations for times when illness strikes (flu, injuries, etc), so that you can comfortably move away from building muscle mass for 1-2 weeks during times of the year when you have places to see and people to spend time with, or when you are sidelined with an unexpected illness or injury.

The amount of muscle mass lost during a vacation from weight training can be significant if the time away from such workouts is excessive, so a reasonable period of time to vacation from weight lifting is one week, and preferably, a vacation should never exceed two weeks, as the body begins to reduce muscle mass after a 1-2 week period (depending on individual genetics). If you are taking a trip that requires a longer time away from your normal weight training workout session, consider following an abbreviated schedule, where each body part is trained once per week with lower volume, at least to try and encourage maintenance of muscle mass during your trip. This technique can be used for a vacation of any duration, but is especially important if you are taking a trip that will exceed two weeks. Such an approach allows for very short weight lifting workouts that stimulate the muscle sufficiently to delay catabolism (muscle loss).

In regards to the frequency of breaks from weight training, this will depend on your individual schedule and lifestyle. Generally, if you wish to build maximum muscle mass, the less breaks of an extended duration that you take, the more progress you will achieve, yet a one week vacation several times per year is beneficial for the mind and body. Just make sure that such vacations occur at extended intervals, with at least two months (preferably three) of weight training consistency preceding a break.

Also, do not neglect the importance of proper diet during a vacation from weight training, as abandoning sufficient protein or carbohydrates during time spent away from your bodybuilding workouts can cause rapid muscle mass reduction, where otherwise, by observing an effective eating plan, very little negative change will occur. Most are not opposed to eating on vacation (that’s half the fun), but just make sure to consume sufficient protein during such periods, and aim for carbohydrates at maintenance levels in order to discourage unnecessary muscle mass loss or fat gain (although some fat increase is fine during vacations if you remain dedicated and consistent with your weight training workouts and diet throughout the remainder of the year, since you can quickly burn any accumulated fat when returning home from vacation).

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Amino Acid Supplements

Francesco — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 03:29:44 +0000

Amino acids are simply complete proteins broken down into their individual elements, and are no more helpful than consuming complete protein from natural sources (meat, fish, dairy, eggs, etc). Purchasing an amino acid supplement will provide you with no increase in benefit when compared with using real food or a high quality egg protein powder, and in fact may be wasteful (as the complete protein profile is necessary for muscular development, and creating imbalances by way of consuming individual amino acids may disrupt the body’s ability to function normally).

I gained over 60 lbs of muscle mass without using individual amino acid supplements, and will show you how to gain muscle mass naturally through proper weight training workout and diet techniques that have been proven effective. Please view the hundreds of muscle building testimonials that will show how truly effective my MuscleNOW program will be in building muscle mass naturally, without bodybuilding supplements or steroids.

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Does Glutamine Build Muscle Mass?

Francesco — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 03:27:12 +0000

Glutamine is an individual amino acid promoted as the most important building block of muscle mass, yet in reality, many amino acids, in concert, provide for consistent, dramatic muscular increases, and glutamine supplementation is not necessary in one who consumes sufficient protein through natural (food) sources. In fact, supplementing with individual amino acids can be not only wasteful but counterproductive, as all essential amino acids are necessary to form complete protein in the body, and creating imbalances can harm the normal recovery process (meaning you build less muscle mass). By consuming sufficient protein through food sources as I teach in my MuscleNOW bodybuilding program, you will provide sufficient nutrients for muscle building, without the use of individual amino acid products.

Remember, gaining muscle mass results from proper weight training and bodybuilding diet methods, and no supposed band-aid (such as glutamine) is a valid substitute. I gained over 60 lbs of muscle mass naturally, and will show you exactly how to improve your body through proper weight training and diet techniques that have been proven effective. Please view the hundreds of muscle building testimonials that will show how truly effective my MuscleNOW workout and diet program will be in building amazing muscle mass, naturally, without bodybuilding supplements or steroids.

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How To Gain Weight (Muscle Mass)

Francesco — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 03:23:53 +0000

Most who seek to gain weight fail to realize that popular bodybuilding “bulk” diet methods also force the body to add a large amount of fat, which ruins appearance. I cannot stress enough the importance of a proper bodybuilding diet in ensuring that weight gained is in the form of muscle mass, as otherwise, fat will comprise the majority of body weight increase; I am sure you’ve heard many brag over 20 new lbs of weight in a short period, yet one must ask, 20 new lbs of what? If it’s simply fat weight, with three inches added to the stomach, you’re not going to improve your mirror reflection, only the scale reading. Again, the goal is to improve appearance as a result of weight gain, meaning you must gain muscle mass, and the only possible way of ensuring such a state is to minimize body fat increase. High calorie, haphazard weight gain diet plans lead to substantial fat accumulation, which is the very opposite of what you wish to achieve — never forget this!

I suffered from very high body fat levels in my attempt to gain weight, and unfortunately, many others follow similar flawed advice that leads to massive fat gains (easily found on various muscle building Internet sites and bodybuilding magazines). If you are looking to gain fat, simply eat large quantities of junk food, but if you’re goal is to improve appearance with muscle, such improvements require specific, detailed diet and weight training rules, none of which originate from “traditional” weight gain tidbits.

Remember, building muscle mass naturally is only possible with proper weight lifting and diet methods, and you risk high levels of body fat through the adoption of common weight gain advice (especially if you decide to use a weight gain powder!). I have personally gained over 60 lbs of muscle mass, and had to burn over 50 pounds of fat due to errors in my weight gain approach; learn from both my success and mistakes through the MuscleNOW bodybuilding program, where I will teach you how to gain weight naturally, without bodybuilding supplements or drugs. The hundreds of muscle building testimonials here at MuscleNOW.com are evidence that my MuscleNOW bodybuilding program is all that you need to gain weight (muscle mass) naturally, without supplements or steroids.

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Vitamins & Minerals To Gain Muscle Mass

Francesco — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 03:20:19 +0000

It is true that extravagant vitamin & mineral supplements offer greater potency than their drug store counterparts, yet, I recommend purchasing less expensive alternatives, since the nutrient overload offered in common bodybuilding vitamin and mineral packs can actually harm health. Since the body cannot effectively implement excessive quantities of vitamins or minerals, the majority of name brand vitamin & mineral packs are either excreted in urine, or can disrupt normal body processes, so my recommendation in the MuscleNOW bodybuilding program is far safer and equally effective at building muscle mass.

In short, avoid overly hyped, expensive vitamin and mineral packs, as they will not help you to gain muscle mass, and may actually damage health, as well as unnecessarily lightening your wallet. Remember, gaining muscle mass results from proper weight lifting and diet methods, and no available bodybuilding supplement (including vitamins) will lead you towards physical improvement.

I have gained over 60 lbs of muscle mass naturally, and have guided men and women around the world towards achieving amazing results (as you will see by the hundreds of muscle building testimonials here at MuscleNOW.com). Now, I will show you how to improve your body using proper weight training workout and diet techniques alone, without bodybuilding supplements or steroids.

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High Fat Diet Plan

Francesco — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 01:44:59 +0000

Carbohydrates (carbs) are the body’s preferred energy source during high intensity (anaerobic) training (such as weight lifting), and when carbs are low, the body not only reduces its ability to generate sufficient intensity for high output activities, but also experiences a significant energy decline. When you consume carbohydrates at adequate levels, the body not only stores these carbohydrates in muscle tissue which, along with the accompanying water, provides for a pumping effect (thus larger muscles), but also enhances strength during your weight training sessions. What does greater strength equal? More overload during your workouts, and consequently, an improved level of muscle mass.

Dietary fat, in the absence of carbohydrates, is used as an energy source, but never with the efficiency of carbohydrate consumption. In fact, to steer the body towards dietary fat as a primary energy source, you need to reduce carbohydrates dramatically, and thus the diet becomes predominantly fat and protein, with very little carbohydrates to provide the advantages I mentioned earlier. Therefore, you achieve no carbohydrate loading in muscle tissue (and thus both strength and energy decline), no pumping of muscle tissue (smaller muscles), a reduction in metabolism (which occurs when carbohydrates are absent), and a greatly increased chance for physical ailments as you age if using saturated fat food sources as a large part of each day’s meal plan.

Believe me, high fat, low carbohydrate diet plans are not only ineffective at building muscle mass, but also extremely dangerous in the long run, and such an eating strategy can actually destroy metabolism, forcing an individual to consume very small amounts of food in order to maintain a healthy body weight (which is one of the most important reasons to never consider such a strategy!). Much of the yo-yo dieting that occurs is due to experimentation with diet techniques that rob the body of needed carbohydrates, therefore slowing metabolism and increasing the chance for quick weight regain.

A diet focused on proper carbohydrate, protein and fat ratios (which differ depending on the meal) provides the body with a perfect blend of nutrients to consistently build muscle mass, and allows for maximum weight training performance. If your goal is to achieve the best muscle mass gains possible, then keep in mind that you will experience disastrous energy levels and a reduction in both strength and muscle size by following the high fat diet routine.

Remember, a potent bodybuilding diet and weight training workout plan leads to dramatic increases in muscle mass, and no radical philosophy (such as the high fat diet plan) will provide positive results (evidenced by the millions who glide from one fad diet to the next). I have achieved tremendous success (over 60 lbs of muscle mass gained), and am now teaching men and women around the world exactly how to gain muscle mass without supplements by using my MuscleNOW bodybuilding program.

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Whey Protein Powder

Francesco — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 01:21:47 +0000

You may turn to protein powder for convenience, but such products do not provide a biological advantage over complete protein sources that are available in your local supermarket (regardless of what the bodybuilding supplement pushers claim). If you need a protein powder for convenience or portability, I suggest avoiding whey protein powder and using an egg based product instead, since whey protein powders have been said to contain MSG, which may be cancer-causing, and most whey protein powders also add other dangerous artificial sweeteners and additives to their products. Since MSG is often a byproduct of whey protein powder, I suggest using egg based products instead (not to mention you can pay less for egg protein, while avoiding MSG or the additional additives many whey powders contain).

I can recommend a specific egg based protein powder that I personally use for convenience and portability, as the product contains no artificial sweeteners or additives of any kind, and is farm fresh. But please remember that no protein powder is superior to complete protein foods such as chicken, fish, etc (the potency is identical), and should only be used for convenience or portability.

One of the biggest misconceptions in bodybuilding is that certain overpriced protein powders offer a more potent form of nutrients, and thus bodybuilders find themselves spending far more than necessary for protein powder simply because a company claims their product is slower digesting, or offers a higher biological value, when per gram, their protein powder is no more effective than any complete protein food, or egg protein powder. Beware of this false advertising gimmick claiming superior potency, which is used by bodybuilding supplement companies to try and rank their protein powder above the competition.

You should avoid ALL protein powders that contain additives or artificial sweetening (such as aspartame, sucralose, splenda, Acesulfame K, which is also called Acesulfame Potassium, etc) due to their adverse impact on health, and use egg protein powder to avoid potential health issues with whey supplements (if you own the MuscleNOW bodybuilding program, you will learn of my specific egg protein powder recommendations, and can contact me anytime with questions).

Remember, you will gain muscle mass by using a potent weight training workout plan and bodybuilding diet routine, with NO supposed band-aid (such as protein powder supplementation) serving as a valid substitute. I have achieved tremendous success (over 60 lbs of muscle mass gained), and am now teaching men and women around the world how to produce natural muscle gains through my MuscleNOW bodybuilding program, without supplements or steroids.

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