How often do you find yourself or others complaining about everyday tasks? How often is your mind spinning about your job and personal relationships to the point where you feel like you have developed a small amount of anxiety?
The way society is now, there are constant heavy stressors in our life. We are all connected through mobile devices and anybody can have 24 hour access to communicating with us. This leads to never getting away from the office and constantly being bombarded by messages from your family and friends. Sometimes, when we do have some peace and quiet in our day, we find it strange. Instead of taking this time to focus on other tasks, we tend to go on Instagram and Facebook to cure our constant communication habit. Apart from all this mental stress, the constant hard training most of the readers here will go through will add even more stress on us physically. Am I saying that stress is bad? No, not at all. Stress can actually be very good at times. Stress is what makes us grow as individuals. Going through hard times will teach us a new threshold of how tough certain situations may get but we can all surpass them and build something better from it. This is also how we grow muscle. We stress our muscles to the point where we give them no choice but to adapt and get bigger/stronger. What I am saying is that minimizing the stress in our life is very important. Continually having our body in a state of stress can be very detrimental to our health. When you stress out about the traffic, the fight you had with your friend, or even about money, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. Continuous spikes of cortisol throughout the day will take a big toll on your immune system and your physique. When your body is continuously pumping out high amounts of cortisol it puts your body in a very difficult state to build muscle. Cortisol also increases water retention making your physique look a little bit softer. Your body does not know the difference between you being stressed about hitting your toe on the side of the bed or if there is a tiger chasing you in the jungle. The powerful effects of cortisol alone are more than enough reason to at least be aware about managing our stress. Stress can be managed many different ways. Through meditation, through certain activities that will help us relax, through positive thinking and through supplements. The best way to manage stress is a combination of all of these techniques, but is using supplements to help it really necessary? Stress supplements can greatly reduce the cortisol release within our bodies when a stressful situation arises. They also greatly benefit individuals who deal with anxiety and other nervous issues as it helps them be calmer and in control of situations. When we handle stress better, our bodies will feel more relaxed, our progress in the gym will be accelerated and our quality of sleep is greatly improved. Anti-stress products can really transform the lives of those who have a difficult time managing stress. These can be a life saver for many who deal with issues such as anxiety. There are many supplements that promote anti-stress/sleeping properties in the market. Many of them will contain all natural ingredients such as 5-HTP, GABA, ashwaghanda, theanine and many more. The important thing to do and look for is to research the individual ingredients this product may have. It is crucial to see if the dose inside the product is high enough to be effective for your goals. Many of them will also make you sleepy so it is important to do the research on which ingredients may be best for you. Remember, if you are constantly in stressful situations and have a tough time managing stress, your progress in the gym will begin to suffer. It is not fun dealing with issues such as anxiety or chronic fatigue from having your adrenal glands overworked. It is crucial to take immediate action if you find stress is beginning to take control of your life!
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Imagine you are in a beautiful island off of the Caribbean. This vacation was possible because you have developed a very successful business and decided to go on a vacation to a remote place with little technology. The entire trip is amazing until you find out that this place has very little civilization and no ATM machines or debit terminals. All you brought was a small amount of cash and your bank cards that represent the loads of money to your name in some account located very far away. Once you have run out of cash, your bank cards are worthless no matter what amount of money you have in the bank. You have to cut your stay on the island short because although you have money in the bank, your method of payment for necessities is not compatible with the local methods and therefore useless.
Many supplements have some great studies backing them up and have many positive claims to them. One of them is Carnitine. Carnitine comes in many different forms but it is known as a great antioxidant, a great aid for good heart health and a great supplement for burning extra fat. Carnitine is very popular in the fitness industry for its ability to be able to shuttle fat into the mitochondria and facilitate the process of burning this fat up as energy. This means essentially that the higher the levels of carnitine within your body, the faster your body fat will be dropping. Many different forms of carnitine can be found in health food stores across the world in a pill, powder or even a liquid form. With many studies to prove the effectiveness of carnitine it must be worth a try right!? Many of the studies done throughout the decades on carnitine have actually been done with injectable carnitine and not oral. When taken orally, studies have shown that carnitine is actually poorly absorbed by the body. In a study done on 9 patients who took oral carnitine for 1 year and switched over to injectable carnitine, it was shown that with only 1 week of administration, their carnitine levels increased by 40%. Many more studies have shown similar results to taking carnitine orally. From this we can draw the conclusion that orally ingesting carnitine is not as useful as injecting it as it is poorly absorbed by the gut. Just like our example in the beginning, the resource you want to use must be compatible with how you will use it. Although the carnitine may be of high potency when you buy it at your local supplement store, it still might not be compatible when your digestive tract is finished with it. As much as taking oral carnitine can be helpful to minor increases in carnitine within your body, injectable carnitine is a sure way to absorb much more of the administered dose. Unfortunately it is much harder finding injectable carnitine in your local supplement store and many will be deterred by the method of administration. Even with the injectable carnitine, is it worth taking? There is no doubt that it will help burn off extra body fat, but you must remember that the majority of results comes from your nutrition and your training regime. Many people give this supplement far too much credit for helping them shed fat, when the individual would have had pretty similar results without it. Make sure that if you want to use carnitine to do your research on what method you feel is best for you. It is crucial to get the most bang for your buck as oftentimes the supplement industry can be led by hype as opposed to actual results. Although carnitine can be a helpful tool in your arsenal against the war on fat, it has to be compatible with how you want to use it! https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4379349/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25878778/ As tears ran down their face and years upon years of hard work culminated, the competitor’s at the Ontario Provincial Championships had an unforgettable experience. These individuals have been preparing to showcase their artwork and every year their physiques get better and better. The top 5 in every class were so competitive that it really made the judges job a difficult one. These top 5 are all qualified for the national stage and have a lot of potential to do well. The ones that really impressed everybody were the overall winners, their stage presence, posing and chiseled physiques were all on point.
Starting off as the overall winner for master’s bodybuilding was Dave Whitehead with an amazing physique that proved that age is just a number. As the overall men’s bodybuilding winner was the 24 year old Robin Strand. Robin displayed not only a huge physique with wonderful symmetry, but he also showed that bodybuilding has a very bright future with guys like this. As classic physique took the stage, William Celis showed a golden era physique alongside a posing routine nothing short of a work of art. William is no stranger to the stage and continues to perfect his physique as he pays attention to every small detail. Not only was he the winner of the masters division, he was also the overall classic physique champ. The overall master’s men’s physique winner was Michael Grayer. With a tiny waist and lines that made him look like a sculpture, he is the definition of what men’s physique represents. As the overall men’s physique, Jordan Smith took the title of this class of many competitors. When it was time for the ladies to get on stage, Andrea Edelstein showed that being muscular and feminine can be synonymous. She took the title by winning the master’s women’s physique. For the open overall women’s physique title, Lisa Kudrey showed everybody what this class is truly about. As women’s master’s figure began, Cat Dupuis brought an amazing physique to the stage. Tall, very small waist and amazing muscle development led her to being the overall winner for this class. For the overall open figure title Alicia Bell came and wowed the judges. Her round muscle bellies and nearly perfect symmetry earned her this title. Nina Ahn took the title home for master’s bikini with a great sculpted physique. Abbie Lombardo was the overall winner for the bikini open title. This young lady displayed how much effort and sacrifice goes into this sport as tears of joy were shown on stage. This is a sport where every single one of the competitors has a story to tell of how much hard work went into displaying their work of art. Every year the competitors in the OPA set a higher and higher standard of greatness. Competitors invest so many resources to show their passion for this beautiful sport. With how great this show was, it left many hungry to bring their best physique possible to the 2018 Ontario Provincial Championships. Protein? Check.
BCAA’s? Check. Your diet? Check. Everything should be in order for your to maximize your muscle gains right? Think again. Although the factors mentioned above will contribute greatly towards having a great physique, there are other minor things that will play a huge role. Your body requires vitamins and minerals in order to be able to operate efficiently and maximize how you function as a human being. Vitamin D is responsible for many processes in the body. Studies have shown that Vitamin D deficiency can lead to weaker bones, weaker muscles, and a hormone deficiency. It will hinder the ability to repair muscle cells and this can greatly hold you back from looking great on stage. Vitamin D is often found in enriched dairy products; unfortunately, many individuals stay away from dairy as it can causes them discomfort. It can also be found in some meats but not at the concentration needed for optimal health. Another way of intaking vitamin D is through absorbing sunlight. The sun’s ultraviolet rays carry a good amount of vitamin D while at the same time giving you a lot of other benefits. Some might be scared of the cancer risks associated with receiving sunlight, but it does not take a long amount of time in the sun to receive your daily amount of Vitamin D. Some studies have shown that depending on the conditions, all you need is about 5-30 minutes in the sun to get the recommended daily value. The problem is that oftentimes, many can have allergies to dairy products and live in areas where sunlight can be scarce for long periods of time. A lot of people who think they are getting enough Vitamin D from their multivitamin can also be mistaken. A lot of these formulas can be under dosed in terms of how much you truly need. In this situation, a vitamin D supplement can be very beneficial. Vitamin D supplements can come in soft gel or liquid forms. Are they needed in order to maximize your health and physique? If you live in a place where sunlight is scarce at times, it is a very good idea to add a vitamin D supplement. Supplementing with vitamin D will ensure that you are properly recovering from your training. This will lead to more muscle growth, stronger bones, better mood and having improved immune function. Vitamin D supplements are very easy to find and are fairly inexpensive. It is important to look for a vitamin D in the D3 form which is the most easily absorbed by the body. It is recommended to take between 600 and 1,000 IU of Vitamin D daily for optimal health. But many times individuals who take this dose find they are low on vitamin D when they get their blood tested. This dose can be adjusted under the eye of a trained professional. Some studies have shown that even up to 12 weeks of Vitamin D supplementation at 6,000 IU a day showed no harm. Ensuring that you have adequate vitamin D levels will ensure that you are maximizing your muscle gains. Not only will you look great but you will also feel great. Supplementing with it is not necessarily mandatory, but if you are deficient in it, it is very important to look for a way to increase your levels even if it is with a supplement. Remember that the small daily actions of your day are what accumulate to great success! https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/ http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/30/taking-the-right-type-of-vitamin-d.aspx https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/top-5-benefits-of-vitamin-d.html |
Juan RojasWith the pursuit of achieving the best possible physique and helping hundreds of clients do the same, Juan Rojas has dedicated his life to finding the best strategies for transforming human bodies. Constant research, trial and error and continous education in the exercise physiology and nutrition field, Juan Rojas thrives off finding the most efficient ways to transform your body and live a happier and healthier lifestyle. Archives
January 2021
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