Gaining lean muscle tissue is never as simple as it seems. However, there are some sure fire ways to increase your rate of progress. You spend maybe an hour per day in the gym at the most so the other 23 hours must set the table for your success. The right raw materials are needed frequently and in the correct amounts to provide the building blocks needed for muscle growth. Experienced trainees especially must take advantage of all opportunities because gains are harder to come by as the physique matures.
Our goal is to promote gains in muscle, not an overabundance of fat. Eating the right foods at specific times along with proper exercise can effectively feed the muscle. Many of our clients often times lose body fat without even trying just by cleaning up the diet with a large amount of clean food and supplementation. How is this possible? Activating anabolic hormones with the right nutrition strategies have a potent fat burning impact. Gauge your progress with objective measurements and body fat percentage tests (calipers preferably) every 4–6 weeks.
Eat often
Consuming large quantities of the proper food choices is a step in the right direction, but eating and supplementing more frequently is a lost art that is vital for success. Very few people have the ability to sit down and eat 6–7 meals per day, but everyone can manage at least four in my experience with any kind of effort. Between meals, you want to use portable snacks such as raw nuts, Powerbutter high protein peanut butter, organic jerky, Get Lean Protein, and at certain times, fruits. Remember, bulls graze and pigs pig out!
Eat breakfast like a king
Eat breakfast like a king. Studies show that people who consume a fairly large percentage of their daily intake during the first meal of the day within an hour of waking have lower levels of abdominal fat. I think it is fair to make the conclusion that this is related to elevated anabolic hormone levels.
Breakfast sets the tone for the entire day so make sure you have plenty of protein, anabolic fats, and some good carb choices to support your goals. Breakfast choices have a huge impact on your blood sugar levels for the following 24–48 hours so this meal is an investment in your daily energy! Remember, you have been fasting over night and your muscles will want energy as soon as possible. If you are not accustomed to eating breakfast, it will take some time to build up an appetite so make it a gradual process. If you’re in a hurry each morning, prepare some easy food choices the night before.
Amino load with 100% MR and Muscle Synthesis before and after training
Taken 30 minutes before training, this powerful stack prepares the muscles to battle the iron by optimizing hormones and providing the specific raw materials needed for accelerated growth. The increased energy does not come from stimulants but rather from a reduction of stress hormones, which zap strength and motivation. The better you feel the more productive training sessions will be.
Over the years working with countless powerlifters, Dr. Serrano has observed significant increases in both muscle size and strength following four weeks of consistent use. When asked about the product, Dr. Serrano said, “I designed the MR and Muscle Synthesis to provide exactly what working muscles need in special ratios for rapid delivery and utilization. Advanced trainees benefit the most since improving rates of recovery are crucial to boosting strength.”
Cook food in bulk in advance for the week
Cooking is time consuming, but traveling to find good things to eat results in even more time wasted. Try cooking a bunch of stuff 1–2 times per week in bulk so that you have it available at home and work. It will end up saving you money and allow you to have better control over what you ingest each day.
Sure, your co-workers will want you to join them at a fast food place, but ultimately you will have to make some tough decisions to support your goals. Do not let social pressure knock you off course. People around you will want you to conform to what they are doing as a means to justify their own bad habits.
Man was meant to eat meat
Many vital nutrients exist within red meat that are difficult to get elsewhere. There is no legitimate reason why you can’t consume this primal course daily. Grass fed, organic sources are best because there is less crap stored in the fat cells from antibiotics. Giving the cows grass instead of feed also increases the amount of omega 3 intake within the beef to levels even with some fish.
Omega 3 intake is vital for natural anabolic hormone production, and it is next to impossible to get enough from food alone, which is why we suggest taking the Alpha Omega with meals a couple times daily. It includes several accessory ingredients to keep you lean while reducing joint inflammation.
Take a nap every day
Napping for 20–30 minutes approximately eight hours after waking up is a good way to refresh mentally and collect your thoughts. You can even think about what you are going to do in the gym that day or visualize a new record such as five more pounds or one more rep than a previous best with perfect form. These short sleep sessions can also optimize hormones.
Eat correctly before training
The pre-workout meal is important for many reasons, but do not think this one meal will make up for poor eating for several days before. The food choices you have been making for several days will have a big impact on your success. A bunch of carbs before training or a high sugar sports drink will not positively impact your training capacity. We want to create a slight elevation in blood sugar and anabolic insulin levels without overwhelming the digestive capacity to avoid seeing your food all over the gym floor.
Over the past couple years, we have been researching many different protein combinations and six months ago arrived at a combination of four proteins that work very well for both a rapid and prolonged release of nutrients during training. When taken one hour before training, Get Lean Protein will tackle hunger, peak energy, and complement amino loading by providing nutrient support via a different pathway. There are no dairy derivatives, which makes this formula very easy on the stomach. There are actually elements to improve the digestive process, and this is vital because the more nutrients you can properly utilize, the more muscle you can earn. Bloating, stomach distress, and low energy are a sign that your current protein powder is not agreeing with the system and your money is going to waste. These symptoms are a strong indication that the body is not making use of the nutrients.
Make the glass full
Think in a positive manner! Let’s face it. There is a ton of negativity out there. Just turn on the news or open up the newspaper and you can see a ton of depressing things. Some negative matters are impossible to avoid. However, you can separate yourself from negative people who bring you down and distract you from your goals. Think positively and consistently rehearse your goals daily to remain focused. It is very easy to lose focus and begin making bad food choices. You must reinforce proper nutrition and lifestyle habits to earn the best results.