Monday, August 12

Eat Skittles to Build Muscles and Lose Fat


We live in an age where consumption of sugar and sweets has climbed to an all-time high and it's been associated with obesity and countless diseases such as diabetes and heart failure. But, what if we can actually consume sugar as part of a healthy diet and not store fat in the process?


Read on for the answer.


First, let me say that whole grains are a staple in any healthy and balanced diet. Foods such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread and sweet potatoes should be consumed on daily basis. These carb sources are low-glycemic, which means slow-digesting. They will supply the
body with a steady dose of blood sugar, while providing a sustained energy and satiation for a longer period of time. Not only that, but they contain fibers and they're rich in vitamins and minerals.






But there's a time of the day where simple sugars are a king. I'll let you in on the science:


Your body stores carbohydrates inside your muscles. After an intense workout session, the glycogen stored in those muscles is burned for energy and gets depleted. The body then starts to get into a catabolic state, which means it will start looking for source of energy inside of the body it can use. To prevent it from tapping into your muscle reserves and prevent muscle breakdown, we need to provide it, within 30 minutes after training, a supply of glucose to restore glycogen reserves and start the recovery process.
Intense training depletes muscle glycogen



This is the time we need simple sugars, such as glucose, to have along our protein shake.
Simple sugars such as Skittles and Gummy Bears are a great option because they're mostly made of dextrose (another name for glucose).


smart post-workout nutrition: a small bag of skittles along with a protein shake



 Be careful not to choose candies that contain fat, as these will certainly slow down absorption.


Why not having some fruits instead?

Sugar in fruits is called fructose and this form of sugar is mostly low-glycemic, which means slow-digesting. What happens is that after consumption, it has to get into the liver and be processed before getting into the bloodstream, which takes time and makes it less than ideal to have after training (Only a small number of fruits is high-glycemic and suitable post-workout such as watermelon and dates).

While glucose on the other hand is like injecting sugar right into the bloodstream. it's not really processed by the liver so they're in there quick.


consuming glucose is like injecting sugar right into your bloodstream















When the body detects that glucose, it secretes insulin which will cause an insulin spike, and that's exactly what we need after workout.


What is an insulin spike?

Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas. What happens is that it drives glucose into our cells quickly.


so, that insulin spike is beneficial to let the glucose into the muscles quick while pushing essential nutritions like the amino acids consumed from a protein shake.


How much of a dose?


After a real vigorous training session, reward yourself with about one small bag of Skittles or 20-30 gummy bears. Enjoy it guilt-free, as it will help push nutrients to your muscles which is necessary for recovery and lean muscle development.

Skittles can be found at major supermarkets across Lebanon




If you enjoyed reading and want me to keep writing useful articles like this one, please click on like and share it among your friends. 

Should you also have any questions, post them in the comments section below and I would be pleased to answer you.






Friday, August 9

A cheap pre-workout supplement everyone already has at home.



some pre-workout supplements on the market today


Although the concept of pre-workout supplements has only been around for a few number of years, they have already become very popular. People across the globe dish out billions of dollars every year on them in hope of boosting their workout experience. Some of them are effective while others are more of smoke and fire. 




What are they exactly?

They are mostly proprietary blends of several types of stimulants, vitamins, amino acids, natural herbal plant extracts or artificial compounds believed to boost athletic performance, raise metabolism and increase endurance, focus and energy.



A pre-workout supplement almost anyone has at home?



Check the label of nearly 90% of the pre-workout supplements on the market, and, I can almost guarantee you, you'll notice that Caffeine (or caffeine anhydrous) is listed as one of the primary ingredients in the formula. Hiding behind proprietary blends, most supplement companies don't disclose to the customer how much caffeine they're using in their product. So, you might as well be paying substantial amounts of money mostly for: Caffeine.




The magic of Caffeine


Caffeine is a natural stimulant that has been known to boost alertness and drive for so long. Humans have consumed it since the Stone Age. In fact, according to a myth, goats in an Ethiopian town were noticed to be elated and sleepless after eating from coffee shrubs, and their herder, perplexed at the incident, tried the coffee beans himself and experienced the same effects.







Caffeine and Sports




Caffeine is both, cheap and effective. Athletes also use it to increase muscle strength and endurance during workouts for greater training intensity.









A simple cup of coffee pre-workout


Having a nice cup of coffee 30 minutes before training can have positive effects on your overall performance in the gym. But make sure not to consume too much. You have to assess your tolerance and sensitivity to caffeine. I also recommend limiting your caffeine consumption at other times of the day, and consuming it in the morning and pre-workout, because the more the body becomes used to it, the less powerful its effects become. 










Caffeine 

Supplements







If you can spare a few dollars (bear in mind that in Lebanon caffeine, or any supplements in general here are on the pricier side) I suggest that you take your caffeine in pill form pre-workout, after all I buy my 100 pill bottles of caffeine at about the price of 1 Starbucks coffee. It's not only cheap, but I would also argue:
  1. You would know exactly how much caffeine you’re consuming in every pill. According to research, most people respond well to 250-300mg so that way you can take an exact dose each time.
  2. Caffeine in pill form is mostly anhydrous, which is a concentrated form that is better absorbed by the body. Several studies in fact have shown that caffeine anhydrous is more effective at improving performance that regular coffee.





If you enjoyed reading and want me to keep posting useful articles like this one, please click on like and share it among your friends. 






Tuesday, August 6

Watermelon is a fit person's best friend.



Watermelon is one of my favorite post-workout fruits... 


Here's why:


1- it's one of the highest glycemic index fruits which means it will cause an insulin spike that will replenish the depleted muscle glycogen quickly after intense training for optimal recovery.

2- Watermelon in latin means Citrulline. The latter is converted to Arginine by special enzymes in the body. Research shows it is an amino-acid responsible for muscle-building and reducing muscle fatigue. 


~ Djoe

Saturday, August 3

Healthy Low-calorie Double Chocolate Protein Brownies











I've been preparing those true delicacies for a couple of years now and many people have been asking about them, so here I share the recipe.


Q:You're fooling us. How can brownies be actually that healthy?


A: Now you're going to be surprised. These brownies are prepared with black beans. Yes, you heard that right. I promise you won't even taste them. Black beans are complex carbs, which means they will enter your bloodstream slowly and will not cause insulin spikes. Instead, they will give steady energy and they're high in fiber.


Q: What else?


A: They also contain virgin coconut oil. A quick search on google will brief you on the myriad of its benefits. Coconut oil is rich in saturated fats which are good for the hormones in the body. A person should consume no less than 20% of their daily calorie budget from fats; healthy fat sources including monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fats. 



That being said, they're perfect if you're trying to cut down on sugar and sweets, or simply if you're working out and following a healthy lifestyle these will not derail your efforts - provided you don't eat the whole batch.


Let's get baking!


 Ingredients                                                                            

  • 1 scoop chocolate whey protein (about 30 grams)
  • 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (25 grams)
  • A pinch of salt
  • 3 whole eggs
  • 15 grams of Stevia Natural Sweetener
  • 1 tbsp of natural honey (or 2-3 if you like it sweeter)
  • 3 tbsp of virgin coconut oil (about 33 grams)
  • Two small cans of black beans (about 400 grams)
  • half an apple (around 70g)
  • 25 grams of rolled oats

 Directions                                                                              
  1. Wash and rinse the black beans 
  2. Add all the ingredients above (including the black beans) into a food processor or a blender until a consistently smooth and nice brownies batter forms.
  3. Layer a baking dish (pyrex) with non-stick cooking spray (PAM).
  4. Spread the batter in the baking dish.
  5. Put the baking dish in a preheated (medium heat) oven for about 25 minutes.
  6. After you take the brownies out of the oven cut it into 10 equal pieces.
  7. ¡Buen Provecho! Your guiltless decadent brownies are ready to be devoured!



Pictures:
From top left to right: honey, stevia, apples, unsweetened cocoa powder, virgin coconut oil
black beans, pure vanilla extract, protein powder, rolled oats
eggs, cinnamon powder, salt


Blending the ingredients 


spraying the baking dish with PAM. This product can be found at most Lebanese supermarkets


The batter spread into the baking dish and ready to hit the oven