10 Essential Muscle Building Protein Foods

Improve your bodybuilding diet with these 10 nutrition-packed protein foods. Article includes 50 tips on how to incorporate each muscle building choice into your eating plan.

It was bodybuilding legend Vince Gironda that said the muscle building process is 90% nutrition. I prefer to look at things a little differently:

Building muscle requires consistent effort in the gym backed by a proper eating plan.

To me training and nutrition are not 2 separate entities that, when added together, equal 100%. Both are necessary. You must maximize your training and your nutrition. One requires the other. Think of them as the yin and yang of bodybuilding,
To look your best, you need to hit it hard in the gym, and back up your training with plenty of nutritionally-rich protein food choices. You can't expect to see quality gym results if you are eating poorly. Sure, you might make some gains, but are they optimal? No.

A quality protein-rich muscle building diet should be comprised of:

1. Food that tastes good; meals you look forward to.
2. Plenty of whole foods and fresh ingredients.
3. Food variety to maximize your macronutrient, amino acid and vitamin and mineral intake.

This article will help you fill up your shopping cart with a wide variety of muscle building protein foods. While this is not a comprehensive list, I do consider the following 10 choices to be some of the best protein sources you can add into your weekly meal plan.
I have also included some simple tips on how to incorporate each ingredient into your eating plan. These foods are listed in no particular order.

10 essential protein foods

#1 - Whole Eggs

Whole eggs, not egg whites. While egg whites are protein-rich, they lack all the amazing nutrition that is found in the yolk.

Whole eggs are one of the most nutritionally dense and balanced foods you can eat. Why wouldn't they be? I hope this doesn't sound off-putting, but it's reality. When you eat an egg, you are consuming an entire entity and not just the meat of an animal. This makes an egg a very well-rounded food source, and a perfect addition to a muscle building diet.

Eggs are also economical, and contain a good mix of proteins and fats. At about 70 calories and 7 grams of protein per egg, you can add in a lot of protein and quality nutrition without adding in a ton of calories.

You need more than protein to build muscle. Don't skip the yolks.

Tip #1 - You can add eggs to your diet in several ways. You can eat them boiled, diced into a salad, or you can make a healthy omelet for breakfast filled with your veggies of choice.

Tip #2 - Annoyed when trying to remove the shells from hard-boiled eggs? Try placing them into an ice bath for 15 minutes after cooking.

Tip #3 - Make egg "protein cupcakes" by placing diced ham (or any meat of choice), cheese and an egg into a greased cupcake baking pan. Bake until the egg is cooked. Cool, top with hot sauce and enjoy! This little cupcakes are very portable and easy to make. Try keeping 8-12 in your fridge at all times. They are nice to have in a pinch when you need a fast protein meal.

Tip #4 - Try making a hash in the skillet. Sauté cubed meat (beef, chicken, etc) and potatoes in butter or olive oil. When cooked, crack in a few eggs and stir well until the eggs finish cooking. Top with cheese and Greek yogurt (optional). This hash can also be placed into Tupperware containers and used for your weekly lunches.

Tip #5 - If you dislike bland boiled eggs, try pickled eggs. Boil eggs, cool and place in an empty pickle jar. Fill with equal parts water and cider vinegar. Add in seasonings, such as diced jalapeno peppers, minced garlic, sliced onion, mustard seeds, etc.

#2 - Whey Protein Isolate

In my opinion whey protein isolate is an eating plan essential. It is convenient, and allows you to take in 20+ grams of protein per scoop while also keeping you hydrated. Calories per scoop are typically under 120, and powders can be packed or placed in a shaker and taken just about anywhere - on a hike, to class, or on a long car ride.

Tip #1 - After cooking your oatmeal, add in a scoop of your favorite flavor whey protein isolate and stir. This is a simple and fun way to add flavor to your oatmeal, and protein to your breakfast meal.

Tip #2 - Add calories, healthy fats and extra flavor to your whey shakes by stirring in 1/4 cup of heavy cream.

Tip #3 - Save money by purchasing larger sizes of whey protein isolate. For example, a 5 pound tub is more cost effective (pound for pound) than buying a 2 pound tub. In many cases you can save 10-15% per pound, or more.

Tip #4 - Need a quick, high protein snack or meal? Try a whey shake, a piece of fruit and a handful of almonds.

Tip #5 - Take your whey on the go. Place 10 scoops of whey, along with the scooper, in a sealable Tupperware container. Bring along your favorite shaker, and you have a quality protein meal anywhere you go.

#3 - Beef

This might sound obvious, but beef is tasty, flexible and nutritious. It comes in a variety of forms, from ground beef (which can be made into taco beef or hamburgers) to steaks which are - well - steaks.

Beef is high protein, creatine-rich and packed with iron and vitamin B-12. In fact, beef has 8 times more B12, 6 times more zinc and 2.5 times more iron than a skinless chicken breast.

Tip #1 - Enjoy a good steak? Try mixing a 1/4 cup natural sour cream, 1/8th cup hot sauce and a tbsp of minced garlic into a sauce. Place this sauce on top of your beef. This is quick and easy, packs an amazing taste punch, and adds quality fats into your eating plan.

Tip #2 - If you need extra calories and have a hard time gaining weight, but always seem to feel full, try eating ground beef that has a little higher fat content. This can also save you some money.

Tip #3 - Did you know you can make your own beef jerky using ground beef, seasonings and your oven? You can. Salt, pepper and season 2-3 pounds of ground beef. Lightly coat the bottom of a baking pan with olive oil. Roll the seasoned ground beef on the pan to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Bake at 170 degrees for about 8-12 hours. Remove, cool and cut into strips.

Tip #4 - Don't know what to do with the cheap cut of beef you found at the grocery store? Cube, cook, toss in rice and add in the spicy sour cream sour from tip #1 above.

Tip #5 - Try combining dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce to make a simple dipping sauce for your beef.

#4 - Salmon

Not only is salmon rich in omega-3 fatty acids, but it's also one of the best seafood protein choices you can add into your muscle building diet. Recent research shows that the bioactive peptides found in salmon may assist with joint cartilage support, insulin regulation, and with the reduction of inflammation in the digestive tract.

It goes without saying that joint health is important to a lifter, as are proper insulin levels. Insulin is a highly anabolic hormone, and it also helps to regulate glucose. Insulin serves as a regulator to muscle cells. Once it "docks" to a muscle receptor, insulin regulates the flow of creatine, amino acids and glucose into muscle tissue.
Salmon is also rich in vitamin B12, B3, selenium and vitamin D.

Tip #1 - To spice up your baked salmon, try mixing a glaze of dijon mustard and a small serving of maple syrup. Coat the top of your salmon with this sauce prior to baking, and apply a second coating halfway through the baking process. This sauce will add very few calories and grams of carbs, but it will add tons of flavor.

Tip #2 - Two words: salmon tacos.

Tip #3 - Salmon goes well with pasta. Trying flaking the cooked salmon into the pasta, and adding a simple garlic and butter sauce.

Tip #4 - Cook the salmon and let it cool. Flake and top with soy, lemon or lime juice, chives, grated ginger and hot sauce. Serve over rice.

Tip #5 - Make a salmon and cheddar cheese omelet with diced tomato and green pepper.

#5 - Shellfish

Clams, crab, mussels and oysters. You don't see these protein options mentioned much in the muscle building world.

Though shellfish are not as rich in omega-3s as salmon and cod, they are still a quality source of these fatty acids. Shellfish are also one of the best sources of zinc, as well as being relatively rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, D, iron, magnesium, calcium and more.

One Pacific oyster contains 4.7 grams of protein and only 41 calories. A small cooked clam has 2.4 grams of protein and only 14 calories. One 3 ounce serving of crab contains a whopping 15.5 grams of protein and only 71 calories.

Tip #1 - Avoid the high sugar processed cocktail sauces. Instead, top your oysters with either lemon juice, pesto with added lemon juice, or Tabasco sauce.

Tip #2 - Combine 8-10 ounces of cooked crab, one large egg, 1/8 cup almond flour, diced onion, diced red bell pepper and dijon, hot sauce and mayonnaise to taste. Form into crab cake patties and bake until golden brown.

Tip #3 - Toss cubed clam into a bowl with fresh spinach. Add mushrooms, diced tomato, and an oil and vinegar dressing.

Tip #4 - Crab legs dipped in garlic butter. Nuff said! Protein, good nutrition and quality fats.

Tip #5 - Try crab with rice. Combine cooked crab with rice, and add in onion, garlic, salt, diced boiled egg, cucumber and the juice of a lime.

#6 - Liver

Liver? Yes, liver. Most of us have never considered placing this protein source into our bodybuilding diet. Next time you are in the meat department at your local grocery store, take a look. It's there.

Liver is a super food, featuring nearly 20 grams of protein and less than 150 calories per 4 ounce serving. It is abundantly rich in vitamins and minerals, out-performing most fruits, veggies and even red meat by having more phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, vitamins A, D, C, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, folic acid, biotin and vitamin B12.

While not a popular bodybuilding food by any means, liver packs a punch and should be considered.

Tip #1 - Don't like the taste of liver? Try beef liver tabs. The old school bodybuilders knew the importance of this organ meat, and regularly supplemented their eating plan with beef liver tabs.

Tip #2 - Try a "liver and onions" recipe. This is a popular method of cooking liver, and recipes abound on the Internet. 

Tip #3 - Add an ounce of finely diced beef liver to your hamburger patties to increase the nutritional profile.

Tip #4 - Make a muscle building meatloaf by combining diced beef liver, hamburger, eggs and seasonings. This can be sliced into multiple servings and eaten throughout the week.

Tip #5 - To reduce the strong flavor of liver, place it in a bowl with the juice of 2 lemons and 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar. Allow the liver to sit in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.

#7 - Cheese

Cheese adds a ton of taste, provides you with numerous choices (cheddar, provolone, gouda, pepper jack, etc.), and it generally contains less lactose. Cheese is, in my opinion, one of the most flexible protein foods you can eat. You can add cheese to a salad, or top your beef or chicken with a little cheese to add some extra nutrition, flavor and fats to your diet.

String cheese is also one of my favorite quick protein snacks. It is portable, and can be taken to class, on the road, or nearly anywhere else you decide to venture. 3 pieces of string cheese will add 24 grams of protein and only 240 calories to your diet.

It is also packed with good nutrition, including vitamin K2 which has been shown to be extremely important to your heart, brain and bone health. Cheese is also rich in CLA, a possible metabolism booster and cancer fighter, as well as omega-3 fatty acids and calcium, zinc, and vitamins A, D, B2 and B12.

Tip #1 - Need to add calories to your eating plan but don't want to add another meal, or don't feel like you could possibly eat another serving of meat? Try adding a small serving of shredded cheese to your potatoes, salad, rice, pasta, meat and veggies. A little cheese on cauliflower and broccoli goes a long way.

Tip #2 - Make your own cheese sauce for pasta and meat by combining 1/2 block of cream cheese, 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup water and 4-6 ounces of your favorite cheese into a sauce pan. Cook slowly over a low heat, and spoon over meat or fold into whole wheat pasta.

Tip #3 - Nachos! Have a craving for nachos? Forget the chips and try this. Place any cooked meat (chicken, beef, hamburger, bacon) on a baking pan and top with cheese. Bake briefly until cheese is melted. Top with salsa, jalapeno peppers and sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Tip #4 - Stock up on string cheese, cheese cubes or cheese curds. Keep these handy for times when you need a quick protein snack.

Tip #5 - Make a week of muscle building lunch meals using this simple recipe. Combine cooked hamburger, 6-8 ounces of shredded cheese, and one package of taco seasoning. Mix well and combine with rice. Dish into 5 Tupperware containers and store in the frig.

#8 - Chicken

While chicken has been a bodybuilding and fitness staple protein source for decades, you rarely hear about its nutritional value. Besides being protein rich and lower in fat content, chicken also contains a quality amount of vitamins A, B6, B12, iron and magnesium.

Chicken is one of the best food choices for folks who want to build muscle but need to maximize every calorie they eat. A single 3 ounce breast contains 26.7 grams of protein, and only 142 calories and 3.1 grams of fat.

Tip #1 - Spice up that bland chicken breast with a sauce containing 2 tablespoons of sour cream and 1/4 cup salsa. This adds a mere 75 calories to your meal plan and plenty of flavor.

Tip #2 - You can also try the combination of hot sauce and minced garlic, for an extremely low calorie spicy garlic sauce.

Tip #3 - Make a simple muscle building salad by combining cubed chicken, spinach (or baby arugula), 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, almond slivers, onion, and a homemade dressing of red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Tip #4 - Combine cubed, cooked chicken, salsa and quinoa for a high-protein, nutrient-rich meal. This recipe is easy to make, and perfect for packing into Tupperware containers and taking to work for lunch.

Tip #5 - Make your own healthy chicken strips or nuggets by coating chicken in an egg wash (uncooked eggs in a bowl with seasonings), almond meal, and then pan frying them in olive oil.

#9 - Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is a very flexible protein source. It can be eaten for breakfast, and tastes great with added diced fruit. It can also be used as a base for simple sauces and salad dressings or on top of your favorite veggies.
Make sure when choosing Greek yogurt you look for a natural brand. Avoid yogurts with additives, preservatives, colorings and chemicals.

A 6 ounce container of plain non-fat Greek yogurt contains 100 calories and 18 grams of protein. A 6 ounce container of full fat plain Greek yogurt contains about 144 calories and 15 grams of protein. Both are decent options, depending of your daily dietary needs.

Greek yogurt is rich in calcium and magnesium, and is a much better choice than conventional yogurt. It is higher in protein, lower in carbs and typically lower in sodium.

Tip #1 - Combine Greek yogurt and lemon juice to create an amazing simple sauce for your salmon.

Tip #2 - Place a dollop of Greek yogurt and some fresh fruit on top of your oatmeal for added protein and creaminess.

Tip #3 - Combine Greek yogurt, protein powder, fresh fruit and ice to make a high protein smoothie.

Tip #4 - Have a sweet tooth? Mix together Greek yogurt, walnuts and a small amount of honey for a nutritious, high protein "dessert" snack.

Tip #5 - Make a healthy salad dressing by combining Greek yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.

#10 - Black Beans

Black beans, to me, are like "bean candy." They taste amazing and I can't seem to get enough of them.

A single cup of black beans contains 227 calories and over 15 grams of protein. They are an excellent source of protein for vegetarian bodybuilders, and a great option for non-vegetarians who want a more well-rounded eating plan.

Black beans are great for digestive track health because of their high indigestible fraction. Research indicates that black bean intake is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer. The high IF (indigestible fraction) of  black beans may be the reason why.
Black beans are also a good source of numerous minerals, including molybdenum, copper, manganese, magnesium and iron.

Tip #1 - Mix together black beans, rice (or quinoa), salsa and top with a dollop or two of Greek yogurt for a high protein, carb-rich muscle building meal.

Tip #2 - You can reduce cooking time of fresh (not canned) black beans by letting them soak in water overnight.

Tip #3 - Make a creamy, high-protein black bean dip for cut vegetables (a veggie tray) by combining one can of black beans, 1/3 cup of Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste.

Tip #4 - Make black bean, cheese and beef hamburgers. Simply add a handful of shredded cheese and 4-6 ounces of mashed black beans to a pound of hamburger. Form into patties, cook and serve.

Tip #5 - Make a quick and easy "chili" using black beans, fresh salsa, and a small amount of diced onion. Heat and top with diced jalapeno peppers, shredded cheese and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Why Am I Always Hungry? The Foods That Keep You Full Longer

Are you constantly hungry even after you've just finished a meal? A new study reveals which foods are the best (and worst) at keeping you full longer.

I am sure you have heard of the satiety index by now. It's a list of the 38 most commonly eaten foods and their respective scores on satiety levels in the general population. Study participants were asked to eat certain foods and then rank their level of fullness 2 hours later.

While I commend the researchers for their work, I've found that some of the details from the study are not directly applicable for active athletes, bodybuilders, or gym-goers.
First, many of the foods used are not commonly eaten by us (jellybeans, ling fish, Sustain). Meanwhile, the list of foods does not include many common foods (chicken breast, peanut butter, Greek yogurt) in an athlete's diet. Since the participants may have been aged, obese, inactive, or exhibited other characteristics that generally aren’t associated with trained individuals, their reactions could be different from what we experience.

Lastly, the impacts of the foods were only assessed at the 2 hour post-consumption mark. I believe when many of us think about a need to feel full, we think about the immediate (“I am hungry and I want something to eat now!”) or the long-term (“I am eating lunch now and I want this meal to hold me over until dinner” or “I am eating my pre-bed meal and need it to last me overnight”).

Thus, I decided to conduct a study based on survey data to assess both the short and long term satiety effects of various foods. Short term satiety was defined as the period 30 minutes to 90 minutes following consumption. Long term satiety was defined as 5+ hours post consumption.

All foods listed had their serving size adjusted so that calories were normalized (identical). In other words, the findings show satiety when you eat the same amount of calories from each food listed. All the participants themselves were recreationally active young men and women who ate these foods on a regular basis.

SATIETY CASE STUDY: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

I asked each participant to score 35 different foods for both short and long-term satiety on a scale of 0 to 9 (9 being the highest level of satiety). After getting the scores from each participant, I assessed each food based on macronutrient content (protein, fat, and carbs), volume, fiber, and sugar. I then conducted a multivariate modeling analysis to assess each of these factors' impact on satiety score. The results of the model suggest the following:

• High volume foods equate to higher short term satiety levels, but their impact is relatively meaningless in the long term.
• Protein and fiber increase both short and long term satiety levels.
• Fat does not equate to any increases in short term satiety, but does result in increases in long term satiety. Fat-containing foods performed additionally well when accompanied with fiber (ex. Avocado would be better than oil).
• Sugary foods result in lower satiety levels, unless the food also incorporates a high volume and fiber content (ex. Fruit would perform better than a sugary snack food or breakfast cereal).
• Traditional “snack foods” performed very poorly in terms of both short and long term satiety.
• Outlier: Potatoes - Scored extremely high in both short and long term satiety despite being a high carb food without significant levels of fiber. Future studies should be conducted on a compound found in potatoes known as resistant starch which could help to explain their high satiety index.

FRUITS	Short Term Score	Long Term Score
Apple	6	5.5
Orange	4.33	4.71
Berries	4.88	5
Banana	4.86	4.63

MEAT/DAIRY	Short Term Score	Long Term Score
Chicken Breast	5	5.25
Ground Beef	5	5.83
Steak	6.13	6.75
Whole Egg	5.88	6.25
Egg White	6.8	7.2
Whey	4.86	4.29
Casein	4	5
Greek Yogurt	5.75	6.29
Fruited Yogurt	5	3.5
Whole Milk	3.83	4.5
Cheese	3.17	4.17
Cottage Cheese (nonfat)	5.5	5.75

STARCHES	Short Term Score	Long Term Score
Baked Potato	5.86	6.75
Baked Sweet Potato	6.43	7.23
White Rice	4	3.5
Brown Rice	4.2	4.67
Oatmeal	5.5	6
Black Beans	3.83	4.67
White Bread	2.83	1.83
Whole Grain Bread	3.17	3.17
Pasta	4	3.83

SNACK FOODS	Short Term Score	Long Term Score
Sugary Cereal	1.33	1.29
Ice Cream	2.25	2.13
Store Bought Cookies	1.83	1.5
French Fries (fast food)	2.29	2.13
Doughnuts	2.5	2.13
Potato Chips	1.38	1.25

HIGH FAT FOODS	Short Term Score	Long Term Score
Peanut Butter	4.29	6
Nuts	3.71	5.57
Avocado	4	5.13
Olive Oil	1.26	1.57

Many of the results verify previous research showing the satiating benefits of both protein and fiber.¹ Volume appears to be completely diminished in promoting satiety when we look at its effects in the long term. So while eating a massive 200 calorie salad may make you feel incredibly full in the short term, a small cup of beans may end up leaving you full for hours on end.

In fact, some research has even shown that eating foods in excessively large volumes will result in your stomach expanding beyond normal size. Once this food is partially digested and moves out of the stomach, you are left feeling starving afterwards as there is now a larger void needing to be filled than before.

The low scores for snack foods support evidence showing higher quality nutrient dense foods promote fullness to a greater extent than snack foods generally will.³ We also see how even small volumes of high fat foods can have a long lasting effect on satiety, such as peanut butter or avocados.

I think in the future we could further studies to see if timing has any impact. For example, would certain foods promote overall satiety if they are eaten early in the morning, rather than right before bed?

Secondly, we should also examine how certain foods interact with each other. Each food on this list was assessed in isolation, but we rarely eat food in isolation. What happens when you eat nuts with fruit compared to eating chicken and rice? If we were to sum the scores of two foods listed above, would they always outperform any two foods with a lower sum score?  Or would the interaction of each combination of foods have a different impact?

Furthermore, can we score foods based on the resulting decrease in caloric intake later?  For example, a 2013 study found oatmeal resulted in significantly less calories eaten later in the day than an oat-based cereal of identical calories.

SATIETY: SHORT VS. LONG TERM

While many of the results of this study may not be earth shattering, I do think it is a good reminder of how we need to build the base of our diet. I think it also points to why many non-dieters have trouble keeping their caloric intake in check (i.e. they eat a higher % of low-satiating foods). In the end, a high-protein, whole food, and well-balanced diet will win out over the standard American cuisine consumed by many you may know.

8 Foods With Awesome Mood-Boosting Benefits

Prepare to rethink everything you thought about “comfort food.”

Who hasn’t craved something sweet or fried while seriously stressed out? The problem is, these comfort foods are not your salvation…actually, quite the opposite. These foods can make you fatigued and raise your blood sugar so you quickly crash afterwards. They promote indigestion, bloating, nausea, poor cognitive function, and can leave you feeling unsatisfied and hungry for more. And those are just the short-term effects!

Sadly, no foods can completely cure a bad day, but there are a ton of healthy options with amazing, mood-boosting ingredients. Make sure your diet is rich in these eight foods to reap those feel-good benefits. We swear, they’ll do more for your mind and body than any fried “comfort food” ever could! 

Strawberries, Oranges, and Mango
Vitamin C has serious immune-boosting power, but did you also know that it can boost your mood? This powerful antioxidant has been shown to decrease depressive symptoms by helping your body stop the buildup of free radicals and recover faster from stress (talk about impressive). So start your day off with a bowl of strawberries, oranges, mango and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Walnuts and Pumpkin Seeds

To keep those good feelin' vibes going, you'll want to indulge in a mid-morning snack, like a handful of walnuts or pumpkin seeds. They're both loaded with omega-3's, which have been shown to improve mood and feelings of self-worth. That means these babies satisfy your hunger andward off feelings of doom and gloom. 

Barley
If you've made smart food choices all morning long, you're probably doing cartwheels to the water cooler, but don't slow your roll quite yet. It's lunchtime and you might be craving something hearty. As a matter of fact, that mac 'n cheese we mentioned earlier is sounding pretty darn good. Instead of going for that bowl of melted cheese, grab some barley with pepper, turmeric and even some roasted broccoli and asparagus to make this a savory dish. Barley is a complex carbohydrate, which helps stimulate your brain to release serotonin, the "feel-good" hormone. And trust us, these carbs will do much more for your body than that cheese-covered macaroni. 

Celery

Lunch left you feeling pretty satisfied, but now you're reaching the end of your workday and the patience of your noggin and stomach is starting run low. Grab some celery. The satisfying crunch will allow you to release stress and cause your blood vessels to relax. Research has shown that celery contains a chemical (3-n-butylphthalide), which lowers the concentration of stress hormones in the blood, ultimately causing your body to stress less. Dip your stalks in hummus for some extra protein to keep you satisfied until dinner rolls around.

Grass-fed Beef Chili
You've been avoiding the blues all day with the power of nutrition, now it's time to end the day strong with a delish dinner. Try a veggie-rich, grass-fed beef chili. Add in lentils, pinto beans, kidney beans, and any spices you desire. One study found that consuming grass-fed meat increases blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids and decreases levels of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids. Both of these changes are linked to a lower risk of depression. And those hearty beans and lentils are packed with folate, a proven defense against anxiety. This hearty chili will be just the happy ending you needed. If you want, add a jalapeno pepper for little extra kick (and vitamin C).

Sweating Yourself Slim: The Truth About Perspiration And Fat Loss

Heading to the gym to sweat off a few pounds? Find out just how effective of a fat burner sweating is, and how good it is for releasing toxins and cleansing your body.

Ahh, good ol’ perspiration, is there anything more indicative of a hard workout than a puddle of sweat under your toes? Well, actually yes, there is, so you can stop trying to impress people by leaving your salty excretions all over the gym.

Sweating (more properly called “perspiration”) is your body’s mechanism of keeping itself cool during times of increased body temperature. The antagonistic mechanism of sweating is shivering, whereby your body stimulates movement to generate heat when body temperature drops.

Many people infer that sweating is a sign of increased energy expenditure, but is this really a valid assumption? Seems like a sound supposition in theory, since heat is energy and sweating can be seen as a sign of expelling heat.

Alas, the actual physiological reasoning behind this theory is a bit more complex than if A=B and B=C, than A=C.  Moreover, the idea that sweating is a signifier of fat loss is a bit shortsighted. Let’s look at what sweating actually is and why you shouldn’t be so concerned about it one way or the other in regards to losing fat.

What is this salty discharge?

If you aren’t familiar with what exactly sweat is I’ll indulge you a bit. Analogous to other organisms with semi-permeable skin layers, our skin contains pores that allow the evaporation of fluid out of the body. Hence, the millions of sweat glands under the skin that humans are born with have the duty of excreting such fluids when the body needs to decrease temperature.

One of the main reasons sports drinks boast about their electrolyte content is that the body loses electrolytes through the process of sweating; therefore, sweat generally contains sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium ions. The fluid is comprised almost entirely of water (~99%) and minute amounts of salt(s), lactate, urea, and trace metals (~1% combined). (1) The exact composition of human sweat varies based on several factors such as: what you have been drinking and eating, stress levels, how long you’ve been sweating, and a variety of others.

Does sweating equal fat (or even calorie) burning?

Aside from the fact that these beads of sweat don’t actually contain lipids (or calories for that matter), sweating itself is not a calorie-requiring process. Contrary to popular belief, sweating is actually less metabolically demanding than shivering. Thus, it’s actually more favorable (in terms of burning calories) to exercise in cold temperatures as opposed to doing the same workout in hot temperatures.

Coincidentally enough, obesity in the United States is significantly greater in in regions that have predominantly hotter weather. Conversely, states that have a cooler climate tend to be less obese. I’m not saying if you’re obese you should consider moving out of a hot climate in search of the Eskimos, but just some food for thought about the correlation between temperature and bodyweight.

The physiological reasoning behind this is that shivering is actually your body performing rapid, micro-contractions in an attempt to generate heat to warm yourself. The heat generated by these shivers actually burns a few calories, whereas sweating does not since heat isn’t being generated but merely diffused out of the body (in a matter of speaking). But the extent to how many more calories you are burning in a cold atmosphere compared to a warmer one is trivial at best.

Moreover, despite the extra (insignificant) amount of calories you may burn off working out in the cold, I would still advise working out in environments that are warmer simply because increased body heat promotes blood flow and vasodilation, both of which are conducive to muscle growth (not to mention better performance and reduced injury risk).

So why do I weigh less after I sweat a lot?

Simple, you’re losing water weight and electrolytes, not body weight. The idea that sitting in the sauna or wearing insulated clothing to increase the calories you’re burning is nonsense. These things serve merely to increase body temperature, which increases perspiration, not your energy expenditure (i.e. calorie burning).

Ok, but I heard sweating is good for releasing toxins/cleansing the body, is this true?

Another myth purported by cleanse-promoting quacks is that sweating is necessary (and encouraged) since it expels toxins from the body. Personally, I think the whole field of “cleansing” is pseudoscience, at best, but I digress. Toxin removal is relegated to your intestines and liver, not your sweat glands; so don’t try and justify taking a steam to “purify” your body of all the mercury from the canned tuna you choke down.

Parting words

Hopefully this has shed some light on what sweat actually is and what it does (and does not) achieve for us humanoids. If you see someone wearing an insulated body-suit in the gym trying to sweat their self thin, don’t be afraid to enlighten them of their foolishness. And unless you want to smell like a dead cow’s toe, I would advise taking a shower after you’ve worked up a good sweat.

Should You Do Cardio Before Or After Weight Training?

Should you perform cardio pre or post-workout? Which form is best for your goals? Learn how to combine cardio with lifting to maximize muscle and strength gains.

The lovely world of cardio, we have to love it right? Cardio has countless benefits for the human body, so it must be good for us, right? How else do you think all the celebrities stay so skinny and “toned?”

How many times have you seen people get to the gym and hop on a cardio machine and just gas themselves, and not to mention go do some resistance training right after. Or what about when someone gets done from an intense lifting session, then goes off and does an intense cardio session?

We know you’ve seen this before and we are not going to get into the psychology of why people do this because that could be a whole other article itself. We are more focused on is it optimal to perform cardio pre and post workout? With a specific focus on which cardio modality (type of cardio you do) is the best to perform to avoid the interference effect of strength, power, and hypertrophy gains?

But before we give you the answer, it’s vital that we always have to take people’s goals, activity level, overall health, and training experience into consideration before anything. So please read this with an open mind and a non-black and white answer, all or nothing approach.

What’s This Interference Effect Thing?

When we refer to the interference effect, we are talking about the interference of strength, power, and hypertrophy gains (muscle growth) when doing cardio pre or post workout. This topic of discussion has been floating around for quite some time now, whether concurrent training is optimal or not.

We all have our biased opinions, but what is the correct cardio modality to do pre and post workout and should we even be doing cardio pre or post workouts? That is the million dollar question that many of us would like to know.

Why continue to keep robbing your hard earned gains and progress if you don’t need to. Instead, why not continue to maximize your overall potential the correct way instead of shooting yourself in the foot? As always, we bring scientific based evidence to the table to get to the bottom of these popular topics, because the research doesn’t lie folks.

Before we delve into the research, we want to quote what Brad Schoenfeld said:
“There is no one cookie-cutter recommendation I can provide that will be ideal for everyone. People have varying responses to exercise programs. Large inter-individual differences are seen in any research protocol.
Thus, in giving advice on a topic such as this, I can only provide general recommendations that must be individualized based on a variety of genetic and environmental factors. This is the essence of evidence-based practice, which should form the basis of every fitness professional’s decision making process.” (1)
We can’t agree more with this statement and we truly feel this statement is a legitimate and valid way of viewing such a topic like this one.

Cardio Modalities

We are certain we can all agree that there are numerous different cardio modalities out there today. To name a few modalities that have more ground-reaction force with higher impact are:

• Conventional sprints
• Up-hill sprints
• Resisted sprints
• Car pushes
• Prowler pushes
• Sled pulls

Pretty much all the badass cardio workouts that we look forward to doing.
Cardio modalities that minimize ground-reaction forces are:

• Cycling bikes
• Treadmills
• Ellipticals
• Various machine based equipment

The stuff we like to watch TV on or read magazines ;)
These are all great choices whether you use them in the form of HIIT or LISS, but which modality is more optimal to prevent the interference effect and when should you do these you ask? Let’s delve into some research shall we.

Should you do cardio pre or post workout?

Layne Norton and Jacob Wilson claim that when you choose a cardio modality such as running or sprinting after a resistance training bout, the ground-reaction force (think sprints) and distance causes more muscle damage as opposed to a modality with less impact such as cycling instead. Cycling seems to be more similar to hip and knee flexion as opposed to running because it’s biomechanically interfering with squat and leg press patterns. This muscle damage seems to be coming from the eccentric components when running and sprinting (2).

Norton and Wilson make a valid point in the essence that if you are going to do cardio post workout, make sure you do it in the form of an opposing muscle group. Let’s say you did a grueling lower body workout, you would then want to do cardio in the form of using your upper body, something like rope slams because otherwise if you go and run or do sprints you are going to get a complete interference effect and possibly get injured.

After resistance training you have mTOR (cell growth) being ramped up and protein synthesis (making of new proteins) being turned on and when you do cardio after resistance training you get such high drastic rises in AMP kinase (signaling cascade for ATP production) that it ends up shutting off protein synthesis. In easier terms, cardio after weights interferes with the muscle growth phase and a good analogy is after training you turn the faucet on for muscle growth and when too much cardio is being done or after training, it shuts the faucet off.

As for pre workout cardio, this tends to be a little trickier than post workout cardio and we say this because it really depends on a lot of factors such as: What muscle groups are you training that day? What form of cardio are you doing pre workout (low, moderate, or high intensity)? What modality will you use? Are you in a low calorie and glycogen depleted state?

A Study in the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise shows 30 minutes of jogging pre workout decreases volume of spinal discs and leads to a reduction in the amount of weight you can load on your back (3). For example, if you did a moderate-high intensity cardio bout such as jogging before squats it’s probably not a good idea because it will lead to decrements in strength and negatively affect your squats. Jogging shows to have a lot of muscle damage in the quads, hams, and glutes, so this will definitely affect your squat game.

A 2012 study in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition showed extended periods of moderate volume concurrent strength, power, and endurance training interferes with explosive strength development (4). This is not something you want if you’re trying to increase your 1 rep max on squats and deadlifts.

The data is pretty clear that performing moderate-high intensity cardio pre workout will lead to decrements in strength and power with your resistance training. Perhaps doing cardio earlier in the day and performing resistance training later in the day will not have a negative impact on either the performance or the measured markers of the exercise induced growth stimulus the resistance training session will have. However, we highly encourage doing resistance training and cardio on separate days as this would be the most optimal route to go.

Is there really an interference effect?

In a study by Wilson et al. a large body of research indicates that combining aerobic and resistance exercise (concurrent training) has a negative effect on gains in muscular strength and size (5). There is credence to the underlying concept that catabolic processes predominate to a greater extent in aerobic training, and concurrent exercise therefore has the potential to impair muscular gains.

There is even evidence that cardio can blunt the satellite cell response (helps with muscle growth) to a bout of resistance exercise and therefore potentially impair the protein-producing capacity of muscle (6). With that said, why are people still considering doing cardio pre or post workout if clearly the evidence indicates that it can potentially inhibit muscular gains, strength, and power?

What if you could avoid the interference effect?

Burn more calories, increase muscle, and acutely increase your metabolic rate, sounds good, right? This is where the famous HIIT cardio would come into play. When you think of HIIT, high intensity and high stress should be taken into consideration.

What we have to keep in mind is that stress has to be recovered from, just like the stress from weight training. Last time we checked HIIT cardio is done during the week along with resistance training. If you are still recovering from a HIIT cardio session to the point that it affects your ability to lift weights, then it can be detrimental to your gains. If there is a significant eccentric component (sprinting and running), or high level of impact, HIIT can cause problems in your overall training and potentially lead to chronic overuse injuries.

You have to be cautious and smart when incorporating HIIT into your training protocol because it seems that the work to rest ratios in HIIT intervals are very similar to resistance training sets and your number one focus should be on progressive resistance training.

Here are some ways to avoid the interference effect:

• Schedule your cardio around your resistance training, especially HIIT cardio
• If your number one priority is resistance training, then perform cardio modalities that minimize ground-reaction forces
• Perform a cardio modality that is opposite of the muscle group your training. For example, if you do train legs then do an upper body dominate form of cardio and vice versa
• If you absolutely have to do cardio the same day as your resistance training and you can’t find a cardio modality opposite of the body part you trained then make sure to keep the intensity to low-moderate

Wrapping this up

We believe that the research is pretty clear here when it comes to this particular topic. Clearly there is no black and white answer, sorry to disappoint, but at least we have a great indication of what to do and when not to do it. It’s tough to predict that anyone can avoid any interference effect when it comes to aerobic or anaerobic training.

Just like anything else you have to compensate something. We are not all built like machines and able to handle the same workload as others. Genetics always play a vital role in how someone responds to training. Other factors such as nutrition, stress, sleep, occupational activity, etc. All must be taken into account.

Refer back to Brad Schoenfeld’s quote if needed, it pretty much tells you there are only general recommendations that can be given here. The best thing to do is choose the correct cardio modality that suits your training and goals. Always train hard, think logically, and but most importantly train smart.

How To Maximize Nutrition And Reach Your Fat Loss Goals

Don't just eat - eat right! Learn how to optimize protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats and even your water intake to maximize fat loss and health.

Making dietary changes to promote weight loss can seem overwhelming at first, but once you learn some basics, you will be well on your way to an optimal healthy lifestyle.
Men can only process 600-650 calories at one time. (700 if active)  Women can only process 300-350 calories at one time. (400 if active)

Of course there are exceptions to every rule.  These numbers might vary depending on your body type and metabolism, but this is a good range to follow. The bottom line is that if you are in a daily caloric surplus those extra calories will turn to fat.
You need an personalized plan for your individual needs.  There is no cookie cutter plan, so to speak, but there are basic rules to follow.

When preparing a meal plan for optimal weight loss, it is imperative that you keep your calories clean.  You must have frequent clean feedings to rev up your metabolism.
Think of your metabolism as logs in a fire.  What happens when you stop throwing logs on a fire?  The fire dies out; the same thing happens with your metabolism.  The body’s metabolism converts food into energy, uses it for repairs or stores it as fat for future use.

The more muscle you have; the more fat you will burn.  A faster metabolism burns calories more efficiently and stores less fat.  A slower metabolism burns calories less efficiently and stores more fat.

Aerobic exercise is essential for burning fat, but aerobic exercise in excess leads to a loss of muscle and slows down the metabolism.  So don’t overdo the cardio.

It is imperative you have breakfast to rev up your metabolism for the day.  What your mother always told you still holds true, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day!”  If you miss out on this meal, you are setting your body up for failure.

As it implies, breakfast breaks the fast. Your body has been fasting for 6-8 hours and just like a car you need to give it the proper fuel or in this case nutrition. Just like a car, if you don’t put gas in it you will not get too far in your day.

If you have had this happen to you, you know exactly what I am talking about.  You miss breakfast and by 8 or 10 am you have no energy and are searching for a ‘pick me up,’ consisting of strong coffee and a sugary snack.  Now you are unable to grab lunch until after 1 p.m. in the afternoon, by this time you’re starving and eat a big lunch and become lethargic.  This just sets the body up for failure.

At each meal you will need to include a small portion of protein, complex carbohydrates and some healthy fats.  Let’s first take a look at protein and what it does for our bodies.

Maximize Your Food Intake

Protein and Fat Loss

Protein is important because:

• Forms muscle, bone, blood hormones and cells
• Repairs tissues
• Supplies energy
• Makes up approximately ½ the body’s total weight
• Enhances brain function
• Tells the brain “STOP EATING”
• Stabilizes blood sugars
• Reduces cravings for sugar and carbohydrates

Protein - Go Lean

Choose meats that are grilled baked, broiled or poached-not fried. The leanest choices are:

• Fish - Cod, flounder, grouper, tuna (in water), shell fish-crab, scallop, shrimp, lobster.
• Game Meat - Deer, buffalo, elk, ground turkey or other meat no less than 98% lean.
• Meatless Options - Egg whites, eggbeaters, protein powders.

Carbohydrates and Fat Loss

Carbohydrates are important because:

• Body’s primary source of energy.
• What is not converted into energy the body stores as FAT.
• Over consumption of simple carbohydrates is the leading cause of weight gain.
• Complex carbohydrates provide vitamins, minerals and fiber.
• Complex carbohydrates may help reduce the risk of certain cancers, obesity, constipation, cholesterol, diabetes and other diseases.

Carbohydrates - Choices

• Low Carbs - Celery, collards, green leaf endive, white mushrooms, mustard greens, spinach, sprouts, spring mix, radishes.
• Mid to High Carbs - Cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, kale, portabella mushrooms, summer squash, zucchini, asparagus.

Other important tips to consider when planning your carbohydrate sources:

• Choose whole grains.
• Choose foods with whole oats, whole rye, or whole wheat listed first on the label ingredients list.
• Look for bread with at least 3 grams of fiber per slice.
• Be wary of foods labeled multi-grain, stone-ground, 100% wheat, or bran. They are usually not whole grains
• Brown rice, quinoa, and oatmeal are good choices.

Healthy Fats and Fat Loss

Fat is not a BAD word. Fats are important because:

• Protects, lubricates, build and reproduces cells.
• Help keep skin, hair and joints healthy.
• Source of energy.
• Insulates and cushions vital organs.

Healthy fats include all cold water fish, including salmon; walnuts, almonds, various seeds and nuts, flaxseed, avocado, olive oil, almond butter, and peanut butter.

Water and Fat Loss

Water is important because:

• Makes up 50-70% of the body weight.
• Transports nutrients to their final destination.
• Lubricates joints and spinal cord.
• Regulates body’s temperature and removes waste products.

Water consumption should be one half your bodyweight in ounces per day.

Unhealthy Foods, Health and Fat Loss

Some important facts about unhealthy foods:

• Interfere with calcium absorption.
• Overstress the pancreas.
• Increase buildup of fat deposition.
• Over produce acids in the stomach.
• Deplete the body of minerals and vitamins.
• Affect brain functioning, alter mood and behaviors.
• High Sugar intake has been linked to diabetes.

Instead of having a ‘weight loss emergency,’ this is an ideal nutritional plan and a way of making healthy changes for life.  Losing weight does not involve ‘gimmicks.’  It involves being aware of the foods that you are putting into your body and making nutritious choices.

Plan Ahead​

Designate a day to prepare all of your food in advance for the upcoming week.  Purchase plastic containers, snack bags and shaker cups.

Pack all your meals and snacks in a lunch cooler, and take it with you so you won’t miss a meal.  If you have your meals readily available to you throughout the day, you won’t go hungry.  Or worse look for sugar snacks to fill the void!  Eating clean consistently to fuel your metabolism is the SECRET to losing fat and keeping it off for good!

Once you get in the habit of start reading labels and being more aware of what you are putting into your mouth, you will spend less time in the gym killing yourself with mindlesscardio, and you will be spending more time in the kitchen.  You just might surprise yourself when you see that scale move!

Is It OK To Skip Meals, Bank The Calories And Pig Out Later?

Learn the pros and cons of eating frequent muscle building meals, and why Tom Venuto doesn't like the idea of starving and bingeing and banking calories.

Suppose you’re on a diet and you have a banquet or a holiday party coming up. You’re expecting a big meal to be served for dinner, and there will be open bar with lots and lots of “party snacks.”

You’re not sure if there will be any healthy food there, but you are sure that you’re going to be in a festive, partying mood! What should you do? Should you cut back on your food earlier in the day to make room for the big feast?

What I’ve just described is commonly known as "banking calories," which is analogous to saving calories like money because you're going to consume more later, and it’s a very common practice among dieters. If you’re really serious about your diet and fitness goals however, then the answer is no, you should NOT “bank calories! Here's why and here's what you should do instead:

First of all, if you're being really honest with yourself, you have to agree that there's almost always something healthy to eat at any gathering. You know those tables you see at holiday parties that are covered with yards of chips, dips, pretzels, cookies, salami, candies, cheese, punch, liquor, and a seemingly endless assortment of other goodies? Well, did you also notice that there's usually a tray full of carrot sticks, cauliflower, celery, fruit, turkey breast and other healthy snacks too?

No matter where you are, you always have options, so make the best choice you can based on whatever your options are. If nothing else, you can choose to eat a small portion of "party foods" rather than a huge portion, thereby obeying the law of calorie balance.

If you skip meals or eat less earlier in the day to bank calories for a big feast at night, you are thinking only in terms of calories, but you’re depriving yourself of the valuable nutrition you need all day long in terms of protein (amino acids), carbohydrates, essential fats, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that come from healthy food, as well as the small frequent meals required to stoke the furnace of your metabolism.

Not only that, but eating less early in the day in anticipation for overeating later is more likely to increase your appetite, causing you to binge or eat much more than you thought you would at night when the banquet does arrive.

Eating healthy food earlier in the day is likely to fill you up and you'll be less likely to overeat in the evening. High fiber foods, healthy fats and especially lean protein, tend to suppress your appetite the most.

I don’t like the concept of "banking calories." Your body just doesn't work that way - it tends to seek equilibrium by adjusting your appetite to the point where you consume the same total amount of calories in the end anyway.

Even if it worked the way you wanted it to, why would you eat less (starve) in an attempt to burn more fat, then overeat (binge) and put the fat right back on? Why allow yourself to put on fat in the first place?

A starving and bingeing pattern will almost certainly cause more damage than an occasional oversize meal. Some dieticians might even say that this kind of behavior borders on disordered eating.

A better approach is to stay on your regular menu of healthy foods and small meals through the entire day - business as usual - and then go ahead and treat yourself to a "cheat meal," but sure to keep your portions small.

It should be a big relief to know that on special occasions, whether it's a party, restaurant meal, banquet or holiday dinner, you can eat whatever you want with little or no ill effect on body composition, as long as you respect the law of calorie balance. However, you CANNOT starve and binge and expect not to reap negative consequences.

To burn fat and be healthy, you don't have to be a "party pooper" or completely deny yourself of foods you enjoy, but you do need to have the discipline to stick with your regular meal plan most of the time and control your portion sizes all of the time.