Thursday, December 23, 2010

Get Ripped: Feed Your Muscles

The primary purpose of food is to fuel your body. It is a basic human need. All our body processes are affected by the amount, quality and timing of our meals. The development of the muscles is affected by other factors. The way our muscles develop is affected by exercise. Exercise stimulates muscle growth. The quality of muscles which are developed is directly affected by what and when we eat. Fitness gurus agree to this. Your muscle growth is affected by what you eat before, during and after exercise.
Nautilus NT 1020 Adjustable Fitness Bench

You should eat high carbohydrate foods 1 to 2 hours before exercising. The physical as well as mental energy needed for exercises will be provided by this. Fatigue will also be delayed. Studies show that people who ate high carbohydrate snacks before an activity have longer staying power. Getting additional protein may also be very helpful. Choose fruits or whole grains. It would be good to have half a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread. Just skip the dressing. Avoid having a big meal before a workout. The digestion process will be the focus of your body. This is the reason why you get sleepy after a big meal.

Some people may opt to eat a banana or an energy bar during workouts. That's fine. Just don't consume too much. Energy drinks are popular gym beverages. Exercise doesn't need electrolyte replacement. Having plain water will do. However, the glycogen stores are replenished by the carbohydrates in energy drinks. However, you don't need to drink everything in the bottle. Food during workout is optional. Water, on the other hand, is not. One hour of work out will cause you to lose up to 2 litres of water. You have to replace this during or after exercising.

Within 30 minutes of working out, eat carbohydrates and protein. At this time, your glycogen stores are falling. Carbohydrates will replenish it and make your next workout more effective. It will also maintain metabolic activity. High sugar foods can actually benefit you. Studies show that low fat chocolate milk post workout can improve one's performance on the next workout. 30% of your meal should come from protein. This will facilitate muscle repair and development. It will also hasten post workout recovery.

According to studies, muscles peak at age 25 and declines in your late 30's. Therefore, the more muscles you develop, the better your chances of staying fit for life. Research shows that weight training for 8 weeks can replace 5 years' worth of lost muscles. Exercise and the right foods can tip the odds in your favor.

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