10 Tips for Better Cycling

Posted by | Posted in Alternative Medicine, Drinks, Fitness, Food And Beverage, Health, Sports And Fitness, Weight Loss | Posted on 25-05-2009

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Jason Storm asked:

Cycling is an activity that has great health benefits. Not only does if tone your muscles, it also helps to keep your heart and cardiovascular system healthy.

Here are ten tips that that can make your cycling experience more enjoyable:

*Finding a bike that is a good size for you is important if you are going to enjoy your ride. Make sure that your posture feels good while riding. *The kind of bike you should invest in depends on what type of riding you will be doing. Are you riding in the city, travelling long distances or will you be

going off-road? For long distances you want a light bike with thin wheels, for off-road you want a thicker frame and wider tires.

*Another thing to look at if you are planning to go long distance is your bicycle seat. A long distance bike should be more comfortable and it’s a good idea to invest in a well padded seat.

*Make sure that you bring plenty of water with you for your ride. A good idea is to have a water bottle attached to the bike so you can easily have a drink at any time.

*If you’re going on a long ride it’s important to eat proper food a few hours before. Pasta, rice and bread are foods with a high amount of slow carbohydrates wich help to stabilize your body’s energy level.

*It can be helpful to bring some fast carbohydrates with you on the ride, such as granola bars, bananas, energy drinks,etc.

*Always bring a phone with you when you are going out. It’s helpful if something unexpected happens, for example if you drive on something sharp and get a flat tire. I recommend keeping it off and only using it when you need to, don’t get distracted by talking while you’re riding.

*Prevent your bicycle from getting stolen by investing in a quality lock. Also, it’s a good idea to park your bike at designated parking areas since a lone bike usually attracts thefts easier.

*The clothes you wear also has a great impact on your experience. To choose comfortable yet fitting clothes makes a big difference. In this way you can move with ease and still have as little resistance from the wind as possible.

*You’re better to start off slowly and go for short rides in the beginning, than to go for long rides straight away and end up with a sore bottom and aching muscles.

Cycling really is a wonderful way to get out into the fresh air and it’s a great way to see the landscape where you live. Most of us could use a little more excercise and cardiovascular training, it can be as easy as getting on the bike and pedalling.

Foods That Build Muscle Fast

Posted by | Posted in Pets | Posted on 25-05-2009

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villenoire asked:

od that helps build muscle will ensure that you are not wasting all that hard work you are doing in the gym.

Working your muscles utilizes considerable energy. And the only way to replace that energy is with food! So what happens if you fail to eat the right type of food to build muscle mass? It will take longer to build muscle, and it may even prevent effect muscle building altogether once you reach a certain point.

A diet that is low in fat goes without saying with any serious bodybuilder. Even if you do not carry extra flab or fat, it is important to keep it that way. And if you do have some fat you want to get rid of, eating foods that build muscle in the form of low fat food is important. But what about protein? Is it important or not? You bet it is. Protein provides the building blocks to build that muscle. What types of protein are best? Chicken, eggs, steak (with the fat cut off), fish, cheese (especially cottage cheese), and nuts are all great sources of protein.

Finding out how much protein to eat when you are interested in building muscle fast is actually not difficult. First, you will need to find out your lean body mass weight in kilos, and then you simply multiply that figure by 2.75 to determine your daily protein requirement. Calculating your lean body mass uses some complex formulae, so ask a professional at the gym if you do not already have this figure.

Carbohydrates, in moderation, are also essential when finding foods that build muscle. Do not eat too much, though, unless you choose high fiber carbohydrates (which are the healthiest ones anyway), and then you can indulge in much larger amounts. Good high fiber carbs include rice, potatoes (yes, potatoes ? just do not add butter!), oatmeal and bananas.

Reducing fat in your diet is of course necessary to build bigger muscle on a body that appears lean and has a low body fat ratio. If you are focussing on what foods build muscle mass, you also need to bear in mind that it pays to reduce fat as well. Although proteins are essential (as we talked about earlier), it is really important to select proteins that are low in fat, or that you can cut the fat off. So eat your chicken without the skin, and go for lean steaks rather than more fatty cuts of meat. Opting for cottage cheese or other reduced fat cheeses, and low fat milk also helps reduce your fat intake.

You may argue that drinking has no effect on what to eat to build muscle. But you would be wrong. Hydration is critical to general health and wellbeing. Even more so when you are working to build muscle mass.

Two litres of water a day is what most experts recommend to maintain optimal health. To drink that amount, you need to drink up to 12 glasses of water a day, which is quite a lot. So start early in the day, and space your water consumption out throughout the day.

Foods that build muscle are great, and an essential component of your bodybuilding program. But do not be lulled into a false sense of security and think you can slow down on your workouts. Both bodybuilding exercises and bodybuilding diets are required to get a body to die for as quickly as you possibly can. Even if you are working on improving your physique slowly, you should combine a bodybuilding diet with bodybuilding workouts for best results.

What Foods To Eat To Build Muscle

Posted by admin | Posted in Aerobics, Fitness, Food And Beverage, Health, Nutrition, Sports And Fitness, Supplements And Vitamins, Weight Loss, Wellness | Posted on 13-05-2009

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villenoire asked:

our muscles utilizes considerable energy. And the only way to replace that energy is with food! So what happens if you fail to eat the right type of food to build muscle mass? It will take longer to build muscle, and it may even prevent effect muscle building altogether once you reach a certain point.

How does one identify food that helps build muscle? Protein is probably the most important nutritional component in a muscle building program. You probably thought the most important component was cutting out fat, in order to reduce your body fat, didn\’t you? Well, it is not. Protein is essential. Without protein, your body withers away to nothing. So make sure you include protein foods that build muscle such as chicken, lean beef, eggs, fish (don\’t like fresh fish? Try canned tuna ?it\’s perfect), and cheese.

Finding out how much protein to eat when you are interested in building muscle fast is actually not difficult. First, you will need to find out your lean body mass weight in kilos, and then you simply multiply that figure by 2.75 to determine your daily protein requirement. Calculating your lean body mass uses some complex formulae, so ask a professional at the gym if you do not already have this figure.

Carbohydrates, in moderation, are also essential when finding foods that build muscle. Do not eat too much, though, unless you choose high fiber carbohydrates (which are the healthiest ones anyway), and then you can indulge in much larger amounts. Good high fiber carbs include rice, potatoes (yes, potatoes ? just do not add butter!), oatmeal and bananas.

Reducing fat in your diet is of course necessary to build bigger muscle on a body that appears lean and has a low body fat ratio. If you are focussing on what foods build muscle mass, you also need to bear in mind that it pays to reduce fat as well. Although proteins are essential (as we talked about earlier), it is really important to select proteins that are low in fat, or that you can cut the fat off. So eat your chicken without the skin, and go for lean steaks rather than more fatty cuts of meat. Opting for cottage cheese or other reduced fat cheeses, and low fat milk also helps reduce your fat intake.

Drinking sufficient water with your meals, between meals, and while you are working out is also very important. Without sufficient water you will dehydrate, and you will be tired and lacking in energy, which gives no assistance at all to building your muscle with the right type of food.

Most experts agree that between 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day helps flush toxins and hydrate the body. And that is for everyone, regardless of activity levels and desire to have a buff body. So for those of us on bodybuilding diets, who are conscious of building muscle, water is even more important.

Foods that build muscle are one of the two essential components to having the body of your dreams. The other component is your weight training program or other type of bodybuilding workouts that you engage in regularly. Just because you have found foods that build muscle does not mean you can start to slack off with your weight training.