Carbs - The Truth About This Nutrient Outcast!

All I hear about these days is that if you want to lose weight you need to get rid of the carbs! This is a ridiculous mindset that has warped the American public and we are still the fattest nation around. So it appears that whatever most of us thought we new about carbs or nutrition doesn't seem to be so accurate.

The truth is that carbs provide us with the necessary energy that we need to accomplish most physical tasks. They are simply a need for the human body in order to function properly from day to day. Now when I say function I mean that in order for us to do work, workout, or keep our metabolism in check we have to have carbs to function. Eliminating or attempting to eliminate this essential nutrient will only screw up the normal function and balance of our bodies.

Now, at the same time, I think that we are lacking common sense. When I say carbs are necessary I don't mean to go out to the nearest Italian restaurant and place a family order of pasta to down all by yourself. Don't be ridiculous. It is sad that I even have to say that, but that is the mindset of a lot of people and they constantly wonder why they have a weight problem. Just like anything else the carbs that you ingest should be monitored. Just like you would monitor how much junk food you would feed your own kid you should monitor what carbs you put into your body.

The biggest thing is to just do what you think is healthy. Get rid of the sweets, sodas, and junk food. Also manage how much of and when you eat complex carbs or starches like pastas, potatoes, and breads. These complex carbs are good, but your body takes longer to burn these off. Because of this it is better to eat these earlier in the day.

Make the simple adjustments for big results. Remember that old habits die hard. So go out and start good habits!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Nutrition - Tailor Your Nutrition to Achieve Your Fitness Goals!

I have an aggressive approach when it comes to achieving results. Now when I say this I don't want to come across as arrogant, but rather come across as logical. For example, I know that its easier to walk with comfortable shoes and its certainly easier to fly from my home here in Atlanta to New York instead of driving. These examples may seem silly to you, yet many people don't use this logic when trying to prepare for an athletic event or when trying to accomplish certain physical goals.

I want to address the importance of nutrition. First, when competing in athletic related events or just trying to be in the best shape of your life nutrition is 90% of the total program. If you look at certain athletes and events this is obvious when you actually take the time to think about it. If you have seriously competed in any event in the past then you know how true this really is. Nutrition goes beyond just eating healthy even though healthy eating is a good start. You must have an understanding of nutrition and how it relates to you and your specific program.

For instance, if you are a competitive cyclist you certainly have to make sure that you get a sufficient amount of calories before competition. Though here the key is not just eating everything in sight. If you are an endurance athlete like a cyclist or runner you want the extra calories, but you want to make sure you take in many complex carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, potatoes, and breads. These will provide sufficient energy for you that will last you for an extended amount of time because of the time it takes the body to break these nutrients down. Conversely the individual trying to lose weight wants to try to limit these in their diet.

The bottom line is to make sure that you are informed and that you are being logical about the fuel you put into your body. This is the secret to your physical success!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Nutrition - Tailor Your Nutrition to Achieve Your Fitness Goals!

I have an aggressive approach when it comes to achieving results. Now when I say this I don't want to come across as arrogant, but rather come across as logical. For example, I know that its easier to walk with comfortable shoes and its certainly easier to fly from my home here in Atlanta to New York instead of driving. These examples may seem silly to you, yet many people don't use this logic when trying to prepare for an athletic event or when trying to accomplish certain physical goals.

I want to address the importance of nutrition. First, when competing in athletic related events or just trying to be in the best shape of your life nutrition is 90% of the total program. If you look at certain athletes and events this is obvious when you actually take the time to think about it. If you have seriously competed in any event in the past then you know how true this really is. Nutrition goes beyond just eating healthy even though healthy eating is a good start. You must have an understanding of nutrition and how it relates to you and your specific program.

For instance, if you are a competitive cyclist you certainly have to make sure that you get a sufficient amount of calories before competition. Though here the key is not just eating everything in sight. If you are an endurance athlete like a cyclist or runner you want the extra calories, but you want to make sure you take in many complex carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, potatoes, and breads. These will provide sufficient energy for you that will last you for an extended amount of time because of the time it takes the body to break these nutrients down. Conversely the individual trying to lose weight wants to try to limit these in their diet.

The bottom line is to make sure that you are informed and that you are being logical about the fuel you put into your body. This is the secret to your physical success!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Protein - The Absolute Truth About This Essential Ingredient For Building Lean Muscle Mass!

There are many fad diets and misconceptions all over the television, radio, internet, and in books about nutrition and fitness. Most all of these fads can be written off pretty quickly when in most cases people can't stick to them effectively due to unrealistic expectations and misguided loyalty towards the product. The following article will provide the facts about protein along with an appropriate recommended daily allowance of this specific nutrient.

I just want to discuss one of three main nutrients that is an essential ingredient in building lean muscle mass and necessary for muscle recovery. I am talking about protein. For you to have any successful strength and conditioning program you must be getting enough high-quality protein. This is the nutrient that builds our muscles back up to a recovered state after the wear and tear of working out. You see our skeletal muscles themselves are made up of nothing more than many fibers of protein, so it takes the same thing to nurture them back to a full recovery.

How much protein should I have? This is a great question. The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) has different recommendations for you based on your level of physical activity. Observe the amount below:

Mildly Active: 1 gram per kilogram of body-weight 
Moderately Active: 1.5 grams per kilogram of body-weight 
Very Active: 2 grams per kilogram of body-weight

Note: There are 2.2 lbs in 1 kilogram.

Tip: Protein from animal-based products or meats have a higher biological content than those acquired from a vegetarian or plant-based food product.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Nutrition - 2 Quick and Easy Adjustments to Make That Will Help You to Lose Weight Immediately!

To begin, weight-loss is a problem for many Americans and there is no real excuse other than lifestyle. The fact is that our bodies are made first for survival. If you don't supply it with enough fuel then it will store what little fuel you give it for energy, and stored energy is stored as fat! You are probably wondering what possible adjustment can be made to help this problem.

The 1st Adjustment: Well, like I said our bodies are made for survival and the human body needs fuel to survive. Fuel is essential, but for the body to run efficiently it has to have the right fuel. Just like a car if you never keep up with the preventative maintenance then it will wear out and shut down. So the first adjustment is getting rid of the junk food. Say goodbye to soft drinks, Twinkies, potato chips, ice cream, and oh yeah alcohol. Put down that cold beer and grab a bottle of ice water my friend. Deprive yourself of the bad stuff as much as possible. Discipline is the answer.

The 2nd Adjustment: The next step is finding out what good fuel you need to replace the bad fuel. An easy and seemingly obvious fix is to make sure that you eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. You are probably wondering how many fruits and vegetables would be the HIGH OCTANE BOOST that your strength program needs to jump into high gear? I like to recommend the magical number 5. Try to eat at least a variety of 5 fruits and vegetables a day. Getting 5 will assure you get enough variety of vitamins and minerals to efficiently run your ENGINE!

This is the quickest fix you can make to your nutrition plan and lifestyle for an explosive start. I have seen this adjustment make as much of a difference as 5-7 pounds in a week! Remember friend this is only the beginning.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Fitness Goals - 2 Quick Lessons on How to Cater Your Workouts to Achieve Your Fitness Goals!

Fitness goals are something that everyone should consider when beginning an exercise program in order to accomplish what they want. To me this is obvious, but for those that need to hear this I'll elaborate further in this article. Here are a couple of quick lessons that will be worth thinking about before you start.

Lesson 1: You have to understand the specificity of training. You are probably wondering what this means. Specificity of training means that your body will respond to training based on how your workout program is structured. For instance, if you are a football player would it make sense for you to condition yourself like a marathon runner? Of course not. This is where a lot of people get off track when starting to design a plan for their workouts.

If you train the body for weight-loss then you'll lose weight, if you train the body for size characteristics then you'll gain size, if you want big bulging muscles then you should train like a bodybuilder. This is something that I have always had to deal with when training people. They either really don't know what they want or are totally ignorant as to what to do in order to get to where they want to go.

Lesson 2: The next big important variable is nutrition. This is 90% of your journey. Again, this has a direct effect on how the body will develop. Think about the obvious. If you sit around all day and eat twinkies your body will have a certain look. If you eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of protein and nutrients then your body will look completely the opposite of the couch potato. Remember that your nutrition plan has to be adjusted along with your exercise plan. When you start exercising your metabolism speeds up and to keep it up you have to "feed the engine." Its just like a car engine. When it speeds up it burns more fuel so to keep it burning fast you have to keep giving it fuel.

Always have a plan before beginning any new venture. Remember that a well accomplished plan will bring the well accomplished result. Know your fitness and exercise goals and design the plan to obtain those goals!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at:http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!