How Whey Can Help With Fat Loss

If you've made changes but you still can't seem to drop that stubborn body fat, consider how the bodybuilding supplement whey protein may help. Find out more.

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By: Marie Spano

Article Summary: If you can't seem to lose that stubborn fat try adding whey as a supplement to your diet. Studies show that just by adding whey to your diet you're more likely to lose more fat. If you're still having trouble losing fat you may need to seek the assistance of a professional.

How The Bodybuilding Supplement Whey Can Help You Drop Body Fat

Sleep, genetics, your training program, what you eat and stress all play a role in how your body looks and how you feel. If you've made changes to what, when and how much you eat as well as your training program but you still can't seem to drop that stubborn body fat, consider how the bodybuilding supplement whey protein may help.

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Can't Seem To Drop That Stubborn Body Fat? Consider
How The Bodybuilding Supplement Whey Protein May Help.

What Is Whey Protein?

Whey protein is a milk protein that is the liquid by-product of cheese production. In supplement form, whey protein comes in three main forms:

1. Whey Protein Concentrate: Contains some fat and lactose and between 29% - 89% protein depending on the specific product. Whey protein concentrates often have more bioactive compounds.
2. Whey Protein Isolates: Contains minimal fat, cholesterol and lactose and 90% or more protein.
3. Whey Protein Hydrolysates: Are often used in clinical nutrition applications because they are predigested and partially broken and therefore easier to absorb.

Whey protein has the highest protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAA) - a measure of both how well a protein is digested and how well it supplies the amino acids needed by an adult. In addition, it is a complete protein meaning it contains all essential amino acids. Whey also contains more branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) than any other source of protein and more leucine than other types of protein.
Several studies indicate that whey protein is beneficial for increasing muscle protein synthesis. Consume whey pre- or post-training and you'll tip the scale in favor of muscle growth and strength gains over time. But, there are a number of other benefits associated with whey protein.

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How Bodybuilding Supplement Whey Protein Can Help You Shed Body Fat:

Add whey and drop weight? It sounds too good to be true but it may work.

• Whey Protein Is Rich in Leucine: Leucine plays a key role in protein synthesis, a process that burns through quite a few calories. In addition, it stimulates fatty acid oxidation.
• Whey Satiates Your Appetite: Studies show that whey may satiate your appetite better than some other types of protein. Milk proteins contain glycomacropeptide - a peptide that stimulates the cholecystokinin (CCK). CCK is an intestinal hormone that is released after eating a meal and it signals satiety.
• Studies Show Supplemental Whey Helps People Drop Body Fat: There are at least two studies where scientists examined whey protein supplementation and weight loss. In one study at the University of Oklahoma, scientists told both groups of participants not to change their diet. However, one group was given a nutrition supplement containing whey (300 calories, 40 grams of protein) once per day for two weeks and twice a day for the remaining eight weeks of the study. Both groups engaged in a supervised resistance and endurance-training program for 10 weeks.
  After the 10-week study, both groups decreased fat mass but the exercise + food supplement group showed a significantly greater decrease in fat mass (-9.3% versus -4.6% in the exercise-only group). The supplemented group also showed significant gains from pre- to post-test in muscle mass and significant decreases in total and LDL cholesterol.
  A 2006 study found that adding 60 grams of whey protein per day, in comparison to 60 grams of soy protein or 60 grams of carbohydrate, led to significant decreases in body fat and weight after 6 months.

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Adding Whey Protein Led To Significant Decreases
In Body Fat Compared To Soy Protein And Carbohydrate.

Additional Tips To Help Shed Body Fat:

• Use a food journal and write down everything you eat. Studies show that people who log their food intake every day are more likely to lose weight than those who do not.
• Seek the advice of a sports nutrition expert who has the education (a degree in nutrition or nutrition biochemistry) and experience in nutrition to help you.
• Check the forums and the transformations for information on how others have dropped fat pounds.
• If you are having problems losing weight yet you feel you are doing everything right, talk to your physician. Low levels of certain hormones, hypothyroidism and other conditions can make weight loss more difficult.

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Seek The Advice Of A Sports Nutrition Expert Who
Has The Education And Experience To Help You.

Conclusion

If you want to shed body fat, it makes prudent sense to incorporate whey protein into your routine. As a bodybuilder, this is something you should already be doing. After all, why spend time in the gym trying to get a better body (health and physique) if you aren't going to eat the right foods to support the changes you are striving for? Try whey, if nothing else, you'll likely notice an increase in strength.

Top 5 Ways To Stay Motivated In 2011

As the new year draw's closer, most of you will be making plans for what you'll be doing with your New Year's Resolutions. Perhaps this is the year you finally obtain that ripped physique that you've always dreamed.

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By: Shannon Clark

Article Summary:

Most people begin the new year in the gym and end the year feasting on goodies. If an obstacle should arise, you simply implement your solution and maintain your course. Don't ever discount how strong mental self-belief can be when it comes to success.

Top 5 Ways To Stay Motivated In The New Year!

As the new year draw's closer, most of you will be making plans for what you'll be doing with your New Year's Resolutions. Perhaps this is the year you finally obtain that ripped physique that you've always dreamt of or maybe this is the year you finally take those first steps onto a fitness program that you've been meaning to do for so long, yet have put off time and time again.
Whatever your case may be, it's important to think about what you're going to do to maintain your consistency with your effort so you don't become just another one of those statistics of people who start off strong with their gym membership in January, only to find that as February rolls around, they've frequented the fast fooddrive-thru a whole lot more often than they've frequented the gym. It's a fact that's hard to deny; most people begin the new year in the gym and end the year feasting on goodies as the holiday season progresses along, vowing that next year will be different.
But will next year really be any different? Asking yourself this question now, before this coming new year even hits is the first thing you should be doing to guarantee your success.

RELATED POLL

Do You Feel That You Accomplished Your 2010 Resolutions? Yes. No. I don't make resolutions.

Let's take a few moments and look at a few of the top methods that you can use this coming year to stay motivated to push onwards with your fitness goals. Remember, it doesn't matter what fitness level you're currently at, you're still going to struggle at some point or another to stay committed.
Those just starting out often think that the advanced trainees who already have wonderfully developed bodies must have something special about them where they just stay motivated no matter what, but don't be so quick to assume this. Even those who appear to be the most dedicated gym-goer still struggle at times to keep moving forward. It's just that those who plan for these motivational lulls and understand how to deal with them, don't let them push them off course. Instead of investing hours and hours into finding the absolute most perfect program for yourself, it might be worthwhile to invest half that time on learning some strategies to stick with whatever program it is you find. That is the real key to success.
Here's what you need to know.

1. Identify Obstacles In Advance

The very first thing that you should do to ensure that you stay on track as the year passes by is to make sure that you're anticipating any obstacles that may occur in advance. So many people simply wait for them to happen.
By the time the obstacle is occurring though, you're in full panic state and don't have a clue how to deal with it. Instead, before you even get going make a list of everything that could potentially come between you and your results. Whether it's diet related, workout related, or otherwise, write it down.
Once you have that down, then write down three solutions that you can use to overcome this problem.
Now that you have your solutions, you have an immediate way out. If the obstacle should arise, you simply implement your solution and maintain the course of the program.

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Whether It's Diet Related, Workout Related,
Or Otherwise, Write It Down.

When you take the time to develop this alternate action plan, then you really ever aren't 'falling' off the program at all. You're just taking a scenic detour along the way.
Framing it in this manner in your mind will be much less detrimental to your overall self-confidence in your ability to reach that goal and will keep you moving forwards.

2. Find Your Motivational Interrupters

Next, it's also important to identify any motivational interrupters as well. This could be one particular friend who always seems to have to visit a fast food location whenever you are visiting with each other or a volunteer activity you signed up for that always manages to be occurring at a time when you'd normally do your scheduled workout session.

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By looking at whatever it is that can interrupt your motivation, you can then look at ways you can possibly overcome this, or perhaps in some cases, prioritize what's really important to you and move on from that interrupter.
It's important to understand that you will have to make some sacrifices in life if you hope to attain the body that you're going for and these sacrifices won't always be easy. At times you may feel torn - skip the gym and go out with your friends to the local pizza place for drinks and a Friday night dinner, or stay the course and miss out on the social action.
It's a hard decision to make and only you can decide for yourself what you'll do, but try and come to an agreement with yourself and stick to it. Don't always expect perfection from yourself as sometimes your progress will be interrupted and there will be nothing you can do about it, but at the same time, don't give yourself too much leeway either. If you do, you'll find you aren't moving forward with your resolutions as intended.

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By Looking At Whatever It Is That Can Interrupt Your Motivation, You Can Then Look At Ways You Can Possibly Overcome This.

3. Set Proper Mini And Long-Term Goals

Another key thing that must be in place if you're going to stick with your New Year's Resolutions this time around is to make sure that you set both long and short term goals.
So many people are fast to set their sights on that long term goal, which is great, but then forget to set mini goals that they'll strive for along the way.
When you're only focused on that long-term goal at the very end of the road, sometimes it's very easy to lose sight of it. If you happen to do this, that's when it'll be easier to take an alternate path - a path away from fitness altogether. If you set short-term goals that will help you move closer to that long term goal in the big picture, with each short-term goal that you reach, your motivational level will be pushed higher.
Reach enough short-term goals and pretty soon there will be no doubt in your mind that you're on your way to success.

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When You're Only Focused On That Long-Term Goal At The Very End Of The Road, Sometimes It's Very Easy To Lose Sight Of It.

4. Focus On What You're Doing Right

Another thing that you should be doing come this new year is to make sure that you're also focusing on what you're doing right. Far too many people are quick to focus on all the things that they're doing wrong with their program and all this does is places them in a negative frame of mind.
While you still do definitely need to identify when you move away from the path you should be on as denial is no way to go about things, don't ever neglect what you are doing to help see success.
By bringing out all the positive changes that you're making you'll change your frame of mind and get yourself believing in your abilities a lot more.
Don't ever discount how strong this mental self-belief can be when it comes to realizing success. If you believe in yourself, the chances of your goal actually coming true increase ten-fold compared to if you're hung up on everything you're doing wrong.

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Don't Ever Discount How Strong This Mental Self-Belief Can
Be When It Comes To Realizing Success.

5. Set More Than One Goal 

Finally, make an effort to also set more than one goal as you go about your program plan. If you have a few goals set - say one that's related to body weight and body fat levels, and then another couple that are performance based goals, then if one goal happens to be not quite going as you had wanted, you won't feel so discouraged if the other is moving along nicely. The more goals you are working towards the greater chances that you will see success in one of them along the way, thus boosting your overall morale to stick with the program. Just be sure that the goals all support one another and aren't contradictory as then you'll just be working against yourself.
So keep all these points in mind as you move into the New Year. It's great to set a good New Year's Resolution and take out that gym membership in the first month of the year, but if you don't maintain that same level of motivation past that one-month mark, you're likely to find yourself making a very similar resolution come this time next year.

Muslce Building Food Stack To Get You Jacked

When it comes to bulking your diet is not to be overlooked. Read on for a breakdown of the protein, carbohydrate, and fat sources that should be included in a well rounded bulking diet in order to get maximum results!

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By: Roger Lockridge

Article Summary:

The foods you eat daily are more important than the supplements you stack. The right protein and carbohydrate sources will help you reach your goals faster. Consistency with your diet is crucial in order to achieve your goals.

The Muscle Building Food Stack To Get You Jacked

Anyone who is successful in bodybuilding from the local big dude in the gym to former Mr. Olympia's normally get asked about their "stack". People who are just starting out or who want to take their physique to the next level want to know what supplements they are taking. What kind of protein, multivitamin, creatine, NO product are you on? Do you take glutamine, fish oil, BCAA's, or anything else? Obviously this information can be helpful and will help beginners out, but it is not the supplement stack that people should be concerned with starting out or even if you are an intermediate lifter. You should be wondering about the food stack that the greats take daily.

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What kind of Protein, Multivitamin, Creatine, NO Product Are You On?

Food Stack?

You may have never heard of it mentioned like that, but yes, food stack. As important as supplements may be, they are only a piece of the puzzle and they are not the biggest piece you should be concerned with. Without proper nutrition, those supplements are not going to be as effective as they can be. It is that simple. Look at the word itself. Dietary supplements are supposed to "supplement" your diet and training. If you want to be the jacked up stud that everyone admires and stares at, you better figure out your food stack and do it quick.
So how do you make up your food stack? I prefer to keep it simple personally. You are supposed to eat six times a day at least. The three major meals of the day are breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In between are meals where you will more than likely have a protein shake or two. That leaves one meal for a snack. You are also supposed to have a source of protein and a source of carbohydrates in each meal. So my particular food stack will look like this.

• Breakfast: Protein, Carbs
• Lunch: Protein, Carbs
• Dinner: Protein, Carbs
• Snack: Protein, Carbs

You may be thinking to yourself "That is only eight types of food I eat every day." You are right, but think about it. If it is simple and consistent, then you will be more likely to follow it and succeed, correct? Correct. This will also be easier on your grocery list and your budget, which I know we can all appreciate. Furthermore, this makes keeping up with the nutrition log much easier on you.

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If You Want To Be The Jacked Up Stud That Everyone Admires And Stares At, You Better Figure Out Your Food Stack.

I am going to go over each part of the stack and which foods would be best for you to eat at that time of the day to get that killer body you want. At the end, I will list a few alternatives for you also in case you either don't like the ones I mention or you just have to change something up. Let's begin with the most important meal of the day, breakfast.

Breakfast Stack


Protein Source: Egg Whites 

Nutrition Facts For 1 Large Egg White:
16 Calories
3g of Protein
.5g of Carbs
0g of Fat
Egg whites are your best bet first thing in the morning. You only want the egg white because the yolk has the fat of the egg and you want to build lean mass, not fat mass. Since you need protein, 10-12 egg whites a day will suffice for a meal. That means you will have 160-192 calories and 30-36 grams of protein first thing in the morning. That may seem like a lot to you, but it really is not that expensive, especially if you buy your eggs in bulk.

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Egg Whites Are Your Best Bet First Thing In The Morning.

Carbohydrate Source: Oats

Nutrition Facts For 1 Cups Of Dry Oats: 
120 Calories
3g of Protein
25g of Carbohydrates
1.5g of Fat
Oatmeal is a great idea for a carbohydrate source in the morning because it is a complex carbohydrate that will help you get your energy levels up for the day. It is low in fat and also high in fiber. Like eggs, if you buy your oats in the bigger containers instead of the ten packet boxes you will save money. Also, the carbs in oatmeal are low glycemic so they will slowly be absorbed by the body over time. The energy you get from the oats will last a while which helps later in the day. Now that breakfast is covered, let's move on to lunch.

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The Carbs In Oatmeal Are Low Glycemic So They Will Slowly Be Absorbed By The Body Over Time.

Lunch Stack


Protein Source: Tuna 

Nutrition Facts For 1 Cup Of Tuna In Water, Drained: 
180 Calories
39g of Protein
0g of Carbs
1.25g of Fat
Tuna is one of the best sources of protein that bodybuilders can possibly have in their food arsenal. It is rich in protein, it requires little or no effort to fix depending on how you like to eat it and the best part is that it is cheap. You can get tuna for less than 75 cents a can in most places. Make sure you get the tuna that is stored in water.

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Tuna Is One Of The Best Sources Of Protein That Bodybuilders
Can Possibly Have In Their Food Arsenal.

Carbohydrate Source: Brown Rice

Nutrition Facts For 1 Cup Of Brown Rice, cooked:
220 Calories
4.5g of Protein
45g of Carbohydrates
1.5g of Fat
Just like your oatmeal at breakfast, Brown Rice is a complex carbohydrate that is rated low on the glycemic index scale. Whether you workout in the morning or afternoon to early evening, taking rice at this point in the day is smart because if you trained in the morning, you will recover better. If you are training later then your energy will be high despite what all you have planned in your day and you can still give it your all in the gym. So now lunch is taken care of and at this point in your day you should be running on all cylinders. Let's go ahead and focus on dinner because after a long day, you want to make sure you get what you need before going to bed.

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Whether You Workout In The Morning Or Afternoon To Early Evening, Taking Rice At This Point In The Day Is Smart.

Dinner Stack


Protein Source: Chicken 

Nutrition Facts for 1 cup of Roasted Diced Chicken:
215 Calories
38g of Protein
0g of Carbs
6g of Fat
Chicken is a bodybuilder's best friend. They provide your protein for breakfast in the eggs and they are the protein source for dinner at the end of the day. There are different ways to prepare your bird so having this variety will be good if you need to break the monotony of having it every day. The only thing that may not be a good idea is frying it. However you choose to fix it, it is very affordable and awesome to have to ensure your protein needs for the evening are met.

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Chicken Is Very Affordable And Awesome To Have To Ensure Your Protein Needs.

Carbohydrate Source: Black Beans

Nutrition Facts For 1 Cup Black Beans, Dried:
225 Calories
15g of Protein
41g of Carbs
Less than 1g of Fat
Although it is high in protein as well, Black Beans are awesome carbs for the end of the day. Combined with your chicken, this is a tremendous muscle building meal to cap off your muscle building nutrition stack. Now if you are more focused on fat loss, then you will not have a carbohydrate source at the end of the day. You don't want any extra calories that may go unprocessed and be stored as bodyfat while you are sleeping. So there are your three basic meals covered. Let's look at what you may want for in between your major meals.

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Snack Stack


Protein Source: Cottage Cheese 

Nutrition Facts For 1 Cup Of Nonfat, Uncreamed Cottage Cheese: 
125 Calories
25g of Protein
2.5g of Carbs
.5g of Fat
Cottage Cheese is definitely what you need for your final meal before bed. Cottage cheese has casein protein which is a slower digesting protein than whey and will keep your body from going into starvation mode in the middle of the night. This serves as a BIG advantage to you whether you are a hardgainer or are dieting to lose bodyfat. I suggest taking your whey protein during the day in between your big meals and having cottage cheese for your post dinner meal.

Carbohydrate Source: Pineapple

Nutrition Facts For 1 Cup Of Pineapple Canned In It's Own Juices:
140 Calories
less than 1 gram of protein
34 grams of carbohydrates
less than 1 gram of fat
You probably weren't expecting a fruit but hear me out. Pineapples are good to have as a snack with your whey protein in the morning because of the digestive enzymes that are in it. Those digestive enzymes will help you break down all the other food you take in throughout the course of the day. I would suggest having pineapple in between your breakfast and lunch. If you are dieting you may want to do half a serving of pineapple or pass it up completely.

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I Would Suggest Having Pineapple In Between Your Breakfast And Lunch.

Don't Forget The Fats

I bet you thought I wasn't going to cover that. I am covering this separately so you know that fats must be included if you want to be as successful as possible. Too many people take fats lightly and you just can't do that. No food stack is complete without including healthy fats. I am going to give you a fat to use as an "add on" to each of your parts to your current stack.

Breakfast Fat: Flax Seeds

Nutrition Facts For 1 Tablespoon Of Flax Seeds:
55 Calories
2g of Protein
3g of Carbohydrates
4g of Fat
This is low in sodium and cholesterol and is also a great source offiber, thiamin, and manganese. Add them to your oatmeal to make sure you get the fats you need to start the day.

Flax Seed Products: Sorted By Top Sellers. Flax seeds are an excellent source of fiber. They contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. They also contain a special fiber called mucilage. Mucilage helps stabilize blood sugar levels, and is a natural laxative. [ Find Flax Seed Products Sorted By Top Sellers ]

Lunch or Snack Fat: Almonds 

Nutrition Facts For 1oz Of Almonds: 
164 Calories
6g of Protein
5g of Carbs
14g of FatAlmonds are a good source of Vitamin E, magnesium, potassium,zinc, iron, fiber and are a good source of healthy monounsaturated fat. They also have more calcium than any other nut.

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Almonds Have More Calcium Than Any Other Nut.

Dinner Fat: Olive Oil 

Nutrition Facts For 1 Tablespoon Of Olive Oil:
120 Calories
0g of Protein
0g of Carbohydrates
13.5g of Fat
Whether you add it to a salad at dinner or cook with it, this one is great to end the day with. So you combine your food stack with your protein shakes you have in the day, your nutrition plan may look like this.

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Whether You Add It To A Salad At Dinner Or Cook With It,
This One Is Great To End The Day With.

Recap of the "Get Jacked" Food Stack

• Breakfast: Egg Whites, Oatmeal, Flax Seeds
• Snack: Whey Protein, Pineapple
• Lunch: Tuna, Brown Rice, Almonds
• Snack: Whey Protein
• Dinner: Chicken, Beans, Olive Oil
• Snack Before Bed: Cottage Cheese

Alternatives

Ok, I understand I may have included something you may be allergic to or just can't stand the thought of eating so I am going to include some alternatives for you to replace what I put in. You can also occasionally switch one source for another and see if that particular source will help you better.

Sources of Protein	Sources of Carbohydrates	Sources of Fats
Skim Milk	Sweet Potatoes	Pistachios
Turkey	Whole Wheat Bread	Macadamia Nuts
Halibut	Quinoa	Salmon
Bass	Perogies	Fish Oils
Catfish	Barley	Cashews
93/7 Ground Beef	Bananas	Herring
Steak	Whole Wheat Pasta	Mackerel

Conclusion

The stack I covered is, in my opinion, the ultimate muscle building stack to get you moving forward to reaching your muscle building goals and to become the jacked dude moving the heavy iron and capturing the attention of all of those around you. Whether you follow my recommendation or substitute one of them for another choice, you must be consistent with your diet to accomplish your goals and build that awesome physique you work so hard in the gym for and dream of having day in and day out. Without consistency, you will accomplish nothing.