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Jamie was on a quest to gain more weight in the form of rippling muscles.  He was a tall guy, measuring in at 6 foot 4 inches (1.93 m), but only weighed 165 pounds (75 kg).  He wasn’t happy with his wiry look and wanted a stronger, more muscular physique.  In his mission to add more muscle bulk, Jamie started hitting the gym 6 days a week, lifting weights for 2 hours at a time, and eating as much protein as he could get his hands on.  He started eating steak and four eggs daily and was constantly either drinking high protein shakes or eating protein bars.

Some people might be wondering if Jamie is going about achieving his muscle gains the right way.  That is a good question.  Is Jamie’s ultra high protein diet the right way to build bigger muscles?  Well, a study coming out of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is strongly saying that a high protein diet is not necessary for muscle growth.

Study:
Researchers from the University of Texas compared the changes in muscle protein synthesis (growth) in volunteers who consumed different amounts of 90% lean beef. Some volunteers were fed 30 g of beef protein per meal (about 4 oz), while others ate 90 g of beef protein per meal (about 12 oz). Using blood samples and thigh muscle biopsies, the researchers determined the subjects’ muscle growth rates following each of the meals. They found out that only the first 30 g of protein per meal was used to build muscle in the young and elderly volunteers.

What does this mean?
This means that when it comes to muscle growth, the old adage “The more protein you eat, the better,” is not true.  There seems to be an upper limit to how much protein a muscle can use at a given time.  So, eating more than 30 grams of protein per meal, or what is equivalent to 4 oz of chicken or 90% lean ground beef, will not stimulate more muscle growth.  Instead, the excess protein will usually just break down and be used for energy or converted to fat.  So, in order to maximize muscle growth, the study argues that it is best to consume a moderate amount of protein throughout the day, instead of in one meal.  Unfortunately, dinner is where most people eat the most protein and breakfast is where they eat the least.  So, if you want to maximize muscle growth, eat a moderate amount of protein (no more than 30 grams) at any meal.  If you spread the protein consumption throughout the day, your body will be synthesizing muscle all day long!

Source: University of Texas Medical Branch (via ScienceDaily)

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So, today my goal is to put those concerns to rest and convince you to weight train because weight training is an essential part of any exercise program and should not be left out.  So, sit back and enjoy the show!

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Many people decide to start a weight training routine every day. But many are not sure how to go about it. They don’t have any idea where to start. They are not sure how often to train, how much to lift, how many sets, etc.

That’s why I am dedicating this episode to helping you safely and effectively start a weight training program.

While researching this show, I referenced The New Wellness Encyclopedia.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Going Bananas!

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Cholesterol: Wage the War Without Meds!
2. You Can Eat Dessert!

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Back on show #40, I talked about ways to minimize or avoid muscle soreness and muscle cramps during exercise.  For those that didn’t hear that show, those are aches and pains that while painful, do not involve injury.

In this show, I am going to cover exercise related injuries.  Specifically, I am going to discuss strains and sprains.  I will go over what they are, who is at risk for getting them, what to do when you get them and of course ways to avoid them.

Some references I used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encyclopedia, Mayo Clinic and ahealthyme.com.

I also answered Michele Ford’s question regarding the safety of Stevia.  The primary reference used while researching this question was the Mayo Clinic.

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Swine Flu: How to Avoid It
2. Not Another Nosebleed!

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review. It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners. Thanks for listening, everyone!

Sometimes, after a really hard workout, you feel so stiff and sore that it hurts to move.  Getting out of bed or getting dressed is so painful that you can’t help grunting as you pull on your clothes.  Or maybe you wake up with a cramp in your calf or foot in the middle of the night or get a cramp in the middle of your workout.  If so, you are not alone.

But don’t let your concern over these aches and pains stop you from working out.  In this show, I discuss ways to minimize or avoid muscle soreness and muscle cramps.

Some references I used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encyclopedia and sportsmedicine.about.com.

I also answered two questions, one from Jennifer Johnson on free radicals and the other from Luke Lynden on protein drinks.  References used to answer these questions were answers.com and Mayo Clinic.

The Blog Posts for this week are:

1. Floss or No Teeth for You!
2. Gaia’s Essence Product Review

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Want a nice firm, defined body?  If you answered yes to this question, then it is time to start strength training!  Strength training is important for a strong, healthy body and should always be a major component of any exercise program.

What is strength training?
Strength training is performing an exercise that places resistance against the muscles. Ideally, it involves precise, controlled movements to target specific muscle groups.  Strength training is usually synonymous with weight training.  But, it can also be associated with isometric training, plyometrics, pilates and yoga.

What is strength training good for?
Strength training improves your muscle strength by developing your skeletal muscles, but it doesn’t just tone up your muscles and give you that body you have always wanted.  It will also:

1. Prevent injuries:  With strength training you will acquire stronger muscles, tendons and ligaments which are less likely to succumb under physical stress and cause injury.
2. Prevent certain medical conditions:  Strength training can help prevent the onset and slow down the progress of osteoporosis, lower your blood pressure and lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
3. Increase your strength:  With increased strength you will be able to lift heavier items easier and walk up stairs with greater ease. Essentially anything physical you do now, will become easier to do.
4. Reduce joint pain:  Strength training can reduce back and knee pain by building muscle around these areas, thereby supporting them better and taking pressure off the joints.
5. Increase walking safety as people age:  Increased strength can improve your posture, balance, stability, and flexibility to help prevent falls.
6. Improves your appearance:  Strength training helps you build a firmer, tighter body, burn fat and even help with some of those problem areas we all have.

Does strength training help weight loss?
Also, for those wanting to lose weight, strength training can help decrease body fat by boosting your metabolism.  With a faster metabolism, you will burn more calories even at rest because it is your muscles that burn fat.  So, the more muscle you have, the more fat you will burn.

If you’re expecting weight to start dropping off right away though, you might be disappointed.  Initially, when starting a strength training program, your overall weight may not change, but you will be burning off fat and building muscle.  Since muscle is denser than fat, you will be getting smaller, even while your weight isn’t changing much.  Over time, you will notice your measurements and body fat decreasing.  And after some muscle has been built up, your weight will start to drop. Isn’t that a nice thought?

With all these benefits that strength training provides, it should definitely be an important component of your exercise routine.  So, stop neglecting strength training and start building a better, healthier you!