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If winter was the season of mass gain then summer calls to go shirtless. Now, you can no more hide your flab beneath layers of woolies. Before you lose that shirt on the beach, you need to build leaner muscles by resorting to meaner workouts.  Commonly, cardio gets equated with fat loss, but the problem with any repetitive exercise is that as you become efficient in it, you are going to need less energy to complete it. Therefore, you should utilize the power of inefficiency provided by weight lifting to keep your metabolism up, so that you are able to burn fat at a faster rate. 

Incorporate a delicate balance of weights, along with moderate cardio and a diet plan to build a physique with rippling muscles that you would not like to hide. 

TOP 3 WAYS IN WHICH WEIGHT TRAINING WILL MAKE YOU BEACH READY

Commonly, in gym-speak, cardio is for weight loss seekers and when you want to build muscle, you wake up and lift the iron, which involves an increase in weight as well. But, this is just the half-truth. Moreover, weight loss is all about losing fat and not lean muscle mass. You need to pack more of lean muscle mass as it makes you look athletic at the beach and here, weight training is particularly useful.

IMPROVES METABOLIC RATE FOR INCREASED WEIGHT LOSS

When you start lifting weights your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) goes up, primarily due to an increase in your post-exercise oxygen consumption which keeps your metabolism up even after a strength training session and your muscles remain contracted, long after you have worked out. Both these factors will keep your RMR up. As a result, you burn more calories even at rest, which means an increase in your calorie expenditure even when you are sleeping, watching TV, checking emails. Sounds terrific, isn’t it?

A 90kg male will have an RMR of 1600 to 1900 calories which is about 2-3 times more calories than a typical workout.

PRESERVE YOUR LEAN MUSCLE MASS

Weight training is good at preserving your Lean Body Mass (LBM) which is a significant contributor to RMR.

Whereas a kg of fat will burn 4 to 8 calories, a kg of muscle will burn 13 to 22 calories. The difference will show on your waistline in the long run and you don’t have to do much about it, except lifting. 

Any kind of strength training will yield a result, but as a beginner, you should start from body weight exercises. In your workout regimen you need to include movements such as pushups, pull ups, squats. Yoga and pilates also build your strength and whatever builds your strength is good for your muscles.

LOSE MORE FAT PERCENTAGE WITH WEIGHT LIFTING EXERCISES

Not only your RMR goes up, with weight lifting exercises, you lose more fat percentage than cardio or diet. In a scientific experiment, overweight subjects were assigned to three groups: diet only, diet plus aerobics and diet plus aerobics plus weights.

After two weeks, it was observed that the diet group lost 6.6kg body fat, the aerobic group lost 7.07kg body fat and the group lifting iron along with the earlier two exercises lost 9.57kg of body fat, which was 44 percent more than the diet group and 35 percent more than the aerobics group. 

WEIGHT LIFTING WORKOUT BASICS

Follow these golden rules in every workout to build muscle and blast fat fast:

• The weight you choose should be 80 percent less than your capacity
• Do just one set of exercise using 8-12 reps
• Lift gradually and be slow while putting the weight down
• Do not work out more than 3-4 times in a week.
• If you want to do cardio do it after weight lifting. 

BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT BASICS

If you are new to weight lifting, you need to design a body workout that uses your body weight. Movements such as push-ups, pull-ups, squats and dip will test your strength and stamina. Since you will get tired early in the workout, the reps will be in a descending ladder pattern.

After a dynamic warm-up, you need to perform these exercises.  Focus on the form and by the end of the session  your lungs will be gasping for air

Jumping Split Squat	Stand with your body in a split stance position, this will look like you just performed a lunge. Jump as high as you can and as you are in the air, switch your legs so that the opposite one is forward.	12, 10, 8,6,4 reps
Chin Up	Chin up is a strength-training exercise and it is good for building biceps	12, 10, 8,6,4 reps
Bodyweight Dip	A dip is a compound, push-type exercise which works a large number of muscles in your chest, shoulders, and arms at the same time.	12, 10, 8,6,4 reps
Bear Crawl	Bend down and get on all fours and simply crawl. Make sure to keep your lower back flat throughout the movement. Focus on form, not speed.	60, 50, 40, 30, 20 metres
Sprint	Try and run at least 85-90 percent of your top speed

EAT RIGHT

Your muscles are made of protein. Therefore, you need to eat right to build them. Make sure you eat 2.2 gram of protein per kg of your body weight every day. 

Good sources of proteins are chicken, eggs, fish, dairy, whey, cottage cheese, lentils and soy. Non-vegetarian sources provide all the essential amino acids needed for building muscles.

While protein is the most important nutrient for building muscle, carbs are a close second.They provide the fuel for explosive workouts and weight lifting is an exacting workout. It demands even the last ounce of your energy. As a general rule, you should have 2-3 grams of carbs every day

Weight in Kg	Protein Consumption in grams
60	132
70	154
80	176
90	198

Your carb consumption will stay same or a bit higher than your protein consumption. Get your carbs from complex sources like whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Sweet potato is particularly a good source of carb and finds mention in almost all bodybuilding menu.

FUEL RIGHT

Naturally, whey protein is your trusted supplement. You need it to fulfill your protein need as well as build muscles. Fat burners are going to speed up your rate of fat burn and the result will show in rippling muscles. Carnitine is also useful as it will amplify the rate of your fat burn, but the lasting effect will come from weight lifting.

Lift like no tomorrow and go shirtless in style on the beach this summer. The look of admiration is going to make every bit of the hard work worthwhile.

For fitness enthusiasts, the right supplement makes all the difference in achieving their fitness goals. Yet, choosing the right supplement is not as simple as it sounds. There are plenty of confusions and you might be lured into buying a product which is not suited for you. Be supplement smart and find for yourself the difference between

1. Whey Protein vs Mass Gainers
2. Creatine Monohydrate vs Citrulline Malate
3. Fat Burner versus L-Carnitine

As you become more informed, the results are going to show in terms of improved strength, stamina and muscle size.  

WHEY PROTEIN VERSUS MASS GAINER

This is the topmost confusion on the minds of many new gym-goers, who are seeking to transform their body and build unadulterated muscle mass. In order to make up your mind on your protein type, you need to know that building muscle does not happen in a vacuum. You need to enter in a calorie surplus situation, where extra calories come from quality nutrients, like complex carbs, good fats and high-quality proteins. However, hard you work out at the gym, your muscles are not built during exercise rather these muscles get built during the period of rest. Exercise and workouts cause microscopic tears in your muscle fibers. Getting healthy nutrients and adequate rest allow the muscle fibers to become bigger and stronger and whey protein is a critical nutrient during a post-workout window. But, whey will not help you bulk up.

HOW WHEY PROTEIN DIFFERS FROM MASS GAINER

WHEY PROTEIN	MASS GAINER
Whey protein is a high-quality protein, which is derived from cow’s milk.	Mass Gainers are proteins too, but it has complex carbs as well and in a higher ratio than protein.
Whey protein is a pure source of protein until it is blended with ingredients such as creatine, or multivitamins.	Mass Gainer is not a pure source of protein. The protein and carbs ratio in mass gainer varies from 1:3 to 1:5. Complex carbs in a mass gainer provide energy for intense workouts.
Whey Protein has fewer calories than mass gainer. It acts quickly. Therefore, it is strongly recommended post workouts, as it immediately provides necessary amino acids for muscle repair.	Mass Gainers help in bulking up, a situation where you need to go in a calorie surplus situation.  They are rich in calories and they provide energy for intense workouts as well as repair tired muscles.

For a person, who works out intensely, protein needs are close to 2.2g for a kilo of body weight.

Whey protein easily provides close to 25g fast-acting proteins in a scoop, which helps fill in the increased protein demands as well as helps in quick muscle recovery. 

CREATINE MONOHYDRATE VERSUS CITRULLINE MALATE

Similar sounding names, but they are different from each other.  Creatine Monohydrate is the most researched supplement so far. Since 1981, creatine has been used as an athletic enhancement supplement and it is an FDA approved dietary supplement.

HOW CREATINE WORKS

Creatine gives you that extra dose of energy to continue through the last set and lift heavier weights. It gives you the energy to run like a wind. In your cells, creatine is stored as creatine phosphate.  Any sports activity that demands lots of energy benefits with creatine supplementation. In a human body, ATP is the energy currency and it is largely stored in the muscle cells. Normally your body uses glucose (sugar) as quick energy, but there is a slight delay before it can convert the glucose so that it’s usable by your cells.

 When your body needs energy quickly, a phosphate gets stolen from the ATP and it is converted to ADP, which does not generate any more energy. The more intense is your physical activity sooner your reserve of ATPs will exhaust and will it be converted to ADPs.

HOW CREATINE MONOHYDRATE CHANGES YOUR ENERGY DEFICIT

Creatine when taken in loading phase (approximately 5g for 5-7 days) it saturates the muscle cells with Creatine Phosphate.

1. In the event when your body needs energy quickly, as in power for the first few reps), the creatine “donates” its phosphate to the ADP, which becomes ATP, and voila, your cells have a little bit of extra energy,  which allows the muscle builder to push himself harder.
2. If you wish to have that energy spurt, each time you hit the gym, continue creatine in the maintenance phase.
3. The other noticeable benefit of creatine shows in the form of pumped up muscles. Since creatine attracts water, it gives your muscles aesthetically appealing pump.

CITRULLINE MALATE

Citrulline Malate formed of Citrulline and Malate. In nature, citrulline is found in watermelon and malate is an apple derivative. Research studies have established the superiority of Citrulline Malate to citrulline alone.

For a muscle seeker and a fitness enthusiast, the advantages of citrulline malate show in increased muscle pump and improved endurance.

HOW CITRULLINE MALATE WORKS

Citrulline is a powerful precursor to arginine and in a human body, it is responsible for releasing Nitric Oxide( NO). NO dilates blood vessels, which allows for increased blood flow into the muscles, giving you that much-desired muscle pump.

1. While creatine draws water to muscle cells, Citrulline Malate dilates the blood vessels which lets more blood gush into the muscle tissues when you work out giving you that unmistakable pump.
2. Citrulline Malate also helps you recover faster. Your Creatine Phosphate level goes down after you have worked out and Citrulline Malate stimulates phosphocreatine recovery after exercise.

FAT BURNER VERSUS L-CARNITINE L-TARTRATE

Fat burners contain a mix of natural ingredients and they raise your body’s metabolism, which helps you shed weight faster. Normally, fat burners contain extracts of green tea, caffeine, garcinia cambogia, grapefruit and cayenne pepper.

1. Not only a fat burner controls your unnecessary food cravings, it hinders the conversion of unused carbs into fats, rather burns them for energy.
2. Fat burners do not work in isolation. They work along with a disciplined diet and exercise plan.

L-Carnitine L-Tartrate helps a muscle seeker when he is trying to get ripped. Each time you work out, long chain fatty acids are freed, but they do not reach mitochondria, in the absence of L-Carnitine.

1. Supplemental carnitine burns those freed long-chain fatty acids for fuel, thereby sparing muscle glycogen.  Carnitine is helpful in prolonging your workout duration, as it reduces accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles.
2. Since you feel less fatigued, you are able to exercise for a longer duration, which is one of the primary conditions for building muscles.

The right supplement will complement your workout and diet plan. Choose it wisely and work out vigorously. The results are bound to show on your body.

Read Also: Creatine for Women: Is it Safe and Effective for Building Muscle?

Does smoking affect muscle growth or does vaping affect muscle growth? Yes, it does. Smoking and vaping is not only bad for lungs but can also damage your muscles as smoking decreases the number of blood vessels that bring nutrients and oxygen to the leg muscles. Smoking is hard to quit. If you have been smoking in the past, there are high chances that you won’t be able to discontinue this habit. Even with a disciplined diet, exercise and right supplement, you will not get the desired results in bodybuilding. Smoking and bodybuilding can go together, it is injurious to your health, which means your bodybuilding goals are at risk too. There are various harmful effects of smoking on bodybuilding.

TOP 4 EFFECTS OF SMOKING ON BODYBUILDERS

Cigarettes contain nicotine which makes it addictive as smoke in it gives you a temporary high. The health issues related to smoking come from the tobacco’s toxic effects that come from chemicals and these are harmful to muscle seekers. Therefore, bodybuilding and smoking is not a great idea. 

SMOKING REDUCES YOUR WORKOUT PERFORMANCE

If you have been smoking before workout or smoking after a workout, you need to stop that. Do you know that a smoker’s heart rate is 30% faster than a non-smoker? Yes, due to which it becomes difficult for a smoker to push himself to the maximum during the workouts. Since the heart has to work harder to ensure adequate circulation during the workouts. The increased heart rate also raises blood pressure. 

As the blood flow decreases due to narrowed blood vessels, the working muscles don’t get enough oxygen-rich blood when it is needed the most during intense workouts, which means you can get into the anaerobic state (a state where your body starts producing lactic acid, the reason behind the burning sensation felt in the muscles) very easily, which leads to very low endurance.

Ingredients of Cigarettes

Moreover, the carbon monoxide inhaled from cigarettes binds to the blood’s haemoglobin, which impacts oxygen transport throughout the body. Tar in cigarettes gets collected in the airways and it hampers lung natural cleansing mechanisms and lungs don’t perform at the perfect level, due to which muscles become oxygen-starved, and affects your physical performance and reduces endurance and muscle recovery rate. When your endurance goes down, you are not able to push yourself through the last reps and in a set. As a result, you build less muscle than a non-smoker.

Know More About Ten Must-Do Strength Workout for Women

SMOKING LOWERS YOUR TESTOSTERONE LEVEL

Testosterone level is linked to the muscle building. Muscle cells have receptors for testosterone called androgen receptors. When testosterone binds to the receptors, muscle fibres are maintained. Without testosterone, maintenance stops and muscle is degraded.

Another risk of smoking cigarettes is that it can damage the testosterone-producing cells within the body. With decreasing testosterone level, the muscles start to turn to fat, particularly in unwanted zones like chest and stomach. According to a study, low testosterone is replaced by a hormone called estrogen that is linked to increased belly fat or where you least want it.

SMOKING RAISES CORTISOL

Smoking is responsible for an increase in the level of a stress hormone called cortisol, which decreases the production of testosterone. It also reduces protein synthesis, an important requirement for muscle growth. In smokers, there is an increased level of myostatin, a hormone that inhibits muscle growth reduces the strength of the muscles and prevents the toning of muscles.

SMOKING MAKES YOU INSULIN RESISTANT

Smoking can cause insulin resistance, which can hugely impact your muscle-building goals. Insulin is a protein cum hormone, released after consuming carb-rich foods and works as a signal for the muscles to absorb glucose in the bloodstream. Glucose releases after consuming meals and produces ATP energy cells for the body. Whereas when you become insulin resistant, the muscles refuse to respond to the signal to absorb glucose from the blood and your energy levels decrease due to overload of glucose in the blood.  

It makes you feel tired and prevents you from performing to the optimum level. Insulin resistance hampers the storage of glycogen. Glycogen is a longer chain version of glucose and the body’s energy storage mechanism. Less glycogen means that your workout intensity will be lower than normal. Insulin resistance also affects the nutrient absorption of the body and increases fat deposit, especially belly, a complete ‘no’ for the muscle builder.

HOW TO QUIT SMOKING?

Quitting smoking can be a bit difficult due to its psychological and physical affect. The nicotine offers a momentary and temporary high. Same smoking quitting method doesn’t work for every individual.

It is important to recognise the fact that it is a kind of addiction and requires help to get over it. When trying to quit smoking you not try to wean away from the psychological and physical high provided by the cigarette, but unconsciously move out from the circle of friends and co-workers with whom you enjoy your smoke, which can be difficult.

In fact, quitting smoking is stressful, which is why it is very important to prepare yourself for that stressful period of quitting by following the below-mentioned things.

• Opt for therapies like laser and acupuncture. 
• Talk with a friend that can understand your quitting journey and support you. It actually becomes easier if you have a partner who is also trying to quit smoking.
• A key part of quitting is to manage cravings that can make your quitting program successful. Find ways to divert your attention when the craving strikes.
• Try nicotine replacement therapy as it works for many people and is worth trying. 

If you want to know how much smoking is too much? Just forget that as to achieve your bodybuilding goals you have to say bye to smoking. 

Don’t lose hope when trying to quit. Always remember quitting will help your lungs and overall health that will help you in gaining muscle. So, keep trying!

When you start going to the gym, your immediate realization is that everyone dishes out an advice. Whether they make sense or not, is for you to decide. Mostly, these advice are conflicting and they leave you at your wit’s end. We have put together, top such 5 fitness industry lies that many people would like you to believe in, but are not true. Find the truth for yourself. 

LIE: DO CARDIO EXERCISES FOR WEIGHT LOSS

FACT: Weight train to become slimmer.

If you wish to lose weight, go the cardio exercise route and if you want to build muscles, start lifting weights. This is the standard thought process. Let us analyze the facts:

Normally, cardio burns 5-10 calories in a minute which is more than the calories burnt per minute in weight training.

The other side of the story is that cardio burns more calories per minute but you also lose muscle mass.

In one Penn State study, dieters lost 21 pounds whether they performed cardio or strength training.

But for the cardio group, six of those pounds came from muscle, while the lifters lost almost pure fat. Losing muscle mass is going to make it difficult for you to maintain your weight, as it slows down your Basal Metabolic Rate (the number of calories you spend every day in maintaining your bodily activities, eating, sleeping, breathing).

Here, weight training certainly has an edge.

Both these factors count towards weight loss in the long run and without actually doing a thing.

1. Studies have demonstrated that after a weight training workout, the metabolism can be boosted for up to 36 hours post-workout, meaning that you will be burning more number of calories for the same sedentary activities, like watching TV.
2. The difference might sound nominal initially, of only 10-15 calories, per hour, but if you calculate the impact over the period of 36 hours, the numbers are going to be significant.
3. Moreover, weight lifting enables you to build bigger muscle mass. Muscles are metabolically active tissues, and you need more calories in maintaining them.
4. If you continue to strength train and eat enough protein, you will be able to manage your muscle tissues, which makes strength training an effective strategy for weight loss in the long run.

The fool proof plan to weight loss should aim at cutting down your calorie intake by replacing a meal with a protein shake, weight train along with cardio. 

LIE: WORK OUT EVERYDAY TO SEE RESULTS

FACT: For results to show, you need to let your muscles recover. 

An intense workout causes microscopic injuries in your muscle tissues. Your muscles will grow bigger, only if you provide it with enough muscle building nutrients and sleep over it. One of the major hormones responsible for muscle growth is HGH (Human Growth Hormone). These hormones are the highest when we sleep. Lack of sleep raises cortisol, a hormone related to catabolism or muscle wastage.

Well, this much is clear that your muscles grow outside the gym. In the absence of proper recovery time, you are going to reach a performance plateau and also run the risk of injury.

On the duration of rest, research studies suggest a rest period of 48 hours for the same body part as muscle soreness can peak two days post exercise. Therefore muscle building workout plans are scheduled in such a way that you target a different body part on each day of the week. It is also recommended to take an off week for professional athletes and bodybuilders to let their muscles recover fully. However, a rest week no way implies lying on the couch. You could use the time to do gentle exercises like walking, swimming, light yoga or pilates.

LIE: CRUNCHES GET YOU ABS

Fact: You are born with six pack abs. You need to lose that layer of fat for the ab-show.

Generally, in the fitness circle, it is believed that umpteen crunches are the shortcut to six pack abs. This is not true. Your ab muscles are going to show at a lower body fat percentage.

Getting in the science of your ab muscles or rectus abdominal constitutes primarily of fast-twitch muscle fibers.

Crunches engage the upper abs and leg raises recruit the muscle fibers of lower abs.

Do both these exercises on alternate days to train your abs. A study commissioned by American Council on Exercise in 2001 recommends an exercise stability ball to train rectus abdominis muscles.

For firmer abs, your exercise routine should consist of workouts like crunches, leg raises, and push-ups. Push-ups not only strengthen your upper body muscles but also train your abs.

Ab muscles are trained in the gym, but they are built in the kitchen. There is no way you can out-train a lousy diet.  Whey protein is an important nutrient when you are trying to lose weight or build muscle, as it gives you complete protein in a scoop with satiating effect.

LIE 4:  TAKE EVERY SET TO FAILURE

TRUTH: Failure training is anabolic, if it is done sparingly, but if you make a habit of it, it becomes catabolic

Training to the verge of failure has been glorified by muscle building champions. Schwarzenegger summed up his view on failure, when he said, “The last 3 or 4 reps is what makes the muscles grow. This area of pain divides a champion from someone else, who is not a champion.” His statement emphatically urged all muscle building aspirants to train till the verge of pain.

Before you push your muscles, till they scream for mercy, you need to analyse the facts. When you train till the level of failure, there is an increased concentration of lactic acid in your muscles, an outcome anaerobic respiration. Lactic acid concentration increases intramuscular growth factors.

The down-side of training till the verge of failure shows in extreme muscle fatigue. Spanish researcher Dr. Mikel Izquierdo found that training to failure every set drastically increased the level of cortisol, even when you are resting. This suppressed anabolic growth factors.

If you use failure training, do so only on the last set of an exercise, and perhaps only on a hypertrophy day. Training to the verge of failure is taxing and it should not be taken lightly.

LIE:  GO THE LOW-FAT ROUTE TO LOSE WEIGHT

TRUTH: Low carb diet is more successful in achieving weight loss

Fat has been blown out of proportion in the fitness circle. To begin with, a gram of carb and protein have 4 calories, but fat has 9, which is more than double the number of calories. Drawing from this fact, the so-called health gurus began to recommend foods that had low fat for weight loss, which gave birth to a thriving business of low-fat foods, which were by no means low-calorie foods.

Most manufacturers when they strip off the fat content from the foods add, extra carbs, sugar to compensate for the taste. The carb bonanza in such low-fat foods would often cause weight gain in people eating them, as the body hoards surplus carbs in the form of fatty acids.

Now, when you switch a low-fat diet with a low-carb diet, you will realise that your protein intake will go up. As protein is a far more satisfying nutrient than carb, you are going to feel less hungry and will also experience improved sensitivity to insulin, a necessary pre-condition for weight loss. 

Now, that you know the truth behind these top 5 lies of the fitness industry, spread the good word among your friends and gym buddies. 

There is something mythical about testosterone, or the T hormone. Produced in the testicles of a male, it has a large role in male sexuality, reproduction and also decides their muscle mass and hair growth. The other lesser known facets controlled by testosterone are the maintenance of bone density and the level of red blood cells.  Once you hit 30, your testosterone level continues to decline.

 For an average gym goer, testosterone is the primary hormone driving muscle growth. No wonder, so many muscle seekers start taking anabolic steroids to trigger their muscle growth, but these steroids are harmful and come with side effects.

Find about natural testosterone boosters and increase your testosterone level without damaging your health. 

FENUGREEK SEEDS

Fenugreek seeds (Botanical name: (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is used as a spice in Indian cooking.  Besides adding flavour to your recipes, fenugreek extracts work as testosterone boosting food.

These extracts increase the release of insulin, an important anabolic hormone with a critical role in improving your muscle mass after weight training. Insulin instigates biochemical reactions in the muscle that increase protein synthesis,  which means that your muscle cells use the amino acids of your whey protein shake to build muscles.

Since your body sends fenugreek through your liver, you are able to balance and regulate it, whereas synthetic testosterone gets absorbed directly into your body.

ASHWAGANDHA

Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) is a herb used in Ayurveda is a proven testosterone booster. Literally translated into English, it means ‘smell of the horse’. Ayurveda claims that 

ashwagandha significantly boosts strength in men and the clinical research published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition validates the claim. The study tested 57 men between 18 and 50 years old. They were not involved in any weight lifting training prior to the study. The men were divided into two groups. One group of 29 men was given 300 milligrams of an Ashwagandha extract twice a day for eight weeks (600 milligrams per day). 

The other group was given a placebo for the same period. Both groups underwent a supervised muscle training program for the two months. The conclusion of the study was that ashwagandha group was significantly stronger, both in terms of muscle strength and size.

• They could bench press an average of 46 kilos whereas the placebo group could bench press only 25kilos.
• The ashwagandha group’s average muscle size was 8.6 centimeters, while the placebo group was only 5.3cm. 

SAFED MUSLI 

Safed Musli or (Chlorphytum Borivilianum) is a rare Indian herb. Used as an aphrodisiac, Safed Musli is even called herbal Viagra.  In Ayurveda, C. borivilianum belongs to the group of “Vajikaran Rasayana’ corroborated to its rejuvenating, aphrodisiac, natural sex tonic properties and effective in alleviating sexual disorders. 

In athletes and bodybuilder, Safed Musli boosts immunity and helps reduce inflammation. The testosterone boosting effects of safed musli has shown in the improved semen quality of healthy males (20-40 years), in a clinical study. 

BORON

Boron is a trace mineral. Like magnesium, boron influences a number of processes in the muscle tissues. There are no RDA levels when it comes to boron. Diets considered to be high in boron provide approximately 3.25mg of boron in 2000 calorie diet. 

It has been found that boron interacts with other nutrients and plays a regulatory role in the metabolism of minerals, such as calcium, and subsequently bone metabolism.

 If men take 10 mg boron every day for a week with their breakfast, their free testosterone levels rise by almost thirty percent and their estradiol goes down by forty percent, sports scientists at the University of Medical Sciences in Teheran discovered.

ZINC

Zinc is closely related to testosterone and reproductive health status. A 1996 study established the relationship between the two. Young men with normal testosterone status experienced a dramatic drop in their testosterone level when they avoided getting zinc in their diets. 

MAGNESIUM

Magnesium will help you raise your T level and help build muscle. A recent study found that  750mg of magnesium daily for 4 weeks raised free testosterone level by 26 percent at rest.

Magnesium enables the production of enzymes that allow vitamin D to help with calcium absorption and bone building. 

TRIBULUS TERRESTRIS 

Ayurveda recommends Tribulus Terrestris for male health. Tribulus terrestris is a fruit-producing Mediterranean plant that’s covered with spines. It is also called puncture vine. It is a common supplement for improving libido and is supposed to have testosterone boosting properties.

VITAMIN D

Vitamin D is closely related to your testosterone level. A study found that men who were deficient in vitamin D had lower testosterone and higher estrogen.

These men had more body fat, less lean mass and a greater chance of depression. 

These 8 agents are great for boosting testosterone levels. You can consume a testosterone boosting supplement to increase the level of testosterone in your body or you can choose to increase it the natural way. There are certain foods that are great for increasing the production of T hormone. These foods help to increase testosterone levels naturally.

Testosterone-Boosting Food To Try Now

1. Garlic: Rich in allicin, it helps in reducing the cortisol levels which have an adverse impact on testosterone production. Your adrenal gland produces cortisol. Low levels ensure that your body produces sufficient levels of testosterone.
2. Almonds: These are a rich source of zinc. Low zinc levels cab stop your pituitary gland from secreting some essential hormones that boost testosterone production. Foods rich in zinc prevent zinc deficiency and thus help in boosting testosterone production.
3. Spinach: The secret of the strength of Popeye the Sailor Man! This superfood is a great choice to boost testosterone levels. It is rich in magnesium, Vitamin B6, and Iron. All these vitamins and minerals enhance testosterone production.
4. Salmon: Rich in magnesium, omega-3, and vitamin B, this fish is a great food to boost testosterone levels.
5. Honey: Honey is rich in boron. This mineral helps in improving testosterone levels and also builds strong bones and muscles. This food is great for improving your thinking skills and muscle coordination.
6. Eggs: Not just they fuel you with the required protein, they also help with testosterone production. Apart from protein, eggs enrich you with cholesterol, omega-3, and vitamin D that boost testosterone levels. This is probably the best testosterone boosting food.

Include these foods in your diet and boost your testosterone levels. These foods also enrich with other nutrients that can help you with various other things and support healthy bodily functions. Exercise regularly and lead an active lifestyle while eating healthy.

Like most muscle building enthusiasts when you start the gym regimen your goal is to build muscle mass. Initially, the beginner’s luck works in your favour and you build muscle mass at a fast pace acting as a sufficient boost to your motivation. But, like most good things in life, beginner’s luck too comes to an end and you enter a stage of the plateau which happens when there is no growth in your muscle size, strength, and overall performance.  When plateau sets in, you continue to work out and still look the same, which is demotivating at the least and frustrating at the most. Read the facts:

1. Primary science of muscle building
2. Top 3 reasons of muscle building plateau
3. Top 4 supplements to move out of muscle building plateau

Take a heart because plateau can happen to everyone. Hitting a plateau signifies that your muscle catabolism (breakdown) and anabolism (muscle gain) are counterbalancing each other and it could be a result of factors like your workout not being challenging enough, or inadequacy of your diet, or may be, you are overtraining and your body is exhausted with all that workout. 

The primary science of muscle building is that it grows in response to the stress placed on it.  When you work out with weights, your muscles undergo microscopic injuries. Irrespective of the importance placed on the workouts, muscle growth does not happen in the gym. You recover outside the gym when you rest and take a diet rich in protein, the building blocks of your muscles. Your muscles are more sensitive to absorb protein, after a workout and this explains why you should have whey protein (a protein derived from cow’s milk) immediately after a workout. Since, whey digests quickly, it is going to increase the blood amino acid concentration, thereby making amino acids readily available to the muscle tissues for the repair of the distressed muscle tissues.

A protein rich diet for 24 to 48 hours after a workout helps rebuild your muscles and allows it to grow stronger and bigger in the anticipation of more difficult onslaught in the gym, which means you will be able to work out with a heavier weight on your next training day.

TOP 3 COMMON REASONS FOR HITTING THE MUSCLE BUILDING PLATEAU

The villain in this muscle growth saga happens when you stop growing and keep lifting the same weight day after day, also known as plateau. 

1. OVERTRAINING

Hitting a plateau in muscle growth is closely linked to overtraining.  When you begin to over train, the symptoms you experience are persistent muscle soreness, increased heart rate, increased episodes of injuries, irritability, depression, loss of motivation, insomnia, weight loss and reduced appetite.

2.  NOT EATING ENOUGH

A diet error will take you many steps backward in muscle gain plain. You have to go in a calorie surplus situation, for the growth of your muscles and the calories should come from high quality proteins, complex carbs and good fats.

3. NOT STRESSING THE MUSCLES ENOUGH

If you train only those muscles that you will flaunt at the beach, like biceps and abs, you will not increase your overall muscle mass. Two of your biggest muscles are your legs and the back, and you need to work out those. Training only your trophy muscles will cause an imbalance as well as an injury that could keep you out of the gym. Progressive overload is the way to go where you gradually increase the weight of your training load. 

HOW SUPPLEMENTS CAN HELP YOU GET OVER THE PLATEAU

For overtraining all you need is rest, to get over the workout fatigue, supplements are especially helpful in filling in the calorie and nutrition gap.  Moreover, the right supplements speed up the pace of recovery, build energy and stamina to outperform the personal record. Naturally, when you stress your muscles, you provide them with a much-needed stimulus, which is required to get over the muscle building plateau.

MASS GAINER

Whether you want to build muscles or gain weight, you need to go into a caloric surplus situation. As you continue to build muscles, your metabolism also goes up. Maintaining the muscle mass on an average requires 13 calories for a pound (453g) of muscle mass. Now, if you do not adjust your calorie intake, by at least 100 calories, this change in calorie expenditure will affect your muscle gain.

An easy way to build your strength and muscle mass is to increase your calorie intake through healthy foods. However, taking too many nutritious food servings in a day does not sound a practical solution. Here, mass gainers are helpful as they fill in the calorie and nutrient gaps for the muscle seeker.

CREATINE

There is no denying the fact that to overcome the muscle-building plateau, you need to challenge your limits as far as your workouts are concerned. In order to lift heavier or tackle greater force of iron at the gym, you need additional energy, which will come from creatine.

Creatine, the most researched supplement, is the answer to build energy reserve for muscle building enthusiasts. Each time you flex your muscle while handling a weight, your body borrows a phosphate from ATP, the energy currency in your body. Deprived of a phosphate, ATP converts into ADP. As the number of ADPs increase, exhaustion sets in.

Now, creatine as a supplement when taken in the loading phase tops off the phosphocreatine reserve, which lends a phosphate to ADP and reconverts it back to ATP. This keeps your energy level optimized and allows you to exercise for a longer duration. Supplementation can increase phosphocreatine and creatine stores by 10 to 40 percent.

As a result, you will be able to follow the principle of progressive overload and lift heavier to break through the muscle building plateau.

BCAAs

Branched chain amino acid or BCAA are composed of three essential amino acids, namely leucine, isoleucine and valine. It composes 35 percent of your muscle mass, and it plays a special role in helping you move out of the muscle building plateau. When you have BCAAs as intra-workout, it helps improve protein synthesis. Scientific studies have concluded the effect of BCAAs supplementation on resistance exercise. It  reduces indicators of muscle damage, as it reduces mRNA, a component responsible for muscle loss.

Research studies prove that BCAAs also keep exhaustion at bay. Branched chain amino acids delay the perception of fatigue, which gives you additional grit to push for an extra rep and allows you to break away from your usual routine.

Naturally, when you perform extra reps and sets, you are going to break away from the monotony of muscle building plateau. When you add BCAA Supplement, you get the required amino acids needed for the construction of new muscles (BCAAs compose 35% of muscle tissues), but minus extra calories, particularly useful for people who are trying to get lean.

Do You Know 5 Proven Benefits of BCAAs

GLUTAMINE

Overtraining and plateau in muscle building go together. Here, glutamine is handy to preserve muscle mass. During an intense workout, your body becomes stressed and your need for glutamine increases.  This sets the stage for catabolism, where your body begins to break down muscles for energy instead of carbs.

But glutamine can prevent this from happening. One of L-glutamine’s main roles in the body is to support detox, by cleansing high levels of ammonia from the body. Approximately an hour of exercise can cause a 40 percent reduction of glutamine in the body, which suppresses immunity. Supplemental glutamine keeps the immunity perked and improves the rate of recovery, post a workout, thereby casting a positive effect on your resistance training. L-Glutamine benefits long distance athletes too, as it boosts their immunity.

A study found that L-glutamine supplementation makes it possible to recover quicker from intense weight training sessions because it improves muscle hydration.

Use the power of supplements to break past your muscle building plateau.