Why you better start walking

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Sergei_Bst

Walking vs Running

The culture of running has been actively promoted recently. Marathons, running schools, and Sunday morning jogging clubs. From all sides, we get the information that if you don’t run, then you are clearly missing something

But let’s not go crazy and consciously approach the question.
If, after all, your goal is to maintain and improve your health, and not become an athlete of track and field, then you should consider walking as an excellent alternative to jogging.

First, if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, then your back is exposed to daily loads. Running, in turn , is a very large compression load on the spine and joints. Therefore, regular jogging can only worsen the condition of your back.

Walking, on the contrary, is useful for back pain. Because it gives a purely physiological compression that stimulates the microvessels in the intervertebral discs. And they thus begin to be naturally washed by the blood, carrying nutrients there. Thanks to this, pain goes away and damage to the spine is restored.

Secondly, some studies have shown that the risk of a heart attack when running increases by 40 %. When walking, it is only 8%. Therefore, moderate walking is a gentle load on the heart, strengthens blood vessels, pumps the lungs and stimulates the immune system.

Benefits of walking

1. It is much easier to get up and go for a walk for half an hour than to motivate yourself to run for the same half hour.

2. While walking, you have more control over your movements, placing the foot, therefore reducing the risk of injury.

3. In addition, walking is a great way to improve your mood. After a walk, you always feel a surge of strength and vital energy, and not fatigue as after a jog.

How certain amino acids affect the body

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Sergei_Bst

The importance of amino acids

The topic of the importance of amino acids for muscle recovery (and muscle mass growth) after exercise is well studied. And we usually consume different amino acids together when we eat protein-rich foods — meat, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, nuts, beans, and so on.

But modern technologies allow the production of isolated amino acids.

Key neurotransmitters are synthesized from amino acids — for example, serotonin (its low level is considered one of the main factors in the development of depression) is formed from tryptophan.

Therefore, the use of individual amino acids can affect the brain and hormonal balance in a way that the use of a mixture of different amino acids will not affect. In the latter case, they will compete to overcome the blood-brain barrier, which will not significantly increase the level of a particular amino acid.

Can some amino acids in isolated form affect performance in sports, changing the ” brain chemistry” and hormonal balance? And what research is there on this topic?

Amino acids and affection on performance

Tyrosine

It is a precursor of dopamine and norepinephrine, and in theory, its consumption should have a positive effect on functioning under stress. But the results of studies with athletes are mixed.

In one case, cyclists in very hot conditions took 150 mg of tyrosine per kilogram of body weight 60 minutes before the test, and this improved the time “to failure”. The study’s authors concluded that tyrosine helped cyclists cope with the physical stress of heat and exercise; and reduced levels of tyrosine in the brain impair performance in sports in hot conditions.

And another study did not show an improvement in athletic performance, but there was an improvement in memory and information processing, so the author concludes: for those who are important for cognitive functions in difficult conditions, tyrosine can help. These are, for example, ultramarathoners, participants of adventure races, etc.

Another study in military personnel found no positive effects from the use of tyrosine before exercise.

Phenylalanine

Not so actively researched in the light of exercise. But there was something: it showed a significant effect on fat burning during exercises with submaximal intensity when taking 3 g of phenylalanine before them.

Although it can be useful at the beginning of the season for fat burning, this approach is not recommended when participating in competitions, when you need maximum results and the intensity is also maximum, and the availability of carbohydrates plays an important role.

Taurine

It is added to many drinks and is claimed to have an effect on focus and performance. But there is no convincing evidence. 6 grams of taurine did not help runners in one study improve their performance in high-intensity exercise, just as 1.7 grams did not help cyclists in another study.

A relatively recent review of seven studies showed little effect on performance in endurance sports. And there is no evidence about the effect of taurine on mood, cognitive function, or performance in sprints or high-intensity exercise.

Theanine

It is found in small amounts in tea. It has a positive effect on cognitive function, especially when combined with caffeine. It has been proven that 100-200 mg of theanine, coupled with 50-150 mg of caffeine:

– improve mood and cognitive function;

– promote the concentration of attention on external stimuli and reduce distraction;

– contribute to increased vigilance during the execution of task on attention.

Although further research is needed, there is already evidence that theanine with caffeine before exercise can be beneficial for athletes who need skills, attention, and concentration combined with physical effort.

General recommendations

Those who compete in challenging environments and who value cognitive function may benefit from taking tyrosine supplements. Phenylalanine may promote better fat burning during submaximal-intensity endurance exercises, but it definitely won’t help and can hurt during high-intensity exercise. Athletes in endurance sports may get small benefits from consuming taurine, but the evidence for its effectiveness is weak. Theanine in combination with caffeine can be useful for athletes who need concentration, visual processing, and motor skills — for example, during training, learning new movements and skills.

How to make training with your own weight more effective

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Sergei_Bst

In this article, we will look at four ways to change training with your own weight to increase its effectiveness for gaining strength and improving your body structure. In addition, we will give you some nutrition tips to support your workouts.

Are self-weight training effective?

Before we dive into the subtleties of increasing the intensity of training with your own weight, we will dispel one popular misconception — that such training is suitable only for “beginners” and can not provide serious results. This is a completely baseless claim.

It is based on the assumption that training with your own weight is less effective than strength training, since you do not exert yourself as much. Obviously, the last statement is true. However, this omits the fact that training involves more than just gaining strength.

There are different types of power. And if training with your own weight is really not the best option for increasing the result by one repetition, then they can be incredibly effective in improving muscle endurance and metabolism. In addition, they can significantly increase the time of muscle tension, ensuring muscle hypertrophy and improving such indicators as stability, balance and coordination.

Don’t underestimate training with your own weight. If you “lack” them, then you just need to increase their intensity. You need to change the exercises so as to increase their complexity. In the long run, simply increasing the number of repetitions will not be effective in training with your own weight.

Four ways to Optimize your Own Weight Training for Muscle Strength and Volume

There are a few simple changes that you can make to your own weight training to gain strength and increase muscle hypertrophy.

Change the pace
A certain pace of exercise is a great way to increase the time of tension of the desired muscle groups. You should set a target time for performing the exercises and stick to it to increase the time in tension. By increasing this time, we load the muscles more and strain the muscle fibers, which can increase hypertrophy.

To set the tempo, use the following four-number diagram to set the target levels for performing the movements. For example:

Temp: 4110

4 seconds-eccentric force/downward movement
1 second-pause at the bottom
1 second-concentric force/upward movement
0 seconds-pause at the top

For more hypertrophy, increase the time for eccentric and concentric effort. To gain strength, extend the pauses.

Do one and a half reps
Another great way to increase strength and tension time is to do one and a half repetitions. The implication is that you do a full repeat, then another half-repeat, and count it all as one repeat.

For example, doing push-ups you go down in the normal way, then do not rise to the top just to the middle,and then go down again , and then a rise. And it all counts as one” one-and-a-half ” repeat. An incomplete repeat can also be done at the beginning of a general repeat. For example, when squatting, you can go down to the middle, stand up, then perform a full squat, and count it all as one repeat.

Training with your own weight on power
Training with your own weight is very effective for increasing power. The necessary exercises are safe and involve almost no risk of injury, as they can be easily changed as necessary. For example, you can change the height of the jump when squatting with a jump so that you jump to a convenient height for you to avoid injury.

To increase the power when training with your own weight, simply add an element of increased body distance from the point of contact (ground). When doing push-ups, push off from the floor so that your hands leave the ground. When squatting and lunging, jump up until your feet are off the ground.

To increase the difficulty and power of your own weight exercises, slow down the eccentric phase until it comes to a complete stop, then quickly perform the concentric phase. For example, when squatting with jumps, go down slowly and stop, keeping control of the body, then push off the ground sharply and powerfully.

Endurance training with your own weight
In addition to increasing repetitions, how else can you increase muscle endurance when training with your own weight? Here are two great ways to achieve this.

First, do the combined movements. To do this, simply combine two or more exercises. It’s like doing a circular workout, where you do one exercise after another in a deliberate and purposeful way, but there are some small differences. With a combined movement, one complete repetition consists of repetitions of individual exercises.

For example, one squat, one push-up, and one lunge count as one total rep. This approach is convenient because the total number of repetitions is reduced.

Secondly, limit yourself in time. This is a relatively simple change. Focus not on the number of repetitions, but on the time. To increase endurance, you need to do more in the same period of time.

Let’s say we want to increase the endurance of the lower body and for this we decided to do squats and lunges. Usually we will set a goal for repetitions with the allocation of time to rest. When you focus on the time we will just keep doing the exercises, occasionally pausing to rest. For example, with a goal of 15 minutes, you need to do a squat and lunge constantly, resting only when you have no strength left at all.

Four Nutrition Tips for Training with Your Own Weight

Since training with your own weight is effective for developing strength, improving physical fitness and body structure in the vast majority of trainees, they deserve the same attention to nutrition as regular training.

We will not discuss the subtleties of nutrition before and after training. Let’s just take as a basis the fact that we need sufficient recovery and energy to make progress. Many fall into the trap of delusions about training with their own weight: “They are so simple, they can be done more often and do not think about nutrition after training.”

This logic can lead to some problems, so it is definitely worth eating well and maintaining the body. If you regularly do thoughtful workouts with your own weight, then use these three tips.

1. Maintain consistency
At first, this advice may seem strange, but try to keep the same meal schedule and diet as with normal strength training.

The simpler, the better. Eat natural and high-quality foods, try to make your meals rich in nutrients.

2. Remember about protein
Supplements can help with intense training with your own weight. As with traditional strength training, protein is important for muscle recovery and growth. If you don’t feel like you’re eating enough protein every day, try a protein shake that gives you the right amount of calories and essential nutrients.

3. Try Creatine
Creatine is an excellent supplement for increasing strength, endurance and power. Although weight training may not seem as heavy as traditional strength training, creatine can still be useful if you want to improve your overall fitness.

Creatine is easily absorbed. In addition, it is one of the few supplements on the market, the benefits of which are described in many studies.

‌‌‌‌4. Consider taking BCAAs
If you want to enrich your diet with amino acids and are looking for a delicious drink that will provide the body with essential amino acids and help in the fight against hunger, then you should definitely consider BCAAs, or branched chain amino acids. They can help increase your intake of leucine, an amino acid thought to play a role in muscle protein synthesis.

Note: Before you start a new type of training, change your diet, or start taking new supplements, you should always consult your doctor!

General recomendations

Training with your own weight is an effective way to increase your strength, power, endurance, and overall tone. Do not think that they are suitable only for beginners. Be creative and increase their complexity — and they will be effective for you, too. Treat them like regular workouts and don’t forget about proper nutrition and adequate recovery.

Follow these 10 steps and lose weight forever

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Sergei_Bst

How magic diets mislead us

Let’s start right away with honest and truthful information and stop misleading ourselves. Please, remember this and do not be fooled by the tempting headlines of articles, videos, and other advertising products.

There is no quick way to lose weight. Weight loss requires a well-informed effort to change your habits and lifestyle.

The word “diet” is misleading; in fact, diets don’t work. They can help you lose weight for a while, but after they are over, patients gain weight again and often even more than before.

Sure, a popular shake diet or a prescription weight-loss drug can help you lose weight quickly, but what happens after the diet is over? Is it possible to stick to a shake diet for the rest of your life? Will your doctor be able to tell you that you can safely take stimulants all the time?

Your plan should be effective and realistic in the long run. An effective way to maintain a reduced weight is to change your lifestyle. And any diet book, trick, trick, cocktail, or supplement that tries to convince you otherwise is just an advertisement designed to convince you to buy such products.

Don’t let yourself be deceived.

10 tips based on practical experience that will help you lose weight and not gain it again.

1. Exclude the reasons related to any health problems

Before you start a weight loss program, you should visit your doctor. You will need to discuss their plans for the weight loss, getting approved to regular workout and tested for the presence of certain health problems. A simple blood test is often used to check for diabetes and thyroid problems, and several more tests may be required to make sure that you are healthy enough to start a weight loss program, and that you do not have health problems that contribute to weight gain.

Also, be sure to discuss with your doctor the medications that you take regularly, as some medications can contribute to weight gain.

2. Determine how much weight you are overweight

Before you begin to lose weight, it is very important to determine whether you are really overweight and how much it is. As one of the tools for determining a person’s normal weight, almost all doctors use the body mass index (BMI):

BMI = weight in kilograms divided by height in meters

A BMI of 25 to 29 is rated as “overweight”, 30 and above corresponds to” obesity”, and 40 and above is defined as”pathological obesity”. Note that this formula does not take into account the weight of the muscle mass. For example, bodybuilders based on the calculation of BMI can get the result “pathological obesity”, although they certainly do not have it. Therefore, despite the fact that BMI is a useful tool, if you have a large muscle mass, you should treat the results obtained by this method with caution. There are many useful online calculators to help calculate BMI.

Another way to estimate your weight (and track the results) is to measure your waist circumference. Instead of standing on the scale, look at how your clothes fit. A waist circumference of more than 35 inches (76 cm) in women and more than 40 inches (101 cm) in men is associated with an increased risk of overweight-related health problems.

3. Set yourself short-term and long-term goals

How much weight do you need to lose? Ask your doctor what your ideal weight should be, but also set yourself an initial goal for weight loss and other intermediate goals. Set realistic short-term goals, because if you expect to lose too much weight too quickly, it can cause unnecessary frustration.

Studies show that in people who are obese or overweight, even a 5% weight loss has a positive effect on health. This number becomes the very first goal for many people. In general, plan to lose 0.5-1 kg per week. Slow and steady. If you try to lose weight faster, then there is a high chance that you will gain it again just as quickly.

4. Take small steps

When starting a long-term weight loss plan, start with small changes. If you set realistic goals and gradually achieve them, you are more likely to succeed in the long run. For example, if you consume lemonades or juices, consider giving up only these products for the first week or two. Then, after you’ve done that, try switching from white, starch-rich bread to whole-grain bread, for example. Over the next couple of weeks, try to start walking for 5 minutes every other day. And so on.

If you try to do too much quickly, it increases the likelihood that you will abandon your plan altogether. Make a list of all the small steps and changes you need to make. Then do them one by one. The race is won by the one who acts steadily, but slowly.

5. Reduce your portions

Even if the diet consists only of vegetables and fruits, it can still lead to weight gain if you eat too much of them. Therefore, it is very important to observe the correct portion size. Half of the contents of your plate should consist of vegetables, a quarter – from a source of pure protein (skinless chicken, turkey, fish), and cereals or starchy foods should be no more than a quarter.

One of the easiest ways to reduce portion size is to simply use a smaller plate. Another way is to eat slowly, so that your brain has more time to process the process of eating and enjoy it longer, which creates a greater sense of satiety.

6. Limit your carbs

The most harmful products often have a liquid form — lemonades, juices and alcohol. These drinks contain an excess of calories and should be discarded. Other culprits are bread, rice, tortillas, beans, potatoes and pasta, everyday foods that are consumed in too large quantities.

Make sure that your portions of carbohydrates are rational in size, try not to take up more than a quarter of the plate. And instead of products containing white starch, choose products from whole wheat, complex carbohydrates. That is, instead of white rice, choose brown rice. At first, you may not be very tasty, but over time you will get used to this change.

Extremely low-carb diets (less than 60 grams of carbohydrates per day), such as the latest fashion trend — the ketogenic diet, will really help you lose weight. But is it possible to stick to them for a long time? For most people, no. If you decide to stick to one of these low-carb diets, it is very important to choose a source of healthy proteins and fats — you do not want to exchange weight loss for the formation of plaque in the blood vessels and heart disease.

7. Choose sources of healthy fats and proteins

Choose sources of healthy fats and proteins — such as peanuts, nuts and seeds, avocados, and soy. When cooking, use olive oil or cooking spray instead of higher-fat vegetable oils or butter. Avoid fried food. Switch to 1% fat milk or even skim milk. Limit your consumption of red meat by eating skinless chicken, turkey, or fish instead.

Be careful about salad dressings, always read the information on the label, because they often contain too much fat or carbohydrates. Consider using only lemon juice or vinegar.

8. Eat fiber

Fiber gives you volume and gives you a feeling of fullness for a long time. According to research, people who consume a lot of fiber are at a lower risk of obesity throughout their lives, as well as a lower risk of diabetes.

Adults should consume 25-35 grams of fiber per day. However, most people consume it in insufficient quantities. Aim to consume at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day. Choose wholegrain foods (100% wholegrain wheat bread, brown rice, etc.) instead of refined foods (white bread, white rice, etc.). If you can’t get enough clippings from your food, consult a dietary supplement. However, you should increase the amount of fiber consumed gradually, otherwise, if you immediately start consuming it in large quantities, this can lead to undesirable symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract.

9. Increase your physical activity

Mathematics tells us that to correct weight, you need to use less energy than you spend — there is no other way. The most successful weight loss programs include not only dietary changes, but also physical activity. Even though dieting alone is more effective at reducing weight than exercise alone, it’s best to use both. In addition, routine exercises contribute to the long-term preservation of the results of weight correction and, of course, have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.

Again, if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, start with small steps (and this is not a joke). Start with very short walks (non-stop) for 5 minutes almost every day. After that, increase their duration to 10 minutes, then to 15 minutes, and so on, until you reach 30 minutes of continuous cardio training. Please note that when “cardio training” your heart should beat fast, and you should sweat.

It is ideal to combine cardio training with endurance training.

10. Reward yourself

Periodically reward yourself for great efforts and achievements with a meal that you like, but no more than once a week and by controlling the portion size. If you try to completely abandon your favorite food, then you are more likely to abandon your weight management plans.

Treat yourself with something special, because after all the effort and hard work, you undoubtedly deserve it.

All you need to know about creatine

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Sergei_Bst

Creatine and it’s functions

Creatine is a naturally occurring substance found mainly in muscle cells in the human body. Creatine is obtained from food, mainly from meat and seafood, a small amount is produced by the body.

Without the supplementation of creatine in the muscles, as a rule, be around 60-80%. Vegetarians don’t get enough creatine from their diet, so they tend to have even lower creatine stores in their muscles, which is why creatine supplements are all the more beneficial.

The main function of creatine is to replenish the stores of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a molecule that is used for energy production in cells. During short, intense sets of exercises, the ability to quickly restore ATP is partially limited by the creatinine available in the muscles.

Creatine has been extensively studied since 1980. More than 1000 studies have been published. The main benefit of taking creatine supplements is to improve performance in the gym and in life. Most studies that have studied performance enhancement have found that taking creatine during high-intensity exercise improves performance by about 10-20%.

For example, in a study of strength training in men, the group that received creatine was able to perform an average of 1-2 additional repetitions in each of the five bench press sets before muscle failure. It may seem that 1-2 additional repetitions is not much, but over time, the ability to do 10-20% more repetitions leads to an increase in endurance and muscle mass.

Does creatine work for everyone?

Although creatine has been studied primarily in men, most studies involving women seem to show similar benefits of creatine for women. In addition, many studies have been conducted on the effects of creatine on the elderly, and similar results have been obtained. Unfortunately, the effect of creatine is not universal. The response may vary from person to person, ranging from an almost complete lack of performance improvement to a very pronounced improvement.

Is creatine harmful?

Creatine is one of the most studied performance-enhancing supplements. Data on it has been collected for more than 30 years. So we have a lot of evidence to support his safety. There have been claims that creatine can lead to dehydration and muscle cramps, but the best research does not support this information.

In addition, there is a misconception that creatine can contribute to kidney problems. Studies of both short-term and long-term creatine intake in different populations among young and healthy people, as well as among patients and the elderly, have not shown any negative effects of creatine.

Are there any side effects?

The only side effect that is mentioned in all the studies is a small weight gain-mainly due to an increase in the amount of water in the muscles. Not everyone gains weight from creatine, but most studies have shown an average weight gain of just over 1 kg in people who weigh about 75 kg. Weight gain ranges from < 1 kg to > 3 kg.

How do you take creatine?

Creatine is available in different formulations. The cheapest, most popular, and most well – studied is creatine monohydrate. Creatine monohydrate is usually available in tablet and powder form, which are equally effective. The effect of creatine becomes noticeable only when the muscles become sufficiently saturated with creatine. There are two options for taking creatine: “loading” and “no loading”.

Loading: 0.3 g / kg body weight 5-7 days, then 5 g daily. Loading allows you to saturate the muscles with creatine in about a week, when the results will become noticeable. The disadvantage of the loading method is that you have to take a lot of creatine a day.

The most reliable scientific studies do not show a tendency to the occurrence of gastrointestinal disorders on the background of creatine intake. However, the authors of one study suggested that the incidence of gastrointestinal disorders is higher at a dosage of more than 5 g at a time.

Without loading: take 5 g per day. As a rule, muscle saturation with creatine occurs within about 3-4 weeks. Please be patient.

The timing of creatine intake regarding training is often discussed, however, there is no strong scientific argument about what time creatine intake is most useful. If you usually consume a protein shake after a workout, you can add creatine to it for potential benefits, but do not worry if you are used to taking it before a workout.

Unlike supplements such as caffeine, to which the body develops an addiction and their effectiveness decreases over time, the effect of creatine is permanent and the intake of creatine in cycles is not required.

Some advocate the use of creatine in combination with a large amount of carbohydrates to improve absorption and increase the total supply of creatine in the muscles. It is true that carbohydrates help to deliver creatine to the muscles, but studies have not been conducted to prove the positive effect of such a strategy on improving performance.

In addition to creatine monohydrate, there are other forms of creatine, such as creatine hydrochloride (HCl) and creatine ethyl ether. The idea of the advantage of these forms over creatine monohydrate is not confirmed in the modern scientific literature.

The main advantage of creatine hydrochloride is that it is easily soluble in water, although it costs a little more. Some claim that the total required dosage of creatine HCl is lower than that of monohydrate, but this has never been studied. Finally, creatine ethyl ether does not appear to be as effective as creatine monohydrate. Its effectiveness is equal to the placebo effect.

All types of protein powder: from whey to vegan

Posted on January 29, 2021 by Sergei_Bst

There are many forms of powdered protein, and each of them contains several amino acids that the body needs to replenish its energy supply and ensure muscle growth.

Protein powder is best absorbed within the first 30 minutes after a vigorous workout. Since a person usually has no appetite after a heavy load, smoothies are a great way to replenish the supply of important proteins.

Whey Protein

Whey is one of the two main proteins found in dairy products. It is more easily absorbed by the human body than the other main milk protein — casein. In addition, the serum is easy to buy, and it is inexpensive, making it a favorite product of both bodybuilders and those who are trying to lose weight by following a high-protein diet.

Whey comes in two main forms: whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate.

Whey Protein concentrate is made using the traditional cheese production process by separating milk into two components: liquid whey and solid cottage cheese, or milk fat and casein. This liquid whey is then dried into the most common type of whey powder. This version is easy to make and therefore generally cheaper than whey isolate.

Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) is obtained from liquid whey through a special filtration process that removes fat, cholesterol, and lactose from the solution. This process allows the use of whey powder without side effects for those who suffer from lactose intolerance.

Egg White Protein

Egg white protein is exactly what the name says — the dried, powdered form of chicken egg protein. For some people, it has several advantages over whey protein.

For example, people who suffer from allergies to lactose, you can use this protein powder. Although most of the lactose is removed from the whey protein isolate, it may remain in some amount. Egg white or albumin is digested at a moderate rate, which distinguishes it from fast-digested whey or slow-digested casein.

This means that its beneficial effect will last a little longer than when taking a cocktail with whey protein. It is also one of the few complex proteins on the powder market, as it contains all 10 essential amino acids.

Ready-to-use bone broth

Bone broth is a broth with a high protein content, which is prepared from bones and a small amount of meat. It is simmered long enough to extract a lot of collagen, minerals, and other nutrients from the bones. It is easy to prepare at home or purchase in a powder or liquid version.

Bone broth has become a favorite form of protein for many people. It can be drunk as a delicious soup, which is ideal for those people who do not like sweets. Collagen supplies the building blocks for healthy skin, hair, and nails. Because of this, it can slightly improve the situation with thinning hair, brittle nails, wrinkles and dermatological problems.

Bone broth is widely used as an ingredient in savory dishes, as a drinking broth, or as a base for soup.

Vegan and Vegetarian Protein

There are a wide variety of vegan protein options available. Each has its own advantages and taste profiles. Many of them are either sprouted or fermented, which opens up access to many of the nutrients in food and facilitates a person’s ability to digest them.

Pea protein powder provides a powerful and highly hypoallergenic protein boost. It contains a wide range of branched-chain amino acids. .

Soy protein powder is the most widely used vegan protein available. It is better to use fermented and organic powder, as it denatures the xenoestrogen hormones that are naturally present in the plant.

In many cases, vegan protein powders are also mixed together to produce a more complete plant-based food source.

General recomendations

Protein powder is a great product that can be consumed in a variety of other forms. It can be added to recipes for cookies, protein bars, cupcakes, or any other baked goods.

These products are great to take with you on long hikes or use as a snack during an active day. Not only do they taste good — they can also help speed up a person’s metabolism and fully activate the body’s fat-burning generators.

As a result, a person will be able to get rid of more fat and build more muscle.

How magnesium can improve your life

Posted on January 29, 2021January 29, 2021 by Sergei_Bst

Magnesium is the second most common element in the cells of the body, hundreds of biochemical reactions in the human body occur with the participation of magnesium.

Functions of magnesium

The main role of magnesium in the human body is to regulate enzymes that send chemical signals throughout the body.

It is necessary for the normal functioning of ATP molecules, which are a source of energy in the human body.

Magnesium is involved in the conversion of sugar and fat into energy, in the construction of DNA, in the contraction of muscle fibers, in the construction of new cells, in the absorption of minerals, as well as in the regulation of cholesterol levels.

The important role of magnesium determines the need for it for the normal functioning of all organs, bones and muscles in the human body, and the level of magnesium affects many aspects of health.

One of the most important functions of magnesium is its effect on muscle contractions. Magnesium is responsible for the relaxation of muscle fibers after their contraction. Thanks to this, you can make certain movements. Magnesium to prevent seizures caused by prolonged contraction of the muscles. Without magnesium to nourish your muscles, you feel weak and lethargic after physical activities such as climbing stairs.

The bones of the body are constantly updated. Magnesium not only helps regulate bone homeostasis, but also ensures proper absorption of vitamin D and calcium, which are essential for bone health.

Magnesium and depression

Due to the fact that magnesium is involved in the body’s chemical reactions, it also has an effect on the brain and neurotransmitters that affect our mood. In this way, magnesium can help improve your mental state.

According to a 2010 study, depressive conditions that cannot be treated with traditional medications can be improved with magnesium. Magnesium appears to be useful for preventing or treating depression because of its role in the synthesis of hormones and neurotransmitters. It provides the brain with the necessary amount of dopamine and other satisfaction-inducing chemicals to counteract depression.

Depression is so strongly associated with magnesium deficiency that some mental health experts have theorized that depression has become more common due to insufficient consumption of whole grains rich in magnesium.

Magnesium deficiency also causes other diseases, such as insomnia and anxiety neuroses. Magnesium helps calm the brain by blocking excessive activation of NMDA receptors. The constant activation of these receptors causes neuronal wear and tear, and it can even lead to cell death. The most important protective role of magnesium in the brain is that the brain is able to rest, relax, and process information.

Magnesium also affects mental disorders because it plays an important role in the production of hormones. Certain stress hormones, such as cortisol and epinephrine, are produced when the adrenal glands are activated. Magnesium helps to suppress and slow down the activation of the adrenal glands, protecting the body from an excess of these hormones, which increase blood pressure, anxiety and stress.

Magnesium deficiency

As we can see, magnesium is a very important mineral, but its role in biosynthesis is often overlooked. Unfortunately, a 2014 study published in the International Journal of Laboratory Medicine found that 2.5 – 15% of the population is deficient in magnesium.

This condition, known as hypomagnesemia, is quite common because processed foods, which make up the bulk of many people’s diets, do not contain magnesium.

At first, the signs of a moderate magnesium deficiency are subtle, but over time, hypomagnesemia causes serious problems. People with a small magnesium deficiency feel tired, weak, irritated, and nauseous.

If insufficient intake is replaced by an almost complete lack of magnesium intake, then symptoms such as severe muscle contractions, convulsions, arrhythmia, personality rearrangement and numbness appear. These signs of a dangerous magnesium deficiency can be life-threatening, but even a less serious deficiency can cause health problems.

You may have a magnesium deficiency if you notice the following symptoms:

Regular muscle cramps and spasms
Newly identified cardiovascular diseases
Difficulty falling asleep or having trouble sleeping
Slight trembling in the hands and feet
Difficulty remembering
Consistently high blood pressure
Excessive anxiety or depression
Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Deficiency of other minerals
Feeling weak during daily physical activity
Inability to concentrate

To get rid of these symptoms, you need to make sure that your body gets enough magnesium from food or supplements. The daily need for magnesium increases with age, because the body is less efficient at absorbing magnesium as it ages. Although men generally need more magnesium than women, the need for pregnant women is also high.

Men under the age of 30 need about 400 mg per day, but with age the need increases to 420 milligrams. Women under 30 usually need about 310 milligrams a day, and if they are pregnant, the need is 360 milligrams a day.

Sources of magnesium

Magnesium can be found in a variety of plant foods because it is an important element of chlorophyll that is involved in the process of photosynthesis. Green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, and kale, are high in magnesium, and magnesium is also found in whole grains, nuts, and legumes.

There are also many tasteless liquid magnesium supplements that can be added to drinks and smoothies to boost your body’s magnesium levels without changing your diet.

General recommendations

Magnesium is an important mineral that is involved in almost all functions of the human body. This mineral not only strengthens your bones, organs, and muscles, but it is very important for brain health.

Insufficient magnesium intake can lead to mental illness, cardiovascular disease, sclerosis, diabetes, and even beriberi.

Pay attention to muscle cramps, weakness, sleep problems, severe stress or depression, and other signs that your body may not receive this mineral.

To avoid magnesium deficiency, be sure to consume the recommended daily dose, for this it is convenient to take a dietary supplement.

3 main rules to gain muscles

Posted on January 28, 2021January 28, 2021 by Sergei_Bst

Let’s be honest, we all want a nice toned body with strong arms, glutes and abs. And more of that, please. More muscles. So if our goal is to grow muscles then we need to take the right steps to achieve that goal.

For example, the way you train for muscle hypertrophy will be slightly different from training to increase strength, power, and so on.

When we talk about muscle mass gain, we define it as hypertrophic adaptation and the response of muscle fibers through progressive overload.

‌‌‌‌The basics of gaining muscle mass

Let’s discuss the three main principles of gaining muscle mass that everyone needs to consider in order to make progress.

1. Choose a high-quality training program for gaining muscle mass.

Why this is important: A proper training program will take into account several variables needed to build muscle, such as progressive overload, adequate volume gain, and an effort tracking system. And these are just some of the main aspects. If they are not included in your training program, it may be worth reviewing such a program or resorting to the help of a trainer.

What mistakes do powerlifters make?: as a rule, when an athlete, despite frequent training, does not gain muscle mass, this is due to the inconsistency of various aspects of his program. Changing programs when gaining muscle mass reduces all efforts to nothing. The result will be frequent transitions from program to program in the hope of finding the “best” or “perfect” plan, whatever it may be.

Social media, as well as a lack of patience and understanding of how muscle gain actually occurs, can affect the frequent change of programs. Without a balanced program (s) to track progress, we miss our opportunities to build muscle.

2. The role of nutrition in gaining muscle mass.

You can go to the gym and work out, stick to your current diet, and build muscle. This is because you are giving the body a new stimulus, and as you continue to do this, the body will adapt.

Why this is important: after a period of what we call “beginner progress” (rapid increase in muscle mass/strength due to the novelty of exercise), it becomes increasingly difficult to gain muscle mass. As with training, we ultimately need to put in a little more effort to continue to succeed — in this case, it dictates the nutrition strategy.

By controlling your total daily calories, macronutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrates), and even the number of meals you eat, you can accelerate your rate of muscle building. For example, if you do not monitor the amount of macronutrients, do not consume enough calories or do not get the right amount of protein, your rate of gaining muscle mass will be much lower than that of other athletes who take these factors into account.

Protein is extremely important for gaining muscle mass. Eating enough protein can help increase muscle mass with a supportive diet and when calories are in excess, and can also help maintain muscle mass when calories are in short supply.

There are many different ways to add more protein to your diet. In addition to animal sources such as beef, poultry, fish, and dairy products, there is a wide variety of protein powders available. For those who consume protein from animal sources, whey protein and casein protein are great options. For vegetarians and vegans, there are many different types of plant protein, including pea protein, soy protein, hemp protein, and many others. Many post-workout muscle recovery mixes also contain protein, along with muscle-supporting nutrients such as the BCAA complex (branched-chain amino acids) and other important amino acids.

What mistakes powerlifters make: what works at the beginning of training doesn’t work afterwards. The more we load the body with training, the more important it is to remember about nutrition and how it fits in with our goals.

For example, with a calorie deficit, the gain of muscle mass is much slower than with a supportive diet or with a small excess of calories. With this in mind, we can precisely align our goals with how we eat to gain muscle mass.

3. Remember that recovery (sleep) is extremely important for gaining muscle mass.

To gain muscle mass, it is not enough just to go to the gym, train and eat right. It should also be remembered that aspects of recovery, such as sleep, can also play a big role in building muscle.

Why this is important: while we sleep, our body produces growth hormone (HGH), which plays a major role in the growth of muscles and their adaptation to power loads. In addition, sleep can improve muscle recovery and growth through the synthesis of muscle protein. Our body thus uses protein to rebuild and restore muscle fibers.

In addition to these two key points, during the REM sleep phase, the body shows a tendency to increase blood flow. Increased blood flow has a beneficial effect on the transport of beneficial recovery products to the muscle fibers. Sleep also helps the muscles relax and relieves tension that occurs during the day and during training.

In addition to sleep, recovery techniques such as massage, ice baths, sauna sessions, and meditation can help us achieve our muscle-building goals.

What mistakes powerlifters make: very often athletes follow the first two aspects described above, but forget about the importance of sleep and other recovery methods. If we don’t provide our muscles with the tools they need to recover and adapt, even the best training plans won’t produce the desired results.

In addition, even a great diet can be useless if you lose sight of aspects of recovery, such as sleep. Lack of sleep can cause an increase in the level of hormones such as cortisol (the stress hormone), which is really detrimental to muscle growth and muscle gain. Cortisol is a catabolic, which means it breaks down molecules, so increasing levels of this hormone can interfere with the synthesis of muscle protein in the body.

How to cope with panic attack

Posted on January 26, 2021January 26, 2021 by Sergei_Bst

What is a panic attack?

A panic attack is a neurotic anxiety disorder associated with stress. In a panic attack, a person experiences a sudden, inexplicable and excruciating attack of fear, anxiety and / or panic, which is accompanied by the release of a significant amount of adrenaline into the blood.

The attack can last from 1-2 to 10-20 minutes.

Symptoms of a panic attack are :
Rapid pulse
Sweating/Chills
Tremor
Feeling of lack of air
Nausea
Vertigo
Fear of going mad or committing an uncontrollable act
Visual or hearing impairment, etc.

The mechanism of development of a panic attack is a normal reaction of the body to stress, with one exception – a panic attack occurs without a stressful situation or as an inadequate reaction to minimal stress in the accompaniment of causeless fear, anxiety, panic.

What causes panick attack?

This can be either a hereditary component, or vegetative-vascular dystonia, a long-term or acute stress state, or mental illness.

The risk group for panic attacks includes workaholics, overly responsible people, people engaged in highly emotional strenuous work, combining high-intensity physical activity, people who use various drugs or simulators ( energy drinks, coffee, etc.).

How to cope with panick attack

If you notice a person with symptoms of a panic attack, or if the person asks for help, you should:
Take the person outside or provide fresh air.
Talk to a person in a calm voice.
Ask a person about their health, encourage them, but do not force them to answer.
Offer a drink of water. Water should be drunk slowly.
Give the person the impression of complete control over the situation. Speak calmly and confidently, smile.

How to prevent anxiety disorder

Treatment of panic attacks is carried out by medication and psychotherapeutic methods.

To prevent, reduce the intensity and frequency of panic attacks, practice all the things that are usually advised for a healthy lifestyle. Do not overload the nervous system, avoid overexertion, meditate, master all kinds of breathing and body practices. Work through your blocks, limitations, and traumatic situations in psychotherapy sessions.

How romantic competence helps to have healthy relationship

Posted on January 25, 2021January 25, 2021 by Sergei_Bst

Psychologist Joanne Davila from the University of Stony‑Brooke, New York, studies romantic competence and healthy relationship functioning. Romantic competence is the ability to act effectively at all stages of a relationship: understand your needs, choose the right partner, build a strong bond, and stop unhealthy interactions.

Three key skills of romantic competence

1. Analysis

Analysis of the situation allows to understand what is happening, and learn a lesson for ourselves. We understand our needs and desires, and the reasons for our actions.

Let’s say you’ve been constantly annoyed with your partner lately. But after analysis, you see, it’s not his behavior, just you have serious stress at work. So, now you need not to argue, but to find a way to relax, so that the working tension does not flow into your personal life.

Develop this skill to anticipate the positive and negative consequences of your actions, understand your partner and respond appropriately to his actions. The analysis skill will protect you from unnecessary worries.

2. Ability to talk about needs

You both have needs and they are all important. Learn to speak clearly about your own and listen to others.
It will lead to you both being satisfied. Let’s say you need to meet with relatives with whom you have a strained relationship, and you want your partner to go with you. Don’t expect a loved one to guess, tell them directly: “It will be very stressful for me. It would help me a lot if you were around. Will be able to go out with me?»
Remember, when you value each other’s needs and don’t hesitate to talk about them, quarrels and misunderstandings become less.

3. Regulating emotions

This helps to keep calm in stressful situations and soberly assess the situation. For example, you are waiting for a partner to respond to your message. Time passes, and he is silent. You start getting angry, checking your phone every minute. But you better say to yourself: “Calm down. There’s no point in looking at the phone every five seconds. I’ll put it aside and do other things.”
The ability to cope with emotions helps to survive unpleasant feelings, while maintaining self-esteem.