Pain = Good?

Since increasing the weights I use during my work outs (currently at 11KG) and incorporated "To Failure" reps, I have the joy of enduring severe pain in my arms for 2 hours after a work out.

But apparently this is a good thing?!

Here comes to logic as to why you suffer and why you should keep enduring it.

The pain you feel is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, DOMS for short. The occurs when you've pushed your muscles further then are happy with. The stress causes microscopic tears in your muscle fibres, more so during the lowering part of a move. These tears your body will repairs and is rebuilt bigger and stronger so that your muscles can cope with lifting the weight next time.

As protein helps you build more muscle it will help reduce the duration of your agony.

In short pain from muscle work out is good, have some chicken after it to shorten the duration of searing pain, keep going and you will get bigger and stronger.

CHILDREN COVER YOUR EYES FOR THIS FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH

For the guys out there that read this and had a stroke of genius to enhance a particular muscle of their's. I just want to say, will not be blamed for any embarrassing injuries you get because you are all jerking it until it hurts then going through the drive through of KFC. That's your choice...but I will however laugh lol!

Good Eats

I will be doing a bigger post on nutrition later but for now here is a guide to food that have good protein content, remember protein is needed for adding muscle and keeps you feeling full so this will come in handy whatever your goal.

• Chicken is an epic source of protein, just avoid having it deep fried or battered. Go for chicken breast or breaded chicken.
• Eggs in its many shapes are forms are all good, frying is ok if you have some good oil to do it in. Extra virgin olive oil and sesame seed oil are fine along with that heavy anti stick spray stuff which says its 1 cal per spray. Most people only have egg whites and leave the yolk as its more Cals. Keep in mind that you need a little bit of Cals for the protein to attach itself to and allow the circulate through your system, so just use the yolk.
• Cottage cheese is good if you like it that is. Personally I cannot stand it! It tastes like its trying to be a yoghurt but never really got there.
• Peanut butter, love it! The best tasting peanut butter and the best for you that I have had is, Whole Earth Crunchy Original. 
• Greek yoghurt, love these as well. The best brand I have had has to be, Rachel's Greek Style Yoghurt. 

This is all I can think of at the moment, I am sure there are loads more. For help with work out nutrition head click on this link Guru Performance Nutrition. Its got some great recipes and advise that comes out daily. Also if you have signed up to MensFitness online they also have recipes there. Enjoy some good eats!

Update #1

Ok I am going to do this every Tuesday, its just a quick update on my progress and any changes I have made to my work out. Currently I do have a faint four pack...in a good light...if I tense....and lean back. But the point is its real I can see it....sometimes.

I have up increased the weight of my dumbbells in all of my exercise from 9KG to 10.25KG and will be increasing it by 1KG every 4 days (might be slightly more or less as my dumbbell weights are like 1.25, 2.5 etc). My planks are at 2mins at the moment I will be going for 3mins this week. I have increased the amount of dumbbell kick backs to 50 each arm (with the new 10.25KG weight). I have also introduced Burpees into my work out along with V sits and I am currently doing 25 of each as a start.

The protein shake I have before bed I am having with milk, this is because protein needs some carbs to attach itself to so it can work its way around your system. Since eating past 9 is bad (because it will just sit on your stomach and not process until the morning) just having it with milk is a solid move.

This week I am going to do varied sets, for example:

• 10 Bicycles
• 10 Elevated Push ups
• 10 Burpees
• Repeat 5 times

I also plan to do my normal reps but then do them "To Failure" which means repeat until you have physically do no more, this will force my muscles to grow more.

Remember to increase your calorie and protein intake as you gain to maintain your muscle mass. Your metabolism will burn more effectively so you will need to compensate otherwise your body will use fuel via your newly gained muscle!  - Rachel

A great bit of advice this and I have taken it on board so I don't loose what I am trying so hard to achieve by not eating and eating is goood!

I have kept up with my cold showers but it hasn't been easy. I have decided though to treat myself to a hot one every Sunday (when I will most likely be suffering from a hangover).


Didn't post yesterday because as I was hanging sorry. 

Alcohol is bad mmm'kay?

Today's post is about alcohol, I thought it would be fitting since its Super Sunday. Hope this doesn't put a downer on your night out.

Alcohol is full of empty calories and one of the biggest issues when you're trying to loose weight. One tip to remember is that with a higher alcohol percentage the more carbs (sucks I know). Cutting out alcohol completely is virtually impossible without near god like self control and an immunity to peer pressure.

Hence why I still end up having one or two....or three at the weekend. That in mind here are some health benefits to certain beverages to make us all feel a little less guilty about it.

• Coors Light - Amazing taste and is currently my favourite to drink, is only has 5g of carbs, when you compare that to a standard premium lager which has 10g of carbs, for people that struggle with maths Coors light has half the carbs or a regular lager. Plus it has Van Damme in the adverts for it, need I say more?

• Guinness and other stouts - Increases good HDL cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease providing Vitamin B and posassium. That being said it does add quite a bit of carbs, not only that but it feels like you are drinking a meal in a glass.

• Red Wine - Keeps up the appearance that you are well cultured its other benefits are that it contains the antioxidant resveratrol, which helps lower the risk of heart disease and cancer. Just don't drink low quality wine, you know the kind that just has a white label with "Wine" on it, it won't have the benefits and your better then that.

There are others like Chalky's Bite and Fuller's Organic Honeydew for example but you're going to struggle to find these without a specialist supermarket.

The best thing you can do after a night out is not buy a take away before going home. More often then not you will buy it from a place you wouldn't order from in the day so why do it at the evening. Again this is hard to do.


As I have said before I am new to all of this but I have been given some great advice which is in the comment section of the Gym = Prison post, thanks again Rachel! I welcome any advice people are willing to share.

But for now here is a quick picture of Van Damme in the Coors Light advert and enjoy Super Sunday everyone!

For The Lads

This post is designed for the lads, I will do one for the ladies (I think I have at least one female follower) when I have done a bit of research into it.

* BE WARNED - This post is a little rude so if your under 15 do not read it, also this is true but I have added a bit of humour to it *

Testosterone! Yeah as you can already sense the warning was for a reason anyway lets get on with it. Facebook in its infinite wisdom popped up with a nice article from Predator Nutrition about how to increase testosterone naturally, after I finished being offended I gave it a look.

Remember Testosterone means more muscle mass, staying leaner, increase in strength, better athletic performance over all and more (if you know what I mean).

Ok here is the article http://www.predatornutrition.com/How-To-Increase-Testosterone-Naturally.

Its definitely worth a read but I will give you the shorter version now for those lazy people out there on how to make your testosterone levels sky rocket.

After a nice 8-10 sleep go out into the sun and watch porn or if you have a willing partner have sex, if possible be surrounded by pretty women, whilst in competition with another person, eating roast beef with a bit of fast food, keeping your testicles on some frozen peas or ice and top it off with a cold shower afterwards (see Some Tips post).

Now that should do the trick. But remember you have neighbours, so you might want to do this one at a time or inside with the curtains closed. Unless you like them watching of course.

Fapping for fitness

Running Repair

If you catched my last post you will know that my knee is in bad shape. So today I have done alot more muscle work while keeping off my knee as much as possible to give it time to heal.

Coincidently MensFitness posted a very nice guide today on how to deal with the different running injuries by  top London physiotherapist Lucy McDonald. If you haven't already signed up to MensFitness online, do it! Its free and has loads of great advice.

Here is the link http://www.mensfitness.co.uk/exercisevideos/sport_action/8131/fix_common_running_injuries.html

I am off to do a few to get back out there.

Crash

Just going to talk about my epic fail today and the possible reason for it. I started off by doing my muscle work then going to do my run which is 5.6 miles there and 5.6 miles back. Unfortunately I got to the half way point realised my knee killing me and I had zero energy left.

Reason I think I ran out of energy is that I only had porridge for breakfast when I should of had a banana or something with it. I also foolishly didn't have my protein shake immediately after the muscle work as I was going to have it when I got back.

As I don't take any money with me or a phone running because when they are in my pocket it constantly slaps me on the ass like some kind of pervy PE teacher, I was stranded with no choice but to walk to the nearest telephone box 4 miles away and reverse call my house for a pick up. 

It was hell, it was hard not to pass out and I was walking like a drunk. It even started to rain which is awesome. I finally got home got my protein and food, chocolate and some Pepsi max and collapsed. I know its not healthy but it was needed. Took about 6 hours but my strength is returning now as I struggled to ascend the stairs when I got in.

Sorry for the woe-is-me rant. But will do two posts tomorrow.