Very Important Basics

Supplementation is more than just taking something that you buy at the store or online. It’s about timing, consistency, and eventually getting results. Most people have this misconception that there is some miracle pill that will give you results regardless of your eating , workout , and sleeping habits. Unfortunately, there is no miracle pill, so these habits must be exceptional if you want to obtain the goals that you have set for yourself. Here are some basic tips before you embark on a healthier lifestyle.

- The average person should eat every 3 to 4 hours in order to maintain muscle mass and burn fat. Anything longer than this time period; your body will actually utilize muscle tissue for energy rather than fat. Here is a basic guideline some people follow to improve their eating habits.
Wake up

- Eat a breakfast containing complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and some fruit.- Eat a snack containing lean protein and good fats such as: almonds, cashews, flaxseed, flax oil, etc.- Eat a lunch containing lean protein, green vegetables, and fruits.- Eat a snack containing lean protein and good fats such as; almonds, cashews, flaxseed, flax oil, etc.- Eat a nice dinner containing minimal carbohydrates, but plentiful with lean proteins, green vegetables, and good fats such as omega 3,6,9 fatty acids. (Salmon or any other cold water fish)- Eat a very light snack containing a time released protein.
Sleep

- The average teenager needs about 9 hours of sleep per night.- The average adult needs about 7-8 hours of sleep a night. If you are dieting and working out, your sleep requirements might be a bit higher.

Obviously this is a very difficult eating schedule to maintain if you are a student or work 40 hours a week. It would be unrealistic to assume that everybody has the time to cook and store 6 meals a day. This is where a protein supplement(meal replacement) comes into play. Choosing a lean, time released protein to consume 1 to 2 times per day can make it very easy to reach your eating goals. Whether your goal is to gain or lose weight, protein supplements(meal replacements) can be very effective. Your eating schedule will vary depending on whether or not it is a workout day.

Pre-Workout Meal
- On the days that you workout you may want to have a meal full of complex carbohydrates (whole oats, whole wheat toast or bagel) with protein (peanut butter, egg protein, beta casienates, etc) about an hour and a half before your workout. Every individual is different, so amounts in protein and carbohydrates may differ. The average is around 25 to 35 grams of complex carbohydrates, and 15 to 20 grams of time released protein. Consuming a pre-workout shake not only gives you the adequate energy you need to complete your workout, but it also helps your body stay anabolic (muscle building state) instead of catabolic (muscle burning state).

Post-Workout Meal
- On the days after your workouts, taking in the simple carbohydrates that most people think are bad is very important. Doing this helps replenish glycogen stores (body’s energy) and causes a spike in insulin levels (good thing). This shuttles carbohydrates and protein into the muscle cell. Typically people consume about 40-60 grams of simple sugars (carbohydrates) and 30-40 grams of whey protein (fast absorbing protein) post workout. A person has about 45 minutes to consume a post recovery shake before he or she goes into a catabolic state (muscle burning).