When it comes to building strength and endurance, or just maintaining a healthy fit body, consistency is the key. This means eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of sleep, staying hydrated and following a regular workout schedule. The following information provides some advice for patients interested in increasing their lean muscle mass and performance at the gym. It is also beneficial to those patients wanting to take their favorite outdoor sports activity such as running and cycling to the next level of fitness.
At the Alpha Spine Center we recommend high quality foods and high quality supplements to help your body reach optimal health!
The Doctors at ASC recommend for Health for most of your supplement needs.
The Doctors at ASC recommend for Health for most of your supplement needs.
WATER
The human body is roughly 60% water. Therefore staying hydrated is very important to our overall health and wellness. It becomes even more critical to make sure your body receives adequate water when you engage in physical activity. There are many ways to calculate how much water you need to consume on a daily basis. Many health professionals have commonly suggested the easy to remember 8 x 8 rule. That is drinking eight-8 ounce glass of water per day. However this does not take into account your level of physical activity, the climate in which you live or what you have eaten. According to the Institute of Medicine, males 19 and over should generally consume 3.7 liters of water every day - 15.6 cups. Women 19 and over should consume 2.7 liters per day - 11.4 cups. Keep in mind you will to have increase that number when you add exercise to your day. Being properly hydrated before you workout regulates your body temperature, removes unwanted waste, lubricates your joints, protects your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues, and moves nutrients throughout your body giving you the energy you need to perform at your best. If you are not hydrated you may experience fatigue, muscle cramps, dizziness or other serious complications. Keeping a reusable bottle with you, adding a squeeze of lemon or lime to your water, experimenting with different water temperatures and avoiding sugary water substitutes such as sports drinks are easy ways you can establish a habit of drinking more water and staying hydrated throughout your day.
www.nap.edu/read/10925/chapter/6
www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/nutrition/index.htm
www.nap.edu/read/10925/chapter/6
www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/nutrition/index.htm
PROTEIN & ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS
Protein, found in every cell in the body, is another vital component for optimal performance. Proteins are large, complex molecules made up of hundreds or thousands of smaller units called amino acids. We get our protein from the foods that we eat to build and maintain bone, muscle and skin. It is very important to get an adequate amount of protein in order to grow and repair muscle after strenuous workouts. The RDA suggests 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound. This is 56 grams per day for the average sedentary man. However many experts agree that those numbers are not enough for those looking to gain muscle or for those engaged in endurance sports. It is recommended that endurance sports athletes such as runners and cyclists consume 1.0 - 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Strength and power athletes will need 1.4 - 1.9 games of protein per kilogram of body weight; this is equivalent to 0.64 - 0.82 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day. For a 200 lb. man looking to gain muscle mass he would have to consume at least 128 grams of protein each day. Providing your body with enough protein is absolutely necessary for there to be any gains in muscle mass and performance.
Equally important are essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks for protein. They play various key roles within our body as a large proportion of our cells, muscle and tissue are made up of amino acids. There are 20 among acids in your body’s proteins. Nine of those are essential amino acids meaning that your cells cannot manufacture them and must receive them from the foods that you eat: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. The branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine are of particular importance to athletes and physically active adults. They account for nearly 1/3 of the amino acids in muscle protein and help to improve exercise performance and reduce muscle breakdown. The following links and resources will give you a more comprehensive look at the benefits and uses of protein and essential amino acids.
Beta Alanine:
http://catalog.designsforhealth.com/Beta-Alanine-SRT
L-Glutamine:
http://catalog.designsforhealth.com/L-Glutamine-500-Powder
BCAA
http://catalog.designsforhealth.com/BCAA-Powder-with-L-Glutamine
Resources:
www.muscleforlife.com/how-much-protein-to-build-muscle/
www.aminoacid-studies.com
Books and workout plans: Bigger, Leaner, Stronger (for men) and Thinner, Leaner, Stronger (for women) by Michael Matthews
Equally important are essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks for protein. They play various key roles within our body as a large proportion of our cells, muscle and tissue are made up of amino acids. There are 20 among acids in your body’s proteins. Nine of those are essential amino acids meaning that your cells cannot manufacture them and must receive them from the foods that you eat: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. The branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine are of particular importance to athletes and physically active adults. They account for nearly 1/3 of the amino acids in muscle protein and help to improve exercise performance and reduce muscle breakdown. The following links and resources will give you a more comprehensive look at the benefits and uses of protein and essential amino acids.
Beta Alanine:
http://catalog.designsforhealth.com/Beta-Alanine-SRT
L-Glutamine:
http://catalog.designsforhealth.com/L-Glutamine-500-Powder
BCAA
http://catalog.designsforhealth.com/BCAA-Powder-with-L-Glutamine
Resources:
www.muscleforlife.com/how-much-protein-to-build-muscle/
www.aminoacid-studies.com
Books and workout plans: Bigger, Leaner, Stronger (for men) and Thinner, Leaner, Stronger (for women) by Michael Matthews