Orginally published in Max Sports & Fitness

Everywhere you look there is a new diet – low carb, low fat, Mediterranean, Atkins, etc. How is anyone supposed to know what to eat or what supplements to take? This month, we take a look at six easy ways to keep you fit and healthy and we PROMISE you won’t be eating grapefruit only!

1. Eat every 3 to 4 hours, hungry or not.
Why is it that everyone thinks they need to eat less to lose weight? The opposite is actually true. To lose weight you need to eat small meals every 3 to 4 hours to speed up your metabolism. Skipping meals leads to food cravings, binge eating and weight gain. Why? You are more likely to overeat when you have not eaten in 8 hours than when you eat something small every 3 to 4 hours. When you choose to eat less or skip a meal, your body goes into “starvation mode” and your metabolism slows down to preserve energy. You gain weight because your body stores all the food you consume because it assumes you will starve yourself again. The only way to break this cycle is to eat small meals, starting with breakfast and following every 3 to 4 hours.

2. Always eat protein with your carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates provide energy for our bodies. Fast-acting carbs, or simple carbs, give you that immediate rush of energy that quickly fades. Longer-acting carbs, such as oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain pastas and sweet potatoes, take longer to digest and provide longer amounts of energy. The key here is use the carbohydrates or they will be stored as fat! Adding protein to the mix slows down the digestion process, aids in either building muscle or losing weight, and decreases how fast the carbohydrates go into and out of your system. One easy way to get extra protein is to try one of the many different protein powders from Max Muscle Sports Nutrition. Come in for a great-tasting free sample today!

3. Multi-Vitamins: why we all need them.
In our busy lives, we often don’t get all the nutrients we need to be fit and healthy. We are lucky if we grab a breakfast that contains something other than black coffee or a glass of juice. We continue the day by eating processed fast food or convenience food, which lack nutrients. Multi-vitamins like Max Complete, Ultra 100 and Max Vit-Acell act as an insurance, making sure we get all of our necessary vitamins and minerals. Without these essential nutrients, you will not be able to get the health and fitness results you desire.

4. Healthy Fats Are Good!
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are the “good fats” you’re hearing all over the news these days. These good fats help undo some of the damage from the “bad fats,” such as trans fats and cholesterol (animal fat). Good fats raise your HDL or “good cholesterol.” High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), or “good cholesterol,” helps remove the bad cholesterol, LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein), by escorting it to the liver where it is broken down and excreted. This is very important in an age when so many Americans are struggling to get their cholesterol down and fight heart disease and obesity. Try Max Muscle’s EFAs or Complete Omegas to ensure you are getting all your necessary healthy fats.

5. Is Water “That” important?
Water makes up more than 70 percent of the human body and without it, humans would die in a few days. All cell and organ functions in our body depend on water. Water serves as a lubricant for joints and organs, regulates body temperature, alleviates constipation and regulates metabolism. Drinking eight glasses of water daily can decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45 percent, bladder cancer by 50 percent and it can potentially even reduce the risk of breast cancer (www.freedrinkingwater.com). Did you know a small 2 percent drop in your body’s water supply can trigger signs of dehydration: headaches, tiredness and lack of focus? An estimated 75 percent of Americans experience mild, chronic dehydration.

6. Where to turn for more help.
Still feeling a little confused about what you really need to do to get the results you want? Stop by your local Max Muscle Sports Nutrition store and schedule a nutrition consultation with one of our certified fitness nutrition specialists. These individuals will listen to your goals and help you design a customized nutrition and supplement routine to get you MAXimum results. You deserve to look and feel your best every day! So, stop putting it off and talk to someone who can really help you achieve more than you’d ever dreamed!

To find a store near you, visit www.maxmuscle.com.

Remember: the keys to living well and looking great are understanding the basics and applying them in everyday life! In general, if the nutrition information you are getting sounds too good to be true, it probably is! MS&F

Orginal article:  http://www.maxmuscle.com/article/646/

Written by:  Corry Matthews, published in Max Sports & Fitness – actual link to article is http://www.maxmuscle.com/fitness-magazine/article/science-nutrition/232/  or read it here…

What’s with all the fad diets out there? Whether low-carb, low-calorie or low-fat, some company always has a gimmick to help you lose weight! Everyone is looking for that one magic pill or food! The problem is – it doesn’t exist! How many fad diets have you tried?
Low-Carb Diet
Low-Fat Diet
Liquid Diet (using low-calorie, high-fiber shakes)
Grapefruit Diet
The Beverly Hills Diet
Cabbage Soup Diet

Have any of you been able to stay on these deprivation diets for a long period of time? And if you did lose weight, did it stay off or come back once you began eating “normal” again?

If you’ve followed at least one of these diets, you have plenty of company. Problem is, if a diet really works, we’d all be on it, and we’d stay on it! The reality is that fad diets don’t help you lose the weight that stays off. The only true way to lose weight and keep it off is to change your lifestyle! Max Muscle Sports Nutrition is here is to help you see through all the empty promises!

What is a Fad Diet?
A fad diet is a diet that promises quick weight loss and is usually popular for only a short time. Fad diets are just as they sound, too good to be true! How many of us could actually eat grapefruit for every meal? Or how about soup? We also know that losing body fat without exercise never happens, or if it does, it doesn’t stay off. However, the fad diet industry makes millions of dollars every year off of consumers just like you and me who fall for their gimmicks!

Classic Signs of a Fad Diet
Fad diets usually make promises that are untrue or unsafe. The tips in this section will help you spot fad diets and avoid the unhealthy activities they recommend. Remember ? If a diet sounds too good to be true, it is.

How to Recognize a Fad Diet:
* Most fad diets will restrict certain types of foods, while encouraging the dieter to eat another type of food.
* The diet makes claims that weight loss is quick and rapid, without the need to exercise. (Rapid weight loss is defined as anything greater than two pounds per week.)
* The diet promotes miracle foods that burn fat.
* The diet has a rigid menu with a list of foods that must be eaten at a specific time of the day or in specific combinations.
* The diet will not have a warning label.
* The diet will not have credible scientific research to back up its claims.

Any diet that states absolute ratios of carbohydrates, proteins and fats (examples: 40, 30, 30 OR 60, 20, 20)
Another side effect of fad diets is “yo-yo dieting.” Yo-yo dieting is when a person goes on a diet, loses some weight, and then gains it back once they resume their normal way of eating. Frustrated with the weight gain, they try another diet. The cycle continues and research shows that people actually gain more overall weight with this type of dieting!

Following are some of the most common fad diets:

Liquid Diets
Most people who go on a liquid diet will probably lose weight. However, once the dieter resumes eating whole foods, the pounds generally come back. Liquid dieters should be cautious and are discouraged from being on a liquid diet for an extended period of time. These diets do not provide the body with the proper amount of vitamins and minerals needed to maintain optimal health.

High Protein Diets
High protein diets claim that if you eat large quantities of protein only, that you will lose fat and build muscle. However, high protein diets may cause damage to the liver and kidneys and must be balanced with whole grain carbohydrates, fruit, vegetables and healthy fats.

Low Fat Diets
The body needs fat to burn fat. The theory behind low fat diets is to remove all fat, so that you will burn your own body fat. The problem is the body does not work this way. Additionally most low fat foods add sugar to maintain taste!

One Food Diet
Any diet that requires you to eat only one specific food (example: grapefruit diet) is a fad diet. This type of restrictive diet is very unhealthy and most people cannot maintain this type of diet. Weakness can occur quickly due to low calorie consumption, as well as a lack of vitamins and minerals in the food. In addition, the body will lower its metabolic rate and burn fewer calories.

Variety Is Key
Just as a car needs the proper gasoline to make it run, a body needs a healthy diet and the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat in addition to essential vitamins and minerals to develop properly.

When you go on a fad diet and exclude any of the necessary nutrients, you’re putting yourself at risk for illness. Getting too little of a specific nutrient may not cause a problem immediately but in the long run you may suffer health consequences.

Max Muscle Sports Nutrition has Certified Nutrition Specialists ready to help you understand all the necessary tools for eating right! Make an appointment today to find out what your calorie and nutrient needs are! MS&F

By: Corry Matthews, Kristin Wood & Shelby McDaniel

(Originally printed in Max Sports & Fitness Magazine) – revisions made to product updates by Corry Matthews

How to Time Your Supplements Effectively

Did you know that WHEN you take your supplements is as important as WHAT supplements you take? Whether your goal is to improve your endurance, add size, or lose body fat, you need to take the right supplements at th right time for optimum results. Use the strategies below to improve your results, or visit your local Max Muscle Sports Nutrition store for expert advice customized specifically for your body.

Nutrition Foundation
We recommend every athlete begin with the Core 4 program to support overall health and increase immune system response. The four supplements – protein powder, glutamine, multivitamins, and essential fatty acids (EFAs) – are the building blocks of a healthy body and are critical to losing fat, gaining or maintaining muscle mass, and endurance.

Core 4 Timing: For those interested in general nutrition, Core 4 timing is less critical. The priority is the correct number of servings every day, so take the products when they work best in your schedule. One option: take 2 Max EFAs and 3 Max Complete in the morning with a protein shake that includes a scoop of glutamine. If you work out, take a second protein shake with 1 scoop glutamine post-workout and have 2 EFAs and 3 Max Complete with dinner.

Endurance Athletes
Endurance athletes must maintain speed and quickness while building and maintaining the muscle mass necessary for intense, extended workouts. The biggest mistake endurance athletes make is failing to replace their lost glycogen, which fuels the body for the next workout. Additionally, endurance athletes need protein, and correct timing of protein leads to better muscle endurance and strength to win whatever event it may be, or to overall feel your MAX!

Pre-Workout: 1-2 scoops of Xtinguisher (the amount will vary based on your body weight and the intensity of your planned workout). Xtinguisher’s carnisine and dextrose help rapidly fuel your body for extended training periods and will buffer the burn associated with lactic acid buildup.

These two effects will allow you to train at higher levels of intensity for longer periods.

Post-Workout: Speed muscle repair and growth by replenishing the glycogen you have depleted from your body. The combination of glutamine, branch-chained amino acids, and protein pumps necessary nutrients back into your muscles; the dextrose ensures this happens quickly. For best results, combine 1 scoop of Iso-Extreme whey protein isolate, 1 scoop XTR recovery complex, and 1 scoop Xtinguisher.

For Strength & Mass
Supplement timing is important for transforming those killer training sessions into strength and lean body mass. The critical first step in pre-workout formulas is to stimulate your system and push creatine into your body for that ultimate pump. After the workout it is all about fueling the growing muscles with a combination of protein and carbohydrates. Yes, we did say carbohydrates ? many strength and mass athletes forget how vital carbohydrates are for growing lean muscle.

Pre-Workout: Take 1 scoop Full Blown Extreme in 12 oz. water. Full Blown Extreme provides 1.5g Kre-Alkaline, 1g creatine monohydrate, and pump and energy formulas (caffeine) that will take your workouts to the next level. 10 minutes

Post-Workout: High protein and carbohydrate intake post-workout will help replenish glycogen levels, preventing the body from entering a catabolic state, and allowing muscles to grow and repair.

Two options: Gourmet Gainer in 20 oz water or milk, or a customized combination of Max Pro or Triple Whey mixed with 2 scoops Carbo Max, Max flax seed oil, water, ice and fruit of choice.

Advanced Mass Building**: To build even more mass, products that elevate natural testosterone levels will enhance lean muscle tissue gains. It is important to work with your Max Muscle certified sports nutrition specialist to ensure you are on the program that is right for you. Make sure you ask how Anabol EXT, Tribustak, and 2TX will help you reach new massive muscle proportions.

**It is extremely important to also regularly take the Max EFAs and a multivitamin such as Vit-Acell or Max Complete with these products to regulate hormones and for optimum mass and strength gain.

For Losing Body Fat: 24 Hour Burn Cycle
Your foundation supplements for revving your metabolism must include a multivitamin (Max Complete of Vit-Acell), EFAs, and protein powders. This combination prepares your body for better fat mobilization.

For those looking for more accelerated fat loss…
although not appropriate for everyone, Max Muscle has the best fat burners on the planet to help you burn unwanted body fat 24 hours a day.Supplement timing for fat loss is dependent on the time of day you exercise. For example, our favorite fat burners are ThermXX or Quadra Cuts, and we recommend two doses a day, one in the morning, and then another in the afternoon. If you work out in the morning, take one dose 30 minutes before you start and then again after lunch. If you work out in the afternoon, take 1 dose in the morning and another serving 30 minutes prior to workout.

Want to ratchet up the results even more? By adding a few more key supplements, timed carefully, you can move from fat-burning to fat-blasting. (Consult your local Max Muscle staff to determine whether this combination is appropriate for you.) See the box below for one recommendation. Timing your supplement intake is critical to achieving your goals as quickly as possible, but it is not for everyone. For those who are dedicated to closely monitoring their daily food and supplement intake, and disciplined enough about following through, however, the rewards can be exceptional. And remember, you do not need to do this alone! Your local Max Muscle nutrition team has the knowledge andexperience to help you succeed. MS&F

24 Hour Fat Blast Combo

30 minutes before workout- 1-2 Therm XX, 1-2 capsules MN L-caratine or 2 Max CLA, 5 mg L-glutamine

20-40 minutes:Protein Shake, Triple Whey or post-workout High 5) with 5 mg glutamine and 1 scoop of Carbo Max OR one serving of whole-grain carbs.

Afternoon: 2 ThermXX 2 L-carnitine Or 2 Max CLA

Bedtime: Quadra Cuts PM