3 Essential Steps To Gain Strength & Size!

Body Building - Mamie - September 15, 2022

If you are serious about body building, then you must know what it takes to build muscle mass and lose fat. It is a fact that most people who want to build muscle mass and lose fat do not have the knowledge of how to go about getting there. With the right information, though, anyone can get results. Here’s some tips on what you should know in order to achieve your goals.

It’s important to understand that you will not build muscle mass overnight. The process is slow and gradual. However, by following these guidelines, you can gain strength and build muscle fast enough to see results in just a few weeks. So let’s begin with an overview of the three phases of building muscle mass.

Phase 1 – Increase Muscle Mass — Build Your Foundation

This is the first phase of building muscle mass. To be successful at this stage of development, you need to take good care of yourself so you don’t injure yourself while training hard. This means eating well and keeping hydrated, especially when lifting heavy weights. If you’re not eating properly, you won’t have any energy for your workouts. Plus, water keeps everything flowing around your body so you’ll feel great!

In addition to eating well and staying healthy, you also need to make sure to sleep soundly at night. In order to sleep well, you’ll want to avoid caffeine after 2pm because it has a stimulating effect on the nervous system. After you’ve had your coffee, try drinking a glass of warm milk instead.

Phase 2 – Develop More Muscle — Grow Bigger Muscles

This is where you develop more muscle mass. At this point, you should expect to start seeing some pretty dramatic changes in your physique. In order to accomplish this, you’ll need to increase the intensity of your workouts. That means doing more sets of repetitions and heavier weights. When you’re going all out, remember to keep your form correct. If you don’t maintain proper posture during exercise, you’ll end up hurting yourself.

You may find it difficult to add weight to the bar or even lift a dumbbell over head. Don’t worry; you can still add weight slowly. Instead of lifting a weight that’s too heavy for you, use two 25 pound plates on each side. Then you can gradually add another plate until you reach a weight that you can handle easily.

Now that you’ve learned how to work out correctly and safely, it’s time to build muscle. Here are some other things you need to know before beginning your workout routine:

Train your muscles one day per week. On non-training days, rest as much as possible. This is essential for maintaining lean muscle tissue. Otherwise, you’ll end up losing muscle mass.
Don’t skip meals. Skipping meals leads to fatigue and irritability. You’ll also put yourself at risk of becoming weak.
Eat protein every 3-4 hours. Protein helps you repair damaged cells and tissues, which makes them stronger.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water flushes toxins from your body and keeps you feeling full. Also, if you aren’t drinking enough water, you’ll experience headaches, nausea, dizziness, and dehydration.
Get enough sun exposure. Vitamin D is vital to healthy bones and teeth, but it’s also needed for healthy muscles and joints. Sunlight provides vitamin D naturally, so you don’t need to buy best steroid stack for cutting. But if you live in a cloudy area, supplementing with vitamin D can help.
Take a multivitamin pill every day. A multi-vitamin is designed to provide nutrients which your body needs. These include vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B12, folate, and calcium.
Exercise regularly. Exercise stimulates the release of growth hormones such as insulin growth factor and human growth hormone. These help your body build muscle mass.
Do cardio exercises. Cardio exercises improve blood circulation, which increases oxygen supply to your muscles. They also help burn calories.
Stop smoking. Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen available for burning fat and causes damage to body organs like lungs and heart.
Keep stress under control. Stress causes your body to produce cortisol, which puts you at risk of gaining fat.
Avoid alcohol. Alcohol inhibits the production of testosterone, which is necessary for building muscle mass.

The combination of all of these factors is what will allow you to grow bigger muscles. And now you have the knowledge to do exactly that. Keep reading to learn more about how to get started…

Building muscle is a long term process. It requires dedication and consistency. But if you stick to these basic guidelines, you’ll be able to build muscle mass quickly.

To build muscle mass, you need to eat well (but not too many carbohydrates) and train frequently. Try to complete your workouts in less than 30 minutes, and make sure to complete one set of 8 to 12 reps (depending on your current fitness level). Once you have completed your workout, immediately consume a high concentration of protein. The best sources of protein include meat, eggs, fish, poultry, beans, legumes, and grains.

Going For The Shredded Look? Check Out These 6 Supplements

Body Building, Health and Fitness - Mamie - September 9, 2022

Where does the real magic happen – in the kitchen or the gym? Yes, we are talking about that shredded look that you are going for. Both trainers and dieticians will answer the question in their own way. But like most debatable issues – there is always a middle ground.

If you want a lean and ripped look, there are two main steps – reducing the extra fat in your body and bulking up by muscle growth. This cannot be achieved by diet or training alone. Even body fat which is less than 6% is not considered conducive as fat is an important nutrient.

The ideal way to get the shredded look is to follow a diet that has enough protein to allow muscle growth and the perfect training plan (customized for your body) with proper rest and sleep. However, sometimes, this is not enough and you may need that extra nudge to achieve your fitness goal.

Supplements work because they not only increase your fat-burning capacity but also keep you satisfied for a longer time, thereby reducing your snacking and unnecessary calories.

Here we have compiled a list of 6 supplements that get you shredded:

Whey Protein

Let’s start with the most commonly known supplement. This is a supplement that promotes muscle growth as it is composed of protein. Whey is the liquid portion that remains when milk is curdled and the curd and whey get separated. Whey protein drastically improves the nutrient profile of your diet.

The ideal time to consume whey protein is after the workout session. The manner of working of this kind of protein is that it first promotes muscle recovery and ultimately leads to those gains that you are looking for.

Casein

This is another protein supplement that is used quite a lot. In comparison to whey protein, Casein is digested by the body slowly. This helps the body in sustaining the muscle growth that takes place.

Casein works best when consumed approximately two hours before sleeping. This is because the body is fasting during the night time and muscle growth takes place during this time.

Like whey protein, Casein is also derived from milk. Human milk has low casein content while the milk from buffalo is high in casein (which explains why in some countries, bodybuilders drink buffalo milk).

Glutamine

This is one amino acid that is found not just in food but also in our own bodies because the body itself produces it. However, this gets depleted when the body is exercised (also during times of stress) and therefore, supplements need to be taken in order to get the lean and fit look.

Apart from the physical form, Glutamine also ensures that your intestines remain strong. Other impactful benefits of Glutamine include better immunity. In fact, it has been approved as a prescription drug for sickle cell disease by the US drug regulator.

CLA

Let’s talk about some supplements that help you burn fat. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is one such supplement which is a fatty acid. The working process of CLA is like this – it burns fat and at the same time reduces the creation of newer fat tissues.

While this is one supplement that works pretty slowly and takes time to show you results, it is also one which can help you look your best. This is because its unique style of fat burning reduces belly fat, thereby giving you that shredded look you are willing to die for.

Creatine

Creatine is often misunderstood when it comes to its role as a supplement. However, when it comes to gaining lean muscle, Creatine is one of the best out there. One of its lesser-known impacts is that it reduces muscle loss and incentivizes fat loss.

The best part about this supplement is that no adverse effects from its usage have been found. It is, however, said that Creatine makes you feel bloated. This may be because it makes you retain water. But the good aspect is that this water is pulled inside your muscles and not under the skin, meaning that you will not look fatter.

Green Tea

Like any other tea, Green Tea is made from plant leaves. There is a fundamental difference between green tea and regular tea (or black tea). The leaves which make up the former do not undergo the wilting and oxidation process that the latter goes through.

The Chinese have been swearing at the benefits of Green Tea for centuries. The world too has woken up to its role in weight loss. However, there is no direct link between Green Tea and a ripped body. It is a small part of the means to your end. But that is true for fitness in general.

While each of the supplements listed above helps you in some way or the other, it is important to consult your medical professional before you start any of them. This is important because every person’s body and medical condition are different and it is always better to opt for prior consultation.

At the end of the day, a good diet and training (along with supplements) need to be accompanied by a relatively less stressful life and good sleep for you to actually look like you want to. Consistency is also crucial in all these spheres of fitness in order to achieve results.

8 Interesting Facts About Taoist Funeral Traditions

Lifestyle - Mamie - September 8, 2022

Every religion has its own customs and traditions when it comes to different stages of a person’s life. The ancient religion of Taoism is no different. In Taoism, while death is considered to be a phase of life, the process of death is referred to as shijie which means “release from the corpse”.

On the religious side, Taoism is based on the belief that the human body houses monsters and spirits. The spirits protect the body from the monsters. If the spirits desert the body, the person dies.

Whether you believe in Taoism or are interested in its customs, after reading this post, you will be able to gain some insights into the interesting aspects of Taoist funeral traditions. Let’s start, shall we?

The departed should not have anything red with them

After the death of a person, preparing the physical being of the departed soul for burial is an important aspect of the funeral traditions. In Taoism, the body is first cleaned with a damp cloth. Talcum powder is used too. Then, the dead are clothed in clean dresses.

The interesting fact to note here is that the departed should not have anything red with them at the time of burial. This is because it is believed that the red color is responsible for converting their spirit into a ghost.

Loud expression of grief is encouraged

All human beings express themselves differently and thus, it is not fair to categorize their expression of grief based on their religion. But certain practices become a part of our expression and can be gauged from historical behavior.

Followers of Taoism believe that the expression of grief at a funeral is a show of our love and affection for the dead. Hence, overt displays of grief are not looked down upon and are instead encouraged.

Mirrors are taboo

Just like the red color has a negative connotation in Taoist funerals, so do mirrors. In fact, it is an accepted fact that there should be no mirrors in and around the area where the coffin is placed at the funeral.

The belief behind this taboo is that if any person looks at the reflection of the casket in such a mirror, then there may be death in the family of such a person. No wonder people make sure there are no mirrors at a funeral.

Funeral processions have an order

As soon as the funeral rituals are completed, the next step is to carry the deceased for the burial. The hearse is followed by a funeral procession (known as cortege in Taoism). In this procession, the eldest son of the deceased is given the most respect and his position is just behind the hearse along with the rest of the family.

Along with this, tradition dictates that the family members must touch the vehicle with their heads as a mark of respect. If the family is large and this is not physically possible, a white cloth is used to connect all the family members with the hearse.

No trimming of hair and nails for a period of 49 days

As a custom which is followed post the funeral, the lineal descendants of the deceased are not supposed to cut their hair and nails at least for a period of 49 days after the funeral.

In Taoism, it is believed that the hair and nails have been received by the children and grandchildren from their parents and hence they must not be trimmed during the mourning period.

No visits to friends and family during the mourning period

Another Taoist funeral tradition that is strictly followed is that during the mourning period (which is 49 days typically), one must avoid visiting family and friends.

The mourning period is believed to be a time set aside for Taoists to reflect on their lives and come to terms with their loss so that they can cope with it. However, it is encouraged that offerings be made to the designated spiritual tablet to express their appreciation and respect in the memory of the departed soul.

Avoid wearing bright colors

This is a custom that is common among most religions. Families and friends who attend the funeral must avoid bright colors, especially red.

At the same time, immediate family members must wear only white clothes for a period of 7 days. However, this is not common in all Taoists as the minute details vary from dialect to dialect. The period may be longer in some dialects of Taoism.

Clothes must be burnt

In Taoism, not just the clothes of the deceased but also the clothes worn by the family members and other funeral attendees must be burnt as it is considered to be bad luck to keep and use those clothes.

The central question in any religion is ‘what happens after death?’. There is an answer to this in Taoism also. There are three routes – a person either becomes immortal, transforms, or directly goes to heaven.

Want to know one last interesting aspect of Taoism? While it is believed that the dead may follow one of the three routes after death, it is also believed that one can get in touch with the departed through the use of meditation.

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