6 Best Ways to Build Muscle as You Lose Weight

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Want to build muscle as you lose weight? Try these six tips to help your body get lean and strong.

After fat loss, one of the most common fitness goals is muscle building.

The best ways to build muscle are time-tested and fairly straightforward. Remember, patience and consistency will make all the difference here, so come up with a plan to implement these tips, and stick with it!

1. Eat Protein

Nothing else on this list that will make much of a difference if you do not follow this step. You can lift weights all day, but you will never see proper results if you are not consuming enough protein.

So, how much protein do you actually need? Start by shooting for one gram per pound of body weight, per day. The type of protein is really important here, and complete proteins are far better for you than incomplete ones, like beans. Instead, dig into some Paleo-friendly proteins like grass-fed beef, pastured chicken, farm fresh eggs, sardines, nuts and chia seeds to help you build muscle.

2. Do High-Intensity Interval Training

No need for long, grueling workouts. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) allows you to build muscle in a very short time. In fact, if you are not doing this, you may be losing muscle mass – even if you’re strength training. That is because long bouts of cardio at low intensity can decrease your muscles’ ability to absorb glucose (by immobilizing the glucose transporter).

How do you perform HIIT workouts? It’s pretty simple, just go for all-out bursts of exercise, followed by short periods of complete rest. Think sprints, push-ups, pull-ups or squats, then a rest period of 1 minute. Try this 10 Minute HIIT Workout to get started.

Remember, muscle grows while you rest, so do not perform HIIT workouts more than three or four times per week.

3. Lower Your Stress Levels

One of the biggest issues with both fat loss and muscle growth is the impetus of a chronically high stress level. Of course, we could all use less stress – but it can be difficult to actually make this happen.

The bottom line is that stress hampers your body’s ability to build muscle. What works best for muscle growth is short, acute periods of healthy stress, like lifting weights, followed by long periods of rest.

4. Intermittent Fasting

If you’re already highly stressed, work on step three before trying this step. But for those that are well-rested, live low-stress lifestyles and have a healthy metabolism, intermittent fasting might be a good option.

Intermittent fasting involves consuming all of your calories within a certain window of time. For example, from seven in the morning to seven at night, you might not eat anything. Or you can eat breakfast and lunch, but not dinner. This would effectively have you fasting for 16-18 hours per day.

The goal here is to reach cellular autophagy, a process where your cells clear out aggregated proteins and potential pathogens. Think of this simply as your cells “taking out the trash”.

5. Lift Large

Another way to maximize muscle growth is to simply lift something heavy! I don’t mean that you want to lift to the point of utilizing poor form – but to the point where you are challenged and stressed by the weight.

A good rule of thumb (though you should always use a spotter for this approach) is to make sure your last repetition of your last set is challenging. This is not a step for complete beginners, but can be properly utilized by those who have some background in strength training.

Shorter, heavier sets, like five repetitions instead of eight, will help “shock” your muscles into continuing to grow stronger. Another way to implement this is to simply have one day per week of heavy lifting, followed by a few, less intense days.

Remember – don’t overdo it, and get plenty of rest afterwards to help you achieve your goal.

Watch this video – 17 Min Strength Training Workout for Beginners – Beginner Workout Routine at Home for Women & Men

6. Sleep More

We know that it can be difficult for those who live high-stress lifestyles to “unwind” at the end of the night. But sleep is essential for muscle growth, as growth hormone is secreted as we sleep.

While getting your eight hours of uninterrupted sleep is ideal, it’s just as important to focus on the quality of your sleep.  Make sure your room is quiet and dark, and definitely don’t fall asleep with the television on – toxic blue light disrupts melatonin production, setting you up for a hormonal imbalance.

Watch this video – How to Lose Fat AND Gain Muscle at the Same Time (3 Simple Steps)

The Bottom Line

Though it will take time, patience and discipline to see these changes, you will see real results if you eat a protein-rich Paleo diet, get lots of high quality sleep, and lift heavy weights. Before you know it, you’ll be leaner, more muscular and healthier – and your brain and body will thank you for it.

Written by Casey Thaler

Author Bio:

Casey Thaler, B.A., NASM-CPT, FNS is an NASM® certified personal trainer and NASM® certified fitness nutrition specialist. He writes for Paleo Magazine®, The Paleo Diet® and Greatist®. He is also an advisor for Kettle and Fire and runs his own nutrition and fitness consulting company, Eat Clean, Train Clean®.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

How to Build Strong Bones and Reverse Osteoporosis Naturally

 

Click HERE to Find Out How to Treat the Root Causes of Osteoporosis and Get Your Flexibility Back

Build Strong Bones and Reverse Osteoporosis Naturally – This Healthy Diet Causes Osteoporosis

Numerous studies have found this diet to be extremely beneficial for various health issues, including cardiovascular health, diabetes, and more.

But a new study published in the journal BMC Medicine reveals that it’s disastrous when it comes to osteoporosis.

The researchers used data already collected by the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Tens of thousands of British participants were enrolled in the study between 1993 and 2001, with a follow-up in 2010.

EPIC collected its participants’ dietary and health information at the beginning and again at the end of the study period. The authors of the new study divided participants into four dietary groups: meat-eaters, pescatarians (eggs, dairy, and fish, but no other meat), vegetarians (eggs, dairy, and no meat), and vegans (no animal products at all).

They also collected information regarding the total number of bone fractures and bone-specific fractures over the approximately 17-year follow-up period. They found 3,941 total fractures; 566 arm, 889 wrist, 945 hip, 366 leg, and 520 ankle fractures; and 467 fractures in other main bones, like ribs and vertebrae.

After crunching the numbers, they found that vegans, vegetarians, and pescatarians had a higher risk of hip fractures than meat-eaters.

Compared with meat-eaters, the risk of hip fracture was 26% higher in pescatarians, 25% higher in vegetarians, and 2.31 times higher in vegans.

This means 2.9, 2.9, and 14.9 extra fractures per 1,000 people over a ten-year period for the three groups, respectively.

Compared with meat-eaters, vegans also had a 43% greater risk of total fractures, a 59% higher risk of other main bone fractures, like ribs and vertebrae, and a 2.05 times higher risk of leg fractures.

The associations between these diets and bone fractures were weaker after the scientists accounted for body mass index and calcium and protein intake, but they were still statistically significant.

Vegans in the study had a lower body mass index, lower fat storage, and lower muscle mass to serve as cushioning during falls than meat-eaters, which explains why the associations weakened when body mass index was added into the analysis.

Moreover, previous studies have linked a higher body mass index with higher estrogen production and higher bone mineral density, which could also explain why vegans may have a problem here.

On top of calcium and protein, other nutrients, like vitamin K, phosphorous, and magnesium, are equally important for bone health.

This does not mean that you suddenly have to start eating meat if you’re a vegetarian or put on weight if you’re slim. But it does mean that you must do sufficient research to ensure that your diet includes enough important nutrients.

In other words, ditching meat and replacing it with bread and pasta is a bad idea.

Legumes, soy, nuts, seeds, and whole grains can give you sufficient protein, while broccoli, spinach, soy, sesame seeds, tahini, berries, oranges, and nuts can help with the calcium.

Whether you eat meat or not, osteoporosis is a huge problem. But it doesn’t have to be. Because you can regain your strong bones following these simple lifestyle changes explained here…

Build Strong Bones and Reverse Osteoporosis Naturally – A Weird Osteoporosis and IBD Connection Discovered

Inflammatory bowel disease occurs in several forms. Because most cases go undiagnosed, past research has been inconsistent when trying to explain whether there is a link between this disease and osteoporosis.

The World Journal of Gastroenterology has now published a study in which researchers try to answer this question by splitting inflammatory bowel disease into its different types.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of disorders that cause long-term inflammation in the digestive tract. The two main types are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation in the large intestine and rectum, while Crohn’s disease can cause inflammation absolutely anywhere from the mouth to the rectum, with the most common area of infection being the small and large intestines.

For some basic anatomy, let’s remind you that your digestive tract runs from top to bottom from your mouth to your esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and rectum.

This means that ulcerative colitis usually inflames an area lower in your digestive tract than Crohn’s disease does.

Because previous research on the relationship between IBD and osteoporosis has been inconsistent, the authors of this study reviewed all of the available literature, with an emphasis on studies that separated ulcerative colitis from Crohn’s disease in their analyses.

They searched medical databases for relevant studies and also examined studies presented at United European Gastroenterology Week, the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organization Congress, and Digestive Disease Week between 2014 and 2018.

They found 12 studies with 3,661 participants with IBD and 12,789 healthy controls for comparison.

In the healthy controls, the prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia was 3–10%. In people with ulcerative colitis, it was 2–9%. In people with Crohn’s disease, it was 7–15%. In people with both conditions, the prevalence of these diseases was 4–9%.

Therefore, osteoporosis and osteopenia are most common in people with Crohn’s disease alone, who have higher disease prevalence rates than the healthy population.

It is not known why Crohn’s disease seems to put us at risk of osteoporosis.

Your digestive tract is supposed to break down food and extract nutrients from it.

Since Crohn’s disease tends to destroy the cells that are meant to carry out these functions over a larger part of your digestive tract that ulcerative colitis does, it makes sense that people with Crohn’s disease absorb even fewer nutrients than those with ulcerative colitis do.

This can pose an osteoporosis risk by depriving patients of the calcium, magnesium, potassium, and other minerals and vitamins necessary for bone health.

But this does not explain why people with both conditions have a lower rate of osteoporosis than people with only Crohn’s disease.

The most important lesson is that no matter what is causing your osteoporosis, you can reverse your disease and rebuild your bones using the simple steps explained here…

And if you suffer from IBD, you can reverse it using this natural approach…

Build Strong Bones and Reverse Osteoporosis Naturally – Osteoporosis and Heart Attack (strange connection)

Osteoporosis is a dreadful disease that would be enough on its own.

But it isn’t on its own.

A new study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research reveals a horrifying connection between osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

One that cannot be ignored if you suffer either one.

The British Biobank is a huge repository of medical data on a vast number of people.

The researchers used one specific cohort for whom information regarding bone and heart health was available.

The information to which they had access included bone density via ultrasound, which the researchers wanted to associate with:

1. Arterial compliance and arterial stiffness obtained via cardiovascular magnetic resonance scans, and

2. Heart attack and ischemic heart disease death.

In fact, the measurement they used for bone health was bone’s speed of sound, which measures not only the bone mineral density but also information about a bone’s elasticity, cortical thickness, and structure. In other words, it measures bone health beyond just bone mineral density.

They also had access to blood biomarkers that indicated specific chemicals related to both bone health and heart health, which they used to try to examine the mechanisms through which the two conditions are related.

They found that the subjects with the best bone health had the highest arterial compliance, lowest arterial stiffness, and the lowest mortality rate from ischemic heart disease.

Ischemic heart disease is also called coronary artery disease. This happens when cholesterol, calcium, and other substances that form plaques narrow or block your arteries so that less blood reaches your heart muscle.

Osteoporosis and heart disease share many risk factors, such as age, smoking, and a lack of exercise. The researchers performed calculations to account for these shared risk factors, and the relationship between poor bone health and heart disease remained independent of them.

This means that the two conditions are definitely related. Based on the blood biomarkers and times at which the measurements were taken, the researchers suspected that poor bone health caused heart disease.

Are you looking for ways to build strong bones and reverse osteoporosis naturally? Watch this video – 10 Best Exercises for Osteoporosis “Weak or Thinning Bones”

This is yet another reason to build strong bones and reverse osteoporosis naturally using the simple steps explained here…

And to clear out clogged heart arteries, cut out this ONE ingredient you didn’t even know you were consuming…

This post is from the Bone Density Solution created by Shelly Manning, This Bone Density Solution program for osteoporosis contains all the mandatory aspects of lifestyle that are needed to be taken care of. This program contains all the information on how changing food and lifestyle can cure us of this painfully chronic disease, which makes us vulnerable for a lifetime.

The Bone Density Solution program includes the information that how inflammation markers in the body cause a decline in the formation of new bones. It explains how gut leaching causes inflammatory agents to chase behind the sensitive food particles, thus leading to their gradual accumulation inside the body. These stored inflammatory agents hamper the bone renewing system.

Therefore, it is important that we know which food we are sensitive to as per our body type. You may be reckoning that it is really tough to figure out what to eat and what not as you are not any food expert. But, The Bone Density Solution book gives all the information about the food and its replacement. It also includes easy activities to change your sedentary lifestyle and vanish osteoporosis. These can easily be performed by patients without getting worried about new fractures.

To find out more about this program click on Build Strong Bones and Reverse Osteoporosis Naturally

The Truth About Tilapia – Pros and Cons of Eating Tilapia

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Tilapia: It’s mild, inexpensive, and easy to cook. But does it have a place in a healthy diet? 

This humble seafood has a way of dividing the Paleo community. Some people love it and can’t stop raving about the health benefits. Others think it’s dangerous, and they do everything they can to avoid it.

The truth?

Like so many things, it lies somewhere in between.

Keep reading to find out what you need to know about tilapia before deciding to make it a regular part of your diet.

What Is Tilapia?

Let’s start at the beginning:

Tilapia is an inexpensive white fish—one of the most popular seafood choices.

Watch this video – 3 Healthy Fish Recipes | Dinner Made Easy

They’re native to Africa and the Middle East, but they’ve been distributed across the globe. And they’re farmed in over 80 countries, including Asia and the Americas.

”Tilapia” is actually a general term, which refers to nearly 100 species of Cichlid fish; the vast majority are freshwater fish.

Some people call tilapia the “aquatic chicken” because it breeds easily and has a bland taste. That mild taste is actually what attracts many people to the fish, but it drives plenty of others away.

From Obscurity to One of the Most Consumed Types of Seafood

Just a few decades ago, tilapia was basically unknown throughout much of the world. It certainly wasn’t one of the most popular seafood options around!

But things have changed drastically. Tilapia has skyrocketed to the #4 most popular seafood among American consumers. In fact, it had a per capita consumption of 1.436 pounds in 2014!

Tilapia farming is predicted to increase as global population grows, and people look for inexpensive, sustainable food sources.

What to Think About Before Eating Tilapia

There are plenty of things to think about when deciding whether or not to make tilapia a regular part of your diet.

Here’s a rundown of some of the biggest pros and cons:

Pros

• Inexpensive. Pound for pound, tilapia is one of the cheapest seafood options around— especially if you buy frozen tilapia fillets in bulk!

• Mild taste. Depending on your taste buds, this aspect can be a pro or a con. If you don’t like “fishy” seafood, tilapia is very mild, and it usually assumes the flavor of the sauce you cook it in. So it’s popular among parents and schools looking to appease picky kids, but it still gets recommended by the American Heart Association every week.

• Low mercury exposure. When eating certain species of wild-caught carnivorous fish (i.e., fish that feed on other fish), you have to watch out for mercury. Because tilapia are vegetarians, there’s much less of a risk.

The American Pregnancy Association lists tilapia as fish that has lower mercury content, and it recommends that expecting mothers eat more of it than other types of seafood.

• Low in calories and high in protein. 100 grams of cooked tilapia only have 128 calories —but a whopping 26 grams of protein. The caloric ratio is 19% fats to 81% protein. So you can eat tilapia to help build muscle, stay full, and avoid the insulin spikes that come after eating a ton of carbs.

• Nutrients. Tilapia is high in key vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, Phosphorous, Potassium, and Selenium.

Cons

• Not nearly as many omega-3 fatty acids as other fish. Tilapia’s vegetarian diets make them inexpensive to raise and buy, but they also result in fewer omega-3 fatty acids in the end product. 100 grams of Tilapia have about 200 milligrams of omega-3 fats. On the other hand, the same amount of wild-caught salmon has over 2,000 milligrams—10 times the amount.

• Corn and soy diets. Farmed tilapia subsist on a diet of corn and soy pellets, which helps these fish put on weight quickly and keeps down costs. But it’s not the best diet for our health.

Tilapia don’t eat corn or soy; they prefer algae and marine plants in their natural environment. Humans shouldn’t eat much corn or soy either, so when we eat farmed tilapia, we have to deal with the inflammation and other health consequences that result.

• A higher omega-6:omega-3 ratio. Another consequence of tilapia’s vegetarian diets is a higher omega-6 fatty acid content. While we need omega-6’s to survive, the typical American diet already provides us with way more than a healthy amount. Ratios too far out of balance lead to inflammation and other potential health issues.
  
  One Wake Forest University study provided an interesting finding about tilapia’s omega-6:omega-3 ratio. It could be “potentially dangerous” for some people with heart disease, arthritis, asthma, and other allergic and autoimmune diseases—who are especially vulnerable to an “exaggerated inflammatory response”.

• Huge variations in quality. While a small tilapia farmer might be careful to keep densities low and supplement their feed with fishmeal and fish oil (which raise omega-3’s), large operations might stuff tilapia into crowded spaces and be less scrupulous about avoiding pesticides, chemicals, and waste. One of the biggest challenges is knowing exactly what you’re getting!

Frozen Tilapia vs. Fresh Tilapia vs. Live Tilapia

Tilapia comes in three varieties: 1) frozen, 2) live, or 3) fresh.

Each variety means a difference in quality and environmental impact.

Frozen Tilapia

The vast majority of frozen tilapia you’ll find in U.S. supermarkets is imported from Asia (China or Taiwan).

So while it’s definitely the cheapest way to buy tilapia (especially if you buy a ton in bulk), the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch recommends not eating it too often—due to poor farming conditions and environmental damage.

Fresh Tilapia

Fresh tilapia typically comes from the United States, Canada, or Central or South America.

Buying your tilapia fresh generally means getting higher quality and less environmental damage. For those reasons, it gets good reviews from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.

Live Tilapia

In the United States, live tilapia come from U.S. farms. Environmental impact is minimal, but quality can vary. At least you get the chance to examine the health of the fish first-hand before deciding whether or not to buy!

Live tilapia can be hard to find. Check out your local Asian supermarkets; they’re your best bets.

Sourcing Your Tilapia: What You Need to Know

You don’t just have to consider how to buy your tilapia (e.g., live or fresh). You also have to think about where it comes from.

Less than 5% of tilapia eaten in the United States are farmed within its borders. Of that tiny percentage, most are sold as whole fish.

So where does the rest come from? And does it matter?

Definitely.

There’s always the environment to consider. Tilapia farming in other countries (especially Asia) can be more damaging to the environment than farming in the United States—due to oversights and a lack of regulations.

Tilapia farms in the U.S. and Canada typically use closed, recirculating tanks; they help avoid water pollution and the possibility of fish escaping.

In Central and South America, tilapia is usually farmed in lakes, which can result in some pollution (like fecal matter). But the farming occurs at low densities. There’s little transparency about how tilapia are farmed in Asia, so buying can feel like a crapshoot.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch recommends choosing tilapia from the U.S. first, then buying from Canada, Ecuador, Taiwan, and China.

How to Get the Highest-Quality Tilapia Possible?

According to the USDA, there is no single definition or standard for “organic” seafood.

That leaves it up to you to pay close attention about how you buy tilapia—and where it comes from.

Frozen tilapia fillets usually come from Asia, and they tend to be the cheapest option.

But there’s also less regulatory oversight, and we can’t know their diets—or the environment has impacted them.

Buying fresh tilapia from the Americas is a safer bet. It ensures quality tilapia with minimal environmental damage.

Tilapia sold at grocery stores are required to have country-of-origin labels. They indicate whether fish was farm-raised or caught wild, though there are issues with labeling exceptions and a lack of enforcement.

Don’t be afraid to ask your fishmonger whether their tilapia are farmed or wild-caught—and where they come from. Many suppliers publish this information on their websites.

As more suppliers get third-party certifications from organizations like Naturland, the Global Aquaculture Alliance, and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, there have been exciting developments. These groups help set the standards for animal welfare, food safety, and environmental issues.

Some grocery stores (e.g., Whole Foods) have taken it upon themselves to check seafood quality. They developed a “Responsibly Farmed” logo, which is supported by yearly third-party audits of their suppliers.

Should You Eat Tilapia?

Eating tilapia in moderation is okay. It’s low in calories, and it’s a good source of lean protein and other nutrients.

But there’s no compelling need to eat it either. If you also like fattier seafood (like salmon or cod), you’re better off eating those because you’ll get more brain-boosting, inflammation-fighting omega-3’s. And you can get the nutrients and protein you need elsewhere in a balanced Paleo diet.

If you’re just eating tilapia for health (and because it’s the only seafood you can stomach), consider a high-quality fish or cod-liver oil supplement.

Although the Wake Forest study needs additional research to flesh out its claims (about tilapia’s “potentially dangerous” omega-6:omega-3 ratio), you’re probably best off avoiding tilapia if you’re dealing with allergies or other autoimmune conditions.

Watch these 2 videos below –

Top 3 Best Fish vs. Worst Fish to Eat: Thomas DeLauer

Is Tilapia Unhealthy? The Truth About This Farmed Fish

Over to You

A little tilapia every now and then won’t kill you, but it won’t transform your health either. You’ll find more omega-3’s in fattier fish like salmon and mackerel, especially if you buy them wild-caught.

Quality matters. If you do choose to eat tilapia, pay close attention to where it’s coming from to ensure the most nutritious (and least environmentally destructive) choices possible.

Written by Corey Pemberton

Author Bio:

Corey Pemberton is a freelance writer, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, and Paleo health enthusiast. Ever since he discovered the ancestral health movement five years ago, he has explored different ways to incorporate ancestral wisdom into his nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle at large. One of his favorite topics is challenging long-held nutrition myths. Feel free to stop by his website or say hello on Twitter.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook