Hi there fitness fans,
This post is for those of you who are new to the health supplement industry and are unsure where to start. In the past, "supplements" were only even considered by professional bodybuilders and highly trained athletes. However, over the past decade or so, research has shown that one supplement in particular has helped promote healthy weight loss and increase strength. I'm going to recommend this supplement to anyone who is beginning to increase their level of physical activity. Wondering what it is?? Whey protein!
As mentioned, the published postive effects of whey protein are well-known. A diet higher in protein helps you feel fuller for longer, makes your body work harder to digest, and helps build and repair skeletal muscle (burning more calories for longer). What more convincing do you need?
I recommend starting with one protein shake in the morning, either to complement or replace your breakfast. If you plan on using it to replace your breakfast, I suggest using a recipe that includes fruits, milk and a scoop of protein. Having protein in the morning will help you eat less throughout the day.
As far as types of whey protein are concerned, there are generally two kinds; whey isolate, and whey concentrate. The only difference is % of protein per scoop. For example, isolate may be 90% protein (27 g in 31 g scoop), whereas concentrate will be lower 60-80% protein (25 g in 31 g scoop). Price wise, isolate is slightly more expensive because of a more refined manufacturing process. For beginner to intermediate levels, I'd recommend a mixed protein, and for more experienced folks, an isolate would be better.
As always, make sure to read the labels before you buy the product. Per scoop, your protein should have less than 2 g of fat, and no more than 5g of carbohydrates.
One of the most popular whey protein products on the market is Optimum Nutrition's 100% Whey Gold Standard. Whey Gourmet is a great tasting product. A fantastic Canadian made product is Strive nutrition's PRO-ISL. Ultimately, you may need to try a few different products to find one that works the best for you. For more information on any of these products, or to research additional whey proteins, visit the Complete Nutrition Canada website at http://completenutritioncanada.vitahub.com (or find the link on the bottom of this blog).
Good luck and keep working hard to get healthier!
Complete Nutrition Canada team
Monday, 15 August 2011
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
The DL on BMR
Hi again followers,
Sorry for the brief hiatus. Had to take advantage of these hot summer days!
We briefly mentioned BMR (short for basal metabolic rate) in my last post about natural energy balance, and we thought we'd give you the quick run down on what exactly it is, and how you can manipulate it to look and feel better.
First and foremost, everybody's BMR is different. I'm sure everyone can identify a friend (or enemy) that seems to be able to eat anything and never gain any weight! Some refer to this as a "high metabolism", which basically means that they burn more energy at rest than the average person.
Let's think about our daily energy expenditure as a whole. Standing, sitting, walking, preparing food, and even typing on a computer can contribute to burning calories. BUT only 20% of the calories you burn in a day are attributed to physical activity. The largest portion of calories that you will burn daily are due to basal life processes. For example, breathing, your heart beating, and your kidney and liver function all burn calories. Together, all these processes represent a resting metabolic rate, because your body will consume this energy regardless. A great part about our resting metabolic rate is that it CAN be changed. Skeletal muscle makes up a large percentage of our resting metabolic rate, because it consumes energy even at rest. Therefore, adding more skeletal muscle to your frame can help you burn more calories even on days you aren't exercising. This is why many fitness trainers and health care professionals recommend resistance exercise for everyone.
Finally, the last 10% of calories you burn are due to thermogenic processes of digestion. Literally, your body spends energy breaking down the food you eat. Protein, by far, takes a lot more energy to break down. Therefore, a diet high in protein not only helps you build and repair muscle, but it takes more energy to digest! I strongly recommend adding whey protein to your everyday diet for this reason (check out our store for some great deals!).
I hope this helps clear up any questions you had about basal metabolic rate. The take away message is to add a little resistance exercise to your fitness plan. Adding more protein to your diet is important as well. Building skeletal muscle will not only make you look great, but it will help burn more calories in the future.
Stay healthy friends,
Complete Nutrition Canada team
Sorry for the brief hiatus. Had to take advantage of these hot summer days!
We briefly mentioned BMR (short for basal metabolic rate) in my last post about natural energy balance, and we thought we'd give you the quick run down on what exactly it is, and how you can manipulate it to look and feel better.
First and foremost, everybody's BMR is different. I'm sure everyone can identify a friend (or enemy) that seems to be able to eat anything and never gain any weight! Some refer to this as a "high metabolism", which basically means that they burn more energy at rest than the average person.
Let's think about our daily energy expenditure as a whole. Standing, sitting, walking, preparing food, and even typing on a computer can contribute to burning calories. BUT only 20% of the calories you burn in a day are attributed to physical activity. The largest portion of calories that you will burn daily are due to basal life processes. For example, breathing, your heart beating, and your kidney and liver function all burn calories. Together, all these processes represent a resting metabolic rate, because your body will consume this energy regardless. A great part about our resting metabolic rate is that it CAN be changed. Skeletal muscle makes up a large percentage of our resting metabolic rate, because it consumes energy even at rest. Therefore, adding more skeletal muscle to your frame can help you burn more calories even on days you aren't exercising. This is why many fitness trainers and health care professionals recommend resistance exercise for everyone.
Finally, the last 10% of calories you burn are due to thermogenic processes of digestion. Literally, your body spends energy breaking down the food you eat. Protein, by far, takes a lot more energy to break down. Therefore, a diet high in protein not only helps you build and repair muscle, but it takes more energy to digest! I strongly recommend adding whey protein to your everyday diet for this reason (check out our store for some great deals!).
I hope this helps clear up any questions you had about basal metabolic rate. The take away message is to add a little resistance exercise to your fitness plan. Adding more protein to your diet is important as well. Building skeletal muscle will not only make you look great, but it will help burn more calories in the future.
Stay healthy friends,
Complete Nutrition Canada team
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