Pre-workout products are one of the best selling categories of products on the market.  This category includes, Arnge Krush, NO Xplode, Nano Vapor, Super Pump, Shock Therapy and more.  A pre-workout product consists of three main components.  The first is energy; these products use a combination of stimulants, adaptogenic herbs, focal enhancers, and vitamins to increase energy levels.  Pre-workouts also contain NO (nitric oxide) precursors namely arginine and citrulline.  These ingredients cause vasodilatation so the muscle is receiving more blood and more oxygen.  Most also provide a dose of creatine.  Creatine is involved in ATP production and allows users to handle a greater workload as a result of greater ATP synthesis.  Depending on the product you may see some other features like insulin mimickers and amino acids but the nuts and bolts of these products are energy, NO, and creatine.

Now that we no what is then them lets take a look at what we can expect.  First let’s get a big picture understanding of muscle growth and strength.  Strength and muscle growth are adaptations to stress placed on a muscle.  This means that when you push more reps and more weight you are effectively putting stress on the muscle.  The muscle will respond to stress by growing and getting stronger.

Back to our pre-workout products.  By increasing overall energy levels you will be able to tolerate greater workloads.  Increased blood and oxygen clears lactic acid more quickly and provides the muscles with nutrient rich blood.  Greater ATP synthesis provides the fuel for more reps and greater weights.  Pre-workouts can provide an edge that will allow you to handle more work but you still have to pick up heavy weights and move them for more reps.

In order to maximize any exercise program you should know how many calories you are burning at rest.  You then can account for extra calories burned as a result of exercise which will help you adjust your diet to achieve your fitness goals.  The Harris Benedict equation which is listed below for men and women can be used to help you determine your base metabolic rate.

Women

BMR=

655 +  (4.35 x weight in pounds)

+  (12.7 x height in inches)

-  (4.7 x age in years)

Men

BMR=

66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds)

+  (12.7 x  height in inches)

-  (6.8 x age in years)

When introducing a customer to a small lesser known brand we often hear the comment “I haven’t heard of this company”.  People like to buy products from brands they have heard of.  Most people feel they can trust a larger brand based on quality and reputation.

Consider the following before you pick up your next big brand name product.  If you where to enter a grocery store and look around for brands you recognize you would find several including Kellogs, General Mills, Kraft, and Pillsbury.  Now stop and think about the foods they make and compare them to the organic produce, organic meats, and other farm raised products.  You would be hard pressed to name even one farm from which the healthier organic farm raised products come from.  Keep this in mind before placing too much faith in a large company who is often more interested in profits than they are the end consumer.   

Detox and Cleanse

Almost everyone cheats on their diet occasionally.  Consuming excess calories, carbs and bad fats can derail weight loss and make you feel ill.  After getting in a habit of eating clean most people will feel lethargic and even ill when they consume large amounts of the wrong types of foods.  Although we recommend eating healthy all the time when you don’t, try using Optimum Health’s Detox and Cleanse.  The herbal blend in this product will help your body cleanse itself within a matter of days.  You will notice a reduction in bloating in as little as 24 hours.  The gentle blend of fiber in Detox and Cleanse act almost like a broom on a floor sweeping out particles in the digestive tract to help the body cleanse itself of unwanted waste and toxins. 

Combine the Detox with essential fats like those in Olio and you can minimize the amount of fat that your body will store.  Supplementing with as little as 1100 milligrams of essential fats can increase fat burning by as much as 35% even after a carbohydrate rich meal.  There is mounting scientific evidence that essential fats exert an anti-obesity effect by shifting fat metabolism away from storage as body fat and toward fat burning.

Think how much easier it would be to stay healthy if fast food where good for you; quick, convenient on the go nutrition that wouldn’t sabotage our health and fitness goals.  Try making healthier eating convenient with a meal replacement product such as Whole Gains Meal Replacement.  Whole Gains combine’s whole grain carbohydrates from oats and brown rice with healthy fats and a blend of fast and slow digesting proteins.  This product mixes up easily and tastes great even in water and is available in 2.5 pound tubs or in single serving containers. 

If you are looking to decrease your carbs or would like a lighter protein drink try using Pro Complete 40 from Optimum Health.  A one scoop serving provides 20 grams of protein with only 2 grams of carbohydrates and 1.5 grams of fats.  If you are looking for more protein try mixing two scoops to bump the protein up to 40 grams per serving.

Increasing protein intake will allow you to maintain muscle tone, speed muscle recovery, and maintain energy levels.  Protein is an ideal nutrient as it promotes muscle tone but does not store easily as body fat.  Frequent small feedings including some protein are the ideal way to keep your metabolism going and your energy levels high.