What is 90x Extreme Home Fitness?

Get the P90X Extreme Home Fitness system - it contains 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days.

 

Hosted by personal trainer Tony Horton, these DVDs will help you get lean, bulk up, or grow stronger, with an endless variety of mix-and-match routines to keep you motivated.  

• The secret behind the P90X system is an advanced training technique called "muscle confusion," which accelerates the fitness process by constantly introducing new moves and routines so that your body never plateaus and you never get bored. The more you confuse the muscle, the harder your body has to work to keep up. And the more variety you put into your workout, the better and faster your results will be. By breaking old routines and opening new doors, secondary and tertiary muscles are constantly being activated and developed.

Pros & Cons of Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate & Whey Protein Blends

1. Whey protein isolate

Pros of Whey Protein Isolate:

• Purest form of whey protein available
• Fat free, lactose free, carb free
• Excellent amino acid profile
• More protein per serving
• Ideal for both muscle building & fat loss

Cons of Whey Protein Isolate:

• More expensive tha concentrate & blends

Top Selling Whey Protein Isolate Powders:

2. Whey protein Concentrate
Whey protein concentrate is not as filtered as whey protein isolate, but it still very high quality and rich in amino acids (the building blocks of muscle tissue). Because whey protein concentrate is not as filtered as isolate, this means you will get slightly less protein per scoop of powder and often the calorie count will be higher. This might not matter for someone who is trying to gain weight, but for weight loss or someone who is trying to prepare for a competition this might matter. The difference is usually about 2-5g of protein per scoop. For a 30g scoop whey protein isolate might have 25g of protein and 105 calories, while concentrate may have 21g and 130 calories.

Pros of Whey Protein Concentrate:

• Well priced, with 5lbs starting at under $30
• High in amino acids
• Great for muscle building

Cons of Whey Protein Concentrate:

• Higher in fat and carbs than whey protein isolate
• More calories per serving coming from fat

Top Selling Whey Protein Concentrate Powders:

So by now you're probably thinking the choice is black and white, quality protein for a higher price, or lower quality protein at a low price. BUT, there is some middle ground! 

3. Whey Protein blends

Whey protein blends, as the name suggests, is a blend of whey protein isolate and concentrate. By doing this, supplement manufacturers have found a good middle-ground between price and quality.

Not all protein blends are created equal though. Some have more isolate than concentrate, and vice versa. The way to you can tell this is by looking at the ingredients. The protein source listed first in the ingredients is the primary protein source. This is good to know when you're researching on what protein powder to buy.

Of all the protein powder available, whey protein blends are the most popular.

Pros of Whey Protein Blends:

• Good mix of isolate and concentrate protein sources
• Great value for money
• Excellent amino acid profile
• Less fat/carbs/lactose than whey protein concentrate
• Loads of brands to choose from

Cons of Whey Protein Blends:

• More fat/carbs/lactose than whey protein isolate
• Some blends contain a lot of whey protein concentrate

Top Selling Whey Protein Blends:

  

Does whey protein have any side effects?

Does whey protein have any side effects?

There are no documented side effects - provided a person does not have an allergy to dairy proteins or does not need to restrict dairy products for medical reasons.  If you are allergic to dairy proteins please consult with a physician prior to consuming any type of whey protein.

When it comes to choosing a whey protein supplement that's right for you there are two main things you need to take into consideration budget and quality. As stated above, there are 3 main types of whey protein available:

1. Whey protein isolate - the most pure form of whey protein
2. Whey protein concentrate - not as pure, slightly higher fat & lactose
3. Whey protein blend - a mixture of isolate and concentrate

Obviously, the more pure and high quality the product the higher the price tag. This is why whey protein isolate is the most expensive form of whey protein. But you get what you pay for, pure whey protein is literally zero fat, zero carbs and zero lactose. It's the highest quality protein and will give you the most protein per serving with the least amount of calories. So if you have the money to spend, when protein isolate is the best quality protein available.

Does whey protein improve performance?

These are some effects Whey Protein has on performance:

1. An increase in the lean muscle mass
2. A decrease in recovery times and faster muscle repair
3. Reduced post-workout muscle breakdown
4. Increase in metabolic rate

Who can benefit from using Whey Protein supplements?

Whey Protein is traditionally used amongst bodybuilders and athletes for its ability to promote muscle growth, and now new scientific studies have been conducted that indicate that whey is being used in other applications. Some of these other applications include: weight loss, cancer treatment, infant health and wound healing. Studies are showing that practically everyone can benefit in some way from Whey Protein supplementation.

If you belong to one of the groups listed below that need increased protein levels you will get the most benefit out of supplementing with whey.

 The groups include:

1. Bodybuilders & strength trainers
2. Endurance athletes
3. People on weight loss programs
4. People who are new to strength/weight training
5. Vegetarians
6. Team sports players

What is Whey protein and Why do you need it?

What is Whey Protein?

The simple answer is Whey Protein is a pure, natural, high quality protein made from cow's milk and it is also a rich source of the essential amino acids needed on a daily basis by the body.
Whey Protein is an excellent protein choice for individuals of all ages. In its purest form, as Whey Protein isolate, it contains little to no fat, lactose or cholesterol. It also provides a number of benefits in areas including sports nutrition, weight management, immune support, bone health, and general wellbeing. As researchers discover new applications for both Whey Protein and its unique individual protein components there is always new information available on the health benefits of Whey Protein.

Why is Whey Protein needed? 

Whey Protein and Whey Protein isolate are essential in the bodybuilding world today because of their ability to be digested very rapidly. They are ingested quickly and this allows the protein to become available for muscle building very quickly. Usually is commonly used after workouts to help increase levels of amino acids in the blood, which are taken up by the muscles to ultimately increase muscle mass. During exercise Whey Protein helps open up blood flow by inhibiting an angiotensin- converting enzyme which originally constricts blood vessels; this allows better flow of nutrients to necessary areas to help repair and rebuild muscle tissues.

The next couple of paragraphs are for the budding scientist in everyone that wants to know every detail.... 

Whey is an abundant source of (BCAAs) branched-chain amino acids which are used to fuel working muscles and stimulate protein synthesis. The amino acid leucine plays a key role in initiating the transcription pathway that fires up protein synthesis. Leucine is part of the three branched chain amino acids (BCAA) - the other two are Valine and Isoleucine. When the amino acid leucine is ingested in high amounts, such as with Whey Protein supplementation, there is greater stimulation of protein synthesis, which may speed recovery and adaptation to stress (exercise). Leucine is an essential amino acid which assists to regulate blood sugar and energy levels, production of the human growth hormone, wound healing as well as the growth and repair of muscle tissue.

Leucine can also assist in the prevention of the breakdown of muscle proteins that may occur after severe stress or trauma.

However, another study suggested that large amounts of Whey Protein can increase cellular glutathione levels. Glutathione is an antioxidant that defends the body against free radical damage and some toxins, and studies in animals have suggested that milk proteins might reduce the risk of cancer.  It detoxifies harmful compounds in the liver, which is then excreted through bile. Glutathione is not an amino acid, but is actually a tri-peptide made up the amino acids glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine and is also known as gamma-glutamylcysteinylglycine or GSH.

In the next couple of posts I will be talking about the pros and cons of the different types of whey proteins available... until then enjoy your muscle building!

Welcome to our Muscle Building Blog!

In This blog we plan to post daily and include many different articles, tips and products that you may find useful when building up your body.  It's a slow process but if you can put in the effort the rewards are huge (in more ways than one!)

Well it's the time of the year when celebrations and parties are numerous, and some of us are lucky enough to have some time off work and spend it with our families.  Or at least spend some of that time building up our bodies.

So, Have a great time off and enjoy your work outs!