Balancing Your Hormones to Perform Better in Bed and Build More Muscle

Your body is a machine with many working parts — an understatement if there ever was one. To say that your various systems, cells, genetics, and chemical makeup are merely “working parts” is like saying the sun is a little warm. Still, it’s incredible what your body is capable of with only the most minimal of hormone management.

They tell your body what to do and how your hormones perform dictates how well your body behaves its damn self.

So whip that puppy into shape! While diet and exercise are obviously important, these are the hormones you need to pay attention to the most, what they do for you, and how you can Darth Vader force grip your body into submission.

1. Ghrelin and Leptin

Ever wonder what makes you feel hungry or full? No, it’s not just your stomach being empty or stuffed to the gills, it’s hormones released by your stomach walls and fat cells called ghrelin and leptin. If you’re trying to keep your hunger in check, you need to make sure these guys are under control. How do we do that? Sleep! Less than six hours a night and the hunger gremlin, Ghrelin, starts winning the fights unfairly.

2. Testosterone

Who’s feeling frisky? You are if you’ve got enough testosterone in your blood! This bad boy tells you when you’re ready to get busy and also makes sure you have enough little swimmers to continue the family line (assuming you’re ‘worthy’). There are a lot of ways to increase your testosterone. Here are four of them.

3. IGF-1 and HGH

Any self-respecting bodybuilder knows what these two do. HGH tells the body to create more IGF-1, which acts as a growth factor. Together they tag-team your muscles, ligaments, and tendons, beating them into fierce weapons of mass attraction (hello, ladies). And how do we increase the levels of these two grunts naturally? By working out, of course! When you feel the burn, you’re doing it right.

4. Melatonin

To get your ghrelin under control, you need to sleep. But what if you have trouble sleeping? This is text, so you’ll just have to imagine fanfare in your mind. Enter melatonin! Think of melatonin like that uncle that comes over for Thanksgiving, eats your food and falls asleep on your couch. All he wants is to sleep. Same with melatonin. The thing is, blue light stimulates your brain and can delay your sleepy time hormone from kicking in. Want to get your cycle going normal? Cut off all electronics two hours before you’re ready to go down.

5. Insulin

We’ve talked sleep. Now let’s talk energy. Hello Mr. Insulin Man! He’s in charge of getting the fat and sugar out of your blood and into your muscle and fat stores. How do you manage insulin? Carb out after your workout! Make sure to take in some protein along with it for a balanced post-workout meal.

Building Muscle - How to Build Up Your Biceps In a Short Period of Time

Building muscle is hard work but it also depends on the genetic structure of the body. Some people seem to build muscle in no time, while others need month after month to see any positive result. Biceps are perhaps the most widely used judging tool in people's hands to determine the progress of your work out. A few exercises are designed specifically for this muscle group and if we do these exercises systematically with concentration and dedication, you can surely have an eighteen-inch bicep within a very short period.

To get strong and big biceps, you need to lift heavy weights at low repetitions, anything from 2 to 8, depending on the exercise. The most effective form of arm training and build big biceps is pre exhausted training. When you eventually move on to train the muscle of choice it will tire very quickly and you will increase your gains in a shorter period of time.

• USE STRAIGHT BAR: Use a straight weight bar with a light amount of weight on it and curl the bar to your chest. Hold the weight for about 1 second and then release the weight back down only half the speed that you brought it up. Take a 40 second break than repeat it 4 times.

• USE HORIZONTAL BAR: Grab a fixed horizontal bar with your palms facing you and leave 4-7 inches of space between them. Lift your self up until your chin is level or over the bar than bring your self down half the speed that you came up. Take a 40 second break and repeat this 4 times.

• USE DUMBBELL: Take a set of dumbbells with a decent amount of weight. Turn your hands so your thumbs are up. You bring the weights up just like you have done with the straight bar curls. Take a 40 second break and for 4 times!

Bicep curls using dumbbell can be performed, either with both arms simultaneously or with one arm at a time. Lock the elbows into the sides of the abdomen for weight support. Slowly lifts the weight from an extended-down arm position to almost reach the shoulder, then stop, and then slowly lower the weight.

Biceps are one of the smaller muscles in your body so don't over do them. Give them a lot of rest and that is how you build your biceps! The biceps should be worked out once every 4 to 5 days and no more.

USEFUL TIPS FOR BICEP WORKOUT

• Warm up by using a light set of dumbbells.
• Control the weight at all times.
• Perform all repetitions (reps) s to failure. This means performing the exercise until you cannot lift anymore weight.
• Do not arch your back or swing the weight up.
• Do not lock out your arms at the bottom of the curl.

In order to get big biceps, you need to eat a lots of protein (meat, eggs and fish) rich food. Protein is what makes up your muscles, and you need a lot of it for building muscle. Eat as much protein as you can; your body needs to have an excess of calories each day before you can start to build muscle. Make sure to have a protein drink or a good meal after your biceps workout. Enough rest and good food is necessary for building muscles.

Get plenty of sleep (9 hours would be good, but 8 is fine) and limit your cardiovascular workouts to 1-2 per week.

Foods That Help to Increase Testosterone Quickly and Naturally

To increase your testosterone there are a few ways. You can take the dreaded steroids, you can take other supplements, you can train with heavy weights and you can increase it naturally by eating certain food combinations. This article will reveal the best foods to eat to quickly and naturally increase your testosterone levels.

Meat

Meat is well known in bodybuilding for its high protein content; it also has many other benefits, elevating your testosterone levels being one of the major advantages. The healthy saturated fat found in the meat causes your testosterone levels to increase.

Eat beef a couple of times a day to boost your overall protein intake and send you testosterone levels through the roof.

Eggs

Eggs are one of the best sources of protein you can eat. It is the yolk that contains all the nutrients; this is where all the healthy cholesterol and saturated fat is. The fats found in the yolk will greatly increase your testosterone.

Eat up at least a dozen eggs a day, eat them in abundance and you will see a major increase in testosterone levels. The combination of the higher hormone levels and the quality protein the eggs provide will great fast muscle growth.

Fish oils

Fish oils are a great source of omega 3's. As many people don't eat plenty of fatty fish every day, they tend to be lacking in these healthy fats. Take omega 3 fish oil and cod liver tablets to give your body these vital fats. They will increase your energy levels, concentration, your skin, hair and nails will improve. But, most importantly the omega 3's will increase your testosterone a lot.

Take a tablet in the morning and before bed, preferably with other food. Take one after your workouts, with your post workout meal or shake.

Vegetables

Everyone knows how important it is to eat your greens, but most people end up forgetting about them. Eating green vegetables will give your body a big boost in nutrients and will elevate your testosterone.

All vegetables will help with the optimal production of testosterone in your body. Aim to get an array of different types every day. Eat at least two veggies with each meal.

Eat all these foods every day and within a couple of days you should feel a surge of testosterone, you will know it has risen when you have more energy, aggression, a higher metabolism, increased ease of muscle gain, increased recovery.

20 Fruit and Veggie Juices to Turbo-Charge Your Energy

Are you looking for energy-boosting vegetables to incorporate into your raw juicing recipes? Your options are considerable, as increasing your consumption of any vegetable juice is likely to help you build and maintain energy throughout the day. However, some vegetables are better than others when it comes to turbo-charging your energy and fighting off sluggishness and fatigue.

All nutrients are vital to energy production, but some are especially important to focus on if you feel like you don't have enough energy to get you through the day. B vitamins (including folate, niacin, thiamin, B6 and of course B12) are critical to energy production. Other than B12, which is only found in animal products, they are plentiful in many fruits and vegetables.

Potassium and magnesium also contribute to energy. Potassium helps in the conversion of blood glucose to glycogen, the storage form of sugar that we use for energy. Magnesium helps the glycogen release its energy when the body requires it.

Iron is critical for energy as well, as anemia can cause fatigue. Magnesium malate / malic acid can be helpful, especially for people with fibromyalgia. Chromium and zinc also help with energy regulation, as well as vitamins C and E.

Some people think that eating or drinking a food or beverage that contains high-glycemic carbohydrates is a good way to gain energy. However, unless you are preparing to run a marathon this is not recommended. These foods give a person a burst of energy but then tend to leave people sluggish, and they can affect your blood glucose and metabolism in negative ways.

Instead, focus on low-glycemic juices, such as those made with leafy greens and berries, and on eating foods that contain complex carbohydrates (such as whole grains and legumes). Complex carbohydrates will allow you to maintain your energy level longer.

Here is a list of twenty of the top vegetables and fruits to juice for energy. Incorporate any of them into your raw juicing recipes to give yourself a serious energy boost.

1. Swiss chard - Potassium, B2 (riboflavin), magnesium, iron, vitamins C, E
2. Spinach - Potassium, folate, magnesium, iron, C, E
3. Fennel - Potassium, C
4. Kale and mustard greens - Potassium, folate, magnesium, B6, iron, C, E
5. Broccoli - Potassium, magnesium, B5, B6, folate, C, E
6. Winter squash - Potassium, B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5, B6, folate
7. Eggplant - Potassium
8. Cantaloupe - Potassium, C
9. Tomatoes - Potassium, malic acid, E
10. Apples - Malic acid
11. Pears - Malic acid
12. Bananas - Malic acid, potassium, B6 (must be pureed and then mixed in with juice)
13. Cherries - Malic acid, iron
14. Parsley - Zinc, folate, potassium, E
15. Corn - Zinc, B1 (thiamin), B3 (niacin), B5, B6
16. Peas - Zinc, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6, folate, iron
17. Avocado - B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5, B6, folate, iron (must be pureed and then mixed in with juice)
18. Grapes - B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B6, iron
19. Asparagus - B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), folate, C
20. Brussels Sprouts - Potassium, magnesium, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B5, B6, iron, E

Raw juicing recipes that incorporate these fruits and vegetables will help replenish your body with the nutrients it needs to produce energy, stay alert and maintain stamina. Don't forget that if your doctor approves you can also blend in other energy-boosting ingredients such as ginkgo, garlic and green tea as well as a liquid B12 supplement.

How To Build The Body - Are You Avoiding These Major Workout Errors?

For men, the more muscular they are the more attractive they seem. And a bigger built can most definitely give you confidence. And it is but natural for you to wonder about how to build the body effectively.

Body building is a program that requires and demands a lot form the trainer. It is important that you understand all that is involved in getting to the program before you jump into it. If you set proper expectations, you can become more committed knowing what you are getting yourself into.

Exercise is an important aspect of building the body. But this is not the only aspect that you should be paying attention to. For a more effective workout, here are some useful tips you can follow on working out successfully.

Use a workout plan.

Exercise is essential. And you should make an effort to research on effective workouts to help you gain mass and develop muscles. Knowing what is suitable is also the key to your success when you are learning how to build the body.

For a bodybuilding program, strength or weight training should not be the only focus. It should be a good combination of cardio exercises, weight lifting routines and other types of workout. And you should ensure your plan features a good combination of these.

It is strongly recommended that you try different work outs too. This can help you determine the best forms that you can stick to. And that can ultimately affect better results.

Give yourself rest and your body some time to recover.

Workout is indeed necessary but you have to be careful not to over train. Your muscles and your entire body require some rest too. Bodybuilders are advised to have two days rest after a strenuous day of exercise.

While it is good to work and train hard, you should not overdo it. Rest is equally essential. And for this, you need to make sure you have full night's rests too.

Make sure to eat right.

Your workout may be deemed useless unless you eat healthy. It is then essential that you carefully plan your diet too. Make it a point to have complete nourishment.

You have to avoid unhealthy foods. Only healthy and nutrient rich foods can properly nourish you and this is important to give you proper energy levels necessary for performing the workouts. These are all essential in working how to build the body in a healthy and successful manner. I've prepared some powerful body building and fitness secrets for you below, enjoy!

The Top 20 Healthy Fruits Nutrition Facts

Apple nutrition facts:

Apples are a good source of vitamin A and C and ward off colds and infections. They are powerful blood purifiers and benefit the blood and lymphatic systems.

Apple juice is a wonderful cleanser, great for a weight loss diet and useful as a general tonic.

One medium size apple as around 100 calories.

Grapes, fresh pineapple and kiwi fruits are fabulous for your skin.

Grape nutrition facts:

Grapes are often used in elimination and weight loss diets because of their powerful cleansing action and their ability to stimulate the metabolism. The high magnesium content promotes good bowel movement and proper kidney function.

Grape juice is also a good blood and liver cleanser and eliminates unwanted uric acid from the body. Grapes are high in potassium, which aids kidney function, strengthens the heartbeat and keeps the skin looking fresh and healthy.

Grapes are well known for cleansing the system. Dark grapes are high in iron, which makes them good blood builders. A hand full off grapes on your weight loss diet is a good snack.

There's around 100 calories in 1 cup of grapes.

Pineapple nutrition facts:

Because of their high vitamin C, content pineapples are considered to be a protective fruit. The juice is good for reliving constipation and poor digestion and the combination of vitamin C. Acids and enzymes make pineapples highly eliminative and a great boost for detox diets.

Pineapples can also be used to soothe sore throats. Beta-carotene, folic acid, potassium, iodine, calcium and magnesium are some of the nutrients found in pineapple.

Kiwi nutrition facts:

Kiwi contains twice the amount of vitamin c than oranges. They are also rich in potassium, which helps to stave off colds and flu. Kiwi fruits should be firm but not hard.

Lemon and Lime nutrition facts:

Lemons and lime are very high in vitamin C. They contain up to four times the amount of citric acid as oranges or grapefruit.

This high citric acid content is very good for getting rid of toxins. Lemons are also good for soothing sore throats and are widely used for colds and flu.

Mango nutrition facts:

Mangoes are one of my favourite. They are rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C and potassium. The riper the mango the more beta-carotene it will contain. They are great blood cleansers and bodily disinfectants and can be helpful to throw off body odour.

Orange nutrition facts:

Oranges are one of the richest sources of vitamin C. they help to protect against a variety of conditions, from colds and flu to heart disease and strokes that gives them very high health ratings. Their nutrients help prevent premature wrinkles and saggy skin.

When juicing peel the skin but leave the pith on as this is where all the good nutrients are. Other nutrients include vitamin A and the b-complex vitamins, bioflovonoids, pectin, amino acids, potassium, zinc and phosphorous.

Vitamin C helps the body to absorb iron, so a glass of orange juice a day can actually double the amount of iron available for use in the body. The high citric acid content in oranges is the most effective in cleansing the gastrointestinal tract and eliminating toxins and acid waste in cells. For this reason, orange juice is often included in eliminative diets.

Banana nutrition facts:

Whenever I'm shopping and I feel hungry the first thing that comes to mind is a banana. Everyone I know likes their bananas a little different. I like mine ripe with freckles on, some like them soft and very sweet, others when they've just turned. If you boil them when they're green you will get more iron from them at that stage.

Bananas are very nutritious, they contain vitamin C and dietary fibre. They have no fat or cholesterol. The vitamin C that they contain helps the body defend and heal against infection.

Potassium is the mineral in bananas that builds muscles. Having a banana before taking part in any physical exercise will give you that instant boost and energy.

The body burns off calories from carbohydrates more easily and quickly than calories from protein or fat. They are free from sodium and very rich in potassium. A banana and a glass of water can keep you going for two hours before feeling hungry.

1 medium banana has around 100 calories.

Pear nutrition facts:

Pears have a high content in vitamin c and B vitamins and the minerals potassium, phosphorus and iron, pear juice is good for the digestive system, and helps to normalise the bowel. It is a valuable addition to elimination diets because of its mild diuretic and laxative effects. Pears are one of the best urinary and gastrointestinal cleansers because of its high level of pectin.

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The Top 20 Healthy Fruits Nutrition Facts

Strawberry nutrition facts:

Strawberries are also a good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene potassium, calcium and iron. With their cleansing values they are good for eliminative diets too. They are very high in sodium, it helps keep you youthful, and their content in potassium is also good for the skin. Potassium and iron helps to strengthen the blood. The high levels of beta-carotene and vitamin C helps to keep of colds and fights infections and to prevent cancer and heart disease.

Peach nutrition facts:

Peaches are a good source of beta-carotene. They also contain vitamin C some of the B vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. Peach juice is wonderful for alkalinising and cleanses the intestinal tract and encourages good bowel movement. Drinking pear juice will improve your skin and eyesight and help prevent against cancer and heart disease.

Apricot nutrition facts:

Apricots are exceptionally high in beta-carotene compared with all the other fruits; therefore they stand out as cancer fighters. They can help prevent cancer of the lung, oesophagus, stomach, bladder and throat, and their high Vitamin C also protects against colds and flu.

Blackberry nutrition facts:

Blackberries, a rich source of vitamin C with good amounts of beta-carotene, B vitamins, vitamin E, and the minerals potassium, calcium and magnesium, which makes them invaluable in cases of heart disease, cancer and high blood pressure and premenstrual tension.

Blackberries also have a high iron content, which makes them one of the finest blood builders. Mixes well with prunes.

Cranberry nutrition facts:

Cranberry juice is used for its healing properties as a natural diuretic and urinary tract cleanser. Cranberries are a source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, quinine, iron and potassium. The quinine helps to maintain the health of the bladder, kidneys and prostate and has been found effective in preventing prostate cancer. The high vitamin C and beta-carotene content helps ward of colds and flu in the winter months.

Grapefruit nutrition facts:

Grapefruit belongs to the citrus family, which includes lemons, oranges, limes, tangerines, clementines and sultanas. Grapefruit is also high in vitamin C are good for warding of colds, and helps prevent bleeding gums.

Grapefruits are also a good source of beta-carotene, phosphorus, calcium and potassium. High levels of pectin are found in the white pith. It's known for controlling cholesterol levels and helping with digestive problems.

Bioflovanoids are also found in the pith and have a protective effect on vitamin C anti-inflammatory properties and protect blood vessel capillaries.

Prune nutrition facts:

Prunes are a variety of dried plums and are widely used as a natural laxative. Prune juice is just as potent as the whole fruit and a much healthier way to treat constipation than using synthetic laxatives.

Raspberry nutrition facts:

Raspberries are good cleansers especially of mucous and catarrhal conditions. They are natural astringents and can help sort out stomach problems and gum disease Raspberries are high in vitamin A and C and provide useful amounts of potassium, calcium and magnesium, which make them invaluable in cases of heart problems, fatigue or depression. A raspberry juice cocktail before meals stimulates the appetite and aids digestion.

Papaya nutrition facts:

The one thing that distinguishes papaya from the other fruit is its amazing digestive properties. Papayas are rich in papain, a protein- digesting enzyme, which is so effective that it is used in meat tenderisers and digestant.

It's good for stomach ulcers and fevers and many people believe papayas are a great rejuvenator, combating premature ageing. Also they have the ability to restore a healthy balance of intestinal bacteria, after the use of antibiotics.

It makes an effective laxative and cleanser to the liver, kidneys and intestines and has the ability to dissolve excess mucus in the body.

Papayas are rich in beta-carotene vitamin C and E and the minerals calcium, phosphorus and iron.

Melon nutrition facts:

Melons belong to the same family as cucumbers. They both have a cooling effect on the body. Melons are an excellent fruit for juicing because of their high water content, which makes them first class diuretic, and good kidney cleanser and skin purifier.

As in many other fruit and vegetables most of the nutrient lie in the flesh right next to the skin, so be careful not to lose this part when peeling. There are many varieties of melons to choose from including cantaloupe, honeydew, galia and watermelon. Cantaloupes are the most nutritious and are high in beta-carotene, vitamin C and digestive enzymes.

They are highly recommended by the American Cancer Society as a healthful agent against intestinal cancer. Watermelons have the highest water content and are great natural diuretics as well as being packed with skin-enriching minerals such as zinc and potassium.

Melons should be eaten alone or on an empty stomach as it ferments very quickly in the stomach.

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