For anybody out there looking to increase their muscle mass, strength levels, and athletic performance, testosterone is a hormone which they will find particularly useful. Testosterone is the dominant hormone responsible for overseeing male sexual health and well-being. It also happens to be highly anabolic, making it very important for muscle growth and repair.

Testosterone promotes increases in muscle strength, size, and athletic performance, and provides countless other health benefits in the process. The more testosterone in our bodies, the better. The problem is that testosterone levels peak in our late teens/early twenties, and by the time we reach 30, they begin to drop with each passing year.

The good news is that there are natural ways of boosting testosterone, and to prove it, we are going to be looking at just 4 examples below. 

Exercise, in general, has been shown to promote marginal increases in testosterone. Resistance training with weights, however, has shown to boost testosterone levels fairly dramatically. Studies found that moderate resistance training can increase testosterone levels, particularly after training.

Results pointed to the fact that testosterone levels spiked for around 15 minutes following resistance training, and although they gradually dipped, overtime they did actually increase gradually and remained higher than before the resistance training regime began. You don’t need to train like a bodybuilder, but if you do exercise, training with weights is more beneficial for testosterone than cardio exercise alone. 

Okay, now before you get too excited and head out to pick up a greasy bacon double-cheeseburger, you may wish to read the rest of what we have to say first. Fats have been found to be beneficial for increasing testosterone levels. However, the fats must come in the form of healthy fats.

Studies have found that diets rich in monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and natural saturated fats, can promote increases in testosterone. Individuals that follow low-fat diets tend to have significantly lower testosterone levels than those that get sufficient amounts of healthy fats. Healthy fats such as avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, oily fish, nuts, nut butter, and grass-fed butter are particularly beneficial.

Even egg yolks are very beneficial, as they contain HDL cholesterol. Testosterone is a derivative of cholesterol, so eating the egg yolks now makes a lot more sense. 

 As if you needed another reason to relax, you now have one. You see, when you become stressed, your cortisol levels rise. Cortisol is a stress hormone that we secrete when we feel stressed, tired, and rundown. The problem is that cortisol has been proven to reduce the natural synthesis of testosterone, so the more cortisol your body produces, the less testosterone you will produce as a result.

Oysters are often referred to as being a natural aphrodisiac, but do you know why that is? It’s because oysters have been found to naturally increase testosterone. They contain large quantities of minerals including zinc and magnesium, which elevate testosterone production rates in the body.

There is a direct correlation between zinc deficiencies in men and low testosterone levels. Put simply, the more zinc you consume, the higher your testosterone levels are likely to be, and as oysters are rich in this mineral, you may wish to eat more of them. 

A recent study that was published in the Journal of The American Medical Association told us some pretty amazing fact about the foods that people wishing to loose their belly fat should definitely try to avoid. The report was huge, but It's important to note that these people tested, some 370,000 over 20 years, were all healthy active people with diets that included fruits and veggies. These were not the overweight couch sitters on 5 pints of beer a day. Even healthy, active people can gain weight in areas they don't want to. If you want your six-pack to show through, here are the top 5 to avoid.

No sugar doesn't mean it won't add the fat, the drinks where saccharin, aspartame and sucralose were substituted for sugar contributed to nearly three times the weight gain compared of those that drank regular soda drinks over the period of nine years. Add to that the chances that these additives lead to a vulnerability to insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, make mine a regular, please.

A research facility gave 2 groups of monkeys different diets, one with trans fats, one without. The group eating trans fats increased their body weight by 7.2 percent over  a six-year period, the ones who had "healthier" non-trans-fat diets only gained 1.8 percent of their bodyweight. Store bought cake frosting has a not so healthy dose so better to avoid it, in fact, it's better to check for trans fats on everything as it not only adds fat to the body, it causes fat from other body areas to be moved to the belly.

The biggest cause of weight gain was one of our favourites I am sorry to tell you, the potatoes and the products made from them were the overall largest contributor to weight gain.  No more crisps, brown rice cakes anyone?

Maybe not surprising as a steak is an important source of calories (about 270 in every 100 grammes) but in the same study of 370,00 people, those that ate steak and processed meat gained more weight than those that didn't.

Unlike the healthier  unrefined grain products such as whole wheat, brown rice and quinoa the refined stuff found in white bread, white rice and ordinary white pasta is not as good for the tummy fat. People who ate the unrefined grain products lost a lot more weight over the same period as those on the white, refined grain. So, when it come to y9our grains, keep them whole if you can.

For more help or advice please feel free to contact us.

Interval training has been an integral part of athletic training programs for many years due to a variety of sports and recreational activities requiring short bursts of movement at high intensities. The incorporation of interval training into a general conditioning program will optimise the development of cardiorespiratory fitness as well as numerous other health benefits, so give it a go.

HIIT training can easily be modified for people of all fitness levels and for people with special conditions such as those that are overweight or suffer from diabetes. HIIT workouts can be performed whilst cycling, walking, swimming, aqua training, cross-training, and in many group exercise classes.

HIIT workouts provide similar fitness benefits to continuous endurance workouts but in a much shorter period of time as they tend to burn more calories, especially after the workout. The intense work periods may range from 5 seconds to 8 minutes long and are performed at 80% to 95% of a person’s estimated maximal heart rate.

The recovery periods are not really rest periods, but exercise sections at a lower intensity, and may also last 6 seconds to 8 minutes long, usually performed at 40% to 50% of a person’s estimated maximal heart rate. The workout continues with the alternating work and recovery periods totalling 20 minutes to an hour.

The post-exercise period is called “EPOC”, which stands for excess postexercise oxygen consumption, this is usually a 2-hour period after exercise where the body is restoring itself to pre-exercise levels, and therefore using more energy.

HIIT training has been shown to improve:

• Aerobic and anaerobic fitness
• Blood pressure
• Cardiovascular health
• Insulin sensitivity (which helps the exercising muscles more readily use glucose for fuel to make energy)
• Cholesterol profiles while maintaining muscle mass.

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When developing a HIIT program we should consider the duration, intensity, and frequency of the work intervals and the length of the recovery intervals.

Intensity during the high-intensity work interval should be equal to or greater than 80% of your estimated maximal heart rate.

As an indicator, the work interval should feel like you are exercising “hard” to “very hard”. Using the talk test as your guide, it would be like carrying on a conversation, with difficulty.

The recovery interval should be 40-50% of your estimated maximal heart rate. This should be a physical activity that feels very comfortable, in order to help you recover and prepare for your next work interval.

A popular HIIT training protocol is called the “spring interval training method”. With this type of program, the exerciser does about 30 seconds of ‘sprint or near full-out effort’, which is followed by 4 to 4.5 minutes of recovery. This combination of exercise and recovery can be repeated 3 to 5 times.

As with all training it is best to seek the guidance of a professional until your body becomes accustomed to the new rigours you are placing on it.

Persons who have not exercised for a while, or have been forced to have periods of limited physical inactivity due to ill health will certainly need to consult a specialist or medical practitioner before starting any high-intensity exercise. It doesn't really need to be said, but, if you have any family or personal history that includes cardiovascular troubles then consult your physician before embarking on a HIIT programme.

Before beginning HIIT training a person is encouraged to establish a base level of fitness. This level can be achieved with consistent aerobic training 3 to 5 times a week for 20 to 60 min per session at a somewhat hard intensity, for several weeks. Establishing appropriate exercise form and muscle strength are important before engaging in regular HIIT programme to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injury. Regardless of age, gender and fitness level, it is important for the safe participation of HIIT training that everyone modifies the intensity of their work intervals to their own levels.

HIIT workouts are more exhaustive than steady state endurance workouts. Therefore, a longer recovery period is often needed. Perhaps start with one HIIT training workout a week, with your other workouts being steady state workouts. As you feel ready for more challenge, add a second HIIT workout a week, making sure you spread the HIIT workouts throughout the week.

For help and advice on this type of exercise and the most effective supplements to help you succeed in your exercise goals, please feel free to contact us at Xtreme Nutrition

A range of  HIIT appropriate products can be found to the right of this webpage to guide you in your selection.

Getting the best performance out of your body means you have to take great care of it and make sure you, the athlete can produce a jaw-dropping performance when needed.

As a sportsperson, you are probably training almost every day, this advice on nutrition is for you. Your energy levels have to be kept up, and your target weight maintained so a healthy balanced diet is needed.

More carbohydrate rich foods are needed when you are training every day, so food such as bread, rice, cereals, rice, potatoes and pasta are ideal.

Try to eat more of the wholegrain varieties when you can. Don't forget to include essential fats from foods such  as oily fish, nuts and seeds and protein-rich foods to help repair and build your muscles.

Carbs are the fuel for your muscles but your body only stores small amounts at a time. Carbs are stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver and when the levels get low there is an increased risk of injuries as well as a drop in your performance, so make sure you have a top up source available during workouts.

Protein helps the muscles grow and repair and is available in foods such as meat, fish, dairy products and eggs, again, you will need to have a source available to top up if you are on a long training day.

The experts recommend that if you eat a main meal then you should allow 2 to 3 hours between finishing the meal and working out. Snacks should be rich in carbohydrates, low in fat and moderate in protein as too much fat or protein can slow you down and cause stomach discomfort. Snacks should be taken an hour before exercise.

Keeping well hydrated is really important in any high instance where there is high-intensity physical activity. Dehydration can seriously affect our performance so regular drinks are needed. The rule is the more you sweat, the more you need to drink, this isn't just about work, it's about environmental conditions and length of activity as well. If  your sport lasts more than an hour then swap the water for a drink containing carbohydrates and electrolytes for better performance.

One athlete's goal is to gain muscle mass, another wants to lose weight.

Diets are pretty specific to the person's individual targets, losing weight means less fat, less alcohol, less sugary food and drinks and more meals of small proportions that are rich in complex carbohydrates like whole grain bread, rice etc.

You may want to lose weight but not the muscle mass so keep the protein intake up to avoid losing that.

For the muscle building athlete, you will need strength training with a diet rich in carbs and protein as well as the essential fat given by oily fish, seeds and nuts. Carbs are your fuel, protein your muscle builders, plan your diets and stick to them to maximise your results.

Food and drink also plays a vital role in recovery. Good recovery is important so you don't lose your energy halfway through the week and to help muscle growth and repair. For pro-athletes who are training more than once a day, and have less than eight hours from the end of one workout to the beginning of the next, then ideally have carbohydrate and protein filled food or drink within about half an hour to an hour of completing the initial session. For those with more time to recover then eating as soon possible is perfect.

There are of course supplements available to help you reach goals and provide may of the nutritional needs to compliment your normal healthy diet. If you have any concerns or questions please feel free to contact us.

Whether you are a new person to the running scene or a seasoned athlete there is always the desire to increase your cardio and physical stamina to take your running to the next level.

The first item on the agenda is training, more specifically it's the use of interval training to increase your running stamina.

Any endurance work can take the wind out of you but by utilising endurance training, you can increase your aerobic capacity.

Interval training will also involve burning more calories as it involves high bursts of energy, as a bonus, it will also stop you being quite so routine in your training, it can get a little boring no matter how dedicated you are. A change is good to keep the motivation up and the results will increase your desire to go further.

One of the easiest ways to incorporate interval training into your routine is start off doing it in small sessions. Ten minutes to warm up by taking a fast walk then into a jog and at the end of the 10 minutes, you can run as quickly as you can., now you are warmed up.

For newbies to interval training then you have to realise your body will have to get used to the hard sessions. High energy running followed by a couple of minutes of walking or slow jogging repeated eight times for about 2 months  or until your body is comfortable in the resting phases will help you get conditioned. As time goes on then decrease the walking or slow jogging time until you are fast running and resting for the same amount of time. At the end of the interval training make sure you have a reasonable cool down period of around 15 minutes, light jog to slow jog to walking.

This form of interval training consists of starting with short bursts at high intensity and building the time so the most time spent at high intensity is in the middle of the session, then coming back down slowly to the cool down period.

A session can, for example, consist of the normal warm up as mentioned above followed by

• 30 seconds of high intensity running, 1-minute low intensity running.
• 45 seconds of high-intensity running followed by 15 seconds of low intensity running.
• 60 seconds of high-intensity running followed by 30 seconds of low intensity running.
• 90 seconds of high intensity running followed by  2 minutes of low intensity running.
• 45 seconds of high-intensity running followed by 15 seconds of low intensity running.
• 50 seconds of high-intensity running followed by 1 minute of low intensity running.

End up with the cool down as previously mentioned.

For sports people involved in court sports such as tennis or badminton then variable training can help condition your body for the mix of stamina requirements the matches place on you. Mix it up a little and try to match the times in the sport when you are expending large amounts of energy and those when you are not going at it full blast. Conditioning really works to ease fatigue.

There are other ways to include your interval training. If your workouts see you in the gym then use the treadmills interval settings to throw a few surprises into your routine.

Whether you are mainly in the gym or on the road, weight training between running sessions can really help increase stamina and increase your running economy. Weight training can benefit all runners in many ways;

• Improve muscular strength
• Improve endurance
• Reducing the loss of bone mineral content
• Balance opposing muscle groups
• Reducing injuries and improving running performance

Bike Intervals are really good for building stamina and giving the joints a bit of a rest as there is no impact on them. Use the same time intervals as above, either the pyramid or steady.

Finally, go for a swim, runners tend not to use their upper body muscles so as well as a well-deserved break then a swim can help keep the body balanced.

Don't forget,  recovery days are essential for success.

For help and advice please feel free to contact us

Nowadays we are all too quick to rush to the doctors whenever a virus comes near us but we can fight them off with nature's own medicine store.

Not enough protein can reduce the function of your T cells that are responsible for seeking and destroying cells that have become infected with a virus.

This vital vitamin is a natural antioxidant that helps reduce the damage to cells caused by oxidation. Some issues that oxidative stress can cause have been linked to include neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, gene mutations and cancers, chronic fatigue syndrome, fragile X syndrome, heart and blood vessel disorders, atherosclerosis, heart failure, heart attack and inflammatory diseases.

These minerals help T cells do their job.

The mucus layer in your respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts stand between you and infections. Vitamin A helps keep that layer strong and avoid infections getting through.

As your immune system mobilises to fight a virus or infection, your body will increase inflammation in the affected area to give assistance. Inflammation-lowering fatty acids keep the inflammatory response in check so as not to damage healthy cells.

Helps to build antibodies and cells to attack viruses and bacteria.

No-one knows what role Vitamin D plays in immunity, but research suggests that not having enough can make you more likely to contract viruses. Better safe than sorry so make sure you are getting enough.

Having a healthy gut maintains a strong defence against germs. A recent study found that workers taking a daily probiotic supplement took off  33 percent fewer sick days over an 80-day period than their workmates who were given a placebo.

There are many many natural foods that contain all the right things our bodies need to fight illness and make us feel generally healthier. Here are a few of the more common ones.

The highest concentration of vitamin A is found in sweet potatoes, Beef liver, spinach, fish, milk, eggs, and carrots also are good sources.

Sweet red peppers actually contain more of the vitamin than any other food

but kiwifruit, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cantaloupe are also good.

Wheat germ oil packs more vitamin E than any other food source

Fatty fishes are among the few naturally occurring dietary sources of vitamin D but Cod liver oil is the best.

ALA is found in plant sources such as vegetable oil, green vegetables, nuts, and seeds

DHA the second category are found in fatty fish such as Tuna.

Wheat germ oil  is the highest provider of vitamin E but other sources include sunflower seeds and almonds

Oysters

Mushrooms

Yoghurt

For more help or advice please feel free to contact us.

Get Friendly with Your Abs Who doesn’t wish for fabulous abs? We all do and to help you achieve abs to die for, read on to learn some sure-fire tips that will get you friendly with your abs. Avoid fast-digesting carbs. White potatoes, white bread, sports drinks, regular sodas and table sugar are examples of fast carbs to avoid. These foods halt fat-burning and boost fat storage specifically on your abs! Replace these fast carbs with vegetables, legumes, fruits, sweet potatoes, whole wheat breads, brown rice and oatmeal instead. Fast-digesting carbs can be consumed immediately after workouts for muscle recovery and growth. Isometrics is key.

This involves flexing a body part such as the abs and holding that position, similar to what bodybuilders do when posing. To perform, tense each muscle for about 6 to 10 seconds then relax for another 6 to 10 seconds. Repeat for 10 to 20 sets. This can be done with your abs even while sitting on the couch, in the car or at your desk. Pay attention to your breathing. When performing an abdominal exercise, don’t forget to exhale upon reaching the top position. This is very important because it helps to contract your abs better. Maximize muscle-fiber involvement by holding the position for a second or two. Do as many repetitions as possible. Be consistent when training and don’t alter the weight.

Don’t stop repeating a particular rep range per set until you come close to failure. Weighted movements are necessary. Your abdominal muscles are just like your biceps and they need definition and separation. Do some weighted movements in the 8-10 rep range for maximum abdominal development. Don’t train your abs first. Doing so will tire you out quickly and weaken your core stability and ability to generate force. Change your rep speed. Training your abs always at a consistent speed is not advisable. Utilize more fast-twitch muscle fibers by changing your rep speed from slow/controlled to fast/explosive and build additional power, more strength and size. Fancy a friendly ab stack? try these here

One of the most important phases in bodybuilding and muscle growth is the muscle recovery phase. This is the time when the muscle fibers take rest, heal, and grow. For beginners, workouts are meant to ‘wound’ your muscles in order to build new muscle fibers. This building up of new muscle fibers occurs during the non-workout phase; which is basically the recovery phase.

After workout, the first 45 minutes is considered to be the most critical period in regard to re-energizing your muscles. The time wherein the important nutrients should be incorporated in the muscle fibers occurs during the recovery phase. If you neglect the opportunity during this important time, you will miss your chance to get the gains. Thus, the exercises in your workout will be worthless and will not give you anything but fatigue.

The recovery period is the chance to regain your strength and muscle build up. This is the time to eat and rest. That is the reason why it is recommended to take your supplements and eat right after a workout session.

Take this opportunity as the time to incorporate nutrition such as protein and carbohydrates. This can be in any form as long as you are sure you are getting the amount of protein and carbohydrate you need in your program. Supplements such as protein shakes are ideal since they are in liquid form and can easily be digested and assimilated by the body.  BCAAS or Branched-Chain Amino Acids and creatine are also suggested to give gains right after workout.

Carbohydrates play an important role in muscle development as well. Glycogen which is the stored form of carbohydrates in the muscle cells provides the fuel during workout. Glycogen is constantly depleted during and after a workout session and this causes slow growth and recovery for the muscles. This is the reason why it’s recommended that you take in ample amounts of carbohydrates right after workout. Fast-digesting carbohydrates in the form of glucose, dextrose or maltodextrin are recommended for quick glycogen replenishing.

However, although liquid and other forms of supplements can guarantee you of quality absorption within 45 minutes after workout, never underestimate the power of food. If you choose to be more ‘natural,’ the best way to get the needed nutrition within the 45-minute time after workout is to eat. Just make sure that you eat healthy; that means your post workout meal should contain the required amounts of calories from protein, carbohydrates and fats. Lastly, take in lots of fluids (particularly water). This will ensure that you are hydrated and that you absorb the nutrients you take within this period.

Do you feel you need to go to the gym daily to get you pumped up faster? Well, this is ideally not the case for people who are into developing their muscles in a more efficient way.

Muscle recovery is not only about the first few hours post-workout. It is also the interval between the days of your workouts. Muscles need to rest for better healing and thus, better growth. For beginners, an every-other-day schedule of workout is ideal. That would be at least 3 times a week. Remember that the pain that is felt by people who has just started out exercising in the gym is the damage to the muscles itself. Allowing appropriate intervals for the succeeding workout routine will give your muscle to recover efficiently and take on the next exercises in proper form and execution. So, never indulge too much in the gym to the extent that you don’t allow rest; because muscle recovery should be permitted in order to gain proper muscle development.

Finally, sleep should not be ignored. By allowing time for your muscle to recover also means you need to consume at 8 hours of sleep at night. It should be emphasized that you need to get a good night sleep nightly. Thus, you should sleep at night and not during daytime hours. The human body follows a diurnal pattern – we should be awake during daytime and asleep at night. Hormones play an important role during sleep; and these hormones affect the development of muscles. If you are into physical training or workout, the best time to fully recharge your body and your muscles is during sleep time at night.

Take the chance to get the full benefit of your workout routine by following these important reminders and tips. Working out in the gym is no easy task especially for beginners. Take the opportunity of the muscle recovery phase in your fitness regimen appropriately. In this way, you can ensure that you would not miss that option to get fit and feel good about yourself.

Try a range of our best selling products to aid you in faster recovery here

Do you ever wonder why so many men and women fail at weight loss? Is it because they are truly lazy? Definitely not. Is it because they actually have a case of food addiction? Not at all. Is it because they hate to exercise? Absolutely not.

Many overweight adults fail at losing weight because of some factors that neither relate to laziness, addiction nor exercise-deprivation.

A lot of overweight adults, regrettably, don’t truly comprehend the risks involved in being overweight. Most people would say that they only desire to lose weight in order to look better. True, weight loss brings the benefit of looking better, however, this reason for vanity should not be the only reason for a person to get motivated to lose weight.

The most valuable reason that an individual should consider in order to lose weight should be for optimal health and fitness. It’s not a secret that thousands of people die each year because of being overweight for a long period of time.

There are abundant studies that show and prove without any doubt that losing at least a certain amount of body fat will improve the quality of life and lengthen your years. Various illnesses and medical conditions are associated with being overweight.

Understanding the health risks of being overweight is a great motivational factor to not only lose fat but to maintain a healthy weight for the rest of your life.

Many people start their weight loss efforts with burning passion but fail to commit to long-term lifestyle changes. They see “dieting” as a temporary solution to lose weight. Diet equates restriction and only brings misery and failure in the long run.

Achieving weight loss is a gradual process and maintaining a healthier and fitter body entails permanent lifestyle changes. 

With the prevalence of fad diets and quick weight loss solutions, many individuals are not equipped with the honest facts about how to lose weight the healthy way. There are just too many conflicting and confusing information bombarded through all forms of media that make it difficult to differentiate healthy weight loss from quick fix diet solutions.

Try some of our best lean protein and energy products to help reach your goal here