Balding Bodybuilders: What Can Be Done?

Posted on February 21st, 2012

It can be incredibly frustrating. You train and train and train, and eat right, and take the right bodybuilding supplements, and tan up to highlight all that work you’ve done … but your hair (or lack of it) is letting your look down! A receding hairline will happen to at least half of males and it is always distressing – but it can be especially so for very aesthetically focused bodybuilders. Today we sort the real hair-loss treatments from the marketing hype and the pure and simple bollocks, to find out what balding bodybuilders can do to preserve or regain their crowning glory.

Regaine or Rogaine

This is a topical treatment and is often the first line of defence for balding bodybuilders. It is applied directly to the scalp, and while the mode of action is not completely clear, it is thought that it improves peripheral blood circulation, thereby keeping the hair follicles healthy.

In a Choice review, about 25% of the people who used Regaine for hair loss were very satisfied or completely satisfied (4 stars or 5 stars) with its effectiveness. If your hair is thinning, this could be a good first option.

Propecia

The name of the active compound in Propecia is finasteride, and it is one of the most effective hair loss treatments currently available. It inhibits the conversion of testosterone to DHT (dihydrotestosterone). DHT is an androgen, but not the main form of testosterone that helps you with anabolism. It is currently able to arrest hair loss in around 90% of men, and around 65% actually see regrowth.

In theory, you shouldn’t have negative effects in your bodybuilding program from taking finasteride – but as we know, every body reacts differently. Some bodybuilder report gains while on the drug, others report lack of energy, low sex drive, no gains in the gym … a general feeling that life is not good. Be aware of this possibility when you begin taking it, and be prepared to make a choice between finasteride and big muscles if necessary.

You can also try taking testosterone booster bodybuilding supplements in addition to your finasteride. Check with your doctor once you’ve decided on a specific supplement though.

Dutasteride

This is a ‘stronger’ form of finasteride, blocking both the enzymes which make DHT. If you aren’t seeing negative bodybuilding effects from finasteride, but are still seeing hair loss, ask about this option.

Saw Palmetto

Although both saw palmetto and finasteride can treat enlarged prostate, and finasteride can also arrest hair loss, saw palmetto has not been proven as a balding treatment. Don’t bother with it.

Hair Replacement Surgery

Nowadays results are a very far cry from the horror hair plugs of the 1980s! Hair replacement can now be done follicle by follicle, and it is the most effective hair loss treatment that doesn’t interfere with either your natural hormone levels or your bodybuilding supplement regime. It is usually the most costly, but in Choice’s survey, over half of the recipients of the surgery were completely satisfied or very satisfied with the results.

Tags: balding, Bodybuilding Supplements, hair loss
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Bodybuilding With Bipolar Disorder

Posted on February 15th, 2012

Like most mental illnesses, bipolar disorder is particularly hard to live with. A shoulder injury, you can adjust your training routine and do some physio. A testosterone imbalance, you can take either prescription medication or bodybuilding supplements. But a mental disorder strikes right at the heart of what makes us into ourselves! Add the fairly extreme medication regime to a serious identity crisis and some major disruptions to personal relationships, and your diagnosis can understandably feel like a massive roadblock. Today we check out some guidelines for bodybuilders with bipolar disorder – there are plenty of ways for you to achieve your goals.

Please note that all advice in this article assumes that you have a confirmed diagnosis. Don’t self-diagnose – it can be dangerous!

Bipolar Medication Effects for Bodybuilders

There are several types of medications used to treat bipolar disorder. Your doctor will likely start you on at least one, and may add others depending on your reaction to them. Each of them will affect your metabolism and bodybuilding supplement routine in a different way:

Lithium:

This and other medications based on lithium can cause low thyroid function. You might find that you put on weight easily, don’t have the energy for workouts, etc.

Valproic acid:

This bipolar medication can boost testosterone levels; especially noticeable in females. Apart from the anabolism, females taking valproic acid risk polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Antipsychotics:

These medications include olanzapine, aripiprazole, quetiapina and risperidone. Their major side effect is lack of energy, but you might also get a rapid heartbeat, dizziness when you change positions and some blurred vision.

Antidepressants:

Antidepressants act in very different ways and have very different side effects. Yours might cause sexual function problems, nausea or agitation.

Bodybuilding Supplements for Bipolar Sufferers

It is essential that you stop taking all your bodybuilding supplements while your medication regime is being refined.

Once you have been taking the same medicines with positive effects for 3 months, you can begin your bodybuilding supplements again. Here are some guidelines for setting up your stack again:

• Given that many bipolar medications cause drowsiness and lack of energy, you might want to add a pre-workout supplement to your stack
• Go light on weight-gaining bodybuilding supplements if you’re on lithium, or any medicine which causes low thyroid function
• You might get nausea with some pre-workout supplements especially. Try switching to a different brand if this occurs.
• If valproic acid is part of your medication regime, check with your doctor before taking testosterone boosting bodybuilding supplements.

Bodybuilding Training Guidelines for Bipolar Sufferers

You’ll also need to take some extra care in the gym and modify your routine a little. Because of the side effects of your medications, you should try to:

• Use machines rather than free weights, because of the potential for injury if you get blurred vision or dizziness with motion.
• If cardio is part of your routine, keep it light. Add heavy cardio to a medication which causes a rapid heartbeat and you may well have a heart attack.

Try to stick to a routine for your training – this will help with managing sleep disturbances which both bipolar and the medications to treat it can cause.

Be Prepared for Intolerance

Bodybuilding can be one huge boys club, and sadly some of the typical reactions to hearing that you have bipolar disorder will include:

• It’s all in your head, you just need to get over it
• Start doing things that make you happy and you’ll be happy
• Your diagnosis is made-up because the pharmaceutical companies want to make money out of you
• You’re actually just missing some vitamins and minerals
• You’re a wuss for even thinking about being depressed

Obviously, every single point you read above is untrue, misinformed or conspiracy-theorist. If you haven’t told anybody about your diagnosis yet, be very selective about whom you tell. People have no innate right to know unless you want them to, especially if they ain’t gonna try to walk a mile in your shoes.

Tags: bipolar disorder, bodybuilding, Bodybuilding Supplements, recovery, supplement interactions, training, workouts
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Bodybuilding with Shin Splints

Posted on February 15th, 2012

Shin splints are traditionally a runner’s problem, not a bodybuilder’s ailment. However, anybody doing running or extensive weight bearing exercise is prone to developing them, including bodybuilders doing cardio for cutting purposes and even bodybuilders focusing heavily on squats. If you get shin splints, you know just how much they can affect your life – there ain’t much you can do if you find it hard to even stand up! Today we check out how you can work with and around this condition to keep bodybuilding.

Get the Right Diagnosis

As with bipolar disorder, the other condition we looked at in conjunction with bodybuilding this month, the first thing you need to do is get a firm diagnosis.

The pain of shin splints can be confused with compartment syndrome, a localised internal swelling which needs immediate treatment to avoid nerve and muscle death, or with the pain of a stress fracture, which would naturally worsen with any activity.

Rest!

The primary treatment for shin splints is rest, which allows the localised inflammation to subside. In the meantime, though, you can do plenty of non-weight bearing exercises, like:

• Machine leg extensions
• Leg curls
• Prone hip extension

Got any others? Pop them in the comments!

Icing

After you do any leg work in the gym, take a 10 minute ice bath – even if your shins aren’t hurting. You don’t need to put your whole lower body in the ice, just your legs up to the knees.

Stretching

Stretching should focus on your gastocnemius (calf) muscle, your hammies and glutes. Tight muscles at the back of your leg can cause pain in the front due to the wonky biomechanics.

Shoe Choice and Orthotics

These are crucial components of a recovery program and maintenance of mobility for bodybuilders with shin splints. You should visit a podiatrist or an orthopaedic specialist and get personalised recommendations for YOUR foot and YOUR workout routine.

You should also have custom-made orthotics. These are manufactured after stress and pressure testing on your feet, and will compensate for any oddities of gait etc. They cost a bit, but can be well worthwhile!

Activity Modification

If you’re prone to shin splints, you should switch running and other weight bearing cardio exercises for swimming, rowing or bike riding. Switch to machine-based leg exercises rather than free weights – it isn’t the ideal way to bodybuild, but it is better than trying to work out while intense pain.

Surgical Options for Shin Splints

Fasciotomies and periostomies have been recognised solutions to chronic shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome) for decades now, with around a 57% to 78% complete cure rate as described in the Journal of Sports Medicine in 1986 (!). Naturally, you’ll have to explore this last-resort option with your doctor.

Tags: bodybuilding, recovery, shin splints, training, workouts
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Bitter Pill: 10 Tips to Make Bodybuilding Supplement Pills Go Down Easy

Posted on February 13th, 2012

Every bodybuilder has a preference for either pills or potions. Some people would rather get their supplement taking all over in one hit … and others would very much like to, but they just can’t get the pill past an overactive gag reflex! Still others just miss out on some awesome bodybuilding supplements because they only come in pill form. If this is you, try our ten easy tips to make supplement pills a lot easier to swallow.

1. Swill First
   Try taking a big swill of water BEFORE you put the pill in your mouth. Hold a little water, begin to swallow it then chase it down with another big dose of water.
2. The Chin Tuck
   Many people throw their head back when swallowing pills. If this doesn’t seem to help, try doing a chin tuck as you swallow instead, to open your oesophagus and close the upper portion of the trachea.
3. Sneak It In
   If you place the pill right at the back of your tongue to begin with, it has far less distance to travel to get to the holy grail, your oesophagus. Put your pill right at the back of your tongue and take a BIG gulp of water.  
4. Squeeze Bottles
   If you use a squeeze bottle with this method, you can also get a bit of extra oomph to force the bodybuilding supplement pill down.  
5. Use a Banana
   Take a couple of bites of banana, then put your pill into a broken-off piece of the fruit. As you’re about to swallow your normal bites, put the bananafied pill near the back of your mouth and let it go down the hatch.
6. Practice with Lollies
   If you have an aversion to the taste of powdery medicine which prevents you swallowing, prime your body for swallowing by practicing with M&Ms or Skittles.
7. Use a Straw
   The process of drinking through a straw can distract you sufficiently that the pill slides down without a worry. This won’t work for bigger bodybuilding supplement pills, though.
8. The Gargle Method
   Begin by gargling a mouthful of water. When you’re about to swallow, pop your pill into your mouth. This method IS useful for larger pills.
9. The Slop Method
   If the banana method didn’t work, you might have success with yoghurt, applesauce, jelly, pudding, etc.
10. Coat with Butter
    Coating your pills with butter or margarine won’t alter their digestion time substantially, but it can make uncoated pills and those with sharp little edges easier to take.
11. Have Your Tonsils Investigated
    Are your tonsils chronically enlarged? When you depress your tongue and look at the back of your throat in the mirror, does the tissue either side come close to meeting in the middle? Your tonsils are one place you don’t want hypertrophy – if this is the issue that is stopping you swallowing bodybuilding supplement pills, see your doc.

Ask Before Crushing Your Pills
Not only do crushed pills taste even more foul, setting up an aversion reaction, they may completely dissolve before they get to the part of your intestine they need to reach in order to be absorbed properly. Some bodybuilding supplement pills can be crushed or halved, but some cannot.

Tags: Bodybuilding Supplements, pills, supplements
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Tanning for Bodybuilders: Should I, How Much, When and What Method?

Posted on February 13th, 2012

Tanning is considered a must for bodybuilding competitions. Stage lights are particularly unforgiving on light skin, making you look either like a pasty computer geek or a fluorescent globe. So, once you’ve done all that work n your muscles to bulk up, how can you best highlight it with tanning products? We take you through the important guidelines today.

Should I Tan?

Tanning can generally be considered an aesthetic practice. To many of us, brown skin just looks a little more appealing than glowing white alien limbs! However, there are all sorts of folks in this world, and if you’re happy with being paler, then go for it.

However, if you’re competing on stage in a bodybuilding competition, tanning is essential. Stage lighting is very different to natural lighting, and a coat of tanning product helps the judges evaluate your musculature more accurately. It also stops you looking ‘bloated’, and makes you look far tighter and fuller.

Natural Tanning

Tanning in the sun is not a safe thing to do, as the television, doctors, magazines, public health posters and bodybuilding blogs constantly tell us! An estimated 1 in every 2 Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime.

Besides, it’s difficult to get a lineless tan outdoors, and your competition outfits will be pretty skimpy. Bright white lines will detract from the lines between your muscles.

Tanning Beds and Tanning Salons

These use UV light to tan you, and also have the potential to cause cancer. They’ll also give you a ‘nice’ pickled, leathery look to enjoy when you’re 60 if you overdo them.

However, they do provide a lineless tan and make your exposure easier to monitor. Additionally, if you have problems with acne from some testosterone boosting bodybuilding supplements and the general sweat of the gym, limited exposure to tanning beds can help. Keep it under 30 minutes per week, though … and remember that they are the equivalent of real sun!

Tanning Products

You can choose either self-tan or professional tanning products. If you’re like many bodybuilders and have already spent most of your hard earned cash on gym memberships and bodybuilding supplements, and you’ll be going for the self-applied route. This is fine if you’re careful with the application, but don’t skimp on the quality of your self-tan product. And follow these guidelines:

• Patch test before using any new product – especially if you’re due to compete
• Exfoliate regularly, not just before you apply the tanning lotion. Any lumps or bumps will also show up more.
• Wax 48 hours before you tan to allow the follicles to close up and settle down.
• Apply a light body lotion, with a double dose for dry areas like elbows, knees and parts of your feet
• Wear gloves while you’re applying the tanner, so that you don’t get orange palms

If you’re competing, put on a light coat of posing oil on top of the tanning product.

Injectable Tanning Products
Melanotan (not melatonin) is a compound currently being investigated by University of Arizona researchers, among others, for efficacy and safety. It is designed to activate melanin production in the skin without sun exposure, thereby protecting against skin cancer without risking developing it. Actually this drug is not yet approved for human use – so keep it in mind for the future, but don’t buy any products claiming to use it as an ingredient.

Tags: bodybuilding competitions, competitions, tanning
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Are Bodybuilding Supplements Giving You Bad Breath?

Posted on February 9th, 2012

Generally bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts are pretty tuned into their bodies, and monitor what goes in and out very carefully. We’ve talked to quite a few people who believe that their bodybuilding supplements are giving them bad breath, and while this can happen, the cause of bad breath most commonly lies with some other physical factor. Today we check out some supplements that are known for affecting your breath, and some other factors which can give you a case of stinkface.

Common Bodybuilding Supplements That Affect Your Breath

The most common bodybuilding supplements which interact with some people’s particular chemistry to produce bad breath are:

• Protein shakes, especially whey protein
• Stimulants like 1,3 dimethylamylamine, ephedrine and caffeine

It can take some time for your body to ‘learn’ to break down whey and some other proteins, and if you have just started taking these bodybuilding supplements they might be inefficiently digested and causing bad breath (and probably some killer flatulence too). Additionally, if you take milk with whey, it can ‘turn’ the milk and give you bad breath.

Stimulants such as 1,3 DMAA, ephedrine and caffeine can cause bad breath through inducing a dry mouth. Just make sure you drink plenty of water, chew gum  and keep your mouth closed while working out to prevent dryness!

However, if you have been taking the same bodybuilding supplements for some time and not had any breath problems previously, it is unlikely that a new case of bad breath is due to your supplements. It could be any of the common factors below!

Ketogenic Diets

If you’re currently restricting carbs and eating lots of protein, and especially if you’ve got some body fat to get rid of, your bad breath might be due to ketoacidosis.

When your body breaks down fat for fuel instead of glucose (because you aren’t supplying any carbs through your diet), ketone bodies are one of the side effects. They are chemically similar to paint thinners and nail polish remover, and can make your breath smell like either of the above.

While keto breath isn’t supposed to smell ‘bad’ but rather ‘sweet’, the unfamiliarity of the smell often makes people paranoid about their breath. There’s no fix for it but to chew mints, wear perfume and clos your mouth when leaning close to people.

Dental Hygiene

If you have untreated cavities in your mouth or have developed gum disease, horror-movie breath will be one of the first signs. To stop yourself developing cavities or gum disease, follow the golden rules:

• Brush twice a day
• Chew sugarless gum between meals
• Floss once a day before bed
• Scrape the back of your tongue to remove sulphur-producing bacteria  (if you’re prone to bad breath)
• Gargle with mouthwash (if you’re prone to bad breath).

Other Causes

If you have problems with any of the following conditions, they can all affect your breath:

• Chronic sinusitis – the smell comes from the nasal discharge
• Acid reflux
• Kidney problems

If you’ve ruled out bodybuilding supplements, dental hygiene and a ketogenic diet as the cause of your bad breath, go see your doctor or dentist.

Tags: Bodybuilding Supplements, side effects, supplements
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The Lab and Your Life: Bio Science in January 2012

Posted on February 9th, 2012

Vegetables and fish oils are getting the tick of approval from scientists. Researchers have turned back to humble foods in the search for ways to improve health and protect against cancer and nerve damage. Of course, there’s always a new high-tech device on the horizon and the heart bracelet may be tempting after you read the latest link between extreme sport and heart damage. Welcome to 2012!

Heart bracelets provide early warning

Okay, so you don’t want to think about it, but the possibility your heart could be a ticking time bomb during a workout is worthy of at least passing consideration. According to Spanish data, sudden death is most common in cycling, football and gymnastics while in the US the most high risk sports are basketball and football. IC-Life, the developers behind heart bracelets, claims early warnings signs can be detected up to an hour before a cardiac arrest. They warn that an estimated 200,000 athletes die each year from cardiac arrest (you may want to take this with a grain of salt – in the same breath they claim that from 1995-2001 in Spain only 61 sports-related deaths were recorded.) The key is to listen to your body – it’s not infallible!

More to vegies than meets the eye

Researchers at the Oregon State University have found that chlorophyll (which gives vegies their green colour) helps guard against cancer. According to recent research the protective mechanism of chlorophyll is pretty simple – essentially is isolates and binds with carcinogens in the gut to send any cancer-forming nasties out the back door! The ability of chlorophyll to eliminate carcinogens is just one of the benefits of eating a diet full of healthy greens.

It isn’t only protein which builds muscles – the evidence shows that the vitamins and minerals in vegetables aid muscle contractors, reduce inflammation, manage cortisol levels and improve red blood cell production. Taking a vitamin supplement on its own is not enough. So don’t skip your vegies to cut down carbs – not only do they help protect against cancer but without them you’ll cripple your recovery rate which means you won’t build muscles!

Omega-3s protect and repair nerves

Anyone who has suffered the sharp, shooting pain of sciatica will know how crippling nerve damage can be. Sciatic pain is caused by pressure being placed on the sciatic nerve, often through a herniated or bulging disk. While proper warm-ups and careful attention to your squat technique can help, researchers from the Queen Mary University of London have found that Omega-3 fatty acids also play a valuable role in nerve protection.

The study found that not only did Omega-3 (found in fish oil as well as seeds and nuts) help prevent nerve damage it could also help regenerate nerves. The study focused on peripheral nerve cells and showed that that mice which were given Omega-3 supplements recovered quicker from sciatic nerve injury and that their muscles were less likely to waste away.

Endurance exercise linked to heart damage

Scarring of the heart muscle (known as fibrosis) has been linked to endurance sports such as marathons, triathlons and alpine cycling. While these are extreme cardiovascular activities, the nature of bodybuilding and training could potentially put the heart under the same pressure. Research published in the European Heart Journal found that of the 40 athletes studied, five showed evidence of permanent damage. Interestingly, these five were more seasoned athletes. Don’t be tricked into thinking that you should stay away from bodybuilding for your health … just listen to your body and get any odd symptoms checked out!

Tags: diet, exercise, healthy, science
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5 Inspirational Ideas for the De-Motivated

Posted on February 3rd, 2012

Bodybuilding is a sport of subtlety. There are no big glorious wins, no far-fetched points and no hero shots. It is a sport that is all about the journey … but when you get sick of seeing the same scenery over and over again, it is easy to become demotivated. Today we’ve searched high and low for words of wisdom, from the mouths and minds of bodybuilders as well as other sportspeople, to help get you back on the horse.

“Everything You Want is Outside Your Comfort Zone”

A solid reminder that if it comes too easy, you probably don’t care much about it. It’s the things which are hard, which make you doubt yourself, which you need to find multiple strategies for achieving, that actually make you proud to be in your own skin. This is related to the idea that “If you do what you have always done, you’ll get what you have always got”.

If your bodybuilding goals are completely within your physical and mental comfort zone, you ain’t gonna go far. What progress you do make is going to be a bit anticlimactic. So, do it till it hurts. Give up your unhealthy Saturday night habits. Get up while your body still wants to be in bed and your eyes are glued shut … cos that’s how you will achieve your goals!

“Try and fail is the manner of losers. Try and learn is the way of the strong”

Ever heard “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”? Well, this inspiration idea just explains it a little better. You won’t ‘get’ everything in bodybuilding first go, sometimes you’ll look like a noob, sometimes people will probably laugh at you behind your back. Never forget that trying, learning, and trying again is the way of the strong.

“When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the question for you, but because in that brief moment while the coin is in the air, you suddenly know what you are hoping for”

Choice can be paralysing, in bodybuilding and in everyday life. But when you have a split second before it seems that the decision will be made for you by something out of your control, it’s true … your real desire comes to the front quick-smart. Use it! This one comes courtesy of ‘Unknown’, via the internet.

Learn to Love a Non-Routine

There are literally thousands of different foods, drinks, choices, people, exercises, scenes and skills waiting to be experienced in the world. Control of your diet, exercise and bodybuilding supplement regime is obviously important in bodybuilding – planning and predictability is needed to achieve goals – but don’t let that take over every aspect of your life!

Life: Too Precious to Waste

This little gem of wisdom comes from a strength training site aimed at military personnel, and there’s nobody in the world who feels the home truth of ‘life being too precious to waste’ more than a soldier.

You’ve only got one life. You don’t know when you’re going to lose it. So start making the most of what you got!

Tags: exercise, motivation, training, workouts
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News with Bulk: Bodybuilding Updates From Around the World December 2011

Posted on February 3rd, 2012

Increased female participation and a shifting of the guard for Mr Olympia have helped shape bodybuilding across the globe in 2011. While the promise of a set of heels and a little bling has helped attract more women to the sport, new promotions and supplements have also made news headlines over the past 12 months.

Women pumped about bodybuilding – with heels!

Participation from female competitors has risen as bodybuilding embraces a more feminine element. The success of Body Fitness with its high heels and jewellery has added a touch of glamour and has seen the introduction of a new category by the IFBB. The Bikini category was included in the 2011 Nationals.

Changing of the guard?

Is it possible that we’ve seen a changing of the guard with a more refined physique being preferred over the Great Hulk? Phil ‘The Gift’ Heath stole the thunder from four-time winner Jay Cutler in Sin City in 2011 to take the Mr Olympia crown. No longer Cutler’s heir apparent, Heath has taken his rightful position in bodybuilding’s greatest competition.

No parole for Ryan

Infamous bodybuilder Kelly Ryan will stay behind bars in relation to the murder of personal assistant Melissa James after she was denied parole in December, 2011. The next parole hearing will not be until 2015. The former IFBB competitor was arrested during a cross-country manhunt after the body of James was found in a burnt-out car belonging to the former athlete.

New role for Jenna Jameson

Adult film star Jenna Jameson created waves within the bodybuilding industry when she was signed as an, ahem, athlete for supplement company Gaspari. The mother-of-twins credited Gaspari nutritional products with her return to pre-pregnancy shape.

New bodybuilding association

Bodybuilder Paul Dillett has heralded a new era in sports entertainment with the emergence of his World Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (WBFF). The promotions guru hopes to compete against international heavyweights such as the IFBB and NPC and promises better financial returns for athletes and models.

No 1 pre-workout supplement?

Pre-workout supplement Assault by MusclePharm has been honoured as 2011’s New Supplement of the Year. The American supplement giant has completed two clinical trials (conducted by the United States Sports Academy) on Assault with the results to be published in a scientific journal. Remember there are plenty of new trends in pre-workout supplements such as stimulant-free formulas designed to improve blood flow, mental focus and enhance muscle pumps without the caffeine-kick!

Tags: bodybuilding, Bodybuilding Supplements, competitions, news, pre workout
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More Yummy Recipes for Cutting!

Posted on February 1st, 2012

If 2012 marks the start of a new cutting cycle then consider getting back to basics and enjoying whole, nutritious foods. Stick to lean proteins such as chicken, turkey, salmon and the old bodybuilding staple cottage cheese. While you may be familiar with these to bulk up, high quality proteins can also aid in fat loss. A stir-fry with plenty of green leafy vegetables and a splash of sesame oil to aid fat oxidisation will make a quick, scrumptious meal perfect for shedding fat without losing muscle. Don’t forget to spice things up either – try these delicious recipes including a hot chicken burger and sweet-spiced pancakes for a perfect pick-me-up!

High Protein Burger

Ingredients:

• 4oz chicken breast
• Non-stick olive oil spray
• Three egg whites and one whole egg
• Two garlic cloves
• 1/3 can of drained tuna (in brine not oil)
• Two slices of whole wheat bread

Lightly coat a non-stick sauté pan with a little olive oil spray.

Coat the chicken lightly in a mild or hot spice mix or simply add some chopped chilli to the pan with the crushed or finely diced garlic.

Place the chicken in the pan and fry on a medium heat until the underside is golden brown, then turnover and cover with a lid or foil and reduce heat. Cook for another five minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked through.

Remove from the pan and rest on a plate while you cook the omelette. Beat the eggs, tuna and garlic and add to the pan. Cook on a medium heat, scraping the egg to the centre of the pan and tipping uncooked egg to the outside of the pan.

Slice the chicken breast into strips and layer with omelette on fresh bread or a crunchy roll. Enjoy!

Frozen Banana Protein Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen banana (unpeeled and cut into pieces)
• 2 tbsp of skim milk (or your choice of milk substitute)
• ½ scoop (16g) of vanilla whey protein powder

Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Scrape the ‘ice-cream’ into a bowl and enjoy for a sweet, frosty and low-fat treat!

Protein Pancakes

Ingredients:

• ½ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup fat free cottage cheese
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tbsp flaxseed meal
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup water
• Pinch of salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 scoop of vanilla whey powder
• Cooking spray
• Agave syrup

Heat a medium size pan.

Place the oats, cottage cheese, apple sauce, flax, cinnamon, vanilla extract, water, and salt in the blender and process until combined.

Add the baking powder and protein powder and pulse.

Coat pan with a little oil and pour in ¼ of the batter. Cook on a low to medium heat until bubbles begin to form on the top of the pancake. Flip over and cook the other side.

Repeat process with rest of the batter.

Serve with agave syrup or fruit.

NOOMMMMMM!

Tags: Bodybuilding Supplements, diet, fat loss
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