An EU hearing organised by the Standing Committee of European Doctors and the PA International Foundation heard this March that there is a ‘huge’ shortfall between the recommended and actual intake of Vitamin D (1).

Speaking at the hearing, Kevin Cashman from University College Cork in Ireland said: “Vitamin D deficiency is a huge public health issue and it is estimated that 50-75 per cent of the adult population do not take enough vitamin D,” he said.

“We need to target the at-risk population and take a serious step forward to eradicate vitamin D deficiency.

“This is preventable but it needs an effective and efficient strategy to make it happen.”

Currently, adults are advised to intake 10 micrograms of Vitamin D per day, with the amount rising to 10-15 micrograms for elderly people. The average amount is far lower, however, at just 3-4 micrograms per day (2).

Most of the Vitamin D we need comes from the rays of the sun (3), however skin must be bare and the sunlight direct. This means that people who are not exposed to daylight, who stay indoors or who regularly cover up their skin whilst outdoors are at particular risk of a deficiency. A Vitamin D deficiency can cause a number of conditions including muscle pain or weakness, bone pain, and soft bones in severe deficiencies (4).

Aside from sunlight, Vitamin D is also present in some foods. These include fish and eggs, as well as fortified foods such as margarine and cereals. Vitamin D capsules can also be taken to supplement intake, and are recommended to groups who are at risk of deficiencies, such as pregnant women (5).

References
Parliament.co.uk (24th March, 2010). EU urged to help tackle Vitamin D deficiency. http://www.theparliament.com/no_cache/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/eu-urged-to-help-tackle-vitamin-d-deficiency/

Parliament.co.uk (24th March, 2010). EU urged to help tackle Vitamin D deficiency. http://www.theparliament.com/no_cache/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/eu-urged-to-help-tackle-vitamin-d-deficiency/

(1)NHS (17th March, 2010). Vitamin D supplements and flu. http://www.nhs.uk/news/2010/03March/Pages/Vitamin-D-supplements-and-flu.aspx

(2)Patient.co.uk (25th February, 2008).Vitamin D deficiency. http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Vitamin-D-Deficiency.htm

(3)Food Standards Agency (2010). Vitamin D. http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/nutritionessentials/vitaminsandminerals/vitamind

About the Guest Author
Philip Youngwood writes professionally on a number of health topics relating to vitamin supplementation, particularly those featured in the news. Most recently this includes Vitamin D and its importance to the health of the body.

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It seems like this is the common thought that a lot of people have. The thing that they don’t seem to understand is that supplements are only part of what you should do to get the body you want. Can they help? Yes! When used right they can help you to reach your goals faster than you would without them.

But before you run out and buy the next hyped up muscle building supplement, you need to make sure that your foundation is set. This foundation should consist of working out intensely and eating a good diet. This is how you use a well-rounded plan to reach your goals rather than relying on the marketing techniques of a supplement company.

Working Out Intensely

Taking a magic supplement alone will not give you the results you want. You need to push yourself in the gym.

We’ve all seen the people that go to the gym and don’t even come close to breaking a sweat or looking like they’re really pushing it. And you’ll notice over time that these people don’t get results either. But if you look at any of the guys that have great physiques working out, you’ll see them straining to push themselves to new levels.

Here’s a great example from MuscleHack:

Notice that he isn’t just casually lifting the weight up and down. He’s working hard to make each rep count.

Working hard doesn’t mean you have to grunt and groan under every rep. In fact, if you do you’re going to annoy a lot of people. But you do need to be pushing yourself to new levels.

There are a lot of intensity techniques out there. Try different ones to see what works well for you, and mix them up from time to time to get a variety. Here are a few examples:

• Supersets
• Slow negative movement
• Drop sets
• etc.

Nutrition – Eating Right

We all know that we need to eat to grow. But it isn’t just a matter of eating calories, you need to be eating the right calories. I read an article from Will Brink once that said that eating extra calories is what will help you gain weight, but the kinds of foods you eat to get those calories will determine what kind of weight you gain (fat or muscle).

Will Brinks Bodybuilding Revealed gives great guidelines on what to eat. The book and forum are worth checking out if you want to get a better handle on this side of things. But for now let’s just say that you need to get your protein from good sources and enough of it to grow. A good rule of thumb is to consume 1-1.5 grams of protein for every pound of body weight. Sticking with good carbs is necessary as well, along with eating vegetables and fruits.

Adding Muscle Building Supplements

Once you have the foundation of good workouts and nutrition in place, that’s when it’s time to consider what kinds of supplements you want to add to help you grow. Using whey protein can help you get the extra protein into your diet. There are also performance supplements like NO2 and creatine that can help you power through your workouts and grow faster, when combined with a good diet and exercise routine.

Not all supplements are created the same. So take some time to do some research to find out which ones are most likely to work, and not just be a lot of hype. Then experiment with different ones to see what your body reacts to. If you want to save money, visit our main site and do price comparisons to find the best deals online.

Growing muscle and building the body you want will take time and dedication. Make this the year that you dedicate to changing your body and life, and do it the right way!

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Whey Protein

Protein is the building block of muscle, and if you don’t have enough in your diet you’re going to have a hard time building the muscle you’re after. Whey is a great way to go to make sure you get the amount you need for a couple of reasons: it’s convenient, cheaper than buying a lot of extra meat, comes in a lot of great flavors, and is easily absorbed and used by the body.

Here are a few of the most popular whey protein supplements for you to check out:

• Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey
• BSN Syntha-6
• Muscletech Nitro-Tech Hardcore

Creatine

Creatine has been the most popular supplement on the market for years, and for a good reason! Study after study shows teh benefits of supplementing with creatine. It’s one of those supplements that works for a lot of people.

There are a lot of different types of creatines such as monohydrate, ethyl ester, liquid, ones with transport systems, etc. Your best bet is to go with creatine monohydrate or one that has some extra carbs (transport system) that can help the body absorb it better.

These are some of the most popular creatine products on the market right now:

• EAS Phosphagen
• Dymatize Micronized Creatine
• AST Micronized Creatine

NO2

Nitric oxide supplements are a newer product to come to the market, but a lot of people are seeing great results from it that it is quickly becoming an extremely popular supplement. NO2 increases the amount of blood that flows to your muscles and so can help with nutrient uptake, recovery, and gives you really good pumps during and after your workout. This is one that is worth trying out to see how well it works for you!

Here are a few of the more popular NO2 supplements:

• MRI NO2 Platinum
• Syntrax Nitrous
• BSN NO-Xplode

There are other products that can help you reach your goal to build muscle before the end of the year. They include Glutamine, HMB, ZMA, and weight gainers if you just need to increase your calorie intake.

Do you have a favorite brand or supplement that has helped you to build some extra muscle? If so, please share it in the comments below!

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Reaching a fitness goal can be broken up in to 3 main tasks: exercise, nutrition, and rest. Some of us are good at 1 out of 3, others are good and 2 out of 3, and few of us actually do all 3. So what are your weak areas? Let’s look at all 3 really quick and help you figure it out.

Area 1 – Exercise

It seems like this is the one that most people have the least trouble with. Granted, there are some people that simply dread going to the gym, but once you get going and start to enjoy it most people can stick with this one pretty good.

Can you spend some time tweaking your workout routine to get more out of it? Definitely! If this is your weak area there are a few things you can do to make it a strong point:

• Have a schedule and stick to it! Start slow if you have to, but find a schedule that works for you and stick to it.
• Get a training partner. Having someone that has similar goals work along side you can be a great motivator and help.
• Plan ahead of time. If you walk into the gym without a plan you probably won’t accomplish much. Know what you’re going to do before you get in there so you can stay focused.

Area 2 – Nutrition

To be completely honest, this has always been one of my weak areas. It’s just so easy to eat something I really shouldn’t. I’m sure a lot of you feel the same way!

No matter your goal, whether it’s to lose weight or pack on muscle, you’re going to have a hard time reaching your goals if your nutrition is out of whack. Either you are not eating enough, eating too much, or just not eating the right stuff. Here are a few tips to help:

• Figure out your calorie requirements. If you know roughly how many calories you should be eating for your goals you’ll have an easier time planning what you’re going to eat.
• Plan ahead of time. Sound familiar to the 3rd tip for exercise? Well, the principle applies here as well. If you don’t plan ahead you’ll end up eating fast food, which you and I both know is not the best way to go! Pack your food the night before, cook meals ahead of time, make your life easier!
• Get rid of the junk! Chances are you have some food in your house right now that is not going to help you reach your goal. Get rid of it and start fresh! That, or save it for a cheat meal.
• Have a cheat meal from time to time. These should be scheduled, not just when you feel like it. Having a cheat meal gives you something to look forward to when you have cravings.
• Remember it’s more than supplements! I believe that bodybuilding supplements can help you reach your goals, but not if yo don’t have the rest of your nutrition right. Figure that part out first, then look to supplements to fill in the gaps.

Area 3 – Rest

If you don’t take a break from time to time, or get enough rest in between workouts, you’ll find that you’re not reaching your goals. Your body needs time to recover. This is another area that I know I tend to slack off in, mainly by going to bed too late and then getting up too early.

When you get the proper amount of rest you have more energy. We all know it, but we make excuses on a regular basis and stay tired. Here are some ideas to break that cycle:

• Set a curfew and stick to it! Remember when your parents said “Lights out at 10!” Well, do the same for yourself. Let your family and friends know that you go to bed at a certain time. Come up with whatever reason you have to, but if they know they can respect it.
• Be consistent. If you can get your body on a regular schedule you’ll do a lot better. Figure out as regular of a schedule as you can and then stick to it.
• Plan breaks. You should take at least a week off working out every 10-12 weeks that you work out. This will give your body time to fully recuperate and come back stronger for the next round.

So there you have it. Now it’s time for you to take some action. What are your weak areas? What can you do TODAY to fix those areas and become stronger in them? You can do it. I have some work to do myself. So here’s to both of us!

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Some of you may have had the goal to have a six pack by this time. But if you don’t, don’t just give up on that goal and stay flabby all summer. Reset your goal and work to have that killer six pack in the next month or two! It’s never too late to make those necessary changes to your plan so that you can get some great results.

Supplements for Leaning Up This Summer

Here are some supplements you can use to help you lean up even quicker:

Creatine Supplements

Not only does creatine help increase lean body mass, but it will give you more energy to power through your workouts as well.

Fat Burners

Using a good fat burner can help you to get a jump on losing some of that extra weight. Hydroxycut is being recalled, but use something like Nutrex Lipo-6x, which has a great track record.

ZMA Supplements

ZMA can help increase testosterone levels which in turn can help to increase your lean body mass.

Whey Protein Supplements

If you’re trying to lean up you’re going to need to increase your protein intake and cut back on the carbs. A great way to do this is by using a good whey protein powder. Personally I like the flavor of some of the Dymatize Elite brand.

Training Considerations

This won’t sound like anything new, but you’re going to need to increase your cardio if you’re going to lean up in the coming months. It’s a good idea to mix up the way you do your cardio as well.

In some cardio sessions do a longer duration at a good pace. It’s not a bad idea to use the ‘Fat Burn’ setting on the cardio device you’re using, then ride it for 30 minutes or so.

At other times, you should also do some HIIT training. Do short bursts of energy, followed by short times of rest. There are a lot of techniques to do this, so find one that works for you.

I hope these tips and supplement recommendations help. Good luck with your goals and let me know how it goes!

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Using Muscle Building Supplements

Before you start buying muscle building supplements you need to make sure that you have the other areas of your program in place. If you aren’t consistently working out or eating right, don’t be surprised if you don’t get any results from using these supplements. Body building supplements are meant to be used alongside a good program, not in place of it. So with that said, let’s get to the supplements!

Creatine Supplements

Creatine is by far the most popular muscle building supplement that you can by. And for good reason: it’s also one of the most tested and has been proven to be effective! Creatine naturally occurs in the body and is used to increase ATP production. This means that it gives you more energy to use in the gym!

Creatine supplements have also been shown to enhance muscle size. This is done by helping the muscles to take on more water and become fuller. For this reason you need to be sure to stay well hydrated when using creatine!

You’ll notice that there are a lot of different types of creatine supplements on the market as well. You’ll see things like creatine with transport systems, creatine ethyl ester (CEE), micronized, and others. In the end, the best form of creatine is creatine monohydrate. You can also get micronized creatine monohydrate which a lot of people find works a little better.

Nitric Oxide (NO2) Supplements

This one is more of a new-comer in the body building supplement world, but it is always growing in popularity for it’s ability to give a user a better ‘pump’ after working out. There are other benefits of using this supplement as well.

Nitric oxide is a free form gas that occurs in the body and is used by the body to help the circulation of blood and it is also used in transmitting messages between nerve cells. So by using NO2 supplements you can help to increase blood flow to the muscles. This is where the pump comes from. Also, pushing more blood to the muscles you are helping your muscles to get more nutrients which helps them to grow faster.

When taking NO2 you should start with small doses and increase watching for any possible side effects. This is one of those body building supplements that will cause a different reaction in different people. Overdosing with NO2 can lead to diarrhea, weakness, and nausea. If you feel these side effects you probably need to back off on your dosage amount.

Whey Protein Supplements

It has long been known that protein is the building block of muscles. So if you are looking for the granddaddy of muscle building supplements, this is it. Whey protein supplements have been so popular because it is quickly absorbed by the body. This means more protein to your muscles faster!

The other great thing about whey is that you can get it in so many flavors to mix with other ingredients to make some rather tasty protein shakes. Experiment and find your favorites!

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One of the more popular diets in the fitness industry is how beneficial low carbohydrate diets might be for weight loss. I certainly see the benefits of low carbohydrate diets and think that everyone, regardless of goals, should think about low carb diets as a way of life. I’m not too convinced that these type of diets are the best to burn fat though. I’ve written about how helpful a low carb diet may be to burn fat before but I also think it’s helpful to look at the other side of the coin. What about no carb diets?

If you look at the most popular diets such as the zone diet, the atkins diet, the abs diets and the sugar busters diet you see one common trait. They all almost completely eliminate carbohydrates. Now, I’m not sure why each diet does it their own way but I do know how our body responds to a no carb diet.

Low Carbs Equal Less Fat Loss?

Now I might get some heat for this but it needs to be said. For some people, low carbohydrate diets will wreck their fat loss. Yet they keep hammering away with all types of low carb foods and low carbohydrate approaches because no one will tell them what they need to know.

1. Carbohydrates are the only non-essential nutrient to our body. It’s actually true that we can live off of not eating another carbohydrate for the rest of our life. Now is that easy to do or advisable? No, I don’t think anyone should try it but it is possible. If our body doesn’t need something then why put it in? Just think about that next time you want to eat a bunch of carbohydrates to gain some lean muscle. We don’t need them.
2. Our body can produce about 100 grams of glucose without any carbohydrate intake. This is done through a process called gluconeogenesis where protein is pulled from our body to make the glucose that the brain needs to work. Once we get into ketosis (the body using fat for fuel), we need even less and only about 80 grams of glucose per day for the brain to function.
3. Research has shown that upwards of 80% of glucose that is used for energy during high intensity exercise actually comes from protein breakdown. If you have adequate protein intake then you don’t need to worry about breaking down muscle tissue.
4. Carbohydrates cause blood sugar to rise and spike which lowers growth hormone and IGF-1 causing muscle wasting hormones to rise. When this happens whatever fat and carbohydrate intake that we have will be pushed towards being stored as fat, not muscle.

It’s also important to note that many of these low carbohydrate diet studies are done without supplying their subjects with adequate healthy fat intake, which completely changes our natural hormone environment. Do I completely recommend this approach? It depends on the individual but don’t think you need to just diet with a low carbohydrate diet, change things up.

About The Author

Jimmy Smith, MS, CSCS provides the latest techniques in training and nutrition for fat loss on his website.

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It’s pretty typical for people to go through different phases during the year when it comes to training, nutrition, and overall goals. A common approach is to use the later fall and winter months to bulk up, and then use the spring and summer months to lean up and “look good for the beach” as they say.

So if you follow or plan to follow this type of phase approach, are there different body building supplements that you should use during this time? Let’s look at a couple of options and ideas.

Bulking Phase – Muscle Building Supplements

Most people that follow a phase approach will use the colder months as a time to bulk up. They’ll switch their nutrition plans and workout plans to pack on extra pounds, with the goal of gaining the most amount of muscle with the least amount of fat.

Here are some muscle building supplements to use during this time:

• Protein Powder Supplements (Whey, Casein, etc.)
• NO2
• Creatine Supplements
• Weight Gainers
• BCAAs

As you can see, these are all supplements that are focused on helping you to build muscle. Most won’t worry too much about staying extra lean during this time, so when it comes to training you would normally cut back on cardio and focus more on the weights to build muscle.

Cutting Phase – Fat Burning Supplements

Everyone wants to look good with their shirt off. That’s why the spring and summer months are usually set aside for leaning up and getting cut. You can still use most of the body building supplements listed for the winter to keep building muscle, but take out supplements like weight gainers to keep the carbs down.

Here are some additional supplements to consider during the cutting phase:

• CLA
• Fat Burners

During this time you would also increase your cardio and cut back on carbs to get that cut look you’re probably after.

Final Thoughts

Personally I think the best approach is to stay lean all year long. Hugo Rivera talked about this in his interview with Tom Venuto. Mark McManus from MuscleHack.com also follows this type of approach. If this is what you’re after, you could use a mix of these supplements all year long to help you stay lean.

Hugo Rivera’s recommendation from the Tom Venuto interview was to bulk until you reach about 10% bodyfat, then cut back down to maintain a ripped and big look.

No matter which approach you take, just remember that using muscle building, fat burning, and body building supplements can help you get what you want, but you still have to work your butt off to get those results.

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This is a great question to ask yourself from time to time. After going to the gym, eating right, using body building supplements, and all the other things that you’re doing to build a better body, do you really know why you’re doing it?

There are a lot of reasons that people use. Here are a couple I can think of off the top of my head that I’ve heard people say:

• To be more confident.
• To be more attractive.
• To be more of an athlete/to compete.
• To be stronger.
• etc.

What Are the Best Reasons?

I don’t think there is such a thing as a ‘best reason’ to get in shape and look your best. Everyone has a different reason for wanting to do it. The important thing is that you have a reason that motivates you. Not a reason that you read in some magazine, or a reason that someone else told you that you should have. You have to have a reason that comes from you.

This is the type of reason that will motivate you to wake up early if you have to, to go out in the cold, to not eat that oh-so-tempting treat because you have a bigger goal in mind. This is the most important part of building a better body. If your motivation isn’t strong enough you won’t put forth the necessary effort. So focus first on your reason

How to Get There

The purpose of this post is not to go into a lengthy discussion on exactly what you need to do to build a great body. But there are a few key things that you need to build the body you’re after. Here they are:

1. Proper nutrition
2. Proper exercise
3. Proper rest

You can guess which one most people focus on. Yep, the exercise! But if you aren’t getting the right nutrition or the right amount of rest you won’t see the results you’re after. If you just eat well but don’t exerrcise you won’t get the right results either! You have to work on all three of these to be successful.

Look at what you’ve been doing and see if you’re not giving one or more areas enough priority. If you need to work on improving your nutrition, make that a priority this month. Get in the habit of eating right. Maybe even use a tool like FitDay.com to track what you’re eating. If you’re not working out enough, make that a priority. If you don’t rest enough make that a priority. In other words, figure out what’s broken in what you’re currently doing and make some changes to fix it!

The Role of Body Building Supplements

Can using a body building supplement help you to reach your goal? Definintely! Granted, some work better than others and different people have different reactions to different supplements. But the main point is that creatine supplements or any other supplement will only really help you if the other three areas (nutrition, exercise, rest) are in place. Don’t try to use supplements to replace proper nutrition. You have to use them in addition to proper nutrition.

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Are You Up For a Challenge?

For the next month and a half I want to offer you a challenge: stick with whatever program you’re on! If you’re trying to lean up, keep working on it during the holidays. If you’re trying to bulk up, keep with it through the holidays. No matter what your goal is, just keep it up.

This is the time of year when a lot of people let themselves get off track. To me this really explains why so many people set a new goal for losing weight in the next year and sign up for a new gym membership. It’s all because they let themselves get off track in November and December!

Have an Action Plan

Now I’m not suggesting that you should avoid all of the parties and be a humbug this season. Not at all! I encourage you to go out and have fun and enjoy the season. What I am recommending is that you just be a little more aware of what you’re eating at the parties that you go to. Know what your limits are. Then stick to it.

Remember that you control what you put in your mouth. Sticking with it at a party or family gathering is going to take some extra discipline. You have to think about how bad you really want it! Sure, that extra slice of pie looks good, but is it worth it in comparison with what you really want to achieve? This is the question you’ll have to ask yourself a lot in the coming month.

Before you go to a gathering, just mentally prepare yourself to be aware that there will be lots of junk that you should either avoid or keep to minimum levels. Then use self discipline and stick with it. I’m not saying it won’t be tough to not take a handful of chocolates, but it’s worth it. Think of your goals, and stay motivated. If you have an action plan in place, you’ll be more successful.

And no, your action plan should not simply be doing extra cardio to burn off the extra piece of pie you ate!

Be the Exception

You have to realize that whatever your goal is, whether it is to be lean or bulk up, you have to be dedicated to that plan. You see, most people just go with the flow and let whatever happens happen. That’s why they gain so much weight during the holidays! That’s why they have to start all over when the new year starts. But you can be the exception.

Keep your motivation high during the coming month and a half. Be the exception to the rule that December is when most people gain the weight. Instead, let it be the month that you have some of your best results ever! The choice is up to you, so are you willing to accept the challenge?

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