Considering water makes up about 60-percent of your body weight….THIS IS VERY DISTURBING!!

Your body needs water for literally every function it performs.

Drinking enough H2O is also KEY in reaching your weight loss goals!! 

We will tell you why a little later in this article.

First .. let’s get you hydrated!!

Here are 10 SNEAKY WAYS TO DRINK MORE WATER! 

Tip #1 – Start Your Day With 8oz
Many people swear that doing this helps them with a host of things, mainly digestion, especially if it’s lukewarm with some lemon.

 Does it work? Who knows! But it can’t hurt! It will ensure that right off the bat, you start your day hydrated!

Tip #2 – Keep A Refillable Bottle With You All Day

If you don’t have water accessible all day, it’s pretty much guaranteed you won’t drink enough. If you have your cup, bottle, jug, hydro-flask, (whatever you choose), glued to you wherever you go, you will be more likely to drink a steady amount of water all day long.

We suggest going with the largest bottle you feel comfortable carrying around, especially if you are always on-the-go and do not have access to refill continually.

Tip #3 – Track Your Intake
There are apps you can use for this. But an effortless way to keep track is to refill a liter bottle and keep up with how many times you have filled it until you reach your water goal!

Tip #4 – Have Water Deadlines
If you work a job where it’s hard to drink water all day long or find yourself forgetting, try adding deadlines to your water drinking.

Aim to drink a certain amount by 10am, midday, 2pm, 5pm, etc. You can even set an alarm on your phone as a reminder!

Tip #5 – Enhance The Flavor
Water can be super boring, especially if you are new to drinking so much.

Skip the chemical-filled flavor enhancers and try slicing fresh cucumbers, ginger, limes, lemons, or fresh strawberries and toss ’em into your water. If you like your water really cold, you can freeze fruit and use it in place of ice cubes.

If you want to factor it into your macros, you can also use a tiny amount of your favorite 100% fruit juice and dilute it with water. 

Tip #6 – Drink Through A Straw
We drink faster when we drink through a straw.

This trick also works if you drink out of something with a larger opening.

Tip #7 – Drink Up Before/After Each Meal, Pre-Workout, Post-Workout
One 2015 study found that participants who “preloaded” meals with a pint of water lost on average, 10 more pounds than participants who did not drink before eating. This could be because your body’s hunger cues are often misinterpreted as thirst cues.

Drinking an 8-ounce glass of water before a meal may help aid digestion, while drinking water an hour after you consume your meal may help the body absorb the micronutrients.

Tip #8 – Get Creative
A pretty cool study came out where researchers observed 300 study participants as they consumed water. They asked them to come up with unconventional ways to consume water. The participants did everything from drinking out of a martini glass to drinking it from a spoon. 

The result? They enjoyed drinking water more than participants who drank it the “normal” way. 

Tip #9 – Eat water-rich foods.
Of course, there are no “free-foods,” so you will have to factor these into your daily macros.

But try to add water-rich fruits and vegetables every day.

Here are a few foods with the most water:

• Spinach
• Celery
• Green Peppers
• Iceberg Lettuce
• Cucumbers
• Radishes
• Tomatoes
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Baby Carrots
• Watermelon
• Pineapple
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Cantaloupe
• Oranges
• Grapefruit

You could also just drink your veggies using Sculpt Nation GREENS. Add a scoop to a big glass of water, and you’ve got your nutrients and another 8oz’s of water down the hatch!

Sculpt Nation GREENS are available un-flavored, but we also have Peach and Strawberry.

I promise you will love them! Click here to check them out! 

Tip #10 – Eat Spicy Foods
This really doesn’t really need an explanation. Eat spicy .. you will want to reach for water.

Drinking enough water is essential in reaching your fitness goals.

Endless studies have shown that when water intake goes up .. pounds go down!

• Water helps boost your metabolism.
• Water cleanses your body of waste.
• Water acts as an appetite suppressant.
• Drinking more water helps your body from retaining water.

Aesthetics aside, your body depends on water to SURVIVE!

Every cell, tissue, and organ in your body needs water to work correctly.

We already know your next question…
HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD I DRINK EACH DAY?

Simple question .. but there isn’t a simple answer. 

Some docs say 8 glasses .. then we see fitness experts walking around with their gallon jug.

Many things come into play because there is a laundry list of factors that can offset the water you are consuming. 

• The climate where you live.
• How active you are.
• How much caffeine you consume.
• How much alcohol you drink.
• How much sodium you consume.
• How much you sweat.
• ++More 

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine gives the following suggestion for minimum daily fluid intake.

Keep in mind that they also factored in ALL liquids and liquids from foods into this equation. 

Activity level and climate were not considered. 

• About 3.7 liters of fluids for men
• About 2.7 liters of fluids a day for women

To keep it simple…

Ladies… try to fill up a liter water bottle at least 2-3 times.

Guys.. try to fill one up 3-4 times a day.

Don’t forget to use common sense! If you are thirsty .. DRINK MORE! Being thirsty is the first sign of dehydration!

Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired… which means you will be more likely to skip your workouts. 

Speaking of workouts and nutrition … are you certain that your sweat sessions and healthy meals are giving you THE BEST and FASTEST results?!

If you aren’t eating and training for YOUR BODY TYPE.. the answer is probably… NO!

Take a couple of minutes and check out this FREE BODY TYPE QUIZ!

In only 5 questions, it will tell you what your body type is and instantly give you some tools to get started toward training and eating for your genetics! 

One thing we all have in common is that we all have to drink enough H20! 

If you have any tips that you use to down your daily water .. drop us a comment below!

We’d love to hear from you! 

The post SNEAKY WAYS TO DRINK MORE WATER appeared first on V Shred.

Being low on certain vital hormones can not only be detrimental to your health, but it can also totally derail your fitness goals.

Do any of these things sound familiar? 

• You feel like you can’t make much progress in the gym, no matter how hard you try.
• You seem to be holding on to too much body fat, despite your diet and training efforts.
• Your sex drive is lower than ever.
• You frequently seem down in the dumps.
• You are exhausted all the time and/or have trouble sleeping.
• You feel that you’re aging faster than you should be.

If so, there is a hormone that your body may be low on, and that is Testosterone.

Vince put together a short video above going over this in detail!

Testosterone is the most important male hormone, but females also have and need testosterone – just in lesser amounts. 

It is normal for testosterone levels to decline as you age, but scientists have discovered even more significant reasons we experience drops in testosterone.

These reasons have nothing to do with aging.

In fact, most of them are totally out of your control, which is why low test levels are something you should be aware of, even in your 30’s. 

The good news is that there are easy things that you can do from home to give your test a boost that don’t require going to the doctor.

In fact, they only require a trip to your local grocery store or a quick online checkout! 

In this article, we are going to tell you about a couple of natural herbs that may be a little hard to get your hands on. Still, you need to be aware of them because they are super powerful.

There are also a few other natural test boosters that are easy to find. You probably even have them in your fridge or pantry right now.

Before we tell you about these five science-backed foods and herbs, we want to give you a brief explanation of why scientists believe testosterone is crucial for your overall well being and just how instrumental it is for reaching your fitness goals. 

WHY HEALTHY LEVELS OF TESTOSTERONE ARE IMPORTANT

Testosterone’s effect on the human body, why it declines even at a young age, and ways we can go about increasing it is something that researchers have been studying for decades. 

To date, there are more than one-hundred-thousand research studies on testosterone.
Many of them have been published in the last decade.

Researchers have found that having low test levels is associated with any of the following…

• Fatigue
• Poor sleep
• Negative disruptions in mood
• Increased signs of aging 
• Poor  libido
• A sluggish metabolism
• Excess body fat
• The inability to properly put on or retain lean muscle mass

So, if you are dieting and exercising, but not seeing results (especially if you are experiencing any of the other issues mentioned) – low testosterone could be to blame. 

One area researchers have studied is how your diet can impact testosterone levels. 

They found that increasing foods that contain testosterone mimicking nutrients and supplementing with certain natural herbs may help improve testosterone levels naturally. 

5 TESTOSTERONE BOOSTING FOODS YOU SHOULD BE EATING

1: Foods high in Vitamin D & Zinc

Two nutrients that seem to be especially crucial to your diet when it comes to increasing testosterone are Vitamin D and Zinc.

According to researchers, Vitamin D can help boost testosterone levels by up to 90%.

In one study, 200 healthy participants were given either a daily dose of 3,332 IUs of Vitamin D or a placebo, for a full year. Compared to baseline values, there was a significant increase in total testosterone levels, bioactive testosterone, and free testosterone levels in the vitamin D supplemented group. But there was no significant change in any testosterone measure in the placebo group.

One way you can increase your VItamin D levels is to eat tuna! 

Tuna is rich in Vitamin D, has lots of protein, and is typically low in calories. If you aren’t a fan of tuna, you can also get a Vitamin D boost from other fish like salmon or sardines.

Let’s move on to Zinc. Researchers have examined zinc’s impact on testosterone using several methods. 

In one study, they actually restricted zinc in young, healthy men.They found that after 20 weeks of low zinc, test subjects saw a significant drop in serum testosterone levels. 

Oysters are a good source of this test boosting mineral, plus they are also said to be an aphrodisiac (which is any food or drink that can increase sexual desire.)

If you don’t like Oysters, you can also get a good dose of zinc from crab.

According to the National Institutes of Health, Alaskan king crab provides 43 percent of your daily value of zinc in just one small 3-ounce serving.

If you don’t enjoy seafood at all or are worried about mercury levels, egg yolks contain a good dose of Vitamin D, and beef is really high in Zinc.

2: Honey

Honey with honeycomb and wooden spoonAnother food that can help improve serum levels of testosterone is one that most of you will be glad is on the list if you have a sweet tooth .. and that is HONEY!

Researchers have tested this sugary condiment in both human and rodent trials. 

They found that honey did, in fact, increase serum test levels, likely because it helps increase the Luteinizing Hormone. This is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. It is one of the main hormones that control your reproductive system and leads to the production of other hormones, such as testosterone.

Another way honey seemed to be beneficial for testosterone production in men is that it promoted healthy testicular tissue. 

Honey also contains several other bioactive compounds called phenolic acids. Scientists say these compounds may contribute to improved testosterone production. 

Here is the only issue with honey. In these trials, the daily dose of honey they used was 20 grams per day.

So if you are going to use honey as a potential test booster, you will want to set aside some calories from carbs. 

20g of honey will set you back about 15 carbs, or roughly 60 calories. 

If that isn’t’ something you want to deduct from your daily carb allowance, there are some calorie free test boosting food options, which we are about to dive into next! 

3: Garlic

garlic on a wooden board. selective focus

The connection garlic has with testosterone is one you will want to remember because it actually has to do with another hormone, your stress hormone .. cortisol. 

What does cortisol have to do with testosterone? Well .. A lot!

Cortisol is produced in the adrenal gland, which is where testosterone is produced. Scientists have found that if your cortisol levels are too high, you could be blocking your body’s ability to produce testosterone.

Here are a few ways you could be causing your cortisol to get into an unhealthy range…

• Lack of sleep
• Mental stress
• Physical stress (such as over-training or extremely restrictive dieting)

There are a few signs your cortisol is high, but you may not always be able to tell without some extensive lab testing.

But if it is, it won’t matter how many oysters you eat, or how much honey you put in your tea, your test could still be negatively impacted. 

That is why it is important that in addition to eating foods that could potentially boost testosterone… you should also eat foods or take supplements that reduce cortisol. 

Garlic has been linked to being able to do that because it contains a compound

called allicin, which scientists believe can be useful for lowering your cortisol levels.

So, while eating garlic won’t directly boost testosterone production, it may lower the amount of cortisol in your body, which could, by association, help boost testosterone levels.

To recap ..

Seafood like oysters or tuna, as well as honey and garlic, are the first 3 foods on our list that are really easy to find and show some promise at naturally boosting your test levels, if you eat enough of them. 

But we have two more foods to tell you about today.

Actually, they are herbs.

They are a little bit harder to find but are MUCH MORE POWERFUL.
If you can get your hands on these next two, we highly recommend doing so. 

4: Ginseng Root

Fresh Ginseng texture

Ginseng has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years.

Ancient medicine men often refer to it as “the king of all herbs” because of it’s long list of possible benefits for overall well-being, with sex drive being a big one. 

In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study, researchers recruited 45 men with varying sexual issues. They found that sexual satisfaction improved after they were given red ginseng three times a day. 

Scientists have also looked at what Ginseng can do for women. 

Healthy female volunteers were asked to keep a food diary for 7 days. They also had to take saliva samples four times a day both before and after taking 75 mg of red ginseng. 

Researchers found that after taking Ginseng their testosterone levels increased all four times!

Ginseng has not only been studied for its potential when it comes to improved sex hormones and sexual performance. Researchers have also shown that it can be helpful for your cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune systems.

They also found it has the potential to help fight fatigue, enhance concentration, support a healthy immune response, and enhance blood circulation.

How do you go about including Ginseng Root in your diet? 

You can pick it up at some specialty grocery stores and eat it raw or stew it into your 

tea; however, most people do not enjoy the taste of it because it’s pretty bitter. 

Supplementing with this super herb is probably going to be your best bet. Not only for your taste buds but to ensure you get enough of it. 

We will help guide you to a safe and effective way to go about that at the end of this article. 

But first, we have one more test boosting herb to tell you about.

5: Ashwagandha 

We have saved the best test boosting food/herb for last. This is one you probably won’t find at your local grocery store, but we are going to tell you where you can easily get your hands on some here in just a second, 

The adaptogen herb Ashwagandha is another one of those herbs that ancient medicine men have been using for thousands of years. 

Researchers have been examining Ashwagandha’s potential benefits for a while now. They have looked at everything from general overall well-being, to lowering excess inflammation, increasing muscle strength/size, decreasing stress, and probably it’s most sought after potential benefit .. its potential ability to boost testosterone.

Researchers are really intrigued by Ashwagandha. They have found that it can increase testosterone not only directly, but also indirectly because of the connection to cortisol we mentioned earlier.

In one 2015 study, scientists found testosterone levels of active men who took the root extract of Ashwagandha were over five times higher than those who didn’t.

They also found the test subjects that supplemented with Ashwagandha saw significant increases in muscle mass and strength, a greater reduction of exercise-induced muscle damage, and even a significantly greater decrease in body fat percentage compared to the placebo group. 

That is only one study. There are many more. One of the most recently published studies was done in 2019.

It was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study that examined the hormonal and vitality effects of Ashwagandha in aging, overweight men. The study demonstrated that ashwagandha supplementation over 8-weeks resulted in 15% higher levels of testosterone. 

Indirectly, researchers have also found Ashwagandha may be able to help you maintain balanced test levels because of its potential to be a cortisol reducing agent. 

One study found Ashwagandha lowered subjects’ cortisol levels by as much as 25-percent!  

Remember, his is important because too much cortisol can block your ability to produce testosterone.

Ashwagandha is well-known for its ability to help you manage stress levels, and high stress is one way your cortisol can get out of control. 

This isn’t a common herb that’s just sitting in a regular grocery store, therefore supplementing is going to be the way to go. 

The thing to look out for when taking ashwagandha is quality and potency.

Many Ashwagandha supplements on the market are “whole herb” – which isn’t nearly as potent as an extract. 

This can be hard to determine simply by looking at a label unless the label clearly states the Ashwagandha comes from a branded extract.

Branded extracts are always better than a generic one. For a branded ingredient to be issued a patent, their brand must have some sort of unique benefit.

This could be anything from the delivery method, to it being more bioavailable, or more potent. Whatever makes their brand special, they have to be able to back up this claim, or they won’t be issued a patent. 

When supplementing with Ashwagandha we would look for the patented brand called KSM-66. This is the highest potency ashwagandha extract on the market and is drawn only from the root.

These are only a couple of test boosting herbs that have scientists intrigued.

There are actually a lot of other powerful herbs that scientists have been researching that show promise in boosting test levels.

If you want to know more about the foods and herbs we just went over, as well as several more that could help naturally give your testosterone the boost it may need .. check out the video at the top of this article. 

DO YOU NEED A TEST BOOST?!?!

It’s not always easy to tell if your testosterone levels are in a healthy range.

But if you find yourself …

• Struggling to have enough energy to get through the day – let alone go to the gym.
• Exhausted, but still can’t seem to sleep through the night.
• On edge, sad, or more uptight than usual.
• Struggling with a decrease in sexual desire/pleasure.
• Having issues losing weight.
• Having a tough time putting on muscle (or even losing muscle) despite killing it in the gym.

It could be Low Testosterone!!!
Yes, even if you are otherwise healthy and thriving in your 30’s!

If you are looking for a natural and safe way to boost your testosterone, check out this short video presentation.

It will give you a better idea if you need a test boost, give you several additional herbs not mentioned in this article, and tell you about a safe, easy, and effective way to get them ALL. 

The post 5 Foods Scientists Say Can Boost Testosterone appeared first on V Shred.

Are you hitting the gym and sticking to your diet but struggling to put on or retain muscle mass?

How about losing fat? Does it seem no matter how many HIIT sessions you do, or how many miles you log on the treadmill … that stubborn belly fat is still there?

Does your sleep suck?

Are your energy levels all over the place?

Is your mood unstable?

Oh .. and how about your sex drive? Is it not what it used to be? 

If you are experiencing any of this … You may be suffering from low testosterone. 

It’s an important but often misunderstood hormone, especially when it comes to the many ways testosterone levels contribute to the body and WHY your levels could be low.

Vince put together a short video above that explains everything, but In today’s article, we are going to discuss a few testosterone myths, some reasons why your testosterone levels might be low (even in your 30’s) and some natural approaches that may help give your test a boost. 

WHY TESTOSTERONE IS IMPORTANT 

It really is crazy just how many things can happen if your test levels drop too low. 

Since testosterone is a SEX hormone, it makes sense that being low on T could impact things like sex drive. 

But low test can also contribute to things you may have never considered …

• Problems losing weight
• Muscle weakness
• Inability to gain muscle – or even muscle loss.
• Fatigue
• Trouble sleeping
• Poor concentration
• Low endurance
• Mood shifts
• ++ more

Whether you are 25 years old or 70 years young — your body composition, energy, and self-confidence can all be negatively impacted if your testosterone levels aren’t optimal. 

Sometimes it is difficult to determine if your test levels are low. Just because you aren’t experiencing ALL of the frustrations typically associated with low test doesn’t mean your test levels are in an ideal range. 

This is because we all have a different baseline. On top of that, testosterone levels can fluctuate daily.

How much they rise and fall will be different for everyone, and the impact these drops have might differ from person to person.

For you, a fluctuation may result in frustrations like poor sleep or a set-back in your fitness goals. Someone else may only experience a low sex drive. For others, a drop can even be completely unnoticeable.

Clinicians say this can create a problem.

It means that people that are told their test is “normal” may still need a boost. On the flip side, people that are told their levels are too low may not feel bad .. but still need to focus on increasing their levels.

Hormones are complex.

Only YOU know if you are feeling off, so you must pay attention to your body.

• If you are always exhausted, and moody, or are young and in a healthy relationship and lost your desire to have sex, low testosterone could be a reason.
• If you are nailing your diet and killing it in the gym, but losing muscle or having a hard time putting it on .. it could be a sign something is off.

Thankfully, there are some easy and safe ways to go about giving your test a boost!!

First, let’s look at some of the things that could be causing low test to happen.

TESTOSTERONE AND AGING
Many of the advertisements you see that talk about low testosterone focus on middle-aged men.

This creates a huge misconception that low test can only happen as we age.

This could not be further from the truth. 

Scientists have discovered that several factors can impact your testosterone levels … not just aging.

Researchers have discovered that over the past two decades, testosterone levels in American men of all ages, have rapidly declined.

Clinicians are seeing the same thing, with more and more people showing signs of low test in recent years.

There was a major study done a while back that followed over 15-hundred men for 17 years.

They wanted to evaluate changes in testosterone levels over a long period and examine what reasons could be causing a decrease.

Participants had testosterone serum levels tested at several points over the years, and each time they were asked about a variety of lifestyle factors. Things like demographic, general health, smoking and excess alcohol use, body mass index, body measurements, activity level, and more.  

What they found was pretty remarkable.

They discovered a decline in testosterone happened in a wide range of ages. These testosterone dips were totally age-independent.

Now,  we do need to point out that age does play some role in why you may need to look into boosting your testosterone.

Age is a factor when it comes to almost every hormone in your body. 

With testosterone, it appears that levels typically decline by about 1 percent each year, starting as early as your 20’s in some men. 

When these drops happen, it becomes tough for your body to function normally.

Test drops can also potentially lead to a significant impact on your overall well-being, including your ability to see results from all the dieting you are doing and the hard work you are putting in the gym.

But age doesn’t seem to be the primary reason people see drops in testosterone. 

So, if age isn’t the leading cause for the decline .. what is?

Scientists believe that there are (at least) 3 non-age related reasons. 

Many of these are pretty hard to avoid.

But don’t worry!! A little further down in this article, we are going to give you some resources that will guide you on how to give your test levels a natural boost. 

REASONS YOUR TESTOSTERONE MAY BE LOW (AT ANY AGE)

1: Poor Lifestyle

The first reason is something that you DO have control over, and that is some of your lifestyle choices, especially ones that can contribute to weight gain.

We found dozens of studies that demonstrate that being overweight can have just as much of an impact on test levels as normal aging (if not more.)

One large study of over 650 men published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism wanted to see if issues with metabolism could be a cause of low testosterone.

Their research even included an 11 year follow up. 

They found that men with un-addressed weight issues were 2.8 – 3.2 times more likely to develop testosterone deficiency in the future.

There are even studies that specifically look at testosterones impact on belly fat.

A group of researchers conducted a study using moderately overweight middle-aged men. After 6 weeks of a moderate dose of oral testosterone, the participants saw fat melt away…specifically in their stomachs!! 

To further test the theory that being overweight contributes to low testosterone, many researchers have looked at what happens when people LOSE weight. They wanted to see if test levels improve once they get their weight down.

One group of researchers found that during a 9-week weight-loss program, participants saw an almost 12-percent mean increase in testosterone while they were dieting.

They also did a follow up one year later and found those that maintained a healthy weight continued to see higher levels of testosterone.

There is no doubt, a connection that excess fat cells seem to destroy testosterone production.

Being overweight can send your test levels plummeting to the point that it could impact things like your fitness goals and sex-life.

So, if you want to keep your testosterone from dropping, you should no doubt make weight-management a priority.

But you also don’t want to go to the opposite extreme.

There is research that points out that excessive exercise and strict long-term diets (especially those that are low-fat) can also cause testosterone to drop.

Much of this has to do with the stress that these extremes can place on the body.
Overdoing it does a number on your stress hormones.

We are going to touch on this a little more here in a second because there is a fascinating connection between being able to naturally produce testosterone and the stress hormone cortisol.

When it comes to dieting and exercise, make sure you are eating enough healthy fats and find a healthy balance between enough .. and too much!

2: Environmental Factors
Many researchers argue that an unhealthy lifestyle does not FULLY explain the continued trend of these declining test levels that clinicians are seeing across generations.

They believe there is more.

There are lots of things in the environment that could potentially disrupt your endocrine system, which is all the glands that produce and secrete your body’s hormones.

Some of the food we eat, bottles we drink out of, laundry detergent, cosmetics, pesticides, and more .. can all contain chemicals that disrupt hormones. 

We are exposed to these potential endocrine disruptors all the time. They are pretty hard to completely avoid.

Parabens are one of the big endocrine disruptors some scientists say we should be aware of.

These are chemicals that are commonly used as preservatives in cosmetic products to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold. They can also be found in many foods and drugs.

Parabens typically have long names — such as methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, or ethylparaben.

Scientists with The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say they continually review published studies on the safety of parabens. At this time, they say that they have not been informed that parabens found in cosmetics have an effect on human health.

However, it is important to note that the FDA doesn’t have special rules when it comes to preservatives in cosmetics. Companies are only required to list all ingredients by their common or usual name. 

We found several studies that believe there are potential concerns when it comes to excess exposure to parabens, citing they have the potential to interfere with hormones, like testosterone.

If you are concerned, one thing you can do to lower your exposure to parabens is to look at labels of your body washes, shampoos, and skincare products. Look for any of those long names we mentioned above, or make sure the label clearly states they are “paraben-free.”

Another couple of environmental factors to watch out for are herbicides and pesticides. 

These are the chemicals that are often used to kill fungus, bacteria, insects, plant diseases, and weeds.

Whether or not they are safe or harmful .. is a hotly debated subject. 

A growing number of studies have linked pesticides to various human health effects, hormones in particular.

Recent data by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) found residues are in up to 70-percent of produce sold in the US. But the FDA, which monitors these chemicals in food, claims the samples they tested very rarely exceeded limits that would be harmful to your health.

You don’t want to stop eating produce, so your best bet is to make sure and soak and wash everything you buy (even organic) –  before you eat it.

There are lots of produce washes you can purchase, or you can make your own using a homemade solution of vinegar and water or baking soda and water. 

Even washing in water is better than nothing.

In a study conducted by Scientists at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, they found that water did a good job of removing 9 of the 12 pesticides they tested. 

3: Stress Levels

The last reason your test levels could be low is being OVERLY stressed. Too much stress has a really interesting connection to testosterone production.

We wish stress was something that we could have more control over, but let’s face it, stressors are ALL around us. 

We live in a crazy world that leaves us all on edge at times.

We are always on the go and trying to juggle 10 different things at one time.

Life is unpredictable and full of hurdles.

Unfortunately, studies are showing that being stressed out all the time takes a toll on testosterone levels.

One key discovery researchers found when studying stress and its impact on testosterone production is something called .. The Testosterone Suppression Response.

This centers around another hormone we all have and do not want to be too high .. and that is the stress hormone cortisol.

Essentially, science shows us that if your cortisol is too high, it can disrupt your body’s ability to even make testosterone, to begin with.

So you have to do everything you can to keep your stress levels managed! 

Focus on workout recovery, getting enough sleep, practice meditation/prayer, take up yoga. 

You may also want to look into supplementing with specific adaptogens.

We are about to give you some resources that will provide you with some science-backed herbs that could help with this… so keep reading!

HOW TO NATURALLY GIVE YOUR TEST A BOOST
We know hormones can be confusing. We hope this article cleared things up a little bit.

The thing you need to remember is that age doesn’t always dictate how healthy your hormones are, especially your testosterone. So if you are experiencing any of the issues we talked about .. giving your test a natural boost is worth looking into! 

Now that you have a better understanding of just how important testosterone is and the MANY ways yours could be low .. you are probably wondering what you can do to fix it without seeking what are most likely unnecessary creams and injections.

We created a supplement called TESTBOOST MAX that is packed with 8 natural herbs that scientists believe can help your body naturally enhance its own production of testosterone.  To find out more about TEST BOOST MAX click here.

SOURCES
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120623144944.htm (1a) 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17062768/ (1b)
https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/90/2/712/2836604 (2)
http://europepmc.org/article/med/1778664 (3)
https://dom-pubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1462-8902.2004.00335.x (4)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3569090/ (5)
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-01/wkh-ldl011020.php (6)
https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/parabens-cosmetics (7)
https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/index.cfm (8)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20381602/ (9)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19539684/ (10)
https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_record_report.cfm?Lab=NHEERL&dirEntryId=212273 (11)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/29/pesticides-everyday-products-toxics-guide (12)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8884416/ (13)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6240259/ (14)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23439798/ (15a)
https://blog.priceplow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/withania_review.pdf (15b)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16751992  (16)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3551978/  (17)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2917954/ (18)
https://portal.ct.gov/CAES/Fact-Sheets/Analytical-Chemistry/Removal-of-Trace-Pesticide-Residues-from-Produce (washing produce)

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We’ve got some good news for anyone out there that HATES working out but wants to get rid of excess fat. 

You do not HAVE to exercise to lose weight!

 If you are a gym lover, before you stop reading, hear us out. 

What we are about to share is something you also need to be aware of because it could have a more significant impact on fat loss than that hour you spend in the gym.

You see, for most people, calories burned through exercise only account for a VERY SMALL percentage of daily energy consumption.

We get our energy from food, but we can only burn anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of the calories in that food from physical activity, like working out!

That means… you aren’t going to burn a ton of fat from exercise alone! 

In this article, we are going to tell you about FIVE things that you can do that will BURN FAT that don’t involve endless hours of cardio, or picking up a single weight.

Some of these methods are actually well documented to play an even bigger role in losing fat than going to the gym. 

Before we get into these 4 fat burning methods that don’t require the gym, we do want to  clarify that we are not saying skipping out on weight training is a good way to go about reaching your goals.

Working out is not only extremely important for your overall health, building muscle changes the SHAPE of your body. That’s important because nobody wants to just have a skinnier version of themselves. You want your body to actually LOOK and FEEL different.

You can only achieve that with less fat and more muscle. For those that hate the gym, we hate to tell ya, but the only way you can build muscle .. is by picking up those weights! 

Plus, the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn even when you aren’t doing anything but sitting on the couch .. or sleeping.  

So weight training .. is important. 

But what if you want to lose weight, but have an injury? What if you don’t have time to hit the gym very often, or you’re just one of those people that will never prioritize weight training, even if you know you should?

That’s what today’s article is about!! Because exercise is not the only way, and not even the most significant contributor when it comes to FAT loss.

4 WAYS TO BURN FAT WITHOUT WORKOUT OUT

1: DIET

We are going to start with what you probably don’t want to hear. But it’s the most important, and that is .. your diet.

This one is crucial because it’s overeating, not lack of exercise that is the primary contributor to so many people being overweight.

If you want to lose fat, especially if you don’t want to workout, you are going to have to be in a calorie deficit (which means you need to take in fewer calories than you burn.)

But you have to create a calorie deficit method that you can sustain.

You never want to do anything drastic or resort to a fad diet that cuts out food groups. If you do that, you will just fall into a vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting and binge eating, weight loss, and then gaining back double.

Your body, metabolism, and mental health .. DO NOT want to go down that road. 

Here are a couple of tips to help make dieting a little easier .. 

Eat foods that keep you fuller, longer, and make sure and include plenty of foods with a high “thermic effect” with every meal. These are basically foods that require your body to use more energy to digest. They can help to temporarily increase your body’s metabolism, which is important if you want to lose fat. Your metabolism dictates the rate at which your body burns calories.

One food that is amazing at providing a metabolism-boosting thermic effect and keeps you feeling full .. is protein. There are countless studies on protein that show how beneficial it is for body composition, including it’s thermogenic effects.

Researchers have repeatedly found that people who consumed more of their total daily calories from protein have a higher metabolic rate than those who consumed less calories from protein. 

Make sure you have protein with every meal, aiming for lean meats such as grilled chicken, white fish, lean beef, eggs, or egg whites.

Also, using a quality protein powder is a great way to get enough protein. Not only is it easy, but you can actually use protein powder to make some pretty tasty, protein-filled foods that normally wouldn’t have much (or any) protein. Things like – protein pancakes, protein smoothies, even protein ice cream! These will not only help satisfy your sweet tooth, but they also help you feel more full.

When it comes to protein powders, you must focus on quality so that you actually absorb the nutrients and don’t experience any GI distress. These issues are super common with low-grade protein powders and often lead to gas and bloating.

Here is our favorite protein powder if you want to check it out. 

Another thing that will really help keep your calories in check is ditching liquid calories. Things like soda, sugary teas, juice, creamy coffee drinks, and alcohol. These are calorie bombs and do NOTHING for keeping you full. That is why they are called EMPTY calories.

2: FOCUS ON N.E.A.T

NEAT stands for Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. This is basically energy expended (or calories burned) for anything you do other than sleeping or working out.

Things like walking, computer work, playing with your kids, yard work, folding laundry, even fidgeting, are all considered NEAT.

These activities may not sound like they would do very much for fat loss, but research has shown that those with higher NEAT levels have less body fat. This is true for people who exercise and those who do not. 

Some studies have found that these NEAT movements can result in upwards of burning an extra 2-thousand calories a day beyond your basal metabolic rate (BMR is just the number of calories required to keep your body functioning .. at rest.)

Now, of course, the number of calories you can burn from NEAT will depend on things like your body weight and also your lifestyle. Still, there is no doubt that high NEAT levels are crucial, possibly even more important than exercise.  

For example, let’s say you sleep for 7 hours and if you do exercise, you exercise for one hour. 

What about those other 16 hours? What are you doing?

These hours matter because they make up the biggest chunk of your day. 

So you have to focus on NEAT, especially if you aren’t working out. 

• Try going on a walk first thing in the morning, on your lunch break, and after dinner.
• Set a reminder alarm to get up and walk around for a few minutes every hour, or get a standing desk to work at so that you’re not sitting all day.
• You can also sneak in extra steps by parking a little further away from your destination or a little further out in the parking lot.
• Take stairs instead of elevators, and even “pacing the room” while you are on phone calls rather than just sitting and staring out the window. 
• Make sure you are moving in other ways throughout the day. Try being more active with your kids, leaning your house, doing some gardening, or even stretching while watching tv!

Essentially, the less you “sit still” (even when you are relaxing), the more calories you will burn without having to technically exercise.

3: DRINK ENOUGH WATER

This one may come as a bit of a surprise, but drinking more water really can help with fat loss!

Just like we’ve seen clients drop fat when doing something as simple as eliminating their coffee run, or cutting out soda, we’ve seen clients do nothing else except start drinking ENOUGH water .. and they drop fat!! 

Researchers have seen the same thing.

In one eight-week study, scientists found that overweight test-subjects who drank about two cups of water (before breakfast, lunch, and dinner) – lost weight, saw a reduction in body mass index, and improved their overall body composition. 

This was achieved with only water .. no additional dietary changes.

There are several reasons why researchers believe this happens. The biggest factor being that the more hydrated you are, the more efficient your body is. 

60% of your body is water. It plays a role in just about every bodily function, including how efficiently your body burns fat. 

Another way researchers believe water can help you lose weight is that it acts as an appetite suppressant. 

When you are even slightly dehydrated, your body sends signals to the brain that are often mistaken for hunger, when really you are just thirsty! This same conversation happens with your brain when your stomach senses that it’s full. 

Since water takes up space in your stomach, filling up on water tells your brain .. “Hey, I’m full. I don’t need to eat or eat as much.”

So drink a big glass of water before you reach for food. You may find those hunger pains go away. If not, having a full belly of water will still make you feel fuller .. so you will be less likely to overeat.  

Another benefit of water is that it  helps your body get rid of waste.

This is super important because if you allow waste to build up, digestive issues start to happen. This will make you feel bloated or swollen and can make you look puffy and soft.

It can even add inches to your waist, or add a few extra pounds of water weight!

One other way that being dehydrated can hurt you is that it can increase your body’s production of the stress hormone cortisol.

We are going to talk more about how cortisol impacts fat loss in our next two tips. But studies have shown that being slightly dehydrated can increase cortisol levels.

When it comes to how much water is enough .. there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all recommendation.

You may have heard “eight 8-ounce glasses per day”, or you may have seen your favorite fitness role model downing 1 or 2 gallons a day.  But really, how much water you need will be dependent on things like .. 

• Age
• Activity level
• The climate where you live
• Your health status

As a starting point, The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) suggests a MINIMUM of 11 cups a day for adult women and about 15 to 16 cups a day for adult men. 

One easy way to know if you are drinking enough is to use thirst as a guide.

If you’re ever thirsty, you’re not drinking enough water. Aim to be proactive with water drinking habits, rather than reactive. Try to drink before you get thirsty. 

You can also do a “urine check” to see how hydrated you are. Your urine should never be dark, it should always be light yellow or nearly clear. 

4: NATURAL HERBS

This last weight-loss tip that doesn’t involve working out is effortless and has helped thousands of our clients shed unwanted fat.

Before we tell you what it is, we want to stress that this trick works BEST when combined with exercise and a healthy eating strategy. Or, in the least, when used along with the other 4 non-exercise fat-loss methods, we just went over.   

You can’t just include this in your day, head to the couch with a bowl of ice cream, and expect fat to melt away.

This method is not magic. But it can assist in fat loss.

Researchers have found, if taken consistently, there are specific natural herbs that can aid in increased fat-loss, without changing anything about what you are currently doing. 

These herbs can help with fat-burn in a few different ways.

• Create a thermogenic effect in your body.
• Increase your metabolism.
• Decrease your response to stress, which we mentioned is a HUGE contributor to weight gain.
• Increase your energy levels, therefore possibly motivating you to be more active.
• Slightly suppress your appetite, which means you won’t have as many cravings or hunger pains. 

Here is a breakdown of a few of the science-backed herbs we discovered that seem to have the most trustworthy research:

1. Capsaicin
2. Green Tea Extract (EGCG) 
3. Grains Of Paradise Seed Extract 
4.  Adaptogens (ex: Yohimbine and Rauwolscine)

Before you head to google and search for ways you can add all these herbs to your diet or supplement stack, you need to know that some of them will need to be in high doses to work. In some cases, they will also need to be encapsulated with a special type of pill coating.

Trying to figure out if a supplement meets these standards, isn’t easy.

If you don’t want the hassle of having to figure it out on your own, we have one for you, BURN EVOLVED

BURN EVOLVED has all of the natural fat-burning ingredients we mentioned above (Capsaicin, ECGC, Paradoxine, Yohimbine, Rauwolscine) – as well as a few other herbs with fat-burning potential. 

It is what we believe to be the best (and safest) thermogenic fat-burner available.

If you want to drop body fat faster (and keep it off), you need to unlock your body’s own natural fat-burning abilities. A quality thermogenic can help you do that.

It will not be very beneficial as a “stand-alone” way to burn fat. Still, it will make everything else you are doing (dieting, eating thermogenic foods, focusing on NEAT, drinking enough water, stressing less, and if you choose to hit the gym) – EVEN MORE effective!

There ya have it .. 4 science-backed ways to lose fat .. that don’t involve working out!

Does all this mean you shouldn’t workout  .. of course not!

Everyone, no matter your goals, should be active! Building muscle has benefits you can’t get from these other 4 fat-burning methods. But we hope this video helps you understand that there are other ways you can burn fat that don’t involve lifting weights. 

Things you should be aware of and implement … even if you love hitting the gym. 

Sources
https://www.vox.com/2016/4/28/11518804/weight-loss-exercise-myth-burn-calories
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4258944/ (protein)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12468415/ (NEAT)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279077/ (NEAT)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4901052/ (water)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24179891/ (water)
https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/water-stress-reduction#1 (water)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130806145542.htm (cortisol/brain)
https://www.capsimax.com/capsimax-difference  (Capsaicin)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23308394/ grains of paradise
http://www.paradoxine.com/science.php  Paradoxine
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/87/3/778/4633440#111217122 (8b) green tea
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15438620600987106 (9b) Yohttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0014299981901230?via%3Dihub (10b) yo
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306987701914598?via%3Dihub (11b) yo

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We are about to say something that may shock you.

It kinda goes against everything your parents probably told you growing up.

It is the opposite of what the food pyramid says.

It may even be  something different than what your diet coach or personal trainer has told you.

And that is .. You don’t have to EAT multiple servings of fruits and vegetables a day. 

What you need are the vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants these foods provide. 

But that doesn’t mean you have to force yourself to eat vegetables you hate with every meal, set aside a chunk of your daily carb allowance for multiple cups of fruit, or spend a fortune on a wide variety of organic produce.

We are NOT saying stop eating fruits and vegetables. You should prioritize whole foods and include them in your diet.

Think you are getting in enough? 

Think again.

When we saw the data of just how bad Americans are at eating enough produce .. we were blown away.

Most of us don’t even come close! Even those of us who eat a “clean” diet with our plates piled full of produce. 

We are going to give you those numbers in a second and explain how being undernourished can lead to a host of issues.

Believe it or not, not getting enough micronutrients could even be the main reason you aren’t seeing progress with your diet and training. 

If you struggle to eat enough of these foods, we also have a solution to tell you about. 

There is a beverage we have added to our daily routine and put in all of our client plans.

Vince put together a video above going over what makes this beverage more than a nutritional gap filler. He also talks about some other interesting ways it may help you reach your aesthetic goals. 

This special beverage we are talking about is, Sculpt Nation’s GREENS.  GREENS not only helps fill the nutritional gaps that could be holding you back from reaching your fitness goals, but it also has benefits that go beyond what any typical array of fruits and veggies could ever deliver.

GREENS can help .. 

• Improve digestion
• Diminish uncomfortable bloating
• Boost natural energy levels
• Support balanced pH levels (which is important for a bunch of things, including vitamin absorption)

It doesn’t take any planning or prep work, and you will actually enjoy the taste! 

Many of you are probably saying, go ahead and tell me more!  I know I don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables.

Or maybe you already drink a beverage that claims to help fill these gaps, but it tastes horrible. So, you are curious if there is really a greens beverage that doesn’t taste like dirt! 

But some of you may be tempted to click away. You think your daily salad, cup of broccoli, and banana is enough.

But hear us out .. we can guarantee .. you aren’t even close.

MOST AMERICANS ARE NUTRIENT DEPRIVED 

About 9 out of 10 of you reading this aren’t even close to giving your body the nutrients it needs.

According to the CDC, only 9 percent of adults meet the intake recommendations for vegetables, and only 12 percent eat enough fruit.

That number is alarming, but not really surprising when you look at just how much produce these health experts say we need to consume to be healthy.

Government dietary guidelines suggest adults eat anywhere from 5 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

They set a general recommendation of 10 full servings a day, but exactly how much you need depends on your age, gender, physical activity, and overall health.

If you continue to walk around undernourished, it will come with a cost to your health and your waistline!

Before we tell you about an easy solution, we want to tell you about a few ways that not getting in enough micronutrients could negatively affect you. 

CELLULAR BURNOUT

Being undernourished goes beyond being vital for your health. It could be why you aren’t reaching your fitness goals.

Yes, leafy greens are full of vitamins and minerals.

Yes, they are a good source of fiber (which keeps you feeling fuller longer.)

But have you ever heard of Cellular Burnout?

This happens when free radicals take over the body.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that can be produced in your body due to several factors. Most of which you have little control over … like pollutants in the air you breathe, or even pesticides used to help grow all that “healthy” produce you are eating.

When these free radicals are roaming through your body in excess, your cells become exhausted and STOP functioning properly. That is cellular burnout. 

It is important to avoid because our bodies are home to over 37 trillion cells that control everything we do! 

The health of your cells dictates the appearance of your hair and skin, determines your mood, impacts the gut, regulates metabolism, and more.

Have you noticed …

• You’ve not been feeling yourself lately.
• Your metabolism seems low, and it’s hard to burn fat no matter how healthy you eat or how hard you train.
• Your energy levels have tanked.
• Your joints ache.
• Your skin and hair aren’t as vibrant as they once were.

If any of these sound familiar, chances are your cells are damaged and in need of some serious repair.

The way to fight back against cellular burnout is to give your cells what they need to be optimal.

You do this by providing them good fuel through the wide variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.

You find these in quality, pesticide-free, fruits and vegetables. 

YOUR EXTERNAL GOALS START ON THE INSIDE

Cellular burnout from not eating enough micronutrients is only one way that being undernourished could destroy your physique. 

Not getting in enough micronutrients is no doubt the most significant issue holding most of our clients back when we first start working with them.

But once we fix this, usually by incorporating that simple daily beverage we’ve been talking about, they suddenly feel alive again!

Out of nowhere, they start seeing significant changes when they look in the mirror. Their stomachs are flatter, the fat starts coming off, and lean muscle starts to develop. 

How is this possible? 

How can your body composition change without adding in additional gym time or making drastic calorie drops? 

Simple .. 

You cannot expect your body to be it’s best physically or aesthetically .. if you aren’t fueling it properly. 

If you aren’t giving your body what it needs to be healthy on the inside 

you will never see the results you want on the outside! 

You will struggle with your lifts, continue to be exhausted all the time, have a sluggish digestive system, a slowed metabolism, and experience stalls and set-backs with weight-loss.

But if you fix this, by fueling your body with the nutrients it needs, we have no doubt you will end up like our clients.

Clients that tell us that  the pounds start to melt off .. their stomachs flatten .. they begin to see significant improvements in muscle mass … sleep better .. and even say they see improvements in work performance because they no longer have brain fog. 

Micronutrients matter .. more than you may realize!! 

MICRONUTRIENTS ARE CRUCIAL TO YOUR FITNESS GOALS

Maybe now you have a better idea of exactly WHY it is crucial to eat enough of these foods.

It goes much deeper than they are good for you. Not consuming them could be why you are stuck in your weight loss journey.

But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s hard, if not impossible, to consume the amount we need to achieve our goals. 

That is exactly why we started drinking one serving of GREENS every day to make sure we are getting ENOUGH. 

In some ways, this drink could actually be even better than whole foods because it contains superfoods most of us would never pick up at the supermarket.

Things like … spirulina, alfalfa grass, bitter melon, goji berries, rhodiola root, and much more! 

It even has a unique adaptogen blend of science-backed herbs shown to help fight inflammation and reduce stress, probiotics to keep your gut bacteria balanced, and a unique protein that you can’t find in fruits and vegetables, but is important for keeping your skin tight and joints healthy.

• It’s easy (no prep-work)
• It’s delicious (we guarantee you will want to drink it)
• It’s cost-effective (will only cost you just over a dollar a day.)

We would drink GREENS even if we figured out how to eat enough fruits and vegetables every day … because it goes WAY beyond filling nutritional gaps!!

BOTTOM LINE …

Your first priority, before you step foot in a gym or try to master following a meal plan or counting macros, is getting your body functioning properly on the inside.

If you are certain, you are eating 10 full servings of farm-fresh, pesticide-free fruits and veggies every single day….

If you are confident, you are getting enough variety by constantly rotating your fruits and vegetables ..

If you are already supplementing with inflammatory herbs like Turmeric, collagen for joint support, and probiotics for gut health ..

If you have the money to spend hundreds of dollars a month on produce ..

And if you enjoy preparing and eating that much food and your stomach can handle it without getting all distended and bloated …

Props to you .. you are doing great .. keep eating only whole foods!!

But if you are like over 90% of the world whose best efforts aren’t’ even coming close to cutting it … then you really should give GREENS a try. 

Even if you choose to not drink GREENS, we hope this article encourages you to figure out a way to get in the micronutrients your body MUST HAVE if you want to FEEL and LOOK your best!!

The post The #1 Secret To Reaching Your Aesthetic Goals (Not What You Think) appeared first on V Shred.

It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, you need to be proactive, not reactive, and build a strong foundation for your immune system so that it’s always ready to fight.

Having a well functioning immune system is one of the best things you can do for not only your overall health but also for getting and staying in shape. Finding exactly how to improve the function of your Immune System can be hard and confusing. We also stumbled across a couple of things that may help with immunity that are probably methods you’ve NEVER thought about.

Let’s dive in!

5 Simple Ways To Improve The Functioning Of Your Immune System

1: CREATE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

First, let’s cover the basics. You have to create an overall healthy lifestyle.

There are general healthy-living strategies that have been studied and are documented to be the best way to give your immune system an upper hand.

They may sound basic and maybe even like common sense, but nonetheless, they are often overlooked.

• Don’t Smoke — Numerous studies have shown that tobacco smoking has a negative immunosuppressive effect. If you want a better functioning immune system .. kicking the habit should be top priority.
• You should also try to avoid other unhealthy habits such as drinking too much alcohol. Studies document over and over that excess alcohol consumption makes it harder for the immune system to do its job. Even more interesting, researchers found that alcohol can destroy healthy gut bacteria, which is a BIG contributor when it comes to immunity.

We are going to touch on gut bacteria a little more in-depth here in a second because immune health and gut health pretty much go hand in hand since 70-80% of our immune cells call the gut home.

But let’s continue on with a few of the basic staples to build a well functioning immune system..

• Focus on getting quality sleep — The link between immunity and sleep has been studied for decades. The first studies date all the way back to 1909, and researchers are still pioneering new research today.
  Over and over, scientists have discovered a wide variety of ways that sleep is a critical component of immunity. Adults should aim for 7-9 hours every single night for better overall health and well-being.Attempt to minimize stress –  Stress is interesting because some stress can actually be beneficial to the immune system. The kind of stress that is not good for you is ongoing or chronic stress. This could be mental or physical stress, such as overtraining and not focusing on recovery.
  
  Scientists are investigating the many different ways stress takes a toll on the immune system, but we do know long-term stress can wear you down really fast. This will leave you exhausted,  moody, unable to concentrate, more tempted to overeat, and unmotivated to hit the gym.
  
  Not to mention, chronic stress produces the stress hormone cortisol. Clinicians say high cortisol can further suppress the effectiveness of the immune system.
  
  But the good news is that researchers have also concluded that ALL stress isn’t bad. Short-term stress, such as that hour you spend at the gym a few days a week, can actually enhance immunity.This leads us to the next healthy lifestyle tip that is crucial for immunity …
• Exercise regularly – Getting in at least a few sweat sessions every week is a no-brainer for overall health. But researchers believe regular exercise is important for immunity because it can promote circulation.
  
  Better blood flow increases the activity of helpful immune cells, freeing them up to roam the body at a higher rate. This can further help your immune system be prepared to fight.
  
  But there is the catch. Clinicians say you must exercise regularly to enhance immunity because the increase in immune cell activity that occurs with exercise is temporary. It will go away unless you keep exercising.
  
• Get your nutrition in check –  How many times have you been told to eat numerous servings of fruits and veggies daily?  Probably your entire life.It is preached over and over because a diet that includes a wide variety of vitamins and minerals is one of the best things you can do for immune support.
  
  Vitamins, especially A, C and D, and certain minerals, like zinc, seem to have a vital role in the functioning of our immune system. Ensuring you are getting the recommended daily dose of each of these would be a great start. 

Because the immune response appears to be especially compromised in those that are overweight, those last two healthy lifestyle tips (exercise and proper nutrition) are the most scientifically backed approaches you can take to have a strong immune response.

We are going to go over the easiest way to get in plenty of micronutrient diversity here in just a second.

First, let’s discuss a few more tips to help your immune system that you may have never heard about before. 

2: PRACTICE GOOD ORAL HYGIENE

We already know about the importance of good hygiene when it comes to things like hand washing, but you may have never thought about oral hygiene and its role in immune health. Your mouth has its own microbiome. If you allow certain bacteria to overpopulate in your mouth, it can potentially create issues that push that bacteria into your bloodstream and make its way into your gut microbiome. You don’t want this to happen, because as we touched on earlier, your gut is home to a large part of your immune system. 

To combat this, it may sound like common sense, but make sure you are brushing, flossing, and swishing around some antibacterial or antiseptic mouthwash.

There are other oral hygiene practices that most of us forget about. According to researchers, there can be as many as 1.2 million bacteria on your toothbrush.

Oral health doctors say most of this bacteria can be eliminated by not keeping your toothbrush anywhere near the toilet, rinsing it off after every use, and letting it air dry before storing it away.

They also suggest replacing your toothbrush every 3 months and anytime you or a family member has been sick.

3: TAKE A COLD SHOWER

After you brush your teeth and go to hop in the shower to start your day, you may want to not let the water warm up and take a cold shower instead.

There are a few theories as to how taking a cold shower (or cold therapy) could be beneficial to the immune system.

One is that cold water stimulates circulation and shivering mimicking the contractions of exercise, which, as we already mentioned, are both well documented to be good for the immune system.

Another theory is that cold has an indirect activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which seems to be important since the brain and body are constantly interacting with each other.

A study in England found another unique connection. They discovered that people who took daily cold showers had more white blood cells compared to people who took hot showers. 

The theory behind this being beneficial to immunity is that when your body tries to warm up following a cold shower, your metabolism speeds up and activates the immune system, which leads to the release of more white blood cells into the body to help fight off potential complications. 

While there isn’t a ton of compelling research on cold therapy and the immune system, it certainly can’t hurt to try! Especially since many people claim cold baths or showers boost energy, help speed up recovery after training, and some studies have found that cold temperatures activate thermogenic brown fat in the body. This is the good fat that could help heat up your body so that you naturally burn more fat. 

4: DON’T BE A NIGHT OWL

If you prefer being a night owl over an early riser .. you may want to reconsider your sleep schedule.

Researchers have recently discovered quite a bit of evidence that shows an increased risk of poor health in those that like to stay up late.

But the reason is more of a correlation between the two .. not so much causation.

The reason researchers suspect the immune systems of night owls is weaker is because they found that people who stay up late often have unhealthy habits. They eat a poor diet and consume more caffeine and alcohol, compared to early risers, all of which can negatively impact immune health.

Everyone has their own internal clock. This is known as your chronotype or circadian rhythm. It explains why some people can jump out of bed at 5am and hit the gym with no problem, while others find themselves most productive at midnight.

There are plenty of people that argue we shouldn’t “fight” our chronotype and work with it instead.

So if you love being a night owl, just try to be more conscious of unhealthy patterns that may weaken your immunity, such as eating junk, drinking a ton of caffeine, and skipping out on sleep.

5: QUALITY MICRONUTRIENTS

Speaking of making better food choices .. our last tip is probably the most important. 

We briefly touched on this already, but giving your body enough quality micronutrients is the base of strengthening your immune system. Those vitamins and minerals are vital to your wellbeing.

Researchers have found that nutrition and immunity are closely connected. They believe specific vitamins and nutritionally essential minerals are required for proper immune function. 

Look at micronutrients like the foundation of a house. You have to have a strong base to be able to withstand outside invaders.

Without adequate nutrition, our foundation, which is our immune system, will be deprived of the components it needs to generate an effective immune response.

The issue is that it is pretty much guaranteed that you aren’t getting these nutrients from diet alone, no matter how “clean” you think you eat. 

According to data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, roughly 93% of the US adult population does not meet the estimated average requirement for key nutrients.

If you aren’t eating a wide variety of different fruits and vegetables 5-7 times a day .. taking a Greens supplement may be your best route.

In fact, it is probably your only option if you don’t like veggies or tend to only eat one or two of your favorites.

When you take a complete Greens supplement, you aren’t only “filling the gaps” left behind in even the “cleanest” diets, you can consume a much wider variety of micronutrients from a bunch of different sources.

FINAL THOUGHTS….

We hope you found this article useful! The thing to remember is that even when you aren’t aware, even if you feel amazing .. your immune system is ALWAYS working. 

If you want to maintain your immunity and stay in good health, skip the crazy methods and scare tactics some companies are using, and get back to the basics! 

Exercise, get enough sleep, try to stress less, practice good hygiene, and make sure you are getting in your micronutrients. 

The post 5 Ways To Improve Immunity appeared first on V Shred.

If statistics are correct, most people reading this can expect to

Good thing you found this article because we aren’t going to let YOU be “most” people! Lower temps do not have to equal larger waistlines! You just have to have a plan! 

In this short read we will …

• Explain why winter weight gain happens. Knowing why is important if you want to prevent it and the reason is probably not what you think. In fact, it is partially not even your fault!
• Tell you why fall/winter is actually the BEST time to start a diet and training plan.
• Give you 7 easy pro tips that will help guide you through the next few months. 

You may believe winter weight gain happens because of the holidays. Those extra home cooked meals and holiday parties are certainly a factor.

But there is a DAILY issue you need to be prepared to fight if you want to avoid packing on winter pounds.

WHY YOU REALLY PACK ON POUNDS AFTER LABOR DAY

In the spring and summer months, you are given what we call a fitness freebie.

You get a seasonal motivation boost that doesn’t happen when temperatures start to drop, and you begin to pull out the chunky sweaters and comfy leggings. 

Not only is the sun shining (which makes you happier because of Vitamin D), you are wearing LESS clothing in the summer months.

I don’t know about you, but knowing I’m going to be exposing more skin makes walking in the gym a little easier. 

Covering up in layers, no doubt leads to the temptation to slack on body goals!

Knowing your arms, legs, and abs will be less exposed can easily be an excuse to slack.

Also, being layered up often means you don’t SEE the extra pounds, so they are easier to ignore.

But there is more to it than being bundled up….

The #1 reason you slack on health and fitness goals in colder months ISN’T EVEN YOUR FAULT!!

Of course, you have a part to play in all of this, but there is actually a scientific reason why you have less desire to train and eat healthy when the sunshine of summer fades.

We will explain why a little further down. But ya know what really stinks?

The scientific reason why we all experience these motivation slumps in the winter only adds to an even bigger issue with motivation.

It doesn’t matter what season it is motivation ALWAYS comes and goes!

Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter – you can NEVER rely on it!

So, what can you do when lack of sunshine and warm temps leave you even more tempted to hit snooze and reach for comfort foods?

You certainly don’t throw your hands up in the air and wait until January to make a resolution to crash diet to get your body ready for spring. Believe it or not, RIGHT NOW is actually the IDEAL time to get started! 

To help you out, and give you an extra edge on beating winter weight gain, we are offering a special end of summer 40% OFF promotion on ALL Sculpt Nation Supplements!  


CLICK HERE TO SHOP and use code: LABORDAY for 40% off your order!

Sculpt Nation supplements are a great addition to any fitness program to help you push past plateaus and take your results to the next level.

This sale is  only available for a limited time, so stock up for the winter months with 40% off while supplies last!!

Just click here and use the code LABORDAY at check out to redeem your discount.  

If you START NOW, you will develop discipline and a routine heading into the holidays. This will put you in a great place mentally and physically to relax and “indulge” a little more at all those holiday gatherings!

Look at it this way ..
Would you rather head into the holiday season already making progress toward your goals and be in a great spot (where it would be okay even if you did gain an extra pound or two?)

Or would you rather put it off and only add more fat on top of what you want to lose?

The answer is clear— the solution to getting the motivation needed to make it happen, not so much.

But don’t worry! We’ve got ya covered (no pun intended) with a few easy motivation hacks!

7 TIPS TO STAY MOTIVATED AS SEASONS CHANGE

One of the number one questions we always get is … “I am just not motivated. How can I motivate myself to train and eat better?”

As we mentioned earlier, it doesn’t matter what season it is, you can’t always rely on motivation. 

When you have it, great! You should certainly take advantage of it! But you have to know that it is totally normal to not have much of it. Even professional athletes lack motivation. 

You have to develop other daily habits that create discipline if you want to succeed long term!

Here are a few of our pro tips that we use with our clients, specifically when temperatures drop, and motivation seems to be at its lowest! 

TIP #1: Switch To An At Home Training Program

If you know that getting out of bed and stepping into the winter elements is going to be an excuse trigger, make a plan to train at home during cooler months! Some of the most effective and challenging workouts only require your body weight and maybe a set of dumbbells or some resistance bands.

A good fat-blasting, muscle-building sweat session can 100% be achieved from the comfort of your home!

Adjustable dumbbells, ankle weights, resistance bands, a jump rope, etc., are all things that are inexpensive and can easily be stored in a closet or under your bed and pulled out anytime you don’t feel like leaving the house.

But if you have the right training program, you don’t need any of that. 

Our favorite at-home bodyweight-only program is called MOVE. It was designed to help you achieve your fitness goals without a single piece of equipment, and each workout is under 20 minutes!

Learn more about MOVE by watching the video below!

CLICK HERE to get your copy of MOVE: 30 Day At-Home Program!

If you need a little extra “nudge” to get up and get moving, another pro-tip we use is keeping some PRE WORKOUT on your bedside table. Have it already blended up and chug it as soon as your alarm goes off!

By the time you have brushed your teeth and put on your workout clothes, you will have a nice little jolt of energy and tons of motivation to get going before you have a chance to come up with an excuse! 

At the bottom of this article, we will tell you about a big end of summer sale happening so that you can stock up on our favorite PRE WORKOUT for 40% off when you use code: LABORDAY at checkout! 

TIP #2: Make Your Workouts Seasonal

Embrace the change of seasons and take advantage of activities that you can only do in fall or winter! 

• Go on a fall hike and view all the gorgeous foliage.
• Try rock climbing.
• Walk around a corn maze or pumpkin patch with your family. 
• If you live in a snowy climate, go skiing, sledding, build snowmen with your kids, etc.
• Go ice skating.
• Lace-up your sneakers, go for a walk or run at night, and admire all the Christmas lights and decorations.

There are some things you can only do and see during specific times of the year. So instead of missing sunshine and water sports, focus on all the positive things that only come about with cooler temps!

TIP #3: Try Something Totally New

Sometimes a change of routine is all you need to boost motivation.

If you have been doing all your gym lifts alone, recruit a gym buddy! Try switching up your cardio by skipping your solo runs and joining a group fitness class instead. 

Another option is to allow yourself to slow down! If you have been crushing it all spring and summer with intense training and hardcore workouts, it may actually be time to take it down a notch. 

Going full force 365 can cause your stress hormone cortisol to increase. This can lead to a host of drawbacks, including weight gain, muscle loss, poor moods, fatigue, and occasional issues sleeping! 

We aren’t saying you should become lazy! But if you have been crushing it 24/7 all spring and summer, your body (and mind) may need to slow down.

Use the next few months to embrace a slower routine. 

• Commit to daily yoga.
• Focus on becoming more flexible.
• Switch to low or moderate-intensity cardio, instead of HIIT.
• Try out some bodyweight workouts instead of heavy lifting.

Giving your body a couple of months to recover might even make you more responsive when you decide to kick things up again come spring/summer!

TIP #4: Stay Accountable

The best way to stick to a plan is to have someone that you report back to. This could be a friend, family member, a social media community, or even a coach. 

Including someone else, or even just telling someone else about your health and fitness goals and asking them to check in with you to make sure you are sticking to the plan, is a great way to keep the promises you make to yourself.

If you prefer to fly solo, it helps to create visuals. Make a vision board, create a daily checklist you can mark off after each workout, or keep an accomplishment journal.

TIP #5: Set A Spring Goal

March may seem like a long time away, but it will be back before you know it, and 6 months is a long time to make significant changes. 

Setting a goal is a great way to encourage yourself to push past discomforts and temptation, but there is a science to goal setting.

The key to creating goals that stick .. be REALISTIC and SPECIFIC!

Let’s start with reality. You should always focus on one goal at a time and make sure you are being honest with yourself if that goal is really attainable.

If you know that your schedule will never allow you to work out 6 days a week, why would you choose a program that requires you to do that?

If you know it’s not healthy to attempt to lose 10 pounds a week, why would you aim that high?

If you love carbs, why would you go on a KETO diet? 

Doing these things will essentially set yourself up for failure. Set attainable goals that fit YOUR lifestyle. You can always bump things up if your schedule allows, or you notice you aren’t pushing yourself hard enough. Just keep in mind that being realistic isn’t the same as not believing in yourself or making excuses. 

Moving on to being specific. The more specific you are about your goals, the more likely you will be to reach them. 

It may seem like it’s good enough to say things like .. I want to look good, lose weight, or get ripped! But you have to dig deeper than that!! 

Wanting to “lose weight,” for example, is an excellent place to start. But ask yourself what that means to you?

If you expand on that and say — “I want to lose 10 pounds of fat. I will do this by not eating any sweets and doing the V Shred MOVE program for 30 consecutive days. I am doing this because I want to have better self-esteem and a head start on bikini season.” — that makes your goal more specific.  

The more specific (and attainable) your goals are, the more likely you will be to not give up!

TIP #6: Reward Yourself

Once you have checked a “mini goal” off your list, treat yourself. Knowing that you have a reward coming to celebrate your efforts will make you want to achieve it even more. 

It may be tempting to make your reward one of your favorite “forbidden foods” but we never suggest that you reward yourself this way.

You aren’t a dog. You should never reward “good behavior” with food. Having this mentality can create a really unhealthy relationship with food.

You need to eat healthy MOST of the time, control your portions, and see food as fuel. But if you are craving something that isn’t quite as healthy as your grilled chicken and rice, never feel like you need to lose 20 pounds to “deserve” a bite of cake, or nice dinner out with your family. 

Instead of rewarding yourself with food, buy yourself something you have been wanting. Maybe some new workout clothes, a massage, or an extra $20 bucks in your vacation fund! 

If you think you need some nutrition guidance or want to learn more about creating a healthy relationship with food, take our free body type quiz and we’ll tell you exactly what type of diet will deliver results for your goals and specific body type. 

TIP #7: Make Mental Health Top Priority

Earlier, we mentioned that cold weather motivation dips may not be your fault.

I’m sure you have heard of winter blues. Well, it’s a real thing. Less natural light can cause dips in serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates mood.

The dark and dreary days of winter can also cause your body to produce more of the sleep hormone melatonin. This shift can disrupt your body and impact your sleep patterns and overall mood.

Here are a few ways that you can focus on improving your mental health.

• Invest in a light therapy box that simulates natural daylight.
• Make sure you are supplementing with or eating plenty of foods with Vitamin D.
• Start journaling. There is a lot of scientific evidence that supports putting your thoughts on paper provides a long list of benefits, including stress management, self-confidence, and goal setting. 

Suppose you still find yourself struggling with negative seasonal motivation shifts. In that case, you may need to experiment with taking naturally sourced herbs to help support brain health and a positive mood.

Here are a few with some great scientific backing to help boost mood.

• EnXtra: A natural caffeine-free patent-pending botanical ingredient that has been shown to help increase dopamine levels.**It is also one of the first and only natural caffeine-free patent-pending botanical ingredients shown to boost mental alertness & acuity for hours or ending in a huge caffeine energy crash.
• Piper Nigrum Fruit Extract: A very specific type of black pepper that has been shown to help increase both serotonin and dopamine.
  
• L-Theanine: A powerful amino acid that is believed to help reduce occasional anxiety brought on by stressful situations.

You can find all of these natural herbs (plus 3 more) in a one of a kind supplement called NEUROCTANE.

As part of our big end of summer sale, this brain and mood booster along with Sculpt Nation’s entire line of body optimizing supplements are 40% off for a limited time!

Just click here to shop and use code: LABORDAY at checkout for 40% off your order!

BOTTOM LINE IF YOU WANT TO STAY MOTIVATED YEAR ROUND
When you put away the shorts and swimsuits and shift out of bikini season, it’s common for motivation to “fall back” with the clocks. 

The seasons have to change (unless you live near the equator) – so you have to figure out ways to not let your fitness goals go into hibernation mode! Pumpkin spice lattes are only here for a limited time, but getting into shape isn’t seasonal! It’s a year-round commitment!! 

Combining Sculpt Nation supplements with V Shred’s diet and training programs is a great way to get a head start on keeping those winter pounds at bay this year. 

This combo has helped tens of thousands of happy customers reach their goals faster and easier!

(Click HERE now and use code: LABORDAY for 40% OFF — Prices will go back up after Labor Day weekend!)

The post 7 Ways To Avoid Seasonal Burnout appeared first on V Shred.

Even if you aren’t Irish… chances are someone is trying to get you to head out to a St. Patrick’s Day party.

After all, it is the fourth most popular drinking holiday here in the U.S.

There will be endless green beer on tap, shots of Irish whiskey, and sugary green drinks galore… creating the perfect storm… for the worst post St. Patrick’s aftermath ever!

If you wake up feeling beat down, dehydrated, and still worn out, the last thing you will feel like doing is hitting the gym.

But THE RIGHT SWEAT SESSION could be the perfect POST ST. PATRICK’S STRATEGY !!

We have THREE workout options for you to choose from.

You will get those in a second…We have to convince you to get out of bed first!!

Let’s talk about what a big night can do to your body and how exercise can help!

Several things can occur….

• Dehydration: Your body will try to “keep up” by increasing urine production. This is also why you end up feeling beat down and dried out — you are super dehydrated.
• Upset Stomach: Your stomach is a wreck, and you feel nauseous mainly because you have irritated your stomach lining.
• Body Aches/Food Cravings: Your blood sugar also may have hit rock-bottom, which would explain why you feel so beat up or have cravings for greasy foods.

Here is where you find yourself SWEARING that you will never go out again!!

HOW DO YOU MAKE IT GO AWAY?!!

Before you even consider working up a sweat with one of the workouts we are giving you… you have to work through some of the damage done.

You may not feel like eating … but your body is begging you for nutrients.

Your biggest defense might be some BCAAS and Electrolytes, but this combo should actually be consumed BEFORE a big night!

What we are about to share could actually fight or block the Post St. Patrick’s Aftermath!

Before you go out .. before you pass out .. and as soon as you wake up after a big night out .. pound some BCAAS and electrolytes!

As mentioned, you may wake up feeling dehydrated.

Try adding a scoop of Sculpt Nation BCAAS to a zero or low-calorie electrolyte based drink. The electrolytes and vitamins combined with the essential amino acids and mineral complex found in Sculpt Nation BCAAS may help keep you from feeling … as crappy.

Our next tip …We want you to drink ANOTHER GREEN DRINK!!

This GREEN DRINK is not what you are thinking!

After a big night out, your body craves nutrients. If you can’t fathom eating a meal .. at least try to down a serving of our Sculpt Nation GREENS. 

This green beverage should be a daily staple anyway! If it’s not, now would be a good time to get started! Plus, you’ll actually look forward to drinking it since you can choose from 3 flavors strawberry, peach or original GREENS flavor!

Sculpt Nation GREENS is packed with botanicals, phytonutrients antioxidants, and adaptogenic agents like Collagen, Turmeric Root, and Rhodiola Root.

These superfoods will help you cleanse and support detoxification processes by giving your body the power of numerous fruits and veggies .. which is what your body always needs .. but especially after a big night out.

If you are really struggling, you may even want to double or triple your daily dose of GREENS.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with 30% off All Sculpt Nation supplements including GREENS when you use coupon code: SHAMROCK30 at checkout! Click here to shop.  

After you have done some damage control (and only if you feel hydrated enough) .. you can try to get moving.

How will a workout help get back in the game?

In addition to just getting you out of bed and stimulating blood flow…. The night out may have slowed the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormones that can help regulate your mood. Moving your body and getting some exercise, even when you don’t necessarily feel like it, can help stimulate the release of endorphins, resulting in a better mood and a better state of mind.

You should use caution exercising following a big night out. If you went way overboard, it is probably best to just call it a rest day!

But if you feel up for it, while exercise won’t help you fully bounce back, it can counteract some of the effects, and help you feel human again ..getting you back to your scheduled lifts .. faster!

HERE ARE THE THREE WORKOUTS
**pick one based on how bad the aftermath is**

MAJOR BEATDOWN – Yoga & Stretching.
Yoga may be your best bet because it’s gentle but still gets your body moving.
Crawl out of bed (or just stay there) and do a short 10-minute full-body stretch or yoga sequence. Something is better than nothing! Keep it nice and slow, and you may want to avoid inversions, which is anything where your head goes below your heart.

MODERATE BEATDOWN – Low Impact Cardio.
You may not feel like pounding the pavement or jumping up and down, but a nice slow walk, swim, or cycle, will help get your blood flowing and give you a nice endorphin release. Just jump on a treadmill, bike, cybex, elliptical .. or even better get some fresh air and go on a walk outside … for at least 20 min!

LIGHT BEATDOWN – Light Full Body Circuit.
If you are feeling up for more than just some low to moderate movement, try a short, really basic full-body circuit workout. One exercise per body part, just a couple sets of each in a moderate rep range, using lighter weight, bands, or even just body-weight.

An example may be:

• Leg Extensions or Air Squats
• Hamstring Curls or Walking Lunges
• Calf Raises
• Bicep Curls
• Bench Dips
• DB Chest Press
• Lat Pull Downs
• Sit-Ups
• Rest and REPEAT for another round or two!

We have tons of short workouts like this on our YouTube Channel that don’t require the gym at all .. so you can stay at home and sweat it out.

Save this article and use each “phase” over the days to come!

Whether you plan to sweat it out post-party, take it easy, or wait and see what the dreaded day after holds … your body may be wiped out for more than one day! You may want to start with the Light Workout and work your way up!

We hope this blog and these workouts give you an idea of how you can still stay on track… even after a night of bad decisions!!

Don’t forget our sister company Sculpt Nation is having a special St. Patrick’s Day sale on ALL supplements!  Click here to SAVE 30% and get FREE SHIPPING on all supplements $75+ with code🍀Shamrock30 🍀

The post How to AVOID and FIGHT The St. Patrick’s Day Aftermath appeared first on V Shred.

You have to put in the exercise to see the results you want. You also have to provide your body with the right supplements and nutrients to build the muscle and burn the fat.

When choosing the right pre-workout supplements it is vital to get what your body needs and avoid the things it doesn’t.

What You Should Be Looking For In Your Workout Supplement

In This Article:

• What Your Workout Supplement Should Have
• What Your Workout Supplement Should Not Have

What Your Workout Supplement Should Have

There are many things your body will need to best enhance your workout process. Some of the things that you should find in the supplement you choose include:

1. Caffeine

Caffeine can provide you with the energy your body needs to work out. It also increases blood flow which allows your muscles to get the blood and nutrients they need.

Additionally, caffeine increases anaerobic capacity and muscle endurance. This will provide you with a more effective workout.

2. Branched Chain Amino Acids

Amino acids produce nitric oxide. This is an important supplement for increasing blood flow and providing the body with the extra oxygen it needs.

These ingredients are also shown to improve muscle strength and growth. Amino acids help you workout harder, longer, and faster.

They also help your body repair itself quicker creating less downtime after your workout.

3. Creatine

Creatine is a naturally occurring acid that is already present in the body. When used in a synthetic form, creatine can boost the production of ATP.

ATP will aid your muscle in repairing itself and growing when it is under stress. Creatine is one of the best performance enhancing supplements.

Creatine will give users an extra burst of energy that can help them to push a little further during their workout routine.

4. Citrulline

Citrulline is an amino acid organic compound that can help boost performance when working out.

Some studies show that using citrulline malate can assist in maintaining high performance over longer periods of time.

5. Glutamine

Glutamine is an amino acid that your body will produce. It comes out of your muscles during stressful situations such as during workouts.

By adding this supplement before your workout, you will recover the amount your body depletes and help maintain your muscle mass. Often times you will need to take glutamine in supplement form because it is naturally found in meat, beans, fish, and nuts.

These are not food best eaten right before working out.

6. Whey Protein Powder

Whey protein is often associated with fueling workout regiments. Though with its popularity comes a lot of confusion about the benefits it provides.

The truth is that protein powders will serve a variety of different purposes. There are some designed for those who are trying to stay lean and build lean muscles.

Others have large amounts of protein as well as calories to help build muscle mass. No matter which protein you choose make sure that it contains whey protein.

Whey protein contains ingredients proven to promote muscle protein synthesis. Choose ones that have lower calories and fewer ingredients to make sure you are getting the nutrition you need.

You should also make sure to adjust the amount you consume based on your body weight. Often times you may need two or three shakes a day combined with your workout.

Always remember though that these are supplements and you should get your primary protein from food.

7. Beta-Alanine

Beta-Alanine is an amino acid that reduces muscle fatigue. It does this by boosting your body’s natural carnosine.

This substance helps prevent the buildup of acid which can cause muscle fatigue, strain, and corrosion. Your body only has and can only produce so much carnosine based on the beta-alanine in your system.

Taking the supplement in addition to what your body produces will help you produce more carnosine. Beta-Alanine is often felt after a workout with a slight tingling sensation in your skin.

This tingling means that your body is reducing muscle fatigue by increasing your endurance making your cardiovascular fitness more productive.

8. Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates is often considered a dirty word when it comes to losing weight and dieting. While it is true that you should cut carbs to lose fat, if your goal is to burn fat and increase muscle, carbs will give you the fuel you need.

You should make sure to consume carbs once when you wake up and once before you workout each day. This will allow you to turn the carbs into energy and reduce the risk of it turning into fat consumed by the body.

After your work out the carbs will release sugar increasing your glucose level. Higher glucose levels will reduce the amount of cortisol excreted that can consume lean muscle tissue.

While you can gain your carbohydrates from consuming a variety of simple carbs sometimes it is easier to regulate your carb intake through the use of supplements.

What Your Workout Supplement Should Not Have

While there are many things you want to make sure are in your supplements there are also things that you want to avoid. Avoiding certain things can help you get the right nutrients for your goals and body size. Things you should try to avoid include:

1. Ingredients That are Under-Dosed

There is much research about how ingredients can be effective and what you need to consume to gain the benefits. Check the label and make sure that the items included are within the recommended dosage to be effective.

There is no reason to pay high prices for an ingredient with not enough milligrams for you to see the benefits.

2. Dyes and Artificial Sweeteners

There have been many studies on the ill effects of food dyes and artificial sweeteners. These items have no reason for consumption and provide no benefit.

Check for healthier alternatives when you see sweeteners or dyes on the label.

3. Unnecessary Ingredients

Sometimes a workout supplement can contain additional ingredients that are actually useless when consumed. Companies often feel that by offering more ingredients, the consumer is getting more for their money. In truth, you will end up consuming a lot of things that you don’t need.

4. Using Chemical Jargon

Some companies will try to sound more technical by using the chemical names of certain ingredients. They do this because consumers sometimes equate scientific words with better ingredients. In truth, most of these are common ingredients. Knowing what they are is important in knowing the benefits to expect as well as what you are consuming. Technical jargon can create a false impression of the product and is often used as a deceptive technique.

If you don’t have a workout supplement yet, a healthy pre-workout meal may help you with your exercise. Get the recipe for a delicious snack that will increase your energy during your workout from the video below:

You are putting a lot into your workout routine and your workout supplement should do the same. By making sure your supplements include the items that you need for workout and recovery and avoiding things you don’t will provide you with the best benefits. Get the right fuel to create the body you deserve by choosing the right ingredients that work for you and your goals.

Now that you know which ingredients to have and avoid in your workout supplement, you can focus on reaching your fitness goal! How are you going to achieve your goals? Share them in the comments section below!

Up Next: Why Are Vitamins So Important For Weight Loss?

The post What To Look For In A Workout Supplement appeared first on V Shred.

Vitamins for Weight Loss | How They Help Shed the Excess Pounds

1. Reduction of Chronic Inflammation

One of the benefits of vitamins for weight loss is the reduction of chronic inflammation. Obesity and inflammation have a complex and delicate relationship. Suffice to say, when the body is in this state, it also boosts the production of free radicals.

These free radicals can cause cellular damage. It then leads to a series of conditions that can impact your weight loss. They also lower your immune function. Getting sick all the time can hamper your workout plans.

Many factors can result in chronic inflammation. One of the reasons is nutrient deficiency. While vitamins themselves cannot lead to fat weight loss, they can improve it.

2. Response to Insulin

Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone. It’s one of the most important ones too.

When you eat food, the body converts some parts of it into blood sugar or glucose. The body then needs to deliver it to the cells for their different functions. They do not receive this sugar immediately, though.

This is where insulin comes in. Produced by the pancreas, it introduces glucose to the cells. Picture it as a messenger knocking on the doors of the cells.

There are certain situations when the cells do not receive glucose despite the presence of insulin. It then forces the organ to produce more of the hormone while the supply of blood sugar increases. In turn, it results in diabetes.

The vitamins for weight loss are not enough to treat the condition, but some of them can improve insulin sensitivity. These include vitamin D.

The same vitamin also enhances the function of leptin. It’s a hormone that helps tell your brain you’re already full (or starving). You can then pair this vitamin with apple cider vinegar to further enhance the effect.

3. Energy

The best way to lose weight always involves a good nutrition and exercise. The problem with the latter is you can lose some of the essential vitamins in your body.

When you’re on an intense workout plan, it’s best to invest in vitamins for weight loss and energy. These include the B vitamins.

B vitamins are of different types. Some of these are riboflavin (B6), choline, and cobalamin (B12). They perform different jobs in the body. They, though, tend to work toward your level of energy and metabolism.

Vitamin B12 for weight loss help break down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. They improve the delivery of oxygen to the brain and cells to let them function at an optimum level. These can also help in enhancing the function of the muscles.

4. Thyroid Health

There are several reasons why you’re not losing weight. One of these is thyroid dysfunction, especially hypothyroidism. It refers to the sluggish or low production of thyroid hormones.

Thyroid problems can have many different causes. The solutions too may include multiple approaches.

You can take vitamins for weight loss and metabolism as part of the plan. One of the vitamins that promote weight loss and healthy thyroid is vitamin B2 or riboflavin. It can prevent the suppression of the hormone production.

5. Reduction of Fat Absorption

Do you know the body has different types of fat? The one in the middle, for example, is visceral fat. Contrary to popular belief, your body needs fat. It doesn’t only keep you warm. It stores your reserves.

One of the best natural supplements for weight loss can be calcium. Granted, it’s a mineral more than a vitamin, but it works symbiotically with vitamin D. The latter increases the body’s absorption of the mineral. Many also tend to consider calcium as a vitamin now.

How can calcium aid in weight loss? A Tennessee study suggested it affects the way the cells burn fat. The more calcium there is in the cell, the more fat it tends to burn.

It also reduces the amount of fat your body absorbs. It binds to the fat in your intestinal tract and prevents it from reaching your bloodstream.

6. Improved Fat-Burning Abilities

One of the vitamins to lose belly fat fast can be vitamin C. For the longest time, it’s associated with an improved immune function. More studies show it can do more.

For one, it encourages your body to produce collagen. Collagen is one of the most abundant types of protein in the muscles and tendons. It helps create the structure. As a person gets older, the production of collagen also decreases. They also lose their muscle mass.

By increasing the production of collagen, the body can less likely lose muscle mass. Muscles, on the other hand, tend to burn more calories than fat. This protein also significantly improves the feeling of satiety.

Vitamin C can also help your body burn fat during an exercise routine. Its presence in the bloodstream means your body burns 30 percent more fat during exercise.

The best way to consume vitamins for weight loss is in a proper diet. Begin with these recipes:

Please bear in mind these vitamins for weight loss are not the be all, end all. So far, there are no medically proven weight loss supplements with vitamins that work on their own. In the end, the only solution to losing weight is to eat correctly and exercise right.

Do you know of other vitamins for weight loss? Tell us in the comments section below.

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