Health Supplements Posted on 11 May 12:19 , 0 comments

Tim Dale rants about supplements...

Us blokes don't often get things right. Between leaving the seat up, regularly scratching our balls, stinking out the bathroom, burning everything on the bbq.... we don't stand much of a chance.

Similarly, when it comes to health supplements, most guys tend to miss the forest for the trees.

If I had a $ for every guy that asked for the next ultra-mega-mass-gainer-protein synthesizer-testosterone-enhancer, I could probably take a week off.

Guys, it's not entirely your fault either. I used to read the muscle magazines, try and follow the pro's training and diet, yet still not get the same results as them......I wonder why?

Fortunately, being 20 years older I've managed to wise up to the fact why I never could achieve the physique of many of those bodybuilders in the magazines. I won't risk a lawsuit today, so I won't delve into the details as to how many of those athletes (?) look the way they do.

Instead I've put together a basic list of supplements that most guys could benefit from. They may not be the most glamorous products on the shelves, but at the end of the day they will deliver the goods.

Multivitamin. The plain Jane of supplements, but important for two reasons. 1, a good multi will cover the bases if your diet is lacking any essential nutrients, and 2, it will actually assist with absorbing nutrients from your food.

Protein powder. Forget the oxy-nitro vasodilators, creatine delivery systems, and mutant muscle products. You're not going to grow a gram of muscle unless you're ingesting a sufficient amount of protein. The most economical way to do this is in the form of a protein shake. 1-2 a day should equate to 60-70grams of protein. This is close to half the daily requirement of an 80kg male wishing to gain lean muscle.

Essential fats. About as sexy as Posh Spice, I know. Essential fats are just that, and are a major contributor to long term health. If you don't eat a lot of fish then supplement with a fish oil capsule or 3. There's a mountain of research being conducted on the anti-inflammatory effects of EPA/DHA, as well as joint, nerve, eye and brain health. One study recently suggested that it was the primates that wandered down to the waters edge and started feeding on fish, that developed their brains from that of a chimps, to the multi-terrabyte powerhouses we've got stored in our skulls today. Hard to imagine amongst some people I know, but if you wish to evolve your thinking as well as your physique, a fish oil supplement is for you.

L-Glutamine. Again, about as sexy as a Bee Gees reunion, but an often overlooked product. All you need is 1-2 teaspoons a day, and voila, you may find you're not aching half as much as usual. A potent ammonia scavenger (that's the stuff your body produces when it's under stress) and hugely important amino acid in terms of recovery.

That's it. 4 of the basics. Consider these your foundation supplements, along with getting your caloric requirements correct, training, and adequate rest, and you're bound to have an army of Jessica Alba lookalikes kicking your door in.

If in doubt, get a good nutritionist or trainer to help you pull it all together.

Get these right, and you may not need many of the other "whizz bang" over hyped products which often claim to make you bigger and stronger than a Hereford bull, give you a higher t-count than a male Lion, and get you as ripped as Bruce Lee in a matter of days.

Non-diet approach to weight loss key strategy for men Posted on 13 Oct 14:56 , 15 comments

Somewhere around the age of forty the average Kiwi bloke gets a wake up call concerning his health. It might be a passing remark from his doctor or wife, but it doesn’t usually sink in until he’s had a horrifying experience in the mirror. I’m talking about the precise moment when he realizes that he no longer looks like an underwear model and he’ll probably never be able to mow the lawns with his shirt off again.

The diet industry typically caters for the female market, which is a shame because in this country men don’t live as long as their female counterparts. Men might have better metabolisms, but they tend to accumulate fat around their waist, which increases their risk of weight related diseases. I’m talking about high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Don’t believe me? How many men do you know over the age of sixty who are not on long term pharmaceutical drugs for the above conditions?

The most important health goal for our middle aged, kiwi bloke is to maintain a healthy body composition. That’s the ratio of fat to lean tissue in the body, but checking his weight on the scales each morning could be sabotaging his weight loss efforts. Men typically lose precious muscle each year after the age of thirty, up to a kilo a year in some cases. So the scales are a completely inaccurate way to measure success.

Most men don’t like the idea of dieting, it’s a deprivation girlie thing and I’m glad most men don’t do conventional diets, because the best weight loss diet for men is the non-diet approach. Here are a few tips to help your bloke out.

Waist not Weight

He doesn’t need scales. His waist is the best indicator of success or failure. In the ideal world, your bloke’s waist measurement should be half of his height. So if he’s 1.75 metres tall, get him to aim for an 88 cm waist.

Meal Timing

Yes, he can eat carbs at night, but he’ll get better results if he spreads his food intake evenly over the day. Don’t let him make the mistake of skipping breakfast or not eating after exercise. He needs to fuel his body throughout the day with healthy food and water.

Male Menopause

Beyond forty there is a predictable decrease in his basic biological function. Every indulgence, every holiday, every bottle of beer and every illness or injury sets him back a little bit more. The choices he makes around the foods he eats become more important. This is a good time to get him taking nutritional supplements like a multivitamin, omega 3 fish oils and resveratrol.

Maintain Muscle

Weight bearing exercise is the key. Jogging just doesn’t provide sufficient resistance to maintain his muscle. Walking the dog will not make it easier for him to lift your shopping bags out of the car. Even if he’s doing weight-bearing exercise such as walking, only the lower limbs are involved. The best exercise for bones, joints, and fat loss is a moderate resistance-training program that can help him maintain strength and flexibility. And a great way to boost muscle building protein in the diet is to incorporate a Reduce Smoothie.

Now if we can just get him to put the toilet seat down, remember our anniversary and buy flowers every week, we’d have nothing to complain about!

This range is good. It's true to label and is what I believe to be the cornerstone of good health.

If you are stressed or life is stressful, if you are wanting to lose weight or improve your health .. then a Multivitamin is absolutely a necessity and of course Omega 3 is an essential nutrient. Add Vitamin D for a boost on a cloudy day and a rock-star antioxidant like Resveratrol for healthy aging.

As a Real Nutrient client, I invite you to email me if you require any nutritional advice. If you'd like any tips or suggestions, please just keep a food diary for 3-7 days and send it in along with a brief message.  I'll personally critique it and reply.  This pack is amazing and look at the price!