Architect Muscle Forum

One of the easiest ways to improve your overall lifestyle quality is to improve your own body. While this may sound a bit paradoxical, even contradictory, keep in mind that dieting, working out and leading an overall healthy lifestyle doesn’t really have to be that arduous, provided that you know the right way to do it. First of all, the word diet is Greek for eating regiment, it’s not a word for starving yourself to death in a thousand different ways. As for working out, at one point in our lives, we all enjoyed running around playing with friends. What changed? More importantly, would it be so hard to bring this sensation back? Let’s find out! Improve your nutrition The first major mistake that most overweight people make is not the number of calories they intake but the fact that they do absolutely everything metabolically wrong. What does this mean? Well, they’re getting their nutrients from wrong sources and at the wrong time of the day. So, the first revolution you have to make is the one regarding your sources of three macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fats). You see, there’s a difference between carbohydrates in oatmeal and whole grain bread and those that come from refined grain. When it comes to protein, lean meat, eggs and seafood should be your first choice. Finally, when it comes to fats, avocado, olives, cold virgin olive oil (on a salad) and Greek yogurt should be your foods of choice. As for the timing, you need to know when and what to eat. Carbohydrates are your main source of energy and, as such, they should be consumed several hours before the training session. Fats should be eaten for breakfast so that your body has enough time to process them properly throughout the day. As for the protein, you should consume it throughout the day, even though it’s vital that you include them in the meal that comes right after training (preferably one hour after). Consistency is the key Another thing worth mentioning is the fact that getting in shape isn’t something you should worry about just prior to the bathing suit season. Moreover, this doesn’t mean just looking good but also feeling good. For this, you need consistency of training, which simply can’t come without the phenomenon that most fitness experts refer to as soulmate workout. This is a workout that you enjoy doing and would probably do even if there were no prospects of you getting fit as a result. This raises the question of how to find your soulmate workout? In order to find out, you need to answer a series of questions like whether you prefer group sports or solitary workouts. Cardio or weights? How competitive are you? Whether you’re an indoor person or someone who prefers working out outside. Sure, some exercises are more efficient at what you’re trying to achieve but here, we’re looking at long-term results rather than short-term gains. A way for you to work out smarter. Don’t avoid supplements One of the greatest mistakes that people make when trying to get in shape is avoiding supplements believing them to be dangerous or hazardous. Sure, some of them are, however, a simple whey protein isolate after a workout can do you a world of good, without any negative side-effects. A pill of caffeine can help you train much harder, while vitamin supplements are mandatory for someone who wants to train five times per week or more. Here, we listed the three most common and most benign supplements, while there are several other options worth exploring. Conclusion Finally, you need to understand how the muscle-building process works. While training, you’re literally causing small tears in your muscles that, later on, during the resting period, grow even better and stronger. In other words, training is only half of the process and by skipping rest, you’re doing your body a disservice. Apart from a physiological setback, by skipping rest, you’re also creating a psychological problem for yourself. Feeling over-trained, tired and sore will make you reluctant to train some more. It isn’t that hard to envision how this could turn into a problem in the long run.

Do you know the difference between pros and average gym-goers? Pros know how important every percent is. They always look for ways to improve their performance, they always aim at being more efficient and getting the most out of every exercise. Many will say that what you wear during the workout doesn’t matter that much. Activewear or just your varsity T-shirt? No big of a deal, right? Well, that’s not so true. Let’s see why. Performance issue Wearing your old plain white T-shirt during your workouts is fine. You won’t have any problems exercising in it, it’s just your common T-shirt. However, there are certain clothing garments that are specially designed for working out. Activewear garments are specially designed to boost your performance and it has been proved that they work. First of all, the materials used to create these types of clothes are sophisticated. Companies aim at lean materials that will let your skin breather while you sweat it out. Also, the sweat won’t stick to your body. This will help you exercise longer. Last but not least, your blood flow gets improved due to the pressure applied to muscles. Better blood flow means more energy for your muscles. Psychological side of things In order to have a good workout, you have to be in a good mood. You have to be motivated to do every exercise properly and sometimes go even further for better results. This cannot happen if you aren’t confident. There are studies in the field of cognition and they have shown the positive impact of wearing the right clothes for your workplace. This is called ‘enclothed cognition’ and this also exists in the world of sports and fitness. Look at it this way – if you know that you look great, chances are that you’ll act it out too. That’s the difference between quality men’s gym clothes (or women’s) and the usual stuff. If you are satisfied with what you wear, if it feels nice and if you look great, there is a great chance that you’ll want to exercise harder. Freedom of movement This should go without saying but let’s underline that again – when you work out you freedom of movement is of the utmost importance. Not a single part of your body should be constricted. That’s why you need to know that well-fitted athletic clothing actually helps you move better. Sometimes we all go for products that are cheap. And the chances are that those products don’t fit well but we turn a blind eye to that fact and hope that it’ll get better after some time. That’s never the case. So, by opting for activewear, you can rest assured that your freedom of movement won’t be obstructed. People who design activewear pay special attention to this factor. It will never feel too tight or too loose. Recovery time Activewear helps by compressing your body. As it is mentioned above, your blood will circulate better. This also helps with muscle recovery after a workout. The increased blood flow removes the lactic acid produced during exercise. Ultimately, recovery is boosted as a consequence and muscles are less sore and stiff. This kind of pressure applied to muscles reduces soreness and inflammation. And that’s what will help you get back to working out faster. Technique & protection Wearing clothes that don’t fit you well can cause injuries. Even a well fitted compression sock can help you avoid getting your ankle injured. It all comes down to the pressure that activewear provides. For example, wearing a long sleeved top and pants can help protect you from nasty twists and turns that could be harmful. On top of that, there is a small chance that you’ll mess up the exercise technique because the pressure these garments provide kind of set you in the right direction. Especially if you are a lifter. Mastering and maintaining the technique makes all the difference when it comes to lifting. As you can see, investing in the right activewear is something worth considering. It is a smart investment because you are investing in yourself.

Stop me if you've heard this one before – you started working out with plenty of enthusiasm and enjoyed every second of it, but after a while it became just another obligation for you, something you have to do to stay in shape but take no pleasure in doing. Many people get burned out after a certain period of time, so they either continue to exercise but achieve diminished results because their heart isn't in it, or they constantly look for excuses to skip working out and end up giving up altogether. So how can you avoid this and make working out fun again? The best way it to find new and exciting ways of exercising, as well as to find exercise partner(s) so you can keep each other motivated. Here are our top picks for the most fun and social ways to work out that you may not have thought of before. Dancing Dancing is an amazing cardio workout for all ages and fitness levels with a built-in social aspect and many additional health benefits. Many people see dancers on TV and get put off thinking they could never do it, but in truth, it's really easy to pick up for beginners. You can choose from a large number of different types, from ballroom and Latin to hip-hop and tap dancing, so you should be able to find your niche no matter what kind of music you like. Speaking of music, it's something a lot of people like to listen to while working out, and in dancing it's an integral part of the activity, so you will never lack the motivation or desire to do it. In addition to meeting new people, it's also an excellent way to meet potential romantic partners if you're single, and there is no better ice-breaker that dancing together. Skateboarding Although it's often overlooked, skateboarding is actually a great workout for your core muscles that also enhances your agility, flexibility and balance. Not to mention that because you will be focusing very intently on riding a skateboard, you won't have time to worry about other things so it's a great stress reliever. Granted, it does take a while before you become comfortable just standing on a moving skateboard and even more if you plan on doing tricks with it, but that just makes it all the more satisfying once you achieve those results. If you are confused by the sheer number of options when it comes to buying your first board, cruiser skateboards are durable and a good choice for beginners. And don't fret if you are having trouble finding people who want to join you, skateboarding is a very social sport so you will quickly make new friends. Basketball This is a great option for anyone wanting to leave it all on the court. It is a fun sport, you can pay outside or indoors and you get to spend some quality time with the people you care about. And just to make things a bit more interesting you can consider getting quality custom basketball uniforms. That would take the whole thing to the next level, and if you get good enough you could participate in amateur tournaments. Boot camp If you're tired of regular workouts and want to challenge yourself, you can sign up for a civilian version of a military boot camp that includes a rigorous training regimen and will definitely push you to your absolute limits. Regardless of how fit and athletic you think you are, this will be one of the hardest things you will ever do, but there's a lot of satisfaction and pride to be had in finishing a course that the world's elite soldiers use to keep themselves in top shape. Because you're going to be part of a group of people, you will quickly develop a strong bond, as if you were actual brothers-in-arms fighting side by side. It's this bond that will be an important factor in getting through the experience, and you will constantly be helping and cheering each other on. In fact, people often emerge from the experience with a new friend or two, which is always a positive thing.