That’s right folks, Christmas is here!

And it definitely feels that way here in London, heavy snowfall and all. In fact, if you do have snow in your region as of this post, then read this post…

8 Tips For An Effective Winter Weightlifting Workout

And

Build Muscle With White Powder

That will cause some plateau busting muscle gains. I’m sure of it

Any how, if you have been following the recent emails, you will know that I gave away a few bonuses over the past several weeks. If you missed out on what those were, then you can back track and view those emails here in the email archive.

===> The email archive

However, today will be the final bonus of the year, and I’ll be leaving it up until the 31st of December.

That is…

But for you newer readers to the site, let me tell you the story behind the creation of both of those ebooks.

#1 The Unique Bodyweight Exercise ebook (Now version 3.0)

Now, if you have read the about us page, you would know that I started Stay-Fit Bug in July of 2009. A time which I can now mark as my resurgence into the bodybuilding and fitness world after an unexpected 2 year hiatus.

Several posts in and 2 months of posting, I started to notice a trend and some strong attention to certain topics. The first was the need to want to build a 6 pac. The 2nd was bodyweight exercises. Which actually inspired me to write two ebooks, both of which you will now be familiar with.

Build a 6 pac: From flab to flat

And

The Unique Bodyweight Exercise ebook

The first I gave away for FREE and the 2nd I put a price on.

Why ‘Unique’ exercises?

Well, first of all, bodyweight exercises are the undisputed king of realizing your ‘true’ strength. And secondly, Stay-Fit Bug is all about teaching you how to take your gains to the next level. And the best way to do that is to train insane, switch things up and make your muscles scream at a pitch that they did not think possible. Therefore, the introduction to exercises that will help you do just that.

Fast forward to version 3.0 (released September 2010) and the ebook has indeed been upgraded (At no cost to existing ebook owners). And fast forwarding to Q1 2011 will see an even bigger update in version 4.0. That will indeed be existing. Sheesh, I’m even getting excited about creating it (Let’s just say,lights, camera, action! Stepping out of my comfort zone -- Something you should all be doing on a regular basis).

Nevertheless, the current version of this ebook (And it’s own current bonuses) is now 1 of 2 Christmas bonuses. Oh, and did I mention that version 4.0 will be completely FREE to those who snatch this up now!

Q1 2011 might seem like a long time away, but I must inform you that those who end up on the Unique Bodyweight exercise mailing list receive ‘different’ ‘FREE’ bonuses to those on the regular mailing list. So you won’t have to worry about being left dry for the next few months.

Either way, that’s the story of how the Unique Bodyweight Exercise ebook came to existence.

#2 The Guide To Necessary Supplementation

As of May 2010, I decided to get active with my personal Facebook account (Add me here if you haven’t done so already) and invite everyone to my profile. Shortly after, my profile became a page for everything Stay-Fit Bugg/Fitness/ Bodybuilding/Network related.

Does that bother me?

No!

Because I’m an open book, I don’t have much to hide. Go on… dive into my past photos already.

Any how, it wasn’t long until I started to get bombarded with fitness related questions, and one of the questions I got asked daily is…

‘Shaun, which supplements should I take’???

Now, I’m not one to force bodybuilding supplements down someones throat just to earn a quick buck. That’s just not my style.

So I decided to write the guide to necessary supplementation, which is just a No B.S guide to what you should be supplementing your body with. That is, natural foods AND bodybuilding supplements. That’s all there is too it. Nothing more, nothing less!

Now, that’s the story telling out of the way.

However, I think you need to have a little taste of what these ebooks have to offer. Something extra than just me babbling along here on this post. Actions do indeed speak louder than words, so here is…

#1 (a) The Unique Bodyweight Exercise FREE report

Download it here ===> FREE REPORT

(b) The Unique bodyweight Exercise video

www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1RiM1RCHqE

#2 (a) The Guide To Necessary Supplementation video (Hosted by yours truly)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUgXy76ZYoQ

(b) Some inside ebook snapshots

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Remember, this bonus page will stay live and active until 31st of December, so you should at least be able to stay fit at home for the several days of festive Christmas activity. But I’d say grab it now, because you’ll probably forget by then, as you’ll be completely zoned out in Xmas and New years eve-ism.

And remember, binge, but don’t OVERRRR binge. That… is something you will regret come January (At you Abdominal builders).

Train insane, train safe and Merry Christmas.

To all our Bodybuilding successes in 2011

See you in the comments.

This is a guest post.

With so many different supplements available both on-line and in the shops today, it can be confusing trying to find the right bodybuilding supplements as well as using them in the most effective way. To truly optimize the dietary impact, an individual assessment with a sports nutritionist is recommended but there are some bodybuilding supplements, including a protein powder, which would benefit every bodybuilder, from novice through to seasoned pro.

Protein is one of the frequently mentioned bodybuilding supplements and vital for building lean muscle mass. It is almost impossible to consume the amount of protein required naturally without the need for additional supplements. One of the least expensive supplements available and with proven effectiveness, protein powder is an essential in a bodybuilder’s toolkit. Two of the best available are Myofusion by Gaspari, this powder uses a combination of casein and whey proteins to ensure blood amino acid levels remain higher for longer, while Syntha-6 by BSN tastes great and can be used as a meal replacement also. Protein can be consumed as a drink when mixed with carbohydrate. This is the perfect combination to take onboard immediately after a training session as the amino acids in the drink provide the necessary building blocks and the carbohydrates increase insulin levels which pushes the nutrients out into the muscle, thereby allowing generation of new cells and ultimately muscle growth. Sipping a carbohydrate-loaded drink during a work-out is also highly recommended as it allows adaption to heavy loading during training. Serious athletes in all disciplines have to pay close attention to their diet and ensure that 5-7 moderate sized meals are consumed every day, with each meal carefully balanced. A protein powder drink can be used to replace some of the daily meals, allowing the nutritional stability to be maintained whilst on the move.

In order to bulk up but strip away every last inch of fatty mass, thermogenic bodybuilding supplements are one of the biggest innovations to hit the market in the last 10 years. Quite literally a fat-burning pill and often combining bitter orange, caffeine and aspirin, thermogenics are widely believed to shift that last bit of muscle-disguising fat that won’t budge with diet and training alone. However, in order to maximise the benefits of any thermogenic pill, a cycling routine must be established. Taking thermogenics consistently without a break between courses will, over time, dramatically reduce the effect and could cause metabolic difficulties; one of the best for example is Adipoxil by Iforce Nutrition which should be taken 3 to 4 times a day and needs to be cycled every 4 to 8 weeks. The only exception to this rule is if the thermogenics are not taken daily, but more sparingly on just a couple of days per week. If used in this way, there are no risks to using them all year round.

Of course, supplements are not the only way to ensure that the body is in tip-top condition. There are many foods which have been labelled ‘superfoods’ and warrant inclusion in any diet. Tomatoes are well known for their powerful anti-oxidant properties which appear to become enhanced further once heated. Flaxseeds are another group of foods which should regularly be consumed, with grinding of the seeds best for rapid absorption. Flaxseeds can also be added to a protein powder to increase the nutritional benefits of the drink further. Alternative ways to incorporate them into the diet include soups, salads and cereals. Green foods including spirulina, wheat grass and chlorella are another great nutritional source, containing higher amounts of protein than red meat when compared pound for pound as well as being very high in vitamins and minerals.

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It’s a new week folks. It’s getting colder, darker and Christmas is right around the corner. And… I’ve always got some presents on the way to give to you all. Will you get them early? Well, you’re just going to have to wait and see.

Any how, today marks the release of the first ebook, of a series of ebooks. All of which focus on a specific aspect of the fitness lifestyle.

The Guide To Necessary supplementation

I won’t bore you with any more text blurb. Watch the video instead. British accent and all

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUgXy76ZYoQ

+

119 Page Cookbook

100′s of recipes to take advantage of

Note: $9.99 for the next 72 hours ONLY!

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[amazon-product alink="0000FF" bordercolor="000000" height="240" region="us" tracking_id="stayfbug-20"]B000JWHWCS[/amazon-product]

Through out this site have often stated my dislike for supplements and steroids as i believe you can achieve great results with what nature has to offer. But that same former body builder i told you about in this post (Forearms) is the one who introduced this to me.

At first i was very hesitant to even try it, but i have always lived by the rule ‘try anything once’, so i gave it a shot. I already knew what creatine does to the body, but i can say that trying this for a short while was great. I didn’t suffer any side effects that everyone usually goes on about and i think as long as you currently eat healthy and train regularly you’ll be just fine. There is no one great life changing product out there, not even this does that, but you will notice an increase in strength and muscle mass when you use it.

I guess this is good for all of those readers here that are like me and usually do not touch this stuff. If that is you, I’d try it once at least. And for any body building types reading this then you already know what to do. Have fun with it but be moderate,.

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In this fast-paced modern world of pre-packaged consumables, it can sometimes be difficult to justify buying, preparing, and serving fresh food items.  We all know they’re better for us (or are they?), but fresh foods simply don’t offer the convenience of canned.  Besides which, canned foods can be safely stored a lot longer than fresh, adding monetary benefits to their appeal.  But when it comes down to nutritional value, it can be unclear to the casual shopper which is actually better for you.  You want to believe that fresh produce and animal products (in short, “natural” items) provide more of the vitamins and nutrients needed to keep us healthy, but is that really true?  Don’t canned goods still retain the many nutritional elements that are present when they go from being fresh to being freshness-sealed in vacuum-packed receptacles?  Well, that is exactly what we’re going to examine in this nutritional smackdown where fresh foods are compared to their canned counterparts.

Here’s the lowdown on freshness.  So-called “fresh” foods may not be quite as brand-spanking-new as you think.  If you know anything about how supermarkets work, then you are likely aware that they receive food shipments once or twice a week.  The items that make it to their shelves may be several days old by the time they get there, thanks to transportation, inspection, and arrangement time.  Many items also undergo interesting procedures to make or keep them suitable for sale.  Most fruits and vegetables are picked prematurely and then “flash” ripened with heat and moisture to prepare them for sale.  And some are treated with chemicals or waxes to keep them fresh and presentable on store shelves for longer (since they will quickly spoil otherwise).  So these supposedly fresh items might not look as appealing all of a sudden.  Throw in the fact that they contain traces of chemical pesticides and fertilizers (or hormones and antibiotics, in the case of animal products) and you might not want to touch them with a ten-foot pole.

As for canned produce, there is an upside.  Fruits and vegetables that are slated for canning often go straight from the field to a canning facility (sometimes on the farm premises), ensuring that they retain peak levels of freshness, including nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.  The same is true of canned meats, which are often preserved shortly after slaughter.  In fact, nutrient levels in canned foods have been found to be at the same (or even higher) levels when compared to fresh produce.  Even the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and International Food Information Council (IFIC) have made statements confirming that nutrient levels in canned foods are at least equivalent to their fresh alternatives.  Vitamin and mineral levels remain high (along with protein levels for meats) and apparently, the canning process has even been shown to increase calcium levels in fish.  Hooray for canning!  Unfortunately, that’s where the good news ends.

Not all of the health effects of canned foods are produced by the nutrient levels of their natural contents.  Most canned foods have a number of detrimental additives to contend with.  First and foremost, the majority of canned goods require preservatives.  How do you think they retain a shelf-life of several years while their fresh relatives spoil within days?  Of course, vacuum packing doesn’t hurt, but it generally won’t stop spoilage on its own, especially not until the expiration date listed on most canned products.  So you can expect high levels of chemical preservatives with unintelligible names (found on the ingredient list beneath the nutrition label) or even natural ones like sodium (also detrimental, especially if you suffer from high blood pressure or weight-related diseases).  Of course, canned items are also subject to additives for flavor.  Sugars, in particular, are a common additive.

Consider that when fruits and vegetables are picked, they may not be entirely ripe (leaving them tasting a bit off).  When fresh items are shipped to stores, they have time to ripen fully so that they are ready to eat by the time they reach store shelves.  Foods that are canned can’t wait for that.  So flavor and color additives (often chemically based) are thrown in the mix, adding no nutritional value and often detracting from the benefits that may have been otherwise gained from canning.  It’s also a little-known fact that our first and longest-lasting taste sensation is sweet, meaning that we are susceptible to sweetness (a fact that most food manufacturers have not failed to account for and will use to ensure you keep buying their products, despite the fact that processed sugars are terrible for your health).

For all of these reasons, your best option is probably to select fresh produce and meat that is not only organic, but also locally grown.  Of course, the only way to ensure that the items you’re getting are authentic is to visit a local co-op of organic farms in your area and buy directly.  Often, such organizations will offer a delivery service so that you can pay a monthly fee to receive regular deliveries.  You may also want to frequent your local farmers market whenever possible to purchase truly fresh produce and meats.  However, in many areas these options are not feasible.  If you must purchase from a market, try to find one that guarantees locally grown, or at least organic products.  They may even be willing to volunteer information about the sources of their food so that you can verify their claims of organic and local goods.  And of course, you could always try your hand at growing your own vegetable garden (although you will be limited to items that can reasonably grow in your region).

Of course, if you can’t get your hands on fresh, organic produce and meats, or you simply can’t afford the cost, you shouldn’t entirely avoid these sections of the food pyramid.  You can still get the nutrients you need from canned foods (even if you have to suffer through the additional additives and preservatives that seem to be par for the course).  It is imperative that you make every effort to sustain a balanced diet that provides you with the many vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that will ensure a long and healthy life, even if that means resorting to canned versions of the foods you need.  While fresh, local, and organic products are ideal, it is better to opt for canned items than opting out completely.

Leon Harris is a writer for DustPruf which specializes in dry food packaging and bottling equipment. DustProf puts an end to product debris and buildup.

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I was going to call the title of this post

‘Why supplements came into existence’

But I had a re-think. But first… the problem.

‘Everyone thinks they need to take every supplement under the sun to achieve the results they desire’

I get questions from people every single day, and some of the crap I hear coming out of their mouths about what supplements they’re about to buy… and why they’re buying them truly is shocking. So I decided to take everyone back. As far back as 100000BC to the era of the Caveman. This way, I can show you how they lived, describe their lifestyle and show you the exactly how and why you may need to take supplements. In other words…

Transform you into a modern day caveman!

The Caveman Era (No supplements)

What did Cavemen eat?

Cavemen lived across the globe and their diet would change with the seasons, so there is no one answer to that question.

Now, 100000 years BC is going way back in time, so information based on the Cavemen from that era would probably be largely inaccurate. However, in more recent times, anthropologists did stumble upon stone aged tribes from time to time. These are tribes that had no contact with the modern world as yet, so they were more or less living like Cavemen. So we can base the following information on the records of those findings.

Since WE are modern day folk, we are very much used to being force fed a HUGE range of foods (Damn manufacturers). So I’m going to take you into the mindset of a Caveman and list the foods that they did NOT eat.

• Potatoes (Weren’t around 12000 years ago)
• Dairy products (They ate eggs, but eggs are not dairy… even though they are labeled dairy)
• Foods that required cooking such as cereal grains, rice, wheat, barley and corn (This eliminates much of your shopping list. They didn’t have any kind of tool to boil food back then)
• Alcohol (Distilled)
• Refined sugar products
• Modern day fruits which are bred for high sugar content
• Large amounts of salt

Now one big difference between the Caveman diet and the 21st Century man diet, is that the Caveman ate a much larger ‘variety’ of foods than the modern man does.

Why is this important?

Because it is the holy grail of what YOU… (the modern man) needs to do and focus on in order to get the results that you desire. Don’t even begin to think about supplements for the moment.

Eating a WIDE ‘variety’ of foods increases the odds of you filling your body full of the nutrients and vitamins that it NEEDS!

Which leads me onto the reason of how and why Cavemen were able to survive whole entire days without supplements.

The Caveman 24hr diet structure

Their diet

The caveman diet was probably much higher in protein than the 21st Century man diet, seeing as we have access to a lot more carb type of foods today (Bread, sweets, pasta, cereal grains, rice, wheat, barley and corn).

Their diet would consist of

Lean meats – You see, protein is protein. But with most foods that contain protein, you just have to watch the extra that comes with it. Now, in regards to meat, the animals that the Cavemen would kill to eat, would have a higher ratio of protein to fat in their flesh compared to the meat from animals in the 21st Century man’s world.

Why?

• Because today’s beasts are corn-fed. Which means there is a lot more fat in their flesh.
• Which means that Cavemen were more likely to stay lean. How could they not…. they had no ‘choice’.

But the body also NEEDS fat!

Yes it does… and they got that because they ate ‘more’ of the animal.

• Organs
• Bone marrow
• Tongue
• Eyeballs

All of which contain fat. However, this fat is less saturated than the fat found in today’s beef cuts.

The rest of their diet…

• Fish (Protein)
• Fruits and Berries (Less sugar than today’s fruits)
• Grass seeds
• Nuts (Protein and fat)
• Vegetables (Carrots, parsnips, turnips and rutabagas – High % of dietary fiber)
• Eggs (Protein and fat with almost no carbs)
• Honey (Yes, even Cavemen had cheat meals. They would find honey trees and cheat until they could cheat no more … in moderation of course)

Were they lean… I would think so. And how could they not be with this activity…

Their activity

These guys were running around killing animals, throwing spears, lifting and pulling objects such as stones (functional strength). How could they not be lean with all that activity?

How they ate

You already know what they ate, but would you like to guess how they ate?

They ate mini meals throughout the day and conserved their MAX energy for times when it needed to be used. That is how they survived whole entire days (no supplements) and that is also the foundation of ‘how to increase your metabolism‘! So where did it all go wrong for the 21st Century man? What could have killed this simple yet effective plan on how to stay lean?

Keep on reading… we’ll find out soon enough!

Lean muscle mass with bulk is the ultimate body that most of us are striving for!

And carbs are needed!

Although there are ways to structure carbs into our diets,

(As mentioned here -- The 4 Crucial Steps To Shred ‘Core’ Fat And Build Lean Muscle)

Carbs are still the enemy. But like I mentioned earlier…

The big difference between the Caveman diet then vs. The 21st Century man diet now, is that we have easy access to foods that have a high glycemic index (Ready to digest carbs).

We need carbs, but they hurt our lean muscle mass building efforts.

We have to cut carbs but have to make up the calories lost from doing so.

Catch 22!

The solution?

Good Carbs
Good Proteins
Good Fats

Shaun, stop talking crap!

Ok, I’ll rephrase

The RIGHT carbs
The RIGHT proteins
The RIGHT fats

So, we know how the Cavemen were doing it then. So what we are going to do is go back in time, but using a modern day mindset. It’s all about moving forward and turning the 21st Century men and women into into modern day lean machines like our Cavemen ancestors.

The 21st Century Man Era (Supplements)

Now, we know how the Cavemen were surviving without the use of supplements back then. But how can we transform the 21st Century man/ woman into modern day lean machines?

Well, first things first… out with the old, in with the new. Well, not entirely. Remember, life is simple, but as time has gone on, the human race has decided to make it more complicated (Who knows why). Any how, we keep the old mentality of the Caveman mindset and adapt it to our current lifestyle.

The 21st Century Mans Dilemma…

The Man is ‘Busy’

It’s no secret that life in the 21st century is demanding as ever. But in reality, it’s still SSDD. That is, same sh*t different day. Struggles have existed since the creation of man… what’s new. If the Cavemen were able to deal with struggles, so can we. In fact, we are better equipped. So instead of using supplements as an excuse not to eat REAL food, use them for what they are… to supplement the body of nutrients that it lacks. Remember the ‘variety’ rule of spoke of earlier?

If you eat a wide variety of foods, you’ll probably get all the nutrients you’ll ever need’ – Caveman diet mindset! (Scroll back up if you missed it)

But it won’t hurt to add some multi-vitamin and vitamin C to your diet (You can find the Stay-Fit Bug favorites on the bodybuilding resources page)

Protein

Like I said earlier, protein is protein (almost). You need to be eating lean meats and not that corn-fed stuff. That is filled with fat. You also need to understand that protein is made up of (approx) 20 different amino acids which have to be consumed via the food we eat. The best way to ensure that your body gets those required protein fills is by following the ‘varitey’ rule. But again, this is the 21st century, so if you are going to supplement then all you need is the RIGHT protein supplements

Whey protein (Fast digesting – take right after a workout)
Casein protein (Slow digesting – take before bed time)

Fiber

Eat your veggies (The low glycemic kind)

Dairy

Eat your egg whites

Fats

Yay – Low fat meats such as chicken and fish
Nay -- Fat’s that contain salts like bacon and salted nuts

There are new claims being made every single day about the foods we eat. The good, the bad etc. Who knows what facts are right or wrong? With that being the case, just make sure you eat all of the ‘good’ foods, but in moderation and not the same thing everyday.

The 21st Century Man Needs Structure

Just follow the caveman structure, regardless of what your current goal or body type is

They ate mini meals throughout the day and conserved their MAX energy for times when it needed to be used. That is how they survived whole entire days (no supplements) and that is also the foundation of ‘how to increase your metabolism’! So where did it all go wrong for the 21st Century man? What could have killed this simple yet effective plan on how to stay lean?

There are new products and services being created all of the time, just like Belinda Benn’s Get Lean program and the upcoming official Stay-Fit Bug Fitness Program (No concrete name yet… Just know I’m working on the first phase), that will help fix your mindset to think like a modern caveman and more!

It’s not about going backwards. History happens, we learn, move on and ‘adapt’. Now it’s time for you to take your muscle and lifestyle to the next level, the best way I know how. We don’t call it innovative ways to build muscle for nothing!

See you in the comments.

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Bodybuilding Resources

Ready to begin your journey for REAL bodybuilding success?

We all know how much it costs to hire a personal trainer! A personal trainer would be great for everyone to have, but unfortunately, not everyone has deep pockets like the rich and famous. Fortunately for you, you’ll be glad to know that you CAN build a body like those who can afford a personal trainer,

• Without having to break the bank
• And within the comfort of your own home

Below you will find product comparisons that I highly recommend to help you take your muscles to the next level. These are the products, which I have found to work best to take your muscles to the next level, all through trial and error. I have listed comparisons of each type of product that is needed to assist you on your bodybuilding journey. You can then gauge which one can fulfill your needs in regards to price, features and/or your current level in this bodybuilding game.

What supplements should I take to build muscle?

Protein Supplements

Which Protein Supplement to Buy?

Protein and carbs are the two nutrients that you will have to refill as you workout and pump your muscles. It’s common knowledge that lifting weights actually makes you lose weight. In order to make them grow you’ll have to shock them AND feed them… with food. Sounds simple, just eat decent meals 5-7 times a day. But we are talking about life in the 21^st century here, where time is often not in our favor to eat 5-7 times a day. If you don’t eat, you won’t grow. Simple!

So if you are serious about building muscle in today’s world you better start taking supplements to help refill those nutrients that you lose during your weightlifting workouts. And we begin with protein supplements.

Below are supplements, which I’ve personally tried at some point during the past 10 – 12 years.

I have also been provided  discount coupon codes for all Stay-Fit Bug readers on selected items.  All you have to do is enter the coupon code on the purchase page before you buy to save you even more money!

RED = Stay-Fit Bug Favorite!

Note:

Please be aware that there are vendors out there that sell ‘fake’ supplements. Because of this, I have made sure that I have affiliated with well known and trusted retailers of the products listed on this page (Bodybuilding.com and Amazon.com), and in which I have managed to obtain discounts in some cases. So if you do find any cheaper prices else where, make sure you question the vendors authenticity and reputation. Paying extra for reassurance, trust and more importantly your health… can go a long way!

Creatine Supplement

Which Creatine Supplement to Buy?

Creatine Monohydrate is the stuff that you can take to reduce muscle fatigue in your workouts. However, many supplements today don’t just contain creatine, they also contain other compounds which in turn, make for great pre-workout supplements as a whole.

Multi-Vitamins

Which Multi-Vitamins to Buy?

Going back to what I mentioned earlier, our bodies need to be fed correctly if we wish to build REAL muscle. This can be done by eating GOOD food 5 – 7 times a day. But to take your muscles to the next level you really do have to supplement them to the next level. Real food is good, but it won’t be enough. Your body will need super doses of amino acids, carbs, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids (EFAs) in order to grow the way that I know you want them to grow, and the multi-vitamins listed below will help you do that, without question!

A note about Vitamin C

We need to take vitamin C because unlike other mammals, we don’t make it naturally. So we need to consume it in the form of our diet. 60mgs was the old school recommended amount to take, but this is 2010 where a demanding lifestyle has hit us all. For most people, the new recommended daily amount is 2 grams per day. So 3 grams per day is about right for us fitness freaks. If you do take too much, your body will let you know (Via the toilet seat!). Either way, vitamin C is a must!

Amino Acids

Why Amino Acids?

Because they are the building blocks of building muscle mass

Bodyweight Exercise Equipment

Which Bodyweight Exercise Equipment to Workout With?

Bodyweight exercises are great for quite a few reasons,

• Build great functional strength
• Work out from home
• Work out and maintain muscle mass while on vacation
• Target muscle groups that you may miss with free weights and machine weights

It’s also what I started out with 10-12 years ago back as a broke student.  But when you add any of the products below to your bodyweight workouts, you really can maximize the above points to ensure that bodyweight exercises help you build that body you know you deserve. I’ve used or still use all of these products. Take your pick! They are all great in their own way. If you get lost on how to use these products in your bodyweight workouts, be sure to grab the Stay-Fit Bug Unique Bodyweight Exercises Ebook HERE There are plenty of tips there to assist you on your bodyweight workout journey. Version 2.0 is on its way soon, so make sure you grab it while it’s still at the promotional rate.

Dumbbells and Weights

How to Choose the Right Dumbbells? If you are just starting out, it can be quite confusing on which weights you should buy for your home gym. If so, checkout this post, Vinyl Weights or Cast Iron Weights? Now, although the default weights are,

• Vinyl
• Cast Iron
• Chrome

You may want to upgrade your dumbbells and invest in a pair of Powerblocks or Bowflex dumbbells. Both are good, although I do favor the Powerblocks. Why these dumbbells?

• Save space
• Easy to transport
• Easier to change weight during exercises

There are other bonuses, but those are the stand out ones. You’ll find what you need below, whichever your current needs are.

The Programs

The Books

There are so many books to choose from out there , I need some direction! It has been said that I write good articles (Thank you for those who have praised). But I am no best selling author… yet . But there are some great books out there that I have read that will help you on your bodybuilding journey. I’ve read all of these, so take your pick

Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook

Before I picked this book up, I did do a lot of searching around as there are a lot of ‘bad’ books out there and this wasn’t a usual recommendation from a friend. The first thing I noticed is that the books format is like a ‘cookbook’ and a ‘manual’ and if you are a single guy/girl or not a good cook like myself… I’d say, get this book! The authors are the main reason I like this book. They go out of their way to give step-by-step guidance on how to actually process the meals outlined properly.

Scrawny to Brawny- The Complete Guide to Building Muscle the Natural Way

Since starting this site I have talked quite a bit about going from ectomorph to a daddy mammoth. If my advice to you so far hasn’t been enough, then this is a gem you can stash away and retrieve whenever you don’t have an encouraging voice to turn to.

Tom Venuto’s -- Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle

Discover Quick And Easy Fat Torching Recipes
Designed With Simple Metabolism Boosting
Ingredients To Banish Your Boring Diet
While burning fat and building muscle Faster!

And of course, our very own…

Stayfitbug.com Unique Bodyweight Exercises Ebook

Click the image for the full low down.

And more recently…

Our Friends

Fresh Coffee

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I could have added this to the whole shock body exercise preparation series that you have all been bombarded with this week, seeing as taking supplements is a key part of taking your muscles to the next level. But I decided to give this supplement some special treatment, by giving it it’s own post.

Most important supplement you say eh? How is that so? Our bodies need a variety of supplements to enable us to build hulk size muscles!

Yes that is true. But just like all of the other secrets that I unveil here at stayfitbug.com, It has usually been sitting right under your nose the whole time. Yet I bet you don’t take enough of the stuff.

WATER!

What the hell… that’s info even a 5 year old kid would know Shaun. Rubbish post… I’m outta here!

….

But wait!

Check out this info before you decide to hit the X button. I can guarantee you I will correct your current ways. Because I can guarantee you that you are not drinking enough water… even if you think you are.

Water is so important, that I consider it a ‘supplement‘ more than just some human need.

Scientist Fact

According to Jonny Bowden’s book ‘The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth‘ and a few other scientists out there, our body is 83 percent water. Your muscles are 75 percent water. Even your brain is 74 percent water.

Since you now know that… how the hell are you going to be trying to fill your body full of some whey protein shake. Eh?

I bet your diet looks a little something like this

• Food 40%
• Shakes and snacks 40%
• Water 20%

Or something not far off from that. I like taking protein shakes and supplements as much as you do. In fact, you need supplements if your goal is to take your body to the next level. But your current ‘ways’ are just wrong.

And now for the high school science lesson.

The Benefits Of Water

• Crucial to live and survive
• Can help improve energy
• Increase mental and physical performance
• Remove various toxins and waste from your body.

But most importantly for you, is that drinking water is necessary to digest and absorb vitamins and nutrients. That means,

No water = No digesting those ‘protein shakes‘ That you love ever so much.

And you’ll have a hard time staying true to the saying,

You are what you eat

As your body won’t be very effective in converting protein into muscle.

Have I converted you to remain on this post yet? Yea… I think so!

But I’m not going to beat you up about it too much though. Because not drinking enough water is something that we all do, myself included.

Here Is a Quick Solution.

1. Drink a large glass of water with every meal
2. Carry a large bottle of water with you and make it a daily goal to finish it by the end of the day
3. Have a glass of water after every alcoholic drink when you are out partying

The third one I have been doing for years. It seemed to prove effective every time I tried to drive back home. Oops! Did I just say that well, I was sober almost every time, so not guilty!

Sure, water is far from a sexy supplement, and doing the above might even bore you to death at times. But doing so and following through with it will allow for some drastic improvements to your body, for the way it looks AND feels. And this is definitely something you will want to do if you are preparing for shock body exercises.

See you in the comments.

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When you were young, your mummy probably taught you that you must always drink 8 glasses of water a day so that you stay fit and healthy (And to have clear coloured pee).

As you got older, that would have naturally changed and drinks such as these would have poisoned your body.

• McDonalds -- Milk shakes
• Coca Cola – Fizzy drinks
• Alkopops
• Beer

If you managed to avoid all of those things, you either had pushy parents that trained you vigorously from a young age, or you have just lived in a cage all of your life and are quite simply an uncharismatic bore!

None of the above drinks are completely bad, as your body does need to be exposed to some ‘bad’ at times and there’s nothing wrong with breaking the rules.

You Enter the World of Bodybuilding

You decide that you want to build muscle and become fit and buff. Like magic, time starts to rewind itself and you start listening to mummy again and start guzzling your 8 glasses a day… again. Time passes and you find that drinking water is boring, yet you don’t want to compromise your weightlifting diet plan.

Well, now you don’t have to, as I have listed 5 tasty alternatives that will give you the same benefits of water with some extras to add.

Iced (Caffeine free) Herbal Tea

Decaf tea ‘in general’ is a great source of the fluid you need to look and feel great. Try my favorites,

• Peppermint (Morning)
• Chamomile (At night)

And you will find that they will hydrate you the same way that water does. If you get bored, just change the flavours. Simple!

Lemon Juice and Water

When life gives you a lemon… squeeze it, mix it with six ounces of distilled water and drink twice daily. Well, you don’t have to drink it twice daily, but it is a great alternative to drinking water. Lemon Juice does have some extra magic up its sleeve too.

• Prevents disease and assists in cleansing your system of impurities
• Get’s rid of indigestion, heartburn, bloating and burping.
• Helps you S**t more efficiently.

Fill a pitcher with –
Sliced cucumber, lemon slices and fresh mint. Let it steep overnight.

You can mix any variation of fresh fruits and vegetables for this and your drink will be packed with vitamins and nutrients that promote health. But this is a mix that I drink often. And as you might have guessed (knowing me)… it sure is a tasty alternative.

Chocolate milk

I covered this back Killer foods for fitness and this is still a favorite today. It is both healthy and tasty and is even better than water for hydrating your body. Chocolate milk also provides your body with the perfect balance of carbs, protein, and fat for speedy muscle recovery. But most importantly, it is a great alternative for a drink when you find yourself getting bored of drinking water.

Soup

Why soup?

The broth in soup is mostly made up of water, and since water is ‘very hydrating’ why should you not guzzle down a bowl of soup?

Although soup is a great alternative, you must make sure you drink low-sodium soup, so check the labels before hand.

Note: High-sodium soup will dehydrate you rather than hydrate you

Remember!

Although these all taste great and are cool alternatives to drinking water, the main benefit for doing this is to keep your diet plan fun and exciting. Keeping it fun and exciting is what will prevent you from cheating too much during your weightlifting workouts.

What water alternatives do you drink?

See you in the comments.

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For weeks I have been asked the question,

‘ What ingredients should I mix in my protein shakes’?

I too have asked this question to others over the years. The main concern that I had was that I didn’t want to mix and blend ingredients that could jeopardize the effectiveness of the protein supplement. After all I am into building muscle fast… I do not want to be slowing down the process.

Other than that, I did always want to make sure that the protein shake at least tasted good, as I do not believe you should be taking a disgusting tasting protein shake for the long term. That actually goes back to what I mentioned in yesterdays post. You will want to take something that you naturally enjoy in your everyday life, not just when you are in your barbarian weightlifting workout mode.

From what I have seen so far, those are some of the same concerns that you may have in regards to what you should include in your protein shake. But today I will share with you 10 great protein shake recipes that I have either stumbled upon, have been introduced to or have experimented with on my own behalf.

For all of these recipes I used Optimum Nutrition protein powder, as that is what I usually use on a regular basis. You can try others, but Gold Standard Whey is the one I know they work well with.

The Banana and Bread Shake

This one is a personal favorite. I am a fan of bananas and probably eat too many for my own good. I am also a fan of Quaker Oats porridge (and mixed with bread) which I mentioned killer foods for fitness. So it was inevitable that I would stumble upon this mix.

Ingredients:

• 2 scoops of Gold Standard Whey Protein (Banana Flavour)
• 1 Banana
• 1/2 Cup Quaker Oatmeal (cook with boiling water)
• 3/4 Cup Kellogg’s Bran Flakes
• 1 Bottle of Water
• Sugar, Brown Sugar or Artificial Sweetener to taste

Mix, blend and enjoy!

Raspberry Shake ‘Berry good’

Yesterday I spoke about buying yogurt and freezing it. This is when I got experimenting and came up with this mix.

Ingredients:

• 2 scoops of Raspberry yogurt and protein
• 4 strawberries
• 15 blueberries
• 16 ounces of non-fat milk
• 2 cups of ice cubes

Now, when I shared this with a few gym buddies they gave me the seal of approval for creative excellence. So I must have done something right… remember when I talked about the importance of having a great tasting protein shake? Well this is complimentary to that statement. In fact I would recommend to have some gym buddies get together and then serve a few of these up with umbrellas on top.

Chocolate Coffee Shake

This one is for all of you coffee and chocolate milk lovers reading this. I am a fan of food in general so I will naturally say that this tastes good.  However, I am not a fan of coffee, so it is not a favorite of mine… but it might be for you.

Ingredients:

• Mix 2 scoops of Chocolate Mint Protein
• 1 cup of skim milk
• 5 ice cubes
• 1 cup of water
• 1 spoonful of instant coffee!

Gourmet anyone?

Peanut Brittle Protein Shake

This is a ‘now’ favorite which I discovered by accident while playing around with the Vanilla flavored protein. This mimics peanut brittle only in taste. It won’t send your blood sugar soaring and it’s a fun way to get in some healthy unsaturated fat.

Ingredients:

• 2 scoops vanilla protein
• 1 tablespoon of sugar-free instant butterscotch pudding mix (Dry)
• 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter (Chunky)
• 8 oz cold water or low-fat milk.
• 3-6 ice cubes

Directions:

Just stick them all into a blender. I like to add the peanut butter in last so that it stays thick and chunky, just like the peanut brittle it is replacing.

A ‘Good morning’ Shake

This is a protein smoothie that I have had for breakfast in the past. This one was introduced to me and now with the power of referrals; I am now introducing it to you. This shake gives you a good start to the day and is high in protein, has good fats and carbs.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of pure water
• 1 big scoop of vanilla whey protein powder
• 3/4 cup of natural yogurt
• 1 banana
• 1 teaspoon of flax-seed oil
• 2 teaspoon of honey
• 1 teaspoon of spirulena

Pineapple Power

This tropical fruit is known to speed up muscle recovery and help breakdown and digest protein. But other than that… it’s lovely pineapple. Get tropical with this one.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of pineapple juice
• 3 strawberries
• 1 banana
• 1 teaspoon of yogurt
• 1 scoop of your choice of protein (Mixes well with a few)

A Stay-fit Bug Favourite*

I won’t say much about this one. Just try it!

Ingredients:

• 2 scoops of chocolate protein
• 10 Ice Cubes
• 12 oz. fat free milk
• 2 tablespoons of fat free vanilla yogurt
• 1 tablespoon of reduced fat peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons of hazelnut coffee
• 1/8 cup of caramel ice cream topping

You can add more or less caramel topping, depending on how sweet you want your shake.

Strawberry Nut Shake

For the strawberry lovers.

Ingredients:

• Mix 2 Scoops of Vanilla protein
• 1 cup of fat-free strawberry yogurt
• 6 shredded macadamia nuts.

Tropical Island Shake

Take this one to the beach.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. pure water
• 1/2 tablespoon of pineapple extract
• 1/2 tablespoon of coconut extract
• 1 tablespoon of heavy cream
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1 big scoop (1 oz) of Eggnog Protein
• Stevia or Agave to taste (optional)
• 2-3 ice cubes (optional)

The Almond Shake

Last but not least… the almonds. When go shopping and want munchies, almond rounds are always on the list, and again, I probably eat too many of those too. My obsession with them led me to experimenting with this protein shake mix.

Ingredients:

• Mix 2 Scoops of Vanilla protein
• 10-12 oz of skimmed milk
• 1.2 cup of dry oatmeal
• 1.2 cup of raisins
• 12 shredded almonds
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.

I’ve tried and tasted many protein shake recipes, but these are a handful (well… 2 handfuls) of recipes that I tasted but simply did not forget. Give these a try and I’m sure you will find a favorite.

Just in case you are new to all of this, here is a shaker for you.

Bodybuilding.com Shaker Bottle, 25 Oz.

What protein recipes have you tried?

See you in the comments.

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