Reach your goals w/ Oatmeal and Eggs

What is so great about this combination? Well for one, you’re receiving a heart warming, “Good on ya sport!” – slap on the back, approval from the health guru’s out there. It has a fantastic nutritional profile of whole grains, fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Its bullet proof for bodybuilders, athletes, and the average joe, and very suitable to fit in anyone’s fitness goals. Whether it’s to lose weight, or put on muscle, you can tweak this meal to account for your nutritional needs. 
My Oats and Eggs here consists of:
2 Eggs and 1/2 C egg Beaters (Scrambled), Steamed Broccoli, Avocado, Salsa + Hot Sauce
40g Oatmeal (Old-Rolled), Tbs Peanut Butter, Blueberries, Cinnamon, Stevia, 

So good! And so dependable too. What would your Oats and Eggs combo look like? 

Glutamine and Muscle Building.

Lets get on topic with one of the most famous supplements to claim to be essential for Muscle growth. It’s a funny thing how all these body building principles seem to be a mandatory practice at one time, and than are busted or prophesised as not necessary later on. Eating small meals, post work out carbs, BCAA’s, Training more than an hour in the gym. They’ve all received their spotlight and appraisal at one point, and Glutamine supplementation was one of them. Glutamine is a non-essential Amino Acid, meaning we are capable of synthesising it ourselves in the body. However its lately becoming recognised as a “conditionally essential amino acid”; as its depletion rate is increased by stress, and certain individuals are required to increase their Glutamine pool through diet/supplements. Prolonged stress on the body, like through resistance training, is a potential way to deplete ones Glutamine levels in the body. Why would that matter? Well Glutamine reportedly is used to stimulate muscle growth, induce bodily repair, boost growth hormone, and increase ones immune system. Glutamine is stored in large measures in muscle tissue; proposing one doesn’t provide themselves with enough rest, the Glutamine stores will more rapidly deplete. If you’re looking to build muscle, than your obviously training hard…and when one is imposing such a physical strain on the body, they are also temporarily lowering their Immune System. Our Immune Cells feed off Glutamine, and with inadequate availability of Glutamine within the body, your periods of recovery will be directed towards immune restore and potentially reluctant on muscle recovery. Glutamine is also found to increase Glycogen Synthesis, which will assist cells to store glucose/energy, and utilise it for the next training session. Along with it’s capability to stimulate protein synthesis and Growth Hormone (putting our bodies in an Anabolic state); this can account for its “repairing” properties. Glutamine’s claim to promoting muscle growth, could be linked to its repair concept, and that one is more suitable to hit the gym sooner than someone who isn’t recovering as quick. Also glutamine’s “volumisation” attribute can contribute to muscle growth, as it’ll be taken into muscle cells, causing them to swell (Like Creatine).
It seems appropriate to acknowledge Glutamine as a valuable supplement for Athletes and Body Builders. However looking at a couple studies myself, I viewed contradicting outcomes of Glutamine supplementation; where some studies certify its acclaimed benefits, and other’s report no significant findings. Consider their are discrepancies between studies; like a lack of provided measurements, unrealistic time trials, varying forms of exercise (Endurance vs Strength training) and test subjects. It can be hard to respond with a direct answer on whether Glutamine is a necessity or not.  Where do I stand on the matter? I don’t make a considerable effort to take Glutamine supplements. Meaning I don’t go out and buy a designated tub of it from Popeye’s or GNC. I’m aware that most protein powders will contain a large quantity of Glutamine, and I feel that if Glutamine was to ever be a concern to me, that I would be getting enough through that.

Night time eating influencing weight gain?

It is not a foreign topic for anyone; the behaviour of late night eating and its influence to ones weight has been an accepted concept by people for many years. As a child I remember that the supposition of eating after 8pm was a factor to weight gain. Eventually that concept was widely dismissed by many and even reportedly wrong, as now and days athletes would argue that slow digesting protein is crucial for Anabolic growth. We even developed a phase that carbohydrates at night are linked to weight gain, as their influences on the bodies insulin levels at a rested state will favour storage of fat. All the proposed answers and strategies have conveyed people to practise their principles, and eventually wither away with a new profound secret to prevent weight gain at night. Its a free world out there, you can do whatever you like and what works for you; i’m just voicing my say on the concept and share my opinion on late night eating. If you’re aware on the concept of IIFYM(If it fits your macro’s) already then you’ll understand what I mean in the next part. If not, educate yourself on the rationale of flexible dieting through internet sources. http://iifym.com/introduction-to-iifym/.
So when it comes to late night eating, what do I do? I just fill in the numbers. If I got fat and carbs still available in my macros, and its 9/10/11 @ night I still go ahead and eat them. On countless occasions I have had high carb meals, low protein meals, high fat snacks, huge caloric containing meals, etc all at night, and sometimes even literally right before bed….like in bed. If you know my diet, I thoroughly enjoy having protein pancakes at night. It’s a meal that roughly delivers 600-800 kcal, with <60carbs, and 20-25g fat. Depending on my day, mood, situation, etc, Ill eat it an hour or 2 before bed or even right in bed…Thats a lot of work for you digestive system to encounter during a phase of rest and reduced metabolic activity, however its still all a matter of calories in vs calories out that decides weight gain/loss. I’ve done the above eating ritual countless times and still come out lighter on the scale by the end of the week because I still kept my calories below my caloric need. To sum up my point, I personally don’t believe that late night eating will make you fat. Whether you’re eating carbs, fat, clean/unclean, light or heavy meals…as long as your within your macros, you still have complete control over your weight.

Training fasted promotes muscle gains!

The decision to train fasted (I.e upon waking up) is normally based on ones preference. Some people can train just fine or even at their best on an empty stomach; while other’s need some form of energy intake to fuel their workout. Considerably it is what works best for you. Many, like myself, follow a ritual of consuming either a shake or a meal that contains carbs and protein to fuel our workouts and optimise our gains by having AA’s and Glucose readily available for the intensive session. However, would a fasted individual have the potential for growing more muscle than someone who consumed a form of fast digesting carbs and complete protein prior to training? A majority of us have heard of BCAA’s, and their role in promoting Protein Synthesis/Anabolism and suppressive Protein Turnover/Catabolism. BCAA oxidation is regulated within the mitochondria by the “Branched-Chain α-keto acid Dehydrogenase Complex” (BCKDH); it is activated through Phosphorylation and also deactivated through De-Phosphylation of the complex by “BCKDH Kinase”.  The rate of BCAA utilisation is dependent on this regulation. Leucine is one of the BCAA’s that acts upon promoting muscle-protein synthesis by directly signalling the cell’s to undergo translation that initiate protein synthesis within the body.  Now exercise is already a proven way to down regulate BCKDH Kinase activity, which will promote the Oxidation of BCAA’s (Leucine) and in turn promote muscle protein synthesis. But what else can causes inhibition of the Kinase Complex, and thus contributes to signalling protein synthesis? Fatty Acid oxidation. A study conducted showed positive results in inhibited BCKDH Kinase activity in fasted subjects. Another study reviewed the oxidation rates of Leucine in subjects consuming various macronutrients (Fat, Carbs, and Protein), and again results showed that higher oxidation levels of Leucine in the subjects that just consumed Fat, and the subjects that just consumed Protein. A down regulation of Leucine oxidation was shown in the Carb consumed subjects, as Glycolysis was capable of commencing with the availability of the Carbohydrates; suppressing the bodies need to oxidise fats for energy. What we can take from the research is that during the process of elevated Fat oxidation, there is also an elevation of BCAA oxidation. It may be beneficial for you next time to take your BCAA’s in a fasted state before going to the gym, or just consuming a source of protein such as whey prior to exercising. I would also be optimistic that the combination of taking BCAA’s along with L-Carnitine or ALA (Alpha Lipolic Acid, which has only really shown positive results in increase fat metabolism in mice, but if you’re a believer in its effects… than all the power to yeah) since these supplements report increased Fatty Acid metabolism in organisms.