Category: Nutrition

5 Simple Tips That Will Help You WIN Everyday And Keep Stress At Bay

If you find yourself in stress and overwhelm, here are five simple things you can do to immediately break out and get back on track.

Let’s dive in.

#1: Move Your Body

Get your blood flowing with a quick workout or just go outside for a brisk walk.

The point is to move and change your state of being. This works wonders and will always work wonders. Movement of your body moves your mind. Deliberate movement will trigger a different state of being. Do 25 jumping jacks quickly and your body chemistry will change. And so will your mood. Immediately.

#2: Better Nutrition

Fuel your body with better nutrition.

Processed foods high in carbs and fat won’t do you any favors. Think meat and veggies, some fruit and nuts, and minimize processed carbs. Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day.

#3: Recovery & Sleep

You can’t expect to be your best when your sleep sucks.

Your body recovers and repairs itself when you sleep. Restful sleep is a free performance enhancer. And so many people don’t pay enough attention to it. You get to practice it every night, so get real good at it and it will pay you back tenfold. How? Feeling refreshed and invigorated when you wake up everyday. It’s possible.

#4: Build Your Circle

Who do you hang out with?

Your circle of friends will have an impact on your life, no doubt. Good friends support, encourage, inspire, and love one another. Take a look at your circle of friends. Do you see a positive future with them or do they spread negative energy? Make the choice to build up your circle of friends and be grateful you have them in your life. An amazing friend group can enhance your life.

#5: Feed Your Mind

You’re getting influenced everyday whether you realize it or not.

Take control of your “inputs” so you can get the right “outputs.” Reading positive things and consuming content and information that enriches your life is key. Negativity will leave a mark in you if you constantly consume it. Feed your mind with abundant thoughts and expectations and they will reveal itself in your life, always.

Keep it simple and execute. This is your life. Circle back to these five tips whenever you feel stressed or overwhelmed. You’ve got this!

Let’s Talk About Creatine

You’d be hard pressed to find a dietary supplement that has safely helped more people pack on muscle and increase performance than creatine. In fact, when it first broke onto the market, the first company offering creatine to the masses ran some rather infamous ads comparing its power to banned and illegal anabolic substances!

The ads were only partly true – creatine does offer the strength and muscle gains of some of the less potent versions of these things, but it does so in a way that doesn’t wreck your hormonal levels or otherwise endanger your health. Creatine is both legal and safe.

What is creatine?

Creatine is an amino acid (amino acids are the building blocks of protein) which is made in the body by the liver and kidneys and is derived from the diet through meat and animal products. Creatine (creatine monohydrate) is a colorless, crystalline substance used in muscle tissue for the production of phosphocreatine, an important factor in the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the source of energy for muscle contractions and many other functions in the body.

What does creatine normally do in the body?

In the body, creatine is changed into a molecule called “phosphocreatine” which serves as a storage reservoir for quick energy. Phosphocreatine is especially important in tissues such as the voluntary muscles and the nervous system which periodically require large amounts of energy.

Why do athletes take creatine?

Studies have shown that creatine can increase the performance of athletes in activities that require quick bursts of energy, such as sprinting, and can help athletes to recover faster after expending bursts of energy. It helps increase muscle mass, more so than muscle endurance, so it’s not well suited for athletes participating in long, slow, endurance activities. However, the increase in muscle mass may be due to water retention and not an increase in muscle tissue.

I want to start taking creatine — is it safe?

For the most part, athletes haven’t experienced adverse side-effects from taking creatine. No consistent toxicity has been reported in studies of creatine supplementation.

There are a few inside tips you should definitely be aware of when you decide to take creatine. These will absolutely maximize your results with the supplement.

To Load or Not to Load?

There’s some debate among fitness experts, diet gurus and top trainers on whether it’s necessary to creatine load – meaning should you take a higher dose of creatine for a short period of time to quickly raise your creatine levels before going down to a maintenance dose.

My thoughts? In the early days of creatine use it became the thing to do when using the supplement. But as technological advancements have been made in the area of creatine absorption it is not necessary to preload anymore.

Is this written in stone? No. It’s possible you may respond just as well with loading creatine. Try out both methods and compare your results, to see what’s best for you. I have a feeling you will join me in becoming a believer in non-creatine loading though – nearly everyone I’ve ever trained has seen equal results following this protocol! But then again, I do cycle creatine regularly throughout the year.

Stay Hydrated.

It is VERY important to stay hydrated when you are using creatine. Think a gallon of water for a full grown male a day. If you neglect staying hydrated you may well end up experiencing muscle cramps or other issues. Avoid them by drinking enough water.

Cycle On and Off Creatine.

It’s a good idea to cycle off creatine every twelve weeks or so and staying off for three or four weeks. Creatine is safe and side effect free for the vast majority of people, but it is also something that you probably want to take a break from just to give your body a rest from time to time. This is a rule for really every supplement you’re taking apart from protein powder.

On the Various Creatines.

Let’s be clear: all the most reputable studies in the lab and out on creatine have featured creatine monohydrate.

Creatine monohydrate is also the least expensive form of creatine on the market, but also it has proven in some cases to leave the body bloated and cause some users stomach cramps. The new forms like creatine ethyl ester have been engineered to not cause these effects, so are definitely worth a look.

If you are looking to get stronger and put on muscle, use creatine following these tips and You WILL get bigger and stronger fast! Nothing else will give you as much bang for the buck over the counter.

I created a “greens” supplement (we all know these greens superfood supplements are healthy), but I added 5 grams of Creatine Monohydrate and 3 grams of BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids) to the mix.

It’s the first greens supplement on the market with added Creatine and BCAAs!

And it’s called Powerhouse Greens. Yes, I take it daily and I’d love for you to try it out too.

Listen, there’s no risk to you. 100% Money-back guarantee if you don’t like it. Use it for 30 days and see and feel for yourself.

 

#ChubbyBuff 🤣

This post is for guys over 40…

#ChubbyBuff.

It might be a term I coined or not, but it sums up what I observe at the gym and just out and about.

You know, it’s a guy who works out, knows what he’s doing, has a solid physique, has developed muscles, but he’s also carrying like 18+%.

Listen, I’m not throwing stones because I’m like that too 🤣.

He’s buff, but he’s all smooth looking. Looks kinda jacked in clothes, but his belly pokes out further than his chest lol.

You know what I’m talking about.

At one point I’m sure all these dudes were buff and LEAN.

And for many, over the years they slowly put on bodyfat. BUT, their dedication to training remained. OR, at least they’re picking their training back up (it’s the eating that they haven’t dialed in.)

But here’s why I bring up #ChubbyBuff.

First it’s just funny. Again, I’m not casting stones because I’m that dude right now. And now that I say it, you’re going to notice it at your gym too.

But here’s my backstory on it.

I competed in bodybuilding long ago. Like, I stopped competing before many of these Instagram physique influencers were even born (whoa).

So my view or level of being lean is a lot different since I’m looking through a different lens with a different story than most.

BUT,  #ChubbyBuff still remains the same…

An older dude who has good developed muscle, but just carrying too much bodyfat to be lumped into that aesthetically pleasing category ha ha.

Look, there’s no shaming here.  I’m talking to the guys around my age who are looking to break out of the #chubbybuff phase and onto something that you may have a desire for…

Looking better, feeling better, and packaging all that into a lean, healthy, and buff body.

Now for all this to happen, you’ll need a shift in your mindset.

If you just want to get a little better than you are now, then you can stop reading.

Like I said earlier, this message is geared for 40+ year old guys. Why?

Well as you know, dropping bodyfat is a lot harder as you get older. I know. I’m with you. I’ve experienced and am experiencing it.

That saying that you can’t out-train a bad diet… well you can when you’re in your 20s. And in your 30s you can kinda make it work if you’re genetically gifted, but it sets the stage for getting wrecked later.

And in your 40s, forget about it!

The amount of crazy volume you need to do would wreak havoc on your joints.

In our 40s we have to train smarter and structured (if you want to sustain fitness in your 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond).

It has to be part of your identity to BE fit in every way. Health, wealth, and relationships, baby!

When you feel good and look good, it’s easier to “show up” and BE your best in all these aspects.

And again, I’m talking beyond sets and reps, and eating a little better here.

Those of you who can identify with #ChubbyBuff right now, I want to take you over the line with me. Mix it up, get lean, show up, live well.

If you want a transformation, a new identity that not only develops a strong, lean body, but creates an unstoppable force of productivity and impact on others, let’s be friends.

I want you in my circle.

Cool?

Join me as I start the next coaching round of my Cyclical Ketogenic Dieting program. (Starts February 14, 2022) – Program is open year round, but we occasionally have group starts. You can start any time.

Follow me on Instagram – https://instagram.com/iamrichardrigor

Jump on my newsletter – https://RigorousFit.com

👊🏼

My 21-Day Protein Sparing Modified Fast

Starting January 9th, 2022, I’m doing a 21-Day Prayer and Fasting with my Church.

For the fasting portion, it can actually be any type of fast – complete fast, selective fast, partial fast,  etc.

I’m choosing to do this protein-sparing modified fast (PSMF). It’ll be around 1,000 calories or less daily. The last time I did a “fast” similar to this was during my competitive bodybuilding days.

At 1,000 calories, I am definitely going to supplement and anyone else should too if they’re going to do this.

A one-a-day vitamin isn’t going to cut it (it never does).

I use my Power House Greens supplement which I recommend to everyone athletic as their base supplementation (regardless of diet, even if you’re cutting, bulking, or maintaining). It contains 5 grams of creatine, 11 greens superfoods, and 3 grams of BCAAs.

I’ll also be using Mind Power Preworkout on some days. It helps with appetite control, keeps you focused, kicks in a little energy, mood enhancement, and mental clarity.

For the protein shakes, I’ll be using a whey protein and I’ll actually make my shakes out to about 50-60 grams of protein each. And I’ll have two of these a day. In addition to these shakes, I’ll also be taking desiccated liver tablets. An old school bodybuilding supplement I used back in the day during intense contest prep. (Helps with lean muscle mass.)

I’ll drink water throughout the day and black coffee too. I’ll occasionally put MCT oil or cream and/or sometimes butter in my coffee, but be sure to watch overall calorie intake.

And I’ll have a salad at the end of the day. Mainly for roughage and the need for me to actually crunch on something haha. I’m going to minimize the dressing too.

So my daily routine will look something like this:

  • Wake up, drink 20 ounces of water with a pinch of sea salt
  • Pray and gratitude, drink coffee
  • Work
  • Mid-morning protein shake mixed with Power House Greens
  • Do more work
  • Take Mind Power, then workout
  • Salad for dinner
  • My second shake will be an hour before bed OR I’ll take it mid-afternoon

Click to Myyndset to get your Power House Greens (strongly recommended if you do this very low-calorie PSMF).

Let me know if you have any questions.

Let’s see what this 21-Days of Prayer and Fasting brings as far as what you’ll experience during this time!

 

How Much Protein Should You Consume?

1gramofProtein

People want to get leaner, stronger, faster, and look better, but they don’t consistently do what’s needed to get there. Sometimes it’s just too much info at once and they don’t know where to start. They get buckled down by overwhelm.

Well, here’s a directive for you. Eat 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. 

(Here’s my “new” thing as of late. Directives. Straight, simplified instruction, without any fluff. It’s a do this, do that, get results methodology. Start simple. We could always add layers of complexity and detail. But whatever it is you do, you have to start and make it simple to do so.)

Your main focus is to hit that goal above for three weeks straight without fail. And I promise you’ll notice a huge difference in your physique.

This is the single biggest habit you can do with your nutrition to “move the needle” with regards to a change in your physique (assuming you’re already working out consistently).

You can consume half your protein intake with shakes, that’s fine, but no more than half. You need to eat chicken, red meat, fish, eggs, etc. Do it. Get it done. Daily.