Healthy Change: Wouldn’t we all like to have more energy, be in less pain and feel happier? Developing a healthy lifestyle can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’ve decided that it’s finally time to improve your health and wellbeing, here are six simple ways to do so. And also you can control diarrhea problems.

Sit Up Straight

Let us start with the basics – improving your posture. A lot of us have been working from home for a while now and it looks like we will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. How many hours do you spend in front of your computer, hunched over your desk in an uncomfortable chair? Adopt a better sitting position, buy yourself an ergonomically suitable chair, and make sure to take regular breaks to get some movement in. Your back, and the rest of your body, will thank you for it.

Replace Soda with Water

Sugar might give you temporary energy but, in the long run, and in large amounts, it will not be doing your health, your mood, or your teeth any good. Instead, hydrate yourself with water. Drink a large glass first thing in the morning, and continue doing so during the day, making sure to get at least the recommended amount for your height, weight, and age. Try adding a slice of lemon or lime to your water bottle if you’re someone who struggles with the bland taste.

Re-Think Your Diet

Food fuels us, and what we put in our bodies really matters. Take a long look at yourself and consider how much processed food you eat daily compared with how much fresh fruit and vegetables you consume. There’s no need to exclude certain food groups in your new diet plan – just make an effort to focus on the healthier options such as signing up to a keto meal prep service and there won’t be any space left for what makes you feel bad, tired, and bloated.

Get an Electric Bike

High-impact, high-intensity sports and gym workouts might not be your thing; they are definitely not for everyone. Maybe even going for a regular jog or bike ride feels too much. If that’s the case, there’s an easy solution to kill two birds with one stone – a way to get more active and spend more time outside daily. The answer? Buy an electric bike. E-bikes are ideal for light activity, which can be just as beneficial as a gym session, and for getting plenty of vitamin D and spending time in nature. You can even look in stores and online for accessories like helmets, lights for night-time rides, and baskets for carrying your personal items. You can also choose additional items to improve your experience and customize your ride.

Healthy Change: Download a Meditation App

Stress is more dangerous than most of us realize, so it is important that you take some time out of your day to de-stress and relax. There are a lot of apps available with guided meditation sessions for the inexperienced and easily distracted, so there’s no excuse not to learn.

Healthy Lifestyle: Get Enough Sleep

Healthy Change: Eight hours of sleep a night is crucial to feel well-rested and clear-headed, and getting enough sleep will impact every aspect of your life, health, and mood. If you know what time you need to get up, set yourself a bedtime at least eight hours earlier. Turn off all devices and refrain from sugary foods to allow your body to fall asleep easier. The difference you’ll feel after sleeping soundly for a couple of nights in a row will literally be life-changing.

Kratom has become quite a popular herb, but many people still think there are just a few ways to consume it. The truth is that you can consume kratom in many different ways, some allowing the effects to kick in faster, while others are better at masking the herb’s bitter flavor.

But is kratom legal in California? Unless you live in San Diego, you can buy and use kratom legally in the Golden State. With that in mind, check out the top ways to use kratom.

1. Chewing Fresh Leaves

People in Southeast Asia have been chewing kratom leaves for centuries, way before anyone processed them to make various products.

Chewing fresh kratom leaves provides almost immediate effects, but it’s not for everyone. If you’re sensitive to bitterness or simply don’t like anything with a bitter flavor, then you’re probably better off with anything else on this list.

2. Drinking Kratom Tea

Drinking Kratom tea is one of the most popular ways to consume this tropical evergreen herb. You can use either dried leaves or powder to enjoy the benefits of kratom tea.

Whichever you use, add lemon juice or a lemon slice and boil it in water for about 30 minutes before straining out the lumps. You can sweeten the tea with honey to mask the bitter flavor.

3. Making Kratom Yogurt

Many like mixing kratom powder with dairy products, including yogurt, milk, cream, butter, and cheese. Yogurt might be the best choice, especially flavored yogurt, as it masks the bitter taste perfectly.

You don’t need any recipe to mix yogurt and kratom. Simply add a pinch of powder to your favorite yogurt, and you’ll be good to go.

4. Infusing Juices with Kratom Powder

Juices are another excellent way to consume kratom. Most people like to combine kratom powder with acidic juices to make the alkaloids found in kratom leaves more soluble, thus enhancing the effects.

But it doesn’t matter which fruits or vegetables you use because you’ll still enjoy kratom’s therapeutic effects if you mix kratom powder with all the ingredients.

5. Mixing Kratom Smoothies and Lattes

Smoothies and lattes are fantastic for kratom, as they can almost eliminate its bitter flavor. Try using coconut milk, which will make your latte or smoothie taste delicious.

Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and almonds are great choices for a smoothie, but you can go with anything, really. Don’t forget to add a banana to your blender, as it will stimulate the production of dopamine and work great with kratom.

6. Using the Toss-and-Wash Method

Like chewing leaves, the so-called toss-and-wash method of consuming kratom isn’t for everyone. It involves “tossing” kratom powder into your mouth and washing it with water, juice, or any other beverage.

It’s not exactly pleasant, but it does help you experience the potential health benefits of kratom faster. If you have a sensitive gag reflex, you might not want to try it.

7. Eating Kratom Gummies

Kratom gummies are quite a fun way to consume kratom without worrying about its bitterness. Lots of vendors offer gummies in a wide range of flavors, so you have many options to choose from.

Just be careful not to eat too many. Depending on the kratom concentration, a couple of gummies per serving should do the trick.

8. Spicing Food with Kratom Powder

When mixing food with kratom, you have an abundance of possibilities.

You can add kratom powder to the oatmeal you eat for breakfast, to an apple sauce with a dash of cinnamon, to pastries, cookies, chocolate or vanilla pudding, and even to various salads. If you add it to salads, combine it with a sauce to mask its bitter taste.

9. Consuming a Kratom Tincture

Kratom tinctures are another popular way to experience this herb’s benefits. They’re administered sublingually, that is, under the tongue, which allows for the effects to kick in almost immediately.

The effects are also more potent with tinctures, so use just a few drops. You can always increase the dosage if needed, but the key is to start small. If you do increase it, make sure you don’t go over the recommended dosage. Check the label, read the instructions, and stick to them.

10. Taking Kratom Capsules or Tablets

Almost every kratom provider offers kratom capsules and/or tablets. They’re the easiest way to consume it and the best way to avoid the bitter flavor.

Keep in mind that the effects are delayed, so don’t increase your dosage right away. Wait about half an hour to start noticing the difference.

Conclusion

If you try any fun ways to consume kratom, don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Kratom can have diuretic effects, so you’ll need to keep your body hydrated. Make sure you learn about potential side effects, too, and use kratom responsibly.

Quit Smoking Benefits: As you may be aware, smoking has a number of negative effects on your health. The various chemicals and nicotine are not good for you.

As we progress through this article, we will cover some of the best ways you can quit smoking, as well as the myriad of benefits in doing so.

How to quit smoking?

1. Exercise

Research has shown us that exercise can really help in reducing your cravings for smoking.

2. Stop smoking treatment

When it comes to treatments to quit smoking, there are several treatment options that can be considered. Some of the treatments include Nicorette and Champix. When considering the reviews from people who have used the treatments, it is evident that the treatments are extremely effective in helping an individual to stop smoking. There is a range of factors that it is down to. An example being, the craving for nicotine considerably reduces and the pleasurable effects experienced from smoking subside. If you would like to view a full range of treatment options to quit smoking, you can visit Pharmica.

3. Get support

Support from friends and family can really be helpful in equipping you with super motivation, as well as getting encouragement. Moreover, they could also help in sharing with you strategies on how you can improve your process of quitting smoking, more so if a friend has gone through the journey of quitting smoking.

Key Benefits After Quitting Smoking

1. Chances of getting cancer are greatly reduced

Once you have quit smoking, the chances of getting different types of cancer reduce.

2. Improvement in your appearance

After quitting smoking, the rusty coating that has built up on your hands and teeth will start to wear down and finally stop. Also, your blood flow will improve, which will help in giving your face a nice glow.

3. Heart problems reduce

By quitting smoking it can help in reducing your chances of getting cardiovascular disease.

By quitting smoking, the benefits are extraordinary. Take some action now and quit smoking.

Lectins are sugar-binding proteins that are found in plants, animals and microorganisms. They can be distinguished as glycoproteins or heteroglycans depending on their combined structure.

In actual, lectins act as an important defense mechanism for plant seeds, protecting them from consumption and germination by predators.

What Do Lectins Do?

Lectins have a wide variety of functions, including:

• Protection from predators – Most plant seeds are coated in an outer layer of lectins, protecting them from consumption by animals and germination in the digestive tract.
• Immune system modulators – Some types of lectins can alter our immune responses to certain foods and substances, leading to either heightened or reduced symptoms upon consumption. They can also have a protective effect on the immune system, helping to keep it working at top capacity.
• Adhesion molecules – Some lectins bind with cell membranes and act as adhesion molecules, allowing the cells to stick together in certain locations throughout the body.
• Glycoproteins– Some lectin proteins contain sugar chains and can be distinguished as glycoproteins. They are sometimes added to foods, such as in candy bars, in order to improve texture or taste.

Types of Lectins

There are different varieties of lectins that include:

• Hemagglutinins – These lectins play a role in blood clotting and are found in animal tissues. Examples of hemagglutinins include, lectin found in red kidney beans.
• Phytohemagglutinins– Most commonly found in uncooked or undercooked plant seeds, phytohemagglutinin is known to cause vomiting and nausea in humans upon consumption. Examples of foods containing phytohemagglutinins include, soy, kidney beans, peanuts and red kidney beans.
• Lectins from plants – Most lectin-containing plants are not edible for humans due to their harmful effects on the digestive system. These include poison ivy, poison sumac, red kidney beans and castor beans.
• Lectins from animals – Some animal-derived lectin varieties are also insoluble in water and can alter immune function and the digestive system. These include fish, shellfish, insects and crustaceans such as crab.

6 Foods That are High in Lectins and You Should Avoid

Some of the most common foods high in lectins include wheat, soy and legumes. They are generally found in undercooked or raw forms of these foods.

• Wheat Lectin–Wheat is known to be one of the highest food sources for lectins. The largest concentration of harmful wheat lectin can be found in the germ of the wheat seed. The best way to reduce contamination from harmful wheat lectin is to remove the germ before consuming any bread products made with flour.
• Soybeans –Soybeans are also a significant source of fairly harmful lectins in our diets. In order to minimize the effects of soybean lectins, it is best to ferment the soybeans prior to consumption.
• Dairy Products –One of the most surprising sources for lectins in our diet is dairy, especially raw milk and cheese. Raw milk is a great source for harmful lectin known as butyric acid or BCM-7.
• Legumes –Legumes are also a significant food source for lectins, especially white beans and red kidney beans. Mature dry soybeans are also a decent source of harmful lectins to be aware of in our diets.
• Raw Potatoes –Potatoes contain lectins that could potentially be harmful to your health. Raw potatoes in particular with their skin seem to have higher levels of these substances, which haven’t been studied enough yet for us to know whether they’re a danger or not when consumed.
• Nuts and Seeds –Excluding grains, there is not much evidence to suggest that humans are sensitive to the types of lectins in tree nuts and most flowering seeds.

Why You Should Avoid The Foods with High Lectins?

Foods high in lectins are a problem for the majority of people and it is one of the many reasons why people need to incorporate an anti-inflammatory diet into their lifestyle.

As already mentioned above, lectins are found in legumes, grains, dairy and vegetables.

Not all lectins cause us problems when we eat them. However, some lectins are very problematic and cause us a lot of digestive distress.

Lectins are proteins that plants use to defend themselves against predators.

Our bodies don’t recognize these proteins as food and therefore they do not get digested as most other foods do.

Instead, they bind to the lining in our intestines which causes irritation to our gut and also causes many other health problems.

Dr. Ben Kim and his team of researchers have made significant progress in discovering the major nutrient triggers associated with inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

The research has revealed that a diet rich in whole plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains may reduce the risk of developing inflammatory bowel diseases.

However, there are certain lectin rich foods that have been shown to trigger inflammation in the gut and other parts of the body. These include: soy beans, kidney beans, black beans, peanuts and matasan peas.

• Damages Protective Gut Lining

The primary reason why we should make an effort to avoid these foods in our diet is because they have been shown to damage the protective gut lining, which results in poor absorption of certain nutrients and can contribute to the development of various health problems.

• Lectins and Gut-Brain Connection

One of the keys to understanding why some lectins are harmful to our health is through the gut-brain connection.

The gut sends messages to the brain about what we eat throughout our day via hormones and other chemical reactions, and this process can be affected by damaging lectins that cause inflammation in the body.

• Lectins and Immune System

The immune system has a tough time dealing with lectins due to their characteristics, which include: being sticky and hard to digest.

In many cases, the body may respond to lectins by sending out white blood cells and antibodies in an attempt to fight them off.

However, if too many of these proteins are consumed on a regular basis, this can lead to significant damage and plenty of health problems as a result.

How Do Lectins Affect Our Health?

Our bodies are not able to easily digest lectins because they are designed by nature to be difficult for us to eliminate from our systems.

This makes it easy for many lectin proteins to get stuck in the gut, where they may cause significant amounts of damage over time.

The immune system becomes a key player here as well because lectins can also contribute to inflammation in the gut and other parts of the body.

When small amounts of lectins are consumed, our immune system may not respond too aggressively or be able to eliminate them from the body.

It is only when a large amount of lectins enter the digestive tract that inflammatory effects can occur.

Dr. Ben Kim’s research has found that many of the foods on the above list are also rich in lectins.

For example, soy beans contain a harmful type of lectin known as trypsin-like inhibitors, which have been shown to cause cancer and growth problems in animals.

Black beans contain phytohaemagglutinin, which has been shown to damage human cells in a test tube and lead to bleeding from the gut.

Is There Anything We Can Do To Protect Ourselves?

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways we can stop these harmful lectins from entering the body.

One of the most effective methods involves simply knowing how to prepare foods properly.

For example, it is important to make sure that you remove the seeds and skin from certain plant-based foods such as kidney beans, peanuts and black beans.

Also, most lectins become heat sensitive when they reach boiling temperatures, which means you should take extra care to wash your food properly.

Another effective method involves paying attention to your caloric intake.

Consuming too many calories may lead to digestive problems and more inflammation in the gut.

Avoid eating large portions of lectin-rich foods, such as peanut butter, at any given meal if you want to avoid triggering an immune response in your body.

You should also consider taking supplements during times when you consume high amounts of lectins. Some good options include the following:

• Activated charcoal – One study found that activated charcoal protected against damage caused by lectin protein consumption (10). This substance is sometimes used in emergency rooms to help treat drug overdoses and poisoning cases (11).
• Vitamin C – Human studies have shown that vitamin C can help counteract the negative effects of lectins on gut health (12).
• Coconut oil – One animal study found that coconut oil could help protect against damage caused by lectins in the gut lining (13, 14).

Last but not least, make sure you get plenty of exercise every day.

This will help to improve gut health and keep your immune system working at full capacity.

The best form of exercise is to take long, slow walks every day. These will improve the circulation of oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.

Tips to Avoid Foods High in Lectins

Apply these tips in your life to avoid the foods that are high in lectins, so you may lead a healthy lifestyle:

• If you have digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, try avoiding all legumes (beans, peas), any kinds of grains (corn, wheat) dairy products and nuts for a week.
• After a week of avoiding these foods, reintroduce one food at a time and then see how you feel. Do not eat any other foods during this test period because it is important to know what the reaction will be due to lectins alone.
• Once you have identified the particular food that causes digestive distress for you, avoid that food totally.
• Eat only the following foods that are known to be low in lectins: beef, poultry, fish and eggs. (These four types of meat are good sources of protein without all the additional digestive distress from lectins). You can eat as many vegetables as you want, but stick to non-starchy veggies such as: asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower.
• Try to eat organic foods whenever possible since it is important to eliminate pesticides from your diet.
• Eat lots of healthy fats such as avocado oil, macadamia oil and olive oil which are all beneficial to good health. Eliminating it from your diet is an important step in healing your gut. Choose a healthy alternative to beans such as Mung Bean Hummus or cook with canned coconut milk instead of cream or whole milk. Use ¼ cup coconut oil when you cook instead of butter. Eat avocados, olives and nuts sparingly because they are still high in lectins.
• All foods can cause some level of digestive distress for most people. However, it is important to know the effects that lectins have on our bodies and reduce them from our diet whenever possible. In addition to lectins, there are many other inflammatory foods that you should try eliminating from your diet such as: sugar, dairy, gluten, soy and corn.
• These foods are inflammatory to the body and can cause many health problems in the long run. Eating whole foods in their natural state is very important for good health and nutrient absorption. This includes fruits, vegetables, eggs/meat (especially grass-fed), fish and nuts.

Conclusion

Avoiding the foods that are high in lectins will enable you to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

We really hope the above guide will have helped you out in understanding about it, why and how to avoid these food sources which are high in lectins.

What are your thoughts on this topic, share with us in comments section?

Natural Products: Young consumers are turning towards Weedsmart due to heightened environmental awareness. Everyone likes to access products having greater transparency and effectiveness without suffering from adverse effects. So, most consumers search for the origin of the products they purchase, their ingredients, and their effects on the body. With this lifestyle shift, you can see changes happening in several industries. The food industry favors additive-free, non-GMO products.

In contrast, natural consumer industries such as household products, baby care, personal care, and cosmetics have transitioned their product offering to meet the new generation of customers’ demands. But, making a switch to natural products to follow the current trends sounds unconvincing, isn’t it? Here are some of the compelling reasons why such a transition is beneficial for your health in the long run.

1. Natural And Organic Care

Conventional products usually contain a high concentration of toxic materials or use chemicals for their cultivation. While the use of such toxic products for cultivation is regulated, such products can trigger harmful effects on your health. Organic products contain no such harmful ingredients. It uses no chemicals or hormones that can affect your health in the long run. It contains substances derived from natural sources.

The organic and biodegradable ingredients in the organic products assure the consumers regarding the product’s high quality, authenticity, and origin. Incidentally, these products offer natural protection and keep your well-being in check. Most of these natural products are a recreation of nature that works in perfect harmony with your body.

Are you still not convinced? Take the example of CBD products. Today, you can find CBD in different forms, such as Sunday Scaries gummies, oil, tinctures, and other personal care products. The holistic CBD range has become a big hit due to its promising effects on overall health without any side effects. It is forecasted that CBD products can become immensely popular in the coming years. The potential benefits offered by phytocannabinoids have made it the most sought-after brand. CBD brands have penetrated deep into the life with the following products:

● CBD skincare range that may offer anti-inflammatory effects on the skin cells.
● CBD Topicals and edibles that may reduce pain and swelling.
● The use of CBD-infused drinks and food can support overall health.
● Vaporizers that may ease mental issues such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia

2. Sustainable Approach To Manufacture Organic Products

Farmers follow conventional methods to produce non-organic products. These methods involve the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Such actions can endanger soil stability and increase the threat to wildlife habitats. When you make a switch to natural and organic products, you are encouraging sustainability and eco-friendliness. Organic cosmetic manufacturers maintain caution in the following areas:

Eco-friendly Procurement

Organic products come from the cultivation of plants or flowers. The sustainable production of organic ingredients occurs due to methods such as biodynamic agriculture or crop rotation. Sustainable sourcing and procurement of raw materials for organic products help preserve biodiversity.

Maintaining Sustainability While Packaging

We all like the products we purchase to have attractive packaging. It is one of the features tempting the customer to buy the product. But, the usual packaging methods adopted by the companies can only harm the environment. The use of plastics or non-biodegradable materials increases the risk of pollution. When you choose organic products, you can prevent such worries. Why? Because they use packaging materials that will never harm nature. Innovative concepts like the use of recycled materials or refilling options can minimize the harm to the ecosystem.

No After-Impact On Environment

Nobody thinks about the after-impact of using non-organic products on the environment. Residues of synthetic products can end up in the water sources, soil, and air. It results in affecting human and animal life. For example, do you know that many cosmetics, especially toothpaste and cleansers, contain microbeads? Manufacturers advertise these microbeads as cleaning agents. These small, solid, and non-biodegradable plastic particles can harm aquatic life when they end up in lakes and oceans. It is not limited to cosmetics alone, as non-organic products that penetrate different aspects of our lives can pollute the natural surroundings. Organic products do not contain any non-biodegradable materials. So, when you choose to buy natural products, you become a part of the force trying to safeguard the earth by preventing pollution.

3. Fulfill Your Ethical And Social Commitments

Most of the conventional skincare and cosmetic range comes from multinational companies. By buying them, you make a successful establishment rake more money. Natural cosmetics and skincare brands are usually SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises). Hence, such enterprises operate at a local, regional, or national level. Such SMEs have shorter supply chains. They also try to establish a personal connection with the customers. Hence, purchasing products from them encourage an authentic brand with sustainability.

How does it ensure you can fulfill the social commitments? Most of these SMEs source ingredients from the local farming communities. A partnership exists between such brands and local farmers. Such ethical collaborations support the economic and social development of the local farming communities. To source natural resources from specific plants and flowers ethically, the brand establishes partnerships. These cultivation projects support the development of such communities.

Conclusion

The products you use can have long-term and short-term effects on your health. Using products laden with chemicals and unnatural products can only harm your overall health in the long run. Hence, make a healthy switch to natural products. The benefits of such a switch are multifold. It prevents any adverse effects on your health while preserving the environment. It is a sustainable option that also helps your local community. While choosing an organic brand, make sure you research it. A good reputation points to high-quality products manufactured without harming the environment. A simple decision to make a switch can have a positive impact on the Earth. Take small steps for a progressive change. Become a part of this change today!

Before you go to the gym, it’s good to prepare by eating some food. However, choosing the wrong meal may make it hard for you to work out, thus sabotaging your progress. How would it feel when you have a stomachache after a serious workout? It’s such a wearisome feeling but can be avoided.

If you consume foods and drinks carelessly before a workout session, you could damage your body system and cause cramps.

Avoid the following foods before the gym

Flaxseed

Too much fiber will make your stomach gassy and bloated-flaxseed is rich in fiber. Consuming much of this will hamper your workout routine. Specialists recommend that people should not consume high-fiber foods two hours before or after a workout. You also should avoid high-fibre foods like vegetable salads and other supplements. You’d instead choose something containing carbohydrates and proteins.

Protein bars

There are so many protein bars popular in most supermarkets. That shouldn’t fool you. Those bars contain lots of calories and minimal protein-same as a bar of chocolate. Thus you must carefully check the protein bar you’re buying. If it contains more than 10 grams of protein, it could easily lower your blood sugar levels and make you feel tired faster. The nutrition table on the packaging should guide you when choosing a protein bar.

Fast foods

Yes, you need carbohydrates and proteins before you go to the gym-but. That doesn’t mean you grab the burgers and fries at your nearest restaurant. Junk foods are rich in fats and need a minimum of four hours to be digested. When food is digested, the heart is focused on pumping more blood to your stomach to help in that process. During that time, blood flow to the muscles reduces, which could impair your workout. Avoid fast foods and those snacks like almonds, cheese, and such that will make you sluggish.

Again, the high sodium level in junk food interrupts the body fluids balance that you need during a workout.

Dairy products

You’ve heard it said that low-fat milk is part of dieting but most of the time, but that’s not always true. Most dairy products have high levels of saturated fats, which will hamper the body during workouts. Proteins are necessary for helping your body recover quickly, but high protein drinks and food have less carb, and thus your energy is drained faster. Proteins like fats travel slowly in the blood, and therefore, even after a heavy meal, you may feel tired and shaky.

Sugar

Those smoothies and food high in carbs and sugar will only provide temporary energy, not the continuous one you need during a workout. Good bacteria on your bowels is paramount for a good flow. When you consume too many artificial sweets, the growth of ‘good bacteria is curtailed. This causes a disturbance in the absorption of nutrients. The sugary and high-carb snacks increase the blood sugar level and don’t be surprised if you faint midway. If you’re planning for an intense workout session, avoid isotonic drinks, orange juice, and such.

You could opt for caffeine before a workout, but you should be careful because it could ruin your sleep pattern. With not enough sleep, then you don’t have enough energy for physical exercise.

When going to the gym, you must ensure that you take foods and drinks that will not hamper your effort. High sugars and carbs will downplay the effort, and therefore, you’ve to take these in suitable proportions and some hours before.

Wondering how to become a body builder?

The sport of body building is a popular form of fitness training and athletic pursuit. Because you can train at so many different levels, it’s a sport that people with a wide variety of interests and ambitions can get into.

However, how to get started isn’t always clear. And if you aren’t careful, you’ll wind up giving a ton of money to an online fitness coach to learn something you’ve could’ve learned for free.

This step-by-step guide will teach you everything you want to know about how to become a bodybuilder.

1. Clarify Your Goal

Understanding what bodybuilding is can help you clarify what you hope to achieve in the sport.

From amateur to semi-professional to world-renowned stars, body building is truly a tiered sport. At the end of the day, the goal is to build a muscular, lean, and balanced physique.

Amateur bodybuilders go to the gym four to six days per week to lift. Their goals typically focus on building a great physique. Sometimes, they try a competition or two.

At the higher levels, bodybuilding becomes a competitive event. Winners of contests can win hundreds or even thousands of dollars competing even in local events.

Do your research on body building to figure out what you want to get out of it. As Stephen Covey said, effective people (and their goals) begin with the end in mind.

2. Choose a Workout Plan

Finding a great workout regimen is vital when it comes to how to become a bodybuilder.

Some athletes pay coaches to put together templates for them. Others look on bodybuilding websites for templates that fit their specific goals (add muscle, lose fat, build muscular endurance, etc.)

There are no “right” bodybuilder exercises. The best plan is one you enjoy doing at the gym and one that you’ll stick with. However, there are some movements that work especially well for people trying to add muscle and strength.

Squats, bench presses, overhead presses, deadlifts, and pull-ups are all great to build your program around. They strengthen not only the muscles but the joints as well, helping you to stay healthy when you train.

Discover more about maximizing your fitness gains through training and supplementation.

3. Dial In Your Nutrition

As the old saying goes, “abs are made in the kitchen.” Whether you want to make money from competing in bodybuilding or just want to create an awesome physique, your diet has to be a top priority.

In fact, the question, “how long to become a body builder?” can be largely determined by the quality of your nutrition. Here are some basics.

Eat Plenty of Protein

Protein repairs muscle tissue after workouts and helps promote an optimal hormone environment for muscle growth. Most bodybuilder aims to eat between .75 and 1g of protein per pound of lean body weight per day.

Eat Clean Carbs

Rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and whole grains should form the basis for your carbohydrate intake. Your body needs carbs to perform during workouts and to help with the recovery process.

These carbs tend to digest easily for people and have plenty of micronutrients to promote health.

Limit Junk Food Intake

Sweets, processed foods, and sugary items should be limited. These foods promote body fat and inflammation, which could make it hard to get or stay lean.

4. Plan Active Recovery Days

One common misconception on how to become a body builder is that you don’t need to work out every day.

“In fact, resting at least once or twice a week will be optimal for your fitness gains, together with BCP 157 which are great for muscle healing, you’ll be back in shape and stronger once you’re back with your fitness training, you can order find bcp 157 for sale here.”

Believe it or not, the body needs rest to recover from workouts. Otherwise, you could suffer from overtraining syndrome, where your workout performance dips and you increase your risk of injury.

5. Make Sleep a Priority

It’s easy to overlook, but sleep is your best friend as a budding body builder. During deep stages of sleep, key muscle-growth hormones like testosterone elevate, helping to grow new muscle tissue and boost recovery.

Your body’s health and well-being are also largely dictated by sleep. Studies show you’re less likely to perform well cognitively and are more at risk for diseases when you don’t get enough sleep.

Adults, according to the American Sleep Foundation, should aim for between seven and nine hours each night. As someone training hard, aim for the upper end of that (between eight and nine hours).

6. Adjust As You Go

How your body-building journey starts is not how it will finish. Your understanding of your body, how your body responds to certain foods, and how you recover from workouts will evolve as you make improvements.

That said, it’s important to stay flexible with your goals. Evaluate the progress you’re making in the gym and in the mirror on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Don’t let any single workout dictate how training is going.

It’s always a good idea to surround yourself with other body builders if you can. Learn from their mistakes and borrow their techniques to help you get the best results possible.

How to Become a Body Builder?

So, do you feel like you know how to become a body builder now?

If not, it’s pretty simple, to sum up: think about your goals, pick a workout template, eat clean foods, and focus on sleep. As you go along, be willing to adjust to what’s working (and willing to change what isn’t).

Give your body time and work hard when you train and you will see results.

For more fitness tips, check out the rest of our blog!