10 Simple Steps To Skyrocket Your Natural Testosterone Production

There are many factors that determine how much muscle a person can ultimately build. Training intensity, nutrition, supplementation and rest; these are just a few of the many variables that will contribute to your overall muscle-building "bottom line". Another major factor in this giant equation is your body's natural levels of the anabolic hormone testosterone.

Quite simply, testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body and is one of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle a person can build. Here is just a small handful of the many amazing benefits that increased testosterone levels will provide you with:

- Increased muscle size and strength.
- Decreased body fat levels.
- Increased sex drive and sexual endurance.
- Improved mood.
- Decreased levels of "bad" cholesterol.

Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Well it is, and I'm going to show you exactly how to achieve all of these benefits step by step. Before I do that, let's cover some basic biology so that we're all on the same page here. Here are the general steps that the body goes through in order to produce this incredible hormone:

First, the brain releases a substance called Luteinizing Hormone, or "LH" for short. LH basically "tells" the body to start producing testosterone. Once this occurs, the adrenal glands release DHEA into the bloodstream. LH and DHEA then travel together to the testes where testosterone production begins. Testosterone can now be released into the bloodstream to perform its magic.

So, without further ado, here are some basic methods you can implement in order to naturally raise your body's levels of testosterone and take advantage of all of its amazing benefits.

1) Use compound exercises as the cornerstone of your workouts. I'm talking about the basic, bread-and-butter lifts such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, chin-ups, dips, lunges and military presses. This will place your muscles under the greatest amount of stress in the gym and will force your body to increase testosterone production.

2) Always train with 100% effort and intensity. If you want to see real muscle gains, you must be willing to push yourself to the limit in the gym. Again, greater muscular stress in the gym translates to higher testosterone output.

3) Train your legs equally as hard as your upper body. As you may already be aware, intense leg training can actually stimulate growth in your chest, back and arms. This is due in part to the increase in testosterone that leg training induces.

4) Increase your EFA consumption. Essential Fatty Acids from sources such as peanuts, avocadoes, fish and healthy oils like flax seed, olive and canola are a great way to naturally boost testosterone levels.

5) Reduce your intake of soy. Soy protein raises the body's levels of estrogen (the main female hormone) and this has a direct negative effect on testosterone levels.

6) Limit your consumption of alcohol. Alcohol has been shown to have quite a dramatic effect on testosterone levels, so try to limit your "binge drinking" nights and keep your alcohol consumption in moderation.

7) Increase your dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, cabbage and brussel sprouts have all been shown to dramatically reduce estrogen levels, thereby raising testosterone.

8) Lower your daily stress levels. Being overly stressed stimulates the release of "cortisol", a highly catabolic hormone that will cause your testosterone levels to plummet.

9) Increase your sexual activity. Sexual stimulation causes the body to increase the production of oxytocin which increases endorphin production (the "feel-good" chemical), and this also raises testosterone.

10) Make sure to get adequate sleep every night. A lack of sleep contributes to cortisol production, and this will lower your testosterone levels.

So there you have it, 10 basic, easy-to-follow guidelines for increasing your testosterone levels naturally.

Start implementing these techniques on a consistent basis and get ready for some dramatic muscle size and strength gains!

Sean Nalewanyj is a bodybuilding expert, fitness author and writer of top-selling Internet Bodybuilding E-Book: The Truth About Building Muscle. Learn the unbiased truth about achieving maximum muscle growth at his website: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Diet Rules For Getting Ripped: How To Build Muscle Fast & Lose Fat At The Same Time

Is it really possible to gain muscle mass and to lose fat at the same time?

I bet you have tried to do this, but may have found it a bit hard to achieve?

Well, believe it or not, it is possible to get ripped and muscly as well as shed off excess fat. You just need to know what to do!

That's right, you can get ripped, and do so pretty quickly, if you apply the tips we're going to cover in this article.

Many guys (and girls) are doing it right now as we speak. And it's great, especially for summer when we wear less clothes and the girls can see that we've got an attractive body underneath.

Understand that it takes both a good workout, and a precise diet plan to achieve this goal of getting a ripped body real fast.

And you have to do it in a specific way.

Here's the scoop.

The first step is a great workout. If you're not doing this, the rest of the plan won't work.

You'd want to workout a muscle group, with good intensity every 5 to 7 days.

Some do supersets, or some list to failure over 6-15 reps, the optimal partly depends on your body type. This will stimulate your muscles to grow, yet allowing enough time for the muscle to grow between gym sessions, so you actually gain muscle bulk..

There's more that we can go on about to get bigger quicker, but we won't delve into the details here.

Now, what about the diet? Listen up as this is where you can make it or break it.

You need to have a diet that:

1. Provide enough protein to gain muscle,

2. Stimulate testosterone production,

3. Stimulates a high metabolism, and,

4. Avoiding the wrong type of calories that cause the opposite effects to the above

But how's this done?

Here are the 5 steps in your diet to start this process today:

1. Eat lean sources of protein. Think about foods such as egg, fish, lean chicken, and whey protein. Have a good portion of this straight after your workout.

2. Thinks about the monounsaturated fats. Why? These stimulate testosterone production. They're found in avocado, and extra virgin olive oil. Don't go overboard as they contain dense calories. Just try 2 teaspoons a day of olive oil for example.

3. Straight after your workout, have a high GI carbohydrate, such foods as honey or jam. This will satisfy your sugar fix, yes. But also it will help you absorb the protein and creatine (if you're taking this).

4. Have no high GI carbs in the evenings before bed. If you're doing this, this may be the only thing you have to do to get your body going in the right direction. Your metabolism is slowing, so no high GI carbs at this time please! It's the worse time to have it, and some guys get fat just with this one action.

5. Eat 6 meals a day, as it increases your metabolism. Many Hollywood celebrities do this, as it works. But keep the meals reasonable. Eat til you're 80% full, not excessively, and you'll feel more even during the day - no hunger pangs and no binging.

So there you go. You now have the top key secrets to getting a ripped body fast.

And as a bonus, you'll actually become healthier, and feel even more energized at the same time. So go for it!

There are more valuable tips on my website to refine your diet further, for example, if you're finding that you're not getting big and gaining muscle despite a good diet, or, you're putting on fat at the same time as muscle.

Get yourself a great body that other guys are jealous of, in a matter of weeks, not months.

Lucas Ryan helps you to gain muscle and lose fat so that you can show off your bodybuilding efforts and look ripped in no time. For more valuable tips visit his site on high protein diets and other top bodybuilding diet plans that work.

http://www.valuablecontent.com/articles/22647/1/Diet-Rules-For-Getting-Ripped%3A-How-To-Build-Muscle-Fast-%26-Lose-Fat-At-The-Same-Time

How To "Fix" A Slow Metabolism

If you struggle with your weight, if you put on pounds just by smelling food and if you secretly hate anyone who says “I eat all day but I just never put on weight!”… then there’s a very good chance you may have a slow metabolism.

Your metabolism is basically how many calories your body burns just to keep you alive.

If you have a slow metabolism, then your body doesn’t burn a large number of calories and you will tend to put on weight easily.

If you have a fast metabolism, then your body is burning more calories and you probably find it easy to maintain your weight and melt body fat without dieting or exercise.

How To “Fix” A Slow Metabolism

Luckily, there’s a proven way to actually “jack up” your metabolism. Which means you’ll end up burning more calories, burning more fat and losing more weight even while you’re sitting around.

You don’t have to pop any pills. You don’t have to change your diet. And you don’t have to submit to any time consuming exercise programs.

Here’s the deal:

Scientists in Japan have discovered a 4 minute method that actually elevates your metabolism!

Now, traditional exercise programs raise your metabolism but only while you’re working out.

Here’s what I mean: Let’s say you get on a treadmill and power walk for one hour. Your body will burn extra fat and calories during that hour, but after you stop, your metabolism will return to normal.

So your metabolism is “up” for one hour, and low for the other 23 hours a day.

But with this Japanese 4 minute method, you only exercise for 4 minutes… but you metabolism skyrockets and stays elevated for 24-48 hours after your workout!

The Japanese 4 Minute Method

Here’s how it’s done:

Pick your favorite cardiovascular exercise, be it running, walking, biking etc. Now instead of chugging along at a steady pace for 30-60 minutes, you’re only going to be actively moving for 4 minutes. Total.

But you’re not going to stay at steady speed. You’re going to change your speed every 30 seconds, so your body never has a chance to adjust.

By constantly altering your speed, you force your body to jack up your metabolism and in turn, your metabolism stays elevated for 24-48 hours afterward.

So if you’re having trouble melting fat, give this Japanese 4 minute workout a try.

To learn how you can burn fat, jack up your metabolism and burn off ugly body fat without cardio and without dieting visit: http://www.NoMoreCardio.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Marshall

How to Get Ripped Abs Quick - 3 Super Abdominal Exercise Tips

So, you want to get ripped quick. With or without ab exercise equipment. Maybe summer is coming and you want to look really good in those swimming trunks or bikini.

Bad news...you're not going to get ripped overnight. Good news...it can be done in a realistic time frame, which will of course depend on your current condition.

Get Ripped Quick - Super Tip 1: Sorting out your diet

First of all you need to sort out your diet. Don't cut down on your calorie intake too severely as this can lead to muscle loss and also negatively affect your metabolism.

Ideally you want to strike a good balance between your intake of fat, carbohydrates and also protein.

The most important foods that you should cut out are refined sugars and starches. On the flip side you'd want to make sure you take in plenty of whole, natural, unprocessed foods like vegetables, organic meat, nuts, fruit and eggs.

Super Tip 2: What are the best type of cardio exercises to do?

Forget about doing endless long cardio in your ab exercise routine. You want to switch to shorter, more intense workouts. Not only are they more effective at speeding up your metabolism, but they're also more fun, easier to fit into your busy schedule and easier to stick to. Examples include:

• Rope Jumping
• Short Sprints
• Hill Sprints
• Stair Climbing
• Interval Training
• Waist High Roundhouse Kicks on a Punch Bag

If you don't know, interval training is quite simply where periods of intense exercise are mixed with periods of less intense exercise, or recovery. A simple example would be doing a 70m hill sprint, then walking back down before doing another.

Interval training improves the performance of the cardiovascular system and also helps remove the risk of strain injuries that can occur during repetitive endurance exercises.

Quite simply, you burn more calories during short, high intensity exercises than with long, slow cardio exercises. If you want to get ripped quick, interval training is the way to go.

Don't over train, however. You will inhibit your body's recovery and get exactly the opposite results of what you want. An injury caused by over training can also put you out of action for a long time, and there's no need for me to explain what that means. Exercise about 3, maximum 4 times a week, and listen to your body.

Super Tip 3: What are the best abdominal exercises to do?

Focus on full body exercises instead of exercises that only isolate the abs. Most of your exercise time should be spent on these. I'm talking about pushups, pullups, squats, lunges, mountain climbers, static jumps. These are specifically exercises that don't even require any ab exercise equipment, gym equipment or weights.

To get ripped quick you need to engage your entire body. Be sure to include some exercises that specifically target and isolate the abs in your routine, like jack knives, suspended leg lifts and reverse crunches, but don't do ONLY those. Get your whole body working and you'll burn fat much more effectively.

Nicolaas Theron shares more of the best abdominal exercises, full ab exercise routines and a ton of useful information at http://www.bestabdominalexercises.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicolaas_Theron

Dehydration Is Against The Law

Proper hydration is important for law enforcement officers. Even a slight state of dehydration can impair your ability to think and perform.

Dehydration can occur in less than 10 minutes and may cause muscle cramps, unnecessary fatigue which leads to fear, diminished strength and can affect an officer's performance under fire. Even at one-percent dehydration, you lose much of your fine and complex motor skills.

Many times, if you are thirsty, you are already in a state of dehydration. A simple way to gauge your water intake is by the color of your urine: if it is clear, you are probably taking in enough water; however, if it is dark and cloudy, you should increase your water intake.

In general, you need to consume at least half your body weight in ounces of water a day, and the more diuretics you consume in the form of coffee, tea, or alcohol, the more water you need. In reality, there is no reason to drink anything but water.

Also, the more you sweat, the more water you need. Police officers are chronically dehydrated due to the uniform they wear. The body armor does not breathe and it is worn in a nylon carrier. Again, proper hydration is imperative!

So if you weigh 200 lbs., you need to take in 100 ounces, or roughly 12 glasses of water a day. It takes discipline to drink this much water daily, but it makes a big difference in energy levels.

A good strategy is to fill your bottles first. For example, 12 glasses of water is equivalent to 3 1-liter bottles. Put these out on the counter first thing in the morning as your quota for the day. A simple way to accomplish this task is to drink 1 liter in the morning, 1 liter in the afternoon and 1 liter in the evening.

That takes care of the quantity next comes the quality.

The type of water you consume is very important. On one side of the coin you have tap water, which is loaded with chemicals, such as chlorine, fluoride, estrogens, etc., and on the other side is distilled water, which leaches minerals from the body. It is best to use either bottled spring water or filtered tap water.

Your water should contain at least 300 ppm (which is equivalent to 300 mg/L) of total dissolved solids. If the label on the bottle displays a lower number or you are using filtered water, then you can increase the mineral content by simply adding a pinch of sea salt.

You may not realize that only 1% of water in the world is actually drinkable by humans. Anything you can find in the medicine cabinet can be found in the drinking water supply. And bottled water is no better - only 10% of it comes from the original source, the rest is city water!

Not only can you (and should you) filter water to remove chemicals, but you can also purchase a special filter to make water more alkaline - the way it was thousands of years ago - or you can simply squeeze a fresh lemon into the water. Although a lemon may seem acidic on the outside, inside the body it has an alkalizing effect. This will reduce acidity, improve digestion and add flavor to the water. This practice alone will increase energy levels in a matter of days. Pure water filters filter out 98% of toxins but they do not make water alkaline.

Also, avoid cloudy plastic bottles as they leach chemicals into the water. Clear plastic is better and glass is the best. If you are drinking water from a plastic bottle, and it tastes like plastic, spit it out and do not drink that water! If you finish the bottle, you will consume a whopping dose of estrogen. You can purchase water in glass bottles, or if you are looking for a safer alternative, stainless steel containers are also available.

At home or even at the office, use filtered water stored in a glass pitcher at room temperature. Contrary to popular belief, cold water can actually hinder absorption; room temperature is best. Remember to squeeze half a lemon and add a pinch of sea salt for best effect.

Water is the most overlooked nutrient. It is both anabolic and anticatabolic, and enables chemical reactions to occur. Water dissolves substances, lubricates processes, regulates body temperature (i.e. perspiration cools the body), transports nutrients and removes waste products, and as you may suspect, body cells are composed of mostly water. In fact, water forms the greatest component of the human body making up 50-60% of its weight. Lean muscle tissue contains about 73% water and fat is about 20% water. Depending on how much fat has been stored, an adult can survive for about 8 weeks without eating food but only a few days without drinking water (we can neither store nor conserve water as well as we can the other components of our diet.)

Consider this: we start off in life at around 85% of the body made up of water, but by the time we die in our old age, the body is only 50% water. When water stores are dropping, it indicates something is wrong. In other words, we are breaking down muscle tissue.

Another way to look at it is that lean body tissue is high in water; therefore, a loss of water means a loss of muscle. When the loss of body protein exceeds 30%, survival drops to about 20%.

Now, there is a condition termed hyponatremia, also known as water intoxication, where consuming too much water can be dangerous. This can increase salt loss in sweat and make cells swell which changes brain chemistry, causes lung congestion and muscle weakness, and in rare cases lead to death. In fact, a 25-year-old police officer from Washington, D.C. died in August of 2005 after he apparently drank too much water while training to use a bicycle on patrol. However, this condition is very unusual as most individuals, especially police officers, are dehydrated!

As a police officer, it is critical to take a more holistic approach with your training - you need to cycle both stress and recovery! For example, if you drink four cups of coffee a day, that's the equivalent of working out four times a day, and you wouldn't do that. If you cut half of that out and every second cup of coffee is replaced with water, now you're in business.

Again, what is more important than water? You die after three days without it! The best suggestion for all officers is to stay comfortably hydrated and drink water as you lose it.

John Paul Catanzaro, B.Sc., C.K., C.E.P., is a Certified Kinesiologist and Certified Exercise Physiologist with a Specialized Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. He owns and operates a private gym in Richmond Hill, Ontario providing training and nutritional consulting services. For additional information, visit his website at http://www.BodyEssence.ca or call 905-780-9908.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Paul_Catanzaro

The Best Protein Powder

What is the best protein powder to buy? I get this question all the time, and really, there is no best protein - many are very good for different reasons! In my opinion, it is futile and possibly detrimental to stick to only one brand for the following reasons:

a) I always recommend that you cycle your supplements so that your body does not get used to them thereby decreasing their effect,

b) for variety sakes alone, it breaks the monotony and allows you to try different brands,

c) to take advantage of the unique qualities offered by various brands, and

d) it is a good idea to switch the powders you use on a frequent basis to not develop any food intolerances or even worse allergies (I have an article coming out on this subject in the near future.) A blend that combines various protein sources (i.e. casein, egg, whey, and even beef if you can find it) is your best bet. I highly recommend the following: MD+ Myosin Protein Complex, Beverly International Muscle Provider, Biotest Low-Carb GROW!, and Dorian Yates Approved ProPeptide.

High-quality whey protein powders are excellent choices for post-workout nutrition since they get into your system fast to feed those depleted muscles. Casein, on the other hand, is a slow releasing protein as it recurdles into a solid in your gut prolonging digestion - this would be an ideal choice prior to your workouts or before going to bed.

Anyhow, as far as whey powders are concerned, amino acid complex profile determines quality. I have in my possession a list of protein powders that were analyzed for quality by an independent laboratory, but since I don't want any of these companies breathing down my neck, I will only divulge that information to my clients. Remember one thing, you get what you pay for! Keep that in mind. Also, some people are quite sensitive to aspartame and lactose so you will have to find free versions of those. Taste will ultimately determine whether you purchase that powder again. Write in with some of your feedback on these products - I'd love to hear your comments.

One more thing, you could even mix protein powder into other foods to up the protein content and improve the flavor. Mixing protein powder in (slow-cooked) oatmeal is one option, but here's another. I call it my "bedtime concoction." Add a scoop of Xtreme Formulations Ultra Peptide
(vanilla) to a mixture of ricotta (whey) and cottage (casein) cheese. Not only does this provide both an anabolic and anticatabolic effect during sleep, it also tastes amazing - it's like eating the cream filling of a cannoli without the pastry shell! Try it.

John Paul Catanzaro is a certified kinesiologist and professional fitness and lifestyle consultant with a specialized honours Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. He owns and operates a private gym in Toronto, Ontario providing training and nutritional consulting services. For additional information, visit his website at http://www.BodyEssence.ca or call 416-292-4356.

Check out John Paul's new DVD, Warm-Up to Strength Training, for some powerful techniques to increase strength and improve performance! Discover some unique, cutting-edge methods like how to increase arm strength by up to 10% instantly! It has been recommended by many experts including Drs. Eric Serrano, Mark Lindsay, and Ken Kinakin as well as Olympic strength coach, Charles Poliquin. Visit http://www.StrengthWarmup.com for more information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Paul_Catanzaro

Electromagnetic Charges in Food!

"Taking in foods that take away more energy than they provide will lower Your bodies ability to deal with the natural processes of Digestion, assimilation and elimination."

Our bodies operate on a subtle electromagnetic current. Nerve signals are in fact electrical charges-your brain, heart, and all organs emit and create a Field of electrical current.

Your body's cells communicate with each other with pulses of Electricity. When we eat food our body breaks down the food particles into there Smallest size (COLLOIDS). A colloid is the smallest possible form of nutrient particle (generally - The size ranges from .01 to .00001 of a micron in diameter).

Then these nutrient particles are then carried to our cells through an Electrical charge. When you are choosing something to eat for high Energy, remember foods like fast foods, processed foods have low energy Frequencies, we are not providing the body with the electrical energy it Needs. By doing this we are requiring our body to exhaust electrical nerve Energy To run the digestive system to break down the food in your body.

This Basically means that the food that we are eating actually is taking more Energy than it is giving.

(The energy and foods we consume is measured In Megahertz, MHz)

Megahertz is a technical name for the electrical frequency charge Around Food. The foods we eat must be living and energetically - alive foods that Carry the proper nutrients to our cells and our body. If not we will become tired and sick.

Your probably asking yourself what percentage of energy (MHz) do I need in my food to become and stay healthy.

The megahertz charge range from 0 to 250 plus of MHz. Here are some Examples of the foods that we eat and the energy they provide.

Canned foods are the worst with 0 MHz, chocolate cake 1-3 MHz, Kentucky Fried chicken-3, Big Mac-5, vitamin/mineral supp 10 to 30, raw almonds 40 To 50, fruits-60 to 70,green vegetables 70 to 90. So if you want your body to be full of vibrancy and high electromagnetic Energy, (which will result in your body being able to properly Function, not to mention helping our bodies aging process as well) which foods will you try to eat?

Eat live and water enriched foods instead of processed foods. If anyone is interested in learning more about your bodies own Electromagnetic energy there is a good book called "Sick And Tired", The Author's Name is Dr. Robert Young. I met him in Hawaii When I was at a Tony Robbins seminar.

Ignite Your Fire Within!

My friends - Congratulations!

You have distinguished yourself from the masses, it's not good enough for you to just dream about it, your commitment is to achieve your health and fitness dreams.

Before your dreams can be a reality we MUST come from the frame of mind that anything is possible!!, and that your creator did not put us on this earth to suffer, but to grow, share and contribute. So that being the case, we ALL must have a special gift to share with the world. Most of the very successful people in the world would call that your purpose (mission). The only problem is that most people never realize there true gift. "Faith."

This is the power "Faith" that our creator has given us to accomplish are Fitness and life goals. As we attain are goals we simultaneously create a future and destiny for are lives!!

Now, who is committed to raise there standards and take massive action?

Remember, Your knowledge is only power if you act on what you have learned!!

Expect more of yourself, so you can give more of yourself!!

Love, Respect & Passion!

JAMES SPICER

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Spicer