FOODS that build muscles.

Many of our members often ask us what kind of food is good to eat while doing Crossfit. As we all know, "work hard-eat well". We also know that real clean food is the best supplement our body can get. We need to eat to perform. Especially with Crossfit. There are not many sports that put your body in this kind of a high stress level. That´s why we have to remember to fuel our body to keep it going, to get better and stronger :)

So this time I thought of making a list of some foods that help our muscles to grow.


1. GREEK YOGURT. With more than twice the protein of regular yogurt. Greek yogurt is a great source to turn to when focused on muscle growth.


                                                                                           

2. BLACK BEANS. It has shown that black beans provide special support for the digestive and specially for our colon. It has been shown to be the perfect mix of substances for allowing bacteria in the colon to produce butyric acid. Instead of 3 cups of weekly legumes, 4-8 cups would be the goal range. Any legumes is going to make a helpful addiction to your diet.





3. COTTAGE CHEESE. Also containing casein. Cottage cheese additionally contains an average of 28 grams of protein in one cup. Add some granola, banana and berries in your cottage cheese for a good snack.





4. EGGS. Eggs contain omega-3 fats. "While organizations 
like the American Heart Association (AHA) allow for regular consumption of eggs in a meal plan, they typically warn that eggs are difficult to include because of their high cholesterol content and potential for increasing risk of heart disease. For persons with health blood cholesterol levels not needing cholesterol-lowering drugs, the AHA recommends a maximum of 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day from food. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=92



5. BROCCOLI. Broccoli has a strong impact on our body´s detoxification system. Broccoli contains a large dose of vitamin D. It also has an unusually strong combination of both vitamin A and vitamin K. If you are in need to rebuild your vitamin D stores through vitamin D supplements, broccoli may be an ideal food to include in your diet.


6. ALMONDS. A high-fat food that´s good for your 
health? That´s Almonds. Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats, the same type of healthy fats as are found in olive oil. Enjoy almonds. Spread a little almond butter on your toast or on your celery. Add it to your salad or chop and use as a topping on your pasta. Including almonds in the meal can help keep your blood sugar under control.


7. RASBERRIES. High antioxidant, vitamin C and fiber level.








8. AVOCADOS. Provides a wide variety of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Includes manganese, vitamin C and vitamin E. Provides your health benefits in areas of blood sugar control, insulin regulation, weight management, and decreases overall risk of inflammations. When it comes to weight management, adding avocados to your meal keeps you feeling full a longer time. 1 small/medium avocado provides 20-25 grams of total fat. 1 cup (150.00 grams)= 240 calories.


9. QUINOA. Quinoa is gluten-free food with high protein. It is a very good source of manganese, copper, magnesium, fiber, folate and zinc.








10. APPLES. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away". Still try to variate the available fruits. Eat al least 2-3 whole fresh fruits per day. 

11. SPINACH. Contains vitamin E, K A and C. Spinach helps protect against inflammatory problems, stress-related problems, cardiovascular problems, bone problems and cancer.






12. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL. The extra virgin olive oil is an anti-inflammatory food. It has overall the strongest health benefits. It has a good source of vitamin E.







13. TURKEY. Turkey is a high protein food. Four ounces of skinned turkey breast will provide 30-35 grams of protein, with less than 1 gram of total fat. All cuts of turkey contain omega-3 fats. Turkey is also rich in other nutrients. All B vitamins are present i n the turkey meat, folate, biotin and choline.




14. OATS. Cooked oatmeal is the perfect way to start off your day, especially if you are dealing with diabetes. Oats, oat bran and oatmeal contain a specific type of fiber known as beta-glucan.







15. CARROTS. Rich in antioxidant, that´s called: beta-carotene.








16. BEETS. Rich in antioxidant. Something important to notice with the benefits associated to beets: anti-cancer benefits and fiber-related benefits.







17. LENTILS. Lentils are very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Their high fiber content prevents blood sugar from rising after a meal. They contain seven important minerals, B vitamins and protein.






18. SWEET POTATO. Sweet potatoes raises the blood levels of vital A. They are some of the most nutritious vegetables.

19. BANANAS. Contains a mix of vitamins, minerals and low glycemic carbohydrates. This has made the banana a favorite fruit among endurance athletes. Bananas can prevent muscle cramps because of their good source of potassium. Since low potassium levels can be the reason of muscle cramps. That´s why there can be a lower risk to have muscle cramps after having a banana.

20. BROWN RICE. Brown rice is an excellent source of manganese, selenium, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin B3. The oil in brown rice lowers cholesterol. Brown rice also contains a good source of fiber that can help to protect against colon cancer.

21. VENISON. It has more protein then any other red meat. It is also rich in iron which prevents anaemia and is good for energy levels. Venison also contain B-vitamins, B2 and B3 which help regulate metabolism.







22. SALMON. A good source of omega-3. Intake of rich omega-3 fat decreases risk of numerous cardiovascular problems like, heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure. It is recommended to start with one omega-3 fish meal per week. Intake of this oil is also good for your brain and joints.



23. OYSTER. Another seafood that offers the mineral zinc. Oysters are rich in protein and helps replenish muscles broken down from training.








The list could go on, and there is probably something that could be replaced with something else. But with this I hope you at least got some help with your daily nutrition intake :). So don´t let your meals become boring. Add some of these foods for a good variety and watch your muscles grow ;). 
Most important to remember is that athletes eat and train, not diet and exercise!

-Hanna-

Start out the new month with a spicy leg workout.

Hello.

It´s time to get serious and write a few lines again, lol :D. We have a new month coming our way, so what would not be a better way to start it off then with a good workout?:)

So this time I thought of sharing a spicy set for the lower body, the part that carries us around daily. We need the muscles to stay strong and healthy as the years go by.

I did this workout yesterday and can promise you that I can feel a healthy soreness in my legs today ;).

Before you start this workout, remember to warm up. The warm up can include some dynamic movements like squat jumps, high knee run and butt kicks for example. To improve the mobility in your lower body you can also add movements like leg swings, hip openers and hip rotations. Remember not to do long stretches before a workout like this, just because it prevent the muscles to work effective.

In this workout I wanted to concentrate on the quads, glutes, adductors and hamstrings.

Start out by counting 45% off your 1RM, back squat. Do 10 reps with that weight and add 10 more pounds after every round. On the way back you will take 10 pounds off after every set.
Between every set of back squats do 5 reps of wide leg squats and 5 reps of stiff leg deadlifts. Choose a proper weight.

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Back Squat

5 x Wide leg Squat (70lbs)
5 x Stiff leg Deadlift (70lbs)

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 Back Squat

5 x Wide leg Squat (70lbs)
5 x Stiff leg Deadlift (70lbs)




While doing a squat we need to have a balanced strength in the quads, glutes, adductors, hamstrings and hip flexors.
The gluteus maximus is a primary mover in our squat. If your glutes are weak or not feeling like they´re on fire as you squat down, they will push your upper body forwards. As you begin to push back upwards, you will place load on the lower back instead of driving hip extension through your glutes. If your squat starts to look more like a good morning, then weak glutes can be a good reason why.
The hip flexors act as a hinge through the squat. They pull you from an open hip to bent at the hip. A tight hip flexor will shorten in length.
Also when you go down in a squat and everything feels good, you hit depth, and then when you begin to go back up your knees buckle inwards. An advanced factor to weak adductors can be not going down low enough in a squat. If you suddenly start to squat deeper, but find your knees buckling, then your adductors are likely to blame.

Wide leg squat: have your chest high, bend your knees and squat down low enough to feel pressure in your adductors. Engage your adductors to push back up.

Stiff leg deadlift: slightly bend your knees, have your chest high and lean forward. Let the upper body fall down enough to feel pressure in your hamstrings. Engage the hamstrings to stand back up.

Here was a little treat for you :). Hope you will have fun with it and please let me know how it went. I want to hear all about it, feedback etc. Good luck!

Happy Monday everyone!:)

-Hanna-