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Make Sure You’re Getting These Vitamins for Muscle Growth When Trying to Bulk Up

Bulking up is a process that requires a little dedication and a lot of preparation. Getting into shape isn’t just a matter of going to the gym on a regular basis, it’s also important to take note of the aspects of your lifestyle that are prohibiting your health.

When you find what you need to change, it takes a little research to know what to replace those bad habits with. One huge obstacle to a lot of people is establishing a healthy diet.

It’s important to know which foods promote your health goals and which foods are holding you back. We’re going to talk about vitamins for muscle growth in this article, exploring the foods and supplements that contain them and methods for sticking with your dietary changes.

Let’s get started:

Key Vitamins for Muscle Growth

As you start your workout routine, make a note of the fact that your initial burst of inspiration will only last so long on its own. We get excited when we make positive life changes, and that excitement can push us through the first few workouts.

After a while, though, the body starts to adjust to the changes you’re putting it through. You’re using a lot more energy than normal as you’re working out, and your body has to work overtime to repair the tissue you’re exercising.

That’s why so many people crash and give up. A successful routine requires that you make the necessary changes to your diet. That means learning more about nutrition and pinpointing the areas that you need to support your diet with supplements.

A basic crash course on dieting for muscle gain will tell you to eat a well-balanced diet that doesn’t skimp on carbs. Additionally, you should be working complete proteins into almost every meal.

Your busy routine might not allow you to carefully prep all of your meals, though. That means you could miss out on vitamins needed for muscles to grow and repair themselves.

Let’s explore some of the vitamin supplements you might need to achieve your goals for bulking up.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 serves a number of purposes in the body. As it relates to bodybuilding, this vitamin helps send oxygen to your muscles as they’re in use. It also contributes to the production of red blood cells.

So, a healthy amount of B12 ensures that your engine is oiled up and running smoothly. If you’re not able to send enough blood to the target muscles, they’ll be more prone to damages and less growth.

Calcium

People who don’t consume animal products might have a hard time getting enough calcium. It can be found in foods like almonds and a number of seeds, though.

Calcium helps the body strengthen bones, but it also helps with contracting muscles and processing energy. Balanced levels of calcium will help you as you’re working out, leading to bigger returns.

Additionally, your bones take on a lot of the stress of weightlifting, so it’s smart to do what you can to make sure that they’re just as strong as your muscles.

Protein

Most of the protein we need should come from our diets. You might have restrictions, however, that prevent you from getting enough complete proteins.

Our bodies absolutely need protein to develop and maintain muscle mass. Protein consists of 13 essential amino acids that work together for our bodies to function properly. Sources of protein that have all 13 acids are called “complete proteins.”

Many sources, however, only have a few of the essential amino acids. That’s why it’s important to take in a few different sources of protein if you’re not consuming meat. Meat almost always contains complete proteins.

If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, or you just don’t consume a lot of meat, protein supplements might be a great option for you. You can also boost your protein intake instead of adding carbs to your diet.

More carbs typically lead to more muscle gain, but you can also bulk up by adding protein.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps your body break down and use carbs for energy as you work out. It’s also a great antioxidant that can support your muscles and cardiovascular system as you strain it with exercise.

It’s also a great immune system booster.

Creatine

Creatine is a great vitamin for muscles. It’s created in your body, so it isn’t found in a lot of foods. Its function is to help send energy to your muscles as you use them.

It helps you perform as you’re working out as well as prompt your body to promote muscle growth. You’ll see results with creatine, and it’s well-known as a very safe supplement.

If your goal is to put on a great deal of muscle and you’re considering chemical supplements that put your body into overdrive, give creatine a shot first. It’s a lot safer than some of the drugs on the market, and it functions naturally to produce excellent results.

Staying On Track With Your Diet

Try to flesh out a plan for your diet before you start your workouts. You’ll begin to feel the drain right when you start exercising, so be sure to prepare your body with all of the healthy fuel it needs to excel.

Examine your diet plan and take a realistic look at what you can expect yourself to do. It might be hard for you to get enough protein in your diet, for example, or you might have a sweet spot for fast food that you’re unsure about.

Order the appropriate supplements after you assess your new diet plan. Additionally, prepare to slip up once or twice. It’s natural to fall back into old habits, but it’s important to get back on your feet and avoid being too hard on yourself.

Once you’re set up on the dietary end, get out to the gym and start putting on muscle!

Need a Little Help with Your Diet?

If you’re new to the whole “healthy eating” thing, don’t worry too much. You’re not alone, and we’re here to help you get in touch with the information and supplements you need to succeed.

Explore our site for more vitamins for muscle growth and ideas on how to stay on track toward your health goals.

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What to Know Before You Start Working with a Personal Trainer

People choose to begin working with a personal trainer for a range of reasons; whether it is to train towards a specific goal or just for an added dose of motivation and accountability. Of course, you are going to need to put the hard work in to see results, but your personal trainer will equally need to be putting in the work to keep you motivated and keep pushing you to reach the goals you have set. Personal training can sometimes be too expensive for some people, so online personal training or small group training is another alternative. There are so many benefits of personal training, from perfecting your form to nailing your nutrition, but before you begin working with a personal trainer, there are a few things you should know.

Question Your Potential Personal Trainer

The consultation prior to deciding whether you proceed with a personal trainer is so important! This is your opportunity to truly grill them and ask questions to get a sense of who they are and to make sure they will be a right fit for you. Of course, it’s important they ask you questions too so that they understand you, your history and your goals to ensure they can create an effective regime that will bring about results. Here are some great questions you should be asking your trainer:

  • Do you have experience designing a plan for someone with my kind of goals?
  • What is it like to train with you?
  • How easy will you find it to make adjustments to my plan based on changes that may come up?
  • What do you expect of me as the trainee?

Define Your Boundaries 

Always let your personal trainer know what your boundaries are – without a doubt, your trainer is going to push you, but we all have our limits. For example, if you truly hate the feeling of being so out of breath that your chest hurts, let your trainer know this so they can plan movements that will not cause this. The same goes for how much physical contact you deem acceptable; some trainers will help reposition you if your form is not quite correct, but some people can find this invasive. If you would prefer your trainer to not touch you, always let them know this.

Don’t Feel Stuck

Many people begin using a personal trainer and over a few months, or sometimes even weeks, find that they are not clicking with their trainer in the way they would have hoped – or perhaps are finding there are no results being seen. Regardless of your reasons, just because you started with one personal trainer does not mean you are tied in for life. You can always shop around and with a bit more experience under your belt in terms of what you do like and what you don’t, you may be able to find someone better suited to you.

Buying Multiple Sessions is Not a Requirement

Of course, any personal trainer is going to want to sell you as many sessions as possible, but this is where many people find they feel trapped with a trainer; at first things may seem great and you may think you each are well suited to each other, to later find out their training style is not quite what you expected. When you are tied into multiple sessions, it isn’t so each to back out. Always start out with just a couple of sessions before buying any sessions in bulk.

Don’t Tell Your Personal Trainer What They Want to Hear

Honesty is key! It is so important that you prioritize what it is that you actually want, not what you think your personal trainer will expect of you. Many people train not to see any physical changes, but simply to feel stronger and more fit, and that is totally acceptable! Do not feel forced into claiming you have certain goals just because you believe that is what your trainer will want. Being open and communicative with your personal trainer is always best, that way, you will truly be able to work towards your goals or to simply maintain where you are at, if that’s what you wish. 

The same goes for certain movements – do not pretend to enjoy certain things if you really don’t! If you get bored of reps and sets, perhaps timed sets would be more enjoyable for you. Always discuss what you like with your trainer and which things make you feel your best; they can tweak and adapt your plan to best suit you. Think back to one of the first questions we suggested you ask:

  • How easy will you find it to make adjustments to my plan based on changes that may come up?

This question is so relevant as trainers need to be adaptable and flexible to ensure you feel motivated and pushed, while also enjoying what you do!

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How to Create and Maintain Good Habits Even When You Lose Motivation

It can take months on end to build good habits and make them apart of a sustainable lifestyle, however, we all go through phases of losing our motivation and sometimes veering off track. Rather than scrapping all of your good habits and writing everything off completely, read this guide to help you maintain your good habits; after allowing yourself to mentally reset, you can hit everything hard again. Sometimes, forcing yourself to train or do more than you can handle can have a negative effect which causes you to give up on everything entirely; avoid this by listening to your body! 

We can jump into the deep end when it comes to wanting to get in shape; however, we usually are very excited when we first start out, and over time, this excitement dwindles. One of the biggest things to bear in mind is that you should approach any new habit with caution as burnout can ruin things, even for the best of us! Did you know that a habit can take anywhere from two to four months to form? This helps explain why after just a few weeks of going hard and not seeing any results can leave us feeling discouraged and disappointed – be patient and start small! 

If you are new to exercise, start with just a couple of sessions per week and then, one you feel exercise has become more of a habit for you, increase the number of sessions you do. This also applies to healthy eating, which is a major struggle for many people – and explains why diets never last! Rather than cutting carbs as that low-carb diet you may be considering suggests, start looking for healthier carbs to include in your diet, or just have smaller portions. Don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t need carbs, they are an essential macro and we all need them! The key to balancing your nutrition is to enjoy things in moderation instead; but luckily, as carbs are perfectly acceptable to eat, you will want to opt for carbs that help keep you full for longer, such as potatoes, quinoa, brown rice and wholegrain pasta. 

When you do find that you are losing motivation after working hard to create good habits, you sometimes need to shake up your environment. We all can become complacent and sometimes complacency gets the best of us. Many of us struggle to drink the right amount of water, but a great reminder that you can put in place for yourself is by leaving full bottles of water around the house. For example, put one by your bedside, one in the office, one at the dining table, etc so that you feel encouraged to drink them. When things are not in our sight, we can sometimes lose focus; by changing your environment, you can help build more sustainable habits, as well as maintain those you have already put into place. 

If you are feeling demotivated, ask yourself, why did you start in the beginning? Sometimes reminding ourselves of why we started in the first place can help give us the kickstart we need. A great idea is to always keep your goals noted down, so the times you are feeling a lack of motivation, you can refer back to them to help inspire you again. This may sound a bit bizarre, but your mind cannot actually differentiate between things that you imagine and those that you don’t; based on this, you should always visualize the success you will achieve when you set out to achieve the goals you have set. That way, you are so much more likely to follow through and find that motivation that you had before! 

Sometimes when we get into a mental state of feeling demotivated it can be hard to pull ourselves back out of it; this is a known fact, as motion creates emotion! Even if you are not wanting to do a full-on training session, get up, get active and you will notice how your mood increases and you may find yourself discovering that motivation again. Lastly, don’t forget the support systems you have in place – whether that be through family or friends. For those that either can’t rely on their friends or family as a source of motivation, find others around you that can help; this can be in the form of reading a motivational book or listening to a podcast. 

Creating habits can be such a challenge, but consistency and dedication is key. When we lose our motivation, we need to remind ourselves why we started and how far we have come; the smallest step in the right direction can lead us down amazing paths. You will be amazed at the changes you can make in your fitness, strength and nutrition when you make small, sustainable changes in your life.

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8 Benefits of Hiring a Personal Trainer

benefits personal trainer

You’ve just joined a gym and made a list of your fitness related goals.

Awesome! You’re off to a good start!

But how do you achieve those goals? If you haven’t a clue, you’re not alone!

Enter Personal Trainers. They are certified professionals who can help you get from point A to point B on your journey to fitness.

Wondering if investing in one is the right decision for you? Read on…

8 Benefits of Hiring a Personal Trainer:

  1. ACCOUNTABILITY – Scheduling specific appointments to workout with your trainer will help to ensure you actually go to the gym. Knowing that someone is there awaiting your arrival sure does make it harder to hit that snooze button amiright?! Plus, you’ve already paid for the session, so if you miss it, that’s your hard earned cash down the drain.
  2. GOAL SETTING –  Your trainer will work with you to set specific, measurable, and realistic short-term and long-term goals. Remember that results are not immediate. Getting in shape takes time, perseverance, and patience! Don’t expect to have six pack abs in a month – consistency is key!
  3. PERSONALIZED WORKOUTS – Remember those goals? Your trainer will create for you a personalized workout plan to achieve those goals. To create that plan, your trainer will take into account your current fitness level, your workout preferences, and any injuries or medical conditions that affect your workout.
  4. REDUCED RISK OF INJURY – A trainer will teach you the proper form for the exercises in your plan, and can correct your alignment or technique in real time to prevent injury from occurring. Pain in your shoulder? A trainer will know that it’s not a good time for military presses.
  5. MOTIVATION – We all tend to work a little harder when someone is watching us. Having a trainer who is there just for you, cheering you on, really makes a difference and will help you achieve that last rep you didn’t think you had in you!
  6. VARIETY – Personal trainers are awesome at changing up your workouts to avoid boredom and keep you on your toes. Combining different workout styles, like free weights, machines, body weight exercises, etc., and increasing intensity over time, will help you avoid those nagging plateaus.
  7. CONFIDENCE BOOST – After working with a trainer, you’ll have a plethora of workout knowledge and the confidence to show up and do it on your own. That gym-timidation you used to feel will be no more!
  8. FUN! – Hire a personal trainer with a personality that meshes well with yours. A good trainer can make your workout challenging AND fun, so you’ll actually look forward to your sweat sessions!
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    TRAINER SPOTLIGHT: RICH

    Under VIM’s TRAINER SPOTLIGHT for January: RICH!

    rich destefaniRead on to get to know him:

    Rich first started lifting weights when he was 14, preparing for high school football. Even before then, Rich grew up on a farm so he spent his childhood “lifting things” as well as understanding the meaning of hard work.

    Even though Rich was always a strong guy, he had a history of being overweight. Rich was 140lbs around the age of 7 and was already over 200lbs by 12. Rich was finally able to get his weight in check by sophomore year of college (down to 230lbs from 280), until 21 hit.

    From 2009 to 2016, while Rich competed in strongman, he did not follow a nutrition program and eventually, his weight blew up to 325lbs and was mostly fat.

    After a poor performance at a major strongman competition of March 2017, Rich set goals for himself to reach a certain body weight and win a national championship in strongman. In June 2017, he became the 275lb national champion. Since then, Rich has traveled to Finland and Greece to compete and has become a professional strongman.

    It doesn’t matter what your end goal is, Rich wants to help steer you on your journey to success.

    [button link=”https://www.smartwaiver.com/w/52e3f4c984538/web/” text=”TRAIN WITH RICH!” color=”green” size=”large” fullwidth=”true”]

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    TRAINER SPOTLIGHT: RYAN

    ryan trainer spotlight

    Under VIM’s TRAINER SPOTLIGHT for December: RYAN!

    [slideshow gallery=”2905,2970″ width=”402″ align=”left”]Read on to get to know him:

    Athletics have always been a major part of Ryan’s life. Whether running track or playing basketball during his middle school days, or on the soccer and wrestling teams during high school and college, Ryan learned early on that consistency is key and mind has to be matter in order to see success.

    Practice off the field was important too as an all-season athlete, and Ryan began lifting weights early on as part of his regimen. But like when any athlete pushes their body past its comfort level, Ryan sustained various injuries over time, including a broken humerus, surgery on his meniscus and multiple stress fractures. His injuries definitely served as short-term setbacks, but Ryan didn’t let anything stop him from getting back to working out. He continued to weight train smartly during his time off, which in fact helped him recover more quickly, stave off any repetitive injuries and also push him to explore new modes and methods of working out and see fitness gains in areas he’d never realized before.

    As an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, Ryan today uses his past experiences coupled with his deep knowledge of fitness to design exercise programs that can help his clients make strides in their own exercise and athletic goals, all while keeping them as healthy and injury free as possible. He truly believes that there is always a new goal to reach and surpass in the workout arena and, by extension, in other areas of life.

    Hobbies/Experience/Interests:

    • High School/College Track: 200m, 400m and relays/Watch all things track and field when possible
    • Soccer Interest/player since high school
    • Love the Kettlebell
    • Watch all Strong Man competitions possible
    • Train all levels from young to older, perfect health/injury carrying individuals
    • Have own injury back ground that I dealt with with (i.e. meniscus surgery on knee, broken arm/humerus surgery, stress fractures, etc.)
    • Began Training in 2006

    [button link=”https://www.smartwaiver.com/w/52e3f4c984538/web/” text=”TRAIN WITH RYAN!” color=”green” size=”large” fullwidth=”true”]

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    TRAINER SPOTLIGHT: AMY

    Under VIM’s TRAINER SPOTLIGHT for October: AMY!

    [slideshow gallery=”3290,3231,3230″ width=”402″ align=”left”]Read on to get to know her:

    Amy received her certification from the American Academy of Personal Training (AAPT). She also graduated from the University of Massachusetts Boston with a BA in English and a minor in dance.

    Coming from a professional dance background and after a series of painful injuries (tear in ACL and hip, fractured sesamoid), her training methods focus on proper alignment and body awareness combined with high intensity workouts. More importantly, she emphasizes injury prevention and facilitated stretching. Amy believes that training, or “getting into shape,” should not only include nutrition and exercising, but also developing a positive mindset and outlook on life.

    When she’s not teaching or sweating it out in the gym, Amy spends the rest of her time in the studio. She is blessed to be dancing with several Boston and Cambridge-based companies.

    [button link=”https://www.smartwaiver.com/w/52e3f4c984538/web/” text=”TRAIN WITH AMY!” color=”green” size=”large” fullwidth=”true”]

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    TRAINER SPOTLIGHT: SARAH

    VIM is pleased to welcome our newest trainer, Sarah!

    [slideshow gallery=”3099,3279,3280,3281,3283″ width=”699″ align=”left”]Read on to get to know her:

    Sarah is a long term athlete who currently competes on the Tufts Track and Field team. She’s completed hundreds of running races including a half marathon and a triathlon. A long history of injuries encouraged her to start strength training, and she now throws hammer, shot put, and weight.

    She is also a passionate vegan and yogi, and in her free time she enjoys biking, reading, and blogging.

    She is an ACE certified personal trainer and loves to work with athletes of all levels to help improve their performance.

    [button link=”https://www.smartwaiver.com/w/52e3f4c984538/web/” text=”TRAIN WITH SARAH!” color=”green” size=”large” fullwidth=”true”]

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    TRAINER SPOTLIGHT: KEVIN

    Want a complete mind-body workout? Work with Kevin, one of VIM’s awesome trainers!

    Kevin has served the Boston community as a catalyst for health and well-being since moving here from Minnesota in 2014. Kevin has completed two Yoga Teacher Trainings with CorePower Yoga in both Power Yoga and Yoga Sculpt, and has 1,000+ hours of experience teaching / coaching yoga, group exercise, individual & corporate private sessions.  He has been a yoga and fitness instructor in Minnesota and Massachusetts for 6 years. With a background in Kinesiology, his style of teaching blends elements from yoga, strength training, and cardio into a complete mind/body workout.

    In his free time, Kevin enjoys music, friends, exploring the city, and any adrenaline-inducing adventure.

    Kevin is now offering private sessions in both yoga and personal training. Kevin can help you develop and evolve specific areas of your yoga practice and fitness regime including strength, posture, flexibility and balance. His approach is to empower your mind and body from where you start, so your vision is clear and your effort is focused for the work to be done. You can expect a fun and engaging challenge in every class/session you take with him at VIM. See for yourself!

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