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10 Reasons Why You’re NOT Building Muscle

Posted on by D R

Building muscle is a common goal for many people who are interested in fitness. However, even with the best intentions and hard work, some people may find it difficult to see significant progress in their muscle-building efforts. In this article, we’ll explore 10 reasons why you may not be building muscle and offer tips on how to overcome these challenges.

10 Reasons Why You're NOT Building Muscle
  1. Not Eating Enough

One of the most important factors in building muscle is consuming enough calories to support muscle growth. If you are not eating enough, you will not have the energy and nutrients needed to build muscle. Make sure you are consuming enough protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats to fuel your workouts and support muscle growth.

  1. Not Eating Enough Protein

Protein is essential for building muscle as it provides the necessary amino acids to repair and rebuild muscle tissue. If you are not consuming enough protein, your muscle-building efforts will suffer. Aim to consume at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day.

  1. Not Lifting Heavy Enough

To build muscle, you need to challenge your muscles by lifting heavy weights. If you are not lifting heavy enough, your muscles will not be sufficiently stimulated to grow. Make sure you are using weights that are challenging but still allow you to maintain proper form.

  1. Not Resting Enough

Rest and recovery are crucial for muscle growth. If you are not allowing your muscles enough time to recover, you may not see the progress you want. Aim to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night and take rest days as needed to allow your muscles to recover.

  1. Not Varying Your Workouts

Doing the same workouts over and over can lead to a plateau in muscle growth. Make sure you are varying your workouts and incorporating different exercises and techniques to keep your muscles challenged and growing.

  1. Not Pushing Yourself

If you are not pushing yourself during your workouts, you may not be stimulating your muscles enough to grow. Make sure you are pushing yourself to your limits and lifting weights that challenge you.

  1. Not Drinking Enough Water

Water is essential for muscle growth as it helps transport nutrients to your muscles and removes waste products. Make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day to support your muscle-building efforts.

  1. Not Getting Enough Sunlight

Vitamin D is essential for muscle growth as it helps regulate muscle function and repair. If you are not getting enough sunlight, you may be deficient in vitamin D, which can hinder muscle growth. Aim to get at least 10-15 minutes of sunlight per day or consider taking a vitamin D supplement.

  1. Not Managing Stress

Stress can have a negative impact on muscle growth as it increases cortisol levels, which can lead to muscle breakdown. Make sure you are managing your stress levels through techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises.

  1. Not Having Patience

Building muscle takes time and consistency. If you are not seeing the results you want right away, do not get discouraged. Keep pushing yourself and making progress, and eventually, you will see the muscle growth you are after.

In conclusion, building muscle is a complex process that requires a combination of proper nutrition, challenging workouts, rest and recovery, and patience. If you are not seeing the muscle growth you want, consider these 10 reasons and make adjustments to your fitness routine as needed. With dedication and perseverance, you can achieve your muscle-building goals.

Ben – Iron Fit Food
www.ironfitfood.com
instagram: ironfitfood
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5 Beginner Nutrition Mistakes to Avoid In Order To Stay Fit

Posted on by Benoit Labrunhie

When it comes to achieving a fit and healthy body, nutrition plays a crucial role. However, many beginners make mistakes when it comes to their diet that can hinder their progress towards their fitness goals. In this article, we will discuss 5 beginner nutrition mistakes to avoid in order to become fit and burn fat.

5 Beginner Nutrition Mistakes to Avoid In Order To Stay Fit

  1. Not Eating Enough Calories

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is not eating enough calories. Many people think that cutting calories drastically will help them lose weight faster, but this is not always the case. When you don’t eat enough calories, your body goes into starvation mode, which can slow down your metabolism and make it harder for you to burn fat. Additionally, not eating enough calories can lead to muscle loss, which can make it harder to achieve a toned and fit physique.

  1. Skipping Meals

Another common mistake that beginners make is skipping meals. Skipping meals can make you feel tired, sluggish, and can even lead to overeating later in the day. Eating regular meals and snacks can help keep your metabolism running smoothly and prevent overeating. When it comes to Fitness it is important to understand how many meals per days you should eat.

  1. Not Eating Enough Protein

Protein is essential for building and repairing muscle tissue, and it can also help you feel full and satisfied after a meal. Besides, it also help in weight lose. If you’re not getting enough protein in your diet, you may feel hungry more often and struggle to build muscle. Aim to include lean sources of protein like chicken, fish, tofu, and beans in each of your meals.

  1. Not Drinking Enough Water

Water is essential for keeping your body hydrated and functioning properly. It can also help you feel full and prevent overeating. Aim to drink at least 8 cups of water per day, and more if you are exercising or spending time in hot weather.

  1. Eating Too Many Processed Foods

Processed foods are often high in calories, sugar, and unhealthy fats. They can also be low in nutrients that your body needs to function properly. While it’s okay to indulge in processed foods occasionally, it’s important to make whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins the foundation of your diet.

In addition to these 5 beginner nutrition mistakes, it’s also important to pay attention to portion sizes and to choose healthy fats and carbs. While healthy fats like those found in nuts, seeds, and avocados are essential for a healthy diet, it’s important to practice portion control. Similarly, while carbohydrates are an important source of energy for your body, it’s important to choose the right kinds of carbs. Avoid refined carbs like white bread, pasta, and sugary snacks, which can cause your blood sugar to spike and crash. Instead, choose complex carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, which provide sustained energy and are packed with nutrients.

Another important aspect of a healthy diet is to pay attention to how you fuel your body before and after exercise. Eating a balanced meal or snack before exercising can help give you the energy you need to power through your workout. After exercise, it’s important to refuel your body with a combination of carbs and protein to help your muscles recover and grow.

In conclusion, by avoiding these 5 beginner nutrition mistakes and focusing on a balanced diet that includes plenty of whole foods, lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbs, you can achieve your fitness goals and become a healthier, happier version of yourself. Remember to drink plenty of water, eat regular meals and snacks, and listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues. By making these small changes, you can make big progress towards a fitter and healthier you.

Ben – Iron Fit Food
www.ironfitfood.com
instagram: ironfitfood
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Why and when eating protein bars?

Posted on by Benoit Labrunhie

There is a lot of good reasons to eat protein bars! Let’s see why to incorporate them into your diet and workout, and when to eat them to get a maximum of physical benefits! Have you ever wondered how to use protein bars? Their benefits? Why and how you could incorporate them into your diet? Iron Fit Food tells you more about the value of protein bars, what they can do for your athletic training, and the best times to consume them. Also, many people tend to think that protein bars are just made for increasing muscle mass of athletes, but this is not the only way to use them. Thanks to their satiating effect, protein bars can efficiently reduce appetite and cravings throughout the day. Indeed, among a long list of benefits, did you know they can not only help you build muscle but also help you reach your optimal weight?

Iron Fit Food Made In Thailand Natural Protein Bars
Iron Fit Food Made In Thailand Natural Protein Bars

Why eating protein bars?

First of all, the consumption of protein bars, sometimes generically called energy bars, is interesting as part of a regular to intensive Fitness practice. But also, because they are a convenient snack to get a quick protein intake wherever you are. As a reminder, the function of proteins is very important for the body since they allow to increase and maintain muscle mass, but also to repair tissue. Another good news is that protein contributes to weight control! Indeed, the human body is not adapted to store most of your protein intakes, which are therefore transformed into energy.

What is the recommended daily amount of protein bar that you can eat?

This is a very complex question, as the protein needs just vary from one person to another. Depending on the age, sex, the intensity of the physical activity, the type of training, the frequency of the training and their metabolism. In general, it is recommended to limit your consumption of protein bars to 3 bars per day. You should also take into consideration that you need to eat about 2g of protein per kg of body weight and per day, if you want to gain muscle. Protein bars also provide energy to the body, on the short or long term, through an outstanding supply of complex and simple carbohydrates. They thus help to prevent muscle fatigue after workouts and help to recover.

Is it ok to eat protein bars when you are not doing any sport?

If you are not doing any sport, protein bars are not essential for your nutrition, as long as your diet is well balanced and your protein intake is sufficient. Don’t forget, protein bars are a supplement. And by definition they are here to help your nutrition, not to replace a real meal. However, if your daily protein and energy intake don’t meet your needs, then eating protein bars could be a smart added value to your diet.

When to eat protein bars?

Depending on your sports and your needs, you can consume protein bars before, during or after training. However, be careful, protein bars are not a meal replacement! This is a very common mistake many people are doing. They believe protein bars can replace a complete and balanced meal. It is therefore never recommended to skip a meal just because you have eaten a protein bar! Consuming them should be considered as a snack, this is where they will be most effective and where you will get all their benefits.

Eat protein bars before training

If you eat them before exercise, protein bars allow you to perform better. Indeed, your body will get the most from a “fresh” source of protein and energy to fee your muscles. Ideally, it is recommended to consume the protein bar about 1h to 30 minutes before exercise, in combination with good hydration! However, it is not recommended to take protein bars less than 30 minute before workout. Why? As your body will use energy for the digestion and the assimilation of proteins. You better save this energy for lifting up weights. In addition, during a session of an average duration, let’s say not more than 1h, muscles don’t need protein because they are not in an anabolic phase.

Eat protein bars during exercise

Eating protein bars during exercise is suitable for long and intense sessions which require a lot of energy resources with a strong demand on the muscles. For example, if you are running long distances in preparation for a half marathon or a marathon. Under these circumstances, energy bars allow you to make up for energy losses and prevent a fatigue-related blow. However, for the reason mentioned above, it is not recommended to eat protein bars during a Fitness workout. If your aim is to build muscles, keep in mind that during exercise, your body don’t digest protein. Plus, during a weight lifting session, we do not build muscle. Protein is therefore unnecessary during exercise. Remember, you destroy your muscle at the gym and you build them up by recovering at home.

Eat protein bars in the recovery phase

During the recovery phase after physical activity, protein intake is important to help rebuild muscle fibers destroyed during the workout session, to maintain and build muscle mass. Your muscles need amino acids to urgently rebuild proteins that it will use for muscle building. Plus, protein bars will also help to replenish your body with mineral. As long as your protein bar is of a good quality. What is a good quality protein bar? A protein bar made with natural ingredients, just like the Iron Fit Food Bars. Protein bars can help to gain muscle mass and promote physical recovery when consumed after exercise because they also provide a good intake of essential amino acids.

Conclusion

It is important to eat protein bars at the right time to maximize your chances of building muscles. As a post work out, pre workout or for recovery, this is up to your goal, age, metabolism and training. For example, the metabolic window, between 30 and 45 minutes after your workout, is the best time to consume proteins. Then your body will assimilate them more efficiently than ever. Also, protein bars can clearly provide many health benefits; however, they are not always made with good quality ingredients. A lot of times, especially in Thailand, it’s just a piece of candy disguised as healthy food. So, before consuming any protein bar, we advise you to double check the ingredients and their nutritional values. Besides, protein bars should provide at least 12 to 20 grams of protein per serving. And above all, they should be of a high nutritional value. This is why at Iron Fit Food, we put a lot of effort to provide you high quality protein bars. They are made with natural ingredients that you can name! This way, the amino acids in the proteins coming from a variety of natural ingredient are quickly transported in the blood so that they can be used in the synthesis of new muscle proteins.

Iron Fit Food Natural Protein Bars

Ben – Iron Fit Food
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What are the benefits of isometric exercises?

Posted on by Benoit Labrunhie

What are isometric exercises?

Before getting into the the benefits of isometric exercises, let’s define what they are. Isometric exercises is a form of low-impact resistance workout. This type of workout helps by promoting gain of muscle or strength. Isometric is a stationary workout, which forms exercises that work the muscles by pushing them against other muscles while remaining fixed or against the muscles, which strengthens the muscle. Thus, the isometric exercises are a stimulus added to stimuli, which force the muscles to respond.

Simple yet efficient

Isometric exercises are about keeping the muscle contracted and still rather than making any movement during the contraction. According to studies, the isometric exercises can give results, such as enlargement of the cells growth, which resizes the muscles, rather then the cells. In other words, one of the main benefits of isometric exercises, is the the muscles fibers building through resistance. According to studies the isometrics also help to gain muscle, while consistency works to augment the muscles relaxation and contraction points.

How to perform isometric exercises?

Isometric training requires that you balance joint spaces amid diverging rows of muscles. Isometric exercises do not require weightlifting, yet they will increase the muscles strength, however if your aim is bodybuilding, you must understand that isometric exercises cannot stand alone to build or sculpt the muscles. In other words, anyone can benefit from isometrics, but you need to workout with other types of exercises incorporated to the isometric routines if you want to sculpt your body the way it meant to be! Weight training when employed with isometrics can help you to sculpt the muscles sooner. Yet, at what time you combine isometrics with progressive resistance training, thus the chances of restoring the body’s natural physique increases.

Anyone can benefit from isometric workout
Anyone can benefit from isometrics

When should I do it during my Fitness session?

One of the golden rules of thumb while isometric training along with training in other areas is to apply flexor isometric exercises after working out in your normal routine. In other words, at what time you finish lifting weights start the flex isometric routine. We bodybuilders incorporate this routine in weightlifting, which claims state the builders muscles improved in vascularity and overall muscle detail.

In a nutshell, what are the main benefits of an isometric training?

  • Fast strength building
  • Joints protection
  • Fat burning
  • Lowering blood pressure
  • Low risks of injuries
  • Becoming fast and explosive
  • Improvement of the posture
  • Overcoming a plateau
Resistance bands can be a great addition to isometric exercises
Resistance bands can be a great addition to isometric exercises

In addition, you can easily modulate the level of difficulty to meet your needs and experience.

Simply by extending the duration of the contraction. To help you perform flex isometrics we can consider a few exercises. Again, always warm up and stretch before starting a full-scale workout.

  • Flex kicks is the process of seating on the floor, while reading to flex the legs. As you rest on the floor, use your hands, lower arms, and buttocks to support your weight. Once in position, kick with the knees bent, kicking up high, and out, spreading the legs. Next, bring the legs inward, repeat and then inward again.
  • The side flutter kicks are another type of isometric exercise. While performing the tactic kick the legs in a stride, while position self on the floor, and speedily kick back, and to the sides while pointing your toes, and kicking wide.
  • Single flex kicks include positioning self in the floor, while balancing the body with the buttocks and hands behind the back, at the same time kicking the right leg upward while learning back. Repeat the steps on both legs.
  • Leg flexes include sitting on the floor with the elbows and knees bended upward, and the legs flexing. Now, straighten the legs and arms, while extending the arms over the head bending the elbows. And then extending upward as far as you can while pointing the toes.
  • The flex and hold incorporates the point and hold workout. Sit in the floor in a comfortable position. Now, point the toes forward as you face down with the head touching the knees and the hands grasp about the feet. Count to eight, start the flex and hold. Thus, flexing the toes backward while holding in position. The head show go center down while the points of the fingers touch the toes. Count to six and release.

Should I do isometric exercises?

Various other types of isometric flexes are available; thus it takes you to learn and apply. Indeed, when it comes to fitness you must try, try and try in order to find what work the best for you. Also, if you want to progress you need a variety of training. I am not just talking about changing weight, increasing your reps, varying sets or exercises… but changing training techniques. This means completely different techniques, from the classical workout with dumbbells and weights. Whether you’ve just had injury or you’re simply want to vary your fitness routine, if you intend to do a complete isometric session, you should just use it like any regular strength training. At this end of the day, by activating nearly all the available motor units, isometrics are simple and efficient forms of workouts.

Identifying your Fitness goals is the key

Yet if you are new to workout, I recommend you to identify your goals, whether it is building lean muscle, losing belly fat etc. and learn all you can before starting a workout. Especially because, like I just mentioned earlier, the limits of isometric workout is that they cannot stand alone to build or sculpt the muscles.

Ben – Iron Fit Food
www.ironfitfood.com
instagram: ironfitfood
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What Is The Best Diet For Building Lean Muscle?

Posted on by Benoit Labrunhie

How important is a good diet in order to build muscle?

Did you think building a lean muscle is unachievable for you? Do you want to know how you can build lean muscle with a perfect and healthy diet? Then continue reading … First of all, a good diet is helpful to the body, helping to grow the body in all ramifications. At Iron Fit Food, we believe a healthy diet is one that will help your body and improve your overall health. It provides the body with essential nutrition like fluid, macro, and micro-nutrients and more than enough calories to help the body function correctly. Also, a healthy diet will help build your muscles and keep you in shape. In this article, I will show you some of the best diets that will help you build lean muscles and put your body in perfect shape, but before getting into the best diet for building lean muscles, let’s get to know what Lean muscle is. 

What is a Lean Muscle? 

This is a term used to describe body composition. It could be both aesthetical and for overall health reasons. A lean muscle simply doesn’t contain fat. However, beware not to confuse lean muscle with lean body mass. Indeed, lean body mass includes muscle mass, body water and bones! In getting lean muscles, both nutrition and physical activities, especially muscle building workouts are needed. You need to challenge your body by doing physical exercises as well as eating a good diet. A diet for building lean muscles is focused on muscle development, which enables you to perform better in the gym. It also helps you to physically recuperate and progress much faster. I will show you the best diet to build a healthy lean body that you so much desire. Lean muscle can be achieved; I meant you can gain lean muscle; having lean muscle is not an impossible task. In fact, all you need is an excellent diet to complement your training. Like we say 30% of muscles are made in the gym, the rest 70% are made in the kitchen.

Lean Muscle Thanks To A Good Training And A Good Diet
Lean muscles by Ben – Iron Fit Food
a.k.a Ben Fitamorphosis

Below are 3 best diets that can help you to build lean muscle:

Counting Calories: 

To maximize muscle growth and minimize excess fat, you need to take the right amount of calories and do ensure that you don’t abuse it. Why? Because if you eat more calories than your body needs you will to gain weight, mostly under the form of fat. Research showed that in order to gain muscles most active men (with a physical activity 4 days a week) need an average of 40 kcal per kg of body weight and per day. While most women need 29 kcal per kg of body weight. In Other words, if you are a man and your body weight is of 75kg then you will need 3,000 calories per day to build muscles. If you are just starting out Fitness 40 calories is enough for you. If you are intermediate you may go for 45 calories. Counting calories can be an efficient diet to get lean muscle. But simply slashing calories won’t get you there. In fact don’t skip the gym and do your best at each workout session, so you burn fat and get the maximum pump from your muscle.  

High Protein Diet: 

A diet for building lean muscles need protein because they play a vital role in muscle building and recovery. Like calories, you wouldn’t like to go overboard with it. That being said, if you take 2g of protein per kg of body weight and per day it is enough for optimal muscle growth. Since protein is the main component of your muscles, it is the key to succeed in building up lean muscles. The advantage of a high protein diet is that it can help you build lean muscle and torch fat without calorie counting or portion control, as long as you eat enough vegetables alongside your steak. However, with this type of diet you will have to limit your carbs and eat enough lipids with good fat. So your body can use them to fuel your muscles during your workout. For this type of diet 50% of your daily calories should come from protein, 30% from fat and 20% from carbs. Finally, always chose animal proteins, such as meat, milk, eggs, because they are complete proteins that contain all the essential amino acids your body needs. The Iron Fit Food Natural Protein Bars, can be of a great help here. Indeed, they provide protein from several ingredients such as: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seed, cashew nuts etc. you can easily buy our protein bars in our store.

Iron Fit Food. The Best Natural Protein Bars In Thailand
Iron Fit Food. The Best Natural Protein Bars In Thailand
Keto Diet: 

The traditional nutrition and Fitness protocol assumed you need to take enough carbs to help enhance your gym performance and workout. Indeed, carbs are converted into glycogen, which is stocked in your muscles in order to fuel your workouts and create an anabolic response. The truth is, it is possible to build up lean muscles on a low carb diet, by doing a ketogenic diet. For it to happen, you have to teach your body how to use fat instead of carbs as a fuel. 75% of your daily calories should come from fats, 20% from protein and 5% from carbs. As scary as it sounds, this is a very efficient and long-term diet. And it takes time to manage because of the “keto adaptation” phase! During this period, you may see a decrease of strength. You may even get tired, because your body will ask for a dose of carbs in order to get the job done at the gym. This is when most people give up! When you are on a keto diet good fat and protein snacks are your best friends. It is then crucial to get a good amount of protein at the right time, especially after a workout. The Iron Fit Food protein bars contain protein and good fat (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, peanut butter…).

build up lean muscles with a Ketogenic Diet
Build up lean muscles with a Ketogenic Diet

Different metabolisms means different diets.

We are all different, with different metabolisms, lives, potentials, ages and experience. So the best diet for building lean muscle will depend on each person. You must experiment and try which diet will fit you the most. However, no matter which diet you chose, the keys to build up lean muscle and more generally to be healthy is to do exercise and to eat good food. Indeed, exercise and diet is the way to go for building lean muscles. You will also need to change your lifestyle, as well as work toward progression and consistency. In harmony, you will definitely need balance in dieting and exercise.

Ben – Iron Fit Food

www.ironfitfood.com

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How many meals per day should I eat?

Posted on by Benoit Labrunhie
20 Oct

How many meals per day if I just want to lose weight?

Many people think that if you want to burn fat efficiently, you have to eat little and often. However, there is a faster and more convenient way to do it. First of all, you shouldn’t focus on meal frequency. Instead, focus on how much food you eat per day and based on the goal you want to reach. If you are in a calorie deficit (5-10% below the amount of calories to maintain your body weight), eating 8 smaller meals per days instead of 3 bigger meals, would just have a tiny effect on the speed at which you torch fat. On top of that it may cost you a little fortune. So let’s stop with this myth, eating several small meals is not a magic solution to burn fat quickly. You can eat how often you want whether it is 3 big meals a day, or just a several meals. In short, what matters the most if you just want to lose weight is the number of calories you consume over a period of 24h. Why? because the total calories consumed count more than frequency.

What about eating to build muscle?

What if your goal is maximum muscle gain? Thinking that eating more meals will systematically increase your metabolic rate is just a myth. When it comes to diet, nothing is that simple, because we all have different metabolisms, schedules and lifestyles. So, you better eat the number of meals that fit your lifestyle and only your lifestyle. Not the one of those bulk up guys you may see posing on YouTube, magazines or Instagram. If you have normal life with a job, daily transportation, a family etc. you may think that it would be beneficial to eat a constant stream of nutrients. Yet the spacing of meals is in fact more beneficial for muscle gain. This is due to the way fall and rise of amino acids prime your system. In that case, eating more than 3 meals a day, will bring you no extra benefits, based on the total amount of calories eaten daily. Keep in mind that what you want is to feed your muscles, not your belly! So focus on your calorie and protein intake (between 25 to 30 gr per meal) and train hard to increase your strength in order to improve your muscle growth. You should also consider adding a pre-workout and a post-workout snacks in order to fuel your muscle.

Iron Fit Food Natural Protein Bars to build muscle the smart way
Iron Fit Food Protein Bars to build muscle the smart way.

What about eating to burn fat?

If your main goal is to only burn fat, go for a 5-10% calorie deficit diet. The most efficient way would be to eat 3 meals per day. However, on the long run you may also lose muscular mass. This is due to a catabolic effect, especially if you have high intensity workouts several days a week. This is why you must make sure your ratio carbohydrates, fat and protein are structured and adapted to your training and goal. Indeed, calorie deficit is great to burn fat, but it is just a short-term solution if you want to keep your muscular mass. Beware if you eat fewer than 3 meals per day you may end up overeating and choosing unhealthy foods. If you seek long-term, go for carb cycling with long periods of carbohydrate restriction coupled with short windows of carbohydrate referring. In that case eat high-protein, high-fiber foods because they will help you to feel full longer. On a low carb diet, eat a maximum of 3 times per day and add good fat to your diet. This way you can teach your body to become “fat adapted,” meaning it will burn stored body fat for energy.

To burn fat, don't starve! Just eat the right thing at the right time.
To burn fat, don’t starve! Just eat the right thing at the right time.

What if I want to increase my lean body mass?

In a nutshell, to increase lean body mass eating 4 to 5 meals per day is not a bad thing. However you must keep an eye on the macro-nutrients and remember that your lean protein intake is one of the keys. Please have a look at this interesting list of the 43 High Protein Food For Weight Loss. If you workout regularly, like 5 days a week, you will need about 2g of protein per kilo of body weight per day. This is the reason why protein bars can help you. They can provide you calories, protein and good nutrients, as long as they are made with natural ingredients like the Iron Fit Food Protein bars. They are convenient and easy to carry on so that you can eat them anywhere anytime. Especially after a workout, when the body is stimulated to increase muscle protein synthesis. Burning fat, is not just about “calories in calories out”, but about eating the right food at the right time! Regarding the amount of calories, increasing your daily calories by 5 to 10% would be sufficient in promoting lean muscle growth.

The Iron Fit Food Protein Bars can help you get enough protein and complex nutrients for your diet.
The Iron Fit Food Protein Bars can help you get enough protein and complex nutrients for your diet.

Different goals, different diets.

At the end of the day, how many times per day you should eat depend on your goal and of your metabolism. So to get the best answer, you must test, test and test ! If you are looking to gain lean muscular mass, you may need to eat 4 to 5 times a day by promoting protein and avoiding carbohydrates that stimulate too much insulin secretion. As long as you do your Fitness session with enough intensity and you do enough cardio on a daily basis. On the other hand if your aim is just to gain mass, let’s say you’ve trained hard so you created a higher demand for nutrients. So you need to eat enough carbohydrate, fat, protein and food that will help you get the mass you need. But it doesn’t mean you have to eat sweets and junk food! Try to focus on a source of quality animal protein associated with a source of slow carbohydrates: pasta, rice etc… Whatever your goal, metabolism, training frequency or Fitness experience, keep in mind that the main key is the quality of your food more than the quantity.

Ben – Iron Fit Food

www.ironfitfood.com

instagram: ironfitfood

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8 best ways to lose belly fat

Posted on by Benoit Labrunhie
8 best ways to lose belly fat
04 May

Losing weight, in general, is difficult, but to lose belly fat in specific can feel insurmountable. It is not all in your head. It is importantly impossible to tell one specific region of your body to accelerate the fat metabolism. Yet, it is a worthy aim to lose belly fat because it is, unfortunately, the most dangerous location to store fat. Because belly fat also called visceral fat, stubborn fat or the deep abdominal fat that surrounds your organs is further temporary, it circulates throughout the bloodstream more regularly and is therefore probably to increase the amount of fat in your blood, increasing your blood sugar levels and putting you at a great risk of heart disease and kind two diabetes. The following article is dealing with the 8 best ways to lose belly fat.

1. Think eating plan, not a diet

You should pick a healthy eating plan that you can strictly stick to. The advantages of a low carb approach are that it easily involves learning the best food choices no calorie-counting is essential. This make it a weapon of choice if you want to lose belly fat. In general, a low-carb way of eating shifts your intake away from issue foods those high in sugar and carbs and without much fiber, such as sodas, bread, and bagels, and toward high-fiber or high-protein choices, such as healthy meats, vegetables, and beans.

2. Track your calories

The most basic approach to weight loss is burning further calories than you consume. For instance, since 3,500 calories are 1 pound of fat, a weight loss app or a paper and pen will help you decide how many calories you desire to cut from your diet or burn at the gym for meeting your aims. If you were to burn 500 more calories per day 7 days a week, then 3,500 calories in a week with 1 pound of weight loss. I am personally not an advocate of tracking calories to loss belly fat, because it can make you daily life quite infernal if you don’t have a strict discipline. That being said, this is a pretty basic and efficient approach.

3. Eat more fiber

Foods that are high in refined sugar and carbs do not really tame your hunger, so you end up reaching for more. Refine sugar and carbs are your worst enemies if you want to lose belly fat. This is the reason why at Ironfitfood our protein bars are made with no sugar and contain low carbs and fibers. Try to eat further fibrous foods such as whole-grain bread, chia seeds, oats, vegetables, legumes, fruits, and beans. They fill you up more, as fiber slows your digestion.

A 2015 study from the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that for those who have a difficult time following a strict diet, simplifying the weight loss approach by just increasing fiber intake can yet lead to weight loss. Women will goal for at least 25 gm of fiber per day (based on a 2,000-calorie) diet, according to the most recent United States Dietary Guidelines.

4. Keep moving

Physical activity aids burn fat and so abdominal fat. Before going further and say a few words about exercise, please always keep in mind that you cannot target fat loss. Like I said in my article Could you get slimmer by doing crunch exercise? to lose your belly fat by doing exercises you must lose fat all over your body. I hope I made myself clear and I will not find you at the gym trying to do half an hour of abs just to lose your belly fat. One advantage of exercise is that you get various bangs for buck on body composition. One of the reasons exercise work off belly fat in specific is because it reduces circulating levels of insulin, which will otherwise signal the body for stopping to fat and make the liver to use fatty acids nearby visceral fat deposits. The amount of exercise you require for weight loss depends on your aims. For most people, this can mean 30-60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise nearly every day.

5. Embrace healthy fats

If you need to lose fat, you’ve to eat fat, the right type, that’s. Adding healthy fats, in the form of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, can aid you to feel more satisfied with your meals. Fat sources in the diet come from unsaturated fatty acids discovered in foods such as olive oil, nuts, avocados, fatty fish, and eggs, as they can help raise satiety while offering a variety of health advantages when consumed in moderation. Ketogenic diet is one of the best examples of how healthy fat can help you lose belly fat. Plenty of healthy fat ingredients can be found in our Ironfit Food protein bars, such as cashew nuts, sunflower seed, pumpkin seeds, peanuts and so on. This is the beauty of our protein bars and this is what make them unique not only in the Thailand Protein Bars Market but also in the World.

6. Load up on protein

There is a reason everybody harps on about protein. And here at Ironfit Food we will never repeat if enough: Protein keeps you full, it is responsible for repairing the small tears by strength training in your muscles and it the bricks that help you bulking up. Protein aids your muscle to grow big and strong, nudging out body fat in the procedure. As a rule of thumb, get a minimum 70 gm of protein in the day or if you are looking for seriously bulking up, I recommend 2gr of protein per kilo of body weight per day. This is particularly important before you exercise if you want to bulk up and after your exercise for recovery. We are going to the gym and then eat afterward as we are hungry. The result? You eat more calories and wind up with belly fat. To avoid feeling hungry after a workout, eat a snack having at least 15 grams of protein before you exercise. Please have a look at our article How to use Ironfit Food Protein Bars to Lose Weight.

7. Try to limit your stress

Stress can mess with each part of your body, but how you deal with it may break or make your weight loss goals. Most stress effect is behavioral instead of neurochemical. It makes us eat more since we use food as a substitute for stress. Without mentioning the effect of cortisol on staking up fat right on your belly. Yea, you heard that, you cannot target fat lose, yet this evil stress hormone that is cortisol can stack up fat right on your belly.

The truth is, eating food to make yourself feel perfect is typically a whole lot easier than really facing the stress head-on. People gravitate toward something that does not need anyone else to do it, is instantly satisfying, and does not take a whole lot of effort, particularly if you are opening a box.

Stress eating can only lead to one thing growing your belly fat instead of whittling it. If you are eating due to stress, take a step back and think about it. Why I’m having stress, and what can I do? Find a way to remedy the solution or talk through it with a therapist instead of turning to a bag of Doritos. You want to lose belly fat, but you can’t make it happen? Then always keep in mind that everything happens for a reason.

8. Prioritize quality sleep

Like I said in my article Could sleep deprivation make me fatter? sleep is big when it comes to your weight loss success and that both if you sleep too little or too much. Scientists even said that a 4h sleep a night could increase the risk of obesity by 73%. So, skipping a night of sleep isn’t the best thing for losing belly fat isn’t it? Besides, if you are only getting the least amount of sleep every night, that leaves extra time for you to snack and make otherwise unhealthy decisions that can affect your weight loss. Though it’ll differ from person to person on how much sleep you really need to be most efficient (and therefore make progress toward your weight-loss aims), I would say the ideal number is 7 or 8 hours. But here again, if will differ from person to person.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, losing belly fat is not just a matter of doing exercise or following the right type of diet. It is a long-term discipline on your daily life that include sleeping time, stress, quality of the food you eat and so on. But for this discipline to take place, you must ask yourself the right question, a simple and short question: “WHY”. This is it, why do you want to lose your belly fat? Find within yourself the real answer that will lead to an unstoppable motivation and you will reach your goal. Because like I said previously everything happen for a reason and you will lose your belly fat only for a reason… this is the essence of goals and resilience, this is the essence of success.

Ben – Iron Fit Food
www.ironfitfood.com
instagram: ironfitfood

best ways to lose belly fat often start with a good nutrition
best ways to lose belly fat often start with a good nutrion

Could sleep deprivation make me fatter?

Posted on by Benoit Labrunhie

Yes! Sleep deprivation can cause you to pack on extra kilos of fat.

Yes! Sleep deprivation can cause you to pack on extra kilos of fat. When we don’t sleep enough, our metabolism slows down to save energy. As a result the body will start to release the evil hormone Cortisol, which is increasing hunger (besides reducing the protein synthesis, halting tissue growth, reducing muscle mass, increasing abdominal fat …). On top of that, the level of Leptin hormone also known as the “satiety hormone” is dropping down, so you just end up craving for more food. And if you think you could go to the gym and burn out some more calories by training early morning with an empty stomach, then you are wrong… Because one of the several consequences of sleep deprivation on the metabolism is a big decrease of energy burned over a 24 hour period.

What the Scientists say?

Scientists even said that a 4h sleep a night could increase the risk of obesity by 73% (50% for 5h and 23% for 6h). I suggest to sleep between 7h to 9h per night, especially if you are workout out at the gym regularly. This is also for an obvious matter of muscle recovery. Indeed, as a reminder you are building up muscular mass thanks to anabolism. For it to happen you need, among other things, a good nutrition, no stress and more than anything sleeping well.

As you understood, sleeping is more than important if you want to stay fit and healthy!

By the way, when you are craving so bad for food, please adjust your diet accordingly to your physical activity. Don’t forget to eat enough calories to recover after a hard workout session, and to slow down your carbs intake if you already have a diet rich in carbs or if you want to burn out some fat. The Iron Fit Food bars are a great solution for your diet. Whether you need to stay lean, burn fat, gain muscular mas, they will help you to reach your goals.

Ben – Iron Fit Food

www.ironfitfood.com

instagram: ironfitfood

Could sleep deprivation make me fatter?

Posted on by Benoit Labrunhie

Could sleep deprivation make me fatter?

Yes! Sleep deprivation can cause you to pack on extra kilos of fat. When we don’t sleep enough, our metabolism slows down to save energy. As a result the body will start to release the evil hormone Cortisol, which is increasing hunger (besides reducing the protein synthesis, halting tissue growth, reducing muscle mass, increasing abdominal fat …). On top of that, the level of Leptin hormone also known as the “satiety hormone” is dropping down, so you just end up craving for more food. And if you think you could go to the gym and burn out some more calories by training early morning with an empty stomach, then you are wrong… Because one of the several consequences of sleep deprivation on the metabolism is a big decrease of energy burned over a 24 hour period.

Scientists even said that a 4h sleep a night could increase the risk of obesity by 73% (50% for 5h and 23% for 6h). I suggest to sleep between 7h to 9h per night, especially if you are workout out at the gym regularly. This is also for an obvious matter of muscle recovery.

What the Scientists say?

Scientists even said that a 4h sleep a night could increase the risk of obesity by 73% (50% for 5h and 23% for 6h). I suggest to sleep between 7h to 9h per night, especially if you are workout out at the gym regularly. This is also for an obvious matter of muscle recovery. Indeed, as a reminder you are building up muscular mass thanks to anabolism. For it to happen you need, among other things, a good nutrition, no stress and more than anything sleeping well.

As you understood, sleeping is more than important if you want to stay fit and healthy! By the way, when you are craving so bad for food, please adjust your diet accordingly to your physical activity. Don’t forget to eat enough calories to recover after a hard workout session, and to slow down your carbs intake if you already have a diet rich in carbs or if you want to burn out some fat. The Iron Fit Food bars are a great solution for your diet. Whether you need to stay lean, burn fat, gain muscular mas, they will help you to reach your goals.

Ben – Iron Fit Food

www.ironfitfood.com

instagram: ironfitfood

www.facebook.com/ironfitfoodth

How to use The Iron Fit Food Protein Bars to Lose Weight

Posted on by Matteo Iannelli
Lose Weight with IronFit Food Protein Bars
04 Jan

Many people are willing to try our protein bars in order to lose weight.

The Iron Fit Protein Bars are perfect if to lose weight. We keep getting a lot of questions regarding how to use our protein bars to drop weight. Here is how.

First of all, we recommend doing sport in order to burn excessive calories. This shouldn’t be an issue, since it is quite easy in Bangkok and more generally in Thailand to find a gym or even a park where you can run or do some outdoor workouts. Second, we advise you to keep your diet under control and add the Iron Fit Food protein bars in a proper, balanced diet.

For example, assuming that your daily caloric intake is 2000 calories, which is most likely the daily caloric intake of an individual of about 170cm per 70kg that is moderately active, you should try to reduce it by about 500 calories per day to lose half a Kg per week. Consider also that losing more than this amount of weight per week is not healthy, can give you permanent stretch marks and will be very easy to revert, so take good care in planning your diet for long term results. Hence, the following is a good example of a 1500 calories daily diet plan that can make you lose the above-said weight:

Ironfit food protein bars to lose weight

This is what we care about: your nutrition and your fitness goals!

1 meal (Breakfast):

4 Egg Whites 14.4 Proteins 68 cal

1 Whole Eggs 6g proteins cal 78

100g Uncooked Oats 2.4 proteins 68 Calories

22.8 Proteins 214 Calories

 

2 meal (Snack):

Iron Fit Food Performance Protein Bar

21 Proteins 178 Calories

 

3 meal (Lunch)

150 g of Chicken Breast 46.5 g Protein 248 cal

80 g Brown Rice 2g Protein 88 cal

75 g Mixed Vegetables 2.2 Protein 37 Cal

1 tablespoon olive oil o protein 45 calories

50.7 Proteins 418 Cal

 

4 meal (Snack/Post Workout)

Iron Fit Food Original Plus Protein Bar

24 Proteins 260 Cal

 

5 meal (Dinner)

140g Tilapia or any white fish 40 Protein 191 Cal

100 g Steamed Broccoli 3g Proteins 34 Calories

1 tablespoon olive oil 0 protein 45 calories

43 Proteins 270 cal

6 meal (Pre-sleep Snack)

20g Almonds 4g Proteins 115 cal

100g Greek Yogurt 10g Protein 59 cal

Protein 16g 174 cal

TOTAL 177.5g PROTEINS | 1514 CAL

As you can see, this plan really focuses on splitting the daily caloric intake into several meals, 6 to be precise, in order to increase the nutritional intake and boost your metabolism. Also, it provides a big amount of proteins, which are the “bricks” that your body needs in order to build muscles and burn fat.

If your goal is to lose weight, also consider to add some aerobic exercise in your routine (treadmill, running, riding a bike are great options).

By the way, the above plan can be modified and integrated depending on your needs, personal caloric intake, goals and requirements.

Moreover, The Iron Fit Food Protein Bars and Snacks contain BCAA and glutamine that help your body to recover faster from a workout and to be active during your daily routine! What else? It sounds like the best protein bars you can get in Thailand isn’t it?

In a nutshell, taking an Iron Fit Food Protein Bar always with you is the key to avoid eating junk food and follow your diet plan everywhere to lose weight in the most convenient way possible.

Good Luck and remember, the 30% happens in the gym, the other 70% happens in the kitchen!