The ABCs Of A Muscle-Building Diet

Want know where to start when it comes to mass-building nutrition? Start here! These three tried-and-true benchmarks will help you transform your physique, body composition, and workout quality.
Many people think the project of building muscle begins and ends at the gym door. They work hard and feel good, but typically don't achieve the level of success they dream about. Gaining mass is a 24/7 endeavor that includes not just gym sessions, but everything they eat in between them as well. Taking a wide-angle view significantly increases your chances of getting "there," wherever that may be for you.

Unfortunately, this type of perspective can't be downloaded directly to your brain a la "The Matrix." You need to build it over time and through experience. Luckily, IFBB bikini pro and BPI Sports athlete Abbie Burrows has spent long years figuring out what works and what doesn't, and she can help you build the fundamental skills that will serve you in your quest.

If you feel mystified and under-muscled, begin today with these three basic tips!
1 APPROXIMATE YOUR DAILY CALORIES
Gaining mass starts with estimating the number of calories you eat daily. The best way to do that is to keep a food journal for at least three days, then run the numbers using a website like or the USDA's Nutrient Database. This requires a fairly meticulous accounting of portion sizes, but that's a good thing. You need to master this skill in order to get where you want to go, and it'll get easier over time.

To quickly estimate your daily caloric needs, you can use a traditional benchmark like bodyweight x 17, which has worked for many lifters in the past. By this method, a 180-pound hard-training lifter would estimate his or her daily caloric needs as 3,060 calories (180 x 17) to maintain bodyweight.

If you discover you're not eating this much, start doing so immediately! "It took me two years of competing to realize I should've been eating way more calories, especially carbs, to achieve my ideal physique," recalls Burrows. Don't let this common mistake sabotage your results.
2  BOOST YOUR CALORIES BY 500 A DAY
If you're seeking to add mass, you're going to have to tip the balance in favor of eating more calories than you expend. Start by adding 500 to your estimated energy requirements. Our 180-lb. lifter now has a target goal of 3,560 calories a day.

Stick with that number for two weeks before changing anything. At that point, audit your progress and start tweaking. If you're a hard-gainer who is having trouble putting on weight, consume 200 more calories per day. If you're losing definition or have excess body fat, pare that number down by 200 calories. Re-evaluate your numbers every two weeks.

You'll quickly find that it's hard to fit all of these calories into the traditional three-squares-a-day approach. This is why people start adding additional meals and post-workout shakes. Get comfortable with the idea of eating often!

"To take in the amount of calories one needs in order to gain mass, meals needs to be spaced over more than just three times a day," says Burrows. "It's very challenging to cram the required number of calories from so-called 'clean foods' into just three meals."
3 CHOOSE THE RIGHT FUELS
Now you need to divide your daily caloric intake into the right foods for fueling muscle growth. There are countless combinations that people swear by, but these numbers are a solid place to start:

PROTEIN 
AT LEAST 1 GRAM OF PROTEIN PER POUND OF BODYWEIGHT
Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth. It gets broken down during digestion into individual amino acids, then reassembled back together in the body. In short, protein is your highest priority, even though you only devote roughly 20 percent of your diet to it. Good sources include lean cuts of beef, skinless chicken and turkey, whole eggs and egg whites, fish, whey or casein protein, and low-fat dairy.

If you're looking for one time in your day to add protein, look no further than after your workout. Two scoops—or roughly 40 g—of clean whey protein in a shaker bottle will go a long way toward helping you meet your protein needs, at precisely the moment when your body is most receptive to this macronutrient's benefits. Don't leave home without your protein already in your bottle!

CARBS 
2.5 GRAMS PER POUND OF BODYWEIGHT
Don't shun carbohydrates, especially when you're trying to pack on muscle. Carbs fuel your energy needs, especially during high-intensity activity like resistance workouts. They're your second-highest priority, and they should make up around 50 percent of your calories, with slow-digesting carbs taking precedence.


"Because they digest slower and keep you fuller longer, slow carbs give you more energy throughout the day and are better for stabilizing blood-sugar levels [than simple carbs]," says Burrows.



Your best choices among slow carbs include brown rice, yams, quinoa, and whole-grain breads. Avoid sugary sweets and sodas as much as possible; these "empty" calories can send your blood sugar—and insulin—skyrocketing, and are more likely to be stored as body fat.

The exception to the slow-carb rule is immediately post-workout, the only time of day during which it's preferable to consume "fast" carbs like glucose (dextrose). These shorter-chain carbohydrate molecules quickly raise blood-sugar levels, enabling insulin to drive the sugars (as well as amino acids and other nutrients) into muscle tissue and the liver to replace spent glycogen, the stored form of sugar in the body.





FATS 

1 GRAM PER 1.5 POUNDS OF BODYWEIGHT

"Don't fear fats! They're necessary for the absorption of a number of key vitamins, as well as the production of key muscle-building hormones like testosterone," says Burrows. Roughly 30 percent of your daily calories should come from fat. Half of that should be from unsaturated sources like olive and canola oils, nuts and seeds, and fatty fish. The other half should come from saturated sources such as meat, dairy, and eggs.






GAINS ARE MADE IN THE STORE AND KITCHEN
We could hammer you over the head with an additional 23 letters' worth of rules, but the truth is that eating for muscle growth really begins with these three steps. Everything else is just details, customizations, and techniques to help you make the most of the big three, all of which will come with time. Simply run the numbers above and figure out how to fit them into your life, and you'll see noticeable changes for the better.

You'll also find that it's very, very hard to follow those numbers while eating out regularly. This is no coincidence. "When eating at a restaurant, it's almost impossible to know exactly what's in your food, let alone the grams of fat, carbs, protein, and sodium content," says Burrows. "Your best bet is to stick with what you know—a lean cut of meat for protein and a veggie—and have them cook everything dry unless it's a cheat meal."


That may not sound as fun as a fried hunk of decadence, but the difference will show in the mirror. Learn to take control of your diet now, and you'll set yourself up for success for years to come!

Selecting The Best Photographer For Your Wedding

After a wedding ceremony, you must bear in mind that the only tangible thing that you will have for the rest of your life are your wedding photos. This is the main reason why it is very important for you to choose the best wedding photographer.

Tips For Choosing The Best Wedding Photographer

Ask for referrals - Be reminded that there are no licenses required for a certain person to become a wedding photographer. In fact, anyone who has a camera and some business cards can say that they can be one. These days, you got a lot of options when it comes to choosing a photographer for your special event. But it is highly recommended that you ask for referrals from your family and friends.

Meet the photographer you are considering - It is very important for you to meet with the person you are considering of hiring. You must see examples of his or her personal photography. Most experts would recommend that you choose one whom you feel comfortable to work with.

Rapport with the photographer - For most of your entire special day, your chosen photographer will be with you. Thus, it is very crucial that you feel very comfortable and relaxed with such individual; because if you don't, your attitude towards him or her will be portrayed in the photographs. The best professional will respond to your requests and wishes and not tell you how they will do it regardless of whatever you want. Even if he or she is the expert in such field, choose one who respects your decision; besides, it is your wedding day not hers or his.

Choose an organized photographer - Such professional will visit the locations involved prior to the event in order to get the current lay of the land and to pre-visualize your photography session. Most of the time, he or she will arrange to meet with you on such pre-visit and do a walk through - this will greatly help him or her capture excellent photos on your special day. Indeed, this is a very important aspect of preparation on the part of the photographer.

Check out the website of the photographer - Today, most professionals have their own website so it is wise for you to look into the photographer's site. It is a smart idea for you to read into testimonials, and the like.

The History and Culture of Stretched Ears

People have been decorating and making changes to the appearance of their bodies since recorded history began. This has taken many forms through the ages, such as tattooing, piercing, stretching, scarring, branding, muscle sculpture, hair styling and many more, and for almost as many different reasons.

The three major purposes of these forms of body modification have historically been tribal (to display allegiance to one tribe or group of people), in war (to scare the enemy and distinguish friend from foe), and for fashion and perceived beauty. Ear stretching has been popular for centuries, but this popularity has increased in Western culture in recent years.

For some, there is a profound spirituality in the protracted process of stretching ears, while for others it is fun and more involved than simple ear piercing, and the fact that fewer people do it adds to its appeal. Others have their own reasons, but irrespective of these, stretched ears have always been part of human history and will continue to be so.

Reasons For Stretching Ears

Just as with other forms of body modification or enhancement, people have historically stretched their ears for a number of reasons. For some cultures, this represented a coming of age, while for others it was carried out to enhance beauty or sexuality. Throughout the ages it has been used both for religious reasons and to protect the subject from witchcraft or evil. Ear stretching is still carried out all over the world for a variety of reasons, including those mentioned above.

If you travel to Africa, you will find that stretched ears are common among many indigenous peoples, including the Maasia in east Africa, the Mursi in Ethiopia, and it is also carried out in some Asian countries such as Thailand. In South America, stretched ears are common amongst the Huaorami of the Amazon Basin, but you generally need go no further than your own hometown to see some excellent examples of ear stretching. Stretched piercings and flesh tunnels are now a common form of ear adornment for Western youth.

Icemen and Pharaohs

One of the more famous examples from history is Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,300 year-old mummified body found in the Alps between Austria and Italy. In addition to several tattoos, Ötzi had an ear stretched to around 7 mm - 11 mm diameter. The giant Easter Island statues display stretched ear lobes, the likely reason for them being known as 'Long Ears'. The story goes that the statues were carved in honour of the original inhabitants of the island representing them with the earlobe stretchings that were part of their culture. When a different tribe arrived on the island, they were known as 'Short Ears', and were forced into slavery by the Long Ears. Eventually there were more Short Ears than Long Ears, and the latter were overthrown and the statues toppled over.

In Egypt, the boy king Tutankhamen is represented as having stretched ears, and his famous golden death mask features holes that can take 10 mm diameter bars. The processes used to stretch these famous sets of ears are not known, because there are many techniques that can be used. It is likely that primitive stretchings were carried out using wooden plugs or bamboo, and although a few people like to return to these early methods, they are not recommended today for health reasons.

Stretching Ears is Not Reversible

If you are interested in stretched ears, there are certain factors of which you should be aware. The first is that it is generally permanent. Once stretched, your ears stay that way. The holes do not heal over like a normal ear piercing, so make sure that you are happy with having stretched ears for the rest of your life. There is time at the beginning to stop and allow your ears to heal back to normal, but once the diameter reached 10-12 mm, it is too late and the hole will not close up. Another is that it takes time and patience. You do not visit a piercer and come out after an hour or two with stretched ears!

If you have decided that you want it done, you are advised to have the procedure carried out professionally. Yes, you can go it alone, but a professional will provide you with the best results, and it will also be safer. It will be quicker if your ears are already pierced, because otherwise you will need that done first and then wait up to 8 weeks for it to heal. Then you can start of the stretching, or gauging as it is often referred to.

That is because the diameter of the needles used is referred to as their 'gauge'. The gauge of a needle drops as the diameter increases, so that an 18-gauge needle is small - in fact, that's the gauge of an average initial piercing. Once you reach a 2 gauge, the diameter is that of a pencil and so on down. An 11 mm hole is 000-gauge (actually 11.11 mm or 7/16 inch).

Ear Stretching Should Not Be Rushed

As already explained, ear stretching is a slow process, and you should never try to rush it. If you try to rush, it will likely take longer eventually because unless the ear has time to get used to each lower gauge it won't heal properly. You might then have to start all over again. Gauged ears should not bleed and there is distinct procedure to follow. Fundamentally, you increase the diameter of the piercing in small steps, allowing healing between each step. A common way to achieve this is to use an insertion taper, where one end of the taper is the same diameter as your existing hole, and the other side is of larger diameter.

This can be in the form of a stud that you wear until you are ready for the next size up. The next stud will have one end at the current diameter and the other at the lower gauge (larger diameter). That is pushed through and secured, and you wear that until the next insertion, and so on. If you keep your ears and jewellery clean and sterilized between sessions using anti-bacterial soap or saline solution then you should heal fine between each session - allow about two weeks between sessions.

Take the Advice of the Pros

It is very important to follow the advice of the professionals, and do not try to cut corners. Many people have ruined their ears by failing to be patient, so don't let that be you. Follow cleaning instructions to the letter, both during and after the entire stretching process. There are many different types of ear jewellery available for stretched ears, including flesh tunnels, bars and rings.

There is also a wide choice of materials, from wood or plastic to gold and platinum. Many prefer glass while others find Teflon best, particularly if they suffer allergies. Niobium, surgical stainless steel and titanium are also popular materials for stretched ear jewellery.

Keep in mind that not all can be worn indefinitely, particularly the porous materials such as wood, shell and some plastics that can harbour bacteria, yeasts and fungi. Such jewellery should be regularly removed and thoroughly cleaned and sterilized. Ear stretching sets you apart from the usual crowd, and can be a very distinctive form of ornamentation. It is something that few people regret having done.

Navel Piercing Types

Centuries ago, Egyptians used to adorn themselves with different forms of body piercings. As for navel piercing, only members of the royal family were allowed to do that. Anyone else who attempted to pierce one's navel could be sentenced to death. Modern times have been more tolerant, that is why the interest in navel piercing broke out with a new force during the 80's and 90's of the previous century.

These days, increasingly more people are having a navel piercing done. And of course, the reasons for having this kind of piercing differ from those of ancient times. Someone gets it for the look. Someone else wants to have a secret spot to show only to special people. If you already have your own reasons for it, it's time to think about the type to choose.

There are some different modes of navel piercing to select from. Some of them depend on how big in size your belly is and whether your navel is placed inward or outward. According to navel location, the piercing is called "innie" or "outie." Navel piercings are also performed on the top, bottom, or sides of the navel.

• The most largely accepted type of navel piercing is the "innie". It's located just above the navel plug. When correctly performed, it looks great, especially on a well-shaped abdomen. If you're not endowed with the proper anatomy, your piercing may also be torn through the skin in case it's too low-settled.

• The "outie" piercing is located leftward from your belly-button. It's a rather complicated kind of navel piercing since a lot of blood vessels are concentrated inside and around this plug. On account of this, blood loss may be more abundant. As well risks of getting infected are higher.

• Upper rim is the standard kind of piercing, which is performed at the top of the navel ring.

• Lower rim is done at the bottom side of the belly button ring.

• Sides are generally called the piercings which are located on belly-button sides. These can be either left or right side, anywhere among the top and bottom sides of the navel ring.

It's possible to have up to four piercings done to your navel. However, it doesn't mean you can do them all at once. In such cases you get exposed to greater risks as well as more profuse bleeding. The best idea is having one navel piercing done at a time, wait for it to heal, and then think about another one.

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4 Mistakes to Avoid When Piercing Your Body

Body piercing and wearing body jewelery is in fashion today. While many want to get their body pierced, most are also concerned about the possible side effects.

Adorning your body with jewelery is a fashion that has been in practice since time immemorial. Body piercings such as ear, nose and navel are common and is being practiced by people since ages. There are a few additions made to the list, in the recent times, such as tongue, and some private parts.

While adorning body jewelery is the dream of many young people, a good number of them are not aware of the side effects. Most infections or side effects of piercing are mainly due to improper care taken before and after piercing, being pierced by an inexperienced person or use of unsterilized body jewelery. When taken proper precautions, you can experience an uncomplicated piercing. Here are a few mistakes you may choose to avoid, for sporting that lovely body jewel:

Contacting an Amateur

The offer of being pierced while walking down that narrow alley in a foreign land or by the beach side hut, at a dirt-cheap price, may seem extremely lucrative. However, the question is - Is it worth the risk? Piercing of the body is as much a science as an art. A bad piercing can lead to many complications such as infections, nerve disorders, HIV, tetanus and hepatitis.

A body piercing will know the body anatomy, the pros and cons of piercing different body type and offer good hygiene advice. He will also recommend you against piercing a certain place if it looks risky and hazardous to your health.

Picking up Any Jewelry

Do not buy or wear all available types of body jeweleries just because it is cheap or looks beautiful. Piercing jewelry should always be selected with care. It is important that the pierced part of the jewelry be made of high quality sterilized materials such as titanium, surgical steel, acrylic, etc. It is also important to choose the right jewelry type suitable for your body-type.

Avoiding Proper Aftercare

Once pierced, it is not over. Proper aftercare for a certain period is essential for the well-being of the pierced part. This includes a cleaning regime, proper diet, proper medication and exposing the wound to any probabilities of infections

Pursuing Perfection

One of the first points to consider is does perfection exist? Who is it that decides when something cannot be improved? Presumably 'perfect' is a subjective decision that two people could see in a totally different way and if we always aimed to make everything just so would we ever finish anything?

We also need to consider why people pursue it? Is it a tactic to avoid doing other difficult tasks on the grounds that they are too busy or that what they are doing is more important? Is it fear of failure, so they put off finishing something and therefore they avoid the risk of any criticism or of being judged? Maybe this happens when people are more concerned with the opinions of others rather than their own.

Thanks to league tables schools can get trapped in this cycle of chasing perfection whereby pupils are asked to re-do homework so that any imperfections can be ironed out. Work for adults can also become a problem if they feel they cannot finish anything to the 'right' standard and anyone working on their own needs to be aware of this trap as you will have no-one to compare yourself to or to assure you that all is well.

People starting their own business will struggle if they spend too much time on every little job. They need to decide which are the most productive tasks concentrate on those and just make sure that other matters are fit for purpose. Otherwise they can be left with a sense of never being able to finish anything and of being surrounded by things that still need to be done. This can be overwhelming and could lead to someone giving up on their dream of running their own business. The answer to this is partly to be organised and to be able to decide what really matters.

We all have times when we strive to get things just right but if you spend hours on every task and have a constant sense that nothing is good enough then you risk having an 'unfinished' life.

There are obviously situations where things have to be right; we do not expect someone piloting a plane to take a laissez-faire attitude to the task in hand but right is not the same as perfect. If the pilot made endless attempts at a 'just so' landing each time he would probably have a mutiny on his hands long before he ran out of fuel.

Reaching for perfection is like watching a ship moving towards the horizon; it will never arrive at that destination and if we become perfectionists in all things neither will we.

Not All Body Jewelry Is Created Equal

Body jewelry comes in all sorts of shapes and forms. There is quite the variety there. Guaranteed, you can find for your piercing that you've never seen before every day if you looked hard enough a new piece of jewelry.

Unfortunately, this variety is not always does not offer quality. In fact, you can find body jewelry pretty awful. They can be made ​​from materials less then desirable. They can be made evil. They can even get to the point of just being bad for you.

Running an online retailer of jewelry piercing forced me to find a few bad pieces of body jewelry there. Some of these results is the research while others are simply a first-hand experience. That's what I've learned so far.

One of the most common types of materials used for piercings is acrylic. There are several reasons for this. Some pretty cool designs can be made of acrylic. Acrylic is cheap so not only production costs can be kept low, but the prices of retail can be can be very appealing. It is also very slight. However, it is one of those materials that you should try to circumvent them. The first thing that makes it undesirable acrylic is that it can not be sterilized in an autoclave, one of the best ways to sterilize. In addition, the alcohol may cause its degradation. If it can not be sterilized that it must always be germs or dirt or really anything on it. Also, acrylic is not intended for long term use. Anyone who tells you it's should immediately cause red flags to go up.

Another popular material for use in body piercing jewelry is what is considered body jewelry "organic." However, this is not ideal for use in piercings. Almost all materials used in jewelry are extremely porous organic piercing. This means they can never be completely cleaned as it is impossible to get any small pores clean. This also means that they can carry bacteria and other bad things. Why would you risk it? Most organic materials can not be sterilized in autoclave either.

Surgical steel not one of the most popular for use in body jewelry metals. It is one of the lowest in use metals. It is durable. Overall, it is a desirable material to be worn in a bore. It may even be sterilized in autoclave. However, it may not be the best material for you. Most people will have no problem with that. However, these jewels "regular" drill steel can hold a good amount of nickel that can provoke allergic reactions in some people. Overall, it is recommended not to use these pieces of steel piercings for you if possible.

Now you might have piercing jewelry that is made ​​of a material acceptable. This is the first step in the right direction. However, there are other things that can make them undesirable. First, they simply could not be clearly wrong doing. Some manufacturers only care about money quickly. They may have sharp edges that are not supposed to be there. They can use a cheap hold pieces in place, like gems not stick. Poor will glassmakers body jewelry that can break under normal circumstances. You must make sure that what you buy is quality.

So there are all these bad things out there in the world of body jewelery. What should you look for? Although surgical steel, stainless steel, high quality, is a great place to start. The recommendation is that this should be the minimum you are going for. Niobium is next on the scale. Titanium is probably the best metal you can purchase for your piercings. There is absolutely no nickel in it and it is one of the most hypoallergenic metals there. Glass is an ideal material for use in piercings as well. Just be sure that what you buy is quality. Silicone is a good material. The only problem is that it creates a seal between it and your piercing may cause complications. It is ideal for short-term use.

All recommended above materials can be sterilized in an autoclave. This is the method hospitals use to sterilize their equipment. If possible, it is strongly recommended that you buy sterilized body jewelry. This ensures a number of things. Poor quality piercing jewelry can not withstand the pressure created in an autoclave. One way of ensuring the autoclave anything that can cause infections is killed on the body jewelry. If you get a new piercing, you should be getting sterilized body jewelry for initial piercing, no matter what. Otherwise, you get into trouble.

There you have it. It should be clear now that all body jewelry is not created equal and we hope now you can buy smarter so you can avoid any kind of adverse circumstances occur. After all, prevention is better than cure.

The author of this piece is Jonathan Rudzitis. Jonathan Buckles will board buying and sterilizes its body jewelry to the general public.

This information has been gained from Percé Edge. Pierced Edge is an online retailer of jewelry strictly sterilized body. Sterilized body jewelry offers high quality, safe and clean body jewelry.