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ncomplete proteins come from "plant products", beans, rice, etc. They must be combined in order to supply the body with the 9 essential amino acids it needs. Ladies and gentlemen, now that you see how important consuming protein is let's look at how much should be consume and what types.

The world health organization and many national health agencies have independently conducted studies, which (even though they differ slightly) all conclude our daily protein requirement should be between 10% to 15% of our daily caloric intake. If you eat 2000 calories a day that equates to 50 to 75 grams of protein.

Protein needs of individuals vary in nature. To estimate your personal protein needs you will need to take your current weight in pounds, divide it in half and then subtract 10. The result is a rough estimate of how much protein you should consume.

If you do not already do so, read food lables, then buy your food uncooked and cook it healthfully. If you do not take anything else from this article that last sentence is paramount.

your schedule is hectic and you are just too busy and do not have time to eat high protein foods then bars and powders can be substituted. A lot of bars on the market are loaded with other "not so good" man made additives, trans fats, aspartame, saturated fat content (over 3.5g), etc.

Carbohydrates are used to fuel muscle growth

. For this reason, an athlete or bodybuilder should consume 3 to 4.5 g of carbohydrates per pound of body weight. However, the high end is only for ultra-endurance athletes and unnecessary for building muscles.

Exercising in the morning energizes you for the day—not to mention that gratifying feeling of virtue you have knowing you’ve done something disciplined and good for you

Studies have shown that exercise significantly increases mental acuity—a benefit that lasts four to ten hours after your workout ends. Exercising in the a.m. means you get to harness that brainpower, instead of wasting it while you’re snoozing.

Assuming you make exercise a true priority, it shouldn’t be a major problem to get up 30 to 60 minutes earlier—especially since regular exercise generally means a higher quality of sleep, which in turn means you’ll probably require less sleep.

When you exercise at about the same time every morning—especially if you wake up regularly at about the same time—you’re regulating your body's endocrine system and circadian rhythms. Your body learns that you do the same thing just about every day, and it begins to prepare for waking and exercise several hours before you actually open your eyes. That’s beneficial because:  Your body’s not “confused” by wildly changing wake-up times, which means waking up is much less painful. (You may even find that you don’t need an alarm clock most days.) Hormones prepare your body for exercise by regulating blood pressure, heart rate, blood flow to muscles, etc. Your metabolism, along with all the hormones involved in activity and exercise, begin to elevate while you're sleeping. As a result, you’ll feel more alert, energized, and ready to exercise when you do wake up.  Many people find that morning exercise has a tendency to regulate their appetite for the rest of the day. Not only do they eat less (since activity causes the release of endorphins, which in turn diminishes appetite), they also choose healthier portions of healthier foods.  People who consistently exercise find, sometimes to their great surprise, that the appointed time every morning evolves into something they look forward to. Besides the satisfaction of taking care of themselves, they find it’s a great time to plan their day, pray, or just think more clearly—things most of us often don’t get to do otherwise.  Exercising first thing in the morning is the most foolproof way to ensure that other things don’t overtake your fitness commitment, particularly if you have a hectic family life. (It’s so easy to wimp out in the evening, when we’re tired or faced with such tasks as rustling up dinner and helping with homework.)  More than 90% of those who exercise consistently have a morning fitness routine. If you want to exercise on a regular basis, the odds are in your favor if you squeeze your workout into the a.m.  Non-morning people can always trick themselves in the a.m. Having trouble psyching yourself up for a sunrise jog? Do what I did—tell yourself that you’ll still be so fast asleep that you won’t even remember—much less mind!  

My fear is that typical, normal Americans, upon learning that all their efforts to fit at least some exercise into their busy schedules are, after all, laughably inadequate, are going to throw up their hands in sheer frustration and disgust and say, "Screw it, Tillie. Pass the remote and open a bag of Cheetos." I suspect this is true because, well, that was very nearly my reaction to this report.

f you can engage in vigorous exercise for an hour a day without making yourself crazy, disabling yourself with orthopedic issues, losing your job, or instigating a divorce, then by all means do so. But if you are a mere mortal, then at least try to go for a walk every day. Twenty minutes of moderate daily activity won't make the pounds melt off or give you the same body composition as Lance Armstrong or the Williams sisters, but it will make a real impact on your cardiovascular health.

If performed on a regular basis, cardio exercises can improve your cardiovascular system and increase your chances of living a longer life.

Most healthy adults should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio five days per week or 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio three days per week, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

Protein is an excellent source of power for your muscles

Good sources of protein such as fish, lean meats and poultry, eggs, dairy, nuts and soya will help facilitate muscle growth

too much protein is believed to actually harm the body

To get the iron you need, eat lean red meats, grains that are fortified with iron and green, leafy vegetables.

A low-fat diet is healthy but people who workout need to ensure a supply of good fats.

mono-unsaturated fat like extra virgin olive oil, avocados and nuts into your diet.

When working out, the most important are calcium, to help build strong bones and prevent fractures, and iron, to oxygenate the blood that feeds the muscles.

your body will benefit from a boosted supply while training.

Second, use any extra time you have in school to work on your homework

Many schools have study halls that are specifically designed to allow students to study or get homework done

It's tempting to hang out with friends during study periods or unstructured time, but the more work you can get done in school, the less you'll have to do that night.

Third, pace yourself

If you don't finish your homework during school, think about how much you have left and what else is going on that day, and then budget your time

Most high-school students have between 1 and 3 hours of homework a night.

A healthy diet must include carbohydrates, which are broken down into glucose that the body's cells use as energy

Consume Enough Protein "I eat enough protein. I probably ate around 50 grams today." Now if this sounds like you, we are in some serious trouble. That is unless you are a 60-pound child whose major energy expenditure for the day is playing with your Tonka Trucks. Ok, down to the serious stuff here. If you don't eat optimal amounts of protein, you will never put on the muscle mass that you so much desire. You are also hindering your strength gains as well. If you are going up a weight class and you aren't eating the proper amount of protein, guess what?

have some of my athletes consume between 1.25-1.5 grams of protein per pound when trying to pack on size.

# 5 Maximize Your Carbohydrate Intake

# 6 Bump Up Your Fat Intake

Milk…It does a body good! You should have known this would be on the list. Milk is the drink of all strength champions throughout history.

I knew you would like this one. What true powerlifter wouldn't? Now again, don't get me wrong here. The point is that you should increase you lean meat consumption during a mass phase. Note I said lean meat consumption. This doesn't include bacon, ham, sausage, deli meats, beef jerky, or pepperoni sticks.

adults need 8 1/4 hours.

How Does Sleep Deprivation Affect the Teen-ager?

Sleep deprivation can impair memory an

inhibit creativity making it difficult for sleep deprived students to learn.

endanger their immune system and make them more suceptible to serious illnesses

Stay away from caffeine

Avoid heavy studying or computer games before bed, they can be arousing. Avoid arguing with your adolescent just before bedtime. Avoid trying to sleep with a computer or TV flickering in the room. Avoid bright light in the evening, but open blinds or turn on lights as soo

Avoid trying to sleep with a computer or TV flickering in the room.

Avoid heavy studying or computer games before bed, they can be arousing.

Note: Sleep experts consider adolescents to be between the ages of 11 and 22.

Studies show that the changes taking place in their bodies requires more sleep and they may be physically challenged to getting up early in the morning.

Exercise 6 - Upper Arms, Shoulders and Back Standing with feet slightly apart, grasp your weights and bend at the waist until your torso is parallel to the floor. Extend your arms towards the floor with palms facing outwards. Lift your arms out to the side, keeping them straight, until parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Exercise 5 - Shoulders and Upper Arms Stand with feet shoulder width apart and arms raised straight up above your head, grip your weights with your palms facing behind you. Slowly bring your arms forward and down, without bending at the elbow, until level with your shoulders. Lift back to starting position and repeat.

Exercise 4 - Back and Shoulders Stand with feet shoulder width apart and arms by your sides, gripping the weights with palms facing outwards. Making sure your movements are slow and concentrated, tense your shoulder and upper back muscles, then slowly "shrug" them up and down.

Exercise 7 - Upper Arms, Shoulders and Back Standing with feet slightly apart, position your arms straight down in front of you almost against your body - with your weights almost touching. Bend your elbows and lift your weights towards your chin, bringing your elbows out to the side, in line with your shoulders. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Exercise 8 - Arms and Chest The classic push up. With your hands shoulder width apart place your palms on the floor. Stretch out your body with either your knees on the floor, or if you're feeling ambitious, your toes - so you are supporting your body weight. Keeping your back straight and using your arms lower yourself gently toward the floor until you are hovering just over it. Push yourself slowly back to your starting position and repeat. Remember - don't lower yourself to the point where you come into contact with the floor, it'll be much harder to push back up.

Exercise 9 - Arms In a sitting position with your back straight, relax your arms in line with your body. Grip your weights with your palms facing upwards and curl them up towards your shoulders, then back down again. Repeat. Keep your torso still and back straight, let your arms do the work.

Exercise 10 - Forearms Holding your weight with your arm outstretched in front of you, tilt your wrist up and down repeatedly. Try doing this with both an overhand and underhand grip on your weight. Do one arm at a time.

Finally, depletion of muscle glycogen may lead to muscle loss as there is not enough proper fuel to maintain them.

f you feel weak, nauseous, or light-headed during your exercise, stop and rest. Drink some water. If the feelings persist, see your doctor.

After you hit your ideal weight, you can raise your carb intake slightly to keep your body out of ketosis and to prevent muscle wasting.

I defeated my skinny genetics just after college and I am about to show you four tips that helped me climb from a 149 pound weakling to a rock hard 190 pounds in six months.

f you are underweight, then your first step to gaining weight is to understand that you must play by a different set up rules. I have said this before and will say it again,

You must think outside the box and give up the excuse of being a "hard gainer." It is time to stop listening to all the naysayers who have told you that is impossible to gain weight because of your genetics. Regardless of what you have been led to believe, you do have the potential to build an impressive physique that turns heads and even intimidates!

Double It Up: One of the most practical steps you can take is to double whatever you are currently eating in the kitchen right now. If you are eating one chicken breast per meal, then cook up two.

Live Your Life Around Food: Sure, you know that you must eat every 2-3 hours, but how well do you execute? Set your clock on a countdown timer to go off every 2 and 1/2 hours so that you reinforce the habit of eating literally not a second late for each meal! Don't turn off the damn beeper until you start chowing down.

se BIG Eating Equipment: If you want to bulk, then you have to eat like Hulk. Do you think Hulk eats out of a small plate, or a small bowel, or a small cup? If you are aiming to get big and huge, you are going to require large amounts of food, most likely close to double of what you are currently eating.

Never Train Hungry: How many times have you woken up, whipped up a protein shake and than headed off to the gym? Or maybe you had a long afternoon and missed a few meals and then attempted a weight training workout after work? I thought this was common sense to avoid, until a few of my skinny clients confessed that they were showing up for their workouts having only eaten a piece of fruit and some crackers within the entire day!

. Eat Nutrient Dense Foods: Focus on caloric-rich foods that are loaded with nutrients. Avoid foods with empty calories, which means there is little or no nutrient value in the calories you are eating. Why would you consume a 500-calorie plus meal that is loaded with fat and sugar which does nothing but make you feel sluggish and soft? Instead, eat a high caloric meal loaded with slow releasing carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Carbohydrates: Oatmeal Rice Breads Yams Beans Potatoes Fruits Veggies

Proteins: Steak Chicken Lean beef Cottage cheese Whole milk Eggs Salmon

Fats: Olive oil Flax oil Avocados Nuts Peanut butter

Extras (high calorie cheat food): Ice cream Raisins Dried fruit Trail mix

Drink A Carb & Protein Drink While You Workout: How hard is to sip on a calorie-rich drink during your weight training sessions? Simply mix up a 2:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein with one liter of water and you instantly have a few extra hundred calories per day. Now have an extra workout drink before your workout and extra workout drink after your workout and that's easily an extra one pound per week. Only use this technique if you are weight training at a very high intensity.

Live The Motto, "Never Stop Eating" Did I hear you say, "But I'll throw up if I eat all day?" Maybe... Is it necessary? Of course not. But this is a part of pushing your body's threshold.

Don't add calories to your meals by choosing unhealthy fried foods such as french fries, chicken nuggets and fish sticks. Choose foods that are prepared with cooking methods like baking, poaching, and stir-frying.