Saturday, February 8, 2014

Fast your way to a fast transformation

Intermittent Fasting

Meee? Neverrrr :P

Most of you guys have heard the myth that the only way to build a stellar metabolism while building muscle and burning fat is by eating every 3 hours five to six times a day. Not everyone is built the same and this may not be the right route for you....I know it wasn't for me!

What if I told you that it is possible to get that killer lean physique while fasting 13-16 hours a day and eating 3 meals within only 8 hours anddddd hit your macros (protein, fats, carbs) and calories for the day? Think I'm crazy? Well that's the way I do my eating and I LOVE the results I have gotten thus far.

Let me break it on down for you boo boo:

First off, do not confuse intermittent fasting with STARVING!!! You are still getting your nutrients and calories in your body each day, you will not under eat! What I love about this "diet" (I hate using the term diet b/c it is a lifestyle habit, not a one time grueling thing you force yourself to do) is that intermittent fasting is treated just like training. When you lift or do aerobic exercises you are obviously putting your body under stress... STRESS BUILDS MUSCLE...PERIOD. Your body responds to this stress and triggers growth. This "controversial" diet is nutritional stress and this is what your body needs.

The Founding Father of Intermittent Fasting or a.k.a "The Warrior Diet."

This nutritional genius goes by the name of Ori Hofmekler. According to Hofmekler, who recommends 12-16 hours of fasting (including sleep), “With these short-term fasts, you trigger stress response agents...These are stress protein, heat shock proteins, certain kinds of enzymes, and anti-inflammatory and immune molecules that practically search and destroy every weak element in your body.”

Humans are clearly programmed for thriving under stress, just look at our ancestors who had to literally fast until they scavenged for nuts and berries or were successful with their hunts and obtained meat. Does "survival of the fittest" ring a bell? DING DING! We evolved from the ancestors who thrived the best under stress so lucky for you, if you don't live by a McDonald's or Burger King, YOU WILL SURVIVE... whew that was a close call! Technology has helped to remove stress from our daily lives with fast food joints, vending machines, grocery stores, restaurants, etc.

BENEFITS OF INTERMITTENT FASTING:

  1. Anti-aging effects
  2. Spikes insulin sensitivity (For better protein synthesis and muscle gains)
  3. Increased fat loss. LSU (GEAUX TIGERS) concluded that fasting resulted in 4% body fat loss within 22 days. Say whaaaa?!!
  4. Burns excess energy
“In fitness, exercise is important, but nutritional stress is even more important,” says Hofmekler. “Combining both of them is the magic formula—if you add to that the right food, nothing can stop you.”
Get your fast on peeps with intermittent fasting!

"Stay hungry, devour gainz!"
-The Buff Swan

Thursday, February 6, 2014

The Yolk's On You!


We have all heard the old health adage of how eggs are a healthy component to your breakfast arsenal. Scrambled, omelette, boiled, sunny side up: All of these combinations make for favorites to start off your day.

You wake up, get your skillet ready on the stove top, break out the egg carton and ~CRACK~ the golden treasure comes pouring out. It's so fluffy and tasty so the media mustttttt be right when they say this deliciousness is actually bad for you right?!!! All of that unneeded cholesterol is clogging your arteries every time you indulge into that omelette, shame on you!!!

Well I'm here to say the yolk's on them fools! Don't feel guilty next time you leave the yolks in your scrambled eggs next time because the yolk actually contains awesome sauce for your body.

Yolk benefits include:

  • 80% of the overall egg's vitamins and minerals (10 to be exact!)
  • 1/5 of total protein
  • Contains Riboflavin that actually aids in lowering cholesterol levels
  • Contains Lecithin which prevents most of the cholesterol from even being absorbed in your digestive tract
  • lowers low density lipids (bad cholesterol)

Any who, your body actually NEEDS cholesterol anyway!!!! The cholesterol in eggs actually helps to synthesize testosterone which in turn helps burn fat, then leads to lean muscle mass.... umm yes, this type of cholesterol helps you gain lean muscle! So yolks can't be that bad of a dude then, huh?!

"O.K BUFF SWAN, WE GET IT. CHOLESTEROL IN YOLKS WON'T GIVE YOU A HEART ATTACK. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE "HIGH" FAT CONTENT?"
When it comes to overall health and bodybuilding, the name of the fat game is OMEGA-3s! and man do these yellow bad boys pack a mighty omega-3 punch right in the kisser. What this means for you is that this fat content is stored as energy directly in your muscle cells and promotes brain function. So unlike your hearty breakfast bagels, they won't be stored as BODYfat. I'll take this fat guy any day in that case! :P

TIP!!!!: If you are afraid of going over your fat content for the day, but want to go ham on protein, add in some liquid egg whites to your whole eggs for a protein kick.

Really want to take your "fat" game to the next level? Go Brown!!


If you are serious about your omega-3 fat intake, opt for brown eggs next time. They might not be as glossy as your run of the mill white ones, but these dingy looking fellas actually contain TWICE the amount of omega-3s as white eggs. Added bonuses for the brown eggs are that they have 1/3 less cholesterol, 1/4 less saturated fat, 3 times more vitamin E, and and a whopping 7 times more beta carotene. And did I mention that the yolks look much more golden, bigger, and waaaaaay fluffier. MMMM, okay I can't handle all of this food porn anymore, I'm going to cook me some eggs guys!

-The Buff Swan
"Stay hungry, devour the gainz!"

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

In this video, I explain the ins and outs of the gym lifestyle that have helped me embrace this new world and gain a healthier me.

I talk about:
why girls should lift heavy,
what KIND of workouts to do in the gym
basic nutrition
cardio
supplementation
how to use instagram to keep you motivated.

Remember to stay hungry and you WILL devour the gainz!

-The Buff Swan