First thing to note is that there are no magical potions, any type of weight loss supplements that claim to be miraculous are probably extending the truths. However in saying that it is worth noting that Whey Protein has it’s benefits and combined with a sensible diet and exercise plan you can certainly count on achieving your weight loss goals.

Whey protein is one supplement that you must try if you are really serious about losing that excess weight.

There has been a lot of research done on Protein, here is some information for you to consider.

Whey protein is touted as the ultimate source of protein because it contains the highest quality of protein. It is a by-product formed when cow’s milk is turned into cheese. It is a good source of amino acids and it is usually found in good quality weight loss shakes, powders or bars.

Protein is not stored by the body therefore you need to make sure you get enough everyday.

TYPES

Whey Protein can be divided into the following categories:

Whey Protein Concentrate.

• It contains about 80% pure protein. It is cheaper than isolate and contains slightly higher levels of calories, lactose and fats. It is a good choice for a budget protein.

Whey Protein Isolate.

• It is the purest type with about 90% pure protein. It is processed to remove lactose, carbohydrates and fat. You get high quality protein less the calories. It is usually more expensive than concentrates.

WHO NEEDS IT

Whey protein is beneficial to different types of people such as:

• Anyone who does not get enough Protein daily
• Seniors, to maintain muscle mass and bone density
• Body builders
• Endurance athletes
• Those who want to lose weight
• Vegetarians
• Those into weight or strength training
• Sports players

BENEFITS
Here are some of the numerous benefits you can get from whey protein:

Weight loss

Coupled with exercise, it can help you develop leaner muscle tissues and lose body fat. It increases your metabolism, helping you burn more calories per day. It also makes you feel full longer.

Muscle building, strength and recovery

It is ideal for athletes because it helps increase muscle size and strength. It also speeds up recovery time and muscle repair.

Fast ingesting

It gets to where it’s needed fast which makes it essential for your post-workout regimen or that time when your body is catabolic and requires faster protein injection. It reduces the post-workout breakdown of your muscles.

Anti-oxidant

It helps boost your body’s immune system.

FINAL TIPS…

The amount of your whey protein intake depends on your current weight, level of exercise and goals, specifically your desired weight. Normally, body builders consume one to two grams of protein per kilo of body weight daily.

The time to take it also depends on your goals. Bear in mind though that it digests fast so it is ideal to take it when you need it quickly. It is commonly used in the morning, after sports or weight trainings and before exercise.

It is ideal as a snack or meal supplement for busy men and women. Helps to satisfy hunger cravings.

There’s no need to be confused on the ideal supplement you need for your weight loss program. With the help of a tried and tested supplement like whey protein, getting rid of excess weight does not have to be so difficult.

What is Creatine?

Creatine is an important element in our body as it is involved in the production of energy. It is mostly stored in our skeletal muscles, though around 5% can be found in our brain and heart.  It is produced naturally in our body by amino acids.

Creatine can also be sourced from red meat and fish, though its amount would be greatly depleted as a result of cooking.  Sushi and sashimi are excellent sources as they do not require cooking, thus, much of their creatine are retained.

Creatine is also available as a supplement in both powder and capsule forms.

For creatine to be absorbed by our muscles, the body would require insulin.  Eating food rich in carbohydrates is therefore recommended so that more creatine would be made available for our muscles. therefore it is best to have it with glucose powder or non citrus fruit juice.

Effects of Creatine

The intake of creatine will result to a higher level in adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. ATP is a source of energy for muscles for short-term intensive workout sessions. It is especially helpful for training activities like lifting weights or running sprints.

Creatine, however, is not needed for muscles utilized primarily for endurance exercises.  As it may lead to an increase in weight, those involved in endurance activities are not advised to take supplements of creatine.

Take note that the increase in weight is due to the increase in muscle size brought about by the additional load that you can carry.  Muscle fibers can also grow because of creatine.

Creatine intake also decreases the amount of lactic acid in our body, which in turn will lead to less fatigue and faster recuperation.

Benefits of Creatine

The most obvious benefits of creatine are increase in strength and improvement of muscle size. It is most beneficial to those performing activities that need a quick burst of energy, like sprinting, baseball or heavy weight lifting. Aside from increase in muscle size, creatine also helps in recovery after intense training activities.

Creatine is also known to boost mental capacity. Those lacking in sleep may also benefit from a creatine supplement.

Muscle aches may also decrease significantly when you take in creatine.  Your skin can also benefit from the creatine added to lotions and creams.

When to Take Creatine

The best times to take creatine are before and after your workout or training sessions.  Taking it before a workout will help set up your body for a muscle building state. On the other hand, taking creatine supplement after your workout will allow your body to quickly recover and prevent a breakdown of your muscles, allowing you to return to the gym quicker.

So give your body a bit of an energy boost and help improve your strength and muscle size by taking creatine. That bit of energy boost can actually help you become stronger and allow you to increase your load.

Micronised Creatine is very fine powdered Creatine that is easily absorbed into the bloodstream.

When loading up on Creatine it causes the muscle cells to hydrate full of water. The hydration makes the muscles fuller and bigger.  The extra muscle volume (due to the water in the muscles) causes strength to increase.  If you put the increase in strength into good use by lifting more weight it would cause more stress on the muscle fibres.  By eating a good nutritious balanced diet, this would support new muscular growth.

It is important to eat a good nutritious diet made up of protein, carbohydrates and essential fats and train hard during Creatine loading if you want effective results.

Serving Suggestions:

For Energy
Mix one serve (5g) of Creatine Monohydrate in 200 mls of water
mixed with glucose powder or non citrus fruit juice
(ie: grape juice)  or carbohydrate drink
Creatine is absorbed much better with glucose based drinks.

For Strength and Lean Body Mass:

Loading Phase
Drink  one serve ( 5g ) 6 times a day for 6 to 7 days in between meals
Drink plenty of water to enhance muscle hydration

Maintenance Phase
Drink one serve ( 5g ) twice a day for 3 weeks. 30 minutes before and after workouts is ideal.

Rest Phase

It is recommended to stop using Creatine for a period of 3 to 4 weeks before repeating another Loading Phase.

**Not recommended for Children under 15 yrs or Pregnant Women. Should only be used under medical or dietetic supervision.

If you have been doing your reading, you’re likely know that amino acids are what protein is made up of, and getting enough of these will be critical to generating lean muscle mass and recovering from your workout sessions.

But, what is the difference between branched chain versus regular amino acids?  And is one better than the other?  Let’s take a closer look at what distinguishes the two.

Essential versus Non-Essential

The very first thing that you need to note is that there are two different categories of amino acids that are found in protein rich foods and supplements. They are essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids.  Non-essential amino acids are those that the body can make on its own when necessary by constructing other raw nutrients together. Therefore, you don’t actually have to consume these amino acids in your diet.  While it’s helpful to have the full spectrum of amino acids, if you fall short of the non-essential amino acids, you will be fine as the body can generate them itself.

With non-essential amino acids however, that isn’t the case.  The body will not be able to generate these amino acids and absolutely must take them in through an outside source.  The branched chain amino acids fall into this category.

Metabolising Amino Acids

The second difference that you need to note between the two of them is where the amino acids are metabolised.  The branched chain amino acids are special in that they are sent directly to the muscle tissues rather than to the liver.

This means that they will be used immediately for muscle repair and regeneration and can also be used as a fuel source.  For those who are performing intense workout sessions, this will be incredibly important for success. The faster you can repair your muscle tissues after a workout program, the faster you are going to move forward and be able to hit the gym again for your next session.

The Benefits of Branched Chain Amino Acid Supplementation

So what exactly are the key benefits of using branched chain amino acids then?

The primary ways they will help your fitness level is that they will boost your level of strength and power, improve your recovery after each hard workout session, enhance your energy levels, and reduce the chances that you suffer from lean muscle mass loss.  All of these will be imperative to ensuring you get the most from each session you put in.  So don’t just concern yourself with amino acids.  Think about using a specific branched chain amino acid product as well.   They are the elite class of amino acids that are an absolute must for anyone performing intense physical activity.

The fact is most people do not look after their health sufficiently and suffer from low immunity as a result. They are therefore susceptible to every flu bug that is in the air during winter, and these nasty little bugs multiply and spread when the weather gets cold. You should work towards protecting yourself from illness this winter by boosting your Immune system first.

One of the first things you have to do is improve your diet to include lots of fruits and vegetables. These foods contain large numbers of vitamins and enzymes that are essential to build immunity.

You should also consider increasing the amount of lean protein you eat every day. Apart from the fact that protein contains essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins which are essential for the immune system, it also replaces carbohydrates in your diet. Look for high protein – low fat combinations of foods so that you do not put on too much weight.

You do need to eat carbohydrates but should keep them within reasonable limits and should also avoid refined ones that add no nutritional value. Sugars have a very bad effect on immunity so should be limited but a treat now and again is fine.
Your diet should also include low fat dairy products because of the calcium and protein they contain. Beans and whole grains are also great sources of fiber and proteins and should therefore be eaten in adequate quantities.
Removing toxins from your body also helps build your immunity so make sure you drink plenty of water.  Choose water over carbonated (fizzy) drinks or ones high in caffeine.  Keep in mind caffeine is terrible for your immune system because it dehydrates your body.  Here’s a handy tip, try and keep water handy when you are doing any work and so that you can drink it regularly.
Exercising often is another important way of building immunity and keeping cold and flus away. It increases your metabolic rate and also improves your blood circulation. This helps distribute nutrients throughout the body and also helps remove toxins. So try and do at least 20 minutes of exercise everyday to keep your body healthy and free of common ailments.

While on the subject of exercise, it is important to say that you should also get plenty of rest. Do not deprive yourself of a minimum 7 to 7 1/2 hours of sleep every night because this helps your body repair itself so it functions properly.
These lifestyle changes will go a long way towards keeping you free from the weather related illnesses that you normally suffer from every winter. Coincidentally, you will also look better because you feel better and your skin will also look radiant and young if you take good care of your health.

What’s important is that you are empowered through accurate knowledge on how to read a label without all the marketing hype trying to persuade you to buy a specific protein powder, you can then make your own decision as to what is best for you.

1. How to read a nutritional panel:

The first thing I do when I analyse a product is to turn the jar and read the nutritional panel at the back.  I immediately look for the ‘Per 100g’ column. This will give me the percentages.

For example I may pick up a protein powder which contains per 100g Protein 70g Fat 7g Carbohydrates 6.5g and Sugars 6.5g. This protein powder contains 70% protein (70% of the jar contains protein), 7% fat and 6.5% carbs (of which 6.5% are naturally occurring lactose, in a good quality formula).

By contrast, if I pick up most slimming or diet products advertised on TV and commonly found in supermarkets you will find that the Nutritional Panel looks similar to this in most cases, per 100g: Protein 35g, Fat 1g, Carbohydrates 55g and Sugars 45g. In other words this protein has 35% protein (only 35% of the jar or sachet actually contains protein), 1% fat and 55% carbs (of which 45% are sugar).

OK, This product has only 1% fat allowing the maker to claim “99% fat free”. Yet it has over 50% carbs and most of these carbs are SUGAR!! I can learn all that reading nutritional panel. The next time you are in a health food store, pick up a weight gain protein product and read the Nutritional Panel – you will find it is often very similar to typical slimming shakes!.

2. Reading the Ingredients

Have you found that most ingredients lists are as long as an encyclopaedia with words and numbers you can’t even pronounce or understand?

Typical ‘slimming’ proteins have the following ingredients. Milk Solids (non fat), Maltodextrin, Glucose, Vitamins, Minerals, Flavours and maybe an artificial sweetener like Aspartame (951), Sucralose (955) or Acesulfame-K (950). Notice the first ingredient: Milk Solids (non-fat) is just skim milk powder.  Some use better quality proteins such as whey protein. Watch for ‘blends’ with cheaper proteins such as soy protein and calcium caseinate.

The second ingredient: Maltodextrin  is a powdered starch that is high GI. High GI means the carbs are made available very quickly into the blood stream as sugar. The body is then forced to release insulin to process this excess sugar and store it as fat cells.

So the very supplements that are supposed to help you get results are actually hindering you! Maltodextrin has a GI level of 105. Table sugar has a GI level of 60. You would be better off eating table sugar which is counter productive for fat loss! Maltodextrin is also used as a filler. In my opinion, if a ‘slimming protein shake’ only contains 35% protein and over 50% carbs, shouldn’t it be called a ‘weight gain carbohydrate powder?

3. Artificial sweeteners

My favourite topic! Many brands on the market are loaded with artificial sweeteners, gluten and other well known artificial additives currently under investigation by health professionals. Typical artificial sweeteners used are: Aspartame (951), Sucralose (955) or Acesulfame-K (950). Many people claim side effects from using them. Search online and just see the long list of potential side effects.

In 22 years in the fitness industry, having used many different protein powders and worked with many athletes, fitness models, competing bodybuilders I have found that almost all say that most protein powders give them gas and bloating. Does yours?

Artificial sweeteners do not digest in the stomach but ferment in the intestines. This could be hindering your digestion and absorption. Why spend good money on a quality protein if you are not going to absorb or digest it properly?

This is just one easily identifiable potential side effect of artificial sweeteners and  they also have a very unpleasant ‘chemical’ aftertaste.

4. Fat loss Amino Acids

Have you read the nutritional panel to see how much they actually put in? For example, in 100g of a typical protein with ‘added L-Carnitine’ you would be lucky to actually get 300mg of L-Carnitine. In a typical 25g serve you only get 75mg of L-Carnitine! That’s hardly a ‘sniff’. You need at least 1000mg per serve.

5. Vitamins and Minerals

We all need them. Again check the Nutritional Panel for Vitamin C (as an example). A typical protein powder contains 30mg per serve of Vitamin C! Most Multivitamins contain over 2300mg Vitamin C per table. A super long list of minuscule quantities in vitamins and minerals does not necessarily mean you are getting all the nutrition you need. I would still recommend you buy a good multivitamin and mineral supplement.

So what is the solution?

Buy a premium 100% natural protein powder, high in protein and low in carbs. And get your quality complex carbs from low GI fruits and vegetables. This will help you feel full for longer.

In conclusion being a competing bodybuilder myself and having experienced serious digestive issues which hindered my success I am intensely passionate about my health and yours without compromising any quality, taste or performance. I developed Tony Sfeirs Designer Physique product range in March 2000. We are now recognised as the premium quality 100% natural brand. We have 7 different types of 100% pure protein powders to suit every diet and allergy requirement and 7 Nutrition Boosters.

For 9 years the protein powders remained 100% pure – no flavours or sweeteners. I refused to add inferior flavours, sugar or artificial additives. There was not a sweetener on the market that tasted great and was 100% natural at the time. After many years spent researching and developing. I was finally satisfied last year when we launched Australia’s best tasting. 100% natural protein powder. High in protein, low in carbs with zero artificial additives or fillers! We have a unique, great tasting, 100% natural sweetener, extracted from an exotic fruit.

We are proud to announce that professional athletes are using our products getting phenomenal results and have the peace of mind that they are not damaging their health in the long term.

For more information and testimonials on Designer Physique products visit our website www.designerphysique.com. If you truly want results, you need to change how you eat. We endorse a lifestyle which recommends 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. To learn more download my free ‘Secrets to Health and Weight Loss You Should Know – but Don’t” e-Book and e-DVD valued at $97. And find us on facebook  www.facebook.com/designerphysique

OXYGEN READER PROMO

We want you to try our product and we are so confident you’ll love it, we’ll send you a 30g sample sachet ($4.95 postage & handling fee applies) and then refund you the $4.95 for postage and handling when you order a large container of our Designer Physique WPC or Slim Whey Protein.

100% Natural

Great Tasting

DAIRY & GLUTEN FREE

Do you find typical bodybuilding protein powders have an artificial sweetener aftertaste? Are they chalky and lumpy? With a whole bunch of strange ingredients and additives? Would you give them to your kids, parents or partner? Do they contain gluten and other allergens that upset your stomach and leave you bloated?

NEW ‘PEA PROTEIN ISOLATE’

A 90% protein*, low-carb shake suitable for bodybuilders and athletes who demand premium quality protein but are also intolerant to dairy or gluten, our Pea Protein Isolate is Australia’s first, best-tasting, low allergy, 100% natural protein, with a unique all-natural low calorie sweetener.

• 90% protein “Natural” flavour; 80% protein Vanilla or Chocolate

• Alkalizing protein 7.5ph!

• No Artificial sweeteners or aftertaste

• 100% natural premium quality ingredients

• Easy to digest and absorb

• Tastes great just mixed with water

• No lactose, soy, egg or animal products

• Suitable for vegans & vegetarians

• Recommended by naturopaths and health care professionals

“Like many competitive athletes, my health and performance suffered when my digestion was aggravated by artificial additives and fillers found in many supplement products. I set out to create a premium protein shake, that athletes, bodybuilders and fitness consumers would all agree was the best-tasting 100% natural protein shake. I’m proud to say we achieved that goal.”

FREE ENERGY BOOST CREATINE 100g VALUED AT $18.95

With purchase of 750g PEA PROTEIN ISOLATE.

Also available at all good health food stores or pharmacies’

Saccharomyces Boulardii is lactic acid yeast; a non-pathogenic, non-colonizing baker’s yeast species closely related to brewer’s yeast (Saccharomyces Cerevisiae). It is unrelated to Candida albicans, the Candida yeast species which cause infections in the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts. In fact, studies have shown that Saccharomyces Boulardii inhibits the spread of Candida Albicans.

Saccharomyces Boulardii:

• is among those Probiotics that can survive gastric acidity,
• is not inhibited by antibiotics (a unique property)
• does not adversely affect the normal flora in the gastrointestinal tract
• helps ulcerative colitis (European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2003)
• protects the gut from amoebas and cholera
• alleviates diarrhea caused by Crohn’s disease and Clostridium difficile
• secretes a type of protease which is able to digest two protein exotoxins, that appear to be mediators for diarrhea and colitis caused by Clostridium
• is effective against diarrhea and dysentery according to the W.H.O.

This beneficial yeast can be found in Designer Physique’s Digestive Boost.

In general, Bifidus provides:

• energy production through fermentation,
• synthesis of B vitamins,
• mineral absorption, and
• anti-microbial activities.

As one of the most powerful and broadly active intestinal flora it demonstrates the ability to:

• digest lactose
• ferment indigestible fibers, thereby producing more energy
• synthesize some vitamins, especially several of the B vitamins
• assist in mineral absorption, especially iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc
• inhibit the growth of Salmonella, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Campylobacter ejuni, Listeria, Shigella, E. coli and Clostridium by crowding them out and eating the nutrients they need
• fight bad bacteria by lowering the intestinal pH through its production of fatty acids, lactic acid, and acetic acid
  absorb large quantities of ferrous ions, thereby inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria that use it for food
• help decompose nitrosamines (cancer-causing substances) and suppress the production of nitrosamines in the intestines
• help lower serum cholesterol

Bifidus can be found as one of the ingredients in Designer Physique’s Digestive Boost

Glutamine is one of the 20 amino acids encoded by the standard genetic cipher. Glutamine is called a non essential amino acid because it is the most prolific of all amino acids. It naturally occurs within our bodies and is one of the few amino acids that crosses the blood-brain barrier. It runs freely in our blood and is stored in the skeletal muscles. As it is one of the most abundant amino acids in the human body, you may then wonder why people would bother taking glutamine as a supplement.

As much as glutamine is available in the body it is also very much in demand by cells in the intestines, kidney cells, immune cells, cancer cells, etc. Glutamine is heavily marketed as a supplement for muscle growth because muscle mass is the biggest producer of glutamine and at times of hard training glutamine is highly depleted. During times of injury or illness glutamine becomes more in demand by cells trying to repair the damage. These are the times when additional intake from food or supplements is required.

Over the past 18 years Glutamine has been successfully used in studies for the treatment of illnesses, injury, burns, wound healing, etc.

A recent study by Morlion, Bart J. M.D.; Stehle, Peter Ph.D.; Wachtler, Paul M.D.; Siedhoff, Hans-P. M.D.; Köller, Manfred Ph.D.; König, Wolfgang M.D.; Fürst, Peter M.D., Ph.D.; Puchstein, Christoph M.D.
“Total Parenteral Nutrition With Glutamine Dipeptide After Major Abdominal Surgery: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study” concluded that L-glutamine shortened the patients stay by 6.2 days.

There are many other claims on the benefits of taking glutamine; however some of these claims are yet to be scientifically proven.

From the current research and studies to date it appears a good idea to supplement l-glutamine.

Beef, fish, chicken, eggs, milk, dairy products, beans, spinach are all great sources of L-glutamine. And you can supplement L-glutamine with Tony Sfeir’s Designer Physique Immuno Boost.

Sporogenes produces only L(+) lactic acid and proliferates within the gastrointestinal tract in an non-invasive way characteristic of beneficial gastro-intestinal residents such as Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidobacterium Bifidum.

A summary of the potential health benefits of Sporogenes includes:

• 

  improved digestion and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, easing constipation

• improved quality of life for those with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• improvement in abnormalities of intestinal flora and various forms of dysbiosis
• treatment of diarrhea due to acute or chronic gastroenteritis, including antibiotic-associated diarrhea
• alleviation of symptoms associated with lactose intolerance, including pain and bloating
• treatment of type II hyperlipidemia
• complete relief in cases of non-specific vaginitis
• reduction in total cholesterol levels
• improvement in the body’s defence system by inhibiting growth of harmful bacteria

Lactobacillus Sporogenes is one of the many beneficial bacteria in Designer Physiques Digestive Boost.