What is Glutamine?
Glutamine is considered a “conditionally essential amino acid”. It makes up roughly 61% of the amino acid pool in skeletal muscle.

What does Glutamine do?
-
- It is an acid/base balancer
- It is a nitrogen carrier
- It is a precursor to macromolecules (proteins & nucleic acids)
- Interestingly glutamine is the most used fuel for rapidly dividing cells, such as intestinal cells and lymphocytes (immune system cells).
- It is a cell volumizer
- It aids in recovery
- It boosts the immune system

How much should I take & when?
Although glutamine is a popular supplement, this question pops up quite often. The amount of glutamine you should take depends on your bodyweight. Dosages at .57g/kg bodyweight have been shown to be safe in short term use. The body needs a minimum of .2g/kg to have a positive effect on nitrogen balance. Here is a chart of daily dosages by body weight (at .2g/kg):
140lbs - 12.7g
150lbs - 13.6g
160lbs - 14.5g
170lbs - 15.4g
180lbs - 16.3g
190lbs - 17.2g
200lbs - 18.1g
210lbs - 19.1g
220lbs - 20g
230lbs - 20.9g
240lbs - 21.9g
250lbs - 22.7g
260lbs - 23.6g
270lbs - 24.5g

Although you could probably take your full daily dosage at once, it may not be the most comfortable thing to do so. Glutamine should not be taken with food, as it will drastically decrease the amount of glutamine that is absorbed. It is best taken post-workout with carbs & protein, or before bed, since Glutamine is believed to cause an increase in growth hormone (and this is an ideal time for this). A good time to take it is in the morning on an empty stomach.

Glutamine is easily one of the top 5 OTC supplements that anyone lifting weights should use. In fact, it could be #1 or maybe a close #2 (behind Creatine). It is currently more expensive than creatine, but the price has drastically dropped over the past 18 months. Hope this helps!

There is nothing more irritating to me than having people tell me they cannot get in better shape for one reason or another. Then there are some other more subtle myths that if you are following you are actually HURTING your fitness efforts. See #1, #3, and #4 specifically. Now here are 5 in no particular order:

1) You Will Burn More Fat If You Exercise Longer at a Lower Intensity
More of the calories will directly be coming from fat but in the end fat loss is a function of calories in being less than calories out. Higher intensity = more calories out.

2) If you’re not working out every day, you are wasting your time
This kind of thinking keeps a lot of people from even starting an exercise program. Research continues to show that any exercise is better than none. Even walking one hour a week has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

3) Exercise alone will allow you to reach all of your goals
As with all responses to exercise, weight gain or loss is impacted by many factors, with another main one being diet. What you eat accounts for at least half of fat loss. “A six pack is made in the kitchen..” has a lot of truth to it.

4) For losing weight, stay away from lifting weights because you will bulk up
Most exercise experts believe that cardiovascular exercise and strength training are both valuable for maintaining a healthy weight. Strength training helps maintain muscle mass and decrease body fat percentage. It is VERY difficult to get bulky, in fact you have to be actively trying to bulk up and eating thousands of extra calories to gain significant muscle weight.

5) I can’t do it, I just don’t have the genetics
Yes you can. Everyone can at least be healthy. Studies show that obese people who participate in regular exercise programs have a lower risk of all-cause mortality than sedentary individuals, regardless of weight. Both men and women of all sizes and fitness levels can improve their health with modest increases in activity. And both men and women CAN slim down to whatever fitness level they would like to be at with hard work, exercise, and a proper diet.

Creatine…everyone has heard of it, few really understand exactly what it is or how it works. Lets get started with the basics.

What is creatine?
The chemical name is methyl guanidine-acetic acid. Creatine was identified in 1832 when Michel Eugène Chevreul discovered it as a component of skeletal muscle, which he later named creatine after the Greek word for flesh, Kreas. It is made up of three amino acids - Arginine, Glycine and Methionine - and is produced primarily by the body’s liver or is introduced in food, generally red meat, or taken as a supplement (which we will cover in a bit). Most (98%) of creatine in your body is stored in your muscle tissues.

So how much is that?
The everyday human has 1.59 to 1.81 grams per lb. of muscle

What does creatine do?

-When you are using your muscles such as lifting a weight, sprinting etc your body needs a quick supply of energy. This comes from something called ATP when it is converted into another molecule called ADP. We have a limited supply of ATP so what creatine does is converts ADP back into ATP…end result: more energy.

-When you exercise for a long period of time you might notice your muscles getting tired and have that burning sensation. This is a buildup of lactic acid in the muscle. What creatine does is slow down the process where lactic acide builds up…end result: you can keep going for longer.

-Creatine pulls extra water into muscle cells, expanding them and possibly increasing strength.

-Creatine may increase protein synthesis

Is creatine dangerous?
No, it is a naturally occurring substance in your body. Supplementing it is akin to supplementing vitamins and minerals.

I play sports in high school/college/etc can I take creatine?
Yes, unless there is a specific rule by a governing body that says you cannot.

I am female, will I benefit by taking creatine?
Yes, though be aware it does cause water weight gain.

What happens to excess creatine in the body?
Excess creatine will be flushed out of the body in the form of creatinine.

Is creatine a steroid or illegal substance?
No, it is perfectly legal and it is not a steroid.

Do I need to take creatine to add muscle?
No, creatine will simply assist in adding muscle. It is a “supplement” meaning it is just a helper.

As a supplement, what form is creatine available?
As a supplement, creatine is available in powder, tablet, supplement bar, or (new) liquid form.

Which form is the best?
I highly recommend staying with the powder form. The other forms have been less studied and are less mature in their development.

How will you see creatine listed on ingredient labels of supplements?
-creatine Monohydrate, creatine anhydrous, creatine malate, creatine citrate, creatine phosphate, creatine titrate, creatine pyruvate, monocreatine, micronised creatine, CM2, CEM3 (BSN), CEE(BSN), CEM, CR100, CM2, CHMB, and other forms. If you aren’t sure, google it, or shoot me an email and I would be happy to help you.

What is the most common form?
Creatine monohydrate.

I bought a bottle of creatinine. Is this creatine?
No, this is another form and will not be helpful.

What is average does of creatine?
5 Grams (creatine monohydrate)

I am a firm believer in using natural advantages given to you. The people that detract from creatine are usually the same people that detract from protein powder. There is no science behind that, only fear and ignorance. I find most people interested in it are young men looking to gain size…and they can, with a solid diet, protein and creatine supplementation. For everyone else creatine can also benefit you greatly, from muscle gain to fat loss, to energy supplementation. Now get out there and exercise!

If you are trying to lose weight, and failing here are some reasons that are probably contributing to it.
1) You are eating more than you think
Over the last fifty years portion sizes have increased dramatically. Have you seen pictures of what “large” meant even 20 years ago? What is now a small is larger than what used to be a large. Research has shown repeatedly that we will eat what is put in front of us regardless of the size. The more we eat at every meal, the more we can handle and its a spiral effect.

2) What exactly are you drinking?
Are you drinking water? Or more juice, pop, beer, gatorade, et al? On average 1/4 of Americans calories come from DRINKS. Stick to water or diet pop.

3) How much are you sleeping?
People that get enough sleep every night eat less. Not to mention staying up ultra late is just begging for late night snack food.

5) Are you eating enough?
Eating too little will put your body into starvation mode and you will actually burn LESS calories a day. Not only that but you will feel worse, killing motivation.

6) Are you eating OFTEN enough?
Eating more (small) meals will stoke your metabolism and help you feel fuller, longer. You are less likely to eat badly and less likely to gorge yourself when you do eat. Aim for 5-6 small meals a day.

7) Are you eating breakfast?
People who eat breakfast succeed dieting almost 70% more than people who do not eat breakfast according to one study. Breakfast is the pillar of your day. You want to consume the MOST calories at breakfast of any meal, it is your fuel for the day.

Are you eating the RIGHT foods?
Eating 1400 calories a day in junk food will not help you lose weight. This will cause spikes in your blood insulin levels which will in turn cause you to both store more fat AND go into starvation mode. The worst of all worlds! Try to cut out any high glycemic carbs including white flower and sugar.

You might also be interested in some tips to lose weight and feel great (ha).

By far the biggest question on everyones minds is: how do I lose weight?  Here are some quick tips that will get you started right away.

Weight Loss Tip #1  - Use Whey Protein…

This is one of those things that is highly misunderstood.  Whey protein is not just something for bodybuilders looking to get “huge” though it most definitely is essential in that process as well.  The truth is, whey protein is your #1 diet weapon that you may not have even known existed.

Whey Protein Benefits:

-Whey Protein is not stored as fat as easily as carbohydrates.
-Whey Protein helps repair muscle.
-Whey Protein helps strengthen your immune system.
-Whey Protein helps shorten recovery time between exercise sessions.
-Whey Protein decreases your hunger between meals.
-Whey Protein helps build new muscle…

Men: did you know if you gain 10 pounds of muscle, you will burn an extra 3500 calories per week?
To burn that many calories doing cardio, you’d have to run for an hour each day of the week!

Women: did you know that you probably will NEVER gain 10 lbs of muscle no matter how much protein you eat?  Furthermore, you will NOT look bulky.  This is my promise to you.  If you lift heavy weights and eat a ton of protein for YEARS you MAY be able to put on a few lbs of muscle.  The long short of it is that women are simply not programmed to add muscle mass, testosterone is the catalyst for muscle mass gain and women have very little.  Not only that but lets say you COULD put on 10 lbs of muscle and dropped 20 lbs of fat.  The worst that is going to happen is that you will look like a fitness model.  Not so bad eh?  The women bodybuilders you have seen are taking anabolic steroids, its really that simple.

Weight Loss Tips for Whey Protein:

Why whey protein is best:
Each type of protein has a specific biological value. The higher the value, the better it works. Whey protein has the highest biological value (bv) of any protein (104). Beef has a bv of (80) and soy protein with a bv of (74). That means whey protein is 23% more effective than beef and 29% more effective than soy protein at helping you body build lean muscle!

The best times to use whey protein are:

-Early morning when you wake up (your body wakes up in “starvation” mode)
-Between meals for a snack.
-1/2 hour prior to weight training or cardio workout.
-Immediately following intense exercise to help repair muscle.

Weight Loss Tip #2 - Eat more often…

The goal here is to boost your metabolism, you need to feed your body frequently. Try to get between 5-6 well balanced meals each day. Shoot for 3-4 small meals with regular food (small portions) and 1-2 protein drinks or meal replacements.  I highly suggest getting yourself a Magic Bullitt blender.  We here at FTT all use it because it makes it SO easy to make meal replacement shakes.

When you supply your body with constant nourishment you are turning on your own internal furnace. Most people make the mistake of eating only two or three big meals during the day and that’s a huge mistake.  This puts your body back and forth between being starved and overstuffed.

Change your dinner menu often. Most people can eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch but get bored with their dinner menu. Mix up your dinner menu and never eat the same meal two nights in a row.

When your body doesn’t get the nutrients and fuel it needs (protein, carbohydrates, fat, water and minerals) at short regular intervals , it goes into self defense mode. And will try to hoard everything fat and carbohydrates for energy, until it gets a fresh supply the next time you eat.

Think of hoarding as your bodies built in self defense mechanism. If you didn’t know where your next meal was coming from, wouldn’t you save some later? I know I would!

When you feed your body what it wants - when it wants it - you are going to be amazed at what starts to happen. Your energy levels will go up, your workouts will be more effective and your body fat will go down - sometimes dramatically.

Weight Loss Tip #3 -  Drink More Water…

I know, I know we have all heard growing up “drink more water” “drink more water” until we are bored to death of hearing it, but its TRUE.  The benefits include:

-Water supresses your appettite
-Water regulates body temperature
-Water helps transport nutrients (what do you think your blood plasma is mostly made up of?)
-Water dissolves vitamins and minerals
-Water helps detoxify the kidneys and liver
-Water will increase your energy levels

Make the smart decision. Drink at least 80 oz. of water every day. Carry a water bottle with you.  Try it for one day and tell me if you don’t feel better….though I probably won’t believe you.  Unless of course you are complaining about trips to the bathroom.

Weight Loss Tip #4 - Do Cardio AND Lift Heavy Weights

“Do cardio and lift weights.”  I know it seems simple…. “exercise” but the truth is that the combination of these two things is so potent it will increase fat loss more than double either alone.  Why is this?  Lifting heavy weights increases your metabolism for a full 24 hours.  Cardio burns calories right now.  Think of it like like a 1-2 punch against fat.  Yes I am talking to you women as well.  I want to reiterate that you will NOT be getting bulky by lifting heavy weights.  We men, who are geared to gain muscle have to lift HARD with VERY HEAVY weights for YEARS to gain just a handfull of muscle.  Men: don’t get discouraged.  If you have only been lifting, then with cardio you will see fat loss that has been avoiding you.  If you have only been doing cardio you will see gains in muscle definition almost immediately.  Its great for everyone.

These are just a few easy tips to get you started.  Stay tuned for more advanced tips in the future with some nitty gritty specifics on everything.

This is something that is quite frequently overlooked in the training department.  For cardio, I highly highly recommend buying a good pair of running shoes.  There are several reasons.

1) They are comfortable.  If you are going to be spending 45 minutes running on a treadmill, your feet should be comfortable.

2) They prevent injury.  This runs the gamut of several different things.  The constant hammering of running is hard on arches, ankles and knees.  Ive had plantar fascitis (inflammation of the tendon in the arch of the foot) and I will tell you this is something you REALLY don’t want, its miserable and has a tendency to linger.  I remember being about 15 years old and playing in the soccer state cup.  Do I remember the games where we actually upset a couple top ranked teams?…Not really.  Infact, the only thing I remember is how bad my foot hurt!

3) They are designed for cardio.  Basketball/tennis shoes run the gamut from great to terrible.  For lifting it doesn’t make much of a difference (though you could debate that on leg day) but for running why not give yourself the best chance?

My personal preference is Saucony or Nike.  I have owned just about every type of running shoe you can think of, but ever since I started wearing sauconys I haven’t tried another kind of shoe.  They aren’t the most popular or the most stylish, but they are reasonably priced and are extremely comfortable and seem to not need a “wear in” period at all.

The short answer is that fat is one of the basic components that make up the structure of your body. The other components are things such as muscle, water, bone and organs.

Fat in our bodies can be divided into two different categories: essential fat and storage fat.

As you can probably tell by the name essential fat is necessary for normal, healthy functioning. It is stored in small amounts in your bone marrow, organs, central nervous system and muscles. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, meaning they can only be digested, absorbed, and transported in conjunction with fats. Fats are also sources of essential fatty acids, an important dietary requirement. Fats play a vital role in maintaining healthy skin and hair, insulating body organs against shock, maintaining body temperature, and promoting healthy cell function.
Storage fat is fat that is stored in our bodies as an extra source of energy. This is the type of fat that unsightly and dangerous to our health. This is the kind that we want to get rid of.

In men, essential fat is approximately 3 percent of body weight whereas with women its a much higher percentage, somewhere around 12 percent. This is because there is sex specific fat in breasts, pelvis etc and is critical for normal reproductive function.

At some point in the past storage fat was necessary for surivival because our bodies didn’t know when the next meal might come. However, in this day and age there is an over abundance of food. Not only that but our bodies are not built to cope with the man made processed foods that are now commonplace. As it turns out not only do we have to worry about fat itself, but also about some other thing that will easily turn into fat.

The nitty gritty technical details of fat:

Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are a combination of glycerol and fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at normal room temperature, depending on their structure and composition. Although the words “oils”, “fats” and “lipids” are all used to refer to fats, “oils” is usually used to refer to fats that are liquids at normal room temperature, while “fats” is usually used to refer to fats that are solids at normal room temperature. “Lipids” is used to refer to both liquid and solid fats. The word “oil” is used for any substance that does not mix with water and has a greasy feel, such as petroleum (or crude oil) and heating oil, regardless of its chemical structure.

Examples of edible animal fats are lard (pig fat), fish oil, and butter or ghee. They are obtained from fats in the milk, meat and under the skin of the animal. Examples of edible plant fats are peanut, soya bean, sunflower, sesame, coconut, olive and vegetable oils. Margarine and vegetable shortening, which can be derived from the above oils, are used mainly for baking. These examples of fats can be categorized into saturated fats and unsaturated fats.

For our purposes, its the storage fat that is the enemy. So why go so into detail when we already know what it is? Well I will leave you with a quote from Sun Tzu:

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt”

Hello and welcome to the inauguration of Fitness Titans and Titanides.  It is our goal to bring you up to date, accurate, and helpful information on fitness, health, nutrition and wellness.  As our name implies we aim to bring you massive amounts of great information for both men and women.  We want you all to have the body and minds comparable to these greek mythological figures.  We are also aware that in your day to day lives you carry the world on your back, and we hope to help ease some of that through whole body wellness.  If this is your first time on the site, welcome, and join us in the journey…