Pre-Workout Shake

The subject of a pre-workout shake comes up now and again. As I’ve said in the past, the nutrition around your daily weight workouts are very important, to say the least. It is during and after your workouts where your muscles are SCREAMING for nourishment; your muscle tissue is literally damaged during hard weight workouts and your muscle cells begin rebuilding — right away — bigger and stronger than they were before.

Consequently, the pre-workout meal you consume, usually from 30 to 60 minutes before your weight workout, is very important. You want your muscles to get an infusion of critical building blocks (amino acids) and a good source of energy (carbohydrates) right as they’re being torn down.

Fast-acting creatine can also help.

Here’s a simple shake you can mix up before your workout. You can use this concoction during your workout, too.

Ingredients

• 1 scoop whey protein isolate
• 1 scoop (5 grams) of creatine monohydrate
• 20 grams Maltodextrin
• 1 tablespoon MCT Oil
• 16 ounces of milk (any variety, fat-free or lowfat is best pre-workout)
• Fruit to taste

Mix up in a blender and drink it up! I suggest a different post-workout shake (fat-free chocolate milk). It’s simply awesome. You can add in some whey powder to give it more protein, but you needn’t saddle it with much else.

Recipe Book

Want a recipe book that provides you with nutritious, delicious, muscle-building, and fat-burning recipes? Look no further than the Prograde Recipe Book. It’s only $4.95 and it’s packed full of easy-to-make meals–197 recipes in total (that’s 2 1/2 cents per recipe).

You really owe it to yourself to make the most nutritious meals you can. After all, physical fitness success is 85 percent nutrition!

Here are some pertinent facts you should know about this fabulous book:

• Easy-to-make in just minutes!
• Does NOT require exotic ingredients that are impossible to find
• Delicious recipes that make healthy eating enjoyable
• Each recipe serves 3-4 people
• Promote fat loss
• No more bland and boring meals!
• And all for just $4.95!

Mike Mentzer

Mike Mentzer was one of those professional bodybuilders that inspired profound thought as much as – if not more than – jaw-dropping awe. He was the epitome of the cerebral strongman, in the same league as Frank Zane.

Mike was not just an awesome bodybuilder; he was a gifted writer, too. I loved reading his articles about High Intensity Training (read one here – Part I: Actualize Your Potential in One Year!, by Mike Mentzer).

Mike almost made it to the top of the professional bodybuilding mountain, coming in second in 1979 to Frank Zane and in fifth the following year to eventual winner, Arnold Schwarzenegger in a hotly-contested 1980 Mr Olympia competition. He retired from competition after the event at the age of 29.

Mike’s greatest contribution to the sport was his High Intensity Training (HIT) philosophy, which prescribed low-volume, high effort workouts, using various bodybuilding methods like pre-exhaust, super sets, training to failure, negatives, and the like.

Sadly, Mike Mentzer died in 2001 at the young age of 49. In a strange chain of events, his twin brother, Ray Mentzer, who found Mike dead in their apartment, died two days later.

Mike Mentzer played an instrumental part in my development, not just in my bodybuilding but in my overall personal development. I salute him!

Milk and health

Question: I heard about this old cherished weight gainer.

I heard a workout regime called milk and squats, which I started. But I stopped the milk part due to hearing that too much milk is unhealthy and affects your kidneys.

My co-worker an avid milk drinker was told by his doctor to stop drinking milk because it had an adverse effect on his body.

What are your thoughts on it? I really like the idea of drinking a gallon of milk a day to gain weight.

Answer: I won’t argue with a doctor, but I suggest that “hearing things” is far removed from research. Thousands of men (and women) have gained the weight they want drinking a gallon of milk a day. (You have to exercise hard, too, to build muscle and not just pack on fat.)

To my knowledge, there is no evidence that drinking a gallon of milk a day harms your kidneys.

There is a misconception that “too much protein” can cause kidney problems. But it’s just that – a misconception.

There is little compelling evidence that mega doses of protein causes any sort of kidney damage in the least.

PLUS, the GOMAD is not to be used long-term. Three to six weeks at a time is all you need. Gain a little, maintain it, repeat if necessary.

Hope this helps!

Mohamed Makkawy

Mohamed Makkawy was at the top of the bodybuilding world for a while in the late 1980s. While he never won a Mr Olympia title, he did win a good share of IFBB Grand Prix titles in 1982 and 1983. Known for impeccable symmetry, balance, and muscularity, the 5’4″ Makkawy was the epitome of the well-rounded athlete: He was graceful, fluent in many languages, served in the military as a translator, and dominated the pro ranks (albeit for a short time).

He also had perhaps the greatest forearms of all time! He trained with Vince Gironda during his pro streak and might have won the Mr. O title had he persevered. It takes most Mr Olympias several tries before they ultimately win.

Mohamed Makkawy is doing personal training nowadays.