by admin | Jun 10, 2022 | Fitness
The Two Types Of Muscle Growth
Becoming bigger, stronger and better-looking is one of the primary goals of many individuals that decide to take on weight training. And while training may seem pretty straightforward, there are actually many different types of adaptations that can occur. All the functional ones however, are dependent on the adaptations that happen in the muscles! So let’s have a look at the two types of muscle growth and help you find out which style of training would therefore be suitable for your goals.
But First…
Muscle Fiber Types
Depending on the activity that you are doing throughout your training sessions, you can activate different types of muscle fibers.
Generally speaking, there are two of them:
- Fast-twitch muscle fibers
- Slow-twitch muscle fibers
At low levels of intensity (i.e jogging or using a light dumbbell) you only activate the slow-twitch muscle fibers. Those fibers are fit for low-intensity work that is long in duration and are not really great at producing force and power, so think of these as your ‘endurance muscle fibers’.
The more your training intensity grows however, the more fast-twitch muscle fibers you recruit, in order to endure the load. These fast-twitch muscle fibers were designed for high-intensity performance – Short, explosive bursts of power. Think of the fast-twitch muscle fibers as the fibers you want to engage when building muscle, because these fibers have the greatest potential for growth as well as power output.
But Is It Just The Fibers That Grow?
As we mentioned, training may seem pretty simple at first – You lift heavy weights consistently and, well… You grow bigger and stronger. However, you can get big in different ways, because different styles of training lead to a different type of muscle growth. It is considered that there are two main types of muscle hypertrophy:
- Myofibrillar hypertrophy
- Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy
Let’s have a look at each one, individually.
Myofibrillar hypertrophy is the increase in size of the muscle contractile units, called ‘myofibrils’ and commonly known as “muscle fibers”. These muscle fibers are the contractile elements of the trained muscle groups, which allow contraction and relaxation.
Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, on the other hand, is the growth of the ‘sarcoplasm’, which is basically a jelly-like fluid that surrounds the muscle fibers.
The sarcoplasm contains different non-contractile elements, which can grow in volume, depending on the type of training.
So What Training Triggers Either?
It appears that the myofibrils are more closely related to maximum output of strength and explosiveness, while their sarcoplasm is engaged during intense, yet longer loads. In other words, myofibrillar hypertrophy is a result of a powerlifting approach to weight training, where you do 1-5 repetitions.
Oppositely, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is a result of a bodybuilding approach to training, where you do 6-15+ repetitions with heavy weights. Now of course, these are not mutually exclusive! Though myofibrillar hypertrophy primarily results in increased maximum and relative strength, you have those adaptations with the other type of hypertrophy too, BUT… They are not as prominent.
Take-Home Message
Our musculature appears to be flexible, having the chance to adapt for both short, very intense training bouts, or, medium intensity, prolonged bouts. This is possible because of the nervous system, our wonderful muscle fibers and their energy reserves! Whatever your goal may be, try to stimulate both types of muscle growth, as well as other functions like balance, agility, coordination, etcetera.
Become a functional human being!
by admin | Jun 10, 2022 | Mind
3 TIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO BOOST YOUR PRODUCTIVITY
You must first consider how you invest your time before you can figure out how to make the most of it. This is the most efficient way to boost your productivity. For instance, making a time journal could be a perfect place to start. Spending a week or two writing down what you’ve accomplished during each 15-minute interval of your workday could be a game-changer.
Once you’ve written everything down, you will look back to everything and see if you completed anything you wished to achieve at those times and over that day. Enough of the small talk. Here are the 3 best time management techniques you should implement in your routine as of today.
1. DETERMINE YOUR PRIME TIME
Internal prime time is when you are the most active and efficient during the day. For the most part, this occurs in the morning. However, for some people, it is in the evening, especially creative people. To achieve all of your dreams, you must practice self-awareness to define your own prime time.
It’s critical to understand your internal peak time so you can plan the most important tasks accordingly and maximize their productivity. For the most important tasks, ensure you are at your best; rested, alert, and imaginative. You should also be mindful of external peak hours when your clients tend to reach out. That said, plan your day in consideration of both external and internal prime time.
2. WAKE UP EARLY
By being an early bird, every aspect of your life would be highly structured if you spent more time analyzing, thinking, and planning. Many successful individuals get up at 5:00 or 5:30 a.m. and this gives them ample time to think and prepare for the better part of the day. That’s why they tend to be more productive than those that sleep at the very last minute.
Also, a few minutes of calm meditation after waking up could spare you countless hours lost through distraction and confusion. Aim to wake up early and you will be more composed, clear-headed, and imaginative through your days, not to mention how much more you can accomplish.
3.BE MORE ORGANIZED
Today, people spend up to 30% of their working time searching for missing objects. Is this something you’re familiar with? There are few things more aggravating than wasting precious hours searching for missing materials.
This is just an example. Also, ensure you are free from distraction once you start working. No emails, no music, no small talk, and so on. Another perfect way to be organized and responsible for being on target is to set SMART targets.
CONCLUSION
Perhaps, a highly efficient mindset is the most valuable thing you could have, but time management skills are undeniably crucial when it comes to success. You get more work done efficiently and fast at work and you can get to work on your side hustle and still hang out with your loved ones.
However, I have noted that time management skills are linked with other stuff such as diet, health, and the status of your personal life. So eat healthy, exercise, try to balance your life, and strive step by step towards improving your time management skills with the tips above.
by admin | Jun 10, 2022 | Mind
The Dreamer Mindset
The World Is A Sandbox – It’s Full Of Opportunities, And Everything Can Be Reshaped We often see dreamers as these abstract, almost floating creatures, with their minds so far outside the box it’s sometimes hard to follow their train of thought. And although such people do exist, having a dreamer’s mindset doesn’t have to mean you’re devoid of reality.
These people can be incredibly practical and active, even more so than others. In this article, we explore this ideology and why it’s more useful than you might think.
The Present
Let’s first talk about what benefits being a dreamer brings to your current state of mind. Dreamers take nothing as certain and definite. This is because of their huge imaginations. So that means that what you currently are and have is just a temporary state of things – everything has the potential to shift at any second.
Whatever negative things are currently happening are not going to be forever. That way of thinking alone makes you have a more positive outlook on life as a whole. On the other hand, every single good thing that you see, do or experience in any way is a chance to smile. It’s a common trait for dreamers to appreciate all aspects of life, again, because of their positive viewpoint on the world.
This doesn’t mean, however, that dreamers are immune to bad things. No one is. It just means that their way of dealing with them is different. One thing dreamers should be mindful of when talking about battling life’s challenges is to not keep their heads in the clouds for too long. Sure, a dream world has its benefits, but one should also pay attention to reality.
Overall, however, dreamers tend to be more positive and therefore more active when it comes to their present.
The Future
So what about the future then, you might ask. Well, the story isn’t much different here either. The most integral part of the dreamer mindset is this – the world is full of opportunities. And that’s a wonderful thing. Whatever your present, the future is a constantly shifting ether that allows for the chance of even your craziest dreams to become a reality.
And if that’s not a positive outlook on the times ahead, we don’t know what is. The other thing this mindset provides is actually quite simple – you are your own master, your own architect. Any and all social norms that make people dread their future simply do not apply to you. Your mind is free, and as such, your choices are your own and no one else’s.
Overall Qualities
Firstly and most importantly, creativity is nurtured and taken care of with this mindset. Dreaming gives room for our minds to explore every possibility out there, which makes us realize how big the world is and how much we can do in it. And this is the perfect breeding ground for ideas.
It’s no wonder that the best writers, musicians, and scientists are dreamers – with this way of thinking, even the sky isn’t a limit. What comes hand in hand with creativity, though, is action. No dream can come true if we don’t work for it – and when dreamers set their minds on something, their determination is unsurpassed.
Being ready to really go for what you believe in and give it your best shot is rare in many other ideologies, but here it goes without saying. And most of the time, that’s exactly what gets you results.
Final Thoughts
So what defines a dreamer? Anyone that allows themselves to think outside the box, not only concerning the outside world but about themselves, can be considered a dreamer.
They are a peculiar breed of people, in that there is no doubt, but they are also one of the freest individuals out there. With no self-imposed or societal norms, dreamers recognize and appreciate every possibility the world has to offer. This, of course, doesn’t make their lives positively pink, but it gives them hope.
Not only that, it’s the best motivation to start changing what you don’t like. And that’s one surefire way to become who you ultimately want to be. Ready? Steady? Dream!
by admin | Jun 10, 2022 | Mind
Underachiever or Overachiever?
Finding the right balance in life is always a handful. There are times when we just don’t seem to know how much time and energy we need to put into something. Achieving a goal is something we strive to accomplish daily and can be exhausting if we don’t have in mind the right balance.
The result of all this is not knowing when we are not doing enough of something or overdoing it a bit.
What is the difference?
Let’s say you are working in a company and you have the capacity and intellect to excel more than any of your co-workers. But you just don’t seem to see the point.
You like being in the position you are, and nothing can change the perspective of your views. Your co-workers don’t understand why you’re acting the way you are, but they just don’t understand, do they?
This is a typical model/mindset for an underachiever.
On the other hand, let’s say you are in the said firm and you’ve been sitting on the computer until midnight for the third night in a row. You want to impress your boss, because you want that raise. You are willing to give it your best but don’t seem to know where the balance of it all is. This is the classic overachiever.
There are a lot of things that can go wrong
Being in one of these two scenarios, we can end up in the wrong place.
Underachieving is mainly caused by a lack of inspiration or orientation in life. We forget why we are doing this in the first place, or maybe stop doing it for something more fulfilling. If there is no drive that makes us work more for the things we care about, there is no productivity, no passion in making it to the finish line.
This can lead to gaps in our social and family life. The result may be finding it hard to make friends with someone for example, or an impossibility to feel happy with yourself.
Overachieving, on the other hand, is caused by too much focus on personal development. Of course, that’s not a bad thing, but does it have to come with a price? When It comes to getting the job done, the overachiever will do it, no questions asked.
But the time and energy that goes to achieving your goals better than others, having to be on top every time, can have an unfortunate impact on your life. It often occurs that people who strive to be the best cut out people out of their lives in order to be focused on the important task. That’s a big “no, no” when it comes to relationships and connecting with your family.
So, where is the balance?
Finding the balance may seem tough, but it is far from impossible. For both types of people, there are different exercises that focus on a change in lifestyle than anything else.
For underachievers, It’s crucial to have a plan and a goal. Getting somewhere in life should be a process in which you have to dream, and execute! Setting aside everything else, you need to ask yourself where you want to be right now and do what is required in order to get there. It’s scary and challenging, but if you want to become what you dream of being, getting your plan up and running is a must.
For overachievers, the main exercise is one that includes having a bigger view of life and specifically your life. Being the best is a great goal, but it stops you from living your actual life. The key is mindfulness meditation that can help develop a healthy balance between work life and actual life.
To Wrap It Up
The world has always had overachievers and underachievers. What’s the difference between these two types of people? Well, it might be their personality or intelligence (or both). It could also be how much they care about what others think of them. One group may seek to please other peoples’ expectations while the other does not let outside opinions dictate their success in life.
These are just some ideas for why one person may excel more than another; there is no way to say who will do better without knowing all the facts first. Either way, we should celebrate our differences because everyone brings something different to this world that makes us a stronger society as a whole!
by admin | Jun 10, 2022 | Health
Top 3 Most Satiating Foods
When it comes to weight loss, there are a lot of things to think about. What type of exercise should you do? How many calories should you eat each day? What’s the best way to cut down on snacking? But one of the most important factors is actually what you eat.
So today, we’re going to take a look at three of the most satiating foods out there. Stay tuned for some tips on how to incorporate them into your diet!
Why Is Satiety Important?
Satiety is important in a weight loss diet because it prevents over-eating and helps control hunger, cravings, and sudden ‘small’ snacks. When you feel full after eating, you are less likely to indulge in unhealthy snacks or overeat later on in the day. This makes it easier to stick to your calorie goals and lose weight gradually over time. To put it simply – Not thinking about food is detrimental to the success of a weight loss diet.
The Satiety Index
The satiety index is a measure of how much food satisfies hunger. High-satiety foods are satisfying and leave you feeling full, while low-satiety foods leave you hungry shortly after eating them. Foods with moderate satiety scores have an effect somewhere in between the two extremes. The idea behind the satiety index is to help people identify the foods that will make them feel fuller for longer after eating.
Usually, foods abundant in protein and fat are considered the most satiating. But for a plot twist, let’s have a look at the topmost satiating foods, starting with number 1, that is…
#1 Potatoes
Now, we just mentioned that foods high in protein and fat are the most satiating, but surprisingly, the product with the highest satiety index is… The potato! If you’ve had a seemingly small serving of mashed potatoes, only to feel full after eating it, you know the deal! One of the reasons why potatoes are so filling is that they have a protein that seems to act as an appetite suppressor.
And besides, potatoes are thick! So, if you are on a weight loss diet, make sure to include this food regularly, in your main meals!
#2 Animal Products
When it comes to diets, one of the most important things to consider is how filling the food is. Generally speaking, besides potatoes, animal products are the most satiating, while plant-based foods are generally less satiating. This is because animal products contain more protein and fat, which are both more satiating than carbohydrates.
And so, if you are an omnivore, adding a steak to your serving of potato mash is one of the wisest decisions to keep you full and satiated for hours to come!
#3 Nuts
Speaking of dense foods, we can’t exclude nuts from the list! Nuts are one of the most satiating foods you can include in your diet. They are high in protein and fats, and generally low in carbohydrates. This combination makes them a great choice for anyone looking to lose weight all while feeling full. If you want to snack on something, try some dried fruits, cashew, almonds, macadamia, and other nuts!
The Verdict
So what are the three most satiating foods? Drumroll please….Potatoes, animal products, and nuts! While there are many other great options that can help keep you feeling fuller longer, these three seem to be at the top of the list. Have you tried any of them? If not, maybe it’s time to add them to your next shopping list! Do you have another favorite, satiating food of yours? Comment below!
