It’s a well-known fact that winter is the season for illness. Cold, flu, and other viruses are rampant during this time of year, so can the right supplements boost your immunity this winter to help you gain muscle?
The answer is an absolute yes! When you take in too many calories while training hard, your body’s natural defenses become depleted. If you don’t replenish those defenses you will be more vulnerable to infection.
The person can plan to get the D-Bal review from friends or relatives who are already using them. Trusting known people is easy for the people rather than just planning to take the options after the proper analysis. The main focus of the people is to get the quality of the products.
Supplements like Vitamin C, zinc, probiotics, glutamine, and omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to increase our immune system’s ability to fight off infections better than just eating foods rich in these nutrients. Plus, when you eat certain types of protein post-workout, they actually promote stronger muscles as well as faster recovery times which means less soreness and more gains!
So how do you maximize your immune system’s ability to fend off illness and still get ripped? Here are some tips to help you:
Drink plenty of water –
Your body needs hydration in order to function properly. It also helps flush out toxins from your system. So if you’re not drinking enough water, you could be putting yourself at risk for dehydration. Also, keep in mind that water contains zero calories.
Get regular sleep –
Getting adequate rest is vital to helping you recover quickly after a workout. The average person needs around 7 hours of sleep per night but most people only get about 6 or even 5 hours of sleep. You want to aim for 8 hours of sleep each night. If you find it difficult to fall asleep then try taking melatonin before bedtime.
Eat breakfast –
Breakfast has been proven to help improve your overall health since it helps kick-start your metabolism. And because it contains healthy fats and proteins, it gives your body energy and keeps you satisfied longer. Try eating oatmeal with fruit on top and a little bit of low-fat dairy.
Use cold exposure –
If you live in an area where it gets very cold, there are ways you can use it to help build up your resistance. For example, if you go outside barefoot in the snow or ice, your skin will warm up which triggers your body’s production of white blood cells. White blood cells fight infection by engulfing pathogens like bacteria and viruses.
Avoid alcohol –
Alcoholic beverages contain carbohydrates that depletes your glycogen stores (the sugar in your muscles) within minutes after consumption. In addition, excess amounts of carbohydrates can put you at risk for indigestion and diarrhea.
Train smart –
While working out, make sure to take breaks every 30 minutes or so throughout your session to give your body the chance to fully recover. During a break, focus on stretching and mobility drills instead of trying to push through the pain.
If you follow these tips, you’ll be able to maximize your immune system this winter to help you gain muscle.
If you are looking for a reliable supplement to add to your routine, consider using a product called Muscle Milk Nutritionals. These products feature a proprietary blend of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids designed specifically for muscle building. These products are available in both liquid form and powder form.
In addition, Muscle Milk Nutritionals features several different formulas including:
– EZ Flex™ Protein Formula –
contains whey protein isolate and hydrolyzed collagen peptides designed to help you train harder and recover quicker
– Optimal Recovery Formula –
helps enhance your nutrient absorption and recovery rate
– Ultimate Fat Burner –
helps you burn fat fast
Muscle Milk Nutritionals is one of the best brands out there for muscle builders who want to get lean without sacrificing recovery. They feature a money-back guarantee and offer free shipping along with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
And if you’re looking for a complete vitamin and mineral formula, check out my article on the best multivitamin for women.
What type of diet should I follow to maximize my immune system this winter to gain muscle?
You need to combine a high-quality protein source with a variety of vegetables and fruits to stay strong all winter long. If you’re serious about gaining muscle mass, you need to consume lots of fruits and veggies and cut out processed foods.
This way your body will have the necessary nutrition to repair itself and stay strong all winter long.
Finally, if you’re looking for something to drink, try drinking green tea. Green tea contains antioxidants called polyphenols that act as anti-inflammatory agents. That means it will help reduce inflammation in your body and help you recover faster.
That’s why it’s important to incorporate green tea into your daily regimen. But remember, green tea does contain caffeine, so you should limit yourself to no more than 1 cup per day.
Are there any exercises I should avoid this winter to help protect myself against illness?
Yes! There are several movements that can seriously harm your joints and cause inflammation. As a result, you may experience soreness and stiffness, especially in the morning and later in the evening following workouts.
Here are three exercise movements that you should definitely avoid if you want to maintain peak fitness this winter:
– Squatting –
This movement puts pressure on your knees, hips, and lowers back. So if you are experiencing knee pain or lower back pain, you should definitely skip squats for a few weeks until the pain subsides.
– Lunges –
Just like squatting, lunging puts a lot of strain on your knee and hip areas. Since they are two of the largest joints in your body, you should definitely give them a rest to prevent injuries.
– Deadlifts –
This exercise also puts a big load on your knees and hips. So if you notice knee pain or lower back pain after deadlifting, you should stop for a few weeks until the pain goes away completely.
Now that you know what exercises to avoid, here are several exercises that you can include in your routine to help protect your joints.
– Squats –
Squats help strengthen your legs and hips, which helps prevent injury.
– Pushups –
Pushups help strengthen your chest, arms, and abs, which prevents future injury.
– Rowing machine –
Rowing machines are great for strengthening your core muscles, which makes abdominal workouts easier and reduces stress on your back.
– Dumbbell bench press –
Dumbbell bench presses work your biceps, triceps, and shoulders, which strengthens your entire upper body.
There are several exercises you should definitely include in your routine this winter to help prevent injury and get leaner.
– Bench Press –
Bench presses work your chest, shoulders, and triceps, making it an ideal exercise for getting rid of fat while simultaneously adding muscle.
– Pull-ups –
Pull-ups work your lats, traps, delts, and pecs, giving you a toned look.
– Lat pull-downs –
Lat pull-downs work your latissimus dorsi, which is the “6th” major muscle group in your body.
– Machine flys –
Flys work your pectorals, biceps, triceps, forearms, and calves.
– Leg press –
Leg press works your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves.
– Seated cable crossovers –
Crossovers work your rear delt, quads, glutes, and hamstrings.
– Barbell curls –
Curls work your biceps, triceps, and abdominals.
These are just a few examples of some key exercises you should include in your routine this winter to protect your joints and get leaner.
How effective are supplements like Vitamin D, Zinc, and Glutamine for muscle growth?
I’ve done quite a bit of research on these particular supplements and I’ve found that they are extremely effective for building muscle and losing fat.
When it comes to Vitamin D, it’s recommended that everyone above age 50 take around 10 mcg per day. Most experts recommend taking a supplement that contains 100 mcg per day. However, I would recommend checking with your doctor first to see what dosage he recommends.
As far as zinc goes, check with your doctor before taking anything over 15 mg per day. Most experts recommend 20 mg per day.
Lastly, glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid that plays an integral role in tissue repair. Research shows that athletes who took glutamine experienced improved performance and reduced muscle breakdown during exercise.
But if you already eat a balanced diet full of protein, vegetables, and fruits, then you probably don’t need to take anything like glutamine.
What type of protein powder is best for muscle growth?
Protein powders come in several forms, but the most popular ones are whey protein isolates and casein protein concentrates. Whey protein isolates are the preferred choice among professional athletes due to their high amount of leucine content. Leucine is an amino acid that acts as a powerful stimulator of protein synthesis within your muscles.
Casein protein concentrates contain all eight essential amino acids and is considered the perfect supplement for vegetarians and vegans.
Do you think creatine monohydrate is safe to take while exercising?
Creatine monohydrate is 100% legal and perfectly safe to take while you exercise. The reason it’s banned in sports like boxing and wrestling is that it increases heart rate and blood pressure. Creatine increases your metabolic rate and helps stimulate your muscles to perform at higher intensities.
So, if you want to train harder and get more out of your workout, creatine is a must. Not only that, but it’s also an excellent alternative to diuretics. Diuretics increase your urine flow, which causes you to lose more fluids than normal.