As already mentioned earlier, they come in different formulations. Oftentimes, their main or feature ingredient is what sets them apart from the rest of the selection on the market. But what really makes the best protein powder? Health and fitness professionals have rounded up the most important qualities these supplements should have.
As already mentioned earlier, they come in different formulations. Oftentimes, their main or feature ingredient is what sets them apart from the rest of the selection on the market. But what really makes the best protein powder? Health and fitness professionals have rounded up the most important qualities these supplements should have.
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Healthy Food Delivery Services in NZ!
Meal delivery services to boost your healthy lifestyle Everybody wants to be healthy, eat nutritious food, workout often and maintain ultra organised in their work/personal lives while doing it. In reality, very few people can have it all without a little help! Meal delivery services have taken off in the last few years to assist busy people that are low on time and struggle to execute healthy lunches and dinners. They are super handy for parents, young professionals or anyone that feels like they don't have the capacity or the skills to whip up meals that will satisfy their tastes or align with their health and fitness goals. Many of these services are different than we think too, not only catering for bodybuilders who people assume live off the chicken breast, rice and broccoli. They all offer a colourful array of cuisines from pasta, to curry and traditional roasts. A lot of the meals are customisable to fit your personal daily macros or there are general categories to chose from such as 'gaining muscle' or 'losing weight'. While we can't test every single meal or service to determine who's the most tasty, or has the quickest delivery (very important), we have provided a list of healthy meal delivery services below and compiled information so that you can save some research time and get a feel for which one might be better suited to you. Hello Fresh Hello Fresh is a subscription based meal service that sends boxes of fresh ingredients to your door with a set of directions for you to prepare the meals yourself. All the ingredients are pre-portioned so all thats left for you to do is the cooking and assembly at home. They pride themselves on using fresh and seasonal produce so you don't have to question the quality of your meals. Their plans are reasonably customisable with a 'Family Plan', 'Classic Plan' and 'Veggie Plan' being able to feed either 2 or 4 people with a choice of frequency of between 3 and 5 meals per week! One of Hello Fresh's biggest selling points is that all the shopping is essentially done for you so you don't have to waste time going to the supermarket, freeing up that time for other jobs after work or on the weekends. Because the meals are all pre-planned and portioned you also save a lot of time not having to plan what to have for dinner, you simply do that ahead of time when ordering your boxes. Some of the delicious looking meals include; Parmesan & Mustard - Crusted Chicken, Mushroom & Thyme Risotto and Mexican Beef Tostadas, yum! Plate Up Plate Up is a meal delivery service set up by Kiwi celebs Art Green and Matilda Rice who became industry couple-goals since appearing on 'The Bachelor NZ'. They've long been known as healthy living advocates and decided to start this venture together to help people that felt like dinner preparation was another daily chore. Plate Up is based on the Paleo diet which is basically sticking to food that our ancestors ate during the Palaeolithic (hunter/gatherer) times. Although they follow this Paleo blueprint, the meals provided by Plate Up really do not look like you'd be missing out on anything. These meals, which include Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder, Coconut Chicken Curry and Italian Meatballs look more fit for a Caveman King then resembling anything Palaeolithic, which is a bonus! There are subscription based plans for weekly meal boxes or you can even purchase meals individually if you just need dinners for a weekend away or specific days. Because of the high quality ingredients and Paleo diet base, Plate Up is a little more expensive than other meal delivery services. The Food Company The Food Company was started by a Kiwi family with many of the struggles we all face in relation to food and lifestyle. They were struggling to balance everyday commitments with being healthy & fit while failing to avoid drive-thru's for easy dinners. This business was born out of a need for nutritious meals that would relieve the stress of daily life and not add to it. There are great options online at The Food Company, including individual meals, weekly meal packs, a weekly Keto Box for people on the ketogenic diet and even an 8 meal Isolation Pack. The Isolation Meal Pack is an 8 meal bundle that serves as a one-off, instead of being part of a full on subscription plan. This helps people who would love a few days off from the dreaded supermarket trip or are lacking time and motivation to cook as we descend down the levels of lockdown. The menu is varied and vibrant with options such as Chicken Pad Thai, Herb Crusted Fish and Naked Beef Fajita which are all low carb! They also advertise as a fresh service as opposed to delivering frozen meals, this eases many people minds about the freshness and quality of the products they order. FED. Fed is a very diverse meal delivery service. They have some more gourmet and alternative meal options such as 'French Mustard Chicken with baby herbed potatoes' and 'Beef Bourguignon with carrot mash'. There are a stack of gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian/vegan options available and it even mentions which meals are freezer friendly if you're wanting to bulk order and store meals for alternative nights in the future. There are several ways to enjoy the meals in plans that cater for different needs and groups. The FED. Family plan allows you to choose meals for two or three nights, the weekly subscription box is fairy self explanatory and the Kids Meal plan offer smaller, simple meals like 'Hidden Vege Bolognese' for fussy young eaters, these kids meals average around $8.95 each. How to choose the right service for your needs Now that you have a little more information on some food delivery services, you can align your own vibe and needs with one that that suits you. The best place to start is meal research. Try ordering a meal from each of your top choices based on how they appeal to you with their backstory and types of food they provide. Pay attention to how long it takes to be delivered, compare price with taste and you'll have a winner based on what your budget and tastebuds say!Read More
Branched Chain Amino Acids - The Ultimate Guide
There is plenty of research that suggests that BCAAs are highly beneficial for those aiming to lose weight and build lean muscle. The Ultimate Guide to BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids) discusses the importance and benefits of BCAAs especially when dieting.Read More
The Ultimate Guide to Protein Powder Supplements
Always wondered about protein powder? Read the Ultimate Guide to Protein Powder and determine the differences between the different types of protein powder available. Protein Protein is a macronutrient that is essential for cellular growth and regeneration, as well as for the development and repair of muscle tissue. Naturally, for this reason, protein powder supplements are without question some of the most popular and best-selling supplements on the market today popular, especially amongst athletes and bodybuilders.There are many different variations of protein powder supplements available for purchase; however, coming from various sources, with each one having its particular uses, as well as multiple pros and cons.Here’s a more in-depth look at protein powder supplements to help figure out which, if any, could be right for you. Concentrates versus Isolates When shopping for protein supplements, one of the first things you’ll notice is that many of them can be purchased in either a concentrated form or an isolated form, with isolates usually being more expensive than concentrates.Protein comes from a number of different food sources, with concentrated forms removing around 70 – 85% of the non-protein ingredients, leaving around 70 – 85% protein, and the remaining 15 – 30% being made up of carbohydrates and fat.Protein isolates basically remove even more of the non-protein ingredients, so typically the protein will be 85 – 95% pure protein, which is why it costs more. Whey Protein Whey protein is the most popular sports supplement in the entire world, and whey protein sales alone generate billions upon billions for supplement companies every single year. Whey protein is derived from milk, typically cow’s milk, and is basically a by-product left behind when milk is turned into cheese. The milk separates into curds (cheese) and whey, which is the protein.Whey protein is a fast-absorbing protein that helps promote lean muscle gains, post-workout recovery and fat loss. It is rich in amino acids, which basically are the building blocks of protein, and it is available in concentrated, and isolated form. Hydrolyzed Whey As if whey protein concentrates and isolates weren't enough, we also have hydrolyzed whey protein as well. Hydrolyzed whey protein is basically processed so it is broken down into fragments of protein which are much smaller, via a process known as enzymatic hydrolysis.As the protein molecules are much smaller, they are absorbed much quicker, and as a result can get to work much faster. Casein Protein Casein protein also comes from dairy sources, though casein protein is molecularly different in structure to whey protein, and as a result it is absorbed much slower and releases a steady stream of protein and nutrients into the body over a prolonged period of time.Many bodybuilders will drink casein protein before bed, as it will keep their bodies in an anabolic muscle-building state as they sleep. Pea, Soy, and Rice Proteins Not all proteins come from dairy sources, which is ideal for vegans or people unable to consume dairy for medical or personal reasons.Some proteins can be derived from other sources, including pea, soy, and rice. Soy beans for example, are full of protein and provide a complete list of amino acids. Rice protein is derived from brown rice and is packed full of fiber and B vitamins, as well as amino acids. It is also very easily digestible and so is fast-absorbing. Pea protein is derived from yellow split peas, and it too is easily digestible. Which Protein is Best? The simple answer for this is that there is no one best protein, as it all comes down to your goals and targets.If you’re looking for a fast-absorbing post-workout protein, for example, hydrolyzed whey protein would be the best choice, as it is so fast-absorbing and therefore gets into your muscles quickly.If you need to feed your muscles for several hours as you sleep, however, casein protein would be much better for you because it is a slow-digesting, slow-absorbing protein that feeds the body for several hours.Vegans and people with food allergies such as lactose intolerance would be better suited to soy, pea proteins, or rice proteins.Users can even mix and match so perhaps a whey protein mixed with water immediately following a workout, along with a casein protein shake before bed.There is no ONE best protein as it all depends on your own goals, targets, and dietary requirements.Read More
Coffee or a PreWorkout Supplement?
We often hear people say that a coffee is just as good as a pre workout, in way they are correct - both contain caffeine - which is a proven performance enhancer. However there are some key advantages to choosing a pre-workout. The Extras Pre-workouts will often have creatine, beta alanine, amino acids, carnitine, vitamins and minerals added to not only help with performance but also to help with recovery. And ladies, no they will not build massive muscles! These ingredients will help you get the best out of your workout and help you recover in time for your next workout. Price Now if you simply grab a teaspoon of Greggs coffee and use that then yes you are saving money, but in reality how many of us do that? What we see in reality is people grab a cappuccino for around $4-$5 versus a pre-workout scoop at around $1-$2. People see the tub price and make the decision that it is expensive, instead look for the price per serve. p.s. All products on the Sportsfuel website have the price per serve showing so you can compare apples with apples. Calories How many calories are in that coffee? it really depends what type, whether there is cream or milk added, how many sugars? Compare this to a pre-workout like Musclepharm Assault with 40 calories per serve. Sugar How many teaspoons do you add to your coffee? be honest. Most pre-workouts have zero or very low sugar. They taste great (usually) and come in a wide range of flavours to suit anyone's taste buds. Convenience Wake up, get dressed and head off to training.. oh hang on - boil the jug and make a coffee or shoot down to the coffee shop to grab one. Or simply add a scoop in to your water bottle and head off. Which one do you prefer at 5.30am in the morning? Or on the way to the gym after finishing work for the day? No measuring, minimal mixing, just water and a glass or drink bottle required.At the end of the day we all enjoy a good coffee, but in terms of getting the most out of your workout, the correct pre-workout far outperforms a coffee. Pre-workouts have been proven in study after study to improve workout performance, so don't short-change yourself, get the results you deserve with the intelligent use of pre-workout supplementation.A word of warning: Pre workouts are strong and they need to be used carefully and intelligently. We all have that friend who decided not to read the label, not to follow advice, or that if one scoop was great two would be twice as good - they ended up feeling sick, jittery, or worse and then conveniently blamed the product.If you haven't used pre-workouts before, start with a half or even quarter scoop and test your tolerance, don't be a hero, the goal is increased performance and recovery. These products are strong and should always be used carefully.Need help finding the right pre-workout? Email us or give us a call and we can share our experiences with you.Read More