Nutrition

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NET GAINS: CREATINE, FASTING AND ARGININE

Written by: BY TEAM FLEX

Q: I hear fasting is a great way to remove toxins from the body and get lean. How often should I do this?

A: Fasting is a tried-and-true technique for purifying the body. It's used by many cultures, but not by most bodybuilders. Why? Because when you fast, your body lives off your muscle mass. Your body preferentially turns to muscle mass (over bodyfat) as a source of energy, tearing it down. You might be purified, but you'll most likely drop muscle mass even if you fast for only a day. This explains why bodybuilders eat so many meals a day. Building muscle mass is not only about providing your body with adequate calories, it's also about providing them to your body frequently so you have a steady source of nutrients.

If you want to detoxify your body, try these other techniques.

Drink plenty of water. Try doubling your water consumption for a day or two.

Reduce salt intake at the same time so your body flushes fluids from your system.

Avoid alcohol, drugs and unnecessary medications.

Emphasize "clean" foods, such as simply prepared meats and vegetables. Eat these frequently (taking in about six meals a day).

Supplement with 100 milligrams (mg) of calcium, 15-30 mg of zinc, 250-450 mg of magnesium and 200 mg of selenium to help you clean up free radicals and rid yourself of toxins.

Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. This provides a range of phytochemicals that help you detox, plus the variety prevents you from getting too much of any one pesticide.

Follow these tips and you'll maintain your muscle mass while helping to detoxify your body.

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