FitWhitt.com Presents - What's in Yo Gym Bag?

ALWAYS check with a physician before adding supplements into your workout plan.

Cellucor C4 Extreme - Creatine as a pre workout supplement
Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid. It helps supply energy to all cells, primarily muscle cells. It achieves this by increasing the formation of ATP. Creatine is naturally occurring in our skeletal muscle but originates from mostly the meat we eat. Since I am a pescatarian, research shows significant decreases in the amount of creatine in vegetarians, using creatine is very helpful. The good news is that research also demonstrated comparable creatine levels between meat eaters and non meat eaters when veggies took it as a supplement. Creatine has been proven to help with short, high intensity workout duration over long endurance duration.  If you want fast and explosive lifts, it works great. Research also shows that it helps in gaining significant muscle mass and strength in skeletal muscle tissue. Creatine can cause dehydration so make sure you drink plenty of water with it. There are alot of rumors out there about the pros and cons of creatine. This article helps clear some common myths up.

 The result is a highly absorbable creatine that simultaneously increases Nitric Oxide and ATP levels within the body.* Creatine nitrate is a highly efficient vasodilator, opening up the blood pathways into the muscles promoting optimal nutrient deliver and muscle pumps.*
Creatine Nitrate also enhances intestinal absorption while decreasing intestinal distress (once a common concern of creatine supplementation).* The compound increases permeation of the intestinal wall, reducing compound breakdown thus augmenting absorption.*

MusclePharm Amino1 - Branch chain amino acids and recovery
Branch chain amino acids help promote protein synthesis, preserving lean muscle mass and preventing catabolism. Branch chain amino acids contain 3 of the essential amino acids our bodies need. These 3: L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine all play a crucial role in muscle development because they are metabolized in the muscle and not the liver. This allows the muscles to use them to help build muscle. Since they are absorbed directly into the muscle tissue they help with strength, power, faster recovery, promote muscle building and energy levels. Taking them before, during and after a workout helps feed the muscle when they need it most. Vegetarians especially benefit due to a restricted diet and source of essential aminos not coming from a meat source.

- Smith Machine pad

- Extra workout clothes

- Weight belt - Why wear a weight belt?
Some theories state that if you wear a weight lifting belt, you will be able to keep your waist small because you will not be contracting and developing the obliques when lifting. This prevents a "blocky" shape to your abs.

- Shower bag/shoes

- Iphone case

- Heart rate monitor - FT40

- Extra hair ties

- Fat-Fader lotion
Fat-fader is a lotion that contains aminophylline. It has been proven to reduce the appearance of cellulite by shrinking the cells to give the skin a slimmer and leaner look.

- Workout plan - train with Team Bombshell

- Workout Gloves (Not Shown)

- Glutamine (Not Shown)

FitWhitt's First Video Blog - Sweet Potatoes

Mann's Sweet Potato Fries

Benefits of sweet potatoes

(taken directly from - 9 Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes)

1.  They are high in vitamin B6.  Vitamin B6 helps reduce the chemical homocysteine in our bodies.  Homocysteine has been linked with degenerative diseases, including the prevention of heart attacks.

2. They are a good source of vitamin C.  While most people know that vitamin C is important to help ward off cold and flu viruses, few people are aware that this crucial vitamin plays an important role in bone and tooth formation, digestion, and blood cell formation. It helps accelerate wound healing, produces collagen which helps maintain skin’s youthful elasticity, and is essen­tial to helping us cope with stress. It even appears to help protect our body against toxins that may be linked to cancer.

3.  They contain Vitamin D which is critical for immune system and overall health at this time of year.  Both a vitamin and a hormone, vitamin D is primarily made in our bodies as a result of getting adequate sunlight. You may have heard about seasonal affective disorder (or SAD, as it is also called), which is linked to inadequate sunlight and therefore a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D plays an important role in our energy levels, moods, and helps to build healthy bones, heart, nerves, skin, and teeth, and it supports the thyroid gland.

4.  Sweet potatoes contain iron. Most people are aware that we need the mineral iron to have adequate energy, but iron plays other important roles in our body, including red and white blood cell production, resistance to stress, proper im­mune functioning, and the metabolizing of protein, among other things.

5.  Sweet potatoes are a good source of mag­nesium, which is the relaxation and anti-stress mineral. Magnesium is necessary for healthy artery, blood, bone, heart, muscle, and nerve function, yet experts estimate that approximately 80 percent of the popula­tion in North America may be deficient in this important mineral.

6.  They are a source of potassium, one of the important electrolytes that help regulate heartbeat and nerve signals. Like the other electrolytes, potassium performs many essential functions, some of which include relaxing muscle contractions, reducing swelling, and protecting and controlling the activity of the kidneys.

7. Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet-tasting but their natural sugars are slowly released into the bloodstream, helping to ensure a balanced and regular source of energy, without the blood sugar spikes linked to fatigue and weight gain.

8. Their rich orange colour indicates that they are high in carotenoids like beta carotene and other carotenoids, which is the precursor to vitamin A in your body.  Carotenoids help strengthen our eyesight and boost our immunity to disease, they are powerful antioxidants that help ward off cancer and protect against the effects of aging. Studies at Harvard University of more than 124,000 people showed a 32 percent reduction in risk of lung cancer in people who consumed a variety of carotenoid-rich foods as part of their regular diet.2 Another study of women who had completed treatment for early stage breast cancer conducted by researchers at Women’s Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) found that women with the highest blood concentrations of carotenoids had the least likelihood of cancer recurrence.

9.  There are versatile. Try them roasted, puréed, steamed, baked, or grilled. You can add them to soups and stews, or grill and place on top of leafy greens for a delicious salad. I enjoy grilling them with onions and red peppers for amazing sandwich or wrap ingredients.  Puree them and add to smoothies and baked goods

- FitWhitt