• 1. Hydration
• 2. Proper Nutrition - Macronutrients
• 3. Supplementation
• 4. Flexibility 5.Cardiorespiratory - (Aerobic) exercise
• 6. Resistance Training - building muscle
• 7. Rest and Recovery
• 8. Motivation
• 9. Environment
• 10. Systematic Application

. We here at Hot Stuff Sports Supplements believe that knowledge is power and we also know that every person has an individual prescription to achieve optimum health or athletic prowess. By understanding how your body reacts to your routine and environment you'll discover how manipulating these ten factors will help you to chart your course to success. The charts included on this site will assist you on mastering the way to better health and fitness.

Proper Nutrition With Macronutrients
. Let's define macronutrient; 1. Nutrition. any of the nutritional components of the diet that are required in relatively large amounts: protein, carbohydrate, fat and the macrominerals.

• 1.Protein
• 2.Fats
• 3.Healthy Fats Chart
• 4.Carbohydrates
• 5.Food Guide Pyramid

PROTEIN
. Next to water , protein is the most plentiful substance in the body. Protein is exceptionally important to the maintenance of good health. Additionally, it is vital to the growth and development of all body tissues. It is the major source of building materials for muscles, blood, skin, hair, nails and internal organs (e.g, heart, brain, etc.). Protein is needed for the formation of hormones, which control a variety of body functions. It also acts to prevent blood and tissues from becoming either to acidic or too alkaline. Protein helps to regulate the body's water balance. Enzymes and antibodies are also formed from protein. As well as being the major source of building materials for the body, protein may be used as a source of heat and energy. Each gram of protein provides four calories

. During digestion the large molecules of protein are decomposed into simpler units called "amino acids." Unlike carbohydrates and fats, which are comprised exclusively of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms, protein also contains nitrogen atoms. These nitrogen atoms are constituents of amino acids. Protein also differs from carbohydrates in that the amino acids which comprise the strands of protein will vary from one another, as opposed to carbohydrates, which are comprised of identically repeating glucose molecules. Protein may also be used as source of heat and energy, providing four calories per gram. However, this energy is spared when sufficient fats and carbohydrates are present in the diet. Unlike carbohydrates and fat, the body is not able to store protein. Glucose is stored as glycogen and fats are reserved in adipose tissue, whereas protein is available only through the working molecular and structural components of endogenous body tissues. Excess protein which is not utilized as an energy source or for building tissue can be converted into fatty acids by the liver, than stored as adipose tissue

FAT
. Fats (also known as lipids), are the most concentrated source of energy in the diet. One gram of fat yields approximately nine calories. In addition to providing energy, fats act as carriers for the fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K. By aiding in the absorption of vitamin E, calcium is also available to body tissues, particularly to the bones and teeth. Fat deposits surround, protect and hold in place organs, such as the kidneys, heart and liver. A layer of fat insulates the body from environmental temperature changes and preserves body heat.

. Fats prolong the process of digestion by slowing down the stomach's secretions of hydrochorlic acid, thus creating a longer lasting sensation of fullness after a meal. The substances that give fats their different flavors, textures and melting points are known as the "fatty acids." Saturated fatty acids are those that are usually hard at room temperature and which, except for coconut oils, come primarily from animal sources. Unsaturated fatty acids, including polyunsaturated, are usually liquid at room temperature and are derived from vegetable, nut or seed sources. Other sources of fat are milk products, eggs and cheese.

. Cholesterol is a lipid or fat-related substance necessary for good health. It is a normal component of most body tissues, especially those of the brain and nervous system, liver and blood. It is needed to form sex and adrenal hormones, vitamin D and bile (which is needed for the digestion of fats). Cholesterol also seems to play a role in lubricating the skin.

. Another major function of fat is to serve in energy reactions. Fatty acid is fuel for muscle mitochondria. Fat taken out of adipose tissue gets broken down to fatty acids, which are burned in muscle cells as fuel. This process is ongoing, though its extent varies. The body burns fat primarily in the periods between meals, and during endurance aerobic activity. You may have heard that you need to exercise for "at least twenty minutes" before the body exhausts its glycogen reserves and starts burning fat as a fuel. This is a myth. It would be impossible for the body to do anything if there was no glycogen. The 20 minute standard is arbitrary. The body burns both glucose and fat all the time, but the ratio between these depends on what the individual has eaten, what he/she is doing, and his or her individual biochemistry. When the body truly is experiencing a severe glucose shortage, fat will be broken into ketone bodies which serve as a functional substitute for glucose especially in the brain. We must remember that fat has an irreplaceable role in the body. While it is important to keep dietary below 30% (calories from fat), too little fat can be detrimental. Too little dietary fat can lead to deficiency in vitamins A, D, E, and K. Dry skin, brittle hair and spots are initial signs.

HEALTHY FATS CHART:
. OMEGA-3 and OMEGA-6 fatty acids are "good" fats that help keep us in tip-top health. These fatty acids are found in many foods including the following:

. OMEGA-3's (Alpha-linolenic acid)FlaxseedHemp seedsSoybeansWalnutsCanola oil Chia seedsDark green leafy vegetables Olive oils?Flaxseed oil is the best source, containing almost 60% alpha-linolenic acid.

. EPA and DHA:Salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout and other cold water fish.

. OMEGA-6's (Linoleic acid)Safflower oilSunflower oilHemp seedsSoybeansWalnutsPumpkin seedsSesame seed ??Safflower and sunflower oils are the richest sources of linolenic acid.

. Gamma-linolenic acid:Evening primrose oil, borage seed oil, black currant seed oil, and gooseberry oil.

. Arachidonic acid:Meats and other animal product

. Carbohydrates are the chief source of energy for all body functions and muscular exertion. Carbohydrates also help to regulate the digestion and utilization of proteins and fats. Carbohydrates take several forms, depending on their structure and complexity. The principal carbohydrates present in foods occur in the form of simple sugars, starches and cellulose. Digestion breaks all carbohydrates down to glucose, a simple sugar which goes into the bloodstream to feed all body tissues, especially the brain. Glucose is burned up by body tissues. Since all carbohydrates end up as glucose in the bloodstream, the most relevant factor would seem to be the rate at which they are released.

. The Glycemic Index; is a measure of how easily a carbohydrate food breaks down into glucose. On the glycemic index; higher numbers indicate higher sugar levels and lower numbers indicate that more digestion is required for the body to obtain glucose from the food. The higher the blood sugar increase, the more insulin the body will produce. Insulin is a hormone which transports glucose into cells for use as a fuel-glucose and cannot get in as easily by itself. Insulin also transports dietary fat into adipose tissue, and shuts down the reverse process. So a high sugar burst will do two things; 1) cause fat to be deposited more easily, and 2) slow down the burning of existing fat.

. When the body is adequately supplied with glucose, excess glucose is converted to glycogen, a reserve which is easily converted back to glucose. It is thought that all the carbohydrates that we consume goes to replenishing that which is lost every day and consequently, very little ends up being converted to fat. Muscular glycogen can be used only as fuel for the muscle, but the liver's glycogen can be used to increase blood sugar as needed. The body will store some percentage of any meal as fat-glycogen stores and don't have to be full for this to happen. Glucose goes to restore muscle glycogen immediately after exercise, so many people recommend consuming a high carbohydrate drink with in 60 minutes after working out. If you haven't exercised, glucose goes to both muscle and fat.