Simple 3,000 Calorie Bulking Meal Plan: Prep and Pack

If you haven’t read or watched the Simple 3,000 Calorie Bulking Meal Plan: Grocery List, go check it out now. If you have, you’re ready to start cooking! Not the greatest cook in the world? Don’t worry, everything you need to know is broken down below.

Part 2 Of 3

  1. Simple 3,000 Calorie Bulking Meal Plan: Grocery List
  2. Simple 3,000 Calorie Bulking Meal Plan: Prep and Pack
  3. Simple 3,000 Calorie Bulking Meal Plan: Time to Eat

Cooking Utensils Required

Cooking Directions

Before you begin preparing the apples, onions, and chicken pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Read: Convection ovens and Conventional ovens cook at slightly different temperatures. Convection ovens generally cook about 25 degrees hotter. If you are cooking with a Convection oven you will want to cook the chicken at 425 degrees F for 25 minutes. If you are cooking with a Conventional oven, you will want to cook the chicken at 425 degrees F for 27 – 30 minutes.

Apples

  1. In a strainer, rinse apples.
  2. With a knife cut the apple in half.
  3. Cut each half again, you will have 4 slices now.
  4. Remove the core and seeds.
  5. Cut each slice into thirds.
  6. Separate apples evenly between the two large glass baking dishes

Onion

  1. In a strainer, rinse onion.
  2. Cut each end from the onion.
  3. Proceed with cutting rings, circular onion slices.
  4. Separate onion evenly between the two large glass baking dishes.
  5. With the apple and onion slices in each baking dish, add a few splashes of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
  6. Mix apples and onions together making sure they are all covered evenly. (I mixed them together with my hands).

Chicken

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. In a strainer, rinse chicken.
  3. With a knife or kitchen scissors cut off any excess fat.
  4. To help the chicken cook faster, cut it in half.
  5. Place chicken in glass baking dishes over apple and onion slices. Make sure there is a small separation between each piece.
  6. Add additional seasoning, in this case salt and pepper.
  7. Place in the oven for 25 minutes.

Ready To Package!

Now that the chicken is cooked lets package it up!

Meal One (5 Containers)

  • 8 oz. Chicken with apple and onion slices

Meal Two (5 Containers)

  • 8 oz. Chicken with apple and onion slices

You’re Ready For Part 3

Go check out the Simple 3,000 Calorie Bulking Meal Plan: Time to Eat now! If you would like to share any of your meal prepping experiences or suggestions I would love to hear them! Please leave a comment and be sure to follow WaterJugFitness on Twitter and Instagram for daily fitness tips. Also go check out the Water Jug Fitness YouTube channel for great fitness videos.

Simple 3,000 Calorie Bulking Meal Plan: Time to Eat

It’s time to eat for those who have read or watched both the Simple 3,000 Calorie Bulking Meal Plan: Grocery List and Simple 3,000 Calorie Bulking Meal Plan: Prep and Pack. If you haven’t read these articles or watched the videos yet you might be a bit lost going forward so I suggest checking them out now. Below is a full breakdown of my daily intake including calories for each meal, I usually workout from 5:30 – 7pm.

Part 3 Of 3

  1. Simple 3,000 Calorie Bulking Meal Plan: Grocery List
  2. Simple 3,000 Calorie Bulking Meal Plan: Prep and Pack
  3. Simple 3,000 Calorie Bulking Meal Plan: Time to Eat

Daily Intake (Full Meal Breakdown)

Protein = P

Carbohydrates = C

Fats = F

Breakfast 1: 7:30 – 8:00am (425 Calories P-41g/C-60g/F-5g)

  • 8 oz. Unsweetened Almond/Coconut Milk
  • 1 Scoop Gold Standard 100% Whey
  • 1 Banana
  • 1 Cup Wyman Frozen Fruit
  • 1 Lite Greek Yogurt

Breakfast 2: 9:30 – 10:00am (400 Calories P-18g/C-54g/F-12g)

  • ½ Cup Oats
  • 1 Packet Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
  • 2 Pre-Hardboiled Eggs

Lunch 1: 12:00 – 12:30pm (570 Calories P-59g/C-29g/F-20g)

  • 8 oz. Chicken
  • 1 Package Birdseye Steamfresh Mixed Vegetables
  • 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Lunch 2: 2:30 – 3:00pm (375 Calories P-40g/C-40g/F-8g)

  • 2 Slices Orowheat Sweet Hawaiian Bread
  • 2 Chunk Light Tuna In Water Packets (Low Sodium)
  • 1 Tbsp. Reduced Fat Mayo
  • 1 Tbsp. Dill Relish

Pre Workout Shake: 4:30pm (190 Calories P-24g/C-21g/F-1g)

Post Workout Shake: 7:00 – 7:30pm (225 Calories P-24g/C-30g/F-1g)

Post Workout Meal: 8:00pm (785 Calories P-64g/C-112g/F-8g)

  • 8 oz. Chicken
  • 1 Package Uncle Ben Ready Rice Jasmine
  • ½ Bag Birdseye Steamfresh Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots

Snack: 10:00 – 10:30pm (125 Calories P-13g/C-14g/F-3g)

  • ½ Cup LowFat Cottage Cheese
  • ½ Cup Wyman Frozen Fruit

Total Calories: 3,095
Protein (g): 282
Carbs (g): 360
Fat (g): 56

I hope you enjoyed this meal plan and found it helpful! If you have any suggestions or want to chat about gaining weight please leave a comment below. Also, go follow WaterJugFitness on Twitter and Instagram for daily fitness tips, dieting and motivation.

Optimum Nutrition Essential AmiN.O. Energy Review

Over the past few years Optimum Nutrition’s Essential AmiN.O. Energy has become a staple in my daily routine. Whether I’m trying to gain weight, burn fat, or just looking for a quick pick me up, AmiN.O. Energy is a personal favorite. Check out the review below, and decide for yourself if this product is right for you.

What To Look For When Buying A Supplement

  1. Main ingredient
  2. Effectiveness
  3. Taste
  4. Side effects
  5. Cost

The main ingredient in this product is amino acids (5 g per serving).

Amino Acids Benefits

  • Prevents Catabolism (breakdown of muscle)
  • Increased Protein Synthesis
  • Increased Energy
  • Reduced Fatigue
  • Supports Weight Loss and Fat Burning
  • Supports Recovery

I’ve found AmiN.O Energy to be extremely effective before, during and after workouts. How? With a 160 mg “Energy Blend”, I’m able to stay energized and focused throughout my workout.  This particular “Energy Blend” has 50 mg of caffeine per scoop, not per serving, so keep that in mind. Also, I typically get a good pump after taking this product. Lets discuss the taste, I generally mix two scoops into about half gallon of water and love it. Optimum Nutrition also has wide a variety of different flavors to choose from. A few of my personal favorites are Green Apple and Concord Grape, I couldn’t pick just one. As for the side effects, I have not experienced any or heard of any negative side effects from taking this product. Lastly, the cost, I typically get the 65 serving container which costs roughly $38.00. Lets do the math, $38.00 for 65 servings comes to $0.58 per serving. Give or take a few pennies.

Rating (1-5)

Water Jug Fitness Logo Full ThumbnailWater Jug Fitness Logo Full ThumbnailWater Jug Fitness Logo Full ThumbnailWater Jug Fitness Logo Full ThumbnailWater Jug Fitness Logo Half Thumbnail

I highly recommend this product, and have spoken with several others who do as well!

Is there a supplement you’ve been thinking about taking but want to hear a first-hand review? Please leave a comment and if I’ve taken it I would be happy to share. And if I haven’t taken it, I would be willing to give it a shot. Now be sure to go follow WaterJugFitness on Twitter and Instagram for daily fitness tips.

References
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bcaas-the-many-benefits-of-amino-acids.html
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/issa89.htm

Cellucor C4 Extreme Pre-Workout Review

Have you ever arrived at the gym after a long day at work and just didn’t feel like being there? That’s when it’s time to reach for your pre-workout. A good pre-workout supplement should provide your body with adequate energy and focus throughout your workout. Many pre-workout formulas also promote fat loss, increased muscle volume and the “PUMP” feeling (how they do this is beyond me).

Have health concerns about taking a pre-workout? My personal recommendation, I’m no doctor, but if you have health concerns you may want to consult with your doctor before taking a pre-workout.  Pre-workouts generally have large amounts of caffeine and depending on your body, you may react differentl.

Ok, lets get into the supplement review now.

Cellucor C4 Extreme Pre-Workout

What To Look For When Buying A Supplement

  1. Main ingredient
  2. Effectiveness
  3. Taste
  4. Side effects
  5. Cost

The main ingredient of this product is Creatine Nitrate (1 g per serving).

Creatine Nitrate Benefits

  • Increase lean muscle mass
  • Improved high intensity output
  • Improved strength
  • Improved power
  • Improved recovery time

Cellucor C4 also packs 1.6 grams of Beta Alanine and 1 gram of Arginine AKG. Beta Alanine has been shown to increase muscular strength, mass, endurance and reduce muscle fatigue. Arginine AKG has been shown to increase nitric oxide production thus increasing the bodies ability to build mass. Please know the studies to prove the benefits of Arginine AKG are lacking. C4 also contains an “Explosive Energy Blend”. You will find these “Blends” in many pre-workouts, the main ingredient I look for though is caffeine. This product contains 135 mg of caffeine. Moving on to the taste, my favorite would have to be Icy Blue Razz. Basically tastes like a pixie stick, that’s the best comparison I can give you. As for side effects, I haven’t experienced any negative side effects from taking this product. I have heard people complain about a “tingling” feeling after taking C4. Lastly, this pre-workout costs $39.65 for 30 servings. Depending on where you buy it the price may vary slightly.

Rating (1-5)

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Is there a supplement you’ve been thinking about taking but want to hear a first-hand review? Please leave a comment and if I’ve taken it I would be happy to share. And if I haven’t taken it, I would be willing to give it a shot. Now be sure to go follow WaterJugFitness on Twitter and Instagram for daily fitness tips.

References
http://www.betaalanine.info/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/487696-what-is-arginine-akg/

Summer Cutting Meal Plan: Time To Eat

Ready to start shredding that fat? If you haven’t yet viewed the “Summer Cutting Meal Plan: The Prep” article or video go check it out now. This article will focus on when to eat your prepped meals to boost your fat burning abilities. You will notice this meal plan has you eating about every 2 hours but these are small meals which again aid in fat burning. These small meals are packed nutrient dense foods to keep you satisfied throughout the day. Eating small meals every 2 – 3 hours also keeps you from snacking on cookies, chips or other unhealthy treats throughout the day. Below is a full calorie breakdown for my “Summer Cutting Meal Plan: The Prep”, I’m currently working out at 6-6:15pm.

Time To Eat!

Full breakdown of meals and calories per meal.

  • Protein = P
  • Carbohydrates = C
  • Fats = F

Breakfast 1: 7:30am – 8:00am

(160 Calories P-25g/C-5g/F-4g)

  • 8 oz. Unsweetened Almond/Coconut Mlik
  • 1 Scoop Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey

Breakfast 2: 9:30am- 10:00am

(293 Calories P-19g/C-50g/F-3g)

  • 1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal
  • 1 Cup Strawberries
  • 1/2 Cup Blueberries
  • 3 Egg Whites

Lunch 1: 12:00pm – 12:30pm

(320 Calories P-56g/C-3g/F-12g)

  • 8 oz. Chicken
  • 1/4 Cup Asparagus
  • 1/2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Lunch 2: 2:00pm – 2:30pm

(245 Calories P-38g/C-10g/F-7g)

  • Bell Pepper (Any Color)
  • 3 oz. 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey
  • 3 oz. 99% Extra Lean Ground Turkey

Snack: 4:00pm – 4:30pm

(435 Calories P-28g/C-50g/F-17g)

  • 2 Lightly Salted Rice Cakes
  • 2 tbsp. Natural Peanut Butter
  • 6 oz. Lite Greek Yogurt
  • 1 Cup Blueberries or Strawberries

Pre Workout Shake: 5:00pm – 5:30pm

(250 Calories P-36g/C-23g/F-2g)

  • 2 tbsp. Dextrose
  • 1 1/2 Scoops Gold Standard 100% Whey

Post Workout Shake: 7:30pm – 8:00pm

(250 Calories P-36g/C-23g/F-2g)

  • 2 tbsp. Dextrose
  • 1 1/2 Scoops Gold Standard 100% Whey

Dinner: 8:00pm – 8:30pm

(383 Calories P-60g/C-29g/F-6g)

  • 8 oz. Chicken
  • 1/2 Cup Rice
  • 1/2 Cup Asparagus

Bedtime Snack: 10:00pm – 10:30pm

(255 Calories P-37g/C-19g/F-4g)

  • 1/2 Cup Low Fat Cottage Cheese
  • 1/2 Cup Strawberries
  • 1/4 Cup Blueberries
  • 1 Scoop Optimum Nutrition 100% Casein

Protein: 335
Carbs: 201
Fat: 55
Total Calories: 2555

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Water Jug Fitness YouTube channel! Also, I love the feedback you guys have been sharing on other videos so please keep it coming.

Summer Cutting Meal Plan: The Prep

It’s not too late to get cut for summer! I’m a firm believer that muscles are made in the kitchen, so if you’re looking to get those abs popping you may want to spend more time in the kitchen and less in the gym. There are a few different variations of my summer cutting meal plan but this one is relatively inexpensive and still packs about 2,500 calories a day. Being a hard-gainer I don’t typically ever eat less than 2,500 calories in any of my meal plans because I would lose weight too quickly. The objective of cutting is to shred any unwanted excess fat you gained over the bulking season, or just over the years, while retaining muscle volume and strength. This meal plan has worked for me and I’m confident it will work for you if you stick to it.

Grocery List

  • 4 Packages Strawberries – $10.00
  • 2 Packages Blueberries – $4.00
  • 5 Bell Peppers – $5.00
  • 3 Lemons – $2.97
  • 2.8 lbs. Asparagus – $5.57
  • 5 Lite Greek Yogurts – $4.00
  • Unsweetened Vanilla Almond/Coconut Milk – $2.99
  • Low Fat Cottage Cheese – $2.49
  • 3 Packages Hard-Boiled Eggs – $8.37
  • Chocolate Quaker Rice Cakes Popped – $1.50
  • Apple Cinnamon Quaker Rice Cakes Popped – $1.50
  • Lightly Salted Quaker Rice Cakes – $2.49
  • Natural Peanut Butter – $2.99
  • Lean Ground Turkey 93/7 – $4.19
  • 99% Extra Lean Ground Turkey – $4.49
  • 10 lbs. Chicken Breasts – $18.51

Grand Total: $81.06

Cooking Utensils

  • Cooking Pans
  • Cooking Pots
  • Rice Cooker
  • Food Scale
  • Strainer
  • Tinfoil
  • Cutting Board
  • Knife Set
  • Measuring Cup Set
  • Tupperware

Cooking Directions

Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken

  1. In a strainer, rinse the chicken
  2. Move the chicken to a cutting board and cut off any excess fat
  3. Cover cooking pan with tinfoil
  4. Place chicken on cooking pan with small separation between each piece
  5. Cut 2 – 3 lemons into 1/4 pieces
  6. Squeeze lemons over all the chicken
  7. Add desired amount of pepper
  8. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
  9. Place chicken in oven for 25 minutes

Stuffed Bell Peppers

  1. In a large cooking pan add a few splashes of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  2. Turn stove on to a medium-high heat
  3. After 5 minutes combine both packages of ground turkey
  4. Add desired seasoning
  5. Cook meat for 10 – 12 minutes or until meat is browned
  6. Remove ground turkey and let sit for 5 minutes
  7. In a strainer, rinse bell peppers
  8. On a cutting board, cut tops and stems off
  9. Remove core from the center
  10. Rinse bell pepper out to remove excess seeds
  11. Cover cooking pan in tinfoil
  12. Place bell pepper in cooking pan
  13. On a food scale, weigh 6 oz. of ground turkey
  14. Stuff turkey in bell pepper
  15. Place peppers in oven for 18 – 20 minutes

Rice

  1. Put 1 ½ cups of rice in rice cooker
  2. Add 3 cups of water
  3. The rice cooker will do the rest

Asparagus

  1. In a strainer, rinse asparagus
  2. On cutting board grab a handful of asparagus and cut off ends
  3. Then cut asparagus in half
  4. Place asparagus in glass baking dish
  5. Add a generous serving of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  6. Add desired amount of pepper
  7. Oven should already be preheated to 425 (because of the chicken)
  8. Place in oven for 25 minutes

Eggs

  1. On cutting board, cut egg in half
  2. Remove yolk from the center
  3. Place egg in plastic zip-lock bag

Broccoli

  1. Place 1 package of broccoli in medium cooking pot
  2. Fill with water until fully submerged
  3. Cook on medium high heat for 20 minutes

Ready To Package!

Now that you have all the food cooked lets package it up!

Meal One (5 Containers)

  • 8 oz. Chicken
  • 1/2 Cup Asparagus
  • 1/2 Cup Rice

Meal Two (5 Containers)

  • 8 oz. Chicken
  • 1/4 Cup Asparagus
  • 1/2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Time To Eat

Remember there are many more meals to eat than just the two above so don’t forget to go check out the “Summer Cutting Meal Plan: Time To Eat” article and video now. That will give you a full breakdown of calories and when to eat these meals. Also please SUBSCRIBE to the Water Jug Fitness YouTube channel! Lastly, I love the feedback you guys have been sharing on other videos so please keep it coming.

Arm Pump – Full Workout

Check out this intense arm workout video featuring my buddy Alex. We take you through a typical arm routine to get those arms pumped up! In the video you will also find a link to download our arm day workout routine for free.

As always, please leave comments on what you thought about this video. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Looking For Gains In All The Wrong Places

The Infamous Infomercial

Are you out of shape? Do you want to change? Buy this product today and we guarantee you will see results in 30 days. The great thing is it only takes 20 minutes a day, three days a week. Look at all of these people who have changed their lives. You could be next! Blah. Blah. Blah.

Save Your Money

We have all seen commercials for various fitness products promising unrealistic results fast. Don’t bite the bate! If it was as easy as they say to get results why isn’t everyone ripped? Because it’s not as easy as they claim. But what about the before and after photos of people who got fit? Here is the thing about many of those photos, they are manipulated to exaggerate the results. I’m not saying all of the results are enhanced but you an bet most of them are. If you haven’t seen the “Shocking Before and After Fitness Transformation in 5 Hours EXPOSED! | Furious Pete” check it out now. He basically shows you how many of the before and after photos are taken.

How Can You Get Results?

Do more! What do I mean by this? If you walk 1 mile everyday, start walking 1 1/4 miles. If you go to the gym once a week, start going 2 days. Your diet also plays a huge role in your ability to see results. If you’re not fueling your body with healthy nutritious foods, results will be much more difficult to attain. Most importantly stick with it and stay consistent. You didn’t get to where your at today overnight, so why do you think results will come over night. I understand we all want this but the unfortunate truth is it’s not going to happen. You can get in better shape, but give it a little time.

Be sure to follow Water Jug Fitness on Twitter and Instagram! Also, please leave any comments on what you thought about this article.

Thanks for reading!

Delicious Homemade Protein Bars

Do you often find yourself snacking on chips, candy or other unhealthy treats throughout your day? I’ve been there, it’s easy to fall into this trap. What if I told you I have a delicious homemade protein bar to curb your cravings? These bars are so good you’re not going to believe they can be healthy for you. This recipe will have all of your friends, family, and in my case coworkers asking for more. Another great thing about this recipe is it only requires 4 products you can get from almost any grocery store and no baking required. I hope you’re as excited to try these as I am to share them!

Ingredients

  • 34 oz. Mixed Nuts
  • 1/2 Cup PB2 (Powdered Peanut Butter)
  • 5 oz. Reduced Sugar Craisins
  • 1/2 Cup Honey

Cooking Utensils

Cooking Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl combine the mixed nuts, PB2, craisins and honey.
  2. With a spatula, mix the ingredients together thoroughly.
  3. Cover a baking pan with wax paper.
  4. Pour mixed ingredients onto the baking pan.
  5. With a spatula, spread and press the ingredients evenly.
  6. Place the baking pan in the freezer for 1 hour.
  7. Remove the baking pan from freezer, cut and enjoy.

It’s important to store these protein bars in the freezer until you’re ready to eat them. If you leave them out or store them in the refrigerator they will not hold together and become extremely messy. I had to learn this hard way.

Do you make your own protein bars or have a protein bar recipe you really like? Please leave a comment below and I would love to check it out. Always looking for new healthy recipes. Now be sure to go check out the Water Jug Fitness YouTube Channel for more healthy recipes. Also, go follow WaterJugFitness on Instagram and Twitter for daily fitness tips.

Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard Protein Review

Hey Everyone! Thanks for tuning in to my supplement review on Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard protein. Protein is a key component in repairing and building muscle. If your diet lacks protein you’re probably not getting the most out of your workouts. The good news is there are tons of supplements out there to help you increase protein intake.

Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard

What To Look For When Buying A Supplement

  1. Main ingredient
  2. Effectiveness
  3. Taste
  4. Side effects
  5. Cost

The main ingredient of this product is Whey Protein Isolate (24 grams per serving).

Whey Protein Isolate Benefits

  • Muscle growth
  • Lose fat
  • Improved strength
  • Improved recovery

Optimum Nutrition also packs 4 grams of Glutamine and 5 grams of Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) into this protein. Glutamine and BCAA’s have been shown to greatly improve the break down and absorption of protein into muscle tissue. This is crucial in terms of effectiveness because after a workout your body needs these fast-acting nutrients to repair and build muscle. Lets talk about the taste, hands down Extreme Chocolate Milk and Vanilla Ice Cream are my favorite flavors. Another great thing about this protein their large variety of flavors. Choose your flavor wisely though because servings per container may vary. A 74 serving container will cost about $0.72 per serving which is a great value. In regards to side effects, I have not experienced or read about any negative side effects.

Rating (1-5)

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Is there a supplement you’ve been thinking about taking but want to hear a first-hand review? Please leave a comment and if I’ve taken it I would be happy to share. And if I haven’t taken it, I would be willing to give it a shot. Now be sure to go follow WaterJugFitness on Twitter and Instagram for daily fitness tips.

References
http://www.livestrong.com/article/39242-benefits-whey-protein-isolate/
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/glutamine.htm