Food & Drink

EXPERTS REVEAL TOP NUTRITIONAL TIPS FOR GAINING MUSCLE

Gaining muscle is not just down to how many hours you spend in the gym, it is essential that you are balancing your nutritional intake alongside your training in order to efficiently increase muscle mass. Fitness expert Anthony O’Reilly from BarBend has revealed a guide to help people learn how to gain muscle.

CALCULATE YOUR CALORIES Gaining muscle involves striking the right balance between eating excess calories to build muscle and overeating which may cause weight gain, so it’s vital that you track your calories as precisely as possible. It’s near to impossible to guess your exact calorie intake so to properly track your calories, it’s best to use a calorie counting tool such as a phone app so you can see your exact nutritional intake and tailor it to your body and routine.

MASTER THE TIMING OF PROTEIN INTAKE In the past, there has been a lot of talk surrounding the term ‘anabolic window’ which means that there is a very limited time period after working out for protein or carbs to be absorbed properly by muscles to aid muscle growth. Despite this, new studies have found that spreading protein intake out over the course of the day is still an effective way for your body to process the protein to build muscle.

EAT THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FAT

Although fatty foods are generally bad for you due to the link between saturated fats and heart disease, there are also good fats that help contribute to the hormonal functions of the body including testosterone production which is necessary for muscle growth. Some examples of good fats are avocado, salmon, peanuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame oil etc, which all provide essential nutrients for efficient cellular function and overall health. TRACK YOUR MACROS Although tracking calories constantly is normally not advised, if you are wanting to really build muscle you will need to make sure you are consuming essential macronutrients for muscle growth such as carbohydrates, fats and protein. Carbohydrates provide energy for exercising; fats support hormonal function and protein is integral for building muscle but the number of macros you should be eating is completely dependent on the individual and what you are trying to achieve.

FOCUS ON YOUR PROTEIN INTAKE When looking to gain muscle, the most important macronutrient to focus on is protein. Also known as essential amino acids (EAAs), there are nine that are an integral part in maintaining a healthy diet and building muscle. As part of a normal western diet, you are probably already eating enough protein without realising with white and red meat being the highest sources of protein. However, vegetarians and vegans should be a little more mindful when trying to build muscle, as most vegetable-based proteins lack some EAAs. A good variety of alternatives such as soybeans, lentils, rice, beans and other grains should ensure that you are consuming enough protein for your body.

EAT THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF CARBS Carbohydrates are often seen in a negative sense when it comes to diet plans and are often limited or sometimes even completely cut out. When it comes to building muscle however, carbs are a fundamental part of a nutritional plan. When exercising, carbs are converted to glucose and restores glycogen which provides energy to the body and helps endurance in the gym. The only thing you should be careful of is making sure you are consuming the right sources of carbs, some of which include brown rice, oatmeal, wholewheat bread or pasta etc.

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OTO BECOMES THE FIRST LUXURY CBD BRAND TO RECEIVE FOOD SAFETY ASSOCIATION VALIDATION IN A CLEAR STEP TOWARDS MARKET REGULATION

The milestone comes as OTO embarks on a series B raise for over £15m

LUXURY CBD BRAND, OTO, HAS BECOME THE FIRST PREMIUM CBD AND WELLNESS LINE TO SECURE VALIDATION FROM UK FOOD SAFETY REGULATORS FOR ITS PRODUCTS, FOLLOWING INCLUSION IN THE FOOD SAFETY AGENCY’S (FSA) CBD PUBLIC LIST. In its business guidance on cannabidiol (“CBD”) as a ‘novel food’, the FSA states that the sale of over-the-counter CBD products in the UK is allowed only for existing brands that are included in the CBD Public List.

OTO is a UK based brand which helps consumers ‘find their space’ through a range of considered and beneficial products which fit easily into daily lives. The brand has recently raised more than £3.7 million, including £2.8 million via crowdfunding in October last year, rapidly exceeding the original £2 million target. With the ever-growing consumer demand for wellbeing solutions, OTO has seen record sales in ingestibles; including its world first CBD Bitters, botanical seltzers and award-winning ‘sleep drops’ - a product that has seen a sales growth of 218% in the last 12 months.

Since launch, OTO has become the most awarded CBD brand globally, and is the only brand to feature in all premium stockists, including Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, and Liberty. Earlier this month, the brand unveiled its first cross-channel PR campaign in partnership with 90s electronic band, Faithless. Born from the insight that 82% of Britons experience insomnia, and over half consider themselves ‘bad sleepers’, the venture saw the band remix the iconic dance anthem ‘Insomnia’ for the first time in 27 years, turning it into a new piece of music designed to lull listeners into a deep, restorative sleep. After recently raising over £2m, OTO is immediately embarking on a series B raise for over £15m, to support the international expansion of the leading luxury CBD brand, but also to fund merger and acquisition opportunities in the broader lifestyle and wellness space. Looking to merge and acquire businesses both within and without the cannabidiol sector in the UK, Europe and the USA, OTO recently appointed Mark Barnard, former chairman of Harvest, to support and guide the business. The drinks guru, who brings immeasurable experience in the category to OTO, previously held senior executive roles at Diageo and Unilever. Founder and Creative Director, Gemma Colao says: “We avidly welcome the improved regulation of CBD products and are enthusiastic about the opportunities it will bring to us at OTO. We are confident this regulation will provide stronger trust and reassurance to people who want to discover our range of products, and we remain committed to offering the highest quality, effective, safe and compliant CBD products to market in line with these regulations. We are excited to move forward with our pioneering product range as a result of our validation, encouraging more and more people to turn to our thoughtful and effective products and reap the benefits of our optimum strength CBD guarantee.”

ABOVE

Founder and Creative Director of OTO, Gemma Colao

Since entering the market in 2019, OTO, founded by husband and wife duo, James Bagley and Gemma Colao, has developed over 35 products from Spa treatments to Sleep Drops, Seltzers, Massage Oil and Pillow Mist to CBD Cocktail Bitters, and has recently expanded into the US and Asian markets.

For more information on OTO, please visit otocbd.com.