Do you think there are enough protein powders on the market?

There are a lot of protein powders available today - enough to confuse the average person who is active and working to lose fat and build muscle.

Not long ago, protein powders were not particularly enticing because they simply did not taste good.

Now, technology has advanced several fold and many companies have gotten into the act; the result is a tremendous number of protein powders as well as meal replacement drinks which accomplish the same purpose.

We are drawn to these drinks because they make us feel athletic and are now an ppetizing way of getting essential nutrients quickly, particularly for breakfast, which is a very important meal for anyone serious about a healthy lifestyle.

What type of source should I get my protein from?

Before jumping full throttle into protein supplements, it is important to understand that natural sources are the best. No one can beat protein that comes from The Creator.

Meat from organic, grass-fed sources that have not been cooked or cooked very lightly are the best. However, eating raw meat is not advisable with the exception of fish. Score one for the sushi lovers!

Cooking kills protein. Also, the more processed the meat, the lower the rate of protein absorption into the body.

Protein supplements can help by delivering ideal protein in a way that increases the body's absorption rate.

In particular, in addition to protein, meal replacement shakes contain carboyhydrates and other supplements designed to increase protein absorption.

What types of protein supplements are best?

Whey and egg protein are the most favorable alternatives because they are less likely to be changed significantly from their naturally occurring state. Soy is not a good choice for the same reason. Protein derived from dairy products and casein should not be the central protein supplement in anyone's diet.

Ideally, the best natural sources should be consumed but most of us simply don't get protein from organic sources and like to cook our meats, so protein powders are a natural choice. Of course, for vegetarians there is even more of a reason to supplement with protein powders and meal replacement shakes.

There is something that just feels good about starting out the day with a chocolate protein powder shake mixed with banana or other fruit.

Just make sure you are making a wise choice and understand the best protein sources and what you are trying to achieve.

Remember also that protein supplementation is only one component of a smart, healthy diet. Vitamins and other nutrients are very important for anyone trying to improve health, vitality, and wellness.

Once you see where your guitar practice fits in with the rest of your life, make a true appointment with yourself. Put your practice into your schedule. Get it in your planner or it won't get done!

Okay, now that you are regularly spending time with your beloved guitar, what should you do?

First, make sure it is quality time. Don't have the television on or be hanging out with friends. Then, make sure you are working on skills that you need to sharpen.

If you spend time strumming popular solos and cranking up your amplifier, you may have some fun, but you will not improve your skills.

Think about the chords and scales that you struggle with. Grade yourself on them on a scale (no pun intended) of 1 to 10 and then re-evaluate every week or so. Re-grading every practice or guitar lesson is not appropriate because it is unfair to measure progress that frequently.

No one improves in a straight line. You may hit a certain chord great one day and then have two of the strings sound very unclear the next day. However, if you work diligently you will make progress when measured every couple weeks or so.

Do the same thing with scales and even notes depending on your current skill level.

Once you have a way of measuring your progress, you will be inspired to continue with your regular practice regimen and guitar lessons.

As an advanced step, after you have made progress with a certain group of chords and scales, you should find a song you like that uses many of those elements and work on that as a way of applying your improved ability.

This can be very rewarding.

You may even want to start with the song and work backwards, but make sure that you do spend a great deal of time on the fundamentals before you get serious about the song.

The key to all this is regular consistent work and a measurement of results. Achieve this, and you will enjoy your practice time more and more. Challenge yourself to be at a certain grade by a specific time.

Make a game of your practice efforts and you will surprise yourself!