Supplementation

Morrrning everybody!

 

Been getting some questions about supplementation so I thought I’d share my opinion on ’em.

 

There are so many bits ‘n pieces out there promising awesome fat loss here and extreme muscle gain there – it can get really confusing and frustrating.

 

I mean, is it absolutely ESSENTIAL that you spend half your wages on supplements? Is it really gunna bust you through that plateau? If you sprinkle protein powder like fairy dust, are muscles just gunna *POOF* appear?!

 

… Even if you were to be a complete moron and use steroids for example, your muscles don’t just appear and inflate themselves.. you still have to eat correctly and bust your ass in the gym!

 

Supplements are for that exact purpose – to SUPPLEMENT. They aren’t magic pills that will achieve all your dreams for you. It comes down to the simple equation of exercise and nutrition. And eating healthy is expensive enough without spending £40 on 2 week’s worth of pills.

 

Some supplements are pretty useful though, it has to be said, and they can give you that extra boost if you start to plateau. So how about you set out a plan and stick to it 100% for at least 4 weeks. Then, if you feel It’s necessary you could try adding the supp into your nutrition plan while sticking to your plan 100%.

 

I advise asking someone who 1. Knows what they’re talking about (everyone seems to be an “expert” these days) and 2. Doesn’t have an agenda (too many PTs try to push products onto you becuase they’re getting a commission! Beware!)

 

In my opinion there are 4 supps that I would personally find a lot of use out of:

 

1. Whey protein – excellent for post-workout nutrition as it’s fast-digesting and gets protein straight into your muscles (with the aid of an insulin spike from some simple carbs, eg, banana). Food sources = eggs, chicken, fish, milk, nuts/seeds.

 

2. Casein protein – excellent for snacks especially if you know you’re not going to get another meal for a long period of time as it is slow-digesting protein. So, an hour or so before bed would be the best time to have it as it will drip-feed your muscles through the night, which is the crucial time where the muscles are made (they’re not made in the gym – they’re torn in it). Food sources of casein are cottage cheese, natural yoghurt, milk etc.

 

3. Amino Acids – probably my favourite supp – during intense exercise, your body needs to keep itself fed in order to perform; once you’ve used up any fuel from food, it will go to the easiest form of fuel, which is muscle protein – your body will basically start to eat itself. Aminos will form a protective layer around your muscles and give you that extra oomph. The more muscle mass that you can protect and retain, the faster your metabolism and the easier it therefore is to lose weight/burn fat. Drink pre/during/post workout. Food sources are proteins mentioned above.

 

4. Creatine – one of the best and most popular supps on the market for increasing size and strength. There are many different forms but Monohydrate appears to be best. Creatine is actually synthesized in the body but supplementing a little extra has been proven to vastly increase size and performance. Food sources include steaks and red meats especially.

 

These are supps that I personally think are effective and I’m not advising you to spend your hard earned cash on them. Everyone’s bodies are also different and some supps may not be ok for some people, it needs to be assessed on an individual level.

 

Tag a friend who spends ridiculous amounts on supps 😉

 

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– Rachel.