Workout Supplements, Do You Need Them?
The fact of the matter is, is that workout supplements are not 100% necessary in order to have an amazing workout. Workout supplements are progress enhancers, not progress starters. So if you’re current training and nutritional approaches are not giving you the best results, taking supplements won’t be the “x” factor to fixing your problem.
This is not to say that all workout supplements are in fact useless. But, we are seeing a trend of young people eager to take supplements because they think it will make them “Jacked” and “Fit”.In my opinion you should only be supplementing if you are consistently going to the gym and maintaining a proper diet. Otherwise you are wasting your time and money.
I always get asked by people how to gain weight? My response always is what did you eat today? Most responses I get are “Ummm, I didn’t eat much but I have been trying” or “I had two meals but skipped breakfast”. If you do not make an effort throughout the day to eat the proper amount of food required for a daily intake, then there is no chance you should be supplementing during your workouts.
The average women needs to eat about 2000 calories per day to maintain their weight, and around 1500 to lose one pound per week. An average man needs 2500 calories to maintain, and 2000 to lose one pound of weight per week.
The best way to track all this information is through macro-nutrients which is based off 3 nutrition categories:
• Protein: whole eggs, (grass-fed) beef, chicken, turkey, fish and yogurt.
• Carbohydrate: 100 percent rolled oats, potatoes (all varieties), rice (all varieties), fruits and vegetables.
• Fat: butter, coconut oil, nut butters, nuts/seeds, game meat, olive oil.
If you can balance the amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fat you put into your body each and every day then you can consider supplementing during your workouts.
Some of my favorite supplements are:
Pre workout supplements are specially designed powders that are taken before exercise in order to improve some or all of the following:
• Energy Levels
• Endurance
• Strength
• Recovery
A source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation, improve heart health and improve joint health.
Your body must have vitamin D to absorb calcium and promote bone growth.
Amino acids from protein are the building blocks of muscle. It's essential to have a sufficient supply of protein after a workout so your muscles can use it to recover and get bigger and stronger.