When Supplements Are ImportantIt's hard to do without them
- When you begin training you usually want to accomplish two goals, gaining muscle and losing fat. It seems simple, but many people see shelves full of different supplements and books full of advice that many times come across as overwhelming rather than helpful. How can you wade through the huge amount of information out there; that sometimes gives you opposing information, and just get down to the nitty gritty. Tell me what to take, when to take it and why I should take it.
- When You Wake Up
- When you get up your body is in need of fast absorbing protein. When you first wake up, you have not eaten for awhile so your body needs access to protein which it needs to get your brain and body motivated. If you do not give it a good serving of protein then your body takes the protein it needs to function from your muscles. This is very counter productive to building muscle. Eggs or egg whites are good sources of fast absorbing protein but most people are pressed for time in the morning so taking a whey supplement will serve the same purpose, giving your body its required protein and beginning your day with a clear mind. To increase weight loss, this is the time to supplement with essential fats, fiber and antioxidants. Supplements are the way to go on this unless your have a chef to whip up a salmon and egg white omelet, assorted seasonal fruit and whole wheat toast every morning.
- After A Workout
- When you work out, each weight repetition creates tiny microscopic tears in the muscles, this is the burning sensation you get. Your body then rebuilds the tears with the protein you supply it, giving you larger muscles and increased strength. Your metabolism is also increased with every additional ounce of muscle you add because muscle burns fuel faster than fat. And of course when you have less fat, your muscles are more defined. For all these reasons it is important to follow a few simple guidelines regarding your protein consumption around your workouts. In order to have your muscles functioning at their peak for your workout it is best to not eat for one hour before to allow for maximum blood flow to the muscles. Do not, however, workout on an empty stomach, you should have consumed a small meal a couple of hours prior to working out. After a workout, a fast absorbing protein in the form of a supplement, protein bar or lean meat should be consumed in order to give your muscles the protein they need for the rebuilding process. It is very important to consume protein within 1 hour after working out.
Before You Sleep
At the end of your day, winding down with a slow absorbing protein will give your body what it needs while you sleep, in order to prevent it from using protein from your muscles to perform functions that consume your protein supply. Slow absorbing proteins are easily consumed in the form of casein supplements and milk products, especially cheeses. A glass of milk or some cottage cheese or parmesan crisps before bed are perfect choices. A little bonus on consuming these before bed is that they will help you fall asleep faster. Grandma making that warm glass of milk before bed maybe didn’t understand the mechanics behind it, but she was right!