It takes time and lot of energy to lose fat and build muscles. Relying only on food as a source of nutrients and energy will get you foreseeable results, but if you wish to achieve perfect shape and body mass that you have always been dreaming of, then it is time to consider using supplements that will help you become better and bigger version of yourself. Buying supplements can easily turn into a long and empty gaze at the endless rows of shiny containers filled with (according to labels) amazing superpowers ready to transform your body in the blink of an eye. Such concoctions you can find in comic books, but since you’ve headed to the nutrition store, here is a list of safe and well-proven supplements.
Fish oil
Starting the list with a supplement like this may seem silly for you have been expecting some heavy chemical stuff, but the benefits of fish oil are numerous, even if you are not working out. Unless you have a good habit of eating oily fish like salmon, herring, and anchovy two times a week, it is most likely that you’ll need to include this supplement since it is full of omega-3 fatty acids. Aside from being very healthy and nutritious, omega-3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory effect on your body which is great when you are trying to recover from an intensive workout.
Creatine
Our bodies normally have creatine, but for a better performance amounts of creatine found in our body or food are insufficient. Creatine is a natural supplement that allows muscles cells to produce more energy and speeds up the muscles growth. There are hundreds of studies that confirm numerous benefits of creatine regarding athletic performance and health. According to some clinical studies, creatine can even reduce and slow progression of some neurological diseases. Aside from being safe and easy to use, creatine is one of the most science-backed supplements and included in the most of the health fitness tips. What is most important, it works.
Branched chain amino acids
BCAAs is a combination of amino acids (valine, leucine, and isoleucine) that helps you effectively lose fat while you get to gain and maintain muscle mass. In addition to that, BCAAs is useful when improving workout intensity. Amino acids will help you during the workout and after since they are vital for muscle recovery. To make sure that BCAAs will work, you must have a continuous intake of the amino acids during the day, before and after the workout and even in the night. Prices for BCAAs are fairly reasonable, so consider this as a good investment in your looks.
Glutamine
Glutamine is essential amino acid that is vital for our bodies especially during the physical trauma and muscle wasting. Since intensive workout is somewhat stressful for our bodies, additional intake of glutamine after the workout will help you maintain muscle mass. Instead of having a large meal, portion of this supplement will maintain your glutamine levels leaving you with no worries about too many calories or fat. Also, this amino acid can help reducing inflammation in the muscles and boost performance.
Protein Powders
Proteins are a must when trying to stimulate muscle growth as well as to maintain muscle mass. During the busy days, it is quite complicated to prepare healthy meals rich in proteins, so protein bars and shakes can be a great option for a quick protein fix. However, there are plenty of protein powders out there that serve different purposes. Depending on what you are after, whether staying lean or growing huge body mass, make sure to get the premium protein powder that will guarantee good results. If in doubt, always go for a whey protein since it contains high levels of leucine responsible for the muscle growth.
Carbohydrates
Yes, carbs. This supplement is not for those who are trying to lose weight but for those who aim for a big, brawny and pack with muscles look. Ingestion of simple carbohydrates twice a day, in the morning and after the workout will help you maintain the volume of muscle tissue that you’ve managed to build up so far. Instead of focusing on simple carbs in the food, carbohydrate supplement can perfectly control the intake of carbs, maximize fat burning and let you keep your big shiny muscles.
Beta-alanine
Beta-alanine is an amino acid that is a building component of carnosine. Carnosine prevents building up the lactic acids in the muscles, which means that prevents muscle strain and fatigue. Beta-alanine allows you to workout longer at high intensity. Also, use of beta-alanine supplement leads to body fat reduction and can increase the body mass. However, the tricky part of this supplement, similar to BCAAs, is that it takes about four doses a day to maintain the level of carnosine. Aside from the dosage problems, beta-alanine will deliver fantastic results.
Multivitamins
Interestingly enough, many of those who are serious about their workout and are following a healthy diet, are often vitamin deficient. Physical activity of any kind exhausts the body and takes out vital nutrients that are essential for our health and performance in general. Lack of vitamins and minerals in your body can cause serious health issues, starting with low immunity to more complicated metabolic problems. It is easy to overlook multivitamins given the number of supplements listed here, but that should change. Start with multivitamins first thing in the morning and then continue with your daily routine.
Final words
As mentioned earlier, there are thousands of products on the market that promise fast effects and astonishing results, yet not only they fail to deliver but can be quite harmful as well. Everybody likes a shortcut, but many of those can be quite misleading. Although it is hard to tell the difference between quality products and junk, take your time to research brands and supplements and stick with the trusted and science-backed products. Avoid the ones that seem that are too good to be true, cause they usually are.