How To Choose Supplements For Your Workout

Supplements are a big chunk of the fitness industry. It’s where lots of money is made. From multivitamin complexes to detox teas, there are many products to choose from, so how do you know what you need? Well, let’s just say it’s all very individual. And here we will try to line up the facts that could help you decide if you need and what exactly it is that you need.

Supplements For Diet & Workout

Supplements

Vitamins

Some experts believe that supplements are essentially a waste of money. Besides, vitamins are known to be better absorbed from real food rather than capsules and pills so in order to get enough of them you should really invest in quality fruit and veggies and also other whole foods like grains and seeds, nuts. Also with most vitamins being synthetic (our bodies do not know what to do with them), it is always better to be ready and pop a healthy snack like a homemade nutritious bar or a piece of fresh fruit.

Does this mean you should give up vitamins altogether? Well, it’s a difficult question. Some may argue that their vitamins help them feel more energetic and healthy while others don’t feel different regardless of what they’re taking. What can be said for sure is using synthetic vitamins coated in hydrogenated oils may not be the most usefull practice for our bodies. Fortified foods also aren’t the best solution since they are fortified with same synthetic vitamins. I think the best way is to rely heavily on your diet as a primary source of nutrients. Eating good organic foods may just cut down your medical bills. Also some superfoods like honey and berries are chock full of microelements your body needs to fight off disease and even ageing.

Protein

Protein powder is another popular fitness supplement. It’s recommended for those whose diets lack in protein and can be made from cow’s milk as well as some plants such as lentils (vegan options). Protein is muscle’s building material so it’s important to meet your daily intake, which will vary greatly depending on your height, weight, and goals as well as physical activity. The more active you are the more protein you need for muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth) to occur. If you don’t get enough protein with food protein powder can be a good way to up your intake but it’s not mandatory, especially if your diet is well-balanced and includes meat, fish, and eggs.

Fat Burners

These one come up in a conversation among lay gym goers all the time. People want to know about the results and how those work. Well, let’s just say fat-burners aren’t exactly burning fat (unless you do). You still have to workout and watch what you eat, but they do help speed things up but that’s just about it. There are a few types of fat burners that may contain caffeine, yohimbine, and other stimulants as well as there are stimulant-free options. But again these aren’t magic pills and they work only while you exercise and eat clean.

L-carnitine is a popular supplement that has fat-burning properties (sometimes used as an ingredient in fat burners) and also increases athletic performance and muscle recovery. This one is more researched and naturally occurs in foods like red meat and avocados.

The problem with fat burners is that people tend to see them as quick fix for a problem they might have had for years. In reality you’ll still need discipline, dedication, and motivation to workout, prep meals, and eat as clean as possible. Besides you cannot be always losing fat so taking fat burners constantly is a bad idea. Looking like a bikini model on stage year round is not healthy or attainable (they have really low body fat percentage), so there is no real point in taking fat burners for people who do not compete in fitness.

 

The main takeaway from this supplement topic is this: they won’t change your body composition or your eating habits, they are there to help you get results faster or more effeciently if needed. Many people buy the snake oil thinking it will do the work for them but end up losing their health instead or in a best case scenario just their money. You can do a lot without supplements by simply eating healthy and working out.

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Mona Liz

Editor/Writer
Mona Liz is a fitness and healthy lifestyle enthusiast with a passion for writing, music, cats, and food.

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