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Choosing the right pre-workout supplement can help increase the benefits of your exercise and aid you in building lean muscle. While there are many “wonder pills” on the market that guarantee you bulk with the pop of a pill, getting a healthy and toned body requires more effort.
You have to put in the exercise to see the results you want. You also have to provide your body with the right supplements and nutrients to build the muscle and burn the fat.
When choosing the right pre-workout supplements it is vital to get what your body needs and avoid the things it doesn’t.
What You Should Be Looking For In Your Workout Supplement
In This Article:
What Your Workout Supplement Should Have
There are many things your body will need to best enhance your workout process. Some of the things that you should find in the supplement you choose include:
1. Caffeine
Caffeine can provide you with the energy your body needs to work out. It also increases blood flow which allows your muscles to get the blood and nutrients they need.
Additionally, caffeine increases anaerobic capacity and muscle endurance. This will provide you with a more effective workout.
2. Branched Chain Amino Acids
Amino acids produce nitric oxide. This is an important supplement for increasing blood flow and providing the body with the extra oxygen it needs.
These ingredients are also shown to improve muscle strength and growth. Amino acids help you workout harder, longer, and faster.
They also help your body repair itself quicker creating less downtime after your workout.
3. Creatine
Creatine is a naturally occurring acid that is already present in the body. When used in a synthetic form, creatine can boost the production of ATP.
ATP will aid your muscle in repairing itself and growing when it is under stress. Creatine is one of the best performance enhancing supplements.
Creatine will give users an extra burst of energy that can help them to push a little further during their workout routine.
4. Citrulline
Citrulline is an amino acid organic compound that can help boost performance when working out.
Some studies show that using citrulline malate can assist in maintaining high performance over longer periods of time.
5. Glutamine
Glutamine is an amino acid that your body will produce. It comes out of your muscles during stressful situations such as during workouts.
By adding this supplement before your workout, you will recover the amount your body depletes and help maintain your muscle mass. Often times you will need to take glutamine in supplement form because it is naturally found in meat, beans, fish, and nuts.
These are not food best eaten right before working out.
6. Whey Protein Powder
Whey protein is often associated with fueling workout regiments. Though with its popularity comes a lot of confusion about the benefits it provides.
The truth is that protein powders will serve a variety of different purposes. There are some designed for those who are trying to stay lean and build lean muscles.
Others have large amounts of protein as well as calories to help build muscle mass. No matter which protein you choose make sure that it contains whey protein.
Whey protein contains ingredients proven to promote muscle protein synthesis. Choose ones that have lower calories and fewer ingredients to make sure you are getting the nutrition you need.
You should also make sure to adjust the amount you consume based on your body weight. Often times you may need two or three shakes a day combined with your workout.
Always remember though that these are supplements and you should get your primary protein from food.
7. Beta-Alanine
Beta-Alanine is an amino acid that reduces muscle fatigue. It does this by boosting your body’s natural carnosine.
This substance helps prevent the buildup of acid which can cause muscle fatigue, strain, and corrosion. Your body only has and can only produce so much carnosine based on the beta-alanine in your system.
Taking the supplement in addition to what your body produces will help you produce more carnosine. Beta-Alanine is often felt after a workout with a slight tingling sensation in your skin.
This tingling means that your body is reducing muscle fatigue by increasing your endurance making your cardiovascular fitness more productive.
8. Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates is often considered a dirty word when it comes to losing weight and dieting. While it is true that you should cut carbs to lose fat, if your goal is to burn fat and increase muscle, carbs will give you the fuel you need.
You should make sure to consume carbs once when you wake up and once before you workout each day. This will allow you to turn the carbs into energy and reduce the risk of it turning into fat consumed by the body.
After your work out the carbs will release sugar increasing your glucose level. Higher glucose levels will reduce the amount of cortisol excreted that can consume lean muscle tissue.
While you can gain your carbohydrates from consuming a variety of simple carbs sometimes it is easier to regulate your carb intake through the use of supplements.
What Your Workout Supplement Should Not Have
While there are many things you want to make sure are in your supplements there are also things that you want to avoid. Avoiding certain things can help you get the right nutrients for your goals and body size. Things you should try to avoid include:
1. Ingredients That are Under-Dosed
There is much research about how ingredients can be effective and what you need to consume to gain the benefits. Check the label and make sure that the items included are within the recommended dosage to be effective.
There is no reason to pay high prices for an ingredient with not enough milligrams for you to see the benefits.
2. Dyes and Artificial Sweeteners
There have been many studies on the ill effects of food dyes and artificial sweeteners. These items have no reason for consumption and provide no benefit.
Check for healthier alternatives when you see sweeteners or dyes on the label.
3. Unnecessary Ingredients
Sometimes a workout supplement can contain additional ingredients that are actually useless when consumed. Companies often feel that by offering more ingredients, the consumer is getting more for their money. In truth, you will end up consuming a lot of things that you don’t need.
4. Using Chemical Jargon
Some companies will try to sound more technical by using the chemical names of certain ingredients. They do this because consumers sometimes equate scientific words with better ingredients. In truth, most of these are common ingredients. Knowing what they are is important in knowing the benefits to expect as well as what you are consuming. Technical jargon can create a false impression of the product and is often used as a deceptive technique.
If you don’t have a workout supplement yet, a healthy pre-workout meal may help you with your exercise. Get the recipe for a delicious snack that will increase your energy during your workout from the video below:
You are putting a lot into your workout routine and your workout supplement should do the same. By making sure your supplements include the items that you need for workout and recovery and avoiding things you don’t will provide you with the best benefits. Get the right fuel to create the body you deserve by choosing the right ingredients that work for you and your goals.
Now that you know which ingredients to have and avoid in your workout supplement, you can focus on reaching your fitness goal! How are you going to achieve your goals? Share them in the comments section below!
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