Everybody is different because everybody has a different body. Therefore, choosing exercise and nutritional supplements can be a very subjective experience, but there are some general rules that you can follow according to gender or fitness levels, for example.
Manufacturers and sellers promote these products to death and often refer to them as “ergogenic aids”. They do this by claiming that they will be able to help to improve your strength and your endurance in your athletic performance, increase our efficiency in exercise, and achieve your overall fitness goals more quickly by increasing your tolerance.
Furthermore, so many influencers on platforms like Instagram and YouTube claim to know what the best supplements are, even if they are not an expert or a fitness blogger. Be aware that these people will get paid by a company to promote the product and may be saying the things they have been told to say in return for a fee. In other cases, the influencers will try the products and give an honest opinion – this is actually more valuable to the influencer as it maintains a trustworthy relationship between creator and consumers. To work out whether an influencer has been paid, look out for #ad or #spon or somewhere claiming they have been paid for promotion. Just because they have been paid, does not mean that the product is bad or that they are lying about the efficiently. But, it is appreciated that it can be hard to tell these days.
It is also dependant on what you want the supplement to help you achieve; are you trying to build muscle or are you trying to trim down and lose a significant amount of weight? Which ones you opt for are very much dependant on your fitness goals.
What are exercise and nutritional supplements?
Supplements which claim to enhance your athletic performance come in a variety of forms which include tablets, capsules, liquids, powers and bars.
Typically, they contain a number of ingredients in varied combinations and amounts. One of the more common ingredients are amino acids, protein, creatine and caffeine.
Pre-workout
There are also lots of different types for different uses, such as a pre-work out supplement and a post-workout supplement. Both of these are heavily marketed, but some experts don’t believe they are of much use.
A “pre-workout “is a supplement which usually comes in the form of a powered drink which you mix to have before you hit the gym. It claims to boost your workout performance by packing your body with all the necessary energy and nutrition.
Pretty much every company which sells supplements for fitness do offer a pre-workout formula.
Work out supplements for beginners
Regardless of what your goals are, getting started can be rather daunting. Beginners often have one of two requests and these are supplements that burn fat and supplements which will help them to build muscle quicker.
For beginners, it is often advised to start with Protein Powders. They are a quick and easy way to add more protein to our diets without overwhelming our bodies. Most people, in general, do not get enough protein in their diet and this is especially important when you are trying to cut weight.
Whey Protein
Whey protein powders act as a fast-assimilating protein. It does matter how fast your fast your body processes protein when you are aiming to cut down on weight. This is because your body should be operating at a calorie deficit.
Whey protein works to repair sore muscles and to trigger the growth. You can take this before or after your work-out to help you feel the best you possibly can.
Casein Protein
Casein protein acts as a “slow” protein. All that means is that it will take longer for your body to digest casein than it will whey. It actually clots inside your stomach, resulting in a slower digestion of digestion. This means that the amino acids will enter the bloodstream at a steadier rate.
In addition, Casein is one of the safest and most researched supplements available on the market. Great for weight training and strength sports.
Fish Oil
Fish Oil can be taken in the form of a tablet or in a cough-syrup type thing, the latter you will have to deal with the taste but it is perfect for those who do not like swallowing pills. Fish Oil contains Omega 3 fatty acids, which are integral do general health and promote the health of organs, such as the brain. As well as this, they help to aid you with fat burning and hormonal output.
It is true that many of us struggle to get enough oily fish in our diets, so taking one of these a day can really boost the health of your body – making exercise all the easier.
