All the time we are asked, “Should I be taking supplements?” whether this be via a protein shake, creatine, pre-workout or the new ‘fat-burning pill”. Today we’d like to address this question. Giving some information about the massive range of supplements out there, the ones to go for, and ones to try avoid! Gym near me Clayton

Supplements, what are they good for? Gym near me Clayton

Over the past decade supplements have taken off! Below is a graph looking at the sales (in billions!) of vitamins/nutrional supplements in the U.S. As you can see, since 2000 sales have doubled from $17.2 billion to $36.1 billion. This is a massive industry that does tend to pray on the whim of a quick fix for a lot of people.

Therefore when looking at supplement products we need to ensure that

A) It works and is scientifically backed

B) Do you even need its benefits?

To start, we will look at

Protein powders: Gym near me Clayton

Protein powders are a staple of weight training, when you start out you’ve probably been asked “are you taking a post-workout protein shake?” Protein shakes are a great source of well, protein. This is good because protein helps synthesise muscle, so when combined with weight training, it becomes a match made in heaven. However for some people the shake isn’t necessarily that important. If you’re already consuming enough protein throughout your regular diet, then the protein shake can be that little extra boost. Therefore it is dependent on your goals, if it is muscle growth then protein powder will help speed that up. If this muscle growth isn’t a big part of your training goals, then protein powder may not be for you.

It is recommended to consume around 1g – 1.2g of protein per kg of body weight. Therefore if you weigh 60kg, that is between 60g – 72g per day. When weight training however it is recommended to consume more than this to aid in your muscle growth. The number shifts to 1.6g of protein per kg of body weight.

Have a check of this link below, where you can calculate the amount of protein your body needs. Then by checking what you regularly eat, you can begin to discover if you are protein deficient or not.

https://www.calculator.net/protein-calculator.html

Pros/Cons of Protein Shakes: Gym near me Clayton

• The benefit of a protein shake is that is a lot easier than cooking a full meal for a lot of people, a quick fix of protein 30 mins post a session is a real advantage.
• The downside is of course it doesn’t have the additional nutrional value of a balanced meal. This supplement really is the one we would recommend if someone feels they need that extra boost in their training.

It is important to note that if you do feel you are protein deficient then using a supplemental protein shake will be very helpful.

Verdict: Good – consume if need a quick burst of protein, however not necessary for muscle growth if already having a balanced diet + good strength training program!

Creatine: Gym near me Clayton

Creatine for a lot of people is a mystery, just the name of it sounds like some special supplement that can do all kinds of wonders. But basically creatine is a natural chemical compound that plays a role in energy production in our muscles. It’s meant to limit our muscle fatigue and help with short burst activities. You have to load your muscles with it; therefore it can from 5 to 28 days to saturate your muscles with it.

The effect is has can be a small one, which in some cases (elite athletes) can make the world of difference. For your everyday gym goer, not so much.

Verdict: If you are looking for that extra performance boost, give it a go. However for the cost & effort in the loading phase, we don’t recommend it as a staple of your workout routine.

Pre-Workout: Gym near me Clayton

The infamous pre-workout, the drink that gives you the energy for the most killer workout. The basis behind pre-workout is to give you an energy boost. These drinks are stacked with different types of ingredients (caffeine, creatine, protein, carbs). These in essence make sense, they should give us more energy, however many also say they help with “fat-burning or muscle gain”. When in fact very little scientific evidence backs these claims.

The appeal behind pre-workout makes perfect sense; it makes the hard feel a little bit easier. However we can fall into the trap of relying too much on it, leading to us feeling we can lift heavier than we are capable of or having poor technique trying to push harder than before. These are consequences we need to weigh up. Further, much like protein shakes, if we are having that well rounded diet, we don’t need this extra energy boost as our body is already full of natural energy! If you need any tips on this check out this other great blog… (https://pchealthclubs.com/foods-diet-workouts-gym-near-me-mulgrave/)

Verdict: Pass, can get these energy boosts naturally. Try having some carbs before your workout (banana, some nuts, a smoothie etc.)

Fat Burning Supplements: Gym near me Clayton

The holy grail for all pharmaceutical companies, the fat burning pill. The pill you can pop twice a day that will help shed weight without lifting a finger or changing your diet. The sad truth is that this isn’t possible in this current day and age. The premise behind these pills is to boost your metabolism and reduce your appetite. People fall into the trap of feeling these will do all the work. For the majority of us they have little effects, it’s diet + exercise that does the job. We need to be careful with these types of supplements as the benefit is often negligible. A good diet + training regime will be 100x more effective than these pills.

Verdict: Avoid, diet/exercise does the fat burning job. Most often these supplements are just a money grab.

Takeaways: Gym near me Clayton

The main takeaway with supplements is they aren’t the magic pill. Having a protein shake won’t give you muscles if you aren’t lifting weights. Pre-workout won’t give you that awesome workout if you aren’t already motivated. And fat burning pills won’t give you that … well anything. You still need to work out and put that time in to achieve your goals. Supplements are the cherry on the cake, the aspect of your training/diet that can push you over that edge. We can’t rely on them to create what you want. The buck stops with yourself; you create what you want from the hard work you put in! The only supplement at the end of the day we need is a bit of hard work!

Hopefully this weeks blog has made it clear that supplements can be beneficial depending on your situation. However they aren’t the be all and end all. So as always check our our FaceBook page to find out more about diet & exercise related information. If you have any further questions about it, ask us atPCHC!

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