Why Whey? My Supplements

Keywords: supplements, whey protein, glutamine, pre-workout, healthy, fitness, lifestyle, vitamins, minerals

This is kind of a long post but I promise you there is a lot of valuable information!

I want to start this post off by reminding you that each body reacts to things differently. Your body is not going to respond to a specific lift the same way my body does. Your body is not going to respond to a specific diet the same way my body does. Your body is not going to respond to supplements the same way my body does.

This is one of the most important points I can make. I found this out the hard way, and I want to save you the trouble. Experiment with your body. Try new things. Mix it up. See how your body responds to different things and go from there.

Just because one technique works for somebody, doesn't mean it is going to work the same for you. The basics of diet, exercise and supplements are the same for everyone: eat healthy; workout for 30 minutes a day at least three times a week; fuel your body with life’s essential nutrients. If you want to achieve your highest level of performance, however, you need to experiment with and push your body.

For me, I stick to a very clean diet. I work out six days a week. This includes cardio and intense lifting. I take supplements that directly benefit my body’s performance.

I am still experimenting though! I mix up my workouts very frequently. Some things work, some things don’t. I love to see how my body reacts to different techniques.

I want to talk about supplements this week. There are an ample amount of supplements available. I’m sure they all have awesome benefits for the body. I like to stick to a few basic supplements which I know benefit MY body. Here is a list of what I take and when I take them.

Pills:

Supplements don’t directly affect muscle growth, necessarily, but they do affect your overall health. Overall health, in turn, will allow the body to achieve at its highest level.

1. Calcium-Magnesium-Zinc – two pills at night

   
• Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc are most effective when they are taken together. It is easiest to take a Cal-Mag-Zinc supplement because it’s an all-in-one pill.

o Calcium is essential in bone strength and muscular contraction.

o Magnesium plays a critical role in protein synthesis, creates energy for the body, helps with muscular contraction and helps the body relax.

o Zinc is required for protein synthesis and helps strengthen the immune

  system. It also helps remove carbon dioxide from energy-producing cells.

2. B-Complex – one in the morning

• B-Complex helps with normal functioning in the nervous system, improves carb metabolism and converts food to energy.

3. Fish Oil – one in the morning (1000mg)

• Fish oils improve heart health, create a healthier blood cholesterol profile, improve bone health, provide cancer protection, increases lean muscle mass and help with mood disorders.

4. Biotin – one in the morning, one at night

• Biotin plays a critical role in amino acid metabolism and the production of energy.
• Biotin also helps with hair, skin and nail health. Being a girl, these are very important to me. J

Powders:

These next three are my favorite supplements! I love them because I can feel them working almost instantly.

5. Glutamine – at night and during workouts

• Glutamine is the most common amino acid in your muscles. Glutamine levels deplete immensely during workouts which decreases strength, stamina and recovery. Get this stuff back in your body!
• Mix glutamine with 6-8 ounces of water and drink it during your workout. Drink the same amount with dinner or right before bed.
• Glutamine improves protein metabolism (growth of muscles), allows your body to reach its optimal performance level and helps sooth sore muscles by speeding up recovery.

6. Pre-Workout – 30 minutes before a workout

• Mix one scoop of pre-workout with 6-8 ounces of water 30 minutes before a workout.
• Pre-workout gives your body a boost of energy that allows you to perform at your highest level. It provides longer sustained energy and decreased muscle breakdown.
• Pre-workout delivers nutrients to your body during workouts and increases metabolism.

7. 100% Whey Protein – directly following a workout

• Mix 1 scoop of whey protein with 6-8 ounces of water and drink directly following a workout.
• Whey protein helps build and maintain muscle mass, boosts metabolism and fat loss, and enhances the immune system.
• Whey protein is soluble and goes directly to the muscles. It is a complete protein source, which means it contains all nine amino acids.

I use:

• Intek Evolution Glutamine Powder (no flavor)
• Cellucor C4 Extreme Pre-Workout – Watermelon
• Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein – Mocha Cappuccino

Remember, this is what works for MY body. Use this information, research for yourself and experiment! Find out what works best for your body. Start performing at your highest level. Start seeing the best results of your life. Start feeling healthier than you have ever felt before! :)