When it comes to prioritizing your health, taking stock of several things will help you set your goals and stick to them. The first thing you need to do is evaluate what you are aiming to achieve. Men and women may have slightly different goals and whatever those are, keep them in mind when organizing your wants and needs to see a projected outcome.
So, how do we decide what our projected outcome should look like? Essentially this is, what do I want out of my body, long term? Once you have established where you want to be, finding a way to get there is the next step. Educating yourself on the ins and outs of health, wellness, fitness, exercise and supplements to make your fitness journey as smooth as possible, will be one of the keys to your success in attaining the version of ‘you’ that you are seeing in your mind’s eye.
For the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on a specific demographic, just to give an idea of how best to jump start this health and fitness regimen, with a little more knowledge and hopefully as a result, a little less apprehension! So, for the men out there who are looking to lose weight and build muscle, a couple tips and suggestions will go a long way.
To start, figure out your goals and find a budget.
If budget is of little concern and you don’t need to be restricted to a modest budget, this is excellent. With your bases covered in terms of the essentials and money to spend on the extras, then definitely take advantage of a budget that allows for that.
If you want great results on a relatively high budget, the following supplements should be considered your full range of must-haves in any workout regimen and diet. If you can afford to go above and beyond with your health and fitness regimen, definitely go for it. Your body will thank you in the long run and you’ll reap the rewards of looking after your physical health to the best of your ability.
Creatine – This supplement is great for muscle recovery during exercise, as well as increasing lean muscle mass and improving overall strength. Part of it’s popularity today can be attributed to the fact that it comes in a wealth of forms such as bars, powder, tablets and even drink mixes so you’re never short on options. A naturally occurring substance in the body, creatine is turned into creatine phosphate which in turn helps to make ATP (adenosine triphosphate) – the form of energy provided to the muscles. Including this on a supplement list would be beneficial for you and the bonus here is that it’s easy on the wallet.
Whey Protein – This form of protein has a wide range of amino acids, all of which are absorbed into the body rapidly. It is derived from the liquid part of milk that is present and occurs in the production of cheese. Proteins are the very basic building blocks of the human body, including the contractile parts of our muscles and as a fast digesting protein, whey is absorbed into the blood stream extremely quickly affording the muscles a huge boost in protein, even more so than soy or casein. On top of that, whey powder is convenient in terms of transportability and versatility. You can add it to smoothies, shakes, oatmeal, pancakes, homemade bars – really, your options for consumption are vast here. This is a definite must-have supplement on this kind of fat loss/muscle building fitness regimen.
BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids) – Leucine, isoleucine and valine are three essential amino acids which make up almost 35% of muscle protein in the body. This is what BCAA’s are. They’re great because they can help to reduce muscle breakdown during workouts as well as actually fuel the muscles themselves.
Omega 3 EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids) – EFAs are essential to the body because we cannot synthesize them on our own, which means that obtaining them from outside sources is crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Studies have shown that not only are omega 3 fatty acids great for cardiovascular health, they are also a key component comprising cellular membranes. Furthermore, they play an integral role in many metabolic processes, supporting the data that shows just how any alteration to the body’s supply of lipids can have a major effect on the metabolic processes of skeletal muscle just FYI one of the best sources of omega 3’s is undoubtedly, fish oil.
Multivitamin – These provide the necessary vitamins and minerals required for keeping our body healthy and functioning optimally, even without exercise. By adding in the strain of breaking down muscle and utilizing copious amounts of energy in a fitness routine. This is an essential component of any healthy diet, particularly when replenishing depleted stores of electrolytes and water-soluble vitamins.
Magnesium – Magnesium plays a crucial role in the contraction of muscle fibers. It’s not surprising to know then, that this mineral has some serious performance enhancing effects. If affordable an organic version of the supplement, such as magnesium succinate or aspartate, should go a long way in your body building.
Casein – This milk protein is digested and absorbed more slowly than whey protein, which would make it an optimal choice before bedtime. Whey protein is great for short term, dramatic results in that it brings about a quick blood-amino acid rise. Micellar casein is thought to be the best form of the protein to take before bedtime as it is said to be able to supply muscles with amino acids for up to seven hours post workout.
ZMA – This is a top range version of magnesium (magnesium aspartate with monomethionine aspartate) and it is thought that both zinc and magnesium supplementation have a positive effect on those who partake in resistance training. There is some evidence to suggest that athletes may have lower levels of both zinc and magnesium due to inadequate dietary intake and sweating. Research suggests that magnesium alone can enhance anabolic hormonal profiles, improve immune status, and/or improve adaptation to resistance training, so if you can spare the cash, definitely splash out on this supplement. Oh, and magnesium also helps you sleep decently too supposedly, so why not?
Nitric Oxide Boosters – Nitric oxide (NO) is a molecule found naturally in the body, with the interest lying in the purported ability to dilate blood vessels. This would mean that a greater flow of blood to the muscles allows for an influx of oxygen, nutrients, water and anabolic hormones which should give you more energy throughout your workout. Furthermore, this allows for better muscle recovery and subsequent growth of muscles. While NO is not provided in a direct manner via supplementation, to the body, it is taken in in the form of the amino acid arginine which is easily converted into nitric oxide in the body. This will definitely up the ante on your workouts.
High Molecular Weight Carbohydrates – When we talk about molecular weight, we’re referring to the mass of a single molecule of a substance, which means that high molecular weight carbs (HMC’s) are comprised of large, heavy molecules. These carbohydrates are great because they pass very rapidly through the digestive tract to the intestines where they can be absorbed faster into the blood stream. Consuming carbs after a workout is important in preventing muscle break down and increasing insulin levels to help aid in the growth of muscle and replenish glycogen levels in the muscles, so having this supplement in your cupboard may help you with your muscle gains with greater ease, than just sticking to traditional carb consumption.
There will always be different trains of thought as far as exercise goes; what works for some might not work as well for others and this is all dependent on individual physical needs, but the general consensus is the same: the trick to achieving great results with weight loss and muscle gain is, in fact, a combination of diet, workout routine and supplements. Yes, it’s a balancing act maintaining equilibrium between the three, and no small task either, but your body and mind will thank you for being good to it in the long run! If your budget enables you to shop around and look for the extras to help aid in your health and fitness regimen, that’s great! Take full advantage of all the tools at your disposal that’ll keep you on track and reaping workout rewards.
