Should I Be Taking Supplements?
- Ashley Paradise
- Jun 15, 2017
- 6 min read
Will taking supplements help you to see results faster? It's a trick question really. The real answer is that it depends on the type of supplements and brands being used.
You have probably seen or heard about top athletes, body builders, or the really jacked dudes at your work using pre-workout, the ever-so-famous protein powder, maybe even the now popularly commercialized fat-burners. Maybe these do sound familiar to you and you even use some, but maybe they don't.
That isn't the point I'm trying to make to you though. My whole point is to help you realize that they are all optional. You don't HAVE TO take any supplements if you don't want, you will still get results. Here's the flip side though, certain supplements will help you get results much faster and help you achieve a physique that would be hard to reach without them. I said hard, but not impossible.
Different supplements serve different purposes... duh I know... Why else would there be different kinds! Unless you are an avid gym-goer, fitness enthusiast, look into supplements on your own, or know someone who tells you all about them, most people don't know what these different supplements are or what they do. More importantly most people don't know which ones they could benefit from the most and which ones aren't extremely necessary.
Fat-Burners:
If I was stuck on a deserted island and was given the option to choose one supplement for the rest of my life, this would be it. Of course in reality if I was stuck on this island nobody would be there to see the awesome results it gave me... That's not the point again, but you get what I'm saying!
I personally recommend using fat-burners to all of my friends that are having a hard time loosing weight or just want more definition in general. When I don't take my fat-burner I can instantly tell a difference. Taking a fat-burner from good trusted brands actually works and works good! The brand is really important through, because I have heard of a lot of fat-burners that didn't seem to make that big of a difference which shocked me because the kind I take works. so. good. I honestly can't say it enough.
I am not sponsored nor associated with them in any way, but the brand I take is by EHPLabs called Oxyshred. My favorite flavor is Pink Grapefruit, but I have tried almost all of the flavors and they have all tasted good! They are a little bit pricey but you can look up their athletes for a discount code.
Another option is Evlution Nutrition's Stimulant Free Fat Burner which is less expensive. I don't notice that drastic of a difference taking these but they do still help and work, plus they are an option when your budget is tight.
Your third option is simply taking L-Carnitine. This is actually one of the ingredients that is actually in most fat-burners.
Increase Hyper-Lipolysis ~ Increases fat cell break-down
Increases energy ~ Breaking down fat = Boost of energy
Increase metabolism
Appetite Suppressant
Protein Powder:
Protein powder is not absolutely necessary for enhanced results. You can get an adequate amount of protein straight from your diet. Although taking protein powder does help! If you have a goal to eat a high amount of protein, protein powder can help you out. Especially on days when you're really busy and just don't have time to make a healthy high-protein meal or make anything in general. Protein shakes are easy to take on the go. The plus is that you can also mix them with other ingredients such as spinach or fruit to really pack in the nutrients. Which happens to be exactly what I'm drinking right now while I'm writing you this article!
There are some things to be cautious of when choosing your protein powder!
Be aware of the amount of calories per serving, which is normally by scoop. You don't want to drink all your calories because this will normally lead to eating a higher amount of calories throughout the day! You don't want that. I aim for 100-120 calories per serving.
Look at the amount of carbohydrates and protein per serving on the nutrition label. You want a high protein, low carb. As some would say, that is a "waste" of carbs. I don't believe that, but if you can find a good protein source without those carbs that taste just as good, then why not! This leaves more room for you to actually eat those carbs later. Again, I aim for 18-20g protein and below 5g of carbs.
Whey protein does have diary derivatives, so if you avoid dairy keep that in mind. Most people choose whey because it is said to build muscle faster and easier, but I honestly have not noticed a difference between using whey and plant-based. If you want a good whey brand, I highly highly recommend EHPLabs again! It is called Oxywhey and I have heard good things about all of the flavors even though I have only tried the chocolate! I don't use it anymore right now, but it is still my favorite protein brand. It tastes amazing... No joke. Not grainy or weird consistency at all, it's perfect.
Good plant-based proteins are Orgain's Organic Protein and Vitaminway Superfood Protein (this one is my new obsession, packed with nutrients... hence superfood).
Pre-Workout:
110% will not enhance your results, will only help you push harder at the gym if you need an extra boost. A lot of my friends use pre-workout because they have a long day at work or school, you can probably relate, and need extra energy if they are about to go and kill a workout.
I have only taken pre-workout two times and it was from a really inexpensive brand so I couldn't even tell a difference. I have enough energy as it is anymore makes me straight up like a child at the extreme high of a sugar rush! So take it at your discretion!
There are 3 different kinds of pre-workouts you can take as I was informed by my boyfriend not too long ago when I was looking into using them when I had no energy prepping for my bikini competition.
Pump - Helps direct the blood-flow straight to your muscle (May actually help increase results)
Focus - Pretty straight forward helps you zone-in and focus (Good if you're someone who gets distracted easily)
Energy - Again straight forward! Gives you an energy boost
Now you can buy a pre-workout that has a focus on one of these 3 performance enhancers or that combine them. For example, some pre-workouts have both pump & focus, or pump & energy, or there are kinds that have all 3!
BCAAs:
BCAAs don't enhance results but will definitely help you out! What they do is help get rid of the lactic acid build up that happens when you workout. When the lactic acid sits in your muscles, you get sore. The BCAAs go in and help reduce that build up! It is made up of amino acids which also help to repair your muscles faster. If you can repair faster and avoid super sore days, you can ultimately go hard again the next day! It also helps give you an energy boost while you are working out to go longer or harder.
You can take them before, during or after your workout. I personally like to sip on them while I workout because it makes me drink my water!
I have used 2 brands that I like the most out of all the kinds I have tried! Of course you already know what's coming... EHPLabs Beyond BCAAs are what I use. I like the taste and just really trust the brand. I know the products I am purchasing are high-quality and will work.
If that is too expensive or you prefer another option the other brand I use is Optimum Nutrition Amin.o. Energy. The blueberry mojito flavor is honestly so good! I'm not joking... It's delicious.
Creatine
You may have never heard of this one. A lot of people take creatine when they are trying to grow their muscles! This helps to repair and grow muscles!
There are a couple myths floating around about creatine.
One is that it will make you bloated and retain water. It might make you retain water at first but as your body adjusts to it, it will adapt and let go of the water weight.
Second is that girls shouldn't take creatine... No. Stop, ladies you are fine to take creatine. A lot of bikini models use it on days that they train their glutes to gain muscle and size!
Hopefully this helps you get a little more knowledge on what supplements you might want to use, if any. An insight on what different sups do and how they might help your progress! Everything is a work in progress guys.
If you liked the article please share with friends and family so it can help other people out! All you have to do is click the links attached to share on Facebook or other platforms! Even email to a friend!
Thanks guys!
Eat To Fuel. Train To Feel Good.
Much love,
Ashley Paradise
Click on links below to view the products I talked about above!
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