Gym Supplements: What You Need to Know to Get the Body of Your Dreams

So, you’ve finally decided to hit the gym and start working on your dream body. No matter what your goal is (gaining muscle mass, weight loss or simply strengthening your body), you probably know that your regular workout sessions would be even more effective if you take the right supplements.

Suitable gym supplements can improve your performance, physique and health. However, taking supplements doesn’t mean you should stop following a healthy diet that includes all the necessary nutrients (proteins, fats, carbs, fibre). And before you head to the supplement store and get your gym supplements, it’s important to educate yourself on the topic. Let’s check out the following categories of supplements and how each of them can help you in your process of creating the body you want.

Pre-Workout Supplements

Pre-workout supplements are drinks or powders that give you a boost of energy and improve your focus. People take them so they can have more strength and endurance to successfully complete a demanding workout. Most of these pre-workout supplements contain amino acids, caffeine, beta-alanine and creatine. If you’re new to exercising, you probably wonder if you should take pre-workout supplements. The answer is that you can start and see how they work for you. If you aren’t sure about this, make sure to talk to your trainer, the salesperson at the supplement shop, or a doctor.

Taking Pre-Workout Supplements

As the name suggests, these supplements should be taken before your workout session (about half an hour earlier). We want to point out that if you work out in the evening hours, you need to be careful with these products. As a common ingredient in pre-workout supplements, caffeine might affect your sleep and may influence your routine. To be entirely safe, always read the ingredients and the instructions.

Most of these pre-workout supplements only need water (they are often powders that can be diluted in liquids). If your workout session takes place in the afternoon hours, just be sure to take the supplement at least four hours before your bedtime, so you can easily fall asleep afterwards.

Fat Burning Supplements

Burning fat is one of the top priorities for people who want to slim and build muscle mass. Exercising and proper diet are the first two steps to achieve that goal. But, fat can be persistent and may become a real challenge which is why it can be helpful to try a fat burning supplement. As the name says, these products are only a supplement to your diet. Taking a supplement won’t do much for you if your diet still contains artificial sugar, processed food, or junk food in general.

Most fat-burning pills often include Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) which is a polyunsaturated fat that’s proven to reduce the development of fat cells. Besides that, fat-burning supplements contain L-Carnitine Tartrate, an amino acid that helps the body use the stored fat as a source of energy. When you take a fat-burner, your body releases two hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that mobilise fat from the fat layers into your bloodstream. Only then can the fat be successfully burned when you exercise.

Just imagine how powerful your body would work towards burning the fats if you reduce the amounts of carbohydrates and sugars and eat more healthy fats, proteins and fibre. The combination of a healthy diet, fat-burning supplements and regular exercising will show you the results you want to see on your body.

Before you get your fat-burner, read the ingredients (natural ingredients are always a good idea). If you have any food allergies, make sure the product is free of peanuts, milk, soy milk and other allergens. If you’re trying to limit your caffeine intake, make sure you get a fat-burner supplement that is free of this ingredient.

BCAA Supplements

The day after a workout is always the most painful. You can get rid of the soreness with BCAA supplements. Branched-chain amino acids or shortly BCAA, are crucial nutrients that the body gets from proteins from meat, dairy products, and legumes. These amino acids include isoleucine, leucine, and valine. The chemical structure of these amino acids is “branched-chain”, hence the name.

Branched-chain amino acids stimulate the building of protein in your muscles but also lower the risk of muscle breakdown. In other words. BCAA supplements will help your body re-build new muscles. Never rely on the supplement only. Nothing can substitute a proper protein-rich diet (meat, eggs, dairy products, fruits and veggies).

Mass Gainer Supplements

A mass-gainer supplement is ideal for those of you who want to build muscle mass. These types of supplements will provide your body with proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Keep in mind that such supplements will increase your daily calorie intake so you can gain weight. If you want to gain mass, your daily calorie intake should increase for 300-500 calories. This means that you need to intake more calories per day than you are burning during exercising.

You probably wonder what you’re doing wrong if you cannot gain muscles mass even though you eat properly and workout regularly. The simple answer is that you don’t have a calorie surplus. And without a calorie surplus, your body cannot gain mass. Mass-gainer supplements can help you achieve this goal. Mass-gainers with fewer calories are excellent for leaner muscles, while the ones with a higher amount of calories are excellent for big muscle mass which is why they’re most popular for bodybuilders.

Proteins

Protein is an essential nutrient for weight loss. Food rich in proteins will keep you healthy, boost your metabolism and help you burn fat without losing muscle mass. Proteins are known to help your body create hormones and enzymes and keep you full for a longer time. To be sure that you provided your body with your daily protein need, you can use protein supplements. Mainly, protein supplements come in the form of shakes and the best time to consume them is after a workout. This way you’ll help your muscle regenerate overnight.

Always read the ingredients and consult with your trainer or a doctor before using any supplement. Gym supplement products with natural ingredients and a proper diet can help you healthily slim, build muscle mass or strengthen your body.