This is a guest post by Andrew Parker.
As anyone who reads the news knows, the nation is getting fatter, sadly children are getting more obese and our lifestyles are changing and not necessarily for the better. There is a tendency for a more sedentary lifestyle; with entertainment focusing more on gaming and television and ready meals and convenience fast foods becoming the norm, there seems to be less emphasis on outdoor activities.
Perhaps you are one of those people who have tried everything to change their body? Perhaps you wanted to lose weight, get more muscle definition via bodybuilding or indeed need to gain weight. You may well have been on specific diets, had personal trainers and been to bodybuilding classes, but nothing seems to be having the desired effects. It is so frustrating when you eat right and you exercise in the way you are meant to and yet the results you want are just not happening.
There may well be a case then to consider supplements. We are all familiar with the idea of protein powder or shakes that are used as meal replacements and they can be extremely effective if used in the correct way and with advice from health practitioners. A bodybuilding supplement or protein powder can 'take up the slack' that may be missing in your current diet and regime.
The choice can be overwhelming with everything for a professional bodybuilder who requires a specific protein powder to an individual who requires weight loss supplements to kick start their programme; so do seek advice. A protein powder is often a popular choice and can be whey proteins or soya proteins; these are often mixed with juice milk or yoghurts and can give you a real energy boost. Alternatively we are all familiar with vitamin supplements and these are now common place and even sold in supermarkets. They range from the simple cod liver oil to omega 3 and an enormous variety of vitamin and mineral supplements.
It is also very important, especially if you are interested in bodybuilding, that you buy your supplements from a reliable source; we have all read in the news about the fake pills that are sold on the internet and it is really important that you trust the source, otherwise at the very least you will be wasting your money and at the worst you could be endangering your health.
All these have been proven to add to the daily diet of those who need it and whether you enjoy bodybuilding, weight loss or indeed want to gain weight then do consider having a supplement in your everyday diet to kickstart the new you.
About the Author: Predator Nutrition was founded in 2008 by Reggie Johal, an ex-Great Britain American Football international, with the aim of being the foremost retailer and wholesaler of sports supplements in Europe. With the biggest selection of supplements, many unique to us in Europe, Predator Nutrition has grown swiftly to be the leading retailer in the United Kingdom.
photo credit: sxc.hu
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
This is so true…I had tried almost everything to get my weight reduced. At last, the only way to weight loss, I found was through running. I started jogging every morning…and soon realized, that this is the only way to stay healthy. Start jogging uphill so that you are able to lose weight effectively.
Indeed, supplements make the almost impossible task of getting all your nutrients more realistic. I, personally, prefer Shakeology.
-J
Getting the right supplements is tough, like you said. Also figuring out which ones to get are areas I’ve found the most difficult. What resources do you encourage people to follow to find out which supplements to take?
I would agree supplements make your nutritional tasks much easier, but still they shouldn’t be relied as a primary source.
One should inspire to reach his nutritional values via solid food, it will usually generate other healthy influences.
If all else fails, or you have some other problems with food, I agree, supplements are truly a great resort.
We really should make the time to eat properly so we don’t have to supplement. Lately I’ve been keeping it pretty simple with my supplements though. I’m taking a multivitamin, fish or krill oil and calcium.
That is so true Davis; unfortunately, many of the foods on the market today are lacking in nutrients because of the way they are grown and reared with insecticide and pesticide sprayed on fruits and vegetables, and hormone injected in animals. They do still have nutrients – just not enough!
At least a multivitamin, with omega 3 and calcium is needed.
“If we all treat each other like we treat ourselves – what a wonderful place earth would be.”
I’ve always wondered what protein powders do in a bodybuilding regiment. Does it make the user more buffed or just for nutritional purposes?
I agree with Davis, what’s most important is that we eat a diet that is rich in nutrients. Focusing on eating before supplements will save you cash and probably a lot of frustration too; no supplement is a substitute for eating and exercising well.
In my case it was only once I stopped taking supplements that I was able to drop 40lbs and get in shape I was happy with.
I really like the supplements from the P90X workout, but they are so expensive. Even though they are great right after a workout, it’s definitely important to rely less on supplements and more on wholesome food. I do think it can be easy to get carried away with protein powders and bars these days, especially when they are marketed so heavily.
They only supplement I’ve ever used is whey protein. It’s the safest (if used in moderation) protein supplement I know. But I think I speak for most people when I say that your diet should be the primary source for your nutrients.
I totally agree with you. I take diet pills/supplement before but I already stop it. Some people say that it will destroy your kidneys and liver in time. So with that knowing I stopped it. I just drink a tea everyday, then diet and working out to the gym. Now it help me loss weight.
No doubts! Supplements can be useful to reduce weight but not all of them are equally good as you will find many fake products in market. I will suggest you to go natural way.
So far the only supplements I take are a multivitamin and different brands of whey isolate protein. What I would really love to take is supplements from Usana, those are some amazing supplements. But they are really expensive, but supposedly the only brand in the world that can back up their claims.
I’ve done some background check and found out that is true. I got some trial packages and I loved it.
Supplements are not important at all if you eat healthy enough. Good article
I also boost my diet and exercises by taking some few supplements and since I got into a proper routine I can see some positive results but I assume you need a bot fo everything to achieve that.
First, you should make a list with all you eat and try to to see the flaws. If everything is perfect, then supplements can come handy. Anyway, i see no need for an average person to take supplements, at least he doesn’t eat well. If you are looking for good health and a good shape, within your natural limits, there is no need for anything else than regular food.
However, all amateur culturists wannabe do end up taking vitamins, proteins and creatine, at least.
True, Supplements does help ALOT in achieving your desired body.
If you are taking supplements, it is a good idea to make sure you are buying from a quality brand. Otherwise, some cheap supplements can do more harm than good.
For protein supplements, unless you are trying to be a bodybuilder, you can easily get more than enough protein by eating a balanced diet. Even if you are a vegetarian, you will get sufficient protein by combining whole grains with beans/legumes.
i totally agree with “health on budget”
Yes, people spends a lot of money on supplements and dont know how to eat properly. For an average person, its pretty hard to justify spending a hundred dollars per month in creatine, l-carnitinte, proteins and so on ..
Nice article,
you are right- supplements can play an important part in any workout diet, but I always advocate nutrition before supplmentation. I train with martial artists and bodybuilders, and all the ‘pro’s’ I know will say the same thing – unless your diet is spot on, supplements are a waste of time.
Remember that supplements are just that – supplements! they aren’t designed to be a replacement for good nutrition and solid workout plans.
Thank You for sharing,
i think that nowadays it’s really difficult to follow a proper diet without using some “extra” to reach your goal.
For sure You must know what You are taking and You don’t have to exceed.
Supplements is maybe something I should consider. I was surprised that cod liver oil was mentioned as a viable supplement. I remember lining up at the water fountain every morning at school to take that pill along with 25 fellow students. Maybe I should revisit those days because I sure had lots of energy then!
Nice Article! I think the same, of the comment above, healthy meals is the best, and you can add some supplements.
i think “The Fastest Way To Lose Fat” hit it spot on.
Supplements are there to do just that, supplement. Its been proven that if the supplement you take is pure and clean, and taken with a solid diet plan they would aid you by approx 10%.
However that 10% can be all the difference between a few reps or some definition. Also some supplements do work, but are new and have not yet had much research i.e ECA stacks help weight loss, but has also been medically proven to increase your risks of having a heart attack.
Further many supplements aim to use other ions such as sodium to aid delivery into the blood stream and so where you might get some extra calcium you now have elevated sodium and hence increased water, which can make trimming down more difficult and even pose risks to Hypertension.
This is a very good read, and has a lot of very useful and concise information.
You are right, a protein powder is often a best choice It is good with juice milk or yoghurts
Supplements can and do work; however, they should be used to supplement our diets and not used as substitutes for regular food products. Also, choosing gel supplements that are easily assimilated is the better choice.
“If we all treat each other like we treat ourselves – what a wonderful place earth would be.”
Yes it happen. Even after so much hard work, we dont see the result.
I wonder whether supplement powder can do the job. I want to use but still I am little skeptical!
Can anyone suggest what king of protein powder should be used ?
I personally dont like all this supplements industry, but each one and what makes him to function better!
I thought I passed enough time in bodyweight exercises. Now I’m trying elevated push ups , pull ups with feet on the wall and much harder exercises but they seeming to slowly effective. Still not giving up and trying to continue swimming as a regular exercise. Busy life; Wish I could manage some more time for my body fitness. So I am trying yoghurts and vitamin supplements too. And the result is coming much quicker now.