| Hey Friend,
Anytime the topic of bodybuilding, fitness, building muscle, and losing fat gets brought up in conversation... It's only a matter of time before the discussion goes into talking about "Supplements".
...which supplements work
...which supplements are a bunch of BS
...and should we even take supplements at all?
Just the other day I was reading through comments on the Total Fitness Bodybuilding Facebook Page and sure enough, the question came up again:
"Lee, can you tell me if we need to take supplements?"
Now the down and dirty simple answer to this question is NO.
You do not need to take supplements. The only things you need in order to build muscle, burn fat, and get in shape are diet and exercise.
Nutritional supplements are just a modern day convenience, nothing more.
But to put things in perspective, let me ask you this...
- Do you need electricity?
- Do you need running water?
- Do you need an indoor toilet?
Human beings have survived for thousands of years without any of these modern day luxuries. In fact, just a few centuries ago the wealthiest Kings never had the basic luxuries that you and I take for granted today.
So we obviously "Don't Need Them".
But would you like to live without them?
Probably not...
Supplements fall into this same category. Of course you don't need them. But you can't deny the fact that they make consuming an optimal muscle building diet a lot easier.
Even simple things like eating 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day can be quite a challenge when just eating solid food. But once you supplement your diet with protein powder the task of consuming a high protein diet becomes much easier - and cheaper!
The same applies for all the basic supplements such as; creatine, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, omega 3's, etc. Supplements allow you to easily consume optimal muscle building nutrition at a fraction of the price that it would cost to meet all your nutritional needs from solid food alone.
That's why virtually every top bodybuilder, athlete, and fitness competitor takes supplements to help meet their nutritional needs. Taking supplements is just part of the progression of fitness and nutrition.
This is the way the process goes for most guys:
1. They start working out. Either by joining a gym, working out at home, etc.
2. After they have been working out for a period of time (usually several weeks or months) they realize that they should clean up their diet and make better food choices. I mean it doesn’t make a lot of sense to burn 500 calories during a workout, only to go and slam back 1500 calories at McDonald's afterwards.
3. Then eventually after some time of working out consistently and eating better, they realize that they could optimize their workouts and diet program even more by taking nutritional supplements.
So right now you need to decide what stage you are at:
Are you just starting to workout?
If so you probably don't need supplements at this stage.
Are you just starting to clean up your diet and eat better?
If so you probably don't need supplements at this stage either.
Or have you been working out and following a healthy diet plan consistently for at least 3 months?
If you have been doing everything you can as far as exercise and nutrition to improve your health and fitness, then looking to nutritional supplements is the next logical step of progression.
As for the types of supplements you should start with, here are my
Top 5 Recommended Supplements:
Protein Powder - Protein is the raw material for building muscle. Without enough protein in your diet you will not build muscle mass.
Creatine - Creatine will help increase protein synthesis and minimize protein breakdown. This can increase lean muscle mass, improve performance in high-intensity exercise, increase energy levels, and speed up recovery rates.
Greens - Green Drinks are rich in phytonutrients which help support the body's self defense mechanism, detoxify and nourish the body. A serving of Greens is approx. the equivalent to 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables.
Omega 3's - Essential Fatty Acids such as omega 3's are the "good fats". They are important for immune system development, digestive support, healthy brain function, soft and smooth skin, circulatory health, and anti-aging benefits. Essential Fatty Acids are necessary fats that humans cannot synthesize, and must be obtained through diet.
Vitamins / Minerals - It only makes sense to ensure that you are getting adequate vitamins and minerals in your diet. Many people are unknowingly running short on some key nutrients which can raise their risk of heart disease, weakened bones, nerve damage, etc. all of which hinder your health and fitness.
Now obviously you can't expect supplements to make up for a lousy diet. Supplements or no supplements, you still have to eat a healthy well balanced diet. But eating a healthy diet and taking proper nutritional supplementation can provide you with the best of both worlds to help you reach your personal muscle building and fitness goals.
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| all the best, Lee Hayward
(Your Muscle Building Coach)
http://www.TotalFitnessBodybuilding.com
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P.S.
Friend, you only have one more day left to get in on our Bodybuilding & Fitness Christmas Giveaway promotion. If you haven’t claimed your FREE GIFTS yet go here before they are gone for good:
http://muscleandfitnessgifts.com/christmas-gift-giveaway-2
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