The best gels and creams for dry, problem, oily, sensitive, combination, normal skin
Facial skin needs regular cleansing. But to preserve youth and beauty, it is important to pay attention to the components...
Experts call this capacious term an extensive line of products containing substances necessary for the functioning of the body, and in concentrated form.
It is possible that it can be used by people who simply want to improve the quality and variety of their diet without increasing calorie content, as well as those who want to lose excess weight.
It is worth understanding that these products have nothing to do with “chemistry” - doping and anabolic steroids, popular in competitive bodybuilding. Doping is a line of prohibited substances that enhance the physical capabilities of the body. They are adopted by unscrupulous professional athletes, for whom victory at any cost is important. And this price can be very high - even causing serious injuries.
Steroids are used by bodybuilders. These substances are also prohibited, but almost all competing bodybuilders still use them, and judges do not pay attention to this, so taking anabolic steroids is an established practice of classical and even beach bodybuilding. Steroids play a fairly important role:
An athlete who heavily uses anabolic steroids is immediately visible. He has terribly hypertrophied muscles and sometimes completely loses his human appearance. That is why the performances of professional bodybuilders and the appearance of athletes are unpleasant for the mass audience. In addition, long-term use of steroids causes serious health problems.
We get all the substances that the body needs for life through food. That is why for any average person there is no particular need for sports nutrition - provided that they have proper, nutritious nutrition. You can hardly call hamburgers and pies from the cafe closest to the office “real” food. The hectic rhythms of life force us to eat not only “fast foods”, but also semi-finished and instant products, so the body clearly lacks nutrients. Their deficiency can be compensated for using sports nutrition products.
And their use is especially recommended for active people involved in sports, whether amateur or professional. However, these additives are not classified as prohibited substances that are harmful to health.
Sports nutrition performs several important functions in the body:
It is worth understanding that all these and many other properties do not relate to any one type of sports supplement, but to different ones. So the choice of a specific product must be conscious, meeting certain goals. There is simply no universal sports supplement suitable for all occasions.
Sports nutrition includes several different products, each of which is used for its own purposes. There are quite a lot of them. Here are just the most popular and sought after ones:
Protein is a mixture containing up to 90% protein. Most often, athletes who build muscle mass take proteins. During training with iron, muscle fibers receive many microtraumas and are even destroyed (a phenomenon called catabolism). After training, the muscles are restored (anabolic phase), and with a reserve. The body takes material (proteins) for restoration from food. It is not difficult to guess that an athlete’s nutrition should be complete. Proteins, which are concentrated proteins, help fill the lack of nutrients and speed up the recovery process.
Proteins promote muscle growth, which burns fat. Therefore, this product is also useful for those who want to lose weight quickly. In addition, it replenishes protein deficiencies without increasing caloric intake when following strict diets. Taking a protein shake can easily replace dinner.
Gainers are another product designed for athletes. This is a protein-carbohydrate mixture with a ratio of 50% protein and 30% carbohydrates. Provides a good supply of energy for a tough workout and enough protein for muscle recovery and growth. It has a high calorie content, and therefore is not recommended for people who want to lose weight.
Creatine is one of the most popular energy drinks. Just one teaspoon of creatine monohydrate will fully provide the athlete with energy for training. Increases endurance and strength.
This is the material from which all the cells of our body are ultimately composed, including muscle tissue. The most popular among athletes is the complex consisting of leucine, isoleucine and valine. A supplement that contains these essential amino acids is called BCAA. It is useful to use before, during and after training. Particularly interesting is the property of BCAA to stimulate fat burning processes in the body. Helps not to lose muscle mass during drying.
Sports supplements will only be beneficial if you choose them correctly. You can’t buy a product just because a friend in the audience praised it. It is quite possible that he is not pursuing goals that are relevant to you. Think carefully about the purpose for which you will use the supplements.
Sports supplements can be used individually or in combination with each other. There is no antagonism between them. Remember that there may be individual intolerances.
When, how and what sports nutrition is best to take for weight gain? Learn how protein, creatine, BCAAs and other supplements affect recovery and growth.
Even serious athletes often experience times when their progress in the gym slows down or stops. Or even worse – regression begins. Then you need an additional push for growth. Properly selected sports nutrition can help you get the desired results again.
Protein is the basis of any sports nutrition regimen.
It’s obvious: it’s convenient to take with you, it’s easily digestible and effectively covers the body’s need for protein. Protein comes to the rescue in those moments when you don't have time to cook or just don't want to eat another chicken breast or steak.The protein should be used at a specific time in the indicated dosage (dosage is calculated for an athlete weighing about 90 kg):
20 g immediately after waking up: your body has been hungry for 8 hours or more, so it's wise to drink a protein shake as soon as you wake up. This will bring you out of the catabolic state and trigger muscle growth mechanisms. In the morning we don’t need complex carbohydrates or fats, just quickly digestible protein and some simple carbohydrates. The body will thank you for the influx of amino acids into the blood.
20 g pre-workout: at this time the level of amino acids in the blood needs to be raised again. Taking protein before training will provide your muscles with an influx of amino acids throughout the workout, making the recovery process much more productive.
40 g post-workout: at this time, the body needs quickly digestible protein and approximately twice as much simple carbohydrates (80 g). Drink this cocktail no later than half an hour after training. This will raise insulin levels, which will stimulate protein synthesis by transporting glucose and amino acids into muscle tissue.
Creatine is an equally common sports supplement. It is converted into creatine phosphate in the muscles, which supplies them with energy during exercise. Creatine also promotes greater water flow into muscle cells, which leads to the creation of an anabolic environment for increased protein synthesis. This is the best supplement for gaining muscle mass and increasing strength.
3 –5 g before training: this amount, taken with a small amount of complex carbohydrates and 20 grams of protein, will replenish the body's creatine stores.
3 –5 g post-workout: Within half an hour of finishing your workout, take creatine along with 40 g of whey protein and 80 g of simple carbohydrates. You will receive a cocktail containing everything you need for further growth. After a workout, your muscles need nutrients - why not give them to him? The insulin spike from eating simple carbohydrates is guaranteed to send creatine directly into the muscles.
Useful article: "
»Casein is a slowly digestible protein that will enter the bloodstream over a long period of time. Whey protein is used when the body urgently needs protein, while casein is needed in other cases: in between meals or when you have not been able to eat for a long time.
20 g post-workout: Take 20 g of casein along with the rest of your sports nutrition. Whey protein will be quickly absorbed, and casein will feed the muscles with amino acids for a long time, which will lead to better recovery. It will also help you stay full until your next full meal.
20 g in the middle of the night: Since casein digests slowly, you'll benefit from drinking a shake in the middle of your sleep. This way the body will receive the protein it needs for recovery. During sleep, the body is hungry and because of this falls into a state of catabolism. Taking casein about 3-4 hours after you go to bed will promote weight gain. So set your alarm!
The effect of taking glutamine is not as noticeable as taking creatine, however, glutamine is not without its advantages. As one of the most abundant amino acids in the body, glutamine is actively involved in recovery by helping muscle cells store glycogen after exercise. It also helps increase growth hormone levels and supports immunity. In addition, glutamine reduces fatigue during training, so you can work out longer.. Glutamine is also needed for the functioning of the digestive system: if you do not take it additionally in the form of sports nutrition, the digestive system will take it from your muscle tissue.
7–10 g immediately after waking up: should be taken along with a small portion of protein, as we wrote about above. This is necessary in order to bring the body out of the catabolic state in which it was at night.
7–10 g pre-workout: this will allow you to train longer at high intensity.
7–10 g post-workout: This will help glycogen flow into the muscles, which will put the body into an anabolic state and speed up recovery.
7–10 g 30–60 minutes before bedtime: this will protect your muscles from breakdown while you sleep. Together with a small dose of catabolism, this will prevent catabolism.
Leucine, isoleucine and valine, which are part of BCAAs, are used as fuel during intense training. They protect your hard-earned muscles from breaking down. The rest of the time: improve protein synthesis and reduce the level of the catabolic hormone cortisol.
5–10 g immediately after waking up: Taking BCAAs in the morning helps get rid of catabolism after an overnight fast. The body will use BCAAs for energy, and the protein and glutamine will fuel muscle tissue.
5–10 g pre-workout: this will help supply the body with energy and protect muscle tissue from breakdown. You will trigger the anabolic processes necessary for growth.
5–10 g post-workout: this will increase protein synthesis and suppress the production of the catabolic hormone cortisol, which causes muscle loss and limits the effect of testosterone on muscle growth.
Arginine is converted in the body to nitric oxide (NO). This is a supplement with many beneficial properties. Arginine increases blood flow to muscles by allowing more nutrients (amino acids and glucose) as well as hormones such as growth hormone, testosterone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) to enter the blood vessels. Also, greater water flow into muscle cells increases protein synthesis, which leads to rapid muscle growth.
2–3 g immediately after waking up: At this time, arginine will dilate blood vessels, which will improve the flow of other nutrients into the muscles.
2–3 g pre-workout: this will increase natural growth hormone production before exercise.
2–3 g 30–60 minutes before bedtime: this will also help increase growth hormone levels.
Tribulus increases levels of testosterone, which is produced from cholesterol. It also improves your strength during training, so it's worth using if you need an extra source of energy before a strength workout.
250–500 mg pre-workout: A jump in testosterone levels before going to the gym will benefit you.
Useful article: " »
ZMA (a combination of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B) has been proven to 6 ) leads to an increase in the production of insulin-like growth factor and testosterone. Zinc improves recovery, and magnesium calms the nervous system, making it easier for the body to relax. The better you sleep, the more opportunities your body has to grow.
30–60 minutes before bed: 30 mg zinc, 450 mg magnesium and 11 mg vitamin B 6 .
Antioxidants help the body get rid of free radicals that are formed during stressful periods, such as after strength training. Should, to cope with stress and maintain the body in a state of anabolism.
500 mg vitamin C with post-workout meal: Vitamin C helps maintain healthy joints and supports immune function.
150–300 mg of vitamin E with your post-workout meal: Vitamin E reduces muscle cell damage and improves recovery. This antioxidant is also important for the condition of the skin, nails and hair.
Times of Day |
Sports nutrition products |
Immediately after waking up |
20 g whey protein 2–3 g arginine 7–10 g glutamine 5–10 g BCAA |
Noon |
Protein shake with 20 g whey protein and 20 g casein |
Before training |
20 g whey protein 2–3 g arginine 7–10 g glutamine 3–5 g creatine 5–10 g BCAA 250–500 mg tribulus |
After training |
40–80 g simple carbohydrates 20 g whey protein 20 g casein 2–3 g arginine 7–10 g glutamine 3–5 g creatine 5–10 g BCAA |
Along with dinner |
500 mg vitamin C 150–300 mg vitamin E |
30–60 minutes before bedtime |
20 g casein 2–3 g arginine 7–10 g glutamine ZMA (30 mg zinc, 450 mg magnesium, 11 mg vitamin B6) |
In the middle of the night |
20–30 g casein |
Now you know how and when to take sports nutrition. However, if you are still a beginner, start with whey protein and then gradually buy other sports supplements. This way you will understand what works best for you. We are all different, and the choice of sports nutrition is subjective. Stick to proper nutrition, as without a proper diet, supplements will not be beneficial. Get complex carbohydrates from potatoes, pasta from durum wheat, rice and oatmeal, and protein from lean beef, turkey, chicken, eggs and fish. This way you will quickly achieve the desired result.
Introduction
Due to my natural meticulousness, after several years of being passionate about bodybuilding, I developed a strong interest in sports nutrition. And it arose so strongly that over time I began to understand the nuances of using supplements for sports much better than the sellers of online sports stores. But, unlike the theorists selling supplements, who know about weight gain only by hearsay, I am a practitioner who tests the declared effect of each product on myself. Therefore, I know a lot about how to take sports nutrition correctly. My hit parade of mistakes in using sports supplements looks like this:
Protein is the No. 1 sports supplement in the world. Therefore, millions of people have problems using it. Heaviness in the stomach, rumbling in the stomach and other unpleasant sensations after taking it are the most common of them. But sports supplement manufacturers should not be blamed for this. On the can of protein there is an inscription: stir in milk, juice or other liquid. But the process of stirring the protein mixture must be approached very carefully. And that's why:
IMPORTANT: The unpleasant effects on the stomach from taking a protein drink can be reduced even more if you eat a fruit rich in fiber along with it. For example, banana.
The protein mixture must always be thoroughly stirred and allowed to settle for a little (1-2 minutes). In this case, the taste of the additive becomes more intense, and the degree of absorption increases. I suggest watching a short story on this topic.
Conclusion: mixing protein mixtures with water increases the effect of sports nutrition and minimizes stomach discomfort.
When we come to the gym, we try to get results as quickly as possible. And the right sporpite can help with this. But its non-stop use often reduces the effect of sports nutrition to almost zero.
There are a number of sports supplements that you can use on a daily basis. Protein, gainer, amino acids do not lose their effectiveness from long-term and continuous use. But with another sports nutrition the situation is different:
Conclusion: before deciding which sports supplements you will use, decide on the cycle of their use. Taking a break from using sporpite increases the impact of its use and saves money.
Gainers, amino acid complexes and multicomponent protein mixtures can be taken at any convenient time. But there are several sports supplements whose correct timing is a very important parameter for their effectiveness.
IMPORTANT: You need to use sports nutrition 30-40 minutes after eating, then it works better.
Timing of intake is a very important factor for many sports supplements.
Conclusion: many additives give better results if you take into account the time specificity of their use.
This is one of the most common and costly mistakes in using sports nutrition. After a hard workout, in a crowded locker room, with hands shaking from fatigue, it can be difficult to prepare a supplement. Therefore, most people take drinks prepared in advance with them. Indeed, it is more convenient, but you need to keep in mind that:
A way out of the situation may be to prepare an additive by adding liquid to a pre-prepared portion of the dry mixture. He poured water, stirred, and drank. Using sports nutrition in the form of capsules or tablets also solves this problem.
Conclusion: for sporpit to give the expected effect, they must be used as soon as possible after dissolving in liquid.
The term “anabolic window” sounds so beautiful only in Russian. Its translation into English is much more boring - “Nutrient timing” (synchronization of nutrient intake). By coincidence, this term entered the lexicon of bodybuilders in the 90s of the last century, during the birth of the sports supplement industry.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sergio Oliva and Mike Mentzer gained their muscle mass without proteins, gainers and BCAA, without even knowing about the “anabolic window”. Question, how to take sports nutrition That's right, I didn't torture them at all. After training in the gym, they simply went home and had a good meal there. Arnold Schwarzenegger's diet during the period of weight gain was up to 5,000 calories per day.
He prepared the protein shake himself, according to this recipe:
He whipped this mixture in a blender and drank it at the end of the day before going to bed.
And again, small videos. Denis Semenikhin analyzes Arnold's diet and prepares his protein shake.
But today, as soon as you open any magazine dedicated to bodybuilding, you will immediately find out that in order to grow muscles, it is absolutely necessary to buy a gainer and drink it after training. And if you also buy whey protein, your muscles will grow twice as fast. Otherwise, the “anabolic window” will slam shut and stop before it even begins.
But science says that the most important factor in muscle hypertrophy, in addition to training and rest, is a balanced daily diet.
IMPORTANT: Sports supplements are called supplements because they serve only as an addition to your regular diet.
Conclusion: muscle growth occurs exclusively in conditions of excess caloric intake. If your diet is poor, no matter what sports supplements you take, this will not help in increasing muscle volume.
No matter what the Sporpit advertisement promises us, miracles only happen in fairy tales. Buying sports nutrition does not mean gaining muscle mass or. Even if you strictly follow the rules for taking supplements, the effect of their use may be delayed over time.
The fastest-acting products in this regard are products containing caffeine and other central nervous system stimulants. You can feel the pleasant shiver from a pre-workout complex or fat burner supplement within 30-45 minutes. But creatine monohydrate begins to work only after the loading phase, after 7-10 days, and the effect of taking amino acids or vitamins is generally difficult to feel. But this does not mean that you should not drink BCAAs.
The effect of sports nutrition is often not directly related to muscle growth. The additive can perform a completely different function. Amino acids, for example, protect muscles from breakdown. And they increase immunity. The measure of the effectiveness of any supplement is only the final result, expressed in muscle mass gained, increased strength indicators or lost kilograms.
Conclusion: which sports supplements work can be judged after some time. Stopping the use of sports nutrition due to the lack of immediate results is a big and expensive mistake.
Making pancakes, muffins and casseroles from protein has recently become fashionable. There are a number of folk recipes for preparing dishes from protein mixtures. At first glance, there seems to be nothing wrong with this. Every person in the background periodically has a violent desire to sink his teeth into something more substantial or.
But before you buy sports nutrition and start preparing a culinary masterpiece from it, you should take into account the following:
IMPORTANT: When preparing dishes from protein, you need to be aware that the manufacturer did not count on such a gastronomic perversion. It is safer to use sports nutrition for its intended purpose.
Conclusion: if you decide to bake pancakes from the protein mixture, make sure that it does not contain aspartame.
I hope that my story about which sports supplements and when to take will be useful, will help you avoid mistakes when using them and help you save money. May the force be with you. And the mass!
Every day I get asked “how to take sports nutrition?”, how to use protein, gainer, amino acids, etc. People do not quite understand that this is a supplement to the diet, but not as a replacement for it. Therefore, in order to tell exactly when to use something, you need to know your lifestyle, your daily routine, etc. Agree, I cannot know this, so there cannot be an exact answer for everyone. But I am giving you the basics so that you can understand when and what supplement to take.
This is a protein supplement and you should only take it if you cannot get the required amount of protein from regular foods. For example, you are an athlete who weighs 80 kg; to gain muscle mass, you need 2 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight, that is, 160 grams of protein. Let's say you ate 500 grams of meat and didn't eat anything else containing protein. A pound of meat contains approximately 100 grams. squirrel. And you need 160, therefore, you can take 2 servings of protein of 30 grams each.
It should be taken between meals, or when the meal was only carbohydrate. There is no need to consume it after a workout, since afterward we need carbohydrates, not protein. A multi-component protein between meals is best for this purpose.
This is a high-calorie supplement that is based on carbohydrates. To understand when and how much to drink gainer, you need to understand how many carbohydrates you ate per day. Each person has his own needs for carbohydrates, they must be calculated using the trial method. For example, you determined that during the period of mass gain you need 300 grams of carbohydrates. And you ate today, for example, only 200 grams of rice, which is 150 grams. carbohydrates. This means we need to get the remaining 150 grams from the gainer. Each supplement has its own composition, so you need to read on the back of the can how much protein and carbohydrates are contained in a serving, based on this, you can understand whether you should take 1 or 2 servings. Again, if you have eaten the required amount of macronutrients from regular foods, then you do not need supplements.
You need to take the gainer either between meals, or an hour before or 30 minutes after training.
If you consume protein, then there is no need to take amino acids separately, because protein contains a complete set of amino acids.
You can take them, for example, if you don’t get enough protein from your diet, and you no longer have food in you, and you’re tired of protein, then you can take several tablets after each meal. In principle, I don’t see any point in taking them when the protein is the same, only cheaper. Moreover, manufacturers often deceive by pressing ordinary protein into tablets.
When gaining muscle mass, this product is generally useless, as are complex amino acids. Firstly, these are only 3 essential amino acids, and muscles need all 8. Secondly, protein or any protein of animal origin contains these 3 amino acids, even soy, BCAA in large quantities. So during the period of mass recruitment this will be a transfer of money.
They can only be consumed during cutting, then they will serve as a source of energy during training through the process of gluconeogenesis (conversion of amino acids into glucose). Do not take more than 10 grams at a time, because... will not be digested. Can be taken before strength training and before cardio.
As I wrote about it, I think this supplement is for beginners. It is unlikely to work for an experienced athlete, because... your creatine reserves have already been developed to the limit. Suitable for a beginner.
Since insulin transports creatine into the muscles, and carbohydrates cause a large release of insulin, this means that creatine must be taken with fast carbohydrates. I also think that all these downloads are just a marketing ploy so that you spend this supplement faster and come back for a new one sooner.
5 grams of creatine per day is quite enough, taken with something sweet, for example, washed down with juice.
Many consider it a fat burner. This is wrong. By itself, it does not burn fats, it only transports them to the mitochondria, and there they are burned, and only if there is a calorie deficit. L-carnitine is simply an “elevator”, you can take the elevator or you can walk up. The elevator is more convenient, a little faster, but you still need to get to it, wait for it, etc. Also with l-carnitine, it is only an assistant.
3 grams half an hour before strength or cardio exercise will be enough.
Friends, there is no need to listen to sports nutrition sellers, since it is in their interests to sell as much as possible. If they sell you protein and separately amino acids and bcaa, just give my reasons, and you will see how the seller hesitates. Remember, this is a business first and foremost, and each supplement should be chosen only when necessary.
Now you know how to take sports nutrition correctly!