Nutrition before Pumping Up

The fun part about working out is lifting some heavy weights and getting a sweet pump. Because of this, most people either half done their warm-up or wind up skipping it all together. Truly we know the warm-up isn’t sexy, but doing the right way and proper taking pre workout nutrition, it will help you feel better during the workout itself and actually prepare your body for what it needs to do. The reason you should never just hop right into a workout is because you should really prepare both your body itself as well as your nervous system beforehand. A good warm-up only takes about 10-15 minutes and is well worth it. This doesn’t mean foam rolling until you’re more tender than a slab of veal. It should consist of movements that take almost all your joints through their ranges of motion in a somewhat dynamic capacity and should closely emulate the main exercises that you will be doing in the workout itself. This increases your body temperature and gets the tissues ready for the workout.  It also prepares your central nervous system to more efficiently send signals to your muscles so that they fire appropriately for the upcoming task at hand. As for pre workout nutrition, research shows you may boost protein synthesis immediately after your training by consuming a fast-digesting protein to maximize muscle and strength building. Simply put, after a workout your muscles are hungry for nutrients and a fast-digesting high protein or high simple carb meal has been shown to deliver superior muscle-building results. Many athletes choose to consume these nutrients in liquid form (protein shake) because it's easy to prepare and the liquid can be digested more readily than solid foods. Research supports the notion that there's a two-hour "anabolic window" following the heavy resistance training.

Since a whole-food meal basically takes more time for preparation and even digestion, it's not your best choice in terms of an immediate post-workout meal, but it can be consumed an hour after your training. Oatmeal is the workout buddy you never have to nag to exercise. It sticks with you throughout your workout by gradually releasing sugar into your bloodstream. Adding fruit to your pre workout nutrition meals will help increase the fluid content of your pre-workout snack, keeping you hydrated. If you're a lunchtime exerciser, this is the sandwich for you. Tuna is low in calories, but high in protein and carbs. Hummus is a better-for-you spread over mayo or mustard, while also being high in fiber. And last but certainly not least, spinach is a produce powerhouse, handling everything from curbing your appetite to boosting your complexion and lowering blood pressure and inflammation. A warm-up and proper pre workout nutrition intake becomes even more important for those of you that work out first thing in the morning. It takes around 3-4 hours of being awake for our body temperature and hormone levels to reach their normal levels. When you sleep, your spine also decompresses and fluid builds up between your vertebrae, which explains why you might actually be taller in the morning and also why your back might feel a little stiffer first thing in the morning.

Some Effects of Workout Supplements

When taking a pre workout supplement in your daily lives, consumers are paying more attention to what's in their food and supplements and some brands are taking note and prioritizing high-quality ingredients and easy-to-read labels. Most of them pay particular attention to their ingredients because consumers have become so in-tune with product labels like when you take a pill or scoop a powder, it's hard to know exactly how much you're getting. Most of us will never read past the first two or three ingredients on any supplement we take; we just don't really care all that much. We know that there are a ton of people already taking them and some might have the chance that they’ll have an massive heart attack due to all the stimulants and the fact that you're probably lifting more weight than you need to, but that's a very rare occurrence. The precise delivery in every pre workout supplement is something we find important because it can also affect our health. A good pre workout supplement can boost your workout that day and a great one should improve your entire program. That is, if you’re paying money for a supplement that will help you enhance your workout performance, you should get more than just an energy boost. Your ergogenic aid should be part of a smart system of supplementation one aimed at improving performance and supporting recovery efforts.

A few of the most common pre workout supplement side effects are:

·         Vomiting

·         Numbness in the face, lips, or extremities

·         Jitters

·         Cramps

·         Headaches

·         Flushed and red skin

·         Trouble sleeping

·         Itching

·         Anxiety

·         High blood pressure

·         Kidney damage

·         Chest pain

It is important to realize that they can be extremely helpful in providing the nutritional support needed by the body. This can make your routines more effective no matter what type of goal is sought. However, you need to know the benefits and how to supplement properly. There are also a number of purposes and benefits to using a pre workout supplement. The most common of these is the ability to increase energy levels. This can help you to power through even the most challenging and intense routines along with increasing stamina and endurance. It is also very important to understand that this should be done naturally. Basically, you would not want to simply use synthetic steroids or direct testosterone injections, since these would ultimately cause natural production to decrease. Instead, something like L-Arginine is excellent at increasing levels naturally without any side effects. Other ideas for producing similar effects include DHEA, D-Aspartic Acid, Mucuna Pruriens, and Tribulus Terrestris. Be sure to look for any of these ingredients in your pre workout supplement of choice.

Keep in mind that a good pre-workout supplement helps you safely add intensity to your workout for the purpose of more positive adaptations to higher physical stress. It’s like flooring the accelerator to maximize the output of your system and to test its limits. If your engine needs an oil change before you up your intensity, consider a detox first to reset your system so you can maximize the benefits.

Getting Supplements In Your Routine Workout

Supplements are the way of the health and fitness lifestyle. Whether you are trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or improve performance, supplements provide you with that extra edge you are going to need before, during, and after your workouts. One trend you may have noticed is the domination of pre-workout supplements in health food stores and on fitness websites. Pre workout supplements are terrific. They give you a much needed boost after a very long day so that you can get into the gym and own it. Rarely though do you hear about an effective post workout supplement. If you want to ensure and protect your gains while supporting the recovery process, you need to make sure your supplementation program doesn’t stop when your workout does.

What you need in some post workout supplement ingredients:

CAFFEINE

Caffeine has been in the supplement industry for a long time and rightly so as it works so well. It may come as no surprise but caffeine’s efficiency as a pre-workout supplement has been well documented. When it comes to boosting alertness, amplifying endurance, and increasing peak performance, caffeine is magic.

CITRULLINE MALATE

Another non-essential amino acid, citrulline has become quite popular after it was discovered to be a valuable ally in amplifying your energy and performance while supporting the post workout recovery process. There are two ways in which it does this: To provide you with energy, citrulline is converted into the highly efficient adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. As for the post-workout benefits, citrulline helps to soothe soreness and quicken the healing process by removing lactic acid build-up from the muscles. A buildup of lactic acid is the reason that you feel so sore the day after your workout. Like all the other supplements on this list, citrulline is backed up by several studies.

CREATINE MONOHYDRATE

The only other supplement to compete with caffeine in terms of time in the industry and usage, creatine is a non-essential amino acid that is extremely popular. Like caffeine, it has earned its reputation. Creatine supplies energy to the muscle through the creation of ATP. While your body makes approximately one gram per day, imagine what could happen when you supplement with a 5 gram serving. Creatine is more than just an energy booster, it also has a crucial role in increasing lean muscle mass and endurance. Study after study has confirmed these amazing benefits, making it the go to supplement for bodybuilders and weekend warriors alike.

VITAMIN B12 (Methylcobalamin)

Vitamin B12 is getting the recognition it deserves in the field of natural medicine and the fitness industry. As doctors supplement patients with B12 for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, fitness enthusiasts are supplementing themselves to boost performance. Vitamin B12 supplementation has been shown to contribute to boosting the immune system to help with the post-workout recovery process. The intensity of the workouts performed by athletes, bodybuilders, and extreme fitness enthusiasts can become problematic for the body if proper supplementation is not administered. Vitamin B12 has also been shown to elevate energy and amplify peak performance.

It's possible to prepare for an intense workout by eating something like a banana with about 100 calories of carbohydrates and a cup of coffee if you need a burst of energy. But a post workout supplements that packs a few extra ingredients may make your training a bit more effective.

Post Workout Supplement

High-intensity workouts produce huge amounts of damage in your muscles, which is actually one signal for your body to get bigger and stronger. The problem is, when putting this type of stress on your body, it first responds by increasing circulating cortisol and reactive oxidative species, causing more and more breakdown and potentially placing the body in the ever-feared catabolic environment. This is the exact moment when the body responds best to post workout supplement which a time called the anabolic window. It's during this window that the proper nutritional actions can turn around the catabolic environment created by your training session and kick-start recovery for your next workout.

The Best Post Workout Supplement Ingredients:

Beta Alanine

Beta alanine makes all of these wonderful benefits possible by supporting the increase in carnosine levels in the muscles. Higher carnosine levels directly correlate to gains in lean muscle mass. This supplement is ideal for post-workout as it protects all of that hard work you put in at the gym, ensuring your muscles are saturated with the nutrients they need. It also is one of the most tested post-workout ingredients.

 Betaine Anhydrous

A variety of studies have been performed on betaine anhydrous, confirming its wonder-like powers. In one study, those supplementing with betaine anhydrous noticed a huge jump in the total amount of volume they were able to handle as well as an increase in the number of repetitions per set. Put simply: more weight for more repetitions. For guys looking to pack on muscle mass, this is extremely important! This means you will be able to maximize your hypertrophy, resulting in larger gains of muscle.

Creatine Monohydrate

Used for decades in the bodybuilding and general fitness population, creatine lives up to its reputation. Creatine monohydrate has been shown to vastly increase strength, power, and muscle size while giving you that “pump” that you are always looking for during your workouts. It’s able to be taken pre, intra, and post-workout but the real magic comes in when you take it post-workout. This is due to the dire need to replenish the ATP within muscle cells.

L-Carnitine L-Tartrate

When it comes to recovery, nothing has your back quite like L-Carnitine L-Tartrate. When you’re sore, chances are, you aren’t pushing yourself as hard as you should be. This is but one of several great reasons to supplement with L-Carnitine L-Tartrate. Studies show that this powerful ingredient has the ability to dramatically reduce muscle soreness and muscle tissue damage.

Leucine

A very popular and highly respected ingredient found in BCAA supplements, this branched chain amino acid is the ideal post-workout nutrient. Research has shown leucine to be one very powerful amino acid, playing an important role in protein synthesis and creating an anabolic environment within the body, ideal for growth. It also prevents muscle breakdown.

The most common banned ingredient in pre-workouts is DMAA. According to the FDA, DMAA can "elevate blood pressure and lead to cardiovascular problems ranging from shortness of breath and tightening in the chest to heart attack." It is particularly problematic when consumed with caffeine. You also need to consider the amount of stimulants in a post workout supplement. A product with a heavy dose of caffeine (over 200 mg) combined with synephrine and other stimulants, such as yohimbe, can cause problems if you're not careful especially if you have an existing heart condition.