4 Best Post Workout Supplement ideas
… Sooo if you said to me “Annie what are the best Post Workout Supplement ideas for my workout regime?”
I’d respond with why do I need to ‘supplement’ my diet?
Hmmm well, ‘whey’ back in the day we didn’t need to supplement our diets because we were not exposed to the stresses our bodies are exposed to now. Today we have an abundance of toxins in the air we breathe, water we drink and foods we buy in a rush. To adequately combat what we are exposed to, supplements are a good option if we consume the correct ones in the “purest” form possible.
Let’s keep it real (how many of us have a fridge and kitchen full of ‘bits and pieces of miracle remedies & potions that we scarcely remember to swallow – I’ll give you my 4 Best post workout supplement ideas for Long term growth & recovery & anti aging! (Actually there is 5 best supplements i just couldn’t decide and didn’t want to change the title!)
1.Whey to Go!
Body Builders including Little Miss Muffet (if you are trying to change your body shape in ANY way then Yes you are a Body Builder!) will benefit more by using un-denatured Whey Protein. (Remember more is not better, not better at all. The body can only absorb a certain amount at any given time; the rest will be well, expensive urine!)
How can you benefit from using Whey Protein? More studies are revealing how important protein is for satiety, as well as muscle growth and maintenance. It has been found in study after study that individuals who add leucine-rich protein, like whey protein, to their diet have more lean muscle tissue and lose more body fat. Protein is also vital to overcoming weight-loss plateaus. Another benefit of the whey – It also works as an antioxidant to support the body’s immune system. and repairing collagens, this means ANTI-AGING!
BUYER BEWARE! Which ‘whey’ do you go? Most shakes or protein powders have been treated with high heats and acid to extract the protein i.e. ‘Denatured’. Using this process changes the food from it’s natural form, stripping it of many nutrients.
Often times synthetics are added back in and this is no longer considered to be whole natural food, ‘Un-denatured’ Whey Protein is cold pressed through a membrane leaving all nutrients in tact including important branch chain amino acids vital to our health.
The un-denatured whey protein is considered whole food; because of this the body recognizes it as whole food so the absorption rate is much higher. Just like synthetic vitamins the body does not absorb as much nutrients from synthetic or altered foods. Example typically the body will only absorb about 17% of a synthetic vitamin but ill absorb approximately 82% of an all natural vegetable based vitamin.
So the same goes for proteins. The absorption rate will be much higher from the undenatured whey ~ that would have to be the deciding factor on which ‘Whey’ to go when purchasing Whey Protein. . Whey Protein possesses the highest biological value of all well known Foods.
Finally ‘whey’ protein is not by any means ‘new’ or a fad – Little Miss Muffet had been using ‘whey’ before any supplement company came along!
2. MAGNESIUM MATTERS!
It is the second most abundant mineral in cells after potassium, and is the quiet achiever of the Mineral Kingdom!
Magnesium’s Role in the Body
Magnesium plays a number of roles in the body, being required for more than 325 enzymatic reactions, including those involved in the synthesis of fat, protein and nucleic acids, neurological activity, muscular contraction and relaxation, cardiac activity and bone metabolism. (see very understated our little gem Magnesium!)
Magnesium is a fairly soluble mineral, which is why boiling vegetables can result in significant losses; in cereals and grains, it tends to be concentrated in the germ and bran, which explains why white refined grains contain relatively little magnesium by comparison with their unrefined counterparts.
Possible Symptoms Of Sub-Optimal Magnesium Intake
- Muscle cramps, twitches or tremors
- Regular or excessive fatigue
- Feelings of irritability and/or lethargy
- Frequent mood swings, including depression
- Pre-menstrual bloating
- Restless legs at night
Diets rich in green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds —and to a lesser extent, whole grains —would be the best way for you to limit your risk of having magnesium deficiency. Two servings from each of these categories daily could put you at or above the DV for magnesium.
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Here’s an example of some everyday food choices that would provide you with the DV* for magnesium:
- 60 grams of cashew nuts and 2 cups of boiled spinach
- 60 grams pumpkin seeds, 60 grams cashews, and 60 grams of almonds
Given the potential for impaired performance on a sub-optimum magnesium intake make a conscious effort to increase the proportion of magnesium-rich foods when considering your Workout nutrition needs.
Even a simple change like eating more whole grain products and boosting your intake of vegetables, nuts and seeds can make a big impact on improving your physique!
3. INTRODUCING – GLUTAMINE (and my Best Friend!)
It is an Amino Acid. – in fact it is the most abundant amino acid in the body. It”s primary role, Repair and Recovery. (once described to me as a very highly potent Vitamin C) and here’s why…
Main health benefits.
- Reduces exercise induced suppression of the immune system. Detoxifies the excess lactic acid produced during intense exercise. Helps prevent the breakdown of muscle protein during and after intense exercise. Exercise causes significant depletion of glutamine. (Reduces Soreness!)
- Reduces intestinal permeability (leaky gut syndrome), by functioning as a fuel for the cells of the intestines. (Repairs!)
- Helps to prevent bacterial and viral infections by enhancing the function of the immune system. (Recovery!)
- Minimizes the damage caused by chemotherapy in cancer patients and improves the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation therapy in cancer patients. May also fight cancer cells by enhancing the function of natural killer cells (a type of white blood cell that destroys cancer cells)
- Stimulates the immune system (it activates and enhances many types of white blood cells) Counteracts suppression of the immune system in burns patients.
- Supports liver regeneration and reduces alcohol-induced liver damage. Counteracts the toxicity of alcohol. Protects against alcohol-induced liver damage.
- Contributes to muscle growth.
- Essential for the healing of wounds, including burns.
- Very useful for persons undergoing surgery (counteracts immune suppression of surgery, accelerates wound healing after surgery)
and Stimulates Human Growth Hormone Release!
Glutamine is Gold when it comes to a Built for Life post work out Supplement!
4. Have you had your PRO-BIOTICS today?
Weird? When Bacteria is responsible for known diseases right, so the idea of tossing down a few billion a day for your health might seem like an oxymoron. But a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that you can treat and even prevent some illnesses with foods and supplements containing certain kinds of live bacteria. Northern Europeans consume a lot of these beneficial microorganisms, called probiotics (from pro and biota, meaning “for life”), and because of their tradition of eating foods fermented with bacteria, such as yogurt and sour dough.
Probiotics hold the key not just for better health and a stronger immune system, but also for healing digestive issues, mental health illness, and neurological disorders.
New research is continuing to prove that probiotic benefits and side effects go far beyond what we previously thought.
It’s more than a ‘gut feeling’ that everything begins and ends with good digestion, it renders the diligence of taking any other supplements futile unless good gut health is achieved, so in one ‘whey’ it would really rate as The No. 1 Rating in order of priority of Supplements!
5. Oils ain’t Oils and COCONUT OIL is one of the Best!
This one of my very first ‘natural’ supplements, i just had a ‘gut feeling’ this was good stuff and had ‘whey’ more benefits than trying to tame my teenage hair with it! Some years later when i started competitive Body Building it came back in my life not for its amazing cosmetic properties but as magic Built for Life Body Fuel! Unrefined coconut oil is almost all saturated fat, and a great deal of the fat is medium chain triglycerides, which are sent to the liver and converted into quick energy.
Most of the fatty acids in the diet are long-chain fatty acids, but the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are metabolized differently.
Which makes sense considering some Pacific Islanders consume up to 60% of all their calories from this ‘saturated fat’ and are some of the strongest men & women in the world (not to mention beautiful Skin!)
Study after Study One interesting feature of coconut oil was obvious – it can reduce your hunger.
This may be related to the way the fatty acids in it are metabolized, because ketone bodies can have an appetite reducing effect
Coconut oil has been demonized in the past because it contains saturated fat. In fact, coconut oil is one of the richest sources of saturated fat, but get this the latest research about coconut oil is its lauric acid content. This fat, typically only found in breast milk, is a powerful immune system strengthener and is part of the reason breastfeeding is so healthy for infants. There’s a huge body of evidence showing lauric acid to be a great anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial substance as well.
You can even even cook with Organic unrefined Coconut Oil as it is very stable. For the record over 20 years i have added a tablespoon or 2 into my Built for Life post workout shake, one habit worth sticking with!
So there you have it my Built for Life 5 Best Workout Supplement ideas, enjoy!