There
was once a time when plain creatine monohydrate, L-glutamine, and a
decent whey protein mix was all that adorned the shelves of most bodybuilder's
or fitness enthusiast's kitchen pantries. Well, things have changed,
and they've changed big time. There are so many different supplements
and supplement brands available, it's hard not to get confused and a
little overwhelmed at what products do what and which ones actually
work (or don't work).
The
supplement industry is now a billion dollar revenue stream for supplement
companies, and it's growing every year. The numerous types of supplements
available on the market today are staggering with new company names
springing up every month promoting products for fat loss, muscle gain,
enhancing muscle pumps, suppressing the appetite, increasing energy,
and just about anything else in between you can think of.
Amongst
the latest supplements to hit the stands and online sites are NO2
(nitric oxide), CEE
(creatine ethyl ester), and Gakic.
So, which ones actually work? Which ones are pure advertising hype?
If you open up any major bodybuilding, fitness or health magazine, you
will undoubtedly see several-page ads flooded with new supplement products
that claim to have transformed the average "joe" into a Greek
god-like sculpture of a human being in record time. The claims usually
seem too good to be true, and guess what? They are.
Stick To The Proven
As
fun as it may be to go out and try something new from time to time,
doing a little bit of research about the product before considering
a purchase could just save you a ton of your hard-earned cash. The majority
of new supplements available to the mass public are products that have
had extremely little (if any in most cases) studies done to prove that
the product does what the supplement company claims. Even worse, many
products contain "fillers" that serve no effective purpose
other than enabling supplement companies to place cheaper quality products
on the shelves while draining your wallet more.
When
it comes to obtaining that "edge" that most look for when
adding supplements to their regular food diet, stick to products that
have a track record and have been proven to deliver the results that
are promised. Leave the rest back on the store shelves for a less-aware
person to regretfully purchase.
The "Whey"
It Is
Out
of all of the many different types of supplements you'll find at your
favorite health food store, supplement depot, online site, or gym juice
bar, whey protein is perhaps the most important and
worthy supplement to throw down your money on. Whether your goal is
to build lean muscle, strip off some fat or just get more protein in
your daily diet, whey protein powder does the job.
Protein
is the building blocks of muscle, so obviously you need it (and enough
of it per day and per meal) to grow more lean muscle. Not enough protein
= no muscle gain, it's that simple. By supplementing your regular solid
food diet with a whey protein powder shake, one can effectively and
conveniently get their daily protein requirements to meet their activity
levels and goals. Whey
Protein - The "NO BS" Guide To Protein Powders
.
If your goal is
to lose some of that unwanted body fat,
then again, whey protein added to your diet can make things all that
much easier when striving to slowly decrease complex carbohydrates (and
overall calories) while increasing protein intake. Consuming protein
also has a natural thermogenic affect on the body, so it aids fat loss
while helping to preserve lean muscle and build new muscle. Look for
a whey protein powder that contains a high amino acid profile at a competitive
price. Optimum
Nutrition's 100% Whey Protein is one example
of a protein supplement that is priced exceptionally well while providing
a high quality product.
A
Weight Loss Site Worth Checking Out - Fatloss4idiots.com It's not too often you come across a site that contains
solid, practical information that actually makes sense and does what
it says, but this one is an exception. As well, Fat
Loss 4 Idiots is
one of the most popular fat loss programs on the Internet today. The
site contains a straight forward and effective program for losing
fat without having to starve yourself or do anything extreme. With
this program you can keep your daily life normal and you don't feel
like you are dieting at all, yet the pounds come off fast. A nice
change from most weight loss methods, making it very worthwhile.
Have You
Had Your Creatine Today?
Most
people have either used or have at least heard about this supplement
that has taken sports enthusiasts and anyone looking to up their performance
by storm. One reason for this is because creatine works, and it works
extremely well, at least for about ninety nine percent of the population.
The one percent of the population that creatine
monohydrate seems to have no effect on are called "non-responders".
Monohydrate is known as the mainstream form of creatine, but there have
been numerous other forms released onto the market in the past little
while, especially within the last couple of years. CEE
(creatine ethyl ester) is one of the latest creatine formulations to
make a splash in the fitness/bodybuilding realm. Because of the way
CEE is formulated, the absorbency of the creatine is greater than that
of monohydrate. Some past "non-responders" have reported success
with using CEE as compared to their failure to see results with regular
monohydrate.
In
short, creatine works by drawing more water into the muscle cells themselves,
which further hydrates muscle cells enabling for greater energy production,
replenishment and output, as well as increased protein synthesis and
stronger muscle fibers. As a result, this equates to better performance,
enhanced recovery and even the ability to increase lean muscle while
reducing body fat. Not bad for consuming small additional amounts of
a substance that is already naturally made within the body and contained
in foods such as steak. In order to get true results with creatine,
buy it in supplement form and get your daily dose!
Your
best bet when looking for a substantial creatine product is to go with
a 100% micronized creatine monohydrate powder. Micronized means
that the creatine powder particles are more finely granulated compared
to regular creatine monohydrate powder. This allows the creatine to
dissolve better when mixed with your chosen carbohydrate drink or other
beverage of choice, and therefore you'll obtain superior uptake of creatine
into the muscle cells.
Go Home With Quality
Supplements And More $$$ In Your Wallet
Out
of all the thousands of supplements available on today's market, whey
protein and creatine are proven to be the most effective and worthwhile
for helping athletes and sports enthusiasts obtain maximum results from
their training and fitness goals. So the next time you are venturing
out to find the next "miracle pill" or "super powder",
think back to the basics of what's been proven to work, what has a long
standing reputation, and maybe just hold off a while before buying into
the newest product on the market that has been hyped up beyond belief.
The worse that can happen is that you gain some peace of mind when you
find out sometime down the road that it's a reputable product that has
been proven to deliver real results and you will have saved some money
by purchasing the product after the initial hype has died down.
