Holy moly TGIF! This week has been so weird! New Year's Day felt like a Sunday here at our house. Then, yesterday felt like Christmas as I put in an order for many needed supplements. I am so excited for them to arrive so that I can continue strengthening and building muscle.
So speaking of supplements, what the heck do we actually need?
For some of us, very, very, few of us, nothing. For the majority of us, we need sups! We simply do not get all the needed nutrients in the food we eat. From the environment depleting our hormones and minerals to the food we eat that are lacking them, supplements are the way to ensure we are getting everything we need.
I recently partnered with 1st Phorm because they have a line of supplements I trust that have been third party tested and are NFS (National Sanitation Foundation) Certified. Meaning, the products meet or exceed the standards for quality and safety through thorough testing and analysis and unannounced inspections. But, how the heck do we know what supplements we need? I have been working out for almost 10 years now and even still, I sometimes struggle to know exactly what I need. Yesterday I was on the site and started a customer chat and asked the question “I use creatine and BCAA’s regularly. I strength train throughout the week. What else do I need in my daily routine to build muscle?” The customer service chat was AMAZING and clarified a few things for me…
When we do intense weight training, 2 things happen in our bodies. We deplete muscle glycogen (an energy source stored in our muscle that we burn through during our workouts), and we create small tears in our muscle fibers for whatever muscle group we are training (arms, chest, shoulders, legs, etc...).
When we finish with our workout, our body doesn't actually know to stop breaking down and those muscle energy stores are extremely depleted. This can increase recovery time and ultimately slow down your results. That's where the Post Workout Stack comes to the rescue!
Ignition is a high glycemic carbohydrate. This simply means that it will break down quickly to not only halt the breakdown of muscle and start the recovery process, but will also help replenish those muscle glycogen stores right away!
It will always be advantageous to mix that high glycemic carbohydrate with a rapid assimilation protein powder, that's where Phormula-1 comes into play! A rapid assimilation protein like Phormula-1 is 100% pure Whey Protein Isolate which means it will break down within minutes. Speed is king when it comes to recovering because the faster we can start repairing our muscle, the sooner it starts burning calories efficiently again, the quicker you can get back into the gym, and the less sore you will be after those tough training days.
BCAA's are the amino acids that your body can naturally produce. Some people like to use these during a workout at times as they can be beneficial during a workout or throughout the day.
EAA's are going to be the amino acids that you have to get through either whole foods or supplementation and honestly this is the one that I would rather use during a workout so that it can help my body stay in a muscle building state.
Creatine increases muscle creatine stores which can help improve strength, power, agility and endurance. Our body creates this naturally, most of us do not eat enough red meat to supply our body with the amount of creatine we actually need to function optimally.
The best things for muscle recovery are rest, nutrition, Vit C, B, Glutamine, Omega-3, BCAAs, hydration, stretching, massage, hot and cold therapies, creatine, cherries (anti-inflammatory chemicals, but not those sweet out of the jar cherries we all love).
There are many excellent companies out there that can provide you the support you need to have a better understanding of what will help you achieve the goals you have for yourself. Research is key to finding out what you want to incorporate into your routine and who you want to purchase from. Be sure to look for any supplements that are third party tested and have the NFS Certification. My next venture will be to add peptides into my routine. Stay tuned...
Eat to fuel your body, get your steps in, walk for at least 10 minutes after each meal to regulate your blood sugar, find peace in your day, and keep chasing lifelong wellness. Get your 100 Squats Daily. Join in on the 10,000 step a day challenge!
Comments