Power your Exercise

     If you don't workout, obviously, protein intake won't help you.  The entire point of leveling up your power, via protein consumption, is to push harder.  

     Push more weight.  Faster. Recover. Repeat. Perform. 

     It is difficult to workout and experience increases without a diet change.  Let's compare a guy at a gym that works out regularly while eating normally, to a guy at a gym that also supplements his diet. 

     Eating healthy and eating often is the way to gain muscle. A well balanced diet full of whole foods is an optimal way to obtain the nutrients and antioxidants needed to support weight training.  If you require more muscle, that is more pure muscle, then supplement with protein. You can take in two or three meals worth of protein in the time it takes you to drink one shake.

     The keys to supplementing are dose and speed of injestion.

     Some supplements multiply huge mass increases. To put on muscle, and tone up, you need protein. Protein is made of amino acids. Amino acids come from our daily diets.  

     Supplement your current amino acid intake, and also supplement your protein intake. Then, work hard exercising.  There are quite a few supplements to browse through. Let's analyze proteins, first.

     Protein occurs naturally in fish, red meat, chicken, etc.  It is recommended to take in one gram of protein per one pound of body weight.  Amazingly enough, some shakes will suffice.

     Proteins are vital in everyday life. 

"The dynamic process of life maintenance, replication, defense and reproduction are carried out by proteins (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK6824/)."

     There are different types of proteins.

Whey protein- 

     Whey protein is the most common protein.

Whey protein isolate-

     Whey protein isolates are awesome in order to power pack your pre and post workout. They are absorbed quickly.  Whey can supply the nutrients that muscles need to recover and grow, after bouts of catabolism. Isolate is pure, 90 to 95 percent pure protein.

Casein protein-

     Casein protein takes anywhere from 5-7 hours to fully breakdown which keeps your body absorbing and utilizing the nutrients even while you sleep.

Hydrolysate protein-

     Hydrolysate proteins provide highly absorbable peptides with the highest anabolic protein absorption rate.

     Hydrolysate proteins are much better on the digestive system than whey concentrates. This protein can be used both before and after workouts.

Soy protein-

     Soy protein is loaded with glutamine. Glutamine helps with muscle recovery.

Milk protein isolate-

     This isolate contains both casein and whey proteins.

Egg albumin-

     Albumin and egg whites', amino acid profiles' are great.  Egg albumin builds lean muscle mass.

(https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/protein-types-best-for-you.htm)

     When are the best times to supplement?

     Pre-workout.  

     Supplement at least 10 minutes before you workout.  Start with a high quality protein powder blend.

     All resistance exercises breakdown muscles.  This is also called catabolism.  It is possible to minimize, or suppress, excessive breakdown of muscles.  Take amino acids 30 minutes prior to training. 

Protein powder digestion rates:

     Whey- fast

     Soy and egg- medium

     Casein- slow

     Whey protein isolate is nearly pure protein. There is virtually no lactose contained in it.

Caffeine-

     Despite the criticism, caffeine is an excellent pre-workout extra.  A cup of is coffee okay, but caffeine anhydrous is excellent.  Because of the adenosine, athletes will pack in more reps and experience less muscle soreness. Caffeine should be consumed 45 to 60 minutes before exercise in order to get the best results.

Creatine powder-

     Strength gains and increased lean body mass is the result of creatine supplementation. Creatine increases the body's ability to rapidly create ATP.  For optimal results, creatine should be taken before and after workouts.

BCAAs-

     While you are working out, the ultimate power up is sipping water and sipping on BCAA (branch chain amino acid) fuel. BCAAs spare glycogen storage, and allow you to work out longer. BCAAs shorten recovery time during training and after training.

Sports drinks-

     Performance sports drinks boost stimulation of the central nervous system, thereby lowering required effort of exercise. Lifting the same amount of weight feels easier. Sports drinks, with approximately 30 grams of sugar, enable you to finish strong.

Post workout-

     The post workout is also known as gassing up. Refuel with the proper protein powder blend. Drinking a protein shake after your workout is critical to delivering amino acids to your tired muscles.  Kick-start muscle recovery and flip the switch on the muscle making machinery. Improve your training results.  A combination of whey, soy, egg, and casein in a post workout protein drink is perfect.

Eat-

     Two hours later, follow up your post workout protein shake with a protein and carbohydrate whole food meal.  Naturally build up the amino acids used during the workout. Glutamine is one of the amino acids  that has been depleted.  Glutamine is a major fuel for immune cells, so lower levels can put you at an increased risk of illness, like cold or flu. 5 - 10 grams of glutamine after your workout will suffice.

Carb boosts-

     Carbs are great after your workout. This is the time that you want to turn to a source of fast-digesting high-glycemic carbs, like an engineered mixture containing dextrose, and other sugars. You can simply blend in 40 to 60 grams of fast-digesting carbs into your recovery shake.

    None of this will improve your physique unless you are best buds with an exercise schedule. Supplements are complements, or enhancements to healthy living.

     Take a deep breathe, turn on your music, and get to it.

     Push more weight.  Push it faster. Speed up recovery.  Increase your reps.

     Perform.