I’ve always been pretty athletic, taking part in every school sport available since I was eligible to compete, until the time I reached graduation. Even after I finished school, I continued to stay active with running and intramural sports such as volleyball and basketball as I continued my education at the university level. I would also visit the weight room from time to time but mainly to use the cardio equipment.
It wasn’t until last summer that I began to start making weight training a part of my regular workout routine. Slowly, I began spending more and more time lifting weights and found myself being more interested in muscle development and the best way to go about training.
One day while working up a sweat, I was approached by a personal trainer who asked what supplements I was taking. Supplements? The thought had really never crossed my mind before and the only thing I had really changed since embarking on my fitness journey was increasing the amount of water I drank. Sure I take a multivitamin, but until that point had never really considered supplements to be something that I myself could benefit from.
Like many others, I saw supplements as something that only the “big boys” who wanted to gain muscle mass could really benefit from using and never really gave it a second thought. After speaking to a personal trainer about different products and their benefits, I decided to do a little personal research and see if it was really something that could help me to achieve my goal of building lean muscle.
Now I do not want to become a body builder, which is what I automatically think of when I see protein shakes and pre/post workout supplements, but after looking into these products I started to see how they might have a place in my diet. Most of these products are marketed to men, who are the main consumers, but as a female adding protein to your diet can be quite helpful when trying to develop muscle, and I’m not talking about trying to get big and bulky but rather developing lean and toned muscle.
Whey protein powder seems to be the supplement which makes the most sense to me. It’s essential in a diet when trying to build muscle and protein is something that you might not be able to eat enough of on a daily basis with a busy schedule. It’s affordable and easy to accommodate with any diet and lifestyle.
Other supplements which seemed to have a positive effect on training outcomes included EFG’s (essential fatty acids) such as omega 3’s, L-glutamine for recovery, BCAA’s (branch chained amino acids) to help build and maintain muscle and a joint support such as glucosamine.
All in all I would have to say that there are some benefits to taking dietary supplements when working out, such as the convenience and being able to fit in all the key nutrients without having to cook and eat specific things. But it’s not a quick fix. Relying on these supplements alone is not going to get you into shape.
In my experience, the main thing is finding consistency in your workout and diet. Eating healthy and working hard is really the only way to reach your fitness goals whatever they may be. Well that and plastic surgery, but that is a whole different debate.
