So you've joined a gym, and you're ready to start building a stronger more healthy you. Before you do that though you need to buy some supplements, you know the stuff that all of the fitness pros use: protein powder, pre-workout, protein bars, meal replacement shakes, fat burners, BCAAs, multivitamins... Okay, now you can start seeing some results once these supplements work their magic. Right?
WRONG. The truth is that you don't NEED any of the supplements listed above. Not only do you not need them, but most of them are filled with chemicals that you would be better off not having in your body. Go ahead grab your protein or your pre-workout or your meal replacement powder, how many artificial sweeteners, food colorings, preservatives, emulsifiers, artificial flavors... are in the ingredient list? These are all things that you don't want to put in your body. So why put them there if you don't have to?
Aside from the added chemicals found in many supplements, what it really comes down to is REAL food vs. processed food. Whether you believe in evolution or that we were created by God is of no concern for this topic. Either way our bodies and the many systems in them were designed. Designed by evolution or designed by God. Our bodies were not designed to consume processed foods, it's that simple. Processed foods are sub-optimal, your body cannot digest them properly or efficiently. Real food is always superior to Supplemental processed food.
Most supplements solve problems that are already solved by REAL food. Instead of taking pre-workout drink a cup or two of coffee. Instead of that post workout protein shake, have some scrambled eggs. Mass gainer? Eat more food (ideally eat more of the healthy foods). Meal replacement shake? Why would you want to replace a meal with powder? Meal prep if time is the problem. Before buying supplements look at what they actually do, there is likely a Real food alternative that works better and is better for you.
Not all supplements are bad and there are all natural versions of some. For example Optimum Nutrition offers an all natural whey protein powder. You can also get unflavored creatine and BCAAs to avoid the artificial flavorings and other chemicals. Some supplements are beneficial to use, just understand that you don't NEED them to be healthy. Almost everybody would benefit from taking a multivitamin and BCAAs. In some cases I will recommend protein powder, this is only if you really don't have time to cook some REAL food. Just remember that these may help you but you most definitely do not NEED them.
To give you a quick recap. Some supplements can be worthwhile taking but you can almost always find a REAL food alternative that will work better and be better for you. If you must take supplements find all natural versions of them that are not loaded with preservatives, artificial flavorings, and other chemicals. Keep in mind that if it is not REAL food (food that is not processed) it is sub-optimal to be putting it into your body. If you really want to be the best version of yourself eat REAL food not powder.
Patrick
留言