Jan 25
Supplements 101 Course!
| The Body for Life book suggests that the only supplement one needs to use during the first twelve week challenge is Myoplex nutrition shakes–the Lites for women and the original for men. However, there are always questions regarding supplements–what’s in them, what they do, and are they harmful. So, this little blog is a flyover of the basics.Myoplex shakes contain high quality protein, carbohydrates, and half of the RDAs of vitamins and minerals. So, two shakes a day is a virtual guarantee that your nutrition plan is on the right track. Myoplex Deluxe, which is for men but could certainly be used by women if the portion is adjusted a bit. Deluxe contains 53 grams of protein, 12 grams of glutamine and a gram of CLA. Glutamine is an amino acid found naturally in dairy, bean and meat products and is thought to assist recovery from heavy activity. CLA is technically a trans fat (conjugated linoleic acid) but is thought to actually support the burning of body fat, particularly the stubborn abdominal fat.
The widely used EAS supplements include Muscle Armor, which is a proprietary blend of glutamine, arginine, taurine and HMB. The first three are amino acids and HMB is Hydroxy Methylbutyrate monohydrate, and is thought to slow or stop muscle protein breakdown. My personal experience with Muscle Armor has been nothing but positive and I absolutely think it was instrumental in allowing me to lose 28 pounds of fat without losing muscle in my championship challenge. Another widely used supplement is Phosphagen Elite. Phosphagen is EAS’s name for creatine monohydrate. Creatine is a metabolite of three amino acids. it essentially builds muscle mass by retaining water within muscle cells, which increases strength, and by potentiating the product of ATP, whih is a fuel that muscle burns. Elite has in addition to the creatine two other amino acids, beta alanine and taurine. The Beta Alanine is a relatively recently used supplement that is thought to retard the buildup of lactic acid in muscles. Since lactic acid causes the burning and fatigue in muscles, retarding it will allow a heavier workout with more reps. Two things you need to know about creatine and beta alanine. Creatine causes water retention, both in muscles and in subcutaneous fat. This is temporary, and you’re NOT GETTING FAT, but you are gaining water, not unlike the bloat that women experience as their menstrual cycle nears or begins. As to beta alanine, it causes a tingling or flushing feeling in the skin, usually the face, neck or scalp areas. It is not unpleasant and not long-lasting but it happens in most cases, so don’t worry about it–it’s normal. As to other supplements for transformations, some use fat burners. I don’t recommend them for many reasons and would be happy to tell you why by referring you to other blogs. Simply put, they only make a little difference, and they can cause restlessness and sleeplessness, and they can also have a rebound effect, meaning that when they are discontinued, the person can become lethargic and develop cravings or overeating tendencies. If you do decide to use one, EAS has Thermodynamx and in my opinion it is the gentlest and best made of any that I have tried, and I’ve tried most all of them. |
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