How to use sports correctly. Sports nutrition for beginners: where to start and how to choose? The best sports nutrition companies

How to use sports nutrition correctly

In order for sports nutrition to have the expected effect on the body, the athlete must adhere to the rules for its intake, which means eating or drinking exactly what is needed and at the right time.

First of all, the following are taken into account:

• Times of Day;
• accompanying circumstances;
• dosage;
• physical condition of the athlete.

For gaining muscle mass

It is advisable for every athlete who is working on building muscle to consume an appropriate amount of protein in their daily diet.

Important! Nutritional supplements are very useful during the period of muscle building, but a person does not need them on an ongoing basis. They are good as assistants and can help you achieve your goal, but the main components of success are a well-chosen diet and systematic training. Supplements can be taken to facilitate and accelerate muscle development.

If you are serious about increasing strength and muscle development, then the athlete should take approximately 2–2.5 grams of protein per 1 kilogram of body weight every day. This ratio is ideal for wrestlers or bodybuilders who do not want to increase their weight, but want to build strength and muscle.

Protein

This is a protein supplement and protein is the main building block of muscles and you cannot build a good figure without it. Protein supplements are extremely useful in situations where an athlete is unable to take in enough protein through food. To build muscle mass, you need to ensure you are taking in at least 1.2–2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Time of receipt:

1. It is advisable for athletes to consume fast-acting whey protein an hour or two before training.
2. The next dose is 30 minutes after completion of the workout (for muscle recovery).
3. The time after a workout is the best opportunity to build muscle because that's when the body needs protein the most.
4. Another source of protein to offset the body's costs is consumed before bed in the form of casein (a slow-release protein) to help repair muscles during sleep.
5. Even on days when the gym is not visited, the athlete needs to consume enough protein. On non-workout days, the best times to consume protein are after breakfast, after lunch, and after dinner.

Did you know? Bird eggs are a source of natural food protein of the highest quality. All parts of the egg are edible, including the shell, which contains a lot of calcium.

Creatine (for beginners)

Creatine is considered the most effective legal anabolic steroid. It is a supplement used by athletes who want to ensure maximum training intensity and optimal gains in muscle size and strength.

It is also great for beginners who are relatively new to building their bodies through exercise. Research shows that creatine does not have any negative effects on the body.
Finding enough creatine in food is quite difficult, so the substance is taken in powder or capsule form. Creatine supplements vary in form, time to dissolve in the body (absorption) and effectiveness, so you need to pay attention to this when purchasing.

They work by increasing the creatine content of skeletal muscle, which in turn increases muscle size over time.

Creatine increases endurance, power, strength, helps you perform more repetitions of exercises, makes you run faster, jump higher; while it leads to fat loss. However, it is worth remembering that using creatine only makes sense in combination with serious strength training.

How to use:

• creatine is taken 15–25 grams per day for 5 days;
• further use is recommended in a maintenance dose, from 3 to 5 grams per day.

Did you know? Doctors advise reducing salt intake and taking no more than 15 grams (one and a half level teaspoons) per day. Reducing your salt intake may reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney damage and high blood pressure.

Glutamine (for recovery)

Glutamine, or L-glutamine, is a naturally occurring amino acid that is typically stored in muscles and released into the bloodstream in extreme situations. It is used by the immune system for recovery during periods of stress such as physical injury, burns, fasting, and during prolonged and intense physical exertion (marathons, triathlons, ultra-distance running).

When there is a deficiency of glutamine, or when the amount is sharply reduced during stress, the body's immune system is suppressed. In this case, it is necessary to replace the lost glutamine to the previous level through food or nutritional supplements.

It's for this reason that marathon runners are often at risk of contracting colds, flu, and other illnesses in the days following the race.
not only depletes glutamine reserves, but also causes a temporary decrease in immunity and susceptibility to infections of the upper respiratory tract and other diseases.

Natural sources:

1. L-glutamine is most abundant in protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, legumes and dairy products. Cooking can destroy glutamine, especially in vegetables.
2. Two good plant sources are raw cabbage and beets.

L-Glutamine Supplements for Athletes

Athletes who take glutamine supplements typically do so to prevent muscle breakdown and improve immune system function. Several clinical studies have found that oral glutamine may reduce morbidity in endurance or extreme exercise athletes.

Research has also found that glutamine supplements help maintain muscle mass by preventing protein breakdown and improving glycogen synthesis.
L-glutamine is classified as a dietary supplement and is not prohibited by any sports organizations. It can be found in most sports food stores in gel or tablet form, and is often an ingredient in many protein powders.

Due to limited research, there are no set dosage recommendations, but bodybuilding experts recommend starting at 3 grams and gradually increasing to 5 grams per day.

If an athlete eats a healthy and varied diet and exercises regularly, then it is likely that his body will be sufficiently supplied with all the necessary amino acids. If an athlete trains frequently and hard, and his diet is not sufficiently complete, then supplementing with glutamine can significantly benefit him.

Important!If an athlete is considering using an L-glutamine supplement, it would be wise to consult with a sports nutritionist first to evaluate their diet and determine whether it is needed.

How to take glutamine: video

Gainer (for speed dialing)

Gainer - the name of this dietary supplement comes from English word gain, meaning “increase”, the drug is used for speed dial weight. The gainer consists mainly of carbohydrates and proteins, looks like finely ground flour, almost powder.

When performing sports training at high intensity, a person uses a lot of energy. To quickly make up for its deficiency, you can use a protein-carbohydrate supplement that quickly restores lost energy.

Foods with a high caloric content have these properties, but if you periodically have problems providing the body with the required amount of calories from food, a gainer can be very useful.

Rules for taking the gainer:

• to gain weight, the gainer is used two to three times a day;
• It’s easy to calculate the daily dose: take 1.5 grams of gainer per 1 kg of athlete’s weight;
• the same dose of the drug is taken daily until the body weight reaches satisfactory;
• The gainer can be mixed with the following liquids: water (never boiling water), milk, juice;
• After gaining the desired weight, the athlete can switch to one-time use of the drug.

How to take gainer: video

Important!People who are prone to rapid weight gain should stop taking gainers, otherwise they will have a problem with overweight may get worse.

BCAA (Amino acids)

Amino acids (BCAAs, BCAs) are the basis for building muscle in the body, helping to repair muscles after workouts, which leads to a gradual increase in muscle fibers. They help make muscles bigger and stronger by stimulating synthesis.

This is why protein supplements are so important for athletes who want to gain muscle. These products, due to their ease of digestion and high absorption rate in the body, are suitable for use both before and after exercise, ensuring that the body receives an easily digestible form of protein.

Rules for taking BCAAs:

• the dose for one dose is 5–10 grams;
• when using BCAAs to build muscle mass, the first dose is taken immediately after waking up in the morning;
• an additional portion at any time of the day (the same 5–10 grams) will boost brain function, reduce hunger and give impetus to muscle growth;
• a portion of amino acids is taken without fail before and after physical activity;
• For rapid absorption, amino acids must be in liquid form, so they are dissolved in liquid with the addition of a small amount of sugar;
• their reception is divided into three parts: at the beginning of the training, during it and immediately after;
• Amino acids in capsule form are taken in the morning;
• for weight loss, amino acids are taken between breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For burning fat

Burning fat is a process that is necessary to provide energy human body needing it, even if the person does nothing. There are supplements that speed up fat burning, so they can be used for weight loss.

Important! One of the myths of a healthy lifestyle is that all fats are evil. However, there are good and bad fats. In particular, vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble, so fat is important for their absorption. Preferablylimit consumption of transgenic and saturated fat, increasing cholesterol levels in the body. Unsaturated fats lower bad cholesterol and support heart health.

Laxogenin is a plant steroid that is similar in structure to the more well-known ecdysterone. Research has shown that laxogenin has similar properties to anabolic steroids such as Anavar, one of the most popular oral anabolic steroids of all time.
But this does not mean that laxogenin is a prohormone. When an athlete takes prohormones, the body increases levels of androgens (a common term for prohormones and testosterone) and stops its own production of testosterone.

Unlike prohormones, laxogenin does not affect the endocrine system - it does not increase or decrease the amount of hormones such as testosterone and estrogen.

Concentrated laxogenin is available in capsules or powder. Depending on the manufacturer, the dosage of the capsule contents may vary slightly.

General instructions for use of laxogenin:

• for beginners, intake is limited to 50 mg per day;
• for experienced athletes, the daily dose can be increased to 100 mg (this amount is not recommended to be exceeded);
• admission course for beginners: 6 weeks;
• course of treatment for professional athletes: from 4 to 12 weeks;
• when losing weight, it is recommended to take 50 mg per day every other day.

L-carnitine is essential for muscle function and supports the fat burning process.
Athletes love to use L-carnitine to improve athletic performance and muscle endurance because it inhibits the formation of lactic acid in muscles and improves muscle recovery after training. This property allows for longer workouts and delays the onset of fatigue.

In the human body, a substance similar to carnitine is synthesized on the basis of iron, vitamins C, B6, B12, folic acid, niacin. The human body produces L-carnitine from the amino acids methionine and lysine, as well as from food (veal, lamb, lamb, fish, milk and cheese).

In a normal diet, an adult receives on average from 100 to 300 mg of L-carnitine, this amount is sufficient for normal energy metabolism in the body. However, athletes often suffer from L-carnitine deficiency, so they benefit from additional consumption of this substance.
When weight loss is desired, L-carnitine is often taken to enhance fat burning. However, additional consumption of L-carnitine has positive influence to burn fat only in connection with high sports loads, and in case of obvious deficiency.

How to consume L-carnitine for athletes:

1. Take 1 gram of L-carnitine (preferably in liquid form) and consume about half an hour before training. A lower or higher dose has no obvious effect.
2. Sugar (equivalent to the production of insulin secretion) negates fat burning, so other foods should not contain sugar at all (or should contain little of it).
3. Overdose can occur after taking more than three grams of the substance and leads to diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. To determine the ideal dosage, you should strictly follow the instructions provided by the dietary supplement manufacturers. You should not take more than two grams of the substance per day, and this amount should be distributed throughout the day.
4. Adequate hydration of the body is important when taking additional L-carnitine supplements.

Perhaps, beginners who have recently come to the gym will not get everything right right away, so here are a few tips from experienced athletes:

The best sports nutrition companies

Russian manufacturers:

• Cellucor PureProtein;
• G.E.O.N.

• Optimum Nutrition;
• Dymatize;
• Ultimate Nutrition;
• Syntrax;
• Twinlab;
• Universal Nutrition;

• MuscleTech;
• Nutrex Research;
• Muscle Pharm;
• Gaspari Nutrition;
• USPlabs;
• Prolab;
• MuscleMeds;

• Trec Nutrition (Poland);
• Multipower (Germany);
• Power System (Germany);
• Olimp (Poland);
• Vansiton (Ukraine);
• BioGame (Bulgaria);
• Scitec Nutrition (Hungary).

The athlete needs to remember that protein supplements do not create muscle on their own - they simply help a person build muscle through hard training. Exercise on a schedule, increase your level of physical development. When taking nutritional supplements, follow the instructions for use that come with them and do not forget that it is not advisable to exceed the dosage of the drugs.

How to take sports nutrition correctly
Most people involved in bodybuilding or fitness simply do not know how to take sports nutrition. Most often, they are interested in what kind of sports nutrition to gain muscle mass should be taken and the best (correct) way to do it. This article will tell you when to take some popular supplements and how to get the most benefit from them.

HOW AND WHEN TO TAKE SPORTS NUTRITION CORRECTLY
There are 3 types of known and proven supplements for gaining pure muscle mass and strength, namely: protein, creatine and glutamine. But what is the most best time to take these supplements

How to take Protein
The average human need for protein is 1.5 - 2 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight per day, but this figure can reach 4 grams per 1 kg of body weight. Protein should be diluted in low-fat milk, water or juice, just like gainer. The protein intake plan is as follows: In the morning - after sleep, compensation for protein deficiency is especially required, so whey protein with its rapid level of absorption may be an ideal option; During the day - if you cannot eat often for some reason, then a good option would be to use mixtures of whey protein and casein, or multicomponent protein;
The most important time to properly consume protein powder is immediately after training, 40-50 grams. Muscles are like a sponge; they need instant nutrition to repair and grow.
The next most important time to take protein is before bed, 20-30 grams. You will sleep for about 8 hours. This for a long time without protein.
As soon as you wake up, take 20-30 grams of protein 30 minutes before a full breakfast. This will help stop the catabolic effects that your body has undergone during the night's sleep.
Be sure to take 20-30 grams of protein half an hour before going to the Gym. This will help reduce the catabolic effect of your strength training. Pre and Post Workout - Only whey isolate should be taken due to its high absorption rate;
At night, casein is an ideal option; the long-acting protein will allow you to maintain a high level of amino acids in the blood throughout the night.

Above is the best time to take protein. And it doesn't have to be protein powder. If you have the opportunity, you can get all the protein you need from regular food. But the protein supplement is better absorbed. The choice is yours! Without skipping any of the four cocktail doses, you will feel changes for the better.

How to take Creatine

Creatine is a natural substance that is present in meat and fish, but can also be produced in the liver, kidneys and glands. To get 6 g of creatine daily, you need to eat 4 kg of meat per day, and this is harmful. This is why taking creatine is beneficial for vegetarians. Approximately 98% of the total creatine in the body is found in the muscles. Additional consumption of creatine leads to increased muscle mass by stimulating muscle protein synthesis. The muscles become more massive and strong. This increase in muscle mass should not be confused with the accumulation of water in the muscles (between muscle fibers) due to the use of steroids and cortisone. The plan for taking creatine is as follows: In the initial period, take 10 g of creatine 2 times a day for a week, subsequently - 3 g twice a day or 5-6 grams once a day (one teaspoon). The course of taking creatine is from 4 to 6 weeks, followed by a pause for 2-4 weeks. The necessary break is due to the fact that the synthesis of your own creatine, when administered with food, falls, and the restoration of its natural level occurs within approximately 2 weeks. This is the optimal regimen for using creatine, although there are other individual dosage regimens (even fasting). Taking creatine on an empty stomach accelerates its absorption. If you experience abdominal pain or diarrhea, you can take creatine after meals. The best absorption of creatine by muscles occurs during maximum level insulin, so the optimal time to take creatine is: immediately after sleep; after taking sweet food(therefore, it is recommended to drink creatine with sweet juice); 30-60 minutes after training.
I think everyone knows the benefits of using creatine. It hydrates muscles to aid in protein synthesis, which helps improve recovery between sets and workouts. Take creatine 30 minutes with juice or protein before and immediately after your workout. This mixture will create an anabolic state for the muscles and help prevent their breakdown (catabolism).

Besides these two important points taking creatine, you can add a couple more doses throughout the day. I recommend 25-30 grams of creatine per day during the loading phase (lasts about five days), and then move into a maintenance phase of 10-20 grams of creatine per day, which will last about a month.

How to take Glutamine
As one of the most abundant amino acids in muscle cells, glutamine aids in recovery by strengthening the immune system. Therefore, it is imperative to take glutamine immediately after training (10 grams) along with a post-workout shake. Also, most studies show that 5 grams of glutamine before bed significantly increases growth hormone levels.

How to take amino acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of which protein is made, and almost our entire body consists of protein compounds, so it is necessary to nourish our body with amino acids. The plan for taking amino acids is as follows: In the morning - after sleep, compensation for protein deficiency is especially required, so you should drink amino acids before breakfast; During the day - if you cannot eat often for some reason, then amino acids are taken to reduce catabolism, so I advise you to have a couple portions of amino acids in your bag;

Before and after training - to store and cover the deficit of energy raw materials consumed during intense exercise. Therefore, you should take sports nutrition such as amino acids no later than 20-30 minutes after training.

Taking amino acids before and after training is especially important to reduce the catabolic effect of physical stress on muscles: taking amino acids before training enhances the intracellular reserves of amino acids, and taking amino acids immediately after training replenishes the supply of amino acids in cells in conditions of powerful restoration of muscle tissue until amino acids from food and protein supplements eaten after training will “reach” (digestion and initial absorption of food requires at least 40 minutes of time.)

Tips for using sports nutrition
It's possible to take all three of these popular supplements together, but it will make it harder for you to figure out which supplement works best for you and which is a waste of time. Everyone's metabolism is different, so be patient and give the supplement time to do its job! Use one supplement for 4-6 weeks and document your results. Over time, you will understand what works best for your specific goals.

Nutrition is extremely important, because muscles are built precisely thanks to the elements entering the body. And if you have a goal to gain muscle mass in a short time, then it is all the more important to choose matching set sports nutrition for gaining muscle mass.

There is a basic set of sports nutrition for gaining muscle mass that every athlete should know:

• BCAAs.
• Multivitamins.
• Omega-3.
• Glutamine.

These substances not only help develop muscles, but also support overall health.

To gain muscle mass, ordinary foods are not enough; in any case, you will have to seek help from sports supplements. In addition to training hard, maintaining a calorie surplus is also important. All bodybuilders take a sports complex that includes several basic supplements.

Whey Protein

This is one of the main components that is included in the sports supplement. This supplement has a complex composition, which can be completely different, but it contains many important elements and amino acids. Proteins are an important part that is included in any

Gainer

If you just can’t gain the required amount of calories, then a gainer will come to the rescue, which is also an important component that should be included in a sports nutrition set for gaining muscle mass, because a large amount of protein is the key to muscle growth. But when choosing a gainer, you need to pay special attention to the composition. It is important to ensure that there are not too many carbohydrates in it, giving preference to protein.

BCAAs

It is a complex of three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. They are extremely important for the body, but it does not synthesize them on its own. BCAA stimulates insulin production, which helps nourish muscles. In addition, these three amino acids prevent protein breakdown and muscle breakdown.

Pre-workout supplements

Often, training exhausts the body, leaving no strength left. Using simulators that contain caffeine or geranamine will help you cope with this and increase strength and energy during training. If you need additional energy, then you can safely add pre-workout complexes to your sports nutrition kit for gaining muscle mass.

Creatine

Increases strength and stimulates volume growth. Today there are a huge number of varieties of creatine on the market, but the most common is monohydrate.

Omega-3

This component is found in fatty fish, but even this is sometimes not enough for an athlete and therefore he has to resort to supplements. The best choice- This is fish oil. Omega-3 improves blood circulation, which speeds up the delivery of important substances to the muscles. But its benefits don’t end there; it also speeds up metabolism, which helps get rid of fat, and is good for the cardiovascular system.

Multivitamins

They have practically no effect, but despite this, they are no less important. Chasing weight gain, taking various supplements, the athlete begins to forget about some important vitamins, without which chaos will ensue in the body. Even if you eat fruits and vegetables in huge quantities, you may still be lacking some vitamins.

Glutamine

This amino acid is found in muscles most of all. Although the body is capable of producing it itself, additional intake will not hurt. Glutamine helps with recovery, so it's best taken after workouts and at night. Glutamine should be included in your sports nutrition; it is essential for quickly gaining muscle mass.

Errors

1. Breakfast consisting only of protein. It is true that eating foods rich in carbohydrates in the morning is wrong, since while we sleep, blood sugar levels drop and all carbohydrates consumed after waking up will go straight to the stomach. Every person who has the goal of gaining muscle mass should have a hearty breakfast. First of all, as soon as you wake up, it is best to drink a protein shake, but not a simple one, but a highly purified hydrolyzed whey protein isolate. This is important because regular whey will take a long time to be absorbed, but this one takes about 15 minutes. At this time, you can do some of your own business, for example, take a shower. After this time, an appetite will appear, because the protein will already have time to be absorbed, metabolism will accelerate, and the body will begin to ask for a new portion of food. When you come to the kitchen, you can prepare an omelet, oatmeal, pancakes, cottage cheese. If you wish, you can eat several different dishes at once. It is important to have both protein and carbohydrates in your morning diet, so there should be an equal amount of them. The main thing is to eat your fill. As a drink, it is recommended to drink a cup green tea. And, of course, we must not forget about vitamins and fish oil!
2. Large amounts of carbohydrates immediately after training. You can often hear advice that after training you should definitely consume easily digestible carbohydrates, but this is wrong. Thus, your appetite will only go away for the next 2 hours, preventing you from eating food that is really important for muscle growth. are only good if the goal is to increase strength and endurance, and not gain weight. And if you strive for the latter, then your choice should stop at protein.
3. Avoiding protein shakes. Some people do not include protein in their sports nutrition kit for gaining muscle mass, limiting themselves to gainers, believing that only a combination of carbohydrates and proteins will give the desired effect, but protein alone will not. One very simple rule works here: protein is important for muscle growth, so the first thing you should do is focus on it. People who regularly exercise physical exercise in the gym and want to gain weight, it is recommended to consume protein at a rate of 2-3 grams per kilogram of weight. Also, it is important not to try to gain weight on an ongoing basis, but to eat intensely for a couple of weeks, trying to achieve maximum results, and then give the body a break from the constantly increasing calories. To gain weight, protein from regular foods is not enough, so you can’t do it without the help of protein shakes. It is best to drink whey protein before and after training, and slow protein before bed. What kind of sports nutrition for gaining muscle mass can do without protein shakes? None.
4. Underestimation of BCAA and glutamine. BCAA is a complex of three amino acids that are extremely important: isoleucine, leucine and valine. They are considered almost the most important component of muscle building. The importance of taking these amino acids also lies in the fact that the body is not able to synthesize them on its own, so they only come from food. In addition to capsule form, BCAA is also available in powder form, which makes it easier to take, since the powder is tasteless and odorless; it can be added both to your shaker and to food. It is recommended to consume these amino acids during training, namely, divide the consumption into 3 times: before, during and after.
5. But BCAA amino acids alone are not enough for active muscle growth. The body requires even more amino acids than the previous three. Thanks to them, he will be able to produce hormones. And this is where powdered amino acids come to the rescue. They are absorbed faster and taste better than tablets. It is best to consume them immediately after meals.
6. Some people mistakenly believe that water is an obstacle to the natural processes of digestion. This is not so, and besides, it is also necessary. Water is the engine of anabolic processes in the body, which promote muscle growth.

Sports nutrition for gaining lean muscle mass

Cutting is a fairly common term among bodybuilders. It refers to proper sports nutrition for gaining muscle mass, which is designed to eliminate the fat layer as much as possible, which will make the body toned and the muscles become more visible. Everything is logical here; during drying, a person tends to lose excess water.

As everyone knows, the body takes energy primarily from carbohydrates. Glucose is stored in the body in the form of glycogen, and if you consume too many carbohydrates, the glycogen will begin to turn into fat. So, to make the body fit, you need to use this glycogen and fat, for which you exclude carbohydrates from the diet, and the body will begin to independently take carbohydrates from reserves. Although this type of so-called diet seems effective at first glance, it can be dangerous. So experienced athletes most often do such things. It is impossible to choose the best sports nutrition for gaining muscle mass that suits everyone, because it is very individual.

Most often, bodybuilders resort to drying before competitions. There are 4 foods that can be consumed in unlimited quantities: egg white, chicken breast without skin and fat, preferably steamed, fish, squid fillet. But the diet, albeit in very small quantities, should contain carbohydrates in the form of greens, cucumbers, cabbage, and buckwheat porridge. For an ordinary person trying to lose weight, drying is not at all the most suitable option. In this case, it will be enough to adhere to a few basic rules.

Rules for proper nutrition

1. You should not exhaust your body with exhausting diets. It is much better to know and consume what is healthy and exclude harmful foods.
2. What is best to prohibit yourself from is flour products and sugar.
3. Replace mayonnaise, chips, sausage, ice cream with vegetables, mushrooms, cottage cheese, kefir, cheese.
4. A complete refusal of fats can become extremely dangerous for the body, as metabolism and the condition of the skin, hair, and nails will deteriorate.
5. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
6. Don't overeat before bed. If it turns out that you have time to eat very late, then it is best to snack on some fruit and kefir.
7. It is best to eat often, but in small portions.

Homemade sports nutrition for gaining muscle mass is also possible. You can prepare protein shakes yourself and be confident in their composition. All you need is a blender and the necessary ingredients.

1. The first protein-carbohydrate shake can be made from a combination of milk, 1 banana and 1 tablespoon of honey.
2. You can also prepare it from 100 g of cottage cheese + milk + banana.
3. Another option is milk, egg white, banana and a tablespoon of sugar.

These are not all the cocktail options. Taking these ingredients as a basis and adding various fruits and nuts to them, you can make a protein shake that will be no worse than the one you bought, and in addition, store-bought mixtures may contain some harmful substances, but you will be sure of the composition of the drink you prepare yourself.