Three of the best sports supplements for muscle building. Sports nutrition for bodybuilding - A scientific approach to taking supplements. Pre-Workout Supplements

And using my 12 years of coaching experience (and 25 years of self-training experience), I will make you an expert in sports nutrition. Lesson one - never use the phrase "sports nutrition". These are supplements, “supplements”, and this word is more consistent with the main task of such products - to close holes in your diet, the lack of certain vitamins, trace elements, amino acids and other things (trust me, everyone has such gaps). I would conditionally divide consumers of sports supplements into two groups:

1. You have been training for a long time and hard (3-4 times a week without skipping) for the sake of a specific result - for example, you dream of shaking a barbell weighing 150 kg or running a marathon 42 km 195 m. You can and need a lot of what will be discussed below. I will offer specific sets of sports supplements for each task (see "Recipes").

2. Beginners, even if they train hard, - in the first six months you should get by with only both types of proteins: “quick” before breakfast, “long” at night. They make up for the protein deficiency that any Russian man has. I will recommend the same diet to those people who go to the gym once a week, “for themselves” (however, if you are overweight, consult a nutritionist first).

Well, I recommend both categories to take (after consulting a doctor) cardio- and chondroprotectors, regardless of the training program. Let's move on to the powders and bars. If any product known to you is missing from this material, it means that I consider it unnecessary.

1. Protein

Release form: powders

Why: Protein is often drunk right after a workout, saying: "Muscle mass, muscle mass!" But without carbohydrates, which everyone forgets about, protein powder is almost useless in the matter of instant muscle building. Use it just to make up for a general lack of protein. The body will find where to attach it, for example, make testosterone out of it. Proteins are "fast" and "long". The former are more biologically available and instantly provide your body with energy and building material. The latter give the protein gradually, over several hours. It is not difficult to distinguish them: any whey (whey) is “fast”. Any combination containing casein protein (casein) is "long".

How to take: "Fast" protein is consumed in the morning (1 serving 20 minutes before breakfast) and immediately after fat burning workouts. In general, I am a staunch supporter of a predominantly protein breakfast, this allows you to gently raise blood sugar levels after a night's sleep and further spin up your metabolism. “Long” drink 30-90 minutes after the last meal, at night, so that the body has proteins at hand even in a dream.

Recommended: Of the sports supplements that my clients have come across, I can recommend VPX's "quick" Zero Carb for breakfast. For the night, I heartily recommend "Infusion" from SAN. True, it is more than protein - such products are called "meal replacement". It includes different types protein (which are absorbed at different times and therefore provide your body with nutrition all night long), as well as vitamins and a dosed amount of carbohydrates that does not harm the figure.

2. Complex amino acids

Release form: capsules, tablets, caplets

For what: I strongly doubt that there are a lot of amino acids in products with such names. Rather, it is the usual "fast" protein, only in convenient packaging. On the road or after a long night in an ambush under the nose of the enemy, where you can not get a shaker, this is a good replacement for a protein shake.

How to take: In any training regimen, except for hypertrophy, - 2-3 tablets 2-3 times a day, as a replacement for protein powders. And in the midst of a long hypertrophy program - 3 tablets twice a day, you can with food or a gainer, and you will also drink protein.

3. Gainer

Release form: powder

Why: My favorite product! The combination of easily digestible proteins and carbohydrates contributes not only to speed dial mass, but also provides a hurricane of energy before training, and also significantly accelerates recovery after.

How to take: On training days, 30-45 minutes before training and immediately after. On rest days, 1 serving in the afternoon. In endurance training mode, you can three times a day: before and after training, as well as at night. And never eat a gainer for breakfast! The mass in this case will grow only on the sides.

Worth remembering

No amount of creatine with protein will ever correct technical errors or help sleep deprivation. Also, be aware that no supplement can replace a complete, regular, and healthy diet. And do not forget that even harmless and certified products, if used thoughtlessly and beyond measure, can cause irreparable damage to health. If you are suffering food allergies, metabolic disorders, diabetes, chronic diseases of the heart, kidneys, liver or gastrointestinal tract, then before taking any sports nutrition, you should definitely consult an adequate, qualified doctor.

4. BCAA

Release form: tablets, capsules, powder

Why: BCAAs are also amino acids, but only three: isoleucine, leucine and valine. According to a number of studies, skeletal muscles have the most of them. I use BCAAs (and I advise you to do the same) to lose much less muscle during your "fat-burning" or endurance-building period.

How to take: When training - 5 capsules before and immediately after training. On rest days, 2 capsules with regular meals.

5. L-carnitine

Release form: tablets, capsules, ampoules

Why: Carnitine makes it easier for your body to access fat stores. I'm not ready to say that L-carnitine helps to lose weight, but it really increases stamina and has a beneficial effect on health. of cardio-vascular system.

How to take: 1 tablet 2 times a day with food when training endurance or strength. And with any type of training, if you feel that the heart is experiencing a lot of stress (for example, on a hot summer day).

6. Creatine

Release form: powder, tablets, capsules

Why: Creatine is a precursor to creatine phosphate (CP), one of the main sources of energy for muscle work. CF provides an exceptionally short-term power nature of the work (the first 3-5 repetitions in the bench press, for example). It is generally accepted that taking creatine-containing supplements allows you to increase strength. For some, this is true, but for others, this supplement has no effect. Try it - suddenly this food is in you.

How to take: 2-3 g once a day, you can along with a gainer. Just be sure to drink after at least three glasses of plain water. Creatine has an unpleasant ability to absorb fluid, which can lead to spasms, bloating, and even trauma to the connective tissue, for which normal hydration is critical.

7. Glutamine

Release form: powder, granules, capsules

Why: With heavy physical exertion, glutamine reserves in the body are depleted, and this negatively affects the immune system and reduces regenerative abilities. Therefore, if you have more than 5 training hours per week, you should use this supplement.

How to take: At a dose 2 times a day, in the morning and in the evening 15 minutes before meals - and you will recover normally, it is easier to endure stress and get sick less.

8. Energy

Release form: "jars", powder

Why: Another favorite product of mine! A high-quality energy drink at the same time whips up your mood, sports enthusiasm and healthy aggression. During strength training, such a product is of paramount importance. Just keep in mind - these are special sports energy drinks that are sold in special sports nutrition stores! They contain practically no sugar, but there are substances that support the health of the cardiovascular system. FROM energy drinks from the supermarket they have little in common.

How to take: Just half a small bottle, drunk 30-45 minutes before training, - and you are ready to break any records! However, I do not recommend drinking energy drinks before every workout (maximum 1-2 times a week), and in no case drink more than one piece per day.

What to mix powders with?

Proteins and gainers can be mixed with ordinary non-mineral and non-carbonated water, freshly squeezed or packaged juice, as well as milk. For gainer the best option- water, in combination with juice or milk, the amount of carbohydrates and calories in the mixture will greatly go off scale. Protein powder will tolerate any of the liquids listed above, except that milk should be selected with the least fat. By the way, if your intestines do not tolerate milk, you can safely interfere with the protein on ... kefir. But all other powders, especially creatine, can only be mixed with water, and they must be drunk immediately - in liquid form, supplements are the least chemically stable.

9. Testosterone Boosters

Release form: capsules

For what. To supplements that increase testosterone levels, the attitude of doctors and laymen, as a rule, is completely negative. Obviously, because they are confused with hormonal doping. However, boosters do not pump you with extra hormones, but only gently increase the secretion of internal, your own testosterone. From the point of view of physiology, this means “becoming younger” by a few years, especially if you are over thirty. If you are 17-22 years old and you are healthy, you can safely do without this supplement - hormones in you are already in bulk!

How to take: The most useful quality of testosterone boosters, I think, is their stimulating effect on glucose metabolism. Therefore, in my opinion, it is most reasonable to use them when you are trying to get rid of excess fat. 2 capsules 2 times a day with meals.

10. Protein Bars

Form: you will laugh, but these are candy bars!

Why: Perhaps the most convenient source of protein and carbohydrates: no need to stir or drink - tore open the package and eat to your health! Use to quell hunger between major meals.

How to use. A couple of high-quality bars consistently beat off interest in food for exactly 3 hours, even for such an eternally hungry swallow like me. But the daily rate, according to my observations, is no more than 2-3 bars. If you exceed the dose, problems with appetite may begin!

* "Fast" protein - before breakfast and after training

** "Quick" protein for breakfast, "long" protein before bed

to health

There are a number of sports supplements and near-medical products that you can use in your diet, regardless of the goals that you are pursuing at a certain point in time.

cardioprotectors They should be taken before training during the hot season and during periods of endurance training. These include the L-carnitine already described above, as well as preparations containing potassium and magnesium - substances responsible for the smooth functioning of the heart. For example, potassium and magnesium aspartate.

vitamins and minerals I do not agree with the opinion that prevails among athletes and a number of coaches about the need to take increased doses of vitamins. Therefore, as a trainer, I prefer trivial pharmacy multivitamins in a normal dosage. As a rule, this is one serving immediately after breakfast. For taking additional vitamins supposedly useful to the athlete / pitching - C, E and B separately - I don’t advocate. More than enough multivitamins!

chondroprotectors American coaches have a good saying: “If you don’t play sports, you will go to a cardiologist. If you go in for sports, you will get to an orthopedist! So that the last part of this wonderful phrase does not touch you, regularly take chondroprotectors - additives that facilitate the regeneration of cartilage tissue and the restoration of the ligamentous apparatus as a whole. Even if you rarely go to the gym or don’t go at all, chondroprotectors are worth drinking to prevent diseases of the musculoskeletal system. How often? This information should be in the instructions for use.

In sports, not only training itself is important, but also proper sports nutrition.

Your success or failure in the process of implementing the training program depends on it.

Go to any gym and ask ten people what is the most important thing in bodybuilding. You can hear ten different answers. In this case, the answers will relate to various training methods and styles, but few will remember sports nutrition for an athlete.

Proper sports nutrition

Below you can read information about basic nutrition programs that include time limits, methods to help optimize a bodybuilder's diet, as well as the most preferred foods. You will learn how to calculate the daily nutrition you need in carbohydrates, fats, proteins, the total number of calories consumed.

The number of calories burned in sports

Sports nutrition for bodybuilders has its own characteristics. Therefore, before you start choosing the components of sports nutrition, you need to determine the number of calories you need. Calories are the common thread that links all types of food.

In recent years, you may have noticed that the calorie debate has become more and more frequent. How to choose a diet? High or low calorie? The same goes for fats, carbohydrates and proteins. More recently, American bodybuilding magazines have argued that fat diets are superior to carbohydrate diets. Just agree that there are a lot of opinions, and they are constantly changing.

How to Calculate Calories for a Bodybuilder

This method of calculating calories for a bodybuilder has been repeatedly tested and is suitable in most cases. If you can use it to make for yourself necessary calculations then you will get an excellent diet. Its formula is simple and at the same time very effective.

If you want to increase muscle mass or lose some weight, multiply your weight by 13-15 (in pounds). It all depends on your metabolism. 13 - slow, 14 - average metabolic rate, 15 - fast.

If you have been bodybuilding for a long time, use multipliers of 16-18. If you want to lose weight, multiply by 10-12.

For example, you are a 200 pound man with a slow metabolism who wants to build muscle and lose a few pounds. 200*13=2600 calories per day. Or you are a woman who weighs 105 pounds with a fast metabolism. You want to build your muscle mass without losing weight. 105*15=1575 calories per day.

Sports nutrition in bodybuilding is a variety of different sports supplements designed to accelerate the achievement of the desired result. Today it helps athletes to achieve any goals - muscle recruitment, losing weight, increasing strength and endurance, improving performance and motivation, increasing the level of anabolic hormones, improving the quality of recovery processes, etc.

In general, sports nutrition in bodybuilding is divided into three parts:

• Supplements that stimulate muscle growth;
• Complexes for application on drying;
• Supplements to improve performance, endurance, energy boost.

Let's go through each of these categories separately.

To gain muscle mass, athletes use protein complexes, gainers, creatine supplements, amino acids. There are also a number of other anabolic preparations for muscle gain, but the 4 types of sports nutrition listed by us are the most effective.

As for fat burning, the variety of supplements is also quite large. During drying, amino acid supplements, proteins and fat burners are most often used.

In this category, we included pre-workout complexes, as well as isotonics.

• pre-workouts- sports supplements to improve performance, endurance, strength during training. Increase motivation and mood, stimulate nervous system, contribute to the appearance of the pumping effect. We advise you to familiarize yourself with ours.
• - additives that improve the recovery of an athlete after power and aerobic exercise. Most often, the basis of these drugs is water, ascorbic acid, sugar. These drinks can be easily prepared at home.

Is it necessary to take sports nutrition

Absolutely all athletes must understand that sports nutrition is only an addition to the diet and cannot replace natural food. You can progress well without the use of sports supplements if you get all the necessary food from food. nutrients- for this, your diet should be rich in animal proteins, vitamins and minerals, fiber and other trace elements. If you have a limited budget for food, then priority should be given to quality natural food.

What should be the diet of an athlete?

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Sports nutrition is a highly effective supplement to the athlete's diet, containing the necessary biological substances for the fastest and highest quality effect. What is the effect of sports supplements? Different. Sports nutrition should be divided into groups:

• anabolic supplements;
• means for weight loss;
• energy supplements;
• complexes aimed at improving health;
• and means that contribute to the production of their own testosterone.

Consider the types and best brands of sports nutrition, both domestic and global markets.

What is needed in sports nutrition

Sports nutrition is an additional source of the necessary substances in a form convenient for taking. For example, for a person striving, every calorie counts! To gain mass, you need to consume a large amount of protein and even more carbohydrates, and it is very important to fill the need for calories in time, say, immediately after a workout, and the athlete simply does not have the opportunity to refresh himself for 40 minutes while open. That's when all kinds of sports supplements come to the rescue, blocking or at least reducing in the body and accelerating.

Moreover, sports nutrition is made in such a way as to deliver the necessary substances to the muscles as quickly as possible, provide energy or have a different effect on the body in a short time. Or another example. For greater performance during training, there is a group that are consumed immediately before training and provide the athlete with energy and quick recovery, due to such an additive, a person is able to train more intensively.

The benefits and harms of sports nutrition

There are many benefits to taking sports nutrition. Main benefit- this is the approach of an athlete to the cherished goal - strength and other sports indicators, volumes of muscle mass, weight necessary for competition and excellent quality of muscles. But there are plenty of benefits for sports nutrition enthusiasts as well. Sports supplements will help reduce excess weight, strengthen not only muscles, joints and ligaments, but also overall health, the immune system. And, of course, sports nutrition contributes to a set of high-quality muscle mass and rapid recovery!

As such, there is no harm from sports supplements, unless, of course, a person has contraindications for taking them, or if taking sports nutrition is not for its intended purpose. For example, those who are trying to lose weight should stay away from the group of sports nutrition that promotes mass gain, and vice versa. To avoid such a misunderstanding, you need to have basic knowledge and at least a little understanding of the types and purpose of sports nutrition.

Types of sports nutrition

For convenience, sports nutrition should be divided into groups.

Weight Gain Supplements

• is a carbohydrate-protein mixture that provides a huge amount of additional calories to the main diet, mainly from carbohydrates. The supplement also contains proteins and fats in different proportions. Gainers are fast and slow, depending on the ratio of proteins and carbohydrates.

• - a real protein in a biologically available form. In sports nutrition, animal sources are also distinguished. The latter are more often used in sports due to their effectiveness. Just like gainers, proteins are fast, obtained from whey, and slow, obtained from.

• - the main building material for all tissues of our body. Complexes of amino acids also differ. In some supplements, you can find both interchangeable and essential amino acids in one complex, and separately - three essential amino acids with branched side chains. You can also find supplements of each amino acid separately.

• - is used to produce ATP, which in turn is a source of fuel for muscles during prolonged and very intense exercise.

• Post training complexes of nutrients aimed at effective recovery after exercise.
• NO-boosters are substances that precede nitric oxide. These substances act on the smooth muscles of the blood vessels and increase blood flow to the muscles. Due to this, the muscles receive more nutrients. These supplements are also called nitrogen donors.

Weight Loss and Fat Burning Supplements

• - complexes of substances, the action of which is aimed at starting the processes of lipolysis or thermogenesis. Through these processes, fat is burned.

• is a vitamin-like substance involved in energy production - transporting fatty acids to the muscles and preventing the accumulation of fatty acids outside the cells.

• BCAA - these essential amino acids have an active effect on, which helps to improve lipid metabolism, so they are often taken not only when gaining mass, but also during the period. They also prevent catabolism.

Supplements that help strengthen the body

• - normalize metabolism, maintain health, integrity of cells and tissues, improve overall well-being and mood.

• - such supplements are just a storehouse of useful biological substances for our body. Some vitamin complexes contain many active ingredients that give a powerful effect along with other supplements for the entire body.

• Antioxidants are free radical fighters. They improve well-being, prevent the development of cancer, and also prevent aging.

• - contain substances that improve lubrication and relieve inflammation in the joints. The following chondroprotectors are considered the most effective: chondroitin, glucosamine and methylsulfonylmethane or MSM. These substances help strengthen the joints and make the ligaments elastic.

• Growth hormone activators and - substances that stimulate the body's natural production of growth hormone and testosterone.

Cortisol blockers

• - the amino acid serves to increase the work of the intramuscular buffering system. The product helps to prolong the performance of muscle tissues.

• - the supplement is aimed at supporting muscle recovery and performance during high-intensity training.

There are also many different products aimed at improving the functions or indicators of the body, as well as health in general. This includes supplements such as pre-workout complexes, meal replacements,.

Rating of manufacturers of sports nutrition

1. Universal Nutrition.
2. Ultimate Nutrition.
3. Optimum Nutrition.
4. Muscletech.
5. Olimp Labs.
6. weider.
7. biotech USA.
8. S.A.N. Nutrition.
9. myprotein.
10. Maxler.
11. Dymatize.

Rating of Russian manufacturers of sports nutrition

And here are the eight best manufacturers of sports nutrition from Russia:

1. Binasport.
2. Geneticlab.
3. steel power.
4. geon.
5. Muscular development.
6. Level UP.
7. pure protein.
8. Academy-T.

How to choose sports nutrition for a beginner

Choosing sports nutrition is easy. The most important thing is to decide what sports nutrition is for. so as not to get the opposite effect. For the rest, you need to purchase sports supplements only from reputable distributors. It is best to buy products from well-known and popular manufacturers among athletes. To do this, you can consult with or focus on the above ratings. Today, there are a lot of manufacturers of sports nutrition and, in most cases, all of them are the creators of high-quality and effective products for people who lead an active lifestyle, and those for whom sport is life! When buying a sports nutrition, you need to make sure that the product has not expired. Also, pay attention to the integrity of the packaging.

What sports nutrition is suitable for women

Women may need more than just fat burners or health and beauty supplements. Anabolic supplements may also be relevant. It all depends on what goals the athlete pursues in gym. The most popular sports nutrition products for women are:

• fat burners;
• BCAA complexes;
• protein;
• vitamin and mineral complexes;
• fatty acid;
• L-carnitine;
• antioxidants;
• meal replacements;
• isotonic drinks.

Conclusion

The list of manufacturers is constantly updated, as well as their product lines, so you should not trust the first online sports nutrition store that comes across. Please check the ingredients of the product before ordering. Moreover, consider supplements only from famous brands and in no case order sports nutrition in packages by weight. Take your health seriously, do not take any supplements if you are not sure of their effectiveness and quality.

Nutrition has a direct impact on the metabolism in the human body. Metabolism depends on how much food a person consumes and what kind of food. This affects the overall physical and psychological condition the person himself, the level of essential substances of the body, as well as the level of intelligence. No less important is the choice of nutrition in bodybuilding, since it is necessary to build muscle mass, and for this you need nutrients, and in sufficient quantities. Therefore, it is impossible to make a mistake in nutrition, otherwise the result of everyday training may not be seen.

Not the right approach to nutrition can negatively affect the results of training, or simply put, all the work will be in vain. This issue must be seriously addressed at the initial stage of bodybuilding. For this, detailed nutrition schemes have been developed that take into account the specifics of this sport: building muscle volumes. This proposed plan is devoid of the mistakes that are inherent in beginner athletes. At the same time, novice bodybuilders often ask questions that already have ready-made answers, since bodybuilding has been around for a long time, although it has its own specifics.

The usual diet that most people use, which is breakfast, lunch and dinner, is not suitable for bodybuilders. Since the breaks between meals are quite long, athletes have time to become very hungry during this time, since their metabolic processes go through much faster. The feeling of hunger causes the athlete's body to feed on energy reserves that are always in the athlete's body.

At these moments, the body begins to secrete the hormone cortisol, which begins to burn muscles, in the face of a declining energy potential of the body.

In addition, he begins to burn carbohydrates stored in the liver and muscles, and this cannot be allowed, as the muscle mass is lost, which the athlete is trying to build up in training. The level of glycogen also decreases, which is an indicator of readiness for the next workout. The higher the level of glycogen in the liver and muscles, the greater the endurance of the athlete and the greater his performance. AT this case, an athlete needs to eat about 6 times a day, but in smaller portions. By reducing the time between meals, the athlete's body is constantly fed with glucose, which comes from the intestines. At the same time, the body does not touch the glucose reserves and does not produce cortisol. But this is just one plus from this approach to the nutrition of athletes.

Eating according to this scheme accelerates the metabolic process, which also leads to accelerated muscle growth. There is another, very important plus of frequent nutrition: amino acids constantly feed the muscles, ensuring their growth. The constant presence of amino acids in the blood makes the athlete's body more resistant to various negative external factors. Naturally, stable immunity contributes to more effective and high-quality training.

What is the right diet for gaining muscle mass?

The term “proper nutrition” for an athlete means eating only those foods that contribute to the growth of muscle tissue. But the rest of the products that are of little use, it is better to exclude from the diet. Such products include carbonated drinks, sweet foods, muffins, as well as harmful, fatty and fried foods. By proper nutrition, as a rule, they mean nutrition from natural ingredients. Bodybuilders mainly eat products from the markets, where they purchase fresh meat, fish, herbs, vegetables and fruits.

Food purchased in the markets is really healthy, because it has not been subjected to special treatments that deprive the food of vitamins and microelements. In addition, they do not fry food, but steam, grill, etc., without adding animal fats.

Of course, you can visit McDonald's, but it is not advisable to eat food cooked in it, especially if you are overweight. For lean athletes, you can replace one meal at McDonald's out of six possible. If you eat a couple of hamburgers, you can replenish the body with 25 g of protein and 66 g of carbohydrates. The indicator is not bad, but it is better to refuse to use fried potatoes, cocktails, ice cream and pies, since it will not bring anything good except harm.

How much protein should be consumed per day?

Protein is the building block without which it is impossible to build muscle. Many people think that protein accelerates muscle growth. Hormones such as testosterone, growth hormone and insulin are responsible for building muscle mass. But this is provided that there is a sufficient amount of protein in the body. If the body feels its lack, then muscle building will stop. Protein is taken at 2 grams per kilogram of an athlete's weight. Gradually, the rate can be raised to 2.5 grams. With a weight of about 90 kg, you need to consume about 200 grams of protein per day, if not more. This amount is best distributed over 6 meals.

What is the best protein?

Many athletes consume whey protein, as it is absorbed faster by the body. Whey protein also contains leucine, isoleucine and valine, which are considered the main components that provide the necessary growth of muscle tissue. Take this product half an hour before training, as well as after it.

What is the concept of "good" fats

Fats are considered the main source of replenishment of the human body with energy, so you should not be afraid of them. One gram of fat contains up to 9 calories, which is twice as much as carbohydrates. It is generally accepted, especially in recent times, that good fats are vegetable fats, and bad ones are animal fats. In fact, this is not the case, since a person also needs animal fats, since they serve as a source for the secretion of testosterone and other equally important hormones.

As a rule, vegetarians have low muscle tone and low sexual activity. This is due to the lack of testosterone in their body, associated with the exclusion of food of animal origin from the diet. Basically, fats do not harm the human body if a person consumes them in moderation. For the normal growth of the useful mass of a bodybuilder, he needs to consume food of both plant and animal origin. In addition, he needs to consume fish oil containing fatty acids of the Omega 3 family, but not more than 30% of the total daily diet.

What should you eat before a workout?

Bodybuilding classes require a mandatory meal before training. Somewhere 1.5-2 hours before it starts, you just need to eat. You can eat chicken, beef or fish with boiled potatoes, rice or oatmeal. Half an hour before training, a cocktail containing whey protein (20 g) and carbohydrates (40 g) is drunk. This approach to nutrition will allow you to more effectively train and increase muscle volume.

What should be consumed after a workout?

Equally important, after training, immediately drink a cocktail of 20-40 g whey protein and 40-100 g of carbohydrates. Such a cocktail is called a gainer. Somewhere in half an hour, the body will need carbohydrates, which are absorbed quickly enough. It could be White bread or mashed potatoes. Moreover, you should not postpone the intake of proteins and carbohydrates, since their absence will provoke the secretion of cortisol, which is not at all desirable.

Should I drink water and how much?

Because the human body mainly consists of water, then without it no processes take place in the body, including muscle growth, since fluid is also needed to build them. Often, dehydration of the body is hidden. To find out, you need to drink 3 cups of water and monitor your condition. If everything is in order, then in half an hour you will have to go to the toilet. Otherwise, you should think about it, since the absence of the urge to go to the toilet indicates the presence of the disease. 3.5 liters of fluid per day for a bodybuilder is the norm.

As a rule, the liquid allows you to flush out toxins from the body in time, as well as nourish muscle tissue. When an athlete feels thirsty, it must be quenched in excess. If you drink 1 glass and the feeling of thirst disappears, then it is better to drink 2 glasses next time.

Is it possible to break a sports diet?

People who are on a diet always want to try something delicious, such as ice cream, pizza or sweet cake. There will be no problems if the athlete has a lean physique. For such athletes, once a week, it is permissible to violate the regime proper nutrition. If an athlete is already struggling every day with his overweight, then it is permissible for him to violate the regime only once a day. In other words, out of 6 meals, one meal may be unhealthy, but the other 5 should consist entirely of healthy foods. At the same time, you need to try to eat less in order to invest in a daily calorie intake.