I apologize, but in the today’s article I once again appeal to women. However, I hope that it will also help men, who do not know how to help their training girlfriends, who are often lost in the variety of contradictory information, which we are bombarded with, concerning the training and supplementation for women.
Where do the above mentioned differences come from, since it is widely known that a person who trains should take supplements? Does this topic concern only men, who often before singing up to the gym already have in their locker a protein powder container and we are left only with l-carnitine and other slimming agents? Of course not!
The differences in supplements use stem from many reasons, mainly our different organisms, their sensitivity, the level of physical activity, effects that we want to gain. Taking all of this into consideration and basing on the achieved knowledge, my experience and available research, I will give you a prompt on which set of supplements may be safely used and which only will help you in your fight for a dreamed body.
However, at the very beginning I will start from the very basic “enhancer”, i.e. from the underrated mineral water. It should constantly accompany us during trainings and especially during strength workouts with free weights. In such situations I would avoid drinking isotonic drinks, even though I often see you at the gym with the “power-similar” bottles next to the barbell. You should reach for such a drink only after a long-lasting (more than an hour) intensive effort (e.g. aerobic) (around 3-5 carbohydrates per 100ml). This is when, in order to avoid strength decline, we need to rebuild muscle glycogen, taking in the meantime the dose of carbohydrates for better efficiency. Minerals that we lose during the training will be sufficiently supplied by good quality water. Of course we should also remember in general to drink around 2-3 liters of water a day, which I mentioned in my previous article.
The most widely known supplement is protein supplement, which will give us, women, the muscles as real bodybuilders have, haha 😀 I am joking, of course, but what is terrifying is the fact that this opinion is very popular and the question about the excessive muscle growth while using it appears in every second e-mail I receive on this topic (shock!).
Being physically active women, we need to be aware that we have higher needs for proteins, which as we know, are responsible for building our muscles. Of course we may also eat a slice of beef or chicken, but concentrated amino acids in the form of functional foods will be much more comfortable in preparation. Moreover, these amino acids are absorbed faster, which is very beneficial for us, especially after workout. However, since we can safely support ourselves with such a supplement, it should not constitute the only protein source in our diet. It should be treated as an additive, also in meals, as for example a “sweetener” to the oatmeal or omelet. Since we may also use protein powder during body mass reduction, they often may save us from hunger as they are very satiating. Also, with their help we may make a great healthy dessert what you will see soon on this blog, as I already have a great recipe for you with the use of the protein powder J
You also frequently ask me if protein powder is only “pure chemistry”. Yet, is there more chemistry than in chickens sold in markets? It is hard to tell… One is certain, just like meat may be of better and worse quality, the same concerns supplements. Therefore, you should choose products of good quality, produced by a reputable manufacturer and you will not harm yourself. So what to choose?
Protein powder supplements are available on the market in various kinds, both as for the taste is concerned as well as price, size and origin. What is the most important, we should read the labels! Protein supplements of animal origin are on the leading edge (whey protein, casein and beef), but certainly vegetarian soya protein will also be a safe and appropriate solution for the people who do not eat meat.
The best and the most popular choice are whey protein powder. Among them we differentiate protein isolates and concentrates. The powder with the content of around 70-85% pure proteins, where there are also carbohydrates and fats is a concentrate (WPC). I will mention here that whey constitutes the side-effect of cheese production, so we should pay attention to the amount of lactose in the product and WPC usually contains a lot. Isolate (WPI), on the other hand is a product with a lower content of non-protein ingredients, in which the content of pure proteins may reach even 95%. There is also hydrolysate (WPH), received from whey protein isolate in the technological process called hydrolysis, which leads to the “breakdown” of long peptides chains to shorter ones, which may be digested quicker (this supplement is the most expensive). Both isolate and hydrolysate are characterized by lower fat content (1-3%) and lactose content (0-3%). They are absorbed faster than WPC, so after their in take, amino acids appear in the bloodstream faster. They constitute a very good solution before and after workout. I personally use mainly isolates and hydrolysates and eat them usually with breakfast and directly after strength training. My favorite are 100% Whey Gold Standard, e.g. taste peanut butter-chocolate.
Casein is also worth attention, i.e. protein which constitutes ¾ of all milk proteins. It is digested longer than whey protein, therefore it is best to eat it before sleep, and not necessarily after workout. However, it is best to choose micellar casein, which have only 2,5g of lactose. You may prepare a very tasty pudding with its use!
Another supplement that I recommend and I already see a terrified sight of many of you J is creatine. It is stored in our muscles in the form of phosphocreatine and transformed in the main energy source (ATP), during short strength trainings with free weights or intervals. Women should use creatine malate, as contrary to creatine monohydrate it does not cause the increased water storage in the organism. It is used cyclically, e.g. for a month, 3-5g two times a day (in the morning and after workout), next you take a minimum month break. Research show that creatine has an influence on the increase of maximum muscle strength, which is reflected in the increase of lean muscle mass and a beautiful body.
This is not the end of the supplements I wanted to write about J But as for the one article this is a lot of information. This week – another part and I will describe when and in what amounts I use the supplements.
Kisses!
Karola Kocięda
