When you start out on a fitness journey, it is only normal to set some goals for yourself. Do you want to lose weight? Build more muscle? Get healthier? It is all up to you. While setting these goals might be easy, achieving them is more challenging.
You will need to exercise regularly, eat healthier foods and probably get a fitness trainer or a friend to keep track of your journey. It will take months, maybe even years, with a lot of work and dedication to achieve the fitness goals you have set up for yourself.
But what if there was a way to speed up the process? That is where supplements come in.
With supplements, you can boost your weight loss process, promote recovery, gain more muscle in a short amount of time, and increase your endurance during exercise.
That said, it is important to know what kind of supplements you should use for different fitness goals. Here is a list of five supplements, how they work, and how they can let you reach your fitness goals faster:
Table of Contents
Protein Powder
Whether you are trying to lose weight or build more muscle, protein supplements should be an important part of your diet. As we know, proteins are the building blocks of our bodies. They are responsible for building muscle, aiding in the recovery process, and when taken correctly, they can boost fat loss.
While you can take protein-rich foods like eggs and meat to aid in your fitness journey, taking a few protein supplements will do better and much faster work.
Magnesium
As a mineral, magnesium is responsible for a lot of activities in our bodies. It regulates muscle and nerve function, assists in the conversion of food into energy, balances your blood sugar levels, and creates more protein for your body.
Taking magnesium supplements is, therefore, necessary if you are looking to build more muscle, boost your athletic performance, or recover from a muscle injury. For better results, you can also include magnesium-rich foods like nuts and fatty fish in your diet.
Pre-Workout Supplements
Unlike magnesium and protein supplements, pre-workout supplements contain more than one ingredient. These ingredients, when used together, are designed to boost your endurance and energy before a workout.
Some of the most five common ingredients in pre-workout supplements are:
Caffeine: increases endurance for a cardio-heavy workout.
L-Citrulline: Support endurance during training by increasing the supply of blood to your muscles
Nitrate: Increases speed and performance during activities such as running and cycling
Beta-Alanine: increases endurance during weight lifting by reducing muscle fatigue
Creatine: Produces short, intense bursts of energy necessary for activities such as sprinting
Fish Oils
Fish oils can have immense benefits to your body. They strengthen your bones, increase your body and muscle mass, and improve your mood. Taking fish oil supplements as part of your fitness journey can also increase your endurance during a workout, leading to faster results.
Apart from that, fish oils can lower inflammation levels caused by intense workouts and help you recover faster from a muscle or body injury.
Amino Acids
Amino acids are responsible for breaking down food, cell growth, repairing body tissue, and producing more proteins. These functions are no different for amino acid supplements.
Also, amino acid supplements reduce fatigue by boosting your energy during your workout. With increased energy, you can reach your fitness goals faster, whether your goal is weight loss or getting fitter.
Conclusion
Apart from the five mentioned above, many other supplements in the market can help you reach your fitness goals faster. However, while some supplements are good for your health, some are not. Before taking a supplement, it is advisable to do thorough research and possibly consult with a doctor.