Supplements...WHICH? WHY? WHEN?

I often read articles and search different supplements, a lot of which can be very confusing to anyone. Do I personally use supplements? I do, due to my intense training regime and the constant stress I put my body under, I find using the supplements that I use help me to recover quicker and provide me with the energy I need.

So, the supplements I use are: BCAA's (Branched chain amino acids) before and after my workouts. BCAA's contain amino acids that occur naturally within the body that is normally in quite a short supply. It gives me the energy I need and prevents my muscles from tiring quite quickly, it also helps to reduce my DOM's and hold onto muscle better. You can get a variety of different flavours depending on the brand (I've just ordered 'Berry Blast" from MyProtein).

Protein Powder either after my workout or at some point during the day in my zoats. I use protein powder because I love the flavour's they come in and they make my zoats taste amazing. I do not in any way promote replacing meals with protein powder because it doesn't contain the nutrients that good healthy foods do. Although, protein powder is great to add as a snack to cheaply bump up your protein intake, it's very convenient and versatile (you can also bake using it). I currently use TheProteinWorks protein powder in Choc Peanut Cookie flavour and have used their Caramel Macchiato, Chocolate Milk and Toffee Sundae flavours in the past, which are all super yummy. Although, last night I did order Micellar Casein from MyProtein instead of whey protein powder. The reason I have ordered this instead is because Casein is slower releasing which is ideal for bedtime to tide you over until the morning (I get very hungry later on in the evening, so this will suit me a lot better) and helps to prevent the breakdown of muscle. I am looking forward to trying it and will hopefully notice a difference in my recovery and retaining muscle.

Vitamins daily, Bodybuilders are often deficient in certain vitamins, e.g. zinc, iron etc. I try and get as much vitamins and minerals as I can from foods, but the vitamins just help boost that. As a woman, it's even more important that my body gets the vitamins and minerals that it needs (especially due to my hormonal imbalance, which I'm trying to rectify). I currently use TheProteinWorks Elite Women's Vitamins & Minerals, and Holland & Barrett's Cod Liver Oil & Omega 3 & 6 tablets, although, last night I ordered MyProtein Active Women's Vitamins to try.

Protein Bars as a snack, probably every other day or so. I love protein bars and have probably tried the majority of the ones worth trying, they satisfy my sweet tooth without the unnecessary trans fat, sugar and carbs. I never substitute them for a meal, i always just use them as a snack. I've got to say, my ultimate favourite protein bar has got to be the Grenade Carb Killa Caramel Chaos, it is OMG sooooooooo tasty, it's not chewy and sticky like some can be, it's just like a normal chocolate bar!!!!! The macro's are also super good!!! A close second has got to be the Quest bars, especially when heated in the microwave!!! mmmm!!! I love them all, although the white chocolate and raspberry is top notch!!! Plus the macro's are also super good on these!!! PHD's peanut butter flapjack is also super tasty, but a bit carb heavy, so if I have one, it tends to be post-workout only. I always shop around for my protein bars because they can be quite expensive otherwise, I search online until I find them at a bargain price. Last night I managed to get 24 quest bars for the bargain price of £23!!!!!! That has NEVER happened before, I am pretty pleased with myself.

These are all the supplements that I use and find effective in my recovery and getting the best out of my workouts. I use them all ALONGSIDE nutritional and wholesome foods, they should NOT be used instead of meals. Supplements can be quite costly, so I would recommend taking the time to search for the best deals, but also checking the ingredients, because some can have a shed load of sugar, added crap and have crazy macro's. Always buy in bulk, it tends to be the cheapest way to buy and will last you longer. I tend to do quite large purchases that last me months and months!!!

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