Bikini Challenge: Day 10

Get EXCITED!! It's LEG day!!

Question: Are supplements important?

YES!!! Supplements make it much easier to get the necessary nutrients to build muscle as well as promote fat loss. Supplements can even give you an advantage and enhance your training when taken right and combined with a good diet. When you work out, you deplete your body of certain nutrients that it needs to grow, stay healthy, as well as reduce recovery time for your muscles. I always suggest adding into your diet the three main supplements below:

1. BCAA's: Branched chain amino acids- valine, leucine, and isoleucine- are essential amino acids that make up about 1/3 of the amino acids in muscle tissue.BCAA’s have tissue sparring properties in muscle building as well as providing an energy source for endurance type activities. BCAA’s also act as nitrogen carriers which assists the muscles in synthesizing other amino acids which means an easier repair and recovery.

2. Protein: To build muscle, you need protein. Protein is the nutrient most responsible for the creation of new muscle tissue. Without an adequate supply of protein, new muscular growth is not possible. If you lack protein, you radically reduce your chances of building new muscle. In the worst case scenario, you risk the chance of losing hard earned muscle. Training hard while in a protein deficiency state can be very hazardous to your training regime.

4. Multi- Vitamins: Workouts increase your nutritional needs. There is no doubt about it. Having extra amounts of vitamins and minerals may be the one supplement you may really want to consider adding to your diet. Taking vitamin supplements should not take the place of good nutrition. However, research has shown that most inndividuals fall short of the requirements for many key nutrients, including vitamins C, E, B12, folic acid, zinc, and magnesium, which is why a growing number of people are turning to supplements. Vitamins and minerals are vital to all our biological functions including the synthesis of new muscle tissue. Vitamins help release the energy provided by the macro nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, and fat.