How To Supplement Your Workouts

Not seeing as much progress in the gym as you'd like? Feeling a little drab, without energy or that drive you had last month to work out all the time? We've compiled a list of supplements that'll aid your workouts, helping you to get shredded any time of the year.

Iron

Every woman needs iron, we all know this. Unfortunately, due to our nature as breeding machines, we need way more iron than our male counterparts. Seems unfair, right?

Who would have thought that iron would make for a good partner to exercise? Not us, that's for sure! When you exercise intensely, your iron levels are decreased. So, taking an iron supplement to combat this; decreases fatigue, increases immune function, repairs cognitive function, and increases performance.

However, you should consult a doctor before taking a supplement, your iron levels may be adequate and you don't want to mess with the balance. It's best to take iron 2-3 hours before or after a workout for optimal efficiency.

 

Caffeine

Nature's most popular stimulant. How good is this? Caffeine as a workout supplement. Sometime's life surprises us with it's sweetness.

It's pretty obvious that caffeine is an easy and efficient way of boosting energy but it also helps to promote muscle strength, endurance in the gym, and mental focus. Not only this, it has shown to decrease cognitive decline in women, future-proofing your brain against dementia and alzheimers.

Funnily enough, drinking coffee isn't the most effective way of reaping from these benefits. I know - it upset us, too. Instead, it's better for you to take a caffeine anhydrous supplement. There is an upside to this though, on iHerb.com, a bottle of caffeine supplements retails for around $5NZD. This almost makes it cheaper than a flat white!

 

Calcium

Again, women have to be really careful about their calcium intake. Women are more prone to osteoporosis and weak, brittle bones so we Gotta get that calcium.

Calcium helps with fat loss, bone health, and muscle contractions. However, all of these perks benefit men as well as women. So, what's in it for the ladies? Well, it reduces the symptoms of PMS. Thank the lord for that! The more calcium you take, the less you experience the whole slough of nasties that can pop up at that time of the month.

Women should aim to for 1,000mg - 2,000mgs of calcium per day. We recommend ThinLab's calcium nitrate as it's a super high quality form of the stuff.

 

BCAA

So, we've stepped out of your every day supplements and into the heavy stuff: BCAA. It sounds pretty hard out and it kind of is but the benefits you will reap from it are phenomenal. 

BCAA is made up of three amino's; isoleucine, leucine, and valine. It helps with endurance, so your workout can really run the distance.

Not only this, it assists in the growth of new muscle tissue. Sounds pretty good, right? It makes your workout last longer and you grow bigger muscles!

 

Whey Protein

Protein is good for muscle development, we all know this.

Why not eat eggs and high proteins instead though? Surely that's better for you? Well, not necessarily. Whey protein is the real VIP of the protein world due to it's digestibility. It absorbs into the body better than traditional forms of the good stuff.

Because it's so digestible, it sends amino's to the muscle tissue rapidly. This makes it great for a workout, obviously. Whey protein also contains peptides, which increase blood flow to muscles and oxygen levels.  

 

Hopefully, reading this has got you excited about increasing your results at the gym. It's great to eat a healthy and balanced diet but sometimes we just need a helping hand.