🏋Mazzle's Getting Fit - The Harsh Reality of Supplements 🏋
Supplements - do you really need them?
One topic that comes up very regularly in my gym is supplements. People frequently ask which supplements are best and which ones they should use.
I have a couple of options when asked these questions - I could go for an easy sell, and sell these people everything I have in stock, or I could actually work with them to find out if supplements are right for them.
When entering business, one of my goals was to be as ethical as possible, so I choose to work with my clients to see if they actually need supplements. And, in most cases, I discover that the people who use my gym generally don't benefit from supplementation.
The reasons why the supplements industry worries me are:
- It is poorly regulated in most parts of the world
- Many supplement brands make claims about their products that are simply not true
- Many supplements have been found to possess either banned or harmful substances
- One thing that has always bothered me is that whey protein was originally a waste product from the dairy industry. What happened here is simply a process of turning a waste stream into a revenue stream. And while this is impressive in a business sense, you have to wonder if the products are developed with the consumer's health in mind.
Not all supplements are bad, but you still might not need them
You really need to evaluate if you need supplements in the first place before going out and grabbing some. Consider the following before wasting money on supplements.
- Do you train at a competitive level or is your fitness close to or at the level of an athlete?
- Do you already eat an excellent diet but need that something extra to take you to the next level of fitness?
- Has your exercise regime been developed by a professional but you need that something extra to take your fitness to the next level?
If you answered yes to any of these, then it's quite possible that supplements will help you. If you didn't answer yes, then it's quite possible that a change in diet or the way you exercise will help you to achieve that next level of fitness that you are working to achieve.
Concluding remarks
For most people, a healthy and well rounded diet with a good and regular exercise regime is all you need to achieve a good level of fitness. Supplementation should really only be considered when you want to take your fitness to a much higher level.
And even then, the brand of supplements and ingredients of that supplement need to be heavily scrutinised. There are many dodgy players out there in this game, and it can be easy to be fooled by them. The low level of regulation in this industry is incredibly scary, and this leads me to rarely recommend supplements to anyone that I meet.
What do you think? Do you think supplementation is necessary for your training?
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wow... had no idea that protein powders were originally a waste product from the dairy industry. Thats crazy! Great post!
Blinky! You exist! :D
Yeah, its taken me a while to get everything in order. :) I'm up and running now though. ;)
I want your t-shirt Ian..
Grab one from @steemitshopaus. :)
Yes I will give it a go.😃
For sure. :D
There will be Steem hoodies soon too.
I keep reading about how supplements aren't all that effective or might not be all that good for you. Then, too, there's folks that just want the supplements, without thinking about what the term means: they supplement something else. There's another thing that's suppose to be happening first—diet certainly and probably exercise to get things moving—so when I see young people in particular talking about whey protein or other things I think, okay, you're taking the supplements, but you're still eating the burgers and fries, the pizza, the nachos, etc. I think they think the word supplement means counteract, as in they will counteract the bad stuff they're feeding their faces with. :)
That's very true. I know plenty of people who simply think the supplements are something they must take before, while or directly after they work out. There's no thought about what their diet is like or the intensity of their work out.
I even see people who spend 2 hours in the gym every day while only doing exercise for 30 minutes of that time. And every time I see them they're walking about with a protein shaker as if they're a pro body builder.
It's truly amazing how even a protein shake can be turned into a manifestation of vanity.
Oh, well. You'll be able to write a book about this. Or maybe two. You're pretty much setting up the chapters here as you go. :)
Haha! I wonder if I could?
You're already doing it. Some more anecdotes, a few more facts, some pictures and some graphics. Viola! :)
I never took supplements to be honest. Get on DTubeFitness, it's a great group!
I'll check them out. :)
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A very responsible post, mazzle. :)
I'm not sure why I am commenting on a supplement post, but I felt it was important to note nonetheless. I don't take supplements, I simply don't do enough to ever take my fitness to any level other than not to turn into a blob in my old age. But I've always viewed supplements in a bad light even though I know it wasn't entirely fair. I'm just suspicious soul. I liked your balanced commentary on them.
Thanks Linny. It’s important to know the risks when getting into this type of thing. Even if you’re not currently taking them.
Oh and you’re far from old. :P
I feel ancient and covered in webs internally as I cling to my youth. Maybe I do need to consider what supplements I need to take for old age. lol
When I 'trained'--if you can call it that--for a marathon, I felt everything was falling apart. It's a twinge here and there and I just felt OLD. You can't abuse your body like you do in your younger years. Omg... the more I write this the more depressed I feel. I'll go off and ponder on supplements (much later).
Haha I doubt you need supplements. Probably just a strength training program to help maintain that youthful feeling. Have a chat to a decent gym about strength training. You'll feel 100% in no time.