TOP SUPPLEMENTS FOR A RIPPED PHYSIQUE

TOP SUPPLEMENTS FOR A RIPPED PHYSIQUE

Attaining a great body that’s lean, strong and healthy is no easy task but is definitely achievable.  Most of us want to be healthier, happier and more confident.  Living a fit lifestyle is the key to achieving your dreams in all aspects of your life.  When you are in control of your mind and body you are in control of your life.  Living a fit lifestyle will not only improve your physique but your mind and spirit as well, enabling you to strive for bigger goals to create the life & body of your dreams.

Having a ripped physique is a combination of genetics, good nutrition and regular strength training and cardio.  There is no question about it, if you want a fabulous body and good healths then you have to live it faithfully daily!  There are no easy short cuts; however, consuming a proper diet, exercising, getting enough sleep, and taking the proper bodybuilding supplements will assist your efforts dramatically.  Supplements are important to sculpt the body easier and faster.

I take supplements daily they keep me going strong and aid in keeping my physique in top shape.  There are tons of supplements to choose from but only a few are a staple in most bodybuilder’s supplementation routine.  

Below are the top supplements that can take you to the next level if you are working out regularly and eating clean.  In order to achieve maximum muscle growth and fat loss, you must have essential nutrients to fuel your tired, growing muscles to lose fat and build muscle tissue.

TOP BODY SCULPTING SUPPLEMENTS

Amino Acids aka BCAA’s:

Amino Acids called the Critical Five amino acids—L-Glutamine, L-Arginine and BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine and valine)—are most important nutritional to take before, during and after exercise.  They are the foundation of building lean muscle mass.

Amino Acids are the building blocks of muscle protein, which creates and maintains lean muscle tissue.  Getting adequate amounts of Amino Acids is difficult for those who exercise, intense exercise burns Amino Acids rapidly in the body, failure to replenish the body with proper Amino Acids can cause little to no progress, making living a fit life frustrating and unrewarding.

Amino Acids are best used as free form taken in powders and pill form.  These types of BCAA’s do not require digestion and go straight into the blood stream for immediate use by muscle cells. BCAAalso provides 70% of the body's Nitrogen requirement, which keep the body in a anabolic state.

L-Arginine:

L-Arginine is one of my all time my favorite bodybuilding supplement.  When I began drinking Liv International’s GO Nitrimax I had amazing muscle tone and fat loss without changing my diet or exercise routine, it’s now a staple in my daily supplementation. Drinking BCAA’s during your workout is not only energizing but it aids in muscle repair and maintains the body from going into a catabolic state (muscle loss).

Many fitness enthusiast, sports fanatics, and bodybuilders like to take 3 to 5 grams of L-Arginine as part of a pre-workout supplement, since the increased blood flow to the muscles that this amino acid provides will lead to quicker repair of muscles damaged during a heavy workout and speed up muscle growth and fat loss. Many bodybuilders take it as a post-workout supplement as well, to further stimulate blood flow and allow better delivery of nutrients to the muscles. Taking it before bed also maximize HGH production while you sleep as well as aid in muscle growth, so wake up feeling somewhat younger, stronger and healthier!

L-Glutamine:

L-Glutamine is another must have supplement in your fitness, fat burning arsenal. L-Glutamine supplementation can minimize breakdown of muscle, increase protein metabolism, improve immunity and increase growth hormones, to name a few.

L-Glutamine also aids in weight loss in addition to taking glutamine can improve your fitness level, a sculpted physique and good health.  L-Glutamine has powerful benefits strengthening the immune system, muscles, digestive tract, liver and brain functions. In fact, it is the single most abundant amino acid in your body. The L-Glutamine that is synthesized in the body or ingested from food might not be enough for individuals who train frequently, endure chronic stress or have weakened immune system, that’s where supplementation comes in, taking L-Glutamine directly after exercise is best for optimal results.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids:

Fish oil, Flax Seed Oil and Omega 3 supplements aren't just popular taking them regularly increases longevity, fat loss and good health.  Research has discovered that increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids help maintain optimal health, including fat loss, cardiovascular health, joint health, mood/cognitive health and bone health.  

Omega-3 fatty acids include alpha linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These fatty acids are essential for life because they serve as chemical building blocks for your body production of prostaglandins which are biologically active compounds that are involved in a host of functions from blood vessel dilation to hormone balance, mental clarity and energy.

Protein:

Protein is a powerful nutrient for transforming the body; it’s needed to recover the muscles for the next workout.  In an effort to maintain and sculpt your body, have better health and more energy than nutrition must be a high priority. 

If you are training hard, eating properly and using the right nutritional you will reach your fitness goals.  Whey protein powder and complex carbs are the fuel needed to blast through intense workouts.  Protein intake is the most important aspect of any fitness enthusiast’s diet. It is the very foundation of muscle development.  Protein shuttles into your muscles to get bigger gains. So, after every hard-training exercise, make sure you consume an advanced whey protein product of the highest quality such as Whey Isolate, Hydrolysate and concentrate.

Proper Nutrition

At any level of fitness it is important to make sure you are eating correctly.  If you are training to sculpt your body then eating clean and taking supplements is essential.  It’s important to nourish the body with adequate calories, carbohydrates, proteins, fats and micronutrients, so that the muscle damage you’re causing during intense training can be repaired quickly and with less lactic acid buildup creating soar, stiff muscles.

Timing is Everything

Getting adequate nutrients into your body within 30 to 45 minutes directly after a tough training session is critical for proper recovery and muscle growth.  If nothing is consumed after exercise, protein balance is compromised in the body.  Drinking whey protein shakes with carbohydrates are an easy meal to have on the way home from the gym.

However, increasing amino acids found in protein and supplementation isn’t very anabolic without insulin; therefore, carbohydrates increase insulin, which drives the amino acids and glucose from the blood into the muscle to stimulate protein synthesis and glycogen into the worked muscles. The best time to stimulate recovery and adaptation is during and after training along with eating another protein, complex carbohydrate such as oatmeal an hour after strength training.

If you incorporate these supplements into your diet daily you will soon reap the awesome health and physical benefits for doing so.  Living a fit life is just that a lifestyle, it’s not a diet but a way to live.  Embrace living a healthy lifestyle it’s an incredibly empowering way to live!

~Carol Whitaker

Lifestyle Fitness Coach & Consultant
http://carolwhitaker.com

Share this post