Everything you wanted to know about sports nutrition. Everything you need to know about sports nutrition

Have you been working out in the gym or at home for more than half a year, but still no results? Avoid bars in fitness clubs? Do you look with disapproval at lean girls and guys who use sports nutrition? Then everything is clear with you. You are an amateur in sports and know nothing at all about sports supplements, and don’t even suspect that sports nutrition can be not only safe, but also healthy. We immediately fill in the gaps and conduct an urgent educational program!

What are sports supplements?

Sports supplements should not be confused with nutritional supplements. Although in Russia sports nutrition is included in the category of dietary supplements, it is intended primarily for athletes and people leading an active lifestyle. In addition, I will not be mistaken if I say that it will be useful for people engaged in heavy physical labor.

Sports nutrition is a natural supplement that contains a large number of useful substances for the human body. Simply put, these are the components that are present in human food and are necessary for him to maintain life. However, sports nutrition contains a concentrated amount of these elements, in the proportion that is most suitable for the human body.

Very often, ignorant people confuse sports supplements with doping and steroids. This is a misconception that most often scares beginners away from all kinds of sports supplements.

Doping and steroids they make a superman out of an athlete, with inherent superpowers that are not available to mere mortals. But this is achieved at the expense of enormous sacrifices - it causes enormous harm to the body. Sports supplements are a completely different class of drugs that have a beneficial effect on the human body and compensate for the lack of microelements, nutrients and vitamins for various purposes. Athletes or people who are involved in building an athletic physique always adhere to a certain diet - dietary restrictions. And against the background of such “starvation” and increased physical activity, the body needs to receive more nutrients than usual.

This is where specially developed sports nutrition comes to their aid.

What are sports supplements for?

We get all the substances our body needs from food. If our physical activity leaves much to be desired, then most likely there is no need to take additional portions of such substances. Although, in our time, when the main part of our diet is fast food and processed foods, vitamins and minerals are most likely catastrophically low in our diet.

And if you are a person who actively plays sports 4-5 times a week, then sports nutrition is just right for you.

But what about those who are losing weight? You're in the same line for sports nutrition! Do you think it’s better to eat a couple of sandwiches than drink a glass of something nasty? I hasten to disappoint you. Sandwiches won't give you any benefit other than (short-term) satiety and extra pounds of fat.

So, let's summarize. What are the main functions of sports nutrition in our body?

1. Replenishes the lack of nutrients, vitamins and microelements

2. Provides extra energy to make your workouts more effective

3. Allows you to maintain a high metabolic rate while on a diet

4. Provides faster absorption of nutrients included in sports supplements

5. Helps control appetite

6. Allows you to build muscle tissue at a rapid pace and participates in its restoration

7. Allows you to burn fat during exercise

8. Provides reliable protection joints and ligaments that are subject to heavy loads

These are just the main benefits of sports supplements that you may not have heard about yet. Any professional athlete will bring you a dozen more useful properties which he experiences on himself every day.

Classification of sports supplements

Depending on what goal the athlete pursues, he chooses his own set of sports supplements that can provide him with everything he needs. To understand what classes of sports supplements exist and what processes they are responsible for, here is a list of the main categories:

Proteins

Proteins are different depending on their purpose:

• Whey Protein (Fast Digesting Protein)
• Calcium caseinate (slow-digesting protein)
• Soy protein (vegetable protein)
• Egg protein (animal protein)

All these types of protein have subtypes and different purposes and methods of administration. They have one thing in common - they are aimed at muscle growth.

Gainers are carbohydrate-protein mixtures. These supplements have as their main goal the maintenance of energy reserves for effective training and muscle growth after it. Along with a fairly high protein content (about 50%), gainers contain about 30% carbohydrates. we need to provide the body with glucose during training. Gainers are used together with proteins. However, for overweight people it is better to avoid gainers, as they are high in calories and can provoke the growth of not only muscles, but also subcutaneous fat. But ectomorphs simply need gainers. Due to the fact that it is very difficult for them to gain weight, and it is simply impossible to eat so much, gainers provide them with an invaluable service.

Energy

But how can those who are pursuing the goal of losing weight get the necessary energy before training? Energy can help you! However, such drinks have a number of contraindications and their regular use is not recommended. They have a stimulating effect on nervous system, which can contribute to such unpleasant consequences as:

• insomnia,
• nervous exhaustion,
• tachycardia,
• increased heart rate,
• addiction.

The main components included in energy drinks:

• Green tea extract
• Guarana
• Taurine

By the way, all these substances are present in the diet of every Russian citizen. Well, what is breakfast without coffee and dinner without a cup of tea? But don't overuse it energy drinks, unless, of course, you’re training for a marathon or a grueling three-hour workout.

Amino acids are found in human food and are necessary not only for athletes, but also ordinary people. Amino acids are found in animal and plant foods, and many of them are essential for the human body. Amino acids are building material all cells of the body. That is why the use of a complex of amino acid sports supplements is a necessary element of the training process. Among the most frequently The amino acids used in sports supplements are:

• Glutamine
• Creatine
• Arginine
• Lysine
• Alanin
• Inosine

In general, there are more than 20 amino acids in nature, which, when entering our body, form amino acid compounds of various types and purposes. Amino acids are taken before and after training, as well as at night, to prevent catabolic processes in the body, that is, the processes of muscle breakdown.

Fat burners

Sports supplements that trigger fat burning processes during exercise. This is exactly what I want to draw your attention to. Don't assume that fat burners will help you burn fat while lying on the couch or allow you to eat a couple of extra servings of ice cream at night without harming your figure. Not at all like that! Fat burners are substances that help your body, during intense muscle work, use energy obtained by breaking down fat cells, rather than its own protein.

There are several types of fat burners:

• Thermogenics
• Carbohydrate blockers
• Fat blockers
• Appetite suppressants
• Cortisol blockers
• L-carnitine
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Diuretics (or)

All these supplements will only bring results if followed dietary nutrition and physical activity. You should not abuse them - at a minimum, you will not see a difference by increasing the dose, and at maximum, you will feel worse and get health problems.

Are sports supplements dangerous?

I think that I will express a general opinion if I answer this question: NO!

If you still think that sports nutrition is harmful, then in your spare time, study the labels on your food products. Search the Internet for “Deciphering nutritional supplements” and you will learn a lot about how your body works.

Nowadays, synthesized products are increasingly being introduced into the diet of every person. These products have much less benefits, but they cost manufacturers less. They are addictive and tie you to certain brands and brands, increasing the profits of manufacturers. Look how poor our diet has become in an era of food abundance. I don’t know what is more in our fruits – vitamins or nitrates?

Against the backdrop of this general “starvation”, sports nutrition acts as a lifeline. The only thing we should warn you against is excess and intolerance. Sports nutrition, like any other, has its own norm, and its unreasonable increase can only do harm.

How to choose sports supplements

If you rushed to buy sports nutrition and did not read the article to the end, then you made a big mistake. Because now I will say something that will refute everything I have said above.

Sports supplements are not a panacea. The most important thing is good nutrition! The role of sports supplements is greatly overestimated and this is done in favor of sports nutrition manufacturers, who make a lot of money from this.

BUT! Sports nutrition is indispensable in several cases:

• If you are exposed to heavy physical activity
• If you are unable to eat often
• If you have a metabolic disorder

Certainly, sports nutrition has a number of benefits before regular food. For example:

• Ease of preparation
• Convenient consumption anywhere and anytime
• High rate of nutrient absorption compared to regular food
• High the nutritional value(the concentration of nutrients per 100 grams of product is much higher than in regular food)
• The cost of the elements obtained using sports supplements is lower than the cost of products containing the same amount of elements
• Easy to count your intake

All these benefits make sports supplements indispensable for athletes and people leading an active lifestyle.

Today, the sports nutrition market is growing like mushrooms after rain, and when you come to the store for the first time, you can get lost. The consultant, of course, can push you a few expensive jars and convince you of their necessity. But in order not to be scammed and not look like an amateur, I will give you a few recommendations:

1. If your body type and are trying to build muscle mass, then you need to:

• Gainer – in the morning, 2 hours after breakfast and immediately after training
• Protein (casein) – before bed

2 . If you're body type or and work on muscle growth and burning subcutaneous fat, then you need:

• Whey Protein – 1 hour before workout and 1 hour after
• L-carnitine – 30 minutes before training
• Protein (casein) – before bed

3. Choose mid-price supplements. Typically, more expensive supplements are due to a well-promoted brand.

4. Buy packages that are not too large. Firstly, this sports supplement may not be suitable for you; secondly, the shelf life of open packages is limited.

5. Choose sports nutrition manufacturers from the USA or Germany. It is in these countries that the production of sports supplements is most developed and their quality has been tested over the years.

Well, that's basically it. Now you are privy to all the secrets of sports nutrition and, knowing its basics, you will not get into trouble. And it’s up to you, of course, to decide whether to use it or not. It will be better if you take sports supplements with the permission of your doctor if you have health problems and persistent chronic diseases.

Find out if sports supplements work as they say.

Why do you need sports nutrition? Definitely not to replace the usual balanced diet. It’s like with vitamins: when a doctor sees a lack of certain vitamins in the body and prescribes a course of vitamins, you do not replace meals with them, but only add them to your diet. The same applies to sports nutrition: it is not intended to replace, but to supplement where it is lacking.

An important point: in this material we are mainly talking about sports nutrition, which is used in cyclic sports.

What you need to know about sports nutrition

In cyclic sports there are three basic elements: hydration (replenishing fluid reserves), energy (fast carbohydrates) and recovery (proteins, carbohydrates and amino acids). During exercise, hydration is the most important element. Fluid in the body, among other things, affects the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, the transmission of nerve impulses and the wear and tear of joints. How much to drink? Depends on the intensity of the activity, individual characteristics body and air temperature. It makes sense that a person running a marathon at +24°C would need significantly more fluids than a person doing recovery training at +17°C. On average, you should adhere to the rule: 300-500 ml per hour (a couple of sips every 7-10 minutes).

After finishing your workout, you should drink about the same amount within half an hour. You can drink plain water, but would be better suited isotonic drink containing electrolytes. It will replenish the salt balance, which is disturbed by sweating. However, this does not mean at all that isotonic drink is salty and tasteless; usually the opposite is true. Be sure to take a sports drink bottle with you to your workout - this way you will not only take care of your health, but will also be able to see how hydration affects your gains. positive emotions from playing sports.

If you exercise for more than an hour, your energy reserves in the form of glycogen stored in the muscles and liver are depleted. Therefore, a carbohydrate gel would be useful during such a workout. When performing intense exercise, the body's own energy reserves last 40-50 minutes. And if you want to train further without losing efficiency, you should stick to the nutrition schedule: one gel every 20-30 minutes. Be sure to read the composition of the gel: if the carbohydrates in it consist of simple sugars (most often these are glucose and fructose), then the number of indicated grams of sugar must be multiplied by 20 - this is the amount of liquid you need to drink along with this gel so that it is properly absorbed and gives you 100% of the energy put into it. With rare exceptions, all manufacturers of glucose and fructose gels always write this in the annotations, warning their consumers. There are gels without simple sugars (isotonic), which do not need to be washed down with water, since the amount of liquid necessary for their absorption is already contained in the gel. They are more preferable for running and other sports where it is uncomfortable or simply impossible for a person to drink about 200 ml of liquid at a time.

Possible harm of sports nutrition

Manufacturers of sports nutrition. What to choose?

If we are talking about protein supplements, creatine, pre-workout complexes and other sports nutrition, which is more associated with bodybuilding, weight gain and “iron” (although, of course, this is not entirely true), then it is worth highlighting brands such as Optimum Nutrition, Ultimate Nutrition, Weider, BSN, Dymatize, Universal, Syntrax, SAN and others.

The material was prepared by the running school I LOVE RUNNING together with the company GEL4YOU.

Sports nutrition is called sports nutrition because it is used by athletes and acts as a supplement to the main diet.

There are three basic types of food:

- Hydration;

- energy;

- recovery

When training is underway, hydration is a very important part. As we know, liquid, namely water, plays a very important role in the body, in addition, it affects many organs, such as blood vessels, joints, and so on. How much fluid should you drink? Depends on the intensity of the workout and its type. For example, a marathon runner who runs in temperatures of +26°C will need a lot more fluid than a person who does Nordic walking. It is important to adhere to the following parameters: 300-600 ml per hour (a couple of sips every 7-9 minutes). After completing the workout, drink the same amount, or a little more, it all depends on the person’s weight (600 ml or more). It is recommended to drink plain water, but if your budget allows, a hypotonic drink will also be useful to restore the water-salt balance. It is advisable to take it with you to training and see it, as it will help increase results in training

The main factor is to eat before training. In this case, the athlete should receive proteins and carbohydrates an hour or 1.5 hours before training. But there are situations when there is no time to cook and eat before training. For this case, there are protein-carbohydrate bars, protein bars, pre-workout mixtures, etc. In addition, if the workout lasts a little more than one hour, then the energy reserves in the body and muscles are depleted. Therefore, it is worth purchasing a carbohydrate gel. This gel will help improve the efficiency of a long workout. Meal schedule recommendations: every 20-30 minutes.

To achieve any results, you need to give your body a good time to recover after training. After the end of the workout, a “carbohydrate window” occurs, at which time you need to replenish the lost energy supply. At this time, the body absorbs carbohydrates, proteins and other beneficial substances even more efficiently. And it’s just very useful to drink either whey protein, BCAA, gainer (this is in the case of gaining weight or maintaining

Types of sports nutrition

Nowadays, there are a huge number of different active food additives, but the following have gained great popularity:

- protein concentrates;

- gainers;

- creatines;

- L-carnitine;

- amino acid complexes.

But what's the difference between them? Some of them were touched upon above, but it is worth understanding each of them in more detail:

Protein

Protein - also known as simple protein, comes from English word protein(protein). This is a sports supplement that was made on the basis of a protein mixture. Very widespread in such strength sports as bodybuilding. All bodybuilders know that to achieve good results in building muscles, in addition to working in the gym, you need to get the required amount of protein. This should be done both from food and through sports nutrition.

Protein in food.

Huge amounts of protein can be found in egg whites, beef, breast, cheeses, cottage cheese, etc.

Protein as a sports supplement. Drink a protein shake immediately after your workout. But it's not that simple. It is important to think about what the athlete’s training goal is, weight loss, weight gain.
When gaining weight, men need to consume 1-2 grams of protein per 1 kilogram of weight. And girls need about 2 grams per kilogram of body per day. You should also apply some rules for using the supplement in different time days. For example, in the morning, at night the body was, so to speak, “starving” and after sleep you need to start your breakfast with a protein shake. This will ensure the supply of building material to the muscles. Taking protein an hour or 1.5 hours before training will give the body energy for training and material for building muscles. And during training, the body’s reserves are depleted and thereby mandatory drink after training to replenish lost energy. Before bedtime. To avoid starvation of the body and loss of building material in the muscles at night, it is recommended to use casein at night. It will be digested almost overnight and nourish the muscles.

When losing weight and working on relief.

Losing weight is a low-calorie diet plan, this leads to protein deficiency, since the body can be weakened and many diseases will subsequently appear. There are several points that show how important the need for protein intake is when losing weight:

‒ Fat burning is impossible without the participation of proteins

Scientifically speaking, beta oxidation occurs - the metabolic process of fatty acid degradation.

‒ Preservation of muscle during a calorie deficit.

The goal of cutting is to burn the maximum number of calories with minimal muscle loss, that is, protein will help maintain muscle during cutting.

‒ Protein takes a long time to be absorbed by the human body and, moreover, it itself lengthens the process of assimilation of carbohydrates by the body;

Due to this, it does not cause surges in the pancreatic hormone insulin.

How and when to take protein when losing weight. Types of protein

Be sure to take it in the morning, an hour before training and an hour after the training process, and also, as a supplement, in between meals. The daily norm is approximately two grams per kilogram of weight.

Types of protein:

- Whey Protein;

Whey protein is different in that it has the full range of important amino acids, as well as essential amino acids, and also has a positive effect on the immune system. Best time reception - this is the morning, before training and after training. It is during these intervals that our body needs amino acids. Types of whey protein:

‒ Whey protein concentrate. Affordable high quality protein containing 70% protein, combining fats and carbohydrates;

‒ Whey isolate. Whey formula with protein concentration up to 94%;

‒ Whey hydrolysate. It differs in that it has a high degree of absorption.

‒ Egg white. Was popular in old school bodybuilding, has a high biological value.

‒ Soy protein. Source of protein of plant origin, intended mainly for vegetarians and people with lactose intolerance.

‒ Beef protein. Protein obtained from beef, having previously removed fats and cholesterol, is a source of BCAA, creatine.

Gainer

An essential supplement consisting of two components: carbohydrates and proteins, that is, it is a protein-carbohydrate mixture. Why take a gainer? Designed for an athlete whose goal is to quickly gain muscle mass. Gainer has a large supply of amino acids, carbohydrates and proteins.

It will be especially useful for a person who has an ectomorph body type - a thin person with no fat deposits. How to take gainer? To gain weight, immediately after training, a post-workout gainer will allow you to quickly restore strength and replenish lost energy and begin muscle growth. You can also take it before training, but this is if the goal of the workout is not fat burning, since taking a gainer will give the body energy and simply waste the elements of the gainer.

Creatine.

Derived from the ancient Greek word κρέατος which means meat. Used to increase the efficiency of the training process, increase endurance and, of course, to build muscle mass. Most popular among bodybuilders. Creatine is a kind of “fuel” for the body, that is, creatine promotes the synthesis of ATP and helps maintain it at a fairly high level for a long time. To achieve the best results, creatine should be taken before and/or after training. On rest days, take once a day.

L-carnitine.

A substance that is similar to B-vitamins, synthesized in the human body. In the body it is present in muscle tissues, as well as the liver. Accelerates metabolic processes. Also used in the treatment of kidney diseases. In sports it is used for weight loss, namely, it activates the fat burning process, facilitates cardio training, promotes the growth of lean muscle mass, and accelerates protein metabolism. To achieve high results, L-carnitine should be taken before cardio training and follow a diet.

Amino acid complexes

At the moment, there are a lot of amino acids, each of them performs a different function, either with metabolism or with something else. The amino acid complex is quickly digested by the body, as it contains ready-made amino acids. The best time to take is before training and immediately after it. Amino acids replenish muscles with energy during training, and during growth - immediately after its completion. When taken in the morning, after waking up, the muscles need to speed up the recovery process and amino acids will only help with this.

This article describes in detail almost everything about sports nutrition. But from all this you need to remember that sports nutrition only complements the diet; it is most likely a convenience rather than a necessity. If an athlete eats properly and gets all the necessary elements from simple food, then there is no need to look at the shelves of sports nutrition stores.

Increasingly, athletes are interested in sports nutrition for beginners. Words such as sport and nutrition cannot but evoke positive emotions, but what is hidden behind this term? Despite the fact that this type of stimulation has been recognized all over the world for quite a long time, there are still some individuals who are extremely skeptical about this phenomenon. It is clear that often such statements come exclusively from those people who do not have sufficient information and are clearly far from starting to take sports nutrition.

Sports nutrition - what is it?

It’s worth immediately dispelling all sorts of myths about this and informing us once and for all that sports nutrition has nothing to do with doping, steroids, or even more so with any chemicals. This is due exclusively to organic or natural raw materials.

Sports nutrition for beginners is often obtained through high-tech processing, using only natural products of natural origin.

Why and who should take sports nutrition?

In order to decide on nutrition for a beginner, you must first set priorities, because an ordinary lifestyle is somewhat different from a sports one. Once a person decides to cross this line, there is no turning back, since then the results will not be achieved. In order to proudly wear the title of an athlete, you need to put in a lot of effort.

Naturally, the most global changes will relate specifically to diet, as this is the key to success. Because of this, first of all, results, and the entire sports industry as a whole, completely depend on nutrition.

Reasons for use

Answering the question of why sports nutrition is necessary for beginners, we can immediately note that the main purpose is to provide the athlete’s body with all the necessary minerals, vitamins and nutrients that it requires as a result of intense training. But some may argue that all the elements the body needs can be obtained directly from the food a person eats every day, but in fact, the same effect is unlikely to be achieved for a number of reasons:

1. The body is not able to absorb such an amount of food to get at least 3000, or even all 6000 kcal per day. At the same time, some foods simply cannot be absorbed 100%, and sports nutrition implies concentrates of easily digestible nutrients that provide all the necessary vitamins, but do not overload the body.
2. There is a specific list of products that contain the necessary components for an athlete, but due to the fact that they are in a form inappropriate for an athlete, you have to immediately buy a whole set of sports nutrition for beginners. For example, whey protein and creatine.
3. Thanks to sports nutrition, you can distribute your energy as efficiently as possible. financial expenses for this, because a sports diet implies a large amount of waste.
4. All manufacturers who create such products first of all enrich them with special components, thanks to which all food additives are absorbed much faster.
5. Sports nutrition contains practically no fat, so such products will be relevant for people who have problems with excess weight.

Thus, sports nutrition for beginners can maximize performance and performance. But at the same time, there is no need to place high hopes on these products, since this is not a panacea. Thanks to these products, you can only supplement your diet, but certainly not completely replace it. If used competently and correctly, it can really help achieve great results in sports.

Sports nutrition for beginner bodybuilders

It is worth noting that all strength sports that are aimed at improving the figure and building muscle mass require a special diet and its careful development. This is why sports nutrition is very important for bodybuilders (both beginners and professionals).

Intense loads must be accompanied by the maximum possible recovery. Nutritionists who work with athletes claim that for normal height and muscle development, an average of 2-4 g of protein should be consumed per kilogram of body weight. Thanks to simple arithmetic calculations, anyone can calculate daily norm protein that will correspond to its weight. After this, it will be possible to understand that such an amount of food per day is simply impossible to take. This situation can be observed not only with proteins, but also with other essential substances.

Thus, sports nutrition for powerlifters and bodybuilders is a must.

Sports nutrition rating

In fact, you need to understand that there are quite a large number of different supplements, some may help better, others worse, but to one degree or another, they may all be needed by an athlete. For this, a sports nutrition rating is needed, which includes the following components:

Protein remains the main and most effective complex that is necessary for building muscle mass; it certainly occupies the main place in the diet of any athlete. Such supplements became relevant more than 10 years ago and gained popularity quite quickly due to their instant absorption. The leader among such drugs is Iso Sensation Ultimate Nutrition, which is unique due to its formula, which includes colostrum, which enters the body with mother's milk and helps the growth and strengthening of the immune system.

Creatine confidently takes second place. As for this active substance, it is a kind of fuel for muscle contraction; the more it enters the body, the more resilient the muscles become. Therefore, it is also indispensable for effective training. By the way, in Lately During the research, it became clear that creatine supplements were much more beneficial than expected. That is why it is included in almost all nutritional sports supplements. Among best products for power sports, we can mention Mesomorph APS, which was able to combine all the unique technologies.

BCAAs (branched chain amino acids) are largely consumed when physical activity and training, therefore they require replacement. It is because of this that BCAAs remain popular and in demand due to their indispensable functions. By the way, they have one of the key roles in the protein response in muscles. Thus, the obtained result will be consolidated. The company released which remains the most popular due to the absence of soy and instant absorption. It can also be purchased in capsules, which is quite convenient.

Microelements and vitamins are also very necessary, because any athlete understands that the smooth functioning of the body can only be ensured with the support of the necessary rich and useful substances. The same leader Optimum Nutrition produces a unique multi-mineral called Opti-men, which shows very good results due to its high concentration.

Fat burners are necessary for an athlete during the period of muscle drying and to combat fat cells. The most powerful product in this line is called Lipo 6 Black Nutrex, which uses multiphase technology and has not only a long-lasting, but also a fast effect.

Nutritional supplements that are distinguished by their maximum digestibility are gainers. They contain an increased percentage of carbohydrates, proteins and other essential substances. Mass Effect Revolution SAN NEW is the undeniable leader that was created for professional athletes, thanks to its unique formula you can easily cultivate your mass.

They are a range of active supplements whose main task is to produce testosterone. Such substances are not recommended for use by persons under 22 years of age due to their pronounced anabolic effect. As for the most powerful stimulant, the choice is definitely HyperTEST Axis Labs; it regulates estrogen and increases muscle anabolism.

The popularity of a particular product is due to its rationality and effectiveness. At the moment, there are a large number of different drugs that each athlete selects for himself individually. The effectiveness of sports nutrition will be determined based on the dosage, systematics and its combination with other drugs and products. We should not forget about the quality for which the manufacturer must be responsible, be it sports nutrition for joints or any other purposes.

Harmful sports nutrition: truth or myth

It seems like the controversy will never end. The harm that sports nutrition can bring to joints can only be caused if its use is incorrect and gets out of control, and in all other cases these are just statements of skeptics who have neither experience nor even knowledge in receiving these products.

And the path to the top of glory is full of mistakes. It is possible to achieve some professional results only by fully studying your body and selecting a treatment program specifically for it. It is worth remembering that high-quality sports nutrition, which is produced by recognized leaders and professionals, really works and helps to achieve the desired result.

The modern sports industry dictates new rules in strength sports, so athletes involved in powerlifting and bodybuilding are simply obliged to follow them.

Athlete dietetics

Naturally, sports nutrition intersects very closely with the diet of athletes, because only a doctor can explain all the nuances of how to take sports nutrition without harming your health. This is done on the basis of an examination, and, if necessary, some simple blood and urine tests. Despite the fact that sports nutrition is a product not only of professional athletes, when developing a complex for your body, you must definitely contact the appropriate specialist for help. After all, any load implies a special diet, which will not only help you achieve results, but can also be harmful to your health, so you need to take sports nutrition very carefully. A nutritionist should advise which one is better to choose.

Why are these products needed in a sports diet?

Creatine - increases strength gains.

Amino acids - break down protein. At the same time, it is very important that the athlete receives a full complex of essential amino acids.

Gainers are nutritional supplements that promote the growth of lean mass. The main components are proteins and carbohydrates.

Proteins help burn excess fat and increase body weight. The main component is protein - the main building material of the body.

Fat burners - as the name implies, help destroy fatty tissue and speed up metabolism.

Energy workers - support high level strength thanks to the content of fructose and sucrose for training.

Multipacks are a complex type of drug that contains a lot of sports supplements.

It is worth noting that any of these substances is a necessary component for comprehensive sports nutrition.

The main conditions for effective sports nutrition

Before you take sports nutrition, you need to understand a few principles:

• The diet must be individual and developed by a nutritionist or doctor.
• Only foods that promote physical development should be consumed.
• Dieting.
• Regular training.
• Comprehensive intake of sports nutrition and their impeccable quality.

In order for a beginner to be able to get results that are worthy of professionals in the future, it is necessary to choose exactly those products that are worthy of champions. Products must have a patent and be recommended by specialists and professional trainers.

Strong and beautiful body will indicate that you have a strong-willed character and are strong in spirit. Thanks to daily training, you can lay a solid foundation not only for your sports career, but also for good health, where sports nutrition will act as material for this foundation.

What to choose first

It is important to remember that only together with rest, training and nutritious food can you take sports nutrition. Recommendations for beginners from various experts are as follows. It is necessary to start taking good protein and mineral-vitamin complex. In this case, the start of training will be due to a fairly rapid gain of muscle mass, and there will be no need to turn to specialized supplements. But as soon as the process begins to slow down, it is worth starting to use special complexes. It must be remembered that sports nutrition for beginners should contain a minimum of all kinds of additives.

So, for a beginning athlete, it is important to strictly adhere to a training schedule throughout the year, together with a natural (balanced) diet. In this case, sports nutrition must be introduced gradually, starting with vitamins that simply support the body, and then gradually move on to protein complexes.

As for women (according to Evgenia Izidorova, a personal trainer, MS), sports nutrition for beginner girls should contain a large amount of guarana and L-carotene. Together they can give a lot of energy and burn fat as quickly as possible. These are the main components that should interact perfectly with other additives.

Bars? Energy? Powders? Pills? It's hard to figure it out, we know. Therefore, our fitness expert Dmitry Smirnov has compiled instructions for you on the selection and use of so-called sports nutrition products that are popular in Russia.

And using my 12 years of coaching experience (and 25 years of independent training experience), I will turn you into a sports nutrition expert. Lesson one - never use the phrase “sports nutrition”. These are supplements, “supplements”, and this word is more consistent with the main task of such products - to close holes in your diet, the lack of certain vitamins, microelements, amino acids and other things (believe me, everyone has such gaps). I would conditionally divide consumers of sports supplements into two groups:

1. You have been training for a long time and persistently (3-4 times a week without skipping) for a specific result - for example, you dream of bench-pressing a barbell weighing 150 kg or running a marathon 42 km 195 m. You can and need a lot of what will be discussed below. I will offer specific sets of sports supplements to solve each problem (see “Recipes”).

2. Beginners, even if they train hard, in the first six months you should get by with only both types of proteins: “quick” before breakfast, “long” at night. They make up for the protein deficiency that any Russian man has. I recommend the same diet to those people who go to the gym once a week, “for themselves” (however, if you have excess weight- consult a nutritionist first).

Well, I recommend that both categories take (after consulting with a doctor) cardio- and chondroprotectors, regardless of the training program. Let's move on to the powders and bars. If any product known to you is missing from this material, it means that I consider it unnecessary.

1. Protein

Release form: powders

Why: Protein is often drunk right after a workout, saying: "Muscle mass, muscle mass!» But without carbohydrates, which everyone forgets, protein powder is practically useless in the matter of instant muscle building. Use it just to compensate for your overall protein deficiency. The body will find somewhere to put it, for example, make testosterone from it. There are “fast” and “long” proteins. The former are more biologically accessible and instantly provide your body with energy and building material. The latter release protein gradually, over several hours. It is not difficult to distinguish them: any whey is “fast”. Any combination containing casein protein (casein) is “long”.

How to take: “Fast” protein is consumed in the morning (1 serving 20 minutes before breakfast) and immediately after fat burning workouts. In general, I am a convinced supporter of a predominantly protein breakfast; this allows you to gently raise your blood sugar level after a night's sleep and further boost your metabolism. Drink “long” 30-90 minutes after the last meal, at night, so that the body has proteins at hand even in sleep.

I recommend: Of the sports supplements that my clients have come across, I can recommend the “fast” Zero Carb from VPX for breakfast. For the night I wholeheartedly recommend “Infusion” from SAN. True, this is more than protein - such products are called “meal replacement”. It includes different types protein (which are absorbed at different times and therefore provide your body with nutrition throughout the night), as well as vitamins and a dosed amount of carbohydrates that does not harm your figure.

2. Complex amino acids

Release form: capsules, tablets, caplets

Why: I seriously doubt that products with such names contain many amino acids. Rather, it is a regular “fast” protein, only in a convenient package. On the road or after a long night in an ambush under the enemy's nose where you can't get a shaker, this is a good replacement for a protein shake.

How to take: In any training regimen, except hypertrophy, - 2-3 tablets 2-3 times a day, as a replacement for protein powders. And in the midst of a long hypertrophy program - 3 tablets twice a day, with food or a gainer, and you will also drink protein.

3. Gainer

Release form: powder

Why: My favorite product! The combination of easily digestible proteins and carbohydrates contributes not only speed dial mass, but also provides a hurricane of energy before training, and also significantly speeds up recovery after.

How to take: On training days, 30-45 minutes before training and immediately after. On rest days, 1 serving in the afternoon. In the endurance training mode, you can do it three times a day: before and after training, as well as at night. And never eat gainer for breakfast! In this case, the weight will grow exclusively on your sides.

Worth remembering

No amount of creatine with protein will ever correct technical errors or help with lack of sleep. In addition, be aware that no supplements can replace a nutritious, regular and healthy diet. And don’t forget that even harmless and certified products, if used thoughtlessly and excessively, can cause irreparable damage to health. If you suffer from food allergies, metabolic disorders, diabetes, chronic diseases of the heart, kidneys, liver or gastrointestinal tract, then before taking any sports nutrition you should definitely consult an adequate, qualified doctor.

4. BCAA

Release form: tablets, capsules, powder

Why: BCAAs are also amino acids, but only three: isoleucine, leucine and valine. According to a number of studies, in skeletal muscles there are most of them. I use BCAAs (and encourage you to do the same) to help you lose much less muscle during your fat-burning or endurance-building periods.

How to take: When training - 5 capsules before and immediately after training. On rest days, take 2 capsules with regular meals.

5. L-carnitine

Release form: tablets, capsules, ampoules

Why: Carnitine makes it easier for your body to access fat reserves. I’m not ready to say that L-carnitine helps you lose weight, but it really increases endurance and has a beneficial effect on the health of the cardiovascular system.

How to take: 1 tablet 2 times a day with food when training endurance or strength. And with any type of training, if you feel that your heart is under heavy load (for example, on a hot summer day).

6. Creatine

Release form: powder, tablets, capsules

Why: Creatine is a precursor to creatine phosphate (CP), one of the main sources of energy for muscle work. CF provides exclusively short-term strength work (the first 3-5 repetitions of the bench press, for example). It is generally accepted that taking creatine-containing supplements can increase strength. For some this is true, but for others this supplement has no effect. Try it - maybe this food will hit you.

How to take: 2-3 g once a day, along with a gainer. Just be sure to drink at least three glasses of plain water afterwards. Creatine has an unpleasant ability to absorb liquid, which can lead to cramps, bloating, and even injury to connective tissue, for which normal hydration is extremely important.

7. Glutamine

Release form: powder, granules, capsules

Why: With heavy physical activity, glutamine reserves in the body are depleted, and this negatively affects the immune system and reduces recovery abilities. Therefore, if you have more than 5 training hours per week, you should use this supplement.

How to take: Take a dose 2 times a day, morning and evening 15 minutes before meals - and you will recover normally, endure stress more easily and get sick less.

8. Energy

Release form: “jars”, powder

Why: Another favorite product of mine! A high-quality energy drink simultaneously boosts your mood, sports enthusiasm and healthy aggression. During strength training, such a product is of paramount importance. Just keep in mind - these are special sports energy drinks that are sold in special sports nutrition stores! They contain virtually no sugar, but do contain substances that support the health of the cardiovascular system. They have little in common with supermarket energy drinks.

How to take: Just half a small bottle, drunk 30-45 minutes before training, and you are ready to break any records! However, I do not recommend drinking energy drinks before every workout (maximum 1-2 times a week), and under no circumstances drink more than one drink per day.

What should you mix the powders with?

Proteins and gainers can be mixed with regular non-mineral and still water, freshly squeezed or packaged juice, as well as milk. For gainer the best option- water, in combination with juice or milk, the amount of carbohydrates and calories in the mixture will go off scale. Protein powder will tolerate any of the liquids listed above, unless you choose the least fatty milk. By the way, if your intestines do not tolerate milk, you can safely mix the protein with... kefir. But all other powders, especially creatine, can only be mixed with water, and they must be drunk immediately - in liquid form, additives are the least chemically stable.

9. Testosterone boosters

Release form: capsules

For what. As a rule, the attitude of doctors and ordinary people towards supplements that increase testosterone levels is completely negative. Obviously, because they are confused with hormonal doping. However, boosters do not pump you full of extra hormones, but only gently increase the secretion of your own internal testosterone. From a physiological point of view, this means “looking younger” by several years, especially if you are over thirty. If you are 17-22 years old and healthy, you can easily do without this supplement - you already have a lot of hormones!

How to take: I consider the most useful quality of testosterone boosters to be their stimulating effect on glucose metabolism. Therefore, in my opinion, the smartest time to use them is when you are trying to get rid of excess fat. 2 capsules 2 times a day with food.

10. Protein bars

Form: you'll laugh, but these are bars!

Why: Perhaps the most convenient source of protein and carbohydrates: no need to stir or drink - tear open the package and eat to your health! Use to suppress hunger between main meals.

How to use. A couple of high-quality bars consistently discourage interest in food for exactly 3 hours, even for such an eternally hungry swallower as I am. But the daily norm, according to my observations, is no more than 2-3 bars. If you exceed the dose, you may experience problems with appetite!

* “Fast” protein - before breakfast and after training

** "Fast" protein for breakfast, "long" protein - before bed

to your health

There is also whole line sports supplements and near-medicinal products that can be used in your diet regardless of the goals that you are pursuing at a certain point in time.

cardioprotectors They should be taken before training in the hot season and during periods of endurance training. These include the L-carnitine already described above, as well as preparations containing potassium and magnesium - substances responsible for the uninterrupted functioning of the heart. For example, potassium and magnesium aspartate.

vitamins and minerals I do not agree with the opinion prevailing among athletes and a number of coaches about the need to take increased doses of vitamins. Therefore, as a trainer, I prefer trivial pharmacy multivitamins in normal dosages. As a rule, this is one serving immediately after breakfast. I am not advocating for taking additional vitamins that are supposedly beneficial to the athlete/trainer - C, E and B separately. There are more than enough multivitamins!

chondroprotectors American coaches have a good saying: “If you don’t play sports, you’ll end up seeing a cardiologist. If you play sports, you will see an orthopedist!” So that the last part of this wonderful phrase does not affect you, regularly take chondroprotectors - supplements that facilitate the regeneration of cartilage tissue and the restoration of the ligamentous apparatus as a whole. Even if you rarely go to the gym or don’t go at all, you should take chondroprotectors to prevent diseases of the musculoskeletal system. How often? This information should be in the instructions for use.

• Dmitry Smirnov