blankhomedotaboutdotrecipedothealthdotlifestyleblank
Showing posts with label pre workout. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pre workout. Show all posts

April 14, 2014

Pre-workout vs. Post-workout Supplements



During my time at the gym, I've noticed that there are three types of people- the pre-workout muscle heads, the post-workout junkies and the extreme athletes, or extreme athlete wannabes, that dabble in both. What's better, you ask? That depends on what type of results you're looking for.

If you follow the advise of Hulk Hogan, all you need for fitness success are prayers, weights and vitamins (source). Optimizing your nutrition aids in muscle performance and recovery and also helps you to maintain and build muscle mass. And since it's extremely hard to eat all of the nutrition that you need per day, adding supplements can help you reach your goals faster! Achieving your desired workout goal and moving closer towards your dream physique is not all about what you do at the gym.  An equally important component of your workout is the nutrition, which includes choosing the right pre-workout and post-workout supplements.

For the basic breakdown, pre-workout is best if you need an extra boost in your energy to maxamize your workouts and if you're looking to create lean muscle mass, while post-workout is all about recovery and healing your muscles after an intense workout so you can get back in the gym tomorrow. Pre-work supplements typically contain amino acids, carbs and stimulants, like caffeine. While post-workout supplements contain protein (usually whey) and creatine.

Usually, people prefer one type of supplement over the other. They either need that extra energy for their workout and take pre-workout or they need some extra help with recovery and take a post-workout supplement. I, personally, like to use both. Some days I use them both in the same day, whereas other days I only prefer to use one or the other. There is nothing wrong with using both supplements to achieve your gains.

Which do you use?

Other Source:
Infinite Labs


signature

March 28, 2014

My New Kitchen Toy: The NutriBullet

I love getting new kitchen gadgets! For Christmas my parents got me the Nutribullet. So far I have made mostly green smoothies, because I LOVE them, but I have also been trying to experiment with some other fun combinations.

I had asked for this device because I was interested in a juicer without actually being a juicer. Juicers are great and all, but I feel like they discard the best parts of the veggies. The Nutribullet keeps every part of the vegetable/fruit and extracts all of the nutrients. It's basically like a blender, but better. There is also a milling blade that can be used for nuts and spices. I really want to try making my own nut butter!



Here are some of my favorite NutriBullet concoctions:

Banana Nut Protein Smoothie:
  • 1 banana
  • tbsp. of your favorite nut butter
  • 1 scoop protein powder (chocolate is pretty tasty)
  • a dash of cinnamon
  • water, coconut milk, or other base of your choice
DELICOUS! This was just something that I whipped up for a post-workout, pre-dinner, snack. Fat, carbs and protein :)

Green Smoothie:
  • Almond/coconut milk
  • 1 handful of leafy greens (I used spinach)
  • 5 strawberries
  • small handful of blueberries
  • 1 tsp. flaxseed oil
  • 1 scoop of protein powder, optional
This is a great way to get in your fruits and veggies with your breakfast in the morning, or just as a snack! I like to add protein powder for a little extra love, but it tastes great without it! Also, if you need it to be a little sweeter, try adding in a small amount of your favorite sweetener.

Energizing Smoothie:
  • the juice of 1/2 a lime
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1 pear
  • 1 apple, cored and seeds removed
  • 1 small handful of spinach
  • ground ginger
  • green tea
If you have a Nutribullet, where do you find your recipes? Share your finds with me!

signature