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People of the fitness world have been gulping down protein drinks since the 70’s, and we don’t seem to be slowing down quite yet. A lot of people wonder what type of supplements would be right for them, and if they should be taking supplements at all; good old fashion food is often enough unless you want to gain a lot faster. Here are the pros and the cons for both, so you can weigh your options and find the diet that works best for your fitness goals.
Protein Shakes
Undoubtedly one of the most popular supplements on the market today. They’re popular because it’s convenient, often fairly cheap compared to buying real-food protein, and even kind of tasty. If you want to gain weight, protein shakes could help you a lot by giving that extra boost of proteins after a workout when your body craves food.
One of the biggest downsides to protein shakes is, naturally, that you’re missing out on all the nutrients you get from of eating a whole steak, for example. It’s kind of like drinking smoothies instead of eating whole fruit; it’s nothing wrong with it, and the vitamins are still present, but fruit has a lot of fiber – which also helps to fill you up, by the way.
Weight gain and muscle building are common fitness goals, and some people get steroids to perform in the gym. As a general rule, young men and boys should look away from using these supplements as their testosterone levels are high enough, but the older generation could benefit from the extra hormones. Remember that you should never take drugs without consulting your doctor.
The choice is yours as always, but try to eat as much real food as possible when you need proteins. Use the shakes as a convenient drink, perhaps when you’re straight out of the gym and on your way home to eat more.
Multivitamins
Also common among fitness people; you’ll hardly find a person in the gym who’s never taken multivitamins. Nonetheless, is it really worth it? Again, these supplements are convenient as they give the full recommended daily amount in one single pill. The downside is the same as with smoothies and protein shakes – although you’re getting the vitamins, you’re missing out on the fiber and nutrients of real food.
Taking multivitamins if you’re traveling, feeling sick and unable to eat, or don’t have access to a proper meal. This is when a single pill full of all the vitamins comes in handy, and it’s certainly better than no vitamins at all. Use it for its convenience but never choose it over real food.
As you can see, real food should always be chosen over a supplement – but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it as an additional nutrient boost. Just know when to take it to get all the benefits. Eating a meal makes you happy, too; compared to drinking a small pill to get your vitamins, or just drinking all your protein rather than chewing it, the ritual of sitting down to a meal has a lot of benefits psychologically.
