When I first entered the industry as a student, I was thrust into a world of nutrition I had never engaged in. My fast food diet with iceberg lettuce and canned vegetables wasn’t suiting my need to gain weight. But because I was gaining weight the last thing I thought I needed was a detox or to try being a vegan, pescatarian, or some other lifestyle. My untrained gym newbie self looked to the same commercials we see now to “Get Ripped”.
I worked out with men a lot in the beginning of my journey. Untrained fellas in the gym tend to do lots of isolation training that builds certain muscular groups rather than an all around body regimen. Even if they have a split day between legs and back traditional untrained strength training is all about that single reps of 300lbs.
That being said, this is where the unregulated supplements come in as a way to help the body repair fatigued and ripped muscle tissue. That’s wise. Except, many with the mindset to bulk in this way believe that these vitamins and drinks consumed are the healthy party of their diet and will continue to have poor eating habits outside of that. Nutrition scientists and professionals will tell you they aren’t getting anymore nutrition than their fast food diet.
Our bodies were designed to get nutrients from food. Digestion and nutrient absorption start when we cook our food, and for those not growing their own food with the farm and food company stocking the grocery store shelves.
An apple’s nutrition facts are listed above. Below we have apple juice:
Lets look at the value we are getting in nutrients between the two.
1. The dietary sugar increases in apple juice and the fiber is lower than in an apple. Most Americans do not get the daily recommended value in fiber and for this reason have a poor time regulating sugar in their blood stream.
2. Next you’ll see that Vitamin C percentage has drastically dropped from 14% to 3%
3. We no longer get vitamin B-6 when in juice form.
4. Further you’ll see where during the processing they’ve added to the juice to make it more nutritious with the increase with potassium and magnesium. Interesting that in processing they can’t add what the apple naturally supplies back into the process.
5. what they did add were 20 extra calories.
So this is the story with supplements and why they are popular because they exist so they must be useful… It is in our gym opinion that supplementing nutrtion comes from and understanding of ones nutrition. Supplements should not be used to replace but to aid. For instance I may recommend a shake or protein supplementation for clients who have very low body weight or metabolism. Some bodies have a hard time eating because the metabolism is so slow and need a kick start in the form of an Ensure or Boost. I prefer these because it’s that adequate 200-400 calories one needs at least 6 times a day. The earlier in the day a shake is had the more chance in the day to get more calories.
Other’s who need supplementation are athletes and seniors and this is related to protein intake. Simple calculations can be made to find the protein needed per individual based off of age, gender, and activity. Otherwise, the average American gets some 500% of the daily recommended value in protein. Low fiber high protein and processed sugar society led us to being the 25th most obese country in the world (no we aren’t number one, yet it’s a list of 195 countries). Currently, I am rebuilding from a rotator cuff tear, this means I fit the demographic that needs protein supplementation. Only until my physical therapy is through and I am healed, I will not adapt this into my lifestyle eating.
Supplementation is more affective than it is effective in my opinion. We see these shake systems promising weight-loss at an extraordinary price for products not regulated by the FDA. We see MLM communities capitalizing off of people desperate to lose weight but not ready to do the true investment in education of their diet. That’s where I get upset. Protein formulas are affordable and even impoverished people have access to them via EBT. What people miss out on is the relationship with a professional to ween them away from the shake and have a lifestyle that works.
Don‘t get me wrong, supplementing can be advantageous but in general the every day person between ages 20-50 doesn’t need a high protein shake or tea with all the BCAAs and caffeine. Most folks do it because that’s what they want to do and it’s apart of their “fit” routine. Most do it because somewhere a good body (not person) was told to stand next to a container and smile.
At LegitFit LLC, we want our people to be healthy inside and out, pooping like clock work, and armed with the knowledge to give their bodies the best they can in any location or environment. If your looking to bulk a bit, or need help with sore muscles from aging or over exertion check out my video below: