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The Perfect Bodybuilding Supplement

The Perfect Supplement

Most all of us who have ever touched a weight or picked up a copy of MUSCLE & FITNESS or FLEX have been involved in the pursuit of the perfect supplement. What would the perfect supplement do? Well, for starters, it would be formulated in such a way that it encourages the production of lean mass, while at the same time aiding the body fat reduction process. It would provide all of the essential and protective nutrients your body needs for optimum health, and performance including protein, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and antioxidants.

The perfect supplement would also be a slow-release energy source. One that's capable of building and re-building muscle and liver glycogen stores so that we can have intense workouts and then recover from them. It would have the ability to boost your metabolism, and it would contain enough fiber to keep your digestive system healthy, and in proper working order.

This supplement would be rich in amino acids, including branched chain aminos to help synthesize protein for muscular repair and growth. What's more, it would help prevent fatigue, electrolyte imbalances, and other conditions associated with hard training. And dare I say that it would also be "anti-catabolic."

What is this supplement? Which one does it all? Which one will transform your physique and boost your performance to levels you never dreamed possible? Well, it's called "FOOD". Think about it for a second....Food really does do all these things, making it in a manner, the "perfect supplement".

First of all, food does build mass, and keep you lean - as long as you choose foods that partition to muscle and energy stores and not to fat depots. The base of your food should come from lean proteins. The balance from starchy and fibrous carbohydrates. While attempting to gain lean muscular body weight, it is advisable to consume in the range of 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per day per pound of bodyweight. At least 1 gram of this should come from lean animal source proteins such as egg whites, skinless white meat chicken, skinless white meat turkey, fish, and occasionally lean red meat. Additional protein will fall in place through your consumption of carbohydrates. Protein supplies amino acids for growth and are the building blocks for every cell in your body.

Starchy carbohydrates belong in the group of food that we typically refer to as complex carbohydrates. Fibrous carbohydrates also belong in this group, but we have separated them for this discussion and in order to look at them more closely. Preferred starchy carbohydrates are natural, unrefined foods such as barley, black-eye peas, brown rice, corn, kidney beans, lima beans, other legumes, lentils, oatmeal, whole wheat, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. In addition to supplying vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, these foods give you energy to train and the ability to recover quickly.

Fibrous carbs include artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, broccoflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, celery, green beans, lettuce, okra, squash, and zucchini. These foods also supply vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. More importantly however, they supply an abundance of fiber. Fiber slows digestion and facilitates a slow release of glucose into the blood stream. That's good. During the pre-contest phase, you can adjust your intake of starchy and fibrous carbs to help burn more body fat.

Either way you look at it, food really is the cornerstone of bodybuilding nutrition. If you don't eat the proper foods - lean proteins, starchy carbohydrates and fibrous carbohydrates - nothing else really matters. No supplement can ever provide all the benefits that food supplies. We as human beings were built to process food.

To supplement, in my opinion, means to add to or to do in conjunction with. It's my assumption that you want to make the best possible progress with your physique. If that's true, then I suggest you get back to the basics, and that means food!

If you have any questions or want to make suggestions please feel free to contact us by e-mail

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Disclaimer: This information is for entertainment purposes only. We strongly recommend that you consult a physician before beginning any exercise program. Bodybuildingco.com is not a licensed medical care provider. The reader should understand that participating in any exercise program can result in physical injury and agrees to do so at his own risk. The findings and opinions of authors expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily state or reflect those of Bodybuildingco.com.