A balanced diet is essential for peak sporting performance. Whether you’re an athlete looking to increase speed and stamina or a body-builder hoping to build muscle and gain strength, it’s important to follow a healthy nutritional regime with adequate levels of protein. Sports nutrition plans should be tailor-made to suit the requirements of your body and your fitness goals. Nutritional supplements such as Protein blends can be added to your diet to increase protein intake if you’re looking to improve your physical performance.
Whey and soy are the two main types of protein supplements used by sportspeople to boost training abilities. A large proportion of athletes and body builders prefer Whey Isolate as it is thought that the amino acids contained in whey protein are absorbed into the muscles faster and more easily than those in soy protein. It has also been suggested that the plant hormones contained in soy-based protein powders may interfere with testosterone levels in male body builders. However, scientists have now concluded that effects of female hormones contained within soy protein supplements are minimal, making it a viable alternative to whey protein shakes.
Those who regularly participate in weight training and intensive body conditioning activities have higher everyday protein requirements than the average person. Sometimes, it can be difficult to reach an adequate protein intake through diet alone, especially for vegetarians and those who follow restrictive diets. Drinking protein shakes and adding protein powders to snacks such as porridge can help boost protein intake. These supplements are most effective when consumed immediately after a workout to restore natural amino acids, leading to accelerated muscle growth and repair.
Building muscle and reducing body fat helps strengthen the cardiovascular system, diminishing the risk of heart disease and hypertension. Protein powders taken after training can help to increase muscle mass and fat burning abilities, benefiting sporting performance and improving all-round physical health.
Adequate protein intake is the key to a healthy immune system. Those who combine regular training with protein-based supplements statistically miss fewer days of training due to illness and injury. Recovery times for those who drink protein shakes or protein powders are generally less than for those who rely on dietary sources alone.
For optimum health, sports nutritionists recommend a good balance of weight-based training and aerobic activity. All workouts should be followed by a protein shake or protein-rich snack to replenish depleted levels of muscle-building amino acids.
Muscle weighs more than fat. This means that, while a high-protein intake may increase overall body weight, it also improves the body’s fat-burning capacities. Greater fat and calorie burning activities mean a stronger, leaner body and healthier body. Ultimately, building lean muscle and reducing fat stores is the best way to reach optimum stamina during training.
Muscle building is a complex process of damage and repair. Weight training and body conditioning exercises cause small tears to the muscle fibres, muscles then repair themselves, becoming bigger and stronger. In order to fuel this process, the body needs good sources of amino-acids which promote muscle growth. Therefore, it is vital to replenish protein stores after training to help promote muscle development. Regular intake of protein-based supplements and protein shakes can help speed up post-workout recovery and improve overall physical performance.
