By Robert Grant
Fitness
Fitness Supplements - Do They Work? If you walk into any gym (when we’re allowed to return) or health shop you’ll see racks of protein shakes, vitamins, health, and energy drinks. The variety can be overwhelming. Here’s our guide. Multivitamins - A good multivitamin will contain Vitamin D, magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, folic acid, and Vitamin B12. All of these vitamins are essential for keeping your body healthy, but all can be obtained by simply eating a well-balanced, healthy diet. Sometimes though, we need a little help and that’s where multivitamin comes in handy. I must stress that any form of supplement is not a fix for a poor diet. If what you eat isn’t giving you all the nutrients your body needs change your diet rather than trying to fix it with a tablet. But if you’re pregnant, ill, or over 50, multivitamins can be beneficial alongside a healthy diet. Weight Loss and Diet Pills - Taking pills to help you lose weight should only be done under medical supervision. There are a number of drugs which can help you lose fat, but they are dangerous if taken incorrectly, and most definitely need to be overseen by a doctor. Most of these pills are prescription-only drugs in the UK. Please do not be tempted to try and buy them over the Internet. Talk to your doctor. There are a number of weight loss supplements available over the counter. Some claim to detox your body as a way of removing excess fat. Mostly they will either dehydrate you, so you see an instant weight loss or have a laxative effect which does the same thing in a different way! As soon as you return to your normal diet your body will replenish itself
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and you’re back to your normal weight. Quick fixes like this don’t work. Eat a healthy diet. Stop snacking between meals. And eat sensible portion sizes. There really isn’t a substitute for healthy eating and proper exercise. Boring I know. Protein Supplements - If you’re looking to build muscle and get your six-pack ready for the beach the claims on protein supplement packaging can be very tempting. Protein is the main building block your body needs to put on muscle, and you need enough of it to get that process working. But there’s only so much protein your body can actually metabolise. Any excess simply passes straight through! If you’re eating a healthy diet including meat, eggs, dairy, nuts and seeds and beans and lentils then you’re probably getting as much protein as your body can use already. Eating smaller amounts of these foods at every meal ensures your body uses as much of this protein as possible. Protein supplements can only help if you need an instant protein top up so make sure you opt for a good quality brand to get the best results. Are supplements worth it? - A well-balanced diet with plenty of vegetables and good sources of protein (from meat, fish soya or beans) will give your body everything it needs. If your diet consists of chips, burgers, and fizzy drinks you need to change that rather than using supplements. If there are medical reasons why you need a boost, some supplements can help. But if you eat a healthy diet and are still feeling rundown consult a doctor before trying supplementation.
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