Pre-Workouts and What They are All About

With fitness always evolving nutrition trends are surely to follow close behind. The most recent changes have included the use of performance enhancing supplements. In the past decade supplements have grown into a $25 billion dollar industry making it one of the fastest growing industries in the world. I started doing some more research on pre-workout powders, pills, and all those dietary supplements. I wondered what makes them so attractive and why people are so willing to pay so much attention and money for these dietary supplements that we really do not know all that much about? The supplements make outlandish claims and promises like “insane vascularity and a STUPID PUMP that will blow your mind!”, “get steroid-like gains”, and “explosive energy”.  

Whether these claims are valid or not, I am not sure because I have not used any of these dietary supplements. However, they do sound a bit far-fetched and since the FDA does not regulate the $25 billion dollar industry it allows companies to put whatever they want in the supplements. Okay, that may sound a little scary, so let me just say that not everything in pre-workout is terrible, but some things can be. So as pre-workout supplements become increasingly popular with athletes in high schools, college, and event with the typical working man or woman, it could be causing some serious issues with their bodies.

Most pre-workout supplements that I have looked into have the same four ingredients in them; Creatine, Caffeine, Beta Alanine (BA), and LCLT.

Creatine: So this seems to be the most common ingredient with most, if not all, pre-workout substances. Creatine is naturally produced in our body and can also be found in a lot of meat. Creatine functions as a driving force in burst muscle contractions by constantly refueling the ATP which is the source of energy. Long chemical story short: Creatine will give you more energy and make you feel less tired.

Caffeine: Good ol’ caffeine. It’s the most commonly used stimulant among people and the popularity stems from its seemingly magical ability to wake us up from the dead. Caffeine in pre-workout powders can vary depending on the brand and the number of grams in each scoop. There is a fine line between just the right amount and having the most amazing workout ever and having too much causing you to shake uncontrollably and make the difference of having the best workout of your life or shaking uncontrollably and dropping a dumbbell on your foot.

Beta Alanine: Yea, i did not really know what it was till I started doing my research. From what I understand it is a nonessential amino acid usually found in poultry and other types of meat. Its main purpose is to reduce fatigue which as you can imagine sounds amazing to anyone, especially trainers and extreme athletes since most of them are working out and doing intense exercise for several hours a day.

L-Carnitine/L-Tartrate: Out of all the ingredients, I think I like this the best. Not only does it help your body use your excess fat as an energy source, but it also prevents the breakdown of muscles, and lessens the amount of tissue damage and soreness after a workout. So yes, this does improve performance, but again it is not essential in the grand scheme of things.

It is not necessary to use preworkout to get in an effective workout. With that said I can understand the appeal of an elixir that provides extra energy, focus, and work capacity. Each supplement can be beneficial as long as you stick to the proper dosage, but the more you use and depend on preworkout for each intensive workout session, the more your body will build up a tolerance to it and eventually just a scoop will not be enough.

Let's Overcome Guilty Pleasure Cravings

It’s so good...it’s so bad. Let’s be honest, we have all been there; when you said you would only have one slice of the triple chocolate mousse cake and somehow ended up with three or have one too many glasses of your favorite wine on date night. It happens from time to time, and good news is that you can control it.

1. Stress Less: People deal with stress in all sorts of ways and it is common for people, when they feel stressed, they seek the comfort of food (hence the term comfort food). So excuse me just for a bit while I get all scientific with you, so what happens when you are stressed is that your adrenal glands release cortisol, a hormone that increases appetite and in general it increases levels of motivation- which may include the motivation to eat. I know, it sounds a bit overwhelming, but the good news is that when stress decreases, the hormone is not produced. So simple enough, right? Well not for everyone! Some people find it really difficult to stop worrying and stressing over everything, what may work for these people is practice. Practice deep breathing, letting things go, and letting your muscles relax.

2. Do NOT go to grocery stores hungry: We have done it, you forget to eat lunch and then head over to the grocery store. Uh-oh, bad idea- this is equivalent of letting a starving person loose inside a grocery store. Okay, okay I may be a little dramatic, but you know what I mean. Cornell University did a study on this relationship and found that people who go into supermarkets when their tummies are growling and grumbling they are more likely to fill up their carts with high calorie and “guilty pleasure” foods. Even a short amount of food deprivation can affect how you will shop for groceries. Grocery shopping needs to be done with a rational mind, which means your tummy needs to be satisfied before you take the trip, also don’t forget to make a grocery list so you stay on track!

3. Drink more water: Water can be boring and it is easier and sometimes tastier to pass on the water for the more sugary option. The issue with the sugary option is that it will not fill you up and they end up being empty calories. Water on the other hand can fill you up. Drink a glass or two before every meal. Not only will you be hydrating yourself, but you will be less inclined to eat a super-high calorie meal because it cues the brain to feel fuller faster.

4. Slow and steady wins the race: No, no I am not saying you should be a tortoise. What you need to take away from the tortoise is that you should not eat every meal as if it is a sprint, take your time and wait a few seconds between bites. The reason for this is that there is a delay between the time you take the bite and when you actually feel satiation from it. This delay is anywhere between 10-30 minutes. It helps to eat with someone and have a conversation while eating or if you are eating alone, eat while watching a 30 minute television show and make sure the meal lasts the entire time.

5. 
   And Indulge: I know, this sounds like the biggest contradiction to everything I just said, but I want you to know that it is OK to indulge every once in awhile. The main thing to remember is to find a balance. So when you are indulging in your favorite cookies, have a few but try not to have the entire box. And if that just doesn't work for you, you can always come to Urban Boxing DC and we will help you work off all those guilty pleasure calories.