Ever wonder about what you could do to make sure you have tons of energy to conquer your workouts? Are you usually sluggish the whole way through?
Well, the same thing that gets you going in the morning for work or school is the same thing that can add a little pep to your step before a workout.
Yes, that is right. We are talking about Caffeine.
Caffeine is the worlds most heavily consumed stimulant and is also known by its chemical name (1-3-7 trimethylxanthine). Yes, I know that's a mouthful, but its nice to know what caffeine really is. Common sources of caffeine include coffee, soda, ice teas, chocolate, and energy drinks. Sadly, most of these options carry extra calories, and become no good when dieting and training for an optimal physique.
Coffee is an excellent option, especially if you like it black, or use artificial sweeteners, as it will lower the simple carbohydrate count associated with your beverage. Secondly, coffee caries many health benefits including a particularly high amount of anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants help restore cells and fight off the "free-radicals" that are in the world arouns us.
Soda is not a good option no matter what. Regular sodas are loaded with sugar and a caloric disasters. Diet Sodas still have high carbonation which can accelerate dehydration in the body. "ever notice drinking soda doesn't cure thirst?" Teas are in much of the same boat as they often contain unwanted amounts of sugar per serving.
However, diet green tea is EXCELLENT before a workout considering it has high caffeine, and high EGCG, a chemical that has been proven to accelerate fat loss.
Chocolate is not really a high source of caffeine and so it should not even be considered.
Lastly energy drinks are an excellent source of caffeine, considering they come in high doses and really can get oneself going. However, they too fall prey to the high sugar content, or at the very least, the dehydration effect due to the carbonation.
Tea and coffee are not your only options though. The supplement industry has many products that can be found in pills and powders that have concentrated amounts of caffeine in them to help aid in the workout. Popular choices include Hydroxycut, NO Xplode, Superpump250, and Lipo6x.
To note: Always ask your doctor about the health of your heart before consuming these products as they are very potent, and also contain other elements that aid in either fat loss or muscle building. Thus, my recommendations are only valid when used after the consult of a medical professional and an understanding of one's own health is reached.
Caffeine doesn't just give you a boost of energy. It also blunts exhaustion within muscles. An excellent study done by the American College of Sport Medicine a few years back shows that individuals who took caffeine prior to a workout felt less "pain" from exercising then the placebo. Furthermore, the individuals using caffeine had significantly more strength then those who did not. All participants completed the same battery of tests.
So caffeine is great for psychological and physiological boosts, improves strength, and fights fatigue. It's an excellent mode of boosting one's workout given a clean bill of health. It should be known though, excessive use creates a dependency upon the stimulant, and this could lead to nervous shakes, sleeplessness, and psychological dis-orientation. These effects are also felt when too high a dose is consumed.
The perfect dose is between 50mg - 250mg depending on one's tolerance. Always start at the low end of this spectrum for safety sake.
So boost your workout folks, and STAY FIT FOREVER.
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