Fighting Fit - Fueling your fitness

THESE days it is easier to pop a pill or chug down a protein shake to get all our nutrients.
Pick up any health or fitness magazines and you will immediately be bombarded with advertisements from supplement manufacturers claiming to have ‘magical’ products to replace whole foods.
Words such as ‘biological value’ and ‘protein efficiency ratio’ are used to convince (and confuse) customers that supplements are better than real food.
The US$30 billion (RM123 billion) supplement industry is not regulated, and with many athletes failing their US Anti Doping Agency (USADA) test due to tainted products, it is important to be careful with what we are putting into our body.
Supplements do have a place in the world of health and fitness, but it’s always better to get all our nutritional needs from real food and ingredients.
► Get that extra kick
Pre-workouts are some of the bestsellers in any supplement store. Instant energy and motivation to work out that comes in a pill or powder form is a great selling point.
However, if we break down most pre-workouts, they all contains one ingredient across the board: caffeine.
Before the supplement industry boom, coffee was the original pre-workout. Some even called it black magic, thanks to its dark colour and instant energy boost.
The world’s most popular stimulant worked so well that until 2004, it was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Studies have shown that caffeine stimulates energy production and burns fat faster.
These days it has become a staple for most athletes. Caffeine peaks between 60 and 90 minutes after consumption, hence taking it an hour before exercising would be ideal.
Caffeine, however, has a relatively long half-life. Time it accordingly to get the most from it.

► Go Greek
Protein is a must-have for anyone who has been exercising. It is needed to build and repair tissue, make enzymes, and is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. The best time to consume protein is within an hour after working out.
A protein shake is the easiest way to do so, but most protein powders are also loaded with sugar and other processed food. A great alternative would be Greek yogurt, the thicker and creamier cousin of regular yogurt.
Strained to remove the whey, Greek yogurt has 15g to 20g of protein in a 6-ounce (170g) serving – similar to a scoop of protein powder.
Besides all the protein goodness, Greek yogurt contains probiotics, which may help improve digestive function.
► The cult of kale
The human body is so complex that it needs a range of vital nutrients. People with a busy schedule find it easier to just pop a pill instead of trying to consume whole foods.
A multivitamin a day supports healthy ageing, boosts energy levels and maintains muscle strength, among others. Before picking something from the shelf, try kale.
One of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, kale is basically nature’s multivitamin. Kale contains very high amounts of vitamin K1, vitamin C and copper.
Research also shows kale is a powerful antioxidant, and works well as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Kale also has more calcium than milk per calorie, which is important in preventing osteoporosis and maintaining a healthy metabolism.
► Go fish!
Without amino acids, the body will have a difficult time trying to absorb protein needed for recovery and muscle growth.
Athletes are extremely reliant on amino acids to help them recover and train harder. Creatine is one such amino acid that the body converts into muscle fuel.
Easily found in any supplement store, creatine is usually sold together with protein powder.
Creatine can also be consumed naturally through wild game meat. This includes rabbit, venison, ostrich, buffalo, and wild duck.
If that’s too hard to swallow, try salmon. There is about 4.5g of creatine in one pound (2.2kg) of salmon. Besides that, salmon also provides vitamin B12 and vitamin D.
Supplements do have a role to play in our lives, and they should only be considered if we are unable to get all our nutritional needs through natural sources.
Nevash Nair is currently on his own fitness journey in Thailand. Contact him via email at lifestyle.nevashnair@thesundaily.com.