New at the gym

MichelleZannone
MichelleZannone Posts: 121
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all I have been on here for about 2 months now and this is my first post. I just started last Thursday at a fitness center and was wondering should I be taking supplements and protein and if so when is the best time before or after? I am really green (new) to actually working out so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Right now I am doing cardio ( elliptical and treadmill) some weight machines and circuit training every other day. I do plan on talking with a trainer on Friday and my health coach before I actually take any just to be sure it's the right thing to do. Thanks:wink:

Replies

  • bradwwood
    bradwwood Posts: 371 Member
    as long as you are eating healthy, you don't need to be taking any special supplements. I take a basic multi vitamin, and I think you will find a lot of folks here do the same. As far as protein powder goes, that really depends on you. If you are having trouble hitting your protein goal each day, it might be a good idea to add with powder. I do because I struggle to hit my goal regularly. Again, if you are eating well, you might not need to bother. I think some people on really hard core workout routines change their macro nutrient goals with an emphasis on protein (the macro nutrients are Fats, Proteins, and Carbs). It really becomes difficult to hit the protein number in that case, so the supplement becomes more common.

    As far as before or after, from what I've been able to tell, it doesn't matter. Everyone is going to have an opinion on this. If I say don't workout on an empty stomach, 27 people will chime in saying they do it all the time. The important thing is that you have the proper nutrition to support the energy level you need to get your workout done well.

    I personally try to eat an apple about an hour before I work out. Then, once I come down off the workout, it is usually dinner time, but I'm typically not too hungry. I think in this area it depends on you and what works best for you. Listen to your body. I don't think there are any strict rules here. Ten years ago everyone said don't eat and go to bed, now I guess that is really only a concern if you have digestion issues that arise from that practice (I will get heart burn if I do that)

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