When you’re trying to lean out, you have three friends you can count on: 1) whey protein, 2) amino acids, and 3) your metabolic rate. To reduce body fat, you need to take in fewer calories than you burn. Many people make the mistake of taking in so few calories that they undermine their metabolic rate, making themselves sluggish while hoarding body fat even though they’ve reduced their calorie intake. But you don’t burn body fat based on how few calories you take in; you burn fat based on the gap between your intake and your expenditure. Keeping up your metabolic rate while cutting calories moderately is the most ef ective way to burn fat while maintaining muscle. These four supplements are among the best for achieving this goal.
► Whey protein boosts your metabolic rate, getting to work almost immediately. This fast-digesting source of protein not only helps fuel muscle growth, it also protects your muscles from breakdown when you’re in a calorie deficit. When you consume whey protein after workouts, you boost your metabolic rate even though you’re not taking in many calories. The advantage of whey, particularly in cutting phases, is that it floods your system with aminos that help halt catabolism and encourage repair. Consume no fewer than 20 grams of protein after a workout. Depending on your weight, metabolic rate, and budget, consider going all the way up to 60 grams post-workout.
► Glutamine protects your muscles and boosts immunity. When you’re in a calorie deficit, you need glutamine more than ever. Without enough glutamine, your body readily turns to muscle tissue, breaking it down to retrieve this and other aminos. But when you take it after workouts, your body is not only less likely to tear down muscle tissue, it’s also more likely to repair and build it. Glutamine also supports digestion and immunity, both of which can be negatively impacted by calorie deficits.
► BCAAs alleviate pain and help maintain muscle while dieting. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), including leucine, valine, and isoleucine, function differently from the other aminos, driving the growth process after workouts. Leucine, the most important of the BCAAs, ignites protein synthesis. The group also triggers insulin release to help drive nutrients to just-trained muscle tissue. BCAAs also decrease cortisol levels, reducing fatigue and soreness.
► Tart cherry concentrate reduces pain and inflammation. Tart cherry provides anti-inflammatory phytochemicals that help suppress pain, allowing you to train better when you’re in a caloric deficit. Tart cherry also contains melatonin, which helps you sleep better. Many people experience restlessness while dieting, which may undercut their success.
Get It Together
When you’re shedding body fat, you want to do it as effectively and painlessly as possible. MuscleTech’s Anabolic Halo contains all of the highlighted ingredients and many others, including creatine, digestive enzymes, and electrolytes. The best way to burn body fat is to cut calories moderately, get plenty of whey and aminos to drive metabolic rate, and make certain you don’t have any deficits that undercut fat loss.
Click here to purchase MuscleTech’s Anabolic Halo at the Muscle & Fitness Store.
