Products Named That May Slow Your Progress in the Gym

People striving for high athletic performance know: discipline matters not only in the gym but also outside of it. Controlling sleep, daily routine, and most importantly, nutrition is the key to success. Elizaveta Gomenyuk, a sports medicine physician, told "Gazeta.Ru" about foods that, when consumed regularly, can halt progress, disrupt hormonal balance, and slow down recovery.

The expert listed specific food groups that become barriers on the path to an athletic physique.

Leading the anti-rating are products with added sugar and sweetened beverages. They are saturated with fructose and sucrose. Excess fructose overloads the liver, triggering the accumulation of visceral fat, insulin resistance, and hidden inflammation. Additionally, sharp fluctuations in glucose levels deprive athletes of energy, reducing workout effectiveness.

2. Trans fats are a dangerous component of fast food, store-bought pastries, cakes, and margarine. They raise levels of "bad" cholesterol while simultaneously lowering "good" cholesterol. This makes blood more viscous, which is critical for athletes: nutrients reach muscles less efficiently, recovery slows down, and the risk of injury increases.

3. Alcohol, being a toxin, strikes at the liver and metabolism. While the body is busy processing ethyl alcohol, fat-burning and glucose production processes are inhibited. Moreover, alcohol blocks protein synthesis and disrupts the production of hormones essential for muscle mass growth.

4. Highly processed foods (ready meals, convenience foods) carry no nutritional value. They create an imbalance of vitamins and minerals in the body and often lead to overeating and excess calorie consumption.

5. Foods with a high glycemic index can only be beneficial during the "carbohydrate window" immediately after exercise. At other times, especially during low activity, such products contribute to fat accumulation and the development of insulin insensitivity.

6. "Junk" protein includes sausages, cheap patties, pâtés, and pseudo-sports bars with sugar. Such products do not provide quality amino acids for muscle growth but overload the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys with preservatives.

To achieve maximum results, specialists recommend eliminating foods that negatively affect metabolism. Specialized physicians—an endocrinologist, nutritionist, and sports doctor—can help create a proper diet that accounts for individual goals.