Do you have a solid exercise routine, eat well, get enough rest, but aren't seeing the results you'd like to see? While it's true that balancing the fundamentals of bodybuilding (diet, training, and rest) can help you achieve results, you also need to know how to supplement your body.

During training, you break down muscle fibers and your body loses precious fluids. You are also depleting your body of energy. To truly maximize your physique, you need to fuel your body with everything it needs to really crush those workouts and get the results you want. Protein is an essential supplement that you may want to add to your daily diet. If you can afford one supplement in the world, make sure it's protein!

During your workout, your body breaks down these muscle fibers, and post-workout protein helps fuel your muscles and allows your body to build muscle back. Increased protein will help increase muscle mass and is especially important immediately after training. You may think that you don't need protein because you get enough of it through your diet. While you can get enough through your diet, there is another benefit to having protein as a supplement.

Protein powder is very convenient and easy to drink. Drinking a protein shake immediately after a workout can have huge benefits. It's a quick and easy way to get protein right into your muscles when they need it most. Protein powders usually contain other key vitamins and nutrients that your body can really benefit from right after your workout. There are other ways to get protein after a workout, but the faster you can get protein into your system after a workout, the better.

Even if you were to go home right after the gym and cook the chicken, it will take a while to cook before you can eat it. That's precious time wasted. Even if you pre-cook it and have that chicken ready when you get home, it's never as quick as being able to drink a shake right after the gym. If you want to play devil's advocate and say you can take chicken or another source of protein to the gym to eat right after, fine, but protein powder is a huge plus. Immediately after training, replenish your body with what it needs most. Your body will thank you.