My Opinion On Supplements
Its sorta sad that the main source of income in the fitness industry is actually the least important part of the whole process. You can't go anywhere online when searching for fitness without running into something about supplements and how you need to by this magic muscle forming powder on the market. Im not saying Supplements are just a huge scam but it is a scam when you claim that these supplements will grant you magic results of some sort. The true meaning of supplements lies in the name itself. The word Supplement means just that - Supplement to your diet. That is my take on Supplements and how i go about it. I use them to Supplement my diet from things i might lack in my nutrition. I have always been a fan of saving as much money as possible but with that said i also do invest in a few myself as they have helped me a little with my goals and i find they are worth it. Below is just my opinion on what i recommend. YOU DO NOT NEED ANY OF THESES. It all comes down to a personal preference. If your wondering if a sup is really worth it RESEARCH IT on examine.com you can find scientific research on almost any ingredient on their site.
My Personal Recommendations
Multi - Vitamin
- I take and recommend Opti-Men or women for an every day multi. This can help make sure you take care of most your vitamins. Think of it as your insurance benefit. Follow the dose recommended on bottle
Vitamin D3
- Most Americans unless you work outside for a living don't get anywhere the needed dosage of Vitamin D each day so I definitely recommend taking a D3 everyday. The dosage I recommend is anywhere from 2,000IU - 6,000IU a day, studies have shown up to 10,000 IU have showed safe but I would not recommend that much. I myself take 2,000IU a day and I have a desk job.
Fish Oil
- Not much need to be said about this one. So many studies have shown the benefits of fish oil. I take and recommend ON brand Fish Oil. The dosage I recommend you take should be 3-5 grams a day.
Pre Workout
- The only pre workout I recommend is Carbon Prep by Layne Norton. It has all your basis covered for each training session and is super convenient having an all in one product. It contains 3 grams of creatine so your creatine is covered as well. Another great thing about Prep is that it has a lot of Neurotropics which help give crazy focus and no added caffeine or stimulants so you can take at night if you, like me, train at night, you will still be able to sleep!
Post or Intra Workout
- The other training sup I recommend is Carbon Recover by Layne Norton. It has everything you need to recover from each training session. You can drink that during your workout or after. It includes 8 grams of BCAA's. Might I add both prep and recover taste amazing! Cran Grape for prep is what I recommend for best flavor and Blueberry Pomegranate for recover taste like a jolly rancher.
Whey Protein
- With so many brands out there it's hard to know what brand to go with, and for the fact a lot of company's are spiking their protein so you’re not even sure you get the amount of protein it's stating that it's giving to you. So with that said I recommend and take myself Cellucore Whey Protein. It tastes the best out there and is pretty much straight protein and very easy to mix. It really is the best out there in my opinion. Eventually Layne is going to develop a Carbon protein and I will of course jump on board with that but until then I will use Cellucore.
Straight BCAA Capsules
- This is sort of an optional supplement but I had to add it since I have found great success in taking them. Studies have shown taking 4 grams between meals can spike muscle protein synthesis. I also recommend taking 4 grams pre workout along with Carbon Prep as well. You don't need BCAA's but they can help specially when dieting.