Supplements: A Massive Waste, or the Key to Your Goals?

 

            Over the last blog posts we’ve discussed how you should diet, train, and preform cardio. This week’s post will touch on the topic of supplementation to reach your goals. It’s important to note that no supplements will make up for a bad diet or a poor exercise routine, and that most supplements will provide only marginal benefit at most.

 

            I’ll structure this post by starting with some supplements that are a good idea, and then finish out with supplements that are a waste of money.

 

The first supplement I’d like to talk about is protein powder. Protein powder is a great option if you’re struggling to meet your daily protein requirements. If you have a busy schedule or if it’s difficult for you to consume enough from whole food sources, this is a great way to get another 50 grams of protein. I’d recommend not exceeding 50 grams of protein per day from powder because this will ensure that you’re getting enough from whole food sources. Not all protein sources are created equally, mainly due to amino acid profiles. I won’t spend much time on this topic in this post because it gets complicated fast. Whey and casein protein powders are the varieties I’d recommend for most people. Whey is going to be the most cost effective in terms of protein versus cost. However, if you’re going to be cooking your protein in recipes, I’d recommend casein because it will turn out better. Most brands that you’ll find at the store are good options, I’ve always enjoyed the brand Gold Standard, as it’s cheap and tasty.

 

Another great supplement would be creatine, it’s one of the most studied supplements in the fitness community and is proven to give good results. Creatine will assist you in your weight training, and help you to gain just a little bit more muscle. As far as dosage, you’ll want to stick with 5 grams per day, every day. Creatine is most effective when it reaches a certain concentration in your bloodstream, which is why consistent usage is paramount. Expect to need to drink more water as a side effect. Stick with creatine monohydrate as it’s the most studied form of creatine, as well as generally being the cheapest.

 

The final supplement I’ll talk about are known as fat burners. These supplements are touted as being able to assist in the burning of fat due to their thermogenic properties. The primary ingredient in these supplements tends to be caffeine, the thought being that since caffeine increases your metabolism, you’ll burn more calories. Stay away from these supplements because they’re a massive waste of money and assist little to none in terms of helping you lose fat.

 

In next week’s post I’ll continue to talk about how to reach your fitness goals.