What Supplements should I be taking?
Supplementation, when starting your health and fitness journey, can be confusing and intimidating. I remember the first protein powder I ever bought was from Walmart. It specifically said it was for women. I had no clue what the nutritional facts were and if there was enough protein for my needs. I didn't even know how much protein it should have. It said it was for women…so I bought it. Ever done that before? I am sure I am not alone in this.
I eventually worked up enough courage to walk into a supplement store. I was intimidated AF! I walked around aimlessly and probably walked out of the store with a whole bunch of expensive crap that I definitely didn't need. I don't mean to age myself, but the internet was still a baby and I couldn't just Google this information. I had to read muscle magazines and ask people who looked like they worked out. Looking back now it’s hilarious. Luckily for you, all this information is available at your fingertips, with a quick Google search, or my blog, and you don't have to awkwardly walk into a supplement store, because online shopping spares you the humiliation.
I don't want to single out the women, because I also know a lot of men who don't know what supplements they should be taking either. So they take everything…or nothing at all. Many of us get sucked into gimmicks or nutrition pyramid companies because we don't know any better.
So let me simplify this for you. Supplements are not necessary. Supplements, as the name implies, means that it's meant to supplement where your diet may be lacking. Think of supplements as bridging a gap between what you should be consuming, to what you are actually consuming.
With that being said, there are some supplements that I recommend to anyone regardless of their health and fitness goals.
They are:
A Quality Multivitamin
The quality of the average person's diet is usually very poor. When all is said and done, it usually consists of a diet filled with highly processed foods that have little to no nutrient value. A quality multivitamin will help you get the vitamins & minerals that you are not getting from your diet alone.
Vitamin C, D, & Zinc
Well, we just came out of two years of the “vid”, where if you were coughing and sneezing you had cooties. Let's build our immune systems and stay healthy.
Fiber
I'll just keep reiterating that the average diet is highly processed, and you don't get enough fiber. Including a fiber supplement will help you have healthy, normal poops.
Okay, now you're like, “Well I want to know what to take for my fitness journey”. We shall label these “Fitness Supplements”. I will scream this over and over, YOU DO NOT NEED SUPPLEMENTS TO START YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY, but you can take them. Just so you know, there is no magical fitness supplement. It takes proper nutrition, and consistent exercise & training to reach your goals. PERIOD.
FITNESS SUPPLEMENTS
Protein Powder
There is no gender-specific protein that you should take. That is just marketing. I take the same protein as my husband and I didn't get manly or bad acne (another old wives tale I've heard) Protein is KING when it comes to macronutrients. It's the building block of our bodies. It is especially important if you want to build muscle. Having a convenient shake to increase your protein intake helps a lot when you learn how much protein you should actually be consuming.
Creatine
This is one of the supplements I was so afraid of. I thought it caused bad acne, and only men need to take creatine. Lies. Creatine helps with muscle growth and recovery. There is a whole bunch of other health benefits I've read about including brain health. Bottom line if you are strength training add creatine to the mix.
Pre-Workout
I think this is probably the best-known supplement. There are soooooo many choices it can be overwhelming. It comes down to if you want a stimulant-free pre-workout or not. Then it comes down to taste. If it tastes horrible, we ain’t drinking it!
Intra-Workout
BCAA’s (Branched Chain Amino Acids) are building blocks in protein. Your body naturally produces several of these BCAA’s from the protein you consume. They come in powders that you mix into the water to make it tasty. You drink it DURING your workout. This helps with muscle growth and recovery.
I want to be a coach that makes achieving your goals as easy as possible. I know how confusing the supplement world can be. So I thought it fitting to tackle this subject in my very first blog post! I don't care if you work with me as my client or just follow me on social media. This information isn't top-secret stuff. It can be very confusing and hard to decide what you should take, if anything at all. I want to streamline the information out there so that anyone can navigate their fitness journey without being confused and defeated before they even start.
SIDE NOTE
I am not a writer. I have so much I want to share with you all, sometimes a LONG information IG story or post just gets skipped by. I wanted to get good information out to the FIT FAM, so I am stepping out of my comfort zone and I am writing! I don't want to say that I am a bad writer (because of positive self-talk and all) I figured if I keep at it, I will only get better. Welcome to the Fit Fam!
Aloha,
Mac
