In this week's blog, Brad talks about supplements and why they are important. He addresses the issues many people have when it come to supplementation such as deciding which ones to take, what to look for, and which are actually worth the money.
Do you need them?
"Depends. If you have an IV of caffeine because you don’t sleep, have no general idea of the calories or macros you are consuming, and your form of water intake is light beers, I can say you definitely don’t need supplements. But in all seriousness, supplements are supposed to SUPPLEMENT the steps you are already taking to help you achieve your goals — not be the primary source."
Take Everything Into Account
"My question to you first is are you doing everything else perfectly that you need to be doing?
Are your workouts perfect? Staying consistent no matter what will help supplements do their job properly. Make a plan to work out on certain days or x amount of days a week depending on your schedule but stick with it. Supplements are there to help enhance your performance so you can get the most out of your workouts.
Is your nutrition perfect? This is the area that people have the most trouble with because a lot of times they think "ok, I am getting protein from the supplement" instead of eating a meal. That may be true but, for the amount of exercise you are doing, getting enough nutrition to make up for the calories burned is really important.
How about sleep? Are you getting enough sleep at night? You should never underestimate the power of sleep and what it can do for your body. When we don't get the proper amount of sleep it can throw our entire body off balance.
Second to nutrition, sleep is so important because without it we lose focus, and we feel sluggish and foggy. We may actually feel MORE tired, get irritable, feel stressed and our immune system can be compromised. Try to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night to help your body rest and recharge.
When all of those things are good then you can worry about supplements. Which is kind of like the top of the pyramid. There are a lot of supplements for different lifestyles and it is up to you to figure out which ones are right for you! You can try pre-workouts, health/wellness, leaning/cutting, bulking or hydration just to name a few.
As far as supplement brands go, some are more researched and beneficial than others. TruCreatine+ is the most researched supplement, it is healthy, it is safe and it will help you gain muscle. The other supplement is caffeine. Those are the 2 supplements that I recommend utilizing but really supplements should be there once you've got everything else in line."
The pyramid would look something like this:
PEScience
- High Volume is the king of pumps. This caffeine-free pre-workout pump powerhouse will take your workout to the next level without any stimulants. Centered around multiple pump and performance ingredients like citrulline, taurine, and arginine, there is a reason High Volume has stood the test of time. Stack with Prolific or Alphamine, or use it as a standalone. Deliciously flavored, High Volume is the perfect stimulant-free pre-workout.
- Alphamine is the legendary powdered thermogenic, powered by multiple forms of caffeine, choline, and carnitine. Use Alphamine like an energy drink, or combine it with High Volume on your workout days. At 60 servings per bottle, you won't find a better value or a more delicious taste.
Protein Powders:
- Select Protein is the pioneering protein of the whey + casein blend, shown to be more effective than 100% whey, and uses premium milk protein isolate as the #1 ingredient.
- Select Vegan Protein is a plant-based, naturally sweetened, premium protein blend designed to closely match the amino acid profile of dairy. Soy free, lactose free, gluten free, and non-GMO.
- This unflavored, unsweetened multi-purpose protein blend uses the same perfected whey/casein ratio as our famous Select Protein.