Supplement Information

In an effort to continue along with my goal of full transparency, I figured I should share with you which supplements I?ve utilized to improve my fitness level. Okay ? let me rephrase that to what it really means ? I?ll tell you what I?ve used that seems to help me lean out and have more energy when I need it for heavy training?.

First of all, you must understand the first rule of supplements. No matter how exotic, how pricey, how clever or novel a product may seem to be ? unless you put in the sweat behind it ? you probably won?t notice much of a difference. And just about everyone you talk to who has used supplements probably has a different combination or experience, so really all you can do is experiment with yourself to find out if something will work for you.

To begin, I?ll just start with protein as I do supplement my regular diet with shakes and bars. I try to get in between 100 and 125 grams a day and that can be very challenging with regular food. I love Isopure products including the powders and the fruit drinks, but they can be pretty expensive. I also like Myoplex and Labrada as well and generally I?ll go with whatever is on sale. You can sneak protein powder into many of your meals such as adding it to pancakes, mixing it in with pudding, or use it to make a smoothie a little more filling. If there?s one thing I?ve learned about protein, it?s that as long as I?m consistent in getting the amount I try for on a regular basis, I can have my occasional ?oh-my-gosh-I?ve-got-to-have-pizza-and-ice cream-and chips? episode and still be okay. I try to make sure that any powder I use has amino acids included as well since when you lift weights, you?re essentially tearing down muscle and you need to be sure that you?ve got the best nutrition available to build them back leaner and tighter.

The next one is glucosamine chondroitin and you?ll never make me believe that it doesn?t work. I can tell such a difference with my knees and I take it every single day. The only times in recent years that I stopped taking it were when I was pregnant and when I got back to working out after each child was born, I really felt some occasional pain in my knees. I?m sure this was probably a combination of the fact that I was toting around an enormous amount of weight and that hormones do funny things to your joints when you?re pregnant, but as soon as I started taking my GC again, the pain went away. I know there are numerous studies out there showing that it works, as well as some that say it doesn?t, but it?s the answer to prayer for my knees.

And here?s one that can be very questionable in terms of whether it actually works or not ? pyruvate. When I know that I?m going to need a little energy boost for weight lifting, I?ll take some of this about 30 minutes before I work out. This presents a problem for me since I work out early in the morning, but on the weekends when I can get in an afternoon workout I?ll still use it. (I can tell a difference with it, but not so much that I?m going to get up any earlier to have it kick in before I do my morning workout. It?s not worth trading in sleep as far as I?m concerned..) I?m not going to link to any articles on it in this piece, but if you google it there?s plenty of information on how they think it works. (who are ?they? anyway??? J ).

Creatine is something that I also used once upon a time, but I don?t really remember noticing any major changes. I can?t remember the name of it, but it was a liquid designed for women. I also tried to take Hydroxycut about 6 years ago, and it was such a terrible experience that I can?t even imagine trying it again. I felt horrible and even though formulations of fat burners like it have supposedly improved, I just can?t even risk feeling like I did when I tried it. Just like a lot of people in this world, I wish I could drop weight really fast as it appears that the people do in the ads, but I can?t take the side effect profile that would come along with regular consumption of it.

Daily I also take Vitamin D and a multivitamin.

Hope you?re not asleep at the computer at this point and let me know if you have any questions. And of course, I?d love to hear any advice on supplements that you may have to share as well.