What Supplements Should I Be Taking?

Supplements are one of the most debated topics in the fitness world. A lot of people swear by them, others think they are terrible for you. It is one of those tricky topics where there is not necessarily a right or wrong answer with what supplements you should be taking. I typically like to have a more natural approach to my supplements and make sure to do 2 things before I begin taking any supplement- Do a lot of research and ask my doctor. Let’s take a look at some of the supplements that I am taking and the benefits that they can give you!

I generally stick to taking two supplements- Protein and creatine. There is a lot of hesitation when starting creatine, and I must admit I was in a similar boat when I started. However, after doing some research I realized that it was actually one of the most studied supplements in the world and has many benefits and nearly no cons if you are using it responsibly. Creatine has been proven to give you more energy in short durations during your workouts. It is perfect to get more intensity out of your lifting and more effectively build lean muscle mass. It is suggested to take 3-5 grams per day and I highly suggest drinking a lot of water (at least 3/4 of a gallon) with it as well. The only con I have noticed with it is that you will gain a substantial amount of water weight with it which may not be the worst thing depending on what your fitness goals are.

Now, let’s talk about the supplement that I believe is almost a necessity- Protein. Protein is absolutely vital to everyone, no matter what your fitness goals are. The benefits of protein include building lean muscle, muscle restoration after workouts, boosts your metabolism and ability to burn fat, increases your strength over time and lowers your hunger levels and appetite. Obviously protein is something that is present in a lot of foods that we eat in our diet, but I still think using protein powder as a supplement is very important. A lot of people don’t realize exactly how much protein you are supposed to eat per day. You are technically supposed have 1 gram of protein for each pound of body weight per day, which can get pretty difficult for a 205 pound man like myself. I have not yet been able to make it to 205 grams of protein per day, but I am working my way there. I am starting to hold myself to 155 grams of protein per day (75% of my body weight) and will start to work my way up once I start being able to do that consistently. In an ideal world you would eat all of your protein through whole foods but obviously that gets pretty difficult when you are eating that much protein per day.

That is my approach when it comes to supplements. What are the supplements that you suggest taking? Let me know in the comments below!