What Supplements I Take

I'm sitting here in the hospital waiting for my baby girl to get out of surgery. She's having her tonsils out. Instead of sitting hear worrying like an over-protective father, I thought I'd write a Blog post. I frequently get asked what supplements I take. Here's my answer as well as the why.

Before I begin, it's important to remember that supplements are just that -supplements. They do NOT take the place of a healthy diet.

I currently take the following.

1. Whey Protein. I currently take three protein shakes per day. I never use milk to mix the powder. To much fat and carbs. I always use water. Besides water, I typically also include liquid egg whites, oates, spinach, cinnamon, and one fruit (such as a banana). The reason why I take a protein supplement should be obvious.

2. Multi-Vitamin. I take a multivitamin every morning with breakfast to ensure that I get the vitamins and minerals my body needs to be healthy, perform and recover.

3. Fish Oil. I take approximately 900 mg omega-3 per day (647 EPA, 253 DHA). The health benefits to fish oil are great - including reducing cholesterol and inflammation, helping you have healthy skin, helping with mental health and also promoting weight loss.

4. Creatine Monohydrate. I take 5 grams per day of creatine. Creatine provides energy to your muscles, thereby increasing recovery and work capacity.

3. Magnesium & Zinc. I take 250 mg of magnesium and 50 mg zinc every night before bed. This helps with sleep efficiency, energy, and protein synthesis.

4. N.O.-Explode. I just barely started taking NO-Explode. I was looking for a good pre-workout supplement to help me get "amped" for my workout. So far, I feel like its working. I take 2 scoops 45 minutes before I work out. When its time to train, I feel an increase in energy and alertness.

Well, that's what I'm currently taking. I say "currently" because it's bound to change. I like to experiment with things to see what works and what works the best. Obviously, not all of you will take the same supplements. A woman looking to lose weight and who is currently taking a fitness boot camp has no need to take N.O.-Explode or three protein shakes per day. As with a lot of things, you need to do (or take) what works for you. Everyone is different. Finally, remember supplements do not take the place of eating well; they should simply supplement an already healthy diet.

Tips For Improving Your Workouts

Have you ever noticed that some days when you walk into the gym to train, you just don’t feel it. You go through the repetitions, but your head just isn’t in the game. You miss lifts. You feel exhausted. Well, here are some tips to help you improve your workouts:

1. Music. Music has a way of pumping you up and making you want to lift. Listen to the right music and you’ll be ready to attack the iron. When I train, I listen to loud music. The louder the better. So, crank the music and get to work.

2. Training Partners. I trained alone for a couple of years. I didn’t mind it, and I made some gains. However, the past year I’ve had some incredible training partners who have helped push me through plateaus and difficult training sessions. Since I’ve starting training with my training partners, I have made big gains. Also, it’s great to have someone spot you when you’re going for a PR. So, find yourself a training partner. But choose wisely. Make sure it is someone who is reliable, close to the same strength level, and someone who has a killer drive in the gym.

3. Distractions. There are many distractions in a typical gym; people talking to each other, cell phones, the opposite sex, and the skinny guy grunting while doing curls in the squat rack.


When you go to the gym, you go to train. You’re not there to socialize or pick up girls. One of my pet peeves is when I’m getting ready to lift heavy or set a new PR, someone will talk to me or ask me a question. Shut up! So, leave your cell phone in the car. Put your earbuds in and zone out everyone else in the gym. Remember, your in the gym to train, not to socialize.

4. Rest. You are not going to have a killer training session if you only slept a few hours the night before. To continually make gains in your training, you need to rest and recover. Make sure you are getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night. So, turn off the TV and get to bed.

5. Supplements. There are lots of supplements that are designed to give you a boost during your training. You can spend lots of money on such supplements. The primary ingredient in most of these supplements is caffeine. Save your money and buy some caffeine pills, such as NoDoz, Stay-Awake, and Vivarin (or better yet, look for the generic brands). Half-hour before you train, grind up one of these pills (which contain around 200mg of caffeine), mix it in water and drink. When its time to train you’ll be energized and ready to hit a new PR.

6. Follow a Program and Track Your Progress. If you go into the gym with no program or plan, you’ll likely make little or no progress. Plus, chances are that you will get bored and be more likely to miss training sessions. When you have a training program, you know each day you go into the gym what you are going to do, how many sets and reps you have to perform, and whether you are making progress. Each day you go into the gym, you should check your program and see what you did last session and then try to better it. I write my own programs and I also regularly follow other trainer’s programs, such as Joe DeFranco’s, Jim Wendler, and Jason Ferruggia. So, follow a program, track your progress, and enjoy the results.

7. Attitude.
I left attitude as my last recommendation to guarantee your training. Why? Because it is the most important to your success. Even if you follow all the above recommendations, if you have a bad attitude about training, your workouts will suffer and you will never make the progress you otherwise could.

I’ve trained athletes who have killer potential. But, they come into the gym with a lazy attitude, a better-than-thou mind set, and no work ethic. These individuals make little progress and never last. Also, I’ve trained moms who have wanted to lose their baby-weight, but have accepted being overweight, or lack the determination to eat properly.

Compare this to a couple athletes I currently train. They come each day to the gym ready to “kill it”! They go to war with the iron. They look forward to lifting. These athletes push themselves each workout, and even if they miss a lift, they consider it “practice” and look forward to hitting the lift the next time. They think themselves strong. As a result of their attitude, their strength has improved greatly. Or, the moms who come to train with a strong determination to reach their goal of losing weight, who are dedicated to eating properly, and who have figured out the benefits of being a strong woman.

Bill Pearl, a former leading American bodybuilder, said: “Everything has to be positive, positive, positive. Because . . . as soon as something negative comes into your training you can kiss your goal goodbye.”

So, be positive about your training. Have a killer attitude. An attitude that each time you are in the gym you will give your all. Be positive about reaching your goals. Know that you can accomplish everything you set your mind to if you are willing put in the effort and make the sacrifices needed.

Now, GO TRAIN!!!

Friday Workout - NTS Fitness Strength Camp

Some of the guys were pretty sore from Wednesday's workout. I think the single-leg squats are to blame (or praise). This is what they did today:

TABATA:

1. Squats

2. Push-Ups

3. Sit-Ups

4. Planks to Push-Ups - 3 x 40 sec.

Before the workout we talked about supplements and how most of the stuff out there is a waste of money. My opinion is that the most important supplements are a good multivitamin, fish oil, and protein. If you are looking to gain strength and size, add creatine.

Supplements

Any of you who have walked into a GNC have noticed the countless choices when it comes to supplements. With all of the choices it can be confusing and overwhelming. In reality, I have found that most supplements are a waste of money.

Besides a quality multivitamin and fish oil, I take creatine and a protein supplement. The brand of creatine I have found to work best is EAS Phosphagen Elite, with Beta-Alanine. I take 5.25 grams per day. In regards to my protein supplement, I use the EAS brand. I take the creatine right before bed. The protein I consume right after my workout and then again in the afternoon, or early evening.

A quality website to check out is http://www.prosource.net/. ProSource conducts research and evaluations on different brands and types of supplements, and also offers discounts.

Keep in mind that you can get big and strong without taking any supplements. I know of a strength and conditioning coach who is incredibly strong and healthy, and he takes no supplements. Finally, remember that supplements are just that - supplements. Nothing can replace a good diet.