Every guy new to training will see the strongest, most physcially impressive person in the gym and think, “What supplement(s) is that guy taking that makes him so jacked?”
It’s one of the most common questions asked by beginners. If they’re impressed, they’ll ask you directly, “You’re ripped dude, what’s your supplement stack?”
I know this because I was the one asking people what supplements they were taking. And now I have beginners asking me.
The idea that supplements are necessary for ideal body composition is off base. You can thank the supplement industry’s marketing efforts for that.
9 out of 10 times the answer to why that man has an impressive physique is: years of consistently training hard and eating healthy. Not Hydroxycut.
But people don’t want to hear that. They want a quick, easy fix. The magic pill you take once a day that gets you shredded. Being shredded takes time and effort. Fat burners and appetite suppressors are not the answer.
I’ve tried all kinds of different supplements over the years. I worked at GNC during college, got to familiarize myself with a lot of the products, and realized a lot of them are BS marketing ploys that won’t do much for you.
Most of the products GNC employees recommend because they get a commission for selling certain items. They’re not worried about your goals, they’re looking to fatten their paycheck.
Do you research ahead of time, don’t get taken advantage of in store.
In all of the Fitness magazines you see advertising supplements, 99% of the bodybuilders shown are using PEDs and the photos use perfect angles, lighting, and photoshop.
Don’t let these ads lead you to believe they built their physique with C4 preworkout and mass gainer shakes.
I never used a lot, but I’ve cut down on most of the supplements I consume. The more I learn about nutrition, the more useless supplements seem to be.
My Current Supplement Stack:
Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder
Of all the proteins I have tried, gold standard is easily the best tasting and most effective. My favorite flavors are the chocolate coconut, mocha cappuccino, and rocky road.
I like to get most of calories from real, whole foods, but the protein powder helps me reach my daily protein goals.
Luckily, I digest dairy fairly well, so the whey protein doesn’t give me any digestive issues. If you have a problem digesting dairy I recommend using ether a hemp protein or egg white protein powder.
I have one protein shake everyday with my post workout meal. If I’m running low on my protein intake, I’ll mix a scoop into oatmeal or Greek yogurt.
Optimum Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine is THE most tested supplement ever made. It’s safe and proven effective. Some people claim to experience bloating, water retention when supplementing with creatine, but I do not have that issue. Creatine helps me eek out a few extra reps, with the increase of ATP energy production. Over the long haul, those one or two extra reps add up to a significant amount.
Don’t get suckered into buying the expensive creatine hydrochloride (HCL) or creatine ethyl ester. They are not proven to be anymore effective than creatine monohydrate.
Scivation Extend BCAAs
I only supplement with BCAAs when I’m intermittent fasting. If I wasn’t fasting I would replace the BCAAs with a healthy breakfast. But the BCAAs do not break my fast, supports muscle recovery, replenishes electrolytes, and gives me a boost towards the end of my fast. I mix my BCAAs with the creatine mentioned above each morning and drink it during my fasted training session.
I started using this particular BCAA after Martin Berkhan, founder of Leangains recommended it. My favorite flavor is strawberry kiwi. Skip the pineapple flavor, it tastes like amoxicillin.
Vitamin D-3 2000IUs
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that 41.6% of Americans were vitamin D deficient. I’ve made a concerted effort to consume more vitamin D once I found out vitamin D deficiencies run in my family (mother, aunt, uncle, etc).
“Supplemental vitamin D is associated with a wide range of benefits, including increased cognition, immune health, bone health and well-being. Supplementation can also reduce the risks of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. People deficient in vitamin D may also experience increased testosterone levels after supplementation.” – Kamal Patel Examine.com
Living in Buffalo, the sun is only accessible part of the year and without the sunshine I don’t get enough vitamin D solely from my diet. Winter was basically 6 months long in Buffalo and supplementing with vitamin D helped me get through it.
This summer I have made sunbathing a priority, whether it’s reading by the pool at my apartment or taking a walk in the sunshine. I do not supplement with vitamin D on days I get an adequate amount of sun exposure. Unfortunately, daily supplementation will become a necessity heading into fall.
These are the only supplements I take, and they have served me very well.
I used to take a daily multi vitamin, but after my last bottle ran out I’ve decided to get all of my vitamins from whole foods like high quality meats, fruits, vegetables, and eggs, not a synthetic, processed tablet.
On occasion, I used to drink preworkout, but it’s filled with chemicals that I’m not interested in ingesting. The main component of preworkout is caffeine. It’s far more natural and cost effective to just drink 2 cups of black coffee before your workout instead of expensive preworkout formulas.
I also stopped taking fish oil. Fish oil’s efficacy is under scrutiny at the moment. Deep Nutrition mentions a lot of the nutrients in Omega-3s from fish oil will be lost during the processing and storage phases.
I never felt any difference while taking fish oil. I tried taking twice the recommended dose in hopes of noticeable affects, but I never experienced them. You’re better off eating wild caught fish than choking down fish oil pills. However, that’s just me; if you’re experiencing a benefit from taking fish oil, proceed to do so.
That’s all I take. I plan on using supplements as their name intends, to supplement for a lacking diet. My end goal is to have a strong enough, nutrient rich diet that allows me to live a healthy, energized life without any supplements.
Don’t get roped in by all the marketing tactics and false advertising. A lot of supplements don’t do shit for you.
Do your liver, heart, and wallet a favor and use as little supplements as possible.
Talk again soon,
Shane