Why Do I Need Supplements Anyway?

I was asked recently a question on my Facebook page about supplements from one of my readers. 

She asked, "Can I get the same results without having to use supplements?"

This is actually a really good question. So good, that it lead me to spend my Saturday morning writing this article.

It seems as if there is a supplement for everything, right? One to take before a workout, one to take after, one to take before bedtime, yada-yada-yada....

The truth, short and simple, is going to be yes and no. Supplements are fabulous, but they are not required. They help to fill in the gaps or deficiences that you may need help with.

Think of it as in putting on makeup. You don't really NEED makeup to look pretty. Well, some of you might-kidding! No, but seriously, the makeup is just made to enhance the beauty you already have. Supplements are just an enhancement to your workout.

Supplements were created to do just that-supplement your diet and routine. Nutrition is such an important aspect of your workout routine because your body takes what you fuel it with and spits out magic. With the right fuel, great things can happen. 

Sure, you can get by with taking zero supplements-it just might take a bit longer to reach your goals.

Let's get one thing straight right here and now: 

THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL TO MAKE YOU

• skinny
• detoxed
• cleansed
• healthy
• lose weight
• toned
• trim
• bigger
• muscular
• faster
• prettier
• smarter
• whatever

We fall victim to numerous ads on televison or magazines daily saying, "Pop this pill and you will lose xxx amount of pounds like I did!"

Negative.

There is no fast pace to getting the body that you want. Sorry, Dr. Oz.

There is even such bullshit that companies like this will scam and steal images-REAL before and afters-off the internet from people who actually did the hard work alone. Take my friend Natalie Hodson for example. 

We put far too much emphasis on popping this magic supplement yet we eat like crap, sleep too little, and skip our workouts. Once you get the foundation downpat, THEN you can start worrying about adding supplements to help you move forward with your goals.

When you are ready to start taking supplements, you need to find the right brand. In this society and age, there are thousands of supplement companies that are overpriced and quite frankly don't do a damn thing. 

Why?

It is not regulated as it should be by the FDA. So, you could be taking something that you truly and honestly think will be helping you move toward your goals while in actuality it is not making a difference. So basically, you have just wasted your money and your pride. What a setback.

I hope I didn't scare you there! Not all supplements are a bad idea. After much trial and error, I finally found a company whom I love and so will you. But first, please do some research on what you are taking.

But, do I recommend them, personally? 

Yes. I have noticed a huge difference in MY body and MY journey from the point I began supplements to today. I wasn't always cool with using supplements because, well, I did not know shit about them in the beginning. It was all mumble jumble and confusion to me so I said forget it. However, I did not make much progress because I did not get what I needed in my daily diet. For those of you who weren't with me for my 50lb weightloss pre-baby, I got really skinny and dropped the extra pounds, but I wasn't happy with the skinny-fat look. I wanted to be strong and muscular! Well, supplements got me there (along with hard workouts and willpower).

"But, can't I just eat my fuel in foods?" 

Yes... BUT. The average person does not ingest enough vitamins and minerals in his or her food on a daily basis, which makes supplementation a vital part of your routine. 

For example, let's talk specifically about protein for a second. The average personally typically needs around 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. So if you are 120lbs, you will need at least 120 grams of protein per day. While this may seem easy (in your mind) to meet this through your daily dietary intake, sometimes it isn't always so easy to eat this much protein. And if you are very physically active, you will need more grams of protein daily to repair your muscles. This is where protein powders rock. 

So, what supplements do I personally recommend? 

• A good multivitamin to cover your bases (brand does not matter too much here, but make sure it has enough of what you need)
• Vitamin D or extra Calcium (for those who lift, you want healthy bones to continue lifting, right?)
• Fish oil (I love MRM's Smart Blend)
• A preworkout powder to get you pumped and increase stength/endurance for your workout (I use Driven from MRM. It is all natural and does not make me feel jittery like other preworkout powders.)
• Amino Acids (I take BCAA Reload from MRM)
• A postworkout recovery powder (I love the Natural Whey Protein from MRM in chocolate)

I love MRM supplements and use them daily-regardless if I'm working out or not. Most of their products are safe to use while breastfeeding and during pregnancy. If you need to see the list of which ones, click here.

You can use my personal discount code below to get 40% off your order. It is good for everything and anything, each and everytime you order.