My Basic Supplements
My arsenal included only 3 items — Shakeology, whey protein, and the Results and Recovery Formula. I did not take any vitamins — Shakeology covered that. I took no creatine or glutamine. I took no pre-workouts. That was initially a little difficult, but I am still using pre-workouts very sparingly. I definitely don’t feel like I “need” them to work out. There seems to be a large group of people that almost seem to get addicted to them.
The reason I have always used whey protein is that I make a shake every morning for breakfast (1 scoop Shakeology, 1 scoop whey, and some PB2), and I didn’t want to mess with that perfection, but I only took the 1 scoop of whey per day. A person can definitely get by without whey protein supplementation, but it would require getting a LOT of other protein in your diet (lean meats, egg whites, etc.)
I chose Shakeology as a must because it has it all (vitamins, nutrients, superfoods from around the world, all concentrated into 1 amazing scoop). A person can get by without Shakeology, but it requires the incorporation of a vast array of vitamin rich, nutrient dense foods in your diet every day, and to match what you get in a $4 Shakeology you’d spend many times that much to get superfoods to replace it. I prefer to simply use Shakeology, know I’m covered nutritionally, and then keep my diet simple with easy and affordable fruits and veggies like apples, carrots, and green beans.
I chose Results / Recovery formula because I feel like recharging your body after a workout is critical if you want to keep your body strong, running hard, and repairing itself to stay at peak performance. A person can get by without R/R formula, but you need to replenish your body after a workout with fast absorbing carbs and protein. An alternative could be a banana and some whey protein if you want to save on the R/R formula (don’t use Chocolate milk as a recovery drink — that doesn’t give your body what it needs and sugary chocolate syrup isn’t ever a wise choice).
What did I learn after 4 months with none of the other “fun” supplements I used to use? My “simple plan” worked out great. I learned that you don’t have to buy everything on the GNC shelves in order to get ripped. But you do need to fuel your body properly, and some well chosen nutritional supplements like Shakeology, R/R formula, and whey protein can definitely help you fuel your body to the max nutritionally, leaving no real “need” for other supplements.
It’s good to know what my body is capable of long term, without needing to buy too many supplements. I enjoy the benefits of them, but it may not be too practical to take a truckload of supplements forever. For getting max results when you are really pushing the limits of your fitness, like an initial 90 or 180 days, I think using supplements makes a lot of sense. Don’t become dependent on them though. It’s important to transition into more long-term thinking about how to best care for our bodies.
So back to the question, are supplements necessary to get great results? NO!! Here’s the truth = You can still get great results with P90X, Insanity, Body Beast, etc. even if you don’t use supplements AT ALL. However, I believe it’s harder and will take longer to get those great results. Why? Because if you are leaving holes in your nutrition, and taking longer to replenish the building blocks of your recovery and repair, you are slowing your results. If you aren’t giving your muscles the fuel they need to repair and grow at their full potential, they won’t grow at their full potential. That’s just the facts. Do you need a ton of supplements to achieve this? NO!! I just proved that I can do it with just 3 — whey protein, Shakeology, and Results and Recovery Formula. And I really could have given up the whey if I didn’t mind changing my shake recipe LOL!
So, if you can’t afford the supplements, should you just throw up your hands and quit? Of course not! If you can afford a few key supplements that will most positively affect your body’s ability to run at maximum potential, consider adding them.
What do some of the experts have to say about supplements?
Steve Edwards, a consultant for Beachbody, has addressed supplements and supplementation strategies several times. He sums it up well:
“Using proper supplementation strategy can help us live healthier and perform better, especially when we train hard and even more importantly when we’re dieting and exercising.
I break my supplements into basics and situational. Basic supplements are things I take pretty much all the time. Situational are those I use depending on what I’m doing. Let’s look at these first. In the same way that your diet should reflect what you are doing, so should the supplements you take.
For example, two of the most proven supplements in history are creatine monohydrate and 4 parts carb to one part protein recovery formulations. Neither are daily tonics. They are for given situations. Creatine is useful when you’re training hard and trying to build muscle or anaerobic strength. If those are not your goals it’s not only a waste but can interfere with your diet by encouraging your body to retain water to increase cell volume. Recovery formulations are only for when your glycogen stores are extinguished which takes hard exercise or starvation. No one eating well and exercising 30 minutes a day or less would ever need a recovery formulation. In fact, it would be terrible for you. However, when your training hard, eating lean, and using up your body’s limited glycogen stores the stuff is more valuable than gold.
Basics are things you should take everyday, like food. Since it came out Shakeology is on the top of my list. It’s like a healthy insurance policy in a glass.”
I hope this helps answer some of your questions about supplementation so that you can make a wise decision based on your own goals and your own budget. Let me know if you have any questions about how to maximize your supplement strategy!
Bring it!
Need a coach?
My email: coachwayne@teamripped.com
IG: @wayne_wyatt
