What Supplements Are Really Worth Taking?

Curious to know what supplements are REALLY worth your money? One of the most common questions I get asked is about supplementation.

What’s worth the money? What’s safe to use? Should a fat burner be a part of my supplementation?

If you feel like you have a number of questions that need answers, the following will provide some insight.

Here is a list of my top rated supplements:

Health-Promoting Supplements:

Okay, first we’re going to talk about the products I believe will support proper health. By nature, they will also support your performance and body composition goals because both of these are easier to achieve when you’re healthy.

These are all natural products that will work with your body, rather than against it.

Whey Protein

First we have whey protein.  Now, I always recommend you get as much of your nutrients from real food whenever possible. But, that said, for those who have higher protein requirements, this can be a challenge.

A protein supplement can be helpful.  If you are going to use a whey, try your best to get a grass fed product. This is the most natural and healthy option available.

If you can’t source it, the next best thing is a whey isolate.

Aim for one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight each day as a starting point. Realize if you are training hard, you may need even more.

Fish Oil

Next we have fish oil.  All of us need this.  It really is that necessary.  Fish oil provides us with omega-3 fats, which have an endless list of health benefits.  Realize that if you do eat a lot of fatty fish, especially salmon, you may not need to supplement as much as others, but I recommend you start with 1 gram of DHA per day.

Do this and you will be setting yourself up for longterm  success.

Vitamin D

Another key vitamin – vitamin D is also important for overall health. Unless you get a lot of direct sunlight (the best natural way to get vitamin D), you will need to supplement.

Read the label and take the dosage indicated.

Multi-Vitamin

Again, while you should strive to get all your nutrients from real food, having a good multi-vitamin for back-up support is always a wise decision.

Just do be sure to get a quality product here. Don’t pick up that bottle of Centrum that you find in the grocery store. Get a product that’s natural and of high quality.

Greens Blend

For those of you who really struggle to get in enough vegetables in your daily diet, a greens blend is also a smart choice.  This will give you the antioxidant support you need to promote superior health.

Probiotic

Finally, the last health promotion supplement I recommend you consider is a probiotic. This will help to keep your digestive system in proper working order and ensure that you are making use of all the foods you eat as best as possible.

Now in addition to these, you can also add in some other products that may help enhance your workout and body composition slightly further.

Performance Enhancing Supplements:

Creatine

This is a very well researched and beneficial supplement and there’s no harmful effects of taking it. A five gram dose per day is typically recommended and you’ll want to make sure you get the creatine monohydrate variety as it’s creatine in its most pure form.

Branched Chain Amino Acids

BCAA’s are also a wise idea to consider and will help to delay the onset of fatigue. If you find you’re running out of energy early on in your workouts, BCAA’s, can help.

I’d recommend starting around 7.5 grams per day, however if you are training hard, you can take this up to 10-15 grams per day.

Caffeine

Finally, you might wonder about fat burners. Should you use one?

I would say no.  Firmly.  Fat burners will mess you up if you aren’t careful and are not natural for the body at all.

Need an energy boost? Go for a cup of coffee instead. Caffeine is the most under-rated fat burner out there and you can get it right from your coffee pot. No fancy supplement needed.

If you need other ideas for a pre-workout energy boost, check out my video where I discuss this here.

There’s no need to turn to a fat burner in my opinion, so I’d recommend you stay away.

So there you have my line-up of supplement recommendations. Stick to these and you can feel confident you’re hard-earned dollars are being put to good use.

Bonus: SHOULD You Be Taking Supplements?

One question I got a lot (perhaps even more so than WHAT supplements should I take) is WHY should I be taking supplements?

Well, here’s the deal … No one “needs” supplements.

With a solid diet, a structured workout routine and a lot of dedication, you can achieve your goals. But, if you really want to ramp up your results, and not only get that extra 5% boost, but get there quicker, too – this is where supplements come in.

With a highly-efficient workout plan such as HIIT MAX that focuses on burning as many calories in a single, short session as possible, and has an emphasis on pushing you to your limits, so you never hit a plateau – I’d say supplements become more important.

To make the most of the metabolic adaptations imposed by HIIT MAX™, and maximize recovery, then all the supplements here are well worth taking.

To learn more about how HIIT MAX™ can get you to your best body ever, click here