Too Many Supplement Choices!

If you are a serious strength athlete, A bodybuilder, power lifter, Olympic lifter or any other sport that involves heavy training you probably take some food supplements. I do and have for many years.

When I started lifting in the 70s there were multi vitamins, milk and egg protein powder and desiccated liver tabs and that was pretty much it. Then the proteins were taken to the next level with various amino acid products but now it’s totally out of control! There are pre-workout products and post workout products. There are fast digesting protein powders that you should take during the day and slow digesting protein powders you should take at bed time. There are even amino acid products you should sip during your workouts...What ever happened to water? There are products to help with joint pain and there are products to make your veins pop out when you train hard. You should take this a half hour before you eat but only on a workout day and only if it’s a high carb meal...
I wonder when people forgot what the word supplement meant. A supplement is something you add to something else as in you use these products to supplement your food intake. Let me repeat that you are supposed to use these products to supplement or enhance your food intake NOT REPLACE IT!

One could easily spend several hundred dollars per month just on nutritional supplements! It’s insane. People used to say guys like Joe Weider were taking advantage with their various products. Joe was an amateur compared to the supplement co.s of today.

Let’s go back to basics. Start with a good diet. One high in quality protein foods like fish, chicken and lean red meat. Add lots of fresh vegetables preferably organically grown and raw. Nothing better than a huge salad of kale, spinach and peppers and whatever else you can think of topped with a nicely grilled chicken breast or maahie fillet. Toss on some organically grown almonds and a handful of a good quality cheese and drizzle with EVOO and a little lemon juice. Avoid grains and don't be afraid of eggs. Whether free range eggs are better for you or not, I have no idea.

Eat well, eat hearty. Enjoy your food, and if you feel like you need to supplement your nutrition program, keep it simple. a good quality multi vitamin/mineral supplement, maybe some fish oil capsules, and find a protein powder that works well for you. When I say works well, I mean one that doesn't upset your stomach and give you tons of gas. And, I mean one, not three different ones for various times of the day.